Before 24 Billion and Counting

Chapter 26 Part 2 The Switch

"You're right in your assumptions. Unfortunately I can't say more about the - um - activities."

"Why not you cagey bastard?" erupted Taylor.

"Taylor, we'll get a lot further and faster if you quit shouting," snapped the captain.

"I'm sorry captain but I was made by some very high priced official help to sign a secrecy agreement, which prevents me being more specific."

"Bullshit," muttered Taylor with disgust.

Bernard paced to the table and said to the captain,"Cap, the bomb people want to talk to you and Mr Berisford."

"Allright Bernard. Come, Berisford. Bring that thing with you. Carlos look after Mr Taylor."

Carlos nodded impassively.

The three of us went through the doorway to the cockpit of the aircraft, led by the captain.

"I thought this was a locked doorway," I remarked in some surprise.

"Oh, but it is," the captain replied, "Jo and I have implants which the lock responds to. It's Ok Jo, I'm bringing Bernard and Mr Berisford to talk to groundside Sydney, we'll do that in the cabin. Everything serene?"

"Indeed Cap," the so precise words from the Asian looking pilot sitting relaxed in the right hand seat in front of a huge array of instruments, controls and screens, her clasped hands behind her head, seemed incongruous in the circumstances, but she continued, "Rolls Royce were a bit concerned about the deviation from the turbine exhaust temperature from our flight plan on their telemetry, until I told them we were diverting to Sydney at maximum speed because we had a patient with a heart attack on board. They've reset the parameters. Our touchdown ETA is 12.26. Sydney have scheduled us for the military runway. It's shortish."

"Ok Jo. Sounds good. Mention a bomb and half the world's press will be waiting for us. Bugger about the runway. Just hope it's not wet."

"Weather report is good and dry."

"Thanks Jo."

The three of us crammed into the tiny sleeping cabin that served the captain, and he used a remote to boot up a 40cm screen and dial up the Sydney bomb squad coordinator.

A police woman in khaki fatigues appeared on the screen, she removed a helmet and shook free a shock of black curls,"Hi there captain Braxton, thanks for getting back to me. We're all ready here. What's your current ETA?"

"Twelve thirty four."

"Right. let me speak to Berisford, and Bernard."

"I'm Charles Berisford, and this is Bernard," I said unnecessarily since he wore the steward's uniform.

"Ok guys. For the record I'm Superintendent Jade Martin, New South Wales Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit. When did the bomber switch the unit on?"

"Eleven hundred hours as far as I can judge," answered Bernard.

"And when did you reverse the switch Mr Berisford"

"Call me Charles for chrissake, I was too busy shitting bricks to look at my watch, any clues Bernard?"

"About half eleven. But we were all rather rattled by it and that prick Taylor."

"Ok. Let's agree on a half hour from one event to the the next. So on that basis," she looked at a rather complicated wristwatch," you may expect to switch that device in twenty minutes at noon, and four minutes after touchdown So while everybody evacuates, - er - Charles you'll have to stay on board with the crew to look after the device."

I said, perhaps almost pleaded, "Look surely there's another way. Just throw the bomber and his bomb out of the plane. I know it's pressurised, but it can fly low, where it doesn't have to be pressurised, we open the door and toss the whole bloody thing out."

Jades blue gimlet eyes bored into me from the screen. "Believe me Charles but we've been there before you. The passenger doors are interlocked with the undercarriage, but not on the computer. It's hardwired, the undercart has to be down and compressed by the weight of the aircraft and the wheels stationary. I've got Airbus and BAE systems engineers here to tell me those things."

"OK. Push the bugger out of an emergency escape hatch."

"Sorry. Open one of those and a slide automatically deploys and Airbus can't guarantee the aerodynamic stability of the 'plane, and forget about an overwing exit, there isn't one, the wing's too far off from the ground to design one in".

The gimlet intensity of her eyes became those more serene of a middle aged woman dealing with another human situation.

"I'm sorry Charles, but I have to leave you with that switch until everyone's off the plane."

"Can't I hand it to your people when we get down?

"No, the timing's too tight."

"We could delay, and land after the switch," said the captain.

"No, I want your aircraft down as soon as possible, and the passengers out and on the buses and away. If Charles stays until we get to him that'll be better than him going down the emergency chute with that device, and possibly damaging it. Besides what if that red button doesn't show. How long do you wait circling the airport?"