oom: test flight
"We need you suited up, lieutenant."
"How come?"
"Because we haven't finished environmental control on this thing yet and we assumed you'd want to breathe."
"But it's ready to fly?"
"Of course it is. It has an engine, doesn't it?"
Three months in to the program and she still can't tell when the engineers are joking or not.
---
"Docking couples disengaged."
"Hanger door is open. You are cleared for take-off, Sabre One."
It's just like the simulator.
It's just like the simulator.
It's not a fucking thing like the simulator, because now she's in charge of a few million dollars worth of aircraft and she'll be on latrine duty for the rest of the goddamn war if she fucks this up.
She slides the throttle forward and moves out into open space.
---
This is amazing. She is probably going to die, because the weapons aren't up on this tin can either and the brakes seem a little iffy, but this is absolutely amazing.
She doesn't realize she's laughing until the flight officer's voice crackles in her ear. "Having fun out there, lieutenant?"
"Just another beautiful day in the Navy, sir."
"That's the spirit, lieutenant. Keep her out for another hour; that should give the gearheads enough data to keep them happy."
"My pleasure, sir."
"How come?"
"Because we haven't finished environmental control on this thing yet and we assumed you'd want to breathe."
"But it's ready to fly?"
"Of course it is. It has an engine, doesn't it?"
Three months in to the program and she still can't tell when the engineers are joking or not.
---
"Docking couples disengaged."
"Hanger door is open. You are cleared for take-off, Sabre One."
It's just like the simulator.
It's just like the simulator.
It's not a fucking thing like the simulator, because now she's in charge of a few million dollars worth of aircraft and she'll be on latrine duty for the rest of the goddamn war if she fucks this up.
She slides the throttle forward and moves out into open space.
---
This is amazing. She is probably going to die, because the weapons aren't up on this tin can either and the brakes seem a little iffy, but this is absolutely amazing.
She doesn't realize she's laughing until the flight officer's voice crackles in her ear. "Having fun out there, lieutenant?"
"Just another beautiful day in the Navy, sir."
"That's the spirit, lieutenant. Keep her out for another hour; that should give the gearheads enough data to keep them happy."
"My pleasure, sir."