seventy-four tons of Battle Aluminum - the finest nonferrous building material, shielding, plate, track, well, ANYTHING metal that I've yet seen enter mass production in Fenspace.
And I had to boss it down to Phobos base, which, fortunately, had a big parking lot to drop it in. The load was a 8 wide, 5 tall stack of 20 foot beams of 1 foot square Battle Aluminum, with 4 pallets of tools and dies for working it on top, and it was the single biggest order I had yet recieved (that I'm willing to discuss in public).
And I didn't think I could handle it. I had choke rings around each end, and two of The Boys on each ring, running the whole show from V, with Millie doing overwatch and holding a working crew. The Boys had chivvied the load into Phobos wee little gravity well, and we were dropping slowly towards the edge of the big tarmac.
"Doc, Sleepy, bring your end up a tiny bit." I commanded, eyeing the awkward bundle nervously. We were approaching the bulk cargo pad quicker than I liked, and as the load came back even, I opened my mouth to tell all four boys to slow their rate of descent, and it happened.
Phobos gravity took over. We went from the weak attractive force that Phobos naturally puts out to the 'wave-powered Terran Standard G, and all four of my Boys plummeted out of sight.
"Abort, abort, get that load out of there NOW!" I screamed, followed by a blue streak after the mic was off, and the boys popped back into view, almost immediately.
I sighed in relief, and V cleared her throat.
"Uhm, boss.. "
"Yah?"
"Where's the load?"
I punched manual and pointed V's nose at Phobos, just in time to see the entire freaking bundle hit the tarmac and bounce twice. I swear to anything you care to name, and at most of them, that I saw the entire moon shake.
The bundle held, though, so I had at least one thing going for me, as we spiralled down towards the crewlock. Ptichka was sitting on the other side of the main lock, in the passenger parking area, and I hope noone had been paying attention.. Wire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979Wire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979
And I had to boss it down to Phobos base, which, fortunately, had a big parking lot to drop it in. The load was a 8 wide, 5 tall stack of 20 foot beams of 1 foot square Battle Aluminum, with 4 pallets of tools and dies for working it on top, and it was the single biggest order I had yet recieved (that I'm willing to discuss in public).
And I didn't think I could handle it. I had choke rings around each end, and two of The Boys on each ring, running the whole show from V, with Millie doing overwatch and holding a working crew. The Boys had chivvied the load into Phobos wee little gravity well, and we were dropping slowly towards the edge of the big tarmac.
"Doc, Sleepy, bring your end up a tiny bit." I commanded, eyeing the awkward bundle nervously. We were approaching the bulk cargo pad quicker than I liked, and as the load came back even, I opened my mouth to tell all four boys to slow their rate of descent, and it happened.
Phobos gravity took over. We went from the weak attractive force that Phobos naturally puts out to the 'wave-powered Terran Standard G, and all four of my Boys plummeted out of sight.
"Abort, abort, get that load out of there NOW!" I screamed, followed by a blue streak after the mic was off, and the boys popped back into view, almost immediately.
I sighed in relief, and V cleared her throat.
"Uhm, boss.. "
"Yah?"
"Where's the load?"
I punched manual and pointed V's nose at Phobos, just in time to see the entire freaking bundle hit the tarmac and bounce twice. I swear to anything you care to name, and at most of them, that I saw the entire moon shake.
The bundle held, though, so I had at least one thing going for me, as we spiralled down towards the crewlock. Ptichka was sitting on the other side of the main lock, in the passenger parking area, and I hope noone had been paying attention.. Wire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979Wire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979