' Tweets by @TallestSchuler

August 17, 2011

“Increasing thrusters to half full. She is not rated for gravity wells sir, and I do not know if I can get her out of here without deploying the gravity thrusters or pushing to hard,” Sam said.

“Push her as hard as you need to crewman. I will not let my ship be forced to the ground. Get her out of this damned place.”

“Yes sir. Increasing aft thrusters to three quarters full.”

The flames changed from an orange to a greenish blue. The ship struggled to keeps its accent at the proper angle. The boxy shape did not allow the ship to smoothly fly through the limited atmosphere of Terra Luna. The several domes of Terra Luna shrunk to mere dots as the sky faded to black.

Sam opened up the in ship communication channel. “Ejia, get main thrusters on line. Prepare for a full test as soon as we exit the atmo. Also prepare the Ion Engines for a full diagnostics cycle. Let's find out what this baby can do.”

“Main thrusters initializing,” she replied over the intercom almost instantly. “Catalyst reacting within normal perimeters. Main thrusters on line, thirty seconds.”

“Roger. Give me a light when they are ready.”

The quaking ships smoothed as the weightlessness of space took over. Then entire ship went quiet except for the distinct hum of the engines. Suddenly a countdown clock appears as an overlay on all five screens.