First Contact (Galactic Axia Adventure) by Jim Laughter Read Free Book Online Page A

He adjusted the controls accordingly. Behind him he heard the examiner write something again. Beads of cold sweat appeared on Delmar’s forehead.
    Delmar turned the ship into an oscillating loop pattern designed to allow shipboard sensors to fully sweep the surface of a planetary body. When the sensors indicated the asteroid was unoccupied and safe, Delmar chose a landing area and headed toward it using the cautionary approach vector. Designed to allow a landing ship more escape options in case of unforeseen circumstances, he thought it wise since the examiner had not specified a particular approach. Delmar found himself listening for the examiner to start writing again but heard nothing. Strangely, this made him all the more nervous.
    Bringing the ship in on a smooth descending final approach, Delmar set the ship down to a bump-free landing. When they were safely landed, he cut the drive and waited for instructions. Ingrained habits from training kicked in and he found himself continuing to scan his instruments and the barren surface outside through the glass-steel windows of the trainer.
    “Execute an emergency lift on my mark,” the examiner ordered, “and bring us to a dead stop at fifty thousand feet above the surface.” Delmar nodded his acknowledgment and waited. “Mark,” the examiner said after a moment.
    Delmar immediately gave the ship full throttle and spun the axis ball. The little patroller shot straight upward on a vertical tangent from the surface of the asteroid. Just before the distance indicator showed the requested altitude, Delmar cut the drive and the little ship drifted to a stop six inches past fifty thousand feet. Behind him Delmar heard the examiner click a stopwatch and write something on his notepad. He wondered what the he’d found wrong this time.
    After a moment, the examiner spoke again. “Execute a standard approach to Rodar Base 43 and set us down.” He watched Delmar nod his acknowledgment and begin the maneuver. He looked down at the notes he’d scribbled and smiled. From his seat, the examiner could see his student was developing a permanent cold sweat.
    The ship proceeded quickly toward the designated base. Delmar called in and received clearance for approach and landing. As the started its downward motion, the examiner flipped a secret switch. Immediately, the ship lurched as the drive faltered.
    Delmar didn’t have time to think about the exam anymore. Instead, he began the emergency procedure suggested for such a situation. “Hold on, sir,” he announced. “We have a little problem here.”
    With a light touch on the axis ball to constantly correct for the ship’s erratically shifting attitude, Delmar feathered the throttle with his right hand. Changing to a foot comm switch, he called the base controller to report the emergency and ask for a crash crew to stand by. The front windows of the shaking ship lit up as the base’s levitation ray swung around to track him. The controller informed him that the crash crew was standing by.
    The trainer, barely in Delmar’s control, rocketed through the atmosphere as it bypassed the normal landing pattern. Atmospheric friction fire enveloped the ship, leaving a smoking trail behind them. Delmar lifted the nose of the ship a degree to spill off some of their speed and eliminate the friction but the trainer continued its meteoric plunge through the atmosphere toward the surface below. This isn’t going to look good on my record, he thought . Student kills examiner on test flight. Failing grade received.
    Vibrations like none he’d ever felt reverberated through the ship. Doubts filled his mind that he would be able to control the trainer to a safe landing. He wondered why the base levitation rays hadn’t made contact with them yet to help him control their descent. Surely they weren’t going too fast for the rays to connect. He glanced back at the examiner who sat stoic in his seat. He’s taking notes. The man must have ice