'THE AIRCAR, RENTED from a cousin of P.J. Ramirez started to sputter. Jake was, according to the instruments that were still working on the control panel, approximately twenty miles from his destination and two thousand feet from the ground....The voxbox blurted something in slurred Spanish.
Jake didn't catch it. "Otra vez," he requested.
"The engine," said the Status voxbox in English this time, "having reached the guaranteed two hundred thousand airmiles, is about to give up the ghost."
"Install a replacement," he instructed the car.
"In this model aircar, that has to be done manually by the driver or by a qualified mechanic."
"Where are the spare engines housed?"
"There is an emergency engine, good for at least ten thousand airmiles, stored in the handy compartment beneath the driveseat."...
He pried it open and found only the remains of a picnic lunch from some months ago.
"Where do we store the food?"
"Compartment to your rear, opening now."
That was where the spare engine had been stored. It was a compact one, about the size of a brick. Jake carried it, listening uneasily to the explosive popping of the current engine, over to the floor compartment marked MOTOR.
He opened the id, studied the dying engine for a few seconds and then, gingerly, removed it.
The aircar fell silent.
He connected the emergency engine.
The aircar remained silent.
Jake gave the newly installed device a moderate punch with the left fist.
It took hold and started working; the aircar bounced twice in the rain-swept air.'
Rating: 3/10
Shall I keep it?: "Tekwar" belongs to the world.
Jon_, JonBook_
1 comment:
I concur with this post.
[Also, my word verification was "bwoooijs."]
Post a Comment