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it all works and where everything's supposed to be but somehow even the

best mock-ups can't duplicate the feel of a real wagon train. They can

never recreate the atmosphere for a start." The Commander's face

creased into a smile. 'Three hundred horny trail-hands generate a lot

of static - and it's not the kind that can be simulated

electronically."

This got a big laugh from the old 'Blazers.

Hartmann held up his hand. 'The same goes for combat drills. You'll

find it feels a lot different when you're actually faced with killing

and being killed - for the first time."

'I can't wait,' muttered Gus. Steve, too, felt a sense of

anticipation. Sitting there surrounded by the rest of the three

hundred-strong crew he could feel an undercurrent of excitement flowing

through the room; an electric force passing through their bodies,

linking them together.

Something that, in older times, had been known as 'esprit de corps'.

'I can see from your faces,' continued Hartmarm, 'that you'd like to

know where we're going. So here's the broad outline. The Lady will

load and make fast in the next five days and roil-out on six, making a

couple of supply runs to way-stations in Kansas and Colorado. These

first two sorties - which will be load-out load-back - will provide the

new crew-men with ample opportunity to shape up under operational

conditions. The second phase of our mission is where it gets

interesting."

The whole room held its breath as Hartmann paused.

Everybody was on the edge of their seats.

'The Lady has been selected to make the first deep-penetration raid

into Plainfoik territory. We're going hunting, gentlemen - northwards

into Nebraska, Wyoming and South Dakota -' 'Yeee-hhohaaa! I' The old

rebel yell came simultaneously from three hundred throats as the crew

of The Lady leapt to their feet, faces glowing. Steve, Gus, Fazetti

and Webber stood up with them, their hearts pounding.

Buck McDonnell stepped to the edge of the platform.

'Who's for The Lady?? he boomed.

'We are - HOW roared the crew. Three hundred right hands punched the

air.

'Are we ready and able?!" boomed McDonnell.

'YAY!!" roared the crew, punching their right arms up again. 'Lets

GO-GO-GO!!" Hartmann and his execs responded to the men's cheers with

the same exultant clenched fist salute.

The next five days passed quickly, night blurring into day as the

entire crew of The Lady worked round the clock shifts; switching weapon

cars for unarmed cargo containers; loading them with material, stores

and bulk food concentrates for the way-stations; filling the overhead

and underfloor storage bays of the other cars with ration-packs,

equipment, ammunition and other supplies needed by the wagon train;

checking and re-checking the range of onboard functions communications,

environmental, weapon, power, control and emergency back-up systems.

Apart from their normal role in the above, the particular task of

Steve's section was to check the twelve Skyhawks two.

of which were reserve airframes - before folding their wings and

stowing them in the flight car of The Lady. In addition to the nine

wingmen under her command, Jodi Kazan was also in charge often

ground-crew whose primary task was to help erect, launch, retrieve,

stow and maintain the aircraft.

Like the other graduates from the Academy, Steve had been trained as a

ground crew-man and flight engineer. He could service, repair or, if

necessary, rebuild an aircraft. In the event of an emergency, he could

also function in a number of other categories including ground-combat

duties as a lineman.

Some of the specialist lineman grades also had this multi-role

capability. And given a relatively simple aircraft such as the

Skyhawk, many more Trackers could have been trained as pilots. But

learning to fly was