Reaching For The Stars

The attendance of the ambulance did not necessarily mean that there were casualties, as nowadays ambulances attended all accidents as a matter of course, the same as they did for fire calls. After a wait of about five minutes, Peter saw a police traffic officer walking down the line of vehicles, speaking to each driver in turn. Peter’s car had a police badge and security pass displayed on the windshield and on seeing these, the traffic officer saluted before speaking.

“Good morning, sir. There’s been an accident up ahead. The road will be closed for about half an hour, while we clear up.”

“What happened?”

“A taxi got hit and overturned by a bus, no one hurt though, sir.”

Peter glanced behind him and on seeing that the following vehicle was not too close, he pressed a button on the dashboard to engage reverse drive, and moved slowly backwards. Re-engaging forward drive he swung the car across the road and headed back the way they had come. By using the side streets, they got round the obstruction and continued on their way to pick up Fiona. As they pulled up outside Fiona’s apartment block, she came out followed by Chris.

“Morning, it must have been some nightcap last night.” Peter joked.

Both Fiona and Chris blushed and Chris quipped back, “Yes, but it sure was nice!”

“Are we picking Bill up as well this morning, horror?”

“No, he’s using his motorbike.”

Peter headed the car towards the motorway ring as Fiona and Chris settled down in the middle seats. The motorway ring was the quickest way from Southgate to the spaceport. In the old days, this had been known as the north and south circular roads but had been rebuilt and modernised with flying junctions and underpasses some two years after the landings. The whole construction was elevated fifty feet in the air to avoid too much disturbance to property in the area. This new motorway only roughly followed the route of the old roads, as this was now a perfect circle. All the other motorways to other parts of the country now came off this ring and there were also five new central spurs that ran to within one mile of each other, right in the heart of the metropolis. The old M25 that had been the main London circular motorway prior to `09 was still in place but not nearly as busy as it once had been due to the new inner circular motorway. By using the motorways they were able to travel fast and about a quarter of an hour after leaving Southgate, Peter eased the car down the ramp into the underground garage at the police headquarters on the edge of the spaceport. They all went up to Peter’s office to check what craft they would be using and where it was located. From the papers on his desk they learnt that the Pathfinder was over on the western perimeter of the spaceport near to the cargo areas. Bill was obviously already over at the craft as his anorak was on the back of his chair behind the desk he used, but he was nowhere to be seen.

“We might as well go over and have a look at this kite of ours.” Peter said.

They all went back downstairs to the garage and got back into the car. After leaving the garage, Peter headed towards a tunnel leading to the central area and then via another tunnel to the western sector of the spaceport. Maureen gasped when she saw the size of the craft. It was larger than she had expected, even though Peter had told her the dimensions. It looked bigger than it actually was owing to its somewhat squat appearance. As they came out of the tunnel onto the tarmac apron, Peter had pressed a button on the cars dashboard and now an amber warning light was flashing on and off on the cars roof. This was a safety measure left over from the old days, but at least now with atomic power there was no danger of flattened batteries as there had been years ago. Peter parked the car under the saucer, near to the main entrance steps. The doorway opened onto the lower of all the decks, which were mainly laboratories, stores accommodation and a hospital wing. It was cool inside the saucer and the air conditioning units operating on their own without the main power plants made a soft purring noise in the background. Peter led the way up the main stairway to their own living deck, two above the ground. The first level was where the students would have their accommodation.

“This is our deck girls, have a good look round while Chris and I have a look upstairs in the control room.”

The crew deck where they now stood was more luxuriously fitted out than the student’s deck.

“I certainly didn’t expect this sort of standard.” Maureen remarked, toeing the fitted yellow carpets.

Peter and Chris went on up the last part of the stairway to the control room, from where they could hear the murmur of voices. Bill was sitting back to front on the co-pilots seat and he got up as Peter and Chris entered.

“Morning chaps, you got here at last then.”

“Cheeky aren’t we, first thing in the morning!” Chris replied.

“I was up with the larks.” Bill stated.

“I was up with the birds as well, and that sure wasn’t a lark!” Chris re-joined.

Peter and Bill both laughed as the figure Bill had been talking to stood up from where he was working.

“Morning sirs, I’m just making some final adjustments to your main flight computers, I’ll be finished in about ten minutes if that’s ok?”

“No problem, don’t let us get in your way.”

Peter wandered off round the control room to find out where everything was, and to find out what switches operated what equipment, while Chris remained chatting to Bill and the technician. Peter had mentioned the idea of flying up to Lincoln to Chris on the way over from Southgate and Chris now bought the subject up.

“Bill, Peter mentioned that we might go up to Lincoln and meet these students of ours and hopefully get all their kit loaded. It’ll save them having to ship it down by road as planned.”

“Good idea, I’ll get the course set up for when you’re ready.”

Bill went behind his own navigation panel and input some figures into the secondary computer, which was used solely for navigational purposes. Seconds later a series of numbers flashed up on the pilots screen and on the main viewing screen mounted overhead. As soon as the craft was on course these numbers would go out, only to come back on if the course needed correcting for any reason. By now the technician had completed his task and was packing up ready to leave.

“All done, sir. I hope you have a pleasant voyage.”

“Thanks, I’m sure it’ll be an education for us as well. Could you please move my car back off the apron when you leave?”

“No problem, sir.”

Peter slipped into the pilot’s seat and switched on the video link with the main control tower of the spaceport.

“Pathfinder to control, can we take this kite up for a trial run?”

“Yes, that’s not a problem, everything has been checked and is ok, and all you’ll have to do is your normal pre-flight checks.”

“Thanks control.”

Peter flipped a switch to bring the main motors to life, while Chris also operated a switch to connect the control room with the deck downstairs via an intercom, where the girls were still exploring.

“We’re just about ready to take off. Do you two want to come up here or are you still too busy having a look round?”

He then pressed a button on the panel and a small red light went out, signifying that the ramp was retracted and doors closed. A small monitor above the panel showed the doors and entrance quite clearly, so he knew there was no one standing in the way. Peter meanwhile had completed the pre-flight checks and everything was ready. A single green light showed that the computer was also in readiness for flight. The two girls appeared in the control room as the tower spoke to them again.

“Tower to Pathfinder, you’re clear to go. Climb immediately to 6000 feet to clear incoming traffic.”

“Roger tower, thank you very much.”

Peter moved a small joystick on the main panel and the craft lifted silently into the air. He took the saucer up to the specified altitude quite quickly and then levelled out. All saucers had standard aircraft instruments for planetary use, which automatically blacked out when the craft entered space. On this larger craft, there was no sway on take-off as on the smaller ranger class. The pathfinder class was just as manoeuvrable as their smaller counterparts and was capable of the same phenomenal speed. Peter however held the speed quite slow so that they could watch the passing scenery below. He set the course for Lincoln as per the instructions on the panel, the lights went out and he engaged the autopilot.

About twenty minutes later they were flying over the outskirts of Lincoln. As the craft was now at an altitude of a little over a thousand feet it was easy to pinpoint the university buildings, standing in their own spacious grounds, and Peter selected a wide expanse of open lawn, quite near to the main campus buildings and bought the saucer gently into land. The arrival of their craft had caused quite a stir and many faces peered from windows, or watched from where they’d been sitting or walking in the grounds. Chris operated the switch controlling the doors and ramp as Peter shut down the motors. As they emerged into the bright sunlight, they saw a tall, elderly grey haired man approaching across the grass. They walked towards him and met up about twenty yards from the saucer.

“Good morning, I’m Byron Zebbedee, university principal. I watched you land from my study window and on seeing the police badges on the side; I thought you might be something to do with our student’s expedition.”

“Good morning, Mr Zebbedee”, Peter replied, “I’m Captain Peter Gresham this is my crew and we’ll be flying your group on their tour. This is my co-pilot, Captain Chris Ross, Navigating officer, Lt. Bill Howell, two relief navigators, Second Officer Maureen Brevitt, my fiancée and my sister Fiona a senior navigating officer with the civil galactic fleet and on loan from them for the duration of this trip. We thought it would be a good idea to come up here today and meet our group and if possible to get the craft loaded which will save you all time”.

“That’s jolly considerate of you, Captain Gresham, my good fellow. You must all come up to my study for a spot of refreshment, what. I’ll summon the group leaders and you can talk to them in more pleasant surroundings. Shall we go, tally ho and all that, come on follow me”. And with that the principal went skipping off across the grass towards the campus buildings with Peter and the others following behind.

“Funny fella”, Chris said in a low voice.

On entering the modern airy looking buildings they were led to a fairly large room on the first floor, furnished with easy chairs, sofas and low tables. The principal waved them all to seats.

“Would you all care to join me in a glass of brandy”?

Peter glanced round at the others and accepted on their behalf.

“Yes, thank you that would be very nice. Would you happen to have some soda as well please”?

“Of course my boy, you shall have your soda. I won’t be a tick”.

The principal left the room to fetch some soda and glasses.

“He must have some damn big brandy glasses around here”. Chris remarked.

“Why? What are you on about”? Peter asked in some puzzlement.

“He asked us if we’d join him IN a glass of brandy”!!

“Good heavens, Chris, you get worse”! Maureen exclaimed amid hoots of laughter from the others.

After about five minutes the door opened again and a different man came in. He stopped dead when he saw the group sitting in the room and a look of bewilderment crossed his face.

“Good morning everybody. I presume you`re Police as I saw the badges on your aircraft, how can I help you and also perhaps you could tell me what you`re all doing in my private study”?

Peter stood up, also looking puzzled. “Good morning to you to sir, we`re the crew flying your students on their trip. We were just waiting for the principal, Mr Zebedee, he `s gone to fetch us some drinks.”