Dial H for Heroics

Jack grinned as he checked the harnesses and gravity deployment gear one more time.

Budd had come through the test run with flying colors. Now he just had to try it out

on the girls and their guests. Things should go smoothly considering that he and Budd

had landed within feet of each other.

“Enterprise,” Jack said to the air. “Can you connect to Elaine?”

“Affirmative,” said the machine.

“Jack?,” asked Elaine a second later.

“Are you guys ready to come aboard?,” asked Jack. He wanted to enjoy the day. The

Society made it sound like they would be fighting for their lives in the next few days.

Keeping the talk from Josie might have been a bad idea, but he wanted her to enjoy

one good day before they had to go back to the grindstone.

“We are all here but Aviras and Josie,” said Elaine. “Josie said they would be

working at the hospital today.”

“That’s fine,” said Jack. “I’m going to ask Enterprise to bring you aboard, and then

we can get things sorted out for our jump.”

“We’re ready,” said Elaine.

“Beam up jump party, Enterprise,” said Jack. “Drop them off in the cargo bay with

us.”

“Affirmative,” said the machine.

Blue sparks became an assortment of females and one adventurer. A dog appeared a

second later. He barked at the cargo bay while sitting by his owner.

“All right,” said Jack. He held up one of the harnesses. “This is the gravity deployer.

I have it set to start resisting gravity at five hundred feet so everyone should drift

down to a nice soft landing. Bea, and Laura, I want you to keep an eye on everything,

make sure everyone is heading for the same general landing area. Don’t grab anyone

unless it’s an emergency. The Enterprise should be able to track us once we hit the

ground. I will ask for her to pick us back up so we can take the quinjet to Lake Myra

and fish. As soon as we have enough fish for dinner, we will cook them by the lake

and eat there. Then I will bring everyone back to the Hangar and send those who

don’t live there home. I think that’s it for right now. Budd, show Bea how to put the

harness on. I’ll show Elaine and then we’ll help everyone else.”

Jack grabbed one of the harnesses and walked over to Elaine. He held the harness out

for her to take, while leaning in close.

“A skirt would have been better for me,” he whispered. “Pants are great too for

different reasons.”

“I’m sure,” she said back. She examined the harness. “How is this supposed to

work?”

“You put your arms through the top half so the machine is in front of you,” said Jack.

“Then you buckle the buckles around your torso, and then the straps around your

legs.”

He watched her do that, then checked the harness to make sure it was not so loose that

it came away when the machine kicked on.

“It should be good to go,” said Jack. “I wanted to strap you to me but I didn’t think

you would like that.”

“I’m sure that I would have if we were the only ones involved,” whispered Elaine.

“I will remember that the next day off I take,” said Jack. He kissed her cheek before

grabbing another harness.

The group got into the harnesses. Jack checked each one to make sure that if there

was an accident, he couldn’t be blamed other than taking some novices up and

dropping them.

“I’m going to give you some warnings before we do this,” said Jack. He looked at the

group. “You know what? I forgot two important things for you guys.”

“Enterprise,” said Jack. “I need helmets and goggles for our jump team.”

“Affirmative,” said the machine.

A pile of goggles appeared on the cargo bay floor. A separate pile of helmets

appeared.

“I jumped without these,” said Budd, indicating the items.

“And I am glad you didn’t take a tree branch to the eye,” said Jack. “I don’t know if

I can fix that.”

“What?,” said Budd and Bea at the same time.

“On the other hand, it would have given you a piratical look to exploit,” said Jack.

“Everybody, grab one of each and form up by the door.”

When everybody had their eye protectors and helmets on, he smiled at them. He made

sure the protections were strapped on without a chance of flying off.

“All right,” said Jack. “If you want to delay heading down, you spread your arms and

legs like this.”

He demonstrated the starfish pose.

“This will allow you to catch the air and glide along,” said Jack. He closed his limbs

together. “You do this for when you want to dive to the line where the gravity defier

cuts on. Try to stay together. When you land, call me and I will use the Enterprise to

direct you to wherever I land, or maybe just pick you up and bring you back up here.

I think the harnesses will only work three times, so if you want to go again, wait until

someone can jump with you. Do not jump alone. Ideally, don’t jump without Laura

or Beatrice, as your catcher in case something goes wrong. Once on the ground,

watch for dangerous animals and monsters until you can be picked up. Everybody got

that?”

A chorus of assents answered him.

“Enterprise, lock on to our group in case we have to save them from problems when

they reach the ground,” said Jack. “Then open the bay doors.”

“Affirmative,” reported the machine.

The giant cargo doors slid out of the way. A force field kept the thin and chillier

atmosphere out. Jack waved his crew to the edge of the wall.

“As soon as I tell the Enterprise to drop the invisible wall, we jump,” said Jack. He

looked up and down the line. “Everybody ready?”

A muffled chorus answered his question.

“Aim for June’s dummy,” he said. “Drop the separator, Enterprise.”

“Affirmative,” said the machine just before it cut off the wall and let the wind in.

Jack grabbed Elaine’s hand and led the way. He spread out his arms and legs to catch

the wind as they dropped. He took a moment to spin them around to watch the rest of

his crew throw themselves out of the spaceship.

The ground rushed up at them, but one by one the machines came on and slowed them

down as they crossed the minimum safety line. They drifted the rest of the way to the

ground, landing lightly.

“Who wants to go again?,” Jack asked after he got the group back to the Enterprise.

Caroline and Elena both wanted another trip down to the ground. Everyone else

preferred the cargo deck.

“I’ll take them down, Milord,” said Laura. “Then we can go fishing.”

“All right,” said Jack. “Be careful.”

“Don’t worry,” said Laura. “I have become an expert flier since you gave me the

ability. I think I can handle two passengers.”

“Just don’t drop Elena,” said Jack. “I promised Dot she would make it home in one

piece.”

“Caroline?,” said Laura, smiling.

“Josie’s problem,” said Jack.

“Don’t let the Missus hear you say that,” said Laura. “Or you’ll see how much of a

problem it is for you.”

“I’m not scared,” said Jack.

“Sure,” said Laura. “All right, you two. Let’s see how fast we can reach the ground

without killing ourselves.”

Laura pushed them out of the cargo bay. She jumped afterward.

“Enterprise,” said Jack. “I need a storage box for the gear. Maybe individual boxes

for each setup.”

“Affirmative,” said the machine. A row of boxes appeared next to the wall.

“How many of you have fishing rods?,” asked Jack.

“None of us do,” said Elaine.

“All right,” said Jack. “Enterprise, I think we are going to need individual stringed

poles with hooks. I don’t really have a reel setup to show you.”

“Affirmative,” said the machine.

The replicator created poles, strings, and hooks. None of it was put together. There

was enough to put fishing rods together for everyone.

“We’re going to need a bucket too,” said Jack. He switched to Makkari to put the

fishing poles together in a second. He let the persona go as a bucket appeared.

“Let’s load up the quinjet while we wait for Laura to call us for pick up,” said Jack.

He gathered everything he could carry, being careful of the hooks, and carried the

things to the aircraft. Bea opened the ramp for him so he could take everything to the

lockers in the back. A little help and the fishing rods and bucket were stowed away.

“Milord, we’re down on the ground,” reported Laura over her com.

“Enterprise, can you bring them back onboard?,” asked Jack.

“Affirmative,” said the machine.

For a moment, Jack thought he would have to issue a specific order, but moments

later the trio of girls appeared in a cloud of sparks.

He smiled.

“Case, show them where to stow their gear,” Jack ordered. “Then we can get to the

fishing part of this expedition.”

He looked around from the lockers. Elaine seemed to be getting their group settled

into chairs on the upper deck. That was good. It was less work for him.

He waved the remainder of his passengers onboard. He waved them to seats, thinking

Caroline and Case wouldn’t mind sharing one. He went forward to the pilot’s seat.

Elaine joined him moments later.

“Everybody strapped in?,” he called as he checked on Elaine strapping herself into

the co-pilot seat. “Do you want to take us out?”

“I don’t think that would be safe,” said Elaine. “I wouldn’t mind learning how to fly

from one spot to the other.”

“We’re secure in the back,” called Budd.

“All right,” said Jack. “I’ll get us out of the Enterprise, and then we’ll fly to the lake.

I’ll let you take the wheel on the way back.”

“I think I can do that,” said Elaine. “Is something wrong?”

“No,” said Jack. “The Society dropped by to let me know quests were coming, a

threat from overseas. We might have to drop Josie across the ocean and let her burn

up anything that might think about coming over here.”

“So we have to be ready,” said Elaine.

“There’s a threat against the kids and you,” said Jack. “Vague rumblings. They don’t

want me to make more powers.”

“What do we do?,” said Elaine.

“We’re going to enjoy the day,” said Jack. “Then I am going to think of some way to

tell Josie without her doing her head exploding thing before we know whose head we

are supposed to be exploding and wait for June and Mister Warner to come back to

give us the benefit of having cannon fodder while we sneak around and stab people

in the back.”

“So business as usual,” said Elaine.

Jack grinned at her.

“Let’s have a good time while we can,” said Jack. “Tomorrow, we ride.”

“Enterprise, do you want me to maneuver out of the cargo bay?,” Jack asked his

creation over the com. “Or do you want to push us with the tractor beam?”

“I will push you out of the cargo bay,” said the machine. “I will commence on mark.”

Jack worked to make sure the quinjet was buttoned up. He fired the jets and let them

idle as the aircraft prepared to hover once out and way from the bigger ship. He set

the navigation for Lake Myra to the north.

“We’re ready,” said Jack.

“Firing tractor beam,” said the machine.

Something like an invisible hand grabbed the quinjet and pushed it toward the

cargo door. Once the jet was over the threshold, the grip let go so the smaller jet could

drift down on hover jets firing from the wings.

“You are clear, Quinjet,” said the Enterprise.

“Button up and we’ll see you when we’re ready to take on more missions,” said Jack.

He changed the direction of the jets so the aircraft could soar toward its destination.

“Affirmative,” said the machine as it cut the call.

“Let’s see if we can do our thing without dealing with a lake monster,” said Jack.

“Don’t curse us,” said Elaine.

Jack grinned as he held out a free hand for her to take.