Incarna

86 - Orbital Testing

Day 13: Early Morning, Western Pacific.

Harold slipped out of his harness and floated up from his seat with a gentle push downward. Ngaire executed a perfect 180 degree somersault and pushed off from Harold's seat. He smiled at her show off manouevre but hey, he had the rear compartment to himself as it was closest to AIME so she wasn't worried about SOS passenger protocols with him. They had a good professional relationship, he did as she told him to do and that was that.

Harold pushed off and followed her down the aisle between the seats and the adjacent equipment lockers. Ngaire waited for him at the air lock to the next compartment and they went through together. She pushed off again and he followed her straight past the returning IOS crew members and the three space tourist scientists who'd payed big money for a research stint on the IOS. Harold was one of these as well come to think of it, well sort of. He was paid to be there as part of his Kalpana contract, so no he was actually tech crew.

Harold mused on this as they came to the airlock for the Crew Access Tunnel to the flight deck. This was where the Passenger module was connected to the Skylon for long duration missions. In the earlier version it had been a separate module that could be changed with satellites of other large orbital cargo. This Skylon was a dedicated passenger version with an additional smaller cargo hold just the right size for the likes of the AIME unit.

They went through the CAT airlock quickly and efficiently with Harold close on her heals as she pushed off down the CAT. Harold grimaced at the nickname for the airlock and didn't fancy climbing through a CAT's arse every time he went to the Flight Deck so he quickly dismissed those images from his mind.

He pulled up beside Ngaire at the Flight Deck airlock and waited till the security protocols were completed, then it cycled open and they went through to the Holy of Holies! The view was spectacular from the forward viewports as they orbited top down so they looked straight out over the eastern pacific. Alongside the viewports were various screens giving changing views of both inside and outside the Skylon. Everywhere else around the flight deck were the screens and controls to monitor the mostly automated flight systems.

Harold turned back to the viewports to see that the US coastline was coming over the horizon. He frowned as a penny dropped and he began to put together what might be going on.

"Harold," Captain Ian Dagger said nodding and indicating a vacant crew couch. Ngaire pushed into hers and buckled up and Harold followed suit then she handed him a comm set. He slipped it on and gave her the thumbs up. "All clear there Mr Parrish?" came her clear calm voice. "Yes Ngaire, loud and clear."

Ian's voice came in over the set, "Joint Security Office this is Skylon Orbiter, you're clear to transmit!" and Ian shrugged at Harold and mouthed SORRY to him.

"Harold Parrish of Jaeger International, this is George Deitmann, Joint Security Chairman?" George finished with the upward inflexion of a question and then paused. Harold frowned, they were confirming his identity. "George old son, how yah doin' down there? Ah aren't yah s'posed to tell me this conversation's being recorded?"

There was a muffled huff from George, "Goes without saying Parrish, everything's recorded. Now before you start chatting about the weather and what not, I'm pulling the plug on Private's being involved in the official Incarna Investigations. JI is of this moment kaputski!"

"Is that all?" Harold bluffed and Ian shoved his hand over his mouth to cover his guffaw. Ngaire was smiling politely and the other Flight Deck crew frowned. They'd obviously not witnessed a Harold Parrish performance up close and personal before.

George ignored the comment and continued formally. "All JI personnel with cease JSA affiliated activities immediately and hand over all files so far compiled relevant to any research conducted on JSA behalf!"

"George me old mate, yah know that's not possible, commercial in confidence and all that ..."  "Leave it off Parrish, we both know the legal protocols and time lag  here ..."

"You have no idea George!" Harold played his trump card and called Deitmann out early. He winked at Ngaire who frowned back at him. It was a caring frown and meant something like, 'be careful!'

"Parrish, it doesn't matter what you think I know, you're out of the loop ..."

"You wont salvage any tech and Deepwater isn't going to be bought out so easily George. I know what's going on, or at least 95% of it and you are way out of your depth if you think taking this over and making it your own private plaything is going to help."

"So you know it all again do you Parrish ..."  "Well it's not aliens with their Mothership parked on the dark side of the moon if it's that interweb rumour you're referring to. And it's not the Russians or the Chinese as most of the republicans believe!"

"Ah piss off Parrish, what is it with you and your 'I'm always right' bullshit' you'd be nothing without ..." Harold gave the flight deck crew the thumbs up and Ian mouthed, GOTCHA.

"You've got nothing George, and buying out Deepwater won't help you. It's far more complex than even they know ..."  "Fuck off Parrish, you're the one who won't get anything out've this. Your plan to reverse engineer whatever we find is now officially shit ..."

"I've already got most of it George, I just need to prove it, and now I'm a free agent I don't need to run any of my trials passed you, so actually thank you for this ..."

"Parrish, I will spell this out in one syllable words for your orbitally addled brain. Nothing you say or do is going to help now, it's a new ball game and JSA is in charge. If you so much as breathe in the direction of an Incarna site I'll have you in solitary for life. Thank you for your contributions ..."

The line went dead and Ian drew a finger across his throat then flicked up his fingers as he counted down, one two, three, four. "Lines clear Harold. Well that appeared to go well!" Ngaire turned on Ian, "what are you on about?" Ian just nodded back to Harold and the co-pilot and navigator followed the gesture. "Put them out of their misery Harold!"

Harold looked up distractedly his mind racing, "Sorry what?"  Ian smirked, "Even better than I thought then by that look," ...  Ngaire broke into a smile, "Oh you are a clever man, aren't you!" Harold looked at her confused. Ngaire let out a very unNgaire girlish giggle.