WCGW Chpt 74

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==Chapter 74 - What Could Go Wrong==
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23 December 3041
Joshua (Former Outworld Alliance System)
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Finally, their Mule Cargo Dropship had made it back to the planet's surface and loading could begin. It would take quite a few trips to fully transfer the salvage to the Behemoth when it finally reached orbit of the planet in 4 more days. "I heard we captured another Dropship; any spare cargo space is going to be needed." Chief Zuniga said
"Small problem with that Chief. That Dropship is leaning on a 33 degree angle, one of the landing struts broke when she slammed into the ground. No one can come up with a way to right her for a launch." Leftenant Colonel Mitchell replied
"That is a problem. Want me to take a look at her?" Chief Zuniga asked
"Be my guest. Master Sergeant Caldwell and Master Sergeant Croyle have been over there the last few days trying to come up with some idea. It's a 5 hour trip on the ground." Leftenant Colonel Mitchell said
"Shuttle it is then. I feel better in the air than on the ground." Chief Zuniga replied with a smile
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An hour later Chief Zuniga was studying the Lion Class Dropship and where it lay. "Well, this is a total cockup." He said to Master Sergeant Caldwell and Master Sergeant Croyle.
"Tell me about it. We have beat our heads into a bloody pulp trying to figure this one out." Master Sergeant Croyle replied
Chief Zuniga walked to where he could see under the Lion Dropship better and knelt down. "Landing gear collapse, but she looks structurally sound." He picked up a handful of dirt "Soft enough, if she had fallen onto rock, she might have bent a support frame. Armor is pretty banged up but not breached, from what I can see anyway. Very stout ship they built here. Never seen one like her before."
"The Dragoons have some. Lion Class. Extinct except for those they have and this one here. I managed to recover her schematics from the engineering computer. I also have inspected as much of the inside as I can reach, she has no breaches that I can locate." Chief Donnie Wise, Chief Engineer of Intrusive, Intruder Assault Dropship said
"You know Dropships better than me; I did a single tour one a Union many years ago before I transferred to Jumpships. You have any ideas?" Chief Zuniga said
"If we do not want to make another trip out here, only one crazy ass idea, but I am loathe to even suggest it." Chief Wise replied
"An idea is an idea. Let's hear it." Chief Zuniga said
"Build a ramp. Not from dirt though. Will have to be as stong as we can make it. Launch at this crazy ass angle. The ramp, if we can make it sturdy enough, will, hopefully keep her at an angle until her engines can provide the proper amount of lift to get her airborne. We try it like she lays and the moment we light the burners, she is liable to lay over more and take off across the ground and that will be all she wrote." Chief Wise replied
"Packing this soft dirt is not going to be enough. Master Sergeant Croyle, what have we got to build some sort of ramp?" Chief Zuniga asked
This idea was so far off the wall that it caught Master Sergeant Croyle by surprise. "A ramp? You thinking about something to actually aim this thing for a launch? At that angle? Who the hell is going to volunteer to man the thing?"
"One problem at a time. First, can we build some sort of strong ramp?" Chief Zuniga said
"We have two dozen heavy ass bridges. Metal ones. Thirty meters long each one. Each can handle 90 tons of weight. But this is crazy." Master Sergeant Croyle replied
"Crazy is all that we have. How deep do you think it is before we hit something solid?" Chief Zuniga asked
"Twenty to thirty meters. This planet has some deep soil, deepest I ever seen anyway." Master Sergeant Croyle replied
"Well, let's go look at those steel bridges and come up with a design. I bet this will be a first." Chief Zuniga said
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