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Let the Music Play, Chapter 38


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I just read straight through chapters 1-38 all at once. I'm utterly fascinated and gripping the edge of my seat. What an amazing story!

 

I'm not familiar with the posting schedule - will there be another instalment soon? ...Please?

 

Thanks!!!

 

OK, the posting schedule is usually once a week. However, I released Ch 38 early, and ch 39 isn't back from editing (I was late sending it in).

 

What this means (sorry everyone) is that there will be a delay in posting. I've been writing the final part of the story as one document, becuase thare are some complext interactions that need to be moved around so everything makes sense, timewise. Chapter 40 (that's the name on the document) is currently about the size of seven normal chapters. It should end up as eight when done. Then there's the prologue, which was actually the first thing I wrote in LTMP.

 

As a guess, Ch 39 should post a week from Monday, *IF* it's ready. IF I can wrap up and finsih LTMP this weekend, I can get it all into beta and hopefully we won't be facing serious delays after that.

 

Oh, BTW, Ch 37 was not the dramatic climax of the story. :)

 

Edit to add: I gave up flying a few years ago, sort of. It costs too much to keep current. I do occasionally still fly left seat, but my liscence is no longer active. If I could afford it, I'd re-activate it in an instant. I love flying.

 

CJ :)

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Edit to add: I gave up flying a few years ago, sort of. It costs too much to keep current. I do occasionally still fly left seat, but my liscence is no longer active. If I could afford it, I'd re-activate it in an instant. I love flying.

That's a shame it costs too much for you to indulge in something you love to do. At least you get to do it once in awhile! :)

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Edit to add: I gave up flying a few years ago, sort of. It costs too much to keep current. I do occasionally still fly left seat, but my liscence is no longer active. If I could afford it, I'd re-activate it in an instant. I love flying.

 

CJ :)

Ain't that the truth. I haven't flown in years - it's more expensive here in Europe than in the US. The only thing in my licence that doesn't need revalidated now is the radio operator's bit. :-(

 

As for your cross-country tale... wow... I have no idea what I'd have done! Only once did I do a genuine engine-out landing, but I had a flying instructor sitting right beside me at the time. You're lucky to be alive - a very neat bit of flying, especially for a student.

 

I'm slightly surprised that the flaps can't be battery operated. Vague memories suggest that the battery has to provide power to run the essential services on the aircraft for 30 minutes in the absence of the engine. I'd have thought that the flaps came under that heading, though I suppose they're not stricly essential.

 

LF

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Actually, I was expecting Brandon to get off the plane and promptly lose his lunch. :P

 

I'll be more than eagerly awaiting chapter 39.

 

Thanks!! :)

 

Yeah, he could have lost his lunch, especially as he was caked in blood, ugh.

 

Ain't that the truth. I haven't flown in years - it's more expensive here in Europe than in the US. The only thing in my licence that doesn't need revalidated now is the radio operator's bit. :-(

 

As for your cross-country tale... wow... I have no idea what I'd have done! Only once did I do a genuine engine-out landing, but I had a flying instructor sitting right beside me at the time. You're lucky to be alive - a very neat bit of flying, especially for a student.

 

I'm slightly surprised that the flaps can't be battery operated. Vague memories suggest that the battery has to provide power to run the essential services on the aircraft for 30 minutes in the absence of the engine. I'd have thought that the flaps came under that heading, though I suppose they're not stricly essential.

 

LF

 

I'd done one prior deadstick landing, but that was with an instructor as part of training. I was on downwind and he reached out and pulled the mixture, and then said, "You just lost the engine, set her down." I just cut the downwind and final short, that wasn't a problem, but I can tell you I was thankfull for the experiance a few weeks later.

 

The maneuvers were easy enough; I had some prior airobatic training (Ever done an outside loop or an immelman turn in an open-cockpit plane? now that's fun!!), and nothing too tricky was required except the 30 degree turn as I approached the taxiway. I had to nail that and roll out perfectly lined up; I was entering ground effect by that point and getting close to stall. Other than that, it really didn't take much skill at all.

 

It wasn't really a hard thing to do; I had to do it, so i did it. That sounds odd to say, but when you're in a life or death situation, there usually isn't time to worry. The main thing I was concerned about on my way down was whether I could stretch out the glide enough to make the airport. I thought I had it, but not quite. LoL Had I known I wouldn't make the runway, I'd have set down on a highway or road (plenty of 'em out in the desert, and not enough traffic to worry about).

 

The flaps could be battery operated, but I'd killed the master electrical switch. I wouldn't have tried anyway; the electric motors are in the wing, and I had loads of fuel dripping around in the trailing edges. I was afraid of a short, or sparks.

 

The FBO couldn't get away with such bad maintance these days. What they did was in effect rent the plains from private pilots who wanted to defray ownership costs. Some of them did much of their own maintance, though how that thing past it's thousand hour inspections is beyond me.

 

On other occasions, I flew with the dashboard partially disassembled (they were working on it) and pencils stuck in the instrument vacuum lines. LoL. :)

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Ever done an outside loop or an immelman turn in an open-cockpit plane? now that's fun

 

Funnily enough, ...no.

 

I have done some aerobatics, and it was kinda fun, but I was happy to get back on the ground again, and happier to still have my breakfast on the inside.

 

LF

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Funnily enough, ...no.

 

I have done some aerobatics, and it was kinda fun, but I was happy to get back on the ground again, and happier to still have my breakfast on the inside.

 

LF

 

I never had a problem with motion sickness, provided I'm at the controls. I love open cockpit planes for airobatics though. An old Great Lakes biplane was one I got to fly (with an instructor). That thing was superb. I never got the knack of the inverted falling leaf, but I did learn to do hammerheads, plus tamer stuff like rolls, split-s, etc. But heck, I've done rolls solo in utility-class single engine planes (no problem, just don't pull any negative G's or your carburetor will stop working and the engine dies).

 

I did my first jump from a Cessna 150... It was kind of an informal affair back then. Today, you do your first jump strapped to an instructor. However, this was to make sure I knew how to use the parachute (you have to wear one for airobatics). My instructor, my FLIGHT insturctor that is (It never occured to me that a flight instructor might not know everything about skydiving), had some rather odd ideas on teaching skydiving. He gave ground instruction, tought you how to roll on landing, etc, (the good old 7-pointer) and viola, you were ready to give it a try. No tower jumps, no nothing... He took you up in a plane and you made your own way down. I had to climb out on the wheel strut to jump.. I was wishing for the Great Lakes at that point; he could have just rolled inverted while I had my seatbelt unbuckled. LoL.

 

I hit hard and sprained an ankle, but I had an enormous drop zone (a huge field of cut hay about a mile on a side, way too big to miss) so it was otherwise ok. It was a rush, but not something I ever felt like doing again.

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I never had a problem with motion sickness, provided I'm at the controls. I love open cockpit planes for airobatics though. An old Great Lakes biplane was one I got to fly (with an instructor). That thing was superb. I never got the knack of the inverted falling leaf, but I did learn to do hammerheads, plus tamer stuff like rolls, split-s, etc. But heck, I've done rolls solo in utility-class single engine planes (no problem, just don't pull any negative G's or your carburetor will stop working and the engine dies).

I was OK as long as I was flying, but I had an instructor demonstrating things, and just had to sit there while he showed me what to do. It wasn't terribly serious, as aerobatics goes, just some loops, spins and stall turns, but it was kinda fun in its own way. We were in a bubble cockpit - which is much better for visibility whilst still giving the illusion of being inside something. It was also the only aircraft I flew with a stick control, rather than a control column.

 

LF

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CJ, goat buddy :wub:

 

OMG!!!!! You were almost "Goat Flambe" or "Goat on Toast" or "Minced Goat" or "Goat under Glass....and Metal"

 

Obviously, you lived a reckless youth. I'm envious! :worship: The best part is that you negotiated all the flying time you could use on the very plane that came with a harp. :blink: Yes, you are crazy. The Lord loves crazy people. Lucky you.

 

No wonder this story is inside you. All those beautiful bodies, all those pool and beach parties, all the music, all the sabotage....it was all leading to this....this catastrophe in your life.....38 chapters it took you....my gawd....the orgasm must have been sensational!!! B)

 

The tension you created in me in chapter 37 was unbearable. I had to leave my computer 3 times....to walk it off...or something.

 

Robert Ludlum just became boring.

 

CJ, I want to have your baby goat!

 

Conner

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CJ, goat buddy :wub:

 

OMG!!!!! You were almost "Goat Flambe" or "Goat on Toast" or "Minced Goat" or "Goat under Glass....and Metal"

 

Obviously, you lived a reckless youth. I'm envious! :worship: The best part is that you negotiated all the flying time you could use on the very plane that came with a harp. :blink: Yes, you are crazy. The Lord loves crazy people. Lucky you.

 

No wonder this story is inside you. All those beautiful bodies, all those pool and beach parties, all the music, all the sabotage....it was all leading to this....this catastrophe in your life.....38 chapters it took you....my gawd....the orgasm must have been sensational!!! B)

 

The tension you created in me in chapter 37 was unbearable. I had to leave my computer 3 times....to walk it off...or something.

 

Robert Ludlum just became boring.

 

CJ, I want to have your baby goat!

 

Conner

 

Wow, thanks Conner! :)

 

Yeah, getting free time in that old plane was probably not the smartest move. LoL.

 

 

How did you do the research on the military aspects of your story?

 

I'm pretty knowledgeable on military hardware, so it wasn't hard. I knew basically want I wanted, and did some fact-checking on the 'net for a few things. The model of the radar on the F-15's for one, and the unit designation for the f-15's for another (I had no idea which ANG units fly F-15's, so I needed to find a squadron that did).

 

The nuclear issue was a little harder. I've always had an interest in the engineering of nuclear weapons. However, I'm not a physicist. So, I had a pretty good idea how the device would work, and for some of the details I consulted a non-fiction book, "Dark Sun", by Rhodes, about the development of the hydrogen bomb. It gets into great detail on the physics and engineering *including of boosted-fission weapons, which are also used as the primary stages for thermonuclear weapons) and I highly recommend it for anyone interested.

 

BTW, one part of Ch 38 I wanted to mention to everyone is this;

 

With a shrug, The Scar replied,
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I never had a problem with motion sickness, provided I'm at the controls. I love open cockpit planes for airobatics though. An old Great Lakes biplane was one I got to fly (with an instructor). That thing was superb. I never got the knack of the inverted falling leaf, but I did learn to do hammerheads, plus tamer stuff like rolls, split-s, etc. But heck, I've done rolls solo in utility-class single engine planes (no problem, just don't pull any negative G's or your carburetor will stop working and the engine dies).

 

I did my first jump from a Cessna 150... It was kind of an informal affair back then. Today, you do your first jump strapped to an instructor. However, this was to make sure I knew how to use the parachute (you have to wear one for airobatics). My instructor, my FLIGHT insturctor that is (It never occured to me that a flight instructor might not know everything about skydiving), had some rather odd ideas on teaching skydiving. He gave ground instruction, tought you how to roll on landing, etc, (the good old 7-pointer) and viola, you were ready to give it a try. No tower jumps, no nothing... He took you up in a plane and you made your own way down. I had to climb out on the wheel strut to jump.. I was wishing for the Great Lakes at that point; he could have just rolled inverted while I had my seatbelt unbuckled. LoL.

 

I hit hard and sprained an ankle, but I had an enormous drop zone (a huge field of cut hay about a mile on a side, way too big to miss) so it was otherwise ok. It was a rush, but not something I ever felt like doing again.

 

B) .........Pretty scary landing CJ, BTW I was invited :( to try skydiving, my thoughts were "Why leave a perfectly good plane?"

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For me it was something fun to do once whilst strapped to an instructor. It wasn't enough fun to ever want to try it again. I'm with Benji in his sentiments about why jump out of a perfect good plane.

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I had a thought this morning -- what is Dimitri going to do?

 

This is not as stupid as it first sounds. Because the tour is over, Jerry is no longer completely familiar with the movements of Instinct. He may know that they are going to Telluride to relax, but can he be confident that they will stay there? What if they separate and go to different places? What if, by the time Dimitri gets there, the guys are back in L.A. recording their next album? Dimitri isn't likely to know that, though he might be able to find that out via the Internet and the gossip sites. Regardless, simply tracking them down may not be easy or quick.

 

Dimitri really needs to take them all out in one day, including Helen, because if he takes out some, anyone not there is going to be warned (unless he's able to make it look like an accident, which The Scar said is a lower priority than just taking them out).

 

And I haven't forgotten the bikie gangs that are supposed to be in Telluride to help protect Instinct's privacy. I'm sure they'll be meeting Dimitri at some point.

 

Finally, the guys have met Dimitri. Some people are good with remembering faces (I'm personally lousy), and I wouldn't be surprised if either Eric or Jon is like that. If they see Dimitri, they'll know that something is up.....

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I had a thought this morning -- what is Dimitri going to do?

 

This is not as stupid as it first sounds. Because the tour is over, Jerry is no longer completely familiar with the movements of Instinct. He may know that they are going to Telluride to relax, but can he be confident that they will stay there? What if they separate and go to different places? What if, by the time Dimitri gets there, the guys are back in L.A. recording their next album? Dimitri isn't likely to know that, though he might be able to find that out via the Internet and the gossip sites. Regardless, simply tracking them down may not be easy or quick.

 

Dimitri really needs to take them all out in one day, including Helen, because if he takes out some, anyone not there is going to be warned (unless he's able to make it look like an accident, which The Scar said is a lower priority than just taking them out).

 

And I haven't forgotten the bikie gangs that are supposed to be in Telluride to help protect Instinct's privacy. I'm sure they'll be meeting Dimitri at some point.

 

Finally, the guys have met Dimitri. Some people are good with remembering faces (I'm personally lousy), and I wouldn't be surprised if either Eric or Jon is like that. If they see Dimitri, they'll know that something is up.....

 

 

<_< ....Remember Mario will be there with Dimitri, and they are both trained professionals. I doubt the boys will encounter either of them face to face close enough for recognition, leading me to believe the bikers will see them first. But it will be the Marines that will take them out! B) Rock on, semper fi!!

Edited by Benji
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My aim in flying has always been to have the number of take-offs and the number of landings exactly equal...

 

LF

 

 

<_< ...........Equal and safe take-off and landings, remember Brandon's landing was a little bumpy!!

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<_< ...........Equal and safe take-off and landings, remember Brandon's landing was a little bumpy!!

Any landing you can walk away from is a good one...

 

(Probably just as well I never got that airline job! :lol: )

 

LF

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You must be a big fan of Tom Clancy!!!! You ever read The Bear and the Dragon by Tom Clancy? I also see some similarities to the Sum of All Fears. Also I am not sure if this is the place to ask this but when you write do you write from an outline? or is all this put on paper or the screen without any advance planning? If this is in the wrong thread you can move this.

Edited by rbenn5
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I had a thought this morning -- what is Dimitri going to do?

 

This is not as stupid as it first sounds. Because the tour is over, Jerry is no longer completely familiar with the movements of Instinct.

 

He does have a way to know. We'll see that in 39, though it is almost spelled out in 38. :)

 

Dimitri really needs to take them all out in one day, including Helen, because if he takes out some, anyone not there is going to be warned (unless he's able to make it look like an accident, which The Scar said is a lower priority than just taking them out).

 

If they go back to Los Angeles, he could do it at the push of a button. :nuke:

 

Finally, the guys have met Dimitri. Some people are good with remembering faces (I'm personally lousy), and I wouldn't be surprised if either Eric or Jon is like that. If they see Dimitri, they'll know that something is up.....

 

Good memory Graeme! I'm not saying whether or not they will recognize him, but you're right, they have met him, when he came to pick up The Scar and the scooter (the one Eric had, with the Kryton switches in it).

 

Any landing you can walk away from is a good one...

 

(Probably just as well I never got that airline job! :lol: )

 

LF

 

The airlines do tend to frown upon bending the airframe. :)

 

You must be a big fan of Tom Clancy!!!! You ever read The Bear and the Dragon by Tom Clancy? I also see some similarities to the Sum of All Fears. Also I am not sure if this is the place to ask this but when you write do you write from an outline? or is all this put on paper or the screen without any advance planning? If this is in the wrong thread you can move this.

 

Yes indeed! And not only am I delighted that you've raised these questions, I think here is the perfect place. :)

 

Yes, I'm a big fan of Tom Clancy's actual stories. (not the ones written by others and marketed under his name). I'd have to say that Clancy is my favorite author. My favorite of his books is probably "Red Storm Rising" but I very much liked the Jack Ryan series up through The Bear and The Dragon as well, plus his non-fiction books. In fact, the nuclear detonation sequence he described in "Sum of All Fears" was part of what inspired me to write the one in Ch 36. I was careful to use a very different weapon design, and tried to present it in as different a way as possible. I also checked my copy of Sum of All Fears when I was done, and found a few bits that were too similar (such as the way he used the term "Fission" as a separate paragraph) so I changed mine. Basically, I made it as different as I could, the only problem being that the basic physics are the same (due to them being the same in the real world, too). The best analogy I can give is a sex scene; others have done them before; the challenge is making it different.

 

I haven't read The Bear and The Dragon in years. It was good; a war between Russia and China. I loved it; he's very good on the hardware and accuracy, and the details. He was also precisely right; the ICBM intercept with an Ageis cruiser was considered far-fetched at the time, but what he described is very close to the system used by an Ageis cruiser to shoot down a satalite a few months ago. That was an exoatmospheric intercept that required a third stage (a varient on the two-stage SM-2 missile) but he got it right, and this was before it was actually done. That was downright priescent in my view.

 

Now, about the outline, the best answer I can give is "sort of". Yes, I do write from an outline. Stories tend to pop into my head (proving that nature does indeed abhor a vacuum) and I write down an outline. For LTMP it was fairly complete. However, my written outline is just a few sketch notes; I keep most of it in my head. I also sometimes find the story changing as I write it. Sometimes these are just details, but sometimes there are plot changes too. For example, when i first envisioned the story, I knew that the nuke would be detonated, and probably in Australia and definitly in a city, but not where. Toowoomba was chosen later. I also had the bits about the DEFCON 1 alert, the missiles, and the bomb on the plane in the original outline, but, not the goose. My original idea was to use the same method as Dimitri used on the airliner in Ch 8. However, it just didn't feel right, so I decided that a more creative way was needed, and I felt the bird-strike ploy was the best choice. Another cantidate was electrical sabotage, and another was structural sabotage (weaken a window mount so it blows out at around 35k feet; that would most likly be lethal to everyone on board) and a few other ideas as well. Coming up with scenarios is the easy part; picking the best one is hard. LoL

 

Sometimes I write out of seqence; I'll jump ahead a few chapters, and work on whatever is inspiring me. That's how 36, 37, and 38 were written; I was on about Ch 25 at the time and the plane scene kept bugging me, so i had to jump ahead and write it.

I've never tried writing anything in the technothriller genre before, and I have to say that not only did I find chapters 36, 37, and 38 easy and fast to write, but they were fun.

 

I do a lot of research online and in reference books, but fortunately for me I'm knowledgeable on military hardware and tactics so it was fairly easy.

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If they go back to Los Angeles, he could do it at the push of a button. nuke.gif

 

Actually, I think it would take more than one push of a button. :P

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The best analogy I can give is a sex scene; others have done them before; the challenge is making it different.

Only CJ would use sex as an analogy for a nuclear explosion.... though, thinking about it, I can see the similarities. I should stop now before I get into trouble :devil:

 

Thanks for the notes, CJ! While I knew some of it from private exchanges, I still find it interesting.

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