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The Noise.

At first all was quiet, in fact it was too normal. From the moment I sat at the controls I had this feeling that all was not as it should be. A quick check of he instrument panel, nothing wrong there all was in the green phase. Dam it I said under my breath, push the button. If the whole lot goes up in the air then you will know that this experiment was a flop. Then you can start all over again perhaps something nearer to your heart.

A deep intake of breath and to my surprise rows of green emitting LED,s shone showing that all was well. I pushed the button that told the crew that all was well. Now for the real thing. The large red button seemed to grin with an ugly grin. For some reason, angrily I whacked that stupid knob. All hell broke loose I in my pilots seat felt the upward thrust as this huge Monster that I had awakened broke free from the restraining gravity and lifted above the Space Port at Noneham Fields. From all parts of the ship fragments of messages telling me that sections x y and z and all of the other fantasy names given to various parts of the space ship were heard over the loud speakers. I bawled out Quiet. The silence now penetrated the noise coming from the rockets that guided the ship. The thrust from the main motors was just a steady hum in the background. A few more voices telling me that this or that part was not functioning or that it was functioning and this in spite of the fact that I had demanding peace and quiet. This was after all was supposed to be a test flight. I should not have done what I now did. I pushed the green button that was covered with a metal box with a glass lid. Some wag had written on the glass in large red letters. Emergency stop. Use at your own risk. I punched that green button with pleasure. Now perhaps the idiots will give me some peace so that I could get on with controlling this ship and seeing what it could really do. I should not have hit that stupid button every loud speaker in the control room came to life. Frightened voices, timidly asking if we were in any danger. Loud demanding voices asking what the hell was the matter. Others what the hell had I done, others is the ship falling apart, the noise was such that even if I had wanted to I could not have answered any of the questions. Did the idiots not know that I am in a huge cabin with screens all around the walls and even the ceiling? I noticed for the first time a row of switches. With my arm I swept the switches down to the off position. For a few seconds the silence was threatening. If you like the term Cockpit I was in the ships cockpit the only entrance was from below through a trap door that I quickly covered with a heavy piece of apparatus. It was very effective. The knocks coming from the floor told me that the rest of the crew were determined to find out for themselves what was wrong in the Pilots cabin. I had been ordered to test this Space Ship and test it, is now my only thought that is running obstinately through my mind. I sat myself again at the controls and really put this ship through its paces. Mile after mile at full speed with emergency stops made as and when I felt like it. One whole week spent in space. Before I started on my putting the ship through its paces. I opened the row of microphones and gave just one warning, I the Pilot am virtually in command and this is an important test flight. My advice to the crew, go to your bunks and keep there until this flight is over. There will be no more blocking of my system of giving information. That is all. I wish you all a good flight. What I did to this Space Ship and its controls and engines are all written down in my report. The report alone took three weeks to write. All of this time I was hiding behind the moon. I heard no voices from Earth and no voices from the Space Ship. I wrote the Authorities the best reports that had ever been delivered by a test pilot. I am now the Chief Test Pilot of Disney Land. Donald duck, Goofy and my old friend Mickey Mouse often come with me for a little fun and I must say I enjoy their company on my test flights Bern.