Free Stories of the Confederated Star Systems by Loren K. Jones Page A

yourself? Over.”
    He finally received an answer at 1611, but it was ambiguous. “Roger, this is MT-28.”
    “MT-28?” Captain Reordan asked softly. “I thought I heard FT-28.”
    “Records show that’s correct, Sir, but their radios aren’t as sensitive as ours,” Commander Reordan answered just as softly. “This may be the first mistake of many.”
    “MT-28, this is FT-74, what is your trouble?” Lieutenant Cox answered, relieved that he was finally in contact with the lost men.
    The voice that was now identified as Lieutenant Charles Carroll Taylor, USNR, replied, “Both my compasses are out and I am trying to find Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I am over land, but it’s broken. I’m sure I’m in the Keys, but I don’t know how far down and I don’t know how to get to Fort Lauderdale.”
    There was less tension in Lieutenant Cox’s voice as he spoke this time. Now he at least had an idea of how to help lead this man to land . “MT-28, this is FT-74. Put the sun on your port wing if you are in the Keys and fly up the coast until you get to Miami, then Fort Lauderdale is 20 miles further, your first port after Miami. The air station is directly on your left from the port. What is your present altitude? I will fly south and meet you.”
    Lieutenant Taylor’s reply was clear. “I know where I am at now. I’m at twenty-three hundred feet. Don’t come after me.”
    Lieutenant Cox’s reply was just as clear. “MT-28, roger. I’m coming up to meet you anyhow.”
     
    “Well at least one pilot down there is competent,” Commander Frazer commented sourly, earning a glare from his captain.
     
    Fort Lauderdale radio called Lieutenant Cox then, asking for clarification of the earlier message. “FT-74, this is Nan How Able One. Is the call sign of your contact MT-28 or FT-28?”
    Lieutenant Cox immediately requested the information. “MT-28 this is FT-74. Please verify. Are you MT-28 or FT-28? Over.”
    Lieutenant Taylor radioed the information, along with a request. “Roger, that’s FT-28. FT-74, can you have Miami or someone turn on their radar gear and pick us up? We don’t seem to be getting far. We were out on a navigational hop and on the second leg I thought they were going wrong so I took over and was flying them back to the right position, but I’m sure now that neither one of my compasses are working.”
    Lieutenant Cox’s voice held a touch of exasperated humor as he replied. “FT-28, you can’t expect to get here in ten minutes. You have a 30 to 35 knot head or cross wind. Turn on your emergency IFF gear, or do you have it on?”
    A somewhat subdued, “Negative,” was Taylor’s reply.
    Lieutenant Cox decided then to pass on the information to Fort Lauderdale. “Nan How Able One, this is FT-74. Flight of 5 planes leader is FT-28. He has his emergency IFF equipment on. Requests if he can be picked up on Fort Lauderdale radar gear.”
    Fort Lauderdale radio replied moments later. “FT-74, Nan How Able One. Negative. He cannot be picked up on Fort Lauderdale radar gear.”
    “FT-74 Roger. Standby,” Cox answered, then contacted Taylor. “FT-28, this is FT-74. Turn on your ZBX . . . FT-28, do you read? Turn on your ZBX.”
     
    “ZBX?” Lieutenant DeBaron asked from his station at the sensors. “What’s that?”
    “Homing device,” the sensor tech answered softly.
     
    At 1622 Fort Lauderdale radio again contacted Lieutenant Cox with instructions for Taylor. “FT-74, this is Nan How Able One, tell FT-28 to have a pilot with a good compass take over lead. Over.”
    Lieutenant Cox acknowledged and passed on the message. “Roger. FT-28, this is FT-74. Have a wingman with a good compass take over lead of flight. Over.”
    Lieutenant Taylor’s reply was garbled and all but unintelligible to Lieutenant Cox as well as the Wells , with only the word “radar,” being clear enough to understand.
    Lieutenant Cox immediately tried to reestablish contact. “FT-28, your transmissions are