Tales of the Groundbound: The Blue Side, Chapter 6

[steuben]

Chapter 6

Khenry leaned on his cane in mission control. His leg, shattered in the same accident that had killed Encal, was slowly healing. “This is Flight Control,” he said into his headset. “All stations report: go, no go.” The room went quiet.

“Range, go.”

“Recovery, go.”

“Tracking, go.”

“Chase, go.” Valentina, in a plane circling the KSC. Her voice made tinny by the narrow radio channel

“Capsule, go.” Jebediah, in the capsule.

“Telemetry, go.”

“Science, go.”

Khenry looked up into the VIP area. “Director, all stations report go. I recommend launch.”

Direc nodded.

“All stations,” Khenry said. “We are go for launch. Resume countdown at T minus thirty seconds.”

The chatter at the various stations resumed. The checks and activities were down.

“T minus twenty seconds,” came over the speakers in the control room.

The activity slowed to a halt. Everyone waited for one button to be pressed.

“T minus ten seconds.”

Khenry knew he would never be going up in the regular program.

“T minus five seconds”

"Umbilical release,"  Khenry said.

"Umbilical away," the range officer said.

“Clamps release,”

“Clamps away,“

“T minus three.”

“Primary motors start”, Khenry said.

“Primary motors on,” Jebediah said. His voice now made tinny by the radio channel, instead of the landline.

“T minus two.”

“Ignitors on,” Khenry said.

“Ignitors active,” the range officer said.

“T minus one.”

“T minus zero.”

“Throttle full,” Khenry and Jebediah said together.

The rocket lifted off from a silent white cloud of steam and smoke; a cloud with a yellow glowing heart. One second later the crushing roar of the engines rolled through.

Khenry watched the rocket fly up into the sky; a silver spec that trailed a white thread of cloud.

“Booster burn out in three,” Jebediah said.

“Booster burn out.”  A sound like a metallic chunk followed by a new roar came through the radio. “Booster separated. Central engine throttle at seventy-five percent. Gus promised me flight in the stamp. I owe him a bottle. He’s delivered on this one.”

“You ain’t seen nothing yet, Jeb,” Khenry said. “I’ve seen the specs for the newer stuff.”

“Chase, reporting op-ceil,” Valentina’s came over the speakers. “See you on the brown side, Jeb.”

“Someday, I’ll see you on the blue side, Jeb,” Khenry said. His mike had not been cued.

Edited February 15, 2017 by steuben