Flying a Mech
Ella Font (EF): (smiling)
Good evening. Welcome to Interdimensional News Network. My name is Ella Font.
With me this evening is Major Kirsten Abbott from the Coalition’s Third Fleet.
How are you this evening, Major.
Kirsten Abbott (KA):
Hello, Ms. Font. I’m fine, thanks.
EF: So, I
understand you are a very accomplished pilot. How long have you been flying?
KA: I’ve flying
since I graduated high school and entered the military. I started out as a Broadsword tail gunner then transferred
to pilot a Pulsar.
EF: What about
League Mechanized Armor? How familiar are you with those?
KA: Fighting them?
I’ve sent more than a few mechs to the scrap heap.
EF: I meant as a
pilot. How do you do flying them? Isn’t that part of Coalition pilot training?
KA: I’ve flown Dervishes and Samurai in sims, and Dervishes
in real life. They were remarkably challenging at first, but once I got the
hang of it, they weren’t so bad. Have you ever been up close to a League mech?
EF: (Smile turns
a little tight) No, I prefer to keep them at the distance. They’re mentally
controlled aren’t they?
KA: Yes. The Dervish uses what’s called a “brain wave
helm.” That’s sort of like a hat that has sensors to read and interpret
brainwaves so the computer can tell the mech what to do.
EF: Sounds
complicated.
KA: It is, but
not complicated enough. The Samurai
are trickier. Much more involved hardware means more detailed software. The Dervish system isn’t robust enough. Samurai pilots have a data jack on their
heads here. (Turns and points to spot on the back of her skull). That more
direct connection provides the computer with a more accurate reading of the
pilot’s thoughts.
EF: You don’t
have that jack in your skull, so how did you fly a Samurai.
KA: I’ve only
flown the sim of a Samurai. That’s
much less complex than an actual Sam,
so the brain wave helm can handle the task.
EF: So, simple
thoughts control the mechs.
KA: I wouldn’t
call it simple. Movements have to coordinate with actions. If I want to launch,
I have to jump.
EF: Inside the
cockpit?
KA: Yes, but it
doesn’t have to go for an Olympic jump record. Just a bit of a hop coordinated
with a thought will get the thing moving. Lots of commands combine some manner
of physical action with a specific thought or word to make the command execute.
EF: Which do you
prefer flying? Pulsars or mechs?
KA: I feel more
competent in my Pulsar, but the mechs
are powerful in their own right. Otherwise, the Coalition would have wiped out
the League long ago.
EF: What are some
of the things mechs can do better than fighter craft?
KA: I’m not at
liberty to answer that aside from saying that each is good at things specific
to their design.
EF: Well, thank
you for joining us, Major.
KA: I appreciate
the opportunity, Ms. Font.
EF: This is Ella
Font with the Interdimensional News Network. Back to Bob Frapples in the
newsroom. Bob?
About the author: Originally from Michigan, Cindy Koepp has a degree in Wildlife Sciences
and teaching certification in Elementary Education from rival universities.
After teaching for fourteen years, she pursued a master’s degree in Adult
Learning with a specialization in Training and Performance Improvement. Cindy
has five published science fiction and fantasy novels, a serial published
online, short stories in five anthologies, and a few self-published teacher
resource books. When she isn’t reading or writing, Cindy spends time whistling
with a crazy African Grey. Cindy is currently working as an optician in Iowa
and as an editor with PDMI Publishing and Barking Rain Press.
Book
Synopsis for Remnant in the Stars: Two hundred years ago, the Aolanian home world exploded
and a remnant of survivors escaped. As their convoy combed the galaxy looking
for a new world to colonize, they discovered Earth and were given permission to
establish a temporary base while they continued their search for a new home
world. When an Aolanian exploration vessel goes missing after transmitting a
garbled distress call, the uneasy alliance between the humans and the Aolanians
is put to the test as two anti-Aolanian groups jockey to use this opportunity
to press their own agendas by foiling the rescue mission.
Because his daughter was onboard the Kesha when it vanished,
Calonti Sora reluctantly signs on as an astrogator with the Gyrfalcon, one of
the ships in the search party. There he meets up with an old human friend,
Kirsten Abbott. Together, they work to overcome prejudice and political plots
as they race toward an enemy no one could expect.
Book Synopsis for The Loudest Actions: First contact missions are hard enough, but they get even tougher when the negotiator has an ego the size of a gas giant.
Burke Zacharias, a first contact researcher, is chosen to
spearhead humanity’s first official contact with Montans, an insect race that
has already had a run-in with less friendly humans. Although his words and
overtures toward the Montans are cordial enough, the Montans are put off by how
he treats the crew of the scout ship that brought him to the world.
With other, less friendly forces trying to establish a foothold
on the world, the negotiation must succeed in spite of Burke, or the Montans
could be facing extinction.
Author
Links:
Tour Schedule and Activities
Amazon Link for Remnant in the Stars
Kindle Version
Amazon Links for The Loudest Actions
Kindle Version
