Earth Star(57)

‘We’ve no suit-tracking signal to show Joth’s location,’ said Playdon, ‘so I need Jarra and Fian to prepare a survey plane for an aerial search. The Eden professional pilot is currently on loan to Cairo Dig Site and getting him back would waste precious time. The rest of you check the area immediately around the domes, while I break the news to Dig Site Command.’

I helped Fian open the sled dome doors and turned on the glows inside. ‘I hope there’s a survey plane here,’ I muttered, as I looked around at the ranks of specialist hover sleds. ‘Most domes have one but …’

‘Behind the dumper sleds.’ Fian pointed out the plane.

‘Right at the back.’ I sighed, but wasn’t surprised. The Dig Site Federation employed professional pilots to fly the vital aerial surveys of the dig sites, but they all had their own planes assigned to them. The survey planes in dig site domes would only be used by the amateur pilots on dig teams, and there weren’t very many of us. I’d coaxed one of the professional pilots into helping me get my pilot’s licence when my school history club spent last summer on New York Fringe, but most people preferred to keep their feet safely on the ground.

‘You start running the diagnostics and power checks,’ said Fian. ‘I’ll shuffle the other sleds out of the way.’

I climbed into the plane and started the diagnostic sequence. A red light flashed.

‘Nuke it!’ I jumped out of the plane.

‘What’s wrong?’ asked Fian.

‘Power’s below critical. This plane can’t have been used in years. You keep shuffling sleds, I can handle this.’ I pulled out a cable from the dome wall, and dragged it across to plug in the plane.

Five minutes later, I heard Playdon on the team circuit. ‘Jarra, Fian, how are you getting on?’

‘Fian’s moved the last sled out of the way,’ I replied, ‘and I’m running a power recharge on emergency boost. I’m afraid I have to run in depth diagnostics as well, because the log says this plane hasn’t launched in three years.’

‘Not your fault, Jarra. Make perfectly sure that plane is safe, because crashing won’t help anyone. Joth’s lucky you have your pilot’s licence, because a ground level search would be hopeless in rainforest.’

Fian and I put on the hover tunics that would slow our fall if we had to jump out of the plane in midair. In theory, our impact suits would then protect us when we hit the ground. I’d never had to try that out. I hoped I never would.

We sat in the plane for another frustrating five minutes before it was recharged and the diagnostics had finished. I moved the survey plane forward on its hovers, out of the dome and into position facing the edge of the ruins, then opened broadcast channel on my suit. I spoke in my best professional voice since dozens of dig teams working on Eden Dig Site would be able to hear me.

‘This is Asgard 6 survey plane, requesting launch clearance for search flight.’

‘This is Dig Site Command. Asgard 6, you are clear to launch survey plane. Good luck.’

I hit the thrusters and pulled back on the stick. There was a mad thrilling moment as acceleration slammed me back into my seat and the plane shot upwards into the sky. Usually, I yelled out in pure joy at this point, but I was too worried this time. I levelled off the plane, checked the instruments were all on green, and banked to fly across the edge of the dig site.

‘This is Asgard 6 survey plane. Starting sensor data transmission and beginning search pattern over dig site. I’m thinking there won’t be many large animals there, so it’ll be faster than checking rainforest.’

‘This is Dig Site Command. Data reception is green. Please adjust your sensor settings since they’re currently in mapping mode and excluding life signs.’

Oh chaos, I hadn’t thought of that. I was barely capable of using the survey plane sensors, let alone changing their settings. ‘Fian do you know …?’

‘I don’t know anything about plane sensors,’ said Fian.

Landing to get help would waste time, and Playdon probably didn’t know how to do this either. He was scared of heights, and had never been in a plane. I’d have to do my best and hope for Joth’s sake that I didn’t mess up. Fortunately, I’d been giving Fian some flying lessons, so …

‘This is Asgard 6 pilot, Jarra Tell Morrath, handing control to co-pilot,’ I said on broadcast channel. ‘Fian Eklund, you have control.’

I stabbed a finger towards Fian’s control panel. He hit the unlock switch for the co-pilot controls, and gave his usual embarrassed sigh as he completed the required procedure to report a change of pilot. ‘This is Asgard 6 co-pilot, Fian Eklund. I have control.’