A Planned Improvisation Read Online Free

she had been appointed as the ambassador from her home world, Tzantza. “You’re supposed to be on vacation.”
    “I know who you’ve been talking to,” Park laughed. “How soon can you pack your bags?”
    “Sorry,” Sartena laughed, “but I’m kind of buried in paperwork this week. I was just trying to help Marisea get you going. Should I file a formal protest with Colonel Theoday?”
    “Wouldn’t that just make his day?” Park chuckled. “No, that won’t be necessary. It appears I’ve been drafted to chauffeur Dannet to an urgent meeting with a geyser.”
    “Good!” Sartena laughed. “I’m sure that will do wonders for interstellar diplomatic relations.”
    “With the geyser, at least,” Park replied. “Oh all right. Marisea, you’re in Sartena’s office, aren’t you?
    “Of course, Park,” Marisea admitted instantly as another pale holograph formed.
    “Have Iris bring the buggy to the port and we’ll leave from here. Pick up Dannet on the way. Are you happy now?” Park asked.
    “Ecstatic, Park,” Marisea crooned.
    All holographs winked out and Park turned to Terry. “She’s growing up far too fast.”
    “I thought only fathers said things like that,” Terry laughed.
    “In this world,” Park corrected him, “I think both fathers and tamovirs say it. I’m surprised she didn’t just point Iris at Arn. That probably would have worked too.”
    “She may be holding that in reserve,” Terry pointed out. “We can finish this without you, you know.”
    “No need,” Park shrugged. “I have an hour or two while Dannet gets packed. We may as well continue on. Do you really think the runways need much maintenance this year?”
    “This one looks good,” Terry admitted, “but I generally try to keep a closer eye on the other one. It’s the one we had to patch up after Jance attacked the port.”
    “Didn’t we rebuild it from scratch?” Park asked.
    “Not hardly,” Terry admitted. “We removed the macadam and patched up the concrete foundation underneath. Then we poured another six inches of concrete on top and faced it with that Mer compound. It ought to be the strongest runway on Earth, but I don’t trust the patched up sub-foundation.”
    “It’s holding up, isn’t it?”
    “So far it has,” Terry nodded, “but it’s still a patch job, so I keep my eye on it. By the way, while we’re on the subject, did you know some of the Alliance ships are vertical take-off and landers?”
    “I’ve heard that, but all their shuttles use runways like ours,” Park replied. “Why? Were you planning to build landing pads?”
    “Ambassador Dannet suggested it,” Terry explained, “and it is not a bad idea. If one of them lands here now we’d have to give up a runway until it left. The ground around here is hard enough to support that sort of landing right now, but when the rains start…”
    “Yes, I see what you mean,” Park nodded. “Work up a projected cost for such a landing pad. I think Sartena can tell you how strong they would have to be, how they should be marked… At least, I imagine there’s some standardization in the Alliance, and what facilities would be expected at the pads themselves.”
    “Not just a large concrete circle?” Terry asked.
    “I haven’t the foggiest,” Park shrugged, “but some of the ships that have landed here asked for power and communications hook ups. It seems reasonable a VTOL craft would have the same needs. Find out and if we can afford it we’ll build one or two before the wet season. Do you have a projected location?”
    “The two runways form a large cross,” Terry pointed out. “There’s nothing but grass to be mowed in between them. There’s plenty of room to put a pad safely between them in two or three places.”
    “We have yet to have any VTOL spacecraft land here,” Park considered. “Three pads might be a bit much. We have to maintain them even if they don’t get used, after all. Check the ground out there and see