Bootstrap Colony 5 Snippet 5

 

Chapter 5

 

Capital, Bootstrap Colony

 

Jacklynn oversaw the shuttle’s maintenance ninety-day tear down. The bird was on her wheels in the hangar; panels were opened up and various components were out or had cables and hoses plugged in.

On top of a full life-support purge, they were doing a full cycle on the equipment. The exterior tiles had all checked out. She was relieved by that; she didn’t want or need to recreate the Columbia disaster.

The ground crew was taking the shuttle down to the frame in some spots to do a full inspection and swap out of some components. The engines were already out and were overhauled. She wasn’t taking any chances, especially since they hadn’t gotten a chance to do that on Earth.

Fortunately, they had a new design for the rockets and jet engines. These were nearly 50 percent 3D printed out of composite metals and integrated a lot of components and hoses, cutting down on parts. She liked the idea, though she felt it wasn’t quite fully tested. But there was a fix for that too.

She would take the shuttle up for a test flight before the return trip. But first … she saw her target in the hangar and wandered over to him.

“The Bell BA609 civilian version of the V-22,” Jacklynn said as Mitch opened his mouth to ask about the shuttle.

“Um, yeah? What about it?” he asked.

“I want one. Actually, more than one and parts and stuff,” she said.

He looked at her and laughed softly, shaking his head.

She put her hands on her hips. “No, seriously.” She tapped her index fingers meaningfully.

He sobered and looked at her for a long moment, sizing up her determination. “Look, I get it but we don’t have the fuel and parts for it.”

“True.”

He looked at her again.

She had an innocent expression on her face.

He groaned. “Don’t do that.”

“Do what?” she asked innocently.

“That,” he mock growled.

She chuckled. “What? This?” she fluttered her eyes and then put on a sad, slightly pouty expression on her face. He groaned again and her Cheshire grin broke out. “Don’t make me trot out the puppy eyes,” she said with a slightly jutted out lower lip.

“You? Puppy eyes?” He shook his head. “You have puppy eyes?” he chuckled.

They laughed together.

“Seriously though …,” he said when they sobered.

“I know it is a tough bird to fly and keep in the air. But think of what we can do with it!”

He sighed. “Yes, I realize that.” He shook his head. “I also have a feeling you won’t let this go easily.”

She smirked again.

“Okay, miss smarty pants, how do you propose to get one or more over here?” he demanded as he turned to her. This time it was his turn to have his hands on his hips.

She started to say something, stopped and then frowned as she mentally regrouped as the problem suddenly unfolded in her mind.

“Well?” he asked with his own smirk.

“I’m thinking!”

He snorted. “Well, when you have an answer, let me know.”

She shook her head and sighed.

“And I highly doubt they’ll let us license it to build here. It would be horrendously expensive. That is the best option but … I’m betting no.”

She groaned.

“We’d have to make tools and dies, equipment …,” he shook his head. “In the meantime, why not break out the simulator program and see if they have a sim for a V-22. If they do, try it in the simulator and see how it really handles here.”

She blinked and then nodded. “You know it won’t be enough. I was serious about having it in our inventory.”

“I know. But maybe it will give you some thoughts on its cons along with the pros you are so fixated on. Crank the realism up and see how it handles then.”

“Okay,” she replied with a nod.

“In the meantime, we’re moving along,” she said as she began to brief him on their progress. He nodded along as she showed him the reports.

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