not even reach
the ejection lever. In the last moment before the impact, she takes
a deep breath, accepting her faith…
John: End of simulation!
John opens the door to the training room and
with a big smile on his face he turns to Ayala: “I thought you said
there’s nothing that could possibly happen, ever, anything, to keep
you from landing on Asha!”.
Captain Ayala, trying to catch her breath,
breathing heavily, clenching her teeth as she’s starting to feel
the pain in the chest caused by the safety restraints, sketches a
small smirk from the corner of her mouth: “A micrometeorite?
Really?”
John: Yup!
Ayala: During reentry.
John: Yup!
Ayala: Just as I was making the final course
correction, the worst possible time to get hit.
John: Yup!
Ayala: Seriously! What are the odds of that?!
Is that even possible?
John: Sure it is! I mean, it’s in the realm
of possibility. Barely… Kind of…? Hey! You said you can handle
“anything”! Anything! So I got creative… All the other simulations
were boring; you were passing them too easily. At least this one
was fun!
Ayala: Fun, huh? As soon as I can move my
right arm, I’m going to hit you! Hard!
They both start laughing as Ayala is getting
out of her chair.
Ayala: John, you’re a hell of an engineer and
sim programmer, but please make it less painful next time, will
you?
They start walking towards the debriefing
room.
John: Ha! And what will you learn if I do? I
work my ass off to make these training simulations as realistic as
possible. Look, we don’t know what to expect on Asha, not really.
So yes, foreign objects hitting you on reentry while performing
sensitive maneuvers – now you know you have to eject a lot sooner;
fake die here so you don’t die for real over there.
John stops walking and faces Ayala, placing
his arms around her shoulders: “What have I told you, over and
over? Come on, say it with me.”
Ayala: Pain is my friend. Pain will keep me
on my toes. Pain will keep me alive.
John isn’t Captain Ayala’s superior. He’s
just a civilian. He is also a genius and an invaluable part in
designing Ayala’s ship – a prototype design with the sole purpose
to take her to Asha and back. And after the months he’s been
assisting with her training and supervising all the ship
modifications she was requesting, he is also her friend.
John: Oh! I almost forgot! There’s a General
waiting for you.
Ayala: What?! You should have started with
that! When did he request me?
John: I don’t know… A few hours ago…?
Ayala: I swear! As soon as I can move my
right arm…
John: I know, I know! You’ll hit me hard.
Ayala rushes towards the briefing room and
she almost stumbles and falls as she enters the room. General
Beckett is sitting down in front of a monitor, closely watching the
recording of her last training mission. Ayala’s commanding officer,
Colonel Sterrow, is standing behind him, explaining her
maneuvers.
Ayala: Captain Herut reporting, sirs!
The General keeps watching the recording and
with a serious, low tone addresses the Captain: “I see you just
crashed and died, Captain. What does that say about you?”.
Ayala: That I’m the best damn pilot you’re
going to find for this mission, sir!
Colonel Sterrow briefly smiles, but turns
serious again as the general stands up and walks towards Captain
Ayala.
General Beckett: Oh? And why is that
Captain?
Ayala: Respectfully, sir, they’ve been trying
to get me to crash for months. They threw everything possible at my
sim missions and failed. They had to implement the impossible to
finally get me to crash… Sir!
Colonel Sterrow: And that’s why she’s the
best. Although her ego could use some work… Captain Herut, meet
General Beckett. And now that the pleasantries are out of the way,
let’s sit down and have a chat.
Colonel Sterrow and General Beckett knew each
other for years, since they first enrolled in 2185 and they became
friends shortly after. Military
the ejection lever. In the last moment before the impact, she takes
a deep breath, accepting her faith…
John: End of simulation!
John opens the door to the training room and
with a big smile on his face he turns to Ayala: “I thought you said
there’s nothing that could possibly happen, ever, anything, to keep
you from landing on Asha!”.
Captain Ayala, trying to catch her breath,
breathing heavily, clenching her teeth as she’s starting to feel
the pain in the chest caused by the safety restraints, sketches a
small smirk from the corner of her mouth: “A micrometeorite?
Really?”
John: Yup!
Ayala: During reentry.
John: Yup!
Ayala: Just as I was making the final course
correction, the worst possible time to get hit.
John: Yup!
Ayala: Seriously! What are the odds of that?!
Is that even possible?
John: Sure it is! I mean, it’s in the realm
of possibility. Barely… Kind of…? Hey! You said you can handle
“anything”! Anything! So I got creative… All the other simulations
were boring; you were passing them too easily. At least this one
was fun!
Ayala: Fun, huh? As soon as I can move my
right arm, I’m going to hit you! Hard!
They both start laughing as Ayala is getting
out of her chair.
Ayala: John, you’re a hell of an engineer and
sim programmer, but please make it less painful next time, will
you?
They start walking towards the debriefing
room.
John: Ha! And what will you learn if I do? I
work my ass off to make these training simulations as realistic as
possible. Look, we don’t know what to expect on Asha, not really.
So yes, foreign objects hitting you on reentry while performing
sensitive maneuvers – now you know you have to eject a lot sooner;
fake die here so you don’t die for real over there.
John stops walking and faces Ayala, placing
his arms around her shoulders: “What have I told you, over and
over? Come on, say it with me.”
Ayala: Pain is my friend. Pain will keep me
on my toes. Pain will keep me alive.
John isn’t Captain Ayala’s superior. He’s
just a civilian. He is also a genius and an invaluable part in
designing Ayala’s ship – a prototype design with the sole purpose
to take her to Asha and back. And after the months he’s been
assisting with her training and supervising all the ship
modifications she was requesting, he is also her friend.
John: Oh! I almost forgot! There’s a General
waiting for you.
Ayala: What?! You should have started with
that! When did he request me?
John: I don’t know… A few hours ago…?
Ayala: I swear! As soon as I can move my
right arm…
John: I know, I know! You’ll hit me hard.
Ayala rushes towards the briefing room and
she almost stumbles and falls as she enters the room. General
Beckett is sitting down in front of a monitor, closely watching the
recording of her last training mission. Ayala’s commanding officer,
Colonel Sterrow, is standing behind him, explaining her
maneuvers.
Ayala: Captain Herut reporting, sirs!
The General keeps watching the recording and
with a serious, low tone addresses the Captain: “I see you just
crashed and died, Captain. What does that say about you?”.
Ayala: That I’m the best damn pilot you’re
going to find for this mission, sir!
Colonel Sterrow briefly smiles, but turns
serious again as the general stands up and walks towards Captain
Ayala.
General Beckett: Oh? And why is that
Captain?
Ayala: Respectfully, sir, they’ve been trying
to get me to crash for months. They threw everything possible at my
sim missions and failed. They had to implement the impossible to
finally get me to crash… Sir!
Colonel Sterrow: And that’s why she’s the
best. Although her ego could use some work… Captain Herut, meet
General Beckett. And now that the pleasantries are out of the way,
let’s sit down and have a chat.
Colonel Sterrow and General Beckett knew each
other for years, since they first enrolled in 2185 and they became
friends shortly after. Military
Similar Books
