Incarna

92 - Orbital Traffic Cop

Day 13: Early morning, JI Research Centre, Jervis Bay Australia.

"Talia, are Barden and Ploughwright still videoing in from Canberra?"  "Apparently so sir ..." Max thought fast. Harry was about to do his next aero braking, then an interview with Solaris. The calculations for the rendezvous of the AINGEL and the Tug would depend on the results ..."

"Talia get them back and see if you can establish a high density video link. I fancy inviting them to join Harry for the ride down!" Talia chuckled as she saw straight away the implications of what he was suggesting.

"Very good suggestion Mr Parrish. 'One door closes then cut another one' I think is your fathers term for such a political manoeuvre sir!" "Thanks Talia, and stream this link to them. Harry's aero braking in three." "Sir!"

Max smirked. He and Talia were good mates but she was the consummate professional. She was a slim auburn haired woman in her early thirties. Not beautiful in that calendar girl way that blokes drool over, but in a TV archaeologist way as he thought of her. Her language was always precise and well, even though they could have been lovers, 'she never screwed the office' as she'd told him. He'd proposed once and she had given him that soft meaningful kiss he smiled at every time he remembered it. Then she'd said thank you but, working for a genius was one thing, living with one would be another.

Talia had then hooked him up with some of her girlfriends and one of which he still hung out with. Charlotte, a local florist and now after graduation last year, a landscape architect. Gardens, such a wonderful way to waste time ...

His reminiscence was one of his 'micro time outs' and was interrupted by AIME announcing, "Aero braking commencing, aero braking commencing, in three, two, one.

Max looked up to the screen and settled his comset more comfortably on his head. It was a nervous gesture as the set was so light it would be comfortable sitting half skewed over his ears. He focussed in on the ground station monitor showing a steadily growing re-entry plume. Harry had set the AINGEL program as the number one priority for JI and every JI office became a ground station to assist in monitoring the test flights.

Of course such a large scale private space program had to synchronise with every other program operating. There were that many objects in orbit now that part of AIMEs core function was to ensure that AINGEL manoeuvres wouldn't disrupt anybody else's piece of equipment. Max called it their Orbital Traffic Cop sub program

Well, it had been the number one priority until this Incarna psychosis had struck everyone. Max had been with Harry when they'd first seen video of that very first intervention. Harry he'd been absolutely furious.

"The stupid bastards! No, No, No. It's too early for that. Shit, shit, shit!" Max had stared at him and Harry, with tears in his eyes had just said, "I can't tell you yet," and they'd watched a couple more replays. Finally Harry had turned to him.

"Just don't pay attention to anything that happens after this!" He'd started another replay and frozen the video at the point where the sliver flash had appeared just before striking the first black clad executioner. "That's all that we concentrate on, and we'll use the AINGEL program resources to sort this out!"

Max couldn't remember ever seeing Harry so distressed then so angry at nearly the same time. For some reason he was yet to confide, Harry had made these Incarna interventions his absolute personal commitment. No matter how many successful AINGEL trials and even after all the debates with test pilots, Harry had been emphatic he was to be the only one to fly in the AINGEL first off. ... and it would be to seek out the Incarna.

Max frowned as he watched the video from the ground based tracking scopes. The plume was at its maximum as the flaring AINGEL skimmed the upper atmosphere. Max cross referenced the velocity and altitude readings.

"All vectors nominal," reported AIME as the orbital track parameters were displayed in graphic form in a sub window. A slowly lengthening white line that plotted the mid path of the green band of acceptable numbers for the AINGELs flight path.

Max waved to the images of Barden and Ploughwright in the vidscreen window of them in Canberra. From the Orbital monitoring window he saw the plume fade as the AINGEL rose up from the upper atmosphere to its Tug rendezvous altitude. "Aero braking complete. Velocity and altitude vectors within predicted parameters."

"Minister Barden, Commander Ploughwright as you can see, our orbit is as predicted and AIME will now commence docking with the Tug in preparation for descent." Max waved to them to indicate they were on line as part of a live broadcast with Ali Solaris.

"Thank you Max, as always your work is very impressive. The AINGEL is certainly a wonderful example of Australian innovation. The Australian ground team is standing by for the landing." Max gave him the thumbs up while thinking, never trust a politician with access to an audience! In his left ear he heard Talia transferring connecting Jim. "Max, we have redirected part of the SAS team to Palmyra to act as Harry's security team. If your team will coordinate we should have a good show of force!"

"Talia, that's a go for JI cooperation. Harry may need all the help he can get." "Yes Mr Parrish!"

"Max," came Jim's voice again, "I think our team may we'll be fending off other governments while your team secures the AINGEL!" "Sounds good Jim, thanks for that!" "Just make it worth our while Parrish!" Max allowed himself a wry smile. Jim was a pragmatic soldier and thagt last comment was probably for Bardens benefit!

Max turned up the volume for the Solaris broadcast as she finished her piece to camera.

"... And now everybody," Ali Solaris gave the camera her big smile, " we're back to Mission Control for the Space Tug docking manoeuvre. This is Ali Solaris for Jaeger Orbital Services and the testing of their new AINGEL orbital operations vehicle!" Max shook his head at the Solaris commentary, she was such a polished video presentations he still couldn't believe she'd hitched her professional ambition to Harry and JI. ... and where did Jaeger Orbital Services come from anyway?