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Sun Spots, v. 3, issue 4, whole no. 12, November 1940
Page 8
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November, 1940. SUN SPOTS Page 8. ANNUAL INSPECTION By Von Meeks Mitchell "Gawd I'll be glad when this day is over", Big Mike, the sargant of the Solar Mechanics said. "I hate these annual inspections." "Yeah, me too", I answered, "Looks like they would do away with 'em nowadays, they don't do any good, except maybe the brass hats get a kick out of parading around in their shiny buttons." Mike mumbled somthing under his breath about the brass hats, and walked off. This annual inspection was a big thing to some of the boys in the Solar Patrol. Meaning mainly the boys that piloted the big space crafts. Hell they didn't have to do any of the work. While we Solar mechanics wore ourselves to a frazzle getting things shipshape. The inspection itself wasn't much. The inlisted men and officers would line up outside their respective ships, and either be curtly praised or severely reprimanded, as the brass hats inspected things. After ground inspection the ships would take off and fly in formation flights to the moon. This was the big point of the inspection [.] Millions of citizens of Earth, and on the moon would be watching thorugh their telescreens. The masses always looked forward to this with child-like intrest. It was an awe inspiring sight to see half a hundred ships rise in unison and head for the moon. This day was to be a memorable one, for our detachment had been equipped with the new Melch motors, that burned the liquid radioactive metal, Melchum, discovered by Andrew Melch on Pluto. These new motors were to give the ship sixty odd percent better performance. The fuel was in little six inch containers, which were placed in the motor block. The containers, made of lead, were then melted down with electric heat, allowing the fuel to escape and start the necessary combustion. At the last moment, when the ground inspections were over, the president of the Two Worlds Government arrived on the scene to see the new motors in opperation. Oh, sure the motors had been tested, like they used to test the old heavier than air-craft back in the twentieth century, but they hadn't been tried on a long flight. I was standing back by one of the hangers, when Big Mike walked up. "Shorty", he began, "If things don't go right today I'm going to break your neck! The O.D. just told me that this was the last inspection we were going to have for five years, providing everything goes off according to schedule!" I am in charge of the crew that services the big ships so Mike had a perfect right to ride me if somthing went wrong. "Everything will be okay, Mike", I said with an assurance I didn't feel. I still thought I d forgotten something, but I didn't tell Mike that. -Concluded on the next page-
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November, 1940. SUN SPOTS Page 8. ANNUAL INSPECTION By Von Meeks Mitchell "Gawd I'll be glad when this day is over", Big Mike, the sargant of the Solar Mechanics said. "I hate these annual inspections." "Yeah, me too", I answered, "Looks like they would do away with 'em nowadays, they don't do any good, except maybe the brass hats get a kick out of parading around in their shiny buttons." Mike mumbled somthing under his breath about the brass hats, and walked off. This annual inspection was a big thing to some of the boys in the Solar Patrol. Meaning mainly the boys that piloted the big space crafts. Hell they didn't have to do any of the work. While we Solar mechanics wore ourselves to a frazzle getting things shipshape. The inspection itself wasn't much. The inlisted men and officers would line up outside their respective ships, and either be curtly praised or severely reprimanded, as the brass hats inspected things. After ground inspection the ships would take off and fly in formation flights to the moon. This was the big point of the inspection [.] Millions of citizens of Earth, and on the moon would be watching thorugh their telescreens. The masses always looked forward to this with child-like intrest. It was an awe inspiring sight to see half a hundred ships rise in unison and head for the moon. This day was to be a memorable one, for our detachment had been equipped with the new Melch motors, that burned the liquid radioactive metal, Melchum, discovered by Andrew Melch on Pluto. These new motors were to give the ship sixty odd percent better performance. The fuel was in little six inch containers, which were placed in the motor block. The containers, made of lead, were then melted down with electric heat, allowing the fuel to escape and start the necessary combustion. At the last moment, when the ground inspections were over, the president of the Two Worlds Government arrived on the scene to see the new motors in opperation. Oh, sure the motors had been tested, like they used to test the old heavier than air-craft back in the twentieth century, but they hadn't been tried on a long flight. I was standing back by one of the hangers, when Big Mike walked up. "Shorty", he began, "If things don't go right today I'm going to break your neck! The O.D. just told me that this was the last inspection we were going to have for five years, providing everything goes off according to schedule!" I am in charge of the crew that services the big ships so Mike had a perfect right to ride me if somthing went wrong. "Everything will be okay, Mike", I said with an assurance I didn't feel. I still thought I d forgotten something, but I didn't tell Mike that. -Concluded on the next page-
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