Crash and Burn crash and burn children's bible story pride

Crash and Burn

This is a continuation of the story Tunnel Run posted September 9^th.

From the pilot’s seat, Brett studied the cockpit’s main instrument screen. The Quantum 7’s computer fed the crew with a never-ending stream of flight information. Even with months of training behind them, He and the other space force cadets were learning that space flight was not as easy as it looked.

“We are on course. We will reach the refueling ship in 20 minutes,” Shannon’s voice filled Brett’s earphones.

He glanced over to his copilot, who was busy entering information into the ship’s flight computer. Shannon’s brunet hair, tied back in a ponytail, hung out the back of her helmet. Brett was glad to have her on his team. She had come from a northern town, just like Brett had, so they quickly struck up a friendship. The top girl in the class, Shannon was smart and confident. However, Brett’s competitive nature kept him on edge. A few weeks earlier, he had earned one of the highest scores of any Tunnel Run captain. That, along with his test scores, put him at the head of the class.

The young spaceship pilot paused for a moment to take in the view. Dracon’s swirling atmosphere, lit by the sun, glistened below. Brett imagined his modest home and loving family miles below. The distant moon and shining stars filled the canopy above the planet.

“Don’t forget to make contact with the refueling ship,” Shannon brought Brett back to the mission.

“Yes, I know,” Brett snapped back, a bit defensively. He did not feel he should be taking orders from his copilot. “Refueling ship 9, this is Quantum flight Tango-4-4-3, do you copy?”

“Tango-4-4-3, we copy you,” a flat voice answered back. “We are ready for you at docking bay 2. What is your ETA?”

“10 minutes,” Without thinking, Brett looked to his copilot to make sure he was giving the right information. Shannon nodded her head, yes. He realized that was not part of the procedure, but young cadets had a lot to learn.

“There’s the ship!” Shannon called out, pointing to pinpoint of light in the distance.

Brett’s felt his heart beating faster as the refueling ship grew larger and larger. During the short flight from Space Base X-Ray to low planet orbit, the Quantum 7 burned an enormous amount of fuel. Now, they needed to refill their tanks, in order to complete the mission. Their goal was a safe landing at the moon base.

“Firing the reverse thrusters in 3, 2, 1,” Brett warned his partner, and then squeezed the thruster switch on his control stick. Immediately the Q 7 began to shudder slightly, while the display screen streamed position data into the cockpit.

“We are coming in a bit fast!” Shannon warned.

“I got this,” Brett tried not to show his concern at the red, flashing light. He pushed the control stick forward until the light went dark. They were now traveling the same speed as the orbiting fueling ship.

Brett guided the Q 7 toward bay number 2. The spaceship drifted up to the refueling port, and came to a stop. Shannon activated a series of docking switches to lock the ship in place.

“Well done Tango-4-4-3,” said the fueling ship controller.

“I did it!” Brett congratulated himself.

Shannon responded with a simple nod.

When the Q 7’s tanks were full, Shannon released the ship from the docking bay, while Brett tapped the reverse thrusters, and allowed the ship to drift backward.

“Have you entered the moon base coordinates?” Brett asked.

“The flight computer is processing them now,” Shannon’s eyes were fixed on the display screen. Then added after a few seconds. “They’ve been confirmed. Whenever you’re ready.”

“Firing the main engines,” Brett poked the ignition button, and then scanned the instrument panel to check for any engine trouble.

“We’re good to go,” said Shannon.

“Full throttle,” Brett announced, then pulled back on the control stick to launch the ship toward its destination, the moon base. At full throttle, the hum of the engines filled the cockpit.

Brett kept a close watch on the speed indicator. the number counted up so quickly that the single digits were nothing but a blur.

After a few minutes, Shannon began to fidget in the copilot’s seat. “We are almost at the maximum speed,’ her voice tense. “Are you going to shut down the engines?”

“We are doing fine,” Brett said.

“Any faster, and we will over shoot the moon!” Shannon raised her voice. “The weak gravity won’t be able to capture us! We need to cut power!”

Brett waited a few more seconds. Of course Shannon was right, but he wanted to push the ship to its limit. “Cutting the engines,” he said at last.

“Are you trying to show off?” said Shannon in disgust.

“Relax. We will reach the base faster this way,” Brett chuckled.

The copilot didn’t find the situation funny. “We will reach the base in 4 hours and 33 minutes,” she said in keeping with proper flight procedures.

With little else to do, beside monitor the flight computer, Brett sat back and relaxed. Everything was going well, and he was proud of himself.

Shannon calmed herself after a few minutes. She did not understand why Brett took unnecessary risks, but reasoned that she was not in command of the ship. It was Brett’s job to make the decisions.

The two cadets passed the time by telling stories about life back home. As they traveled, the moon grew bigger and brighter by the minute. Finally, Brett contacted the moon base for final landing instructions.

“We are launching two Q 7’s, now. Your sensors should pick them up shortly,” The moon base controller told Brett. “When they clear, you can start your decent.”

Minutes later, the young pilot again ignited the engines. “Let’s take this ship down. Reverse thrust, 25 percent.”

“We are looking good,” Shannon added.

Brett again worked the throttle, “Reverse thrust, 50 percent.”

Suddenly an alarm blared in his ears.

“There’s a problem with engine number one!” Shannon shouted. “It’s shutting itself down.”

“We can override it,” Brett yelled into his mic.

“That’s dangerous. You could destroy the ship,” said the copilot.

“We can’t slow down with one engine,” Brett was now realizing his mistake. He should not have pushed the ship so hard.

“You’re too late. The engine is down hard. You’re not going to restart it,” Shannon announced.

Brett was in big trouble now. He decided on a desperate maneuver.

“What are you doing?” asked Shannon.

“I’m diving down. We can still get into a low orbit, and then use the remaining engine to slow down.”

“That’s crazy. Just stay on course. They can send another ship up to help us,” As expected, Shannon pushed for the safer option. But again, Brett had the final say.

“We are going in,” Brett worked the control stick, sending the ship downward.

An experienced pilot could bring the Q 7 in with one engine, but for a cadet, it was nearly impossible.

“We are too steep!” Shannon warned Brett.

He pulled back on the stick, but the ship was slow to respond.

“We are still too steep!” Shannon tried to control herself.

Brett pulled the controller with all of his strength. The ship was now in a dangerous dive, and the ground was racing toward them.

With Shannon shouting, alarms screaming, and Brett fighting the controls with all his might, everything became a blur. Seconds later the out-of-control ship slammed into the surface of the moon with a blinding flash of light.

Brett and Shannon sat back in their seats, the controls were dark, and everything was silent.

“Congratulations, you just added one more creator to the moon,” Instructor Owens voice crackled over the simulator’s intercom system.

Brett sat in the Q 7 simulator seat with his chin on his chest. If this had been an actual spaceship, they would both be dead.

“Nice landing pilot,” Shannon said sarcastically as she yanked her helmet off in disgust.

Brett didn’t say a word. He realized he had let all of his successes go to his head. He had become proud, and felt he could do no wrong.

However, crashing a half a billion-dollar “spaceship” into the moon brought him back to reality. But it was a painful lesson, and he was sure he was in for a lot of ribbing from the other cadets. Lesson learned.

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