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She was extraordinarily good at this type of flying。 Toad had discovered。 She had the knack。 It required skill； patience and self…discipline as one concentrated on the task at hand to the exclusion of everything else； all qualities Rita Moravia possessed in abundance。 The airspeed needle stayed glued on the proper number and all the other needles did precisely what they were supposed to； almost as if they were slaves to Rita's iron will。
Toad also kept track of their position over the earth； and every now and then wasted three seconds on a glance over at the chase plane。 Still there； precisely where it should be。 Smoke Judy was a no…nonsense。 Sierra Hotel pilot who had almost nothing to say on the radio； he knew how busy Rita and Toad were。
Periodically Toad reminded Rita of which task was next on the list。 He could just see the top of her helmet； partially masked by the top of her ejection seat； if he looked straight ahead。 He could also see the upside…down reflection of her lap and arms in the canopy； weirdly distorted by the curvature。 Her hand on the stick…he could see that because in this plane the control stick was where it should be； between the pilot's legs。
And the sun。 He saw the brilliance of the sun's gaze as the sublime light played across the kneeboard on his right thigh and back and forth across the instruments on the panel before hiro。
〃How's control response？〃 he asked。
〃Better。〃 In a moment she added； 〃Still not right； though。〃
He would never have known it from the sensations reaching him through the plane。 The ride was smooth as glass。 〃I told Orville and Wilbur they were wasting their time。 They wouldn't listen。〃
〃What's next？〃
She already knew； of course。 She had prepared the flight profile。 To humor her； Toad consulted his copy。 〃Eight…G chandelles。〃
〃Okay。〃
He felt the surge as the power increased。 Rita wasted no time。 He saw her glance at Smoke Judy； assuring herself the F…14 was clear； then the left wing sagged gently as the nose began to rise and the G increased。 The G came on in a steadily rising grunt as the horizon tilted crazily。 Rita was flying the G line on the holographic HUD。 Toad temporarily abandoned his radar research and strained every muscle in the classic M…l maneuver； trying to retain blood in his head and upper body as he forced air in and out past his lips。 The inflatable pads in his G suit had bee giant sausages； squeezing his legs to keep the blood from pooling there。
This maneuver was designed to allow Rita to explore the limits of G and maneuverability at ever…changing airspeeds。 Toad felt the nibble of the stall buffet； and for the first time felt the wings rock sloppily； almost as if Rita were fighting to control their position。
〃I'm having some troub…〃 she said； but before she could plete the thought the plane departed。
The down wing quit flying and the upper wing flopped them over inverted。 The plane began to gyrate wildly。 Positive Gs mashed them for half a second； then negative Gs threw them up against their harness straps； but since the airplane was inverted； it was upward toward the earth。 The airplane spun like a lopsided Frisbee； bucking up and down madly as the Gs slammed them； positive； negative； positive； negative。 The ride was so violent Toad couldn't read the MFDs on the panel before him。
〃Inverted spin；〃 he gasped over the ICS。
〃The controls…it won't…〃 Rita sounded exasperated。
〃You're in an inverted spin；〃 Toad heard a hard； calm male voice say。 Smoke Judy on the radio。
〃I'm…the controls…〃
〃Twenty…nine thousand。。。 twenty…eight。。。〃 By a supreme effort of will Toad made himself concentrate on the altimeter and read the spinning needles。
〃Spin assist；〃 he reminded her。 This switch would allow the horizontal stabilator its full travel； not restricted by its high…speed limited throw。 The danger was if the pilot pulled too hard at high speed without the mechanical limit； the tail might be ripped away。 Right now Rita needed all the help she could get to pull the nose down。
〃It's on。〃
〃Twenty…five thousand。〃 He was having trouble staying conscious。 The ride was vicious； violent beyond description。 His vision closed in until he was looking through a pipe。 He knew the signs。 He was passing out。 〃Twenty…two；〃 he croaked。
Miraculously the violent pitching action of the nose decreased and he felt as if he were being thrown sideways。 As the G decreased； his vision came back。 Rita had them out of the spin and diving。 She had the power back； about 90 percent or so。 She rolled the plane upright and the G came on steadily as she pulled to get them out of their rocketing dive。 〃Okay；〃 she whispered； 〃okay； baby； e to Mama。〃
The wings started rocking again as the G increased； and Toad opened his mouth to shout a warning。 Too late。 The right wing slammed down and the plane rolled inverted again。 〃Spin；〃 was all he could get out。
He fought the slamming up and down。 〃Seventeen thousand。。。〃
〃Rita； you'd better eject。〃 The hard； fast voice of Smoke Judy…
〃I've got it；〃 Rita shouted on the radio。 〃Stay with me。〃 That was for Toad。 She had the nose ing steadily down now； that yawning sensation again as she fed in full rudder。
〃Fifteen grand；〃 Toad advised。
They were running out of sky。
〃It's the controls！ I've…〃
〃Thirteen！〃
She was out of the spin now； upright； but the nose was still way low； seventy degrees below the horizon。 Power at idle； she deployed the speed brakes and began to cautiously lift the nose。
〃Eleven thousand。〃
〃e on； baby。〃
〃Ten。〃
The ground was horribly close。 Their speed was rapidly building； even with the boards out and engines at idle。 The ground elevation here was at least four thousand feet above sea level； so they were within six thousand feet of the ground； now five； still forty degrees nose down。 They would make it Rita added another pound of back pressure to the stick。
The left wing snapped down。
Toad pulled the ejection handle。
The windblast hit him like the fist of God。 He was tumbling； then he wasn't； now hurling toward the earth…an earth so close he could plainly see every rock and bush…and cursing himself for the fool that he was for waiting so long。 Lazily； slowly； as if time didn't matter； the seat kicked him loose with a thump。 The ground was right there； racing up at him。 He closed his eyes。 He was going to die now。 So this is how it feels。。。 A tremendous shock snapped through him； almost ripping his boots off。 The opening shock of the parachute canopy。 The ground was right there！ He swung for another few seconds； then smashed into a thicket of brush。 Too late he remembered he should have protected his head。 He came to rest in the middle of an opaque dust cloud。
He was conscious through it all。 He wiggled his limbs experimentally。 Still in one piece； thank the Lord！
Rita！ Where was Rita？
He was standing before the dust had cleared； ripping his helmet off and trying to see。 He tore at his Koch fittings。 There！ Rid of the chute。
Striding out of the brush； almost falling； looking。
Another dust cloud。 Several hundred yards away and down the hill slightly。 Something had impacted there。 Rita？ But there was no chute visible。
Mother of