Rochenko
26-02-2006, 11:54
The sand dunes of the eastern desert baked in the sunlight of the mid-morning as the sun rose across the landscape, casting a harsh glare across the tides of rich yellow that surrounded the dust-swept concrete perimeter wall of Atlee Vehicle Testing Base, a remote outpost at the edge of the Rochenkonian Sahara built for the sole purpose of experimentation away from prying eyes. Until recently, the Royal Imperial Army had had little use for the installation as it concentrated its own development of military strength. Now, however, the small establishment was about to witness a particularly important event.
General Alistair Carrington stood in the concrete observation pillbox and peered through the rectangular slit that looked out across the installation. With one hand he reached for the pair of binoculars that rested in the palm of a younger officer and brought them to his eyes, readjusting the focus to clear his line of sight towards his visual target. “How much longer?” he asked aloud without moving.
Alexei Rodriguez brought his wristwatch closer to his face and consulted the moving needles. “Thirty seconds sir,” he responded. Alexei then stepped up to the viewing slit next to the General and his aide. “Our last report showed everything was going as planned and all systems are normal.”
Carrington grinned into his binoculars, the view focusing on the object standing on the dusty concrete courtyard that was being raised into position on an elevator. The base was arranged completely that way; several buildings around the edge of the perimeter wall that created a large courtyard in the centre, under which were several large compartments that housed most of the construction and more dangerous research areas. “Good,” he said, glancing momentarily at the lab-coated Rodriguez. “If this works Alexei, then you’re in a growth industry.”
Alexei grinned, at which point his radio crackled. Rodriguez placed it to his ear and listened. “Very well,” he said a moment later. “Start the final countdown.”
Almost immediately as he lowered his radio, large speakers across the base whined with feedback. “Time minus ten seconds,” it announced. “We are clear for delivery, I repeat, clear for delivery.” A wailing alarm sounded across the concrete like an eerie banshee, and Alistair watched with eager expectance.
The speakers continued the countdown, loudly blaring the closing timeframe. Inside the bunker, Alexei watched, praying that things would work out correctly. The countdown ended. The button was pushed.
Nothing happened. The object sat silently on the reinforced concrete, the lines of heat waving around its metal frame. Carrington watched for several more seconds as the embarrassing silence continued. “Alexei,” the General said in a dangerously calm voice. “Why is my rocket not moving?”
Alexei cursed inwardly at everyone, mostly the technicians beneath his feet that assembled the cursed device. Aloud he said, “I’m sorry General, but we will have to disassemble the device in order to discover why it didn’t work,” he said as apologetically as he could.
The General looked around from his binoculars with a glint in his eye. “You realise that I have to go back and inform the Emperor about this?” he said with an undertone of anger. “It’s going to make me look a fool, because I proposed the development of this project on existing technology. Now,” Carrington continued, turning completely to face the shorted Scientist with his six-foot frame. “If this device does not launch next time we try this, I am going to purposefully ensure that as much of the blame I am going to get lands squarely on your shoulders.”
Alexei gulped as invisibly as he could. “Yes sir,” he said. General Carrington snorted, before turning on his heel and being followed out of the bunker by his aide. Rodriguez then leant against the wall and stared out of the pillbox slit as technicians cautiously approached the rocket. Alexei then raised his radio to his mouth and switched on the transmitter. “People,” he said, still looking at the device on the concrete. “Let’s fix this.”
General Alistair Carrington stood in the concrete observation pillbox and peered through the rectangular slit that looked out across the installation. With one hand he reached for the pair of binoculars that rested in the palm of a younger officer and brought them to his eyes, readjusting the focus to clear his line of sight towards his visual target. “How much longer?” he asked aloud without moving.
Alexei Rodriguez brought his wristwatch closer to his face and consulted the moving needles. “Thirty seconds sir,” he responded. Alexei then stepped up to the viewing slit next to the General and his aide. “Our last report showed everything was going as planned and all systems are normal.”
Carrington grinned into his binoculars, the view focusing on the object standing on the dusty concrete courtyard that was being raised into position on an elevator. The base was arranged completely that way; several buildings around the edge of the perimeter wall that created a large courtyard in the centre, under which were several large compartments that housed most of the construction and more dangerous research areas. “Good,” he said, glancing momentarily at the lab-coated Rodriguez. “If this works Alexei, then you’re in a growth industry.”
Alexei grinned, at which point his radio crackled. Rodriguez placed it to his ear and listened. “Very well,” he said a moment later. “Start the final countdown.”
Almost immediately as he lowered his radio, large speakers across the base whined with feedback. “Time minus ten seconds,” it announced. “We are clear for delivery, I repeat, clear for delivery.” A wailing alarm sounded across the concrete like an eerie banshee, and Alistair watched with eager expectance.
The speakers continued the countdown, loudly blaring the closing timeframe. Inside the bunker, Alexei watched, praying that things would work out correctly. The countdown ended. The button was pushed.
Nothing happened. The object sat silently on the reinforced concrete, the lines of heat waving around its metal frame. Carrington watched for several more seconds as the embarrassing silence continued. “Alexei,” the General said in a dangerously calm voice. “Why is my rocket not moving?”
Alexei cursed inwardly at everyone, mostly the technicians beneath his feet that assembled the cursed device. Aloud he said, “I’m sorry General, but we will have to disassemble the device in order to discover why it didn’t work,” he said as apologetically as he could.
The General looked around from his binoculars with a glint in his eye. “You realise that I have to go back and inform the Emperor about this?” he said with an undertone of anger. “It’s going to make me look a fool, because I proposed the development of this project on existing technology. Now,” Carrington continued, turning completely to face the shorted Scientist with his six-foot frame. “If this device does not launch next time we try this, I am going to purposefully ensure that as much of the blame I am going to get lands squarely on your shoulders.”
Alexei gulped as invisibly as he could. “Yes sir,” he said. General Carrington snorted, before turning on his heel and being followed out of the bunker by his aide. Rodriguez then leant against the wall and stared out of the pillbox slit as technicians cautiously approached the rocket. Alexei then raised his radio to his mouth and switched on the transmitter. “People,” he said, still looking at the device on the concrete. “Let’s fix this.”