Read Online Earth Ship Protectress: Book Two in the Freddy Anderson Chronicles by John Ricks - Free Book Online
Authors: John Ricks
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How sweet. Don’t worry; everything’s fine. The girls are all doing well. The extra people are from NASA. The commander thought that it would be good to have their opinions on a few things, mostly to ensure we run l egal.”
“That would be why I got this long list of requ ests?”
“Correct. Are you coming out?”
“Are you sure it’s safe?”
“It’s safe; don’t worry. We checked them out thoroughly. They didn’t like it, and we did turn down three before we agreed to the five we have now, but these guys checked out.”
“Okay, then, I’m coming out.”
I opened the door and went through. “Hi, Commander. What’s up?”
She knelt down to my level and said, “I’m sorry. I should have warned you or at least placed a watch out here to guide you. When Katie said you were outside but ran back in because you were afraid, we knew we’d messed up.”
“That’s okay, Susan. Stuff happens, and we learn. How long have they been here?”
“Two days. You really need to come out more often. They have questions that I can’t begin to answer.”
“That’s nice. I don’t see why I need to answer anything they ask. Have they been approved by the president?”
“Yes, and to be honest, we’re a little excited that they’re here. Two are astronauts in training, and one is an astronaut with four flights under his belt.”
“And the other two?”
“One is an FAA safety inspector, and the other is an aerospace engineer from MIT. NASA sent them out to help us figure out what’s needed to make your equipment legal for flight and to look at standard connections. They would like it if you could connect to the space station and deliver supplies. Though, for some reason, I feel that they don’t believe you’re actually going to get anything off the ground. The president had to order them to help.”
I thought about that for a minute. “That’s an interesting situation, but these people are working with the wrong information. This is just a trainer. It does not have the running lights, cargo holds, restrooms, or any of the hundred other options I’ve worked out.” I smiled. “Commander, they have no idea. I’ll be right back. Keep this area clear.”
I went back into my shop. “Shop, please open the bay doors, and have two shuttles power up.”
“ Complying. Doors open. Shuttle One is at 50 percent power and climbing. Shuttle Two is at 28 percent and clim bing.”
“ Shop, please contact Shuttle One and Shuttle Two, and have them move out to the first and third launch pads, respectively.”
“ Working. Compl eted.”
I watched as both shuttles lifted and moved out, pursuant to their preprogramming. They moved through what looked like a solid rock face and out into the compound. I left the shop and stood next to the commander and Katie. Both shuttles moved soundlessly over our heads and out to the launch pads, where they settled down on “multilanders” and powered down. I pathed, “ Shop, place them on A-1 security, and close the bay d oors.”
“Compl eted.”
You could just barely see the shimmer surrounding them from the shields. “Darn,” I said. That startled Katie and the commander. “I need to adjust the security shields so they don’t show. I couldn’t see that in the lights of my shop.”
The commander asked, “Freddy, do both of them do what the trainer does?”
I looked at her in amused disgust. “Commander, the trainer is just a simple device. These two do much, much more.” With a smile and a lilt in my voice, I said, “I’m hungry. Any chance the kitchen’s open?”
“For you, Freddy, there’s bread pudding.”
I eagerly started toward home. “Really? I love bread pudding.”
We entered the house, and I headed upstairs, yelling back over my shoulder to the commander, “Susan, I’ll be down to eat after I clean up. Then we can talk, if you want.”
I took a quick shower, brushed my teeth, and ran a brush through my hair, which was down below my waist
“That would be why I got this long list of requ ests?”
“Correct. Are you coming out?”
“Are you sure it’s safe?”
“It’s safe; don’t worry. We checked them out thoroughly. They didn’t like it, and we did turn down three before we agreed to the five we have now, but these guys checked out.”
“Okay, then, I’m coming out.”
I opened the door and went through. “Hi, Commander. What’s up?”
She knelt down to my level and said, “I’m sorry. I should have warned you or at least placed a watch out here to guide you. When Katie said you were outside but ran back in because you were afraid, we knew we’d messed up.”
“That’s okay, Susan. Stuff happens, and we learn. How long have they been here?”
“Two days. You really need to come out more often. They have questions that I can’t begin to answer.”
“That’s nice. I don’t see why I need to answer anything they ask. Have they been approved by the president?”
“Yes, and to be honest, we’re a little excited that they’re here. Two are astronauts in training, and one is an astronaut with four flights under his belt.”
“And the other two?”
“One is an FAA safety inspector, and the other is an aerospace engineer from MIT. NASA sent them out to help us figure out what’s needed to make your equipment legal for flight and to look at standard connections. They would like it if you could connect to the space station and deliver supplies. Though, for some reason, I feel that they don’t believe you’re actually going to get anything off the ground. The president had to order them to help.”
I thought about that for a minute. “That’s an interesting situation, but these people are working with the wrong information. This is just a trainer. It does not have the running lights, cargo holds, restrooms, or any of the hundred other options I’ve worked out.” I smiled. “Commander, they have no idea. I’ll be right back. Keep this area clear.”
I went back into my shop. “Shop, please open the bay doors, and have two shuttles power up.”
“ Complying. Doors open. Shuttle One is at 50 percent power and climbing. Shuttle Two is at 28 percent and clim bing.”
“ Shop, please contact Shuttle One and Shuttle Two, and have them move out to the first and third launch pads, respectively.”
“ Working. Compl eted.”
I watched as both shuttles lifted and moved out, pursuant to their preprogramming. They moved through what looked like a solid rock face and out into the compound. I left the shop and stood next to the commander and Katie. Both shuttles moved soundlessly over our heads and out to the launch pads, where they settled down on “multilanders” and powered down. I pathed, “ Shop, place them on A-1 security, and close the bay d oors.”
“Compl eted.”
You could just barely see the shimmer surrounding them from the shields. “Darn,” I said. That startled Katie and the commander. “I need to adjust the security shields so they don’t show. I couldn’t see that in the lights of my shop.”
The commander asked, “Freddy, do both of them do what the trainer does?”
I looked at her in amused disgust. “Commander, the trainer is just a simple device. These two do much, much more.” With a smile and a lilt in my voice, I said, “I’m hungry. Any chance the kitchen’s open?”
“For you, Freddy, there’s bread pudding.”
I eagerly started toward home. “Really? I love bread pudding.”
We entered the house, and I headed upstairs, yelling back over my shoulder to the commander, “Susan, I’ll be down to eat after I clean up. Then we can talk, if you want.”
I took a quick shower, brushed my teeth, and ran a brush through my hair, which was down below my waist
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