Alpha One - Chris Burton [7]
Teddy Taylor was not happy. He didn’t expect his ‘high value’ pilots to step out of line and especially not two of his ‘Top Gun’ candidates. He called both officer candidates to his office together but spoke to Jake first.
“Why did you leave the cockpit unattended?”
Steve tried to interject, but Taylor waved him away with a gesture that made it clear that he didn’t want comments from him yet.
“I needed to check that Steve was okay. I knew it was not correct procedure and, on reflection, I should have checked with you first. The NAVCOM was on,” Jake replied.
“Hm,” muttered Teddy Taylor. “Your actions could have resulted in a dangerous situation, had we been in combat. You need to be clear that you don’t leave the cockpit unattended for whatever reason during flight. Your friend’s peculiar behavior is his problem, not yours, although I respect the fact that you took all the necessary precautions required before you left the cockpit and that your intentions were genuine.”
“You can leave,” he added. “I won’t be filling a report on your actions, however I don’t want a repeat performance. Keep yourself clear of unnecessary distractions in your graduation year.” Jake stood up, saluted and left the room.
Taylor waited a few moments before opening his discussion with Steve.
“I cannot begin to understand what happened up there. Perhaps you can enlighten me?”
Steve shrugged his shoulders and sighed, “It was just one of those moments when it seemed the right thing to do.” He paused and then continued, “Whatever I say you are still going to refer me…I may as well resign my commission.”
Taylor was angry. He leaned forward and launched into a calculated, but abusive verbal assault on Steve. By the time he finished, Steve, who was usually thick-skinned with a ‘devil may care’ attitude to life, had turned a shade of grey, which in a brightly lit, white laminated room was in stark contrast to the redness of Taylor’s face.
“I am referring you to The Disciplinary Panel and suspending you from my course forthwith. You will be allowed to return pending the outcome of the disciplinary panel and NO your resignation won’t be accepted if you offer it. You are far too good a pilot to throw it away on a rush of hormones. You are dismissed.”
Steve stood up and headed towards the door, but turned back suddenly when it dawned on him, the potential severity of the situation.
“Commander Taylor, Sir. I regret my actions. I apologize unreservedly. I really need this…. The jump ship is my future. I won’t graduate if you fail me.”
“Get out,” shouted Taylor in a controlled fashion as he shuffled paperwork on his desk. “The Disciplinary Panel will decide your fate and until then I don’t wish to see your face.”
Chapter Four
Titan
Carla was in her element. She was surrounded by people who spoke a plethora of other languages and dialects. Where better to practice her linguistic skills than on route to Titan? She was aboard a scheduled Earth-Titan shuttle, filled to absolute capacity.
Planet-hopping was Earth’s new favorite pastime. Hundreds of high velocity passenger ferries transported their passengers to and from their ‘short range’ tourist destinations on a daily basis, in the knowledge that within the realms of the Allied Planets Federation (APF) and in particular Alpha’s significant boundaries, they were protected. The bountiful supply of wondrous locations and spectacular sightseeing made this the package holiday tour of the twenty-third century.
The shuttle was a bit of a dog. She was over fifty years old & her stellar drive had long since silted up. Her auxiliary drive was however, more than sufficient for the planet hop, and the journey to Titan took just over three hours. The passengers took the opportunity to relax and take in their surroundings during the flight, but Carla had other priorities. She was on route to Titan as part of an exchange project run between one of