SHAKEDOWN
The timing countdown was dropping drastically. “This is Commander Ariane Austin,” she said, using for the first time the title she’d been accorded as the ultimate backup pilot for the mission. “We’re almost to the activation point.”
She reached out and grasped the manual controls. She’d decided it was best to cut out the direct connects. If she was really going to be needed, these were the controls she’d need.
Five seconds. Sandrisson coils charging.
The field strength built swiftly, symmetrically. If Sandrisson was correct, the Drive would cause them to be catapulted into the parallel related spacetime represented by the Kanzaki-Locke context parameter matrix. If he was correct.
Two seconds.
One second.
Activation.
In the sudden silent blackness, Ariane heard Dr. Sandrisson scream.