Free The World Turned Upside Down by David Drake, Eric Flint, Jim Baen

wings?"
    "Huh? Gee, Ariel, I don't think so."
    "Why not?"
    There she had me. She had already done all that could be done with those atrocious gliders. If she was to learn more, she had to have real wings. "Ariel, it's dangerous. It's not what you've been doing, believe me. You might get hurt, even killed."
    "Would you be held responsible?"
    "No. You signed a release when you came in."
    "Then I'd like to try it."
    I bit my lip. If she had cracked up without my help, I wouldn't have shed a tear—but to let her do something too dangerous while she was my pupil . . . well, it smacked of David and Uriah. "Ariel, I can't stop you . . . but I should put my wings away and not have anything to do with it."
    It was her turn to bite her lip. "If you feel that way, I can't ask you to coach me. But I still want to. Perhaps Jeff will help me."
    "He probably will," I blurted out, "if he is as big a fool as I think he is!"
    Her company face slipped but she didn't say anything because just then Jeff stalled in beside us. "What's the discussion?"
    We both tried to tell him and confused him for he got the idea I had suggested it, and started bawling me out. Was I crazy? Was I trying to get Ariel hurt? Didn't I have any sense?
    " Shut up! " I yelled, then added quietly but firmly, "Jefferson Hardesty, you wanted me to teach your girl friend, so I agreed. But don't butt in and don't think you can get away with talking to me like that. Now beat it! Take wing. Grab air!"
    He swelled up and said slowly, "I absolutely forbid it."
    Silence for five long counts. Then Ariel said quietly, "Come, Holly. Let's get me some wings."
    "Right, Ariel."
    But they don't rent real wings. Fliers have their own; they have to. However, there are second-hand ones for sale because kids outgrow them, or people shift to custom-made ones, or something. I found Mr. Schultz who keeps the key, and said that Ariel was thinking of buying but I wouldn't let her without a tryout. After picking over forty-odd pairs I found a set which Johnny Queveras had outgrown but which I knew were all right. Nevertheless I inspected them carefully. I could hardly reach the finger controls but they fitted Ariel.
    While I was helping her into the tail surfaces I said, "Ariel? This is still a bad idea."
    "I know. But we can't let men think they own us."
    "I suppose not."
    "They do own us, of course. But we shouldn't let them know it." She was feeling out the tail controls. "The big toes spread them?"
    "Yes. But don't do it. Just keep your feet together and toes pointed. Look, Ariel, you really aren't ready. Today all you will do is glide, just as you've been doing. Promise?"
    She looked me in the eye. "I'll do exactly what you say . . . not even take wing unless you OK it."
    "OK. Ready?"
    "I'm ready."
    "All right. Wups! I goofed. They aren't orange."
    "Does it matter?"
    "It sure does." There followed a weary argument because Mr. Schultz didn't want to spray them orange for a tryout. Ariel settled it by buying them, then we had to wait a bit while the solvent dried.
    We went back to the tourist slope and I let her glide, cautioning her to hold both alulae open with her thumbs for more lift at slow speeds, while barely sculling with her fingers. She did fine, and stumbled in landing only once. Jeff stuck around, cutting figure eights above us, but we ignored him. Presently I taught her to turn in a wide, gentle bank—you can turn those awful glider things but it takes skill; they're only meant for straight glide.
    Finally I landed by her and said, "Had enough?"
    "I'll never have enough! But I'll unwing if you say."
    "Tired?"
    "No." She glanced over her wing at the Baby's Ladder; a dozen fliers were going up it, wings motionless, soaring lazily. "I wish I could do that just once. It must be heaven."
    I chewed it over. "Actually, the higher you are, the safer you are."
    "Then why not?"
    "Mmm . . . safer provided you know what you're doing. Going up that draft is just gliding like you've