Another Day

Captain Jimmy Hanks pulled himself through the entryway leading to the stations communication room. He twisted around in the tight space to orient himself to the other occupant in the small cramped Communications center; Cosmonaut Ivanovich Kovski. Jimmy liked the short Russian who was always fascinated by his southern accent.

“What’s up Ivan?”

“Shhh.” He replied abruptly, “I am listening again. I can barely make it out.”

“Make what out? Is the link in the crapper again?”

Without replying Ivan reached for the extra headset and microphone and sent it through the air toward Jimmy. Jimmy deftly snatched it out of the air as it slowly floated toward him. After putting it on Ivan motioned toward the proper receptacle and Jimmy plugged in.

“I cannot tell what they are saying.” Whispered Ivan, “But it is not a clear signal. Everything is working fine.”

“Did you broadcast an echo to the other ship?”

“Of course!” replied Ivan indignantly. “Our signal is clear but the echo is static and noise.”

Jimmy raised an eyebrow at that. If the echo was static then there was something interfering with the signal. “Better get the Colonel on the horn, this isn’t normal.”

Jimmy quickly scanned the console and saw that everything was in the green and looked to be functioning properly. He strapped in to the second seat and adjusted the frequency on his sending unit. He depressed the transmit key.

“Sky lab to Shuttle Atlantis, Major Jones, can you read me?”

“Atlantis, Sky lab go ahead.”

Jimmy could hear chuckles in the background. He glanced at Ivan, “Ivan, they’re messing with you. Trying to ring your bell.”

“What? What is ‘Ring bell’? Muttered Ivan.

“Atlantis, Skylab. Tell our Russkie friend Happy Birthday, we're bringing the cake.”

Jimmy laughed.


CC1455
WC294
(Edited for format)