Alpha One - Chris Burton [82]
“Vector 373D, your active clearance is denied. Alpha traffic has priority.”
“So how long before we can get clearance?”
“You are moving up the list, could be four or five hours, maybe longer.”
Carla turned to Jake. “This is ridiculous. I know they’re busy, but space way 6 is not exactly a key Alpha run. They could let us through surely.”
“Yes, but they will be re-routing non-priority traffic off the main Alpha trunk routes. There is nothing we can do about it. This is not exactly the first time we have had trouble getting off-world.”
“Don’t you still have priority clearance from Admiral Black?”
“I doubt it…maybe. I don’t suppose Joanne cancelled it with her father. The route is confirmed in your name. We could request a change of pilot. Do you want to try?”
Carla nodded and reopened the paused comm link. “Alpha control, this is Vector 373-D. If we were to change pilot to a priority level pilot, would that make a difference to our departure?”
“Yes, in theory, but you can’t just change your pilot. You will have to cancel the old one and request a new priority clearance in the pilot’s name. Do you wish to proceed?”
“We need to confirm whether the priority clearance is applicable first. Can you check an id for me?”
“Negative. We need to take the application first.”
Carla turned to Jake who was listening in. “Is it worth the risk? If we lose our slot and have to reapply for an exit, it could be tomorrow before we get underway.”
“I say we gamble,” said Jake.
“Okay, Alpha Control, this is Vector 373D. Yes we wish to cancel our exit and apply for a new one. “
“You need to contact Alpha one exit clearance and they will arrange cancellation. Then back to the Service desk, zone three, to apply for priority clearance.”
What a fool, thought Carla. She thanked the operator and immediately opened a new comm link to cancel the exit. Jake took over and contacted the service desk. He requested priority clearance and was put on hold for thirty seconds, before he received confirmation that priority clearance was granted. Vector 373D had immediate clearance for takeoff and exit.
* * * *
The Academic term ended, and one-third of Jake’s final year in the academy passed. The Christmas holiday arrived and it was time to take a break from the rigors of studying, until the next Top Gun event.
The space yacht launched at 17.40. Jake expertly lifted the yacht into the stratosphere and onto the space link. It was exceptionally busy with all manner of personal, commercial and off-world craft, but the priority lane allowed Jake to clear the logjam and move onto the space way within fifteen minutes of take-off.
The space yacht was a Challenger 600. The loaned ship belonged to Carla’s parents. When her father realized they planned to travel to Titan via passenger ‘ferry’, he delivered the yacht personally to her this morning, fuelled, serviced and ready to go. He added the caveat that this was his ‘baby’ and he expected it back in the same condition as he left it. It was not a particularly modern ship, but in mint condition. Over the years, Carla’s father had added to the standard specification in many ways. She had armor-plated shields, a state-of-the-art NAVCOM, and upgraded phase cannons. She was recently refurbished and, in the process, upgraded with a Red Dragon Stellar drive converter. This meant she had theoretical SD3 capability.
Jake enjoyed himself. The ship was a space way cruiser designed for maximum comfort for long space voyages. She was surprisingly agile, despite her sixty ton bulk. The trip to Titan would take five hours.
Jake and Carla agreed to share the piloting. He didn’t want to let go yet; he was having fun.
He felt guilty about exploiting his position with Admiral Black to gain a priority exit clearance. The Admiral gave Joanne and her boyfriend the ‘perk’ because she frequently visited her parents off-world. Neither Joanne nor the Admiral terminated Jake’s special clearance.