Free Last Flight For Craggy by Gary Weston Page B

just a few minutes before she died. I was a mess. Overjoyed at
your birth and distraught holding your mother's hand as she slipped
away. But I remember the look on her face, in her eyes. She was in
such terrible pain, but she was smiling at you. She had to endure
that pain so you could be born. Then she kissed you, smiled at me
and she was gone.'
    Fawn went to
her father's side. 'Dad.'
    He stroked his
daughter's hair, 'And now I feel like I'm losing you, going off to
live on Mars.'
    'Dad. You'll
never lose me. Besides. I intend to be hauling freight for two or
three years. I'll be catching up with you here, like we are
now.'
    He smiled at
her. 'She would have been so proud of you, as am I.'
    'Thanks,
Dad.'
     

Chapter
26
     
    It was full on,
on Moon. The new ship was still being prepared, the pods of
marsillium being loaded in anticipation of the technicians having
the computers ready for the launch date. At the same time, Cragg's
old ship was broken up for spare parts and Fawn Dillow was showing
Craggy her brand new freighter.
    'Isn't she
gorgeous?'
    The ship was a
thing of beauty. It brought it home to Craggy just how ancient his
old ship had been. The deck was light and airy and well thought
out.
    Craggy hardly
recognised the controls. 'You know how all this works?'
    'I had plenty
of simulation training so it's all familiar to me. I'm booked in
for a test flight in a day or so. Care to come with me?'
    Cragg was
surprised at the invitation. 'Me?'
    'I need a
copilot by law. Of course, I thought of you. Just round the Moon a
couple of times. I know I've had a few hours in the simulator but
there's nothing like the real thing.'
    'I'd be
honoured to go with you. Thank you.'
    Dillow said,
'If the test flight pans out, the ship gets to take the new
designed pods to Mars. I'll miss you, Craggy.'
    'You'll be
fine.'
    'I told Dad
about me wanting to live on Mars.'
    'Was he cool
about it?'
    Dillow
shrugged. 'He knows it's for the best.'
    'That's not
what I asked.'
    'I told him I'd
be hauling freight for a few years, so I'd still see him.'
    'Make sure you
do.'
    * * *
    'Look,' said
Cragg. 'I know technically, I'm your designated copilot, just don't
actually expect me to be able to fly this gizmo, okay?'
    Dillow
chuckled. 'Sit down and buckle up.'
    'Yes,
captain.'
    'Captain Fawn
Dillow, requesting flight clearance.'
    'Clear to go,
captain.'
    'Thanks,
Carlos.'
    'Shouldn't you
fire up the thrusters?'
    'Just did.
Quiet, yeah?'
    'Shit. I
thought I'd gone deaf in my old age.'
    The new ship
was as smooth as it was quiet. Craggy watched mesmerised as
Dillow's fingers flew over the consul. They were all touch-less
controls, responding to her gentle hand movements. Many of the
controls weren't even identified. Dillow just knew after minimum
training, what and where they were.
    He used to
think he had a symbiotic relationship with his old ship, but this
was the melding of machine and human. Dillow was one with her ship.
He sat back to enjoy the test ride. Dillow activated the heat
shield five times, and it opened and retracted perfectly, ensuring
entry through the Martian atmosphere would be trouble free.
    When they
landed and Dillow shut down, Craggy said, 'That was great.'
    Dillow hugged
him and kissed his cheek. 'Want me to bring you beer back from
Mars?'
    'You damn well
better do.'
     

Chapter
27
     
    'Are you
absolutely damn sure, Stella?'
    'Commander
Forbes. We have given the computer systems a one hundred hour
workout. And that was after ironing out bugs.'
    'Right. I'll
have her winched up the launching slope. We launch on time. Noon
tomorrow.'
    At noon the
next day, Stella was there at the slope, along with half the Moon
Base personnel, a kilometre back behind the safety barriers. The
seconds were counted down. With five to go, the plasma engines
fired up. They built up power and on zero, the locks let go. It
flew down the slope, then up the other side, to go free like some
dove of peace. As the crowd cheered and the ship became a