Gypsy watches the reads out on the monitor as Sergeant Nathan testes the running speed of the armor. She couldn’t believe how fast he was running. They had guessed that the suit would go 25 mph, but it was hitting 40 mph.
“How are you doing, Sergeant?” Gypsy was watching the readings and they were within acceptable range.
“I’m doing fine and I’m loving what this suit is capable of.” Nathan jumps a wide ditch in one single leap.
“Are you ready for live fire testing?” Gypsy had asked for several MP’s and sharpshooters to test them and to see how it reacted to live fire with a pilot.
“Bring them on.” Sergeant Nathan was ready to test the suit with live fire.
He adjusts the power setting on the gauss rifle. That way he could return fire without seriously injuring his opponent. Nathan is surprised when the suit switches to combat mode.
Pat and Gypsy watches as the live-action combat took place. The suit was doing remarkably well. There wasn’t any serious damage done to the suit. When Sergeant Nathan fired the gauss rifle at his attackers, he hit each person. One person tried to take care behind a concrete barrier.
He increased the power level and aimed just a few inches to the right of the person. The round went right through the barrier like it was butter.
“Oh, sweet! I love this gun.” Sergeant Nathan loved it because it was quiet.
The simulated battle continues, and the armor performs wonderfully. Minimal damage is sustained to the armor. The energy levels were within projected ranges.
He walks over to the command center and lifts his helmet. He wasn’t even breaking a sweat inside the suit.
“Thirsty?” Gypsy comes walking out with a bottled water.
“Sure.” As he accepts the bottled water.
“I was thinking about conducting a nighttime exercise to see how well the suit performs at night.” Gypsy looks at Pat to see what he thinks about the idea.
“I think that might be a good idea. Let’s see how the suit does and then ask the base commander to conduct a security exercise at night as well.” Pat would like to see how the suit responds under adverse conditions.
“Alright, the next exercise is the flight test. Are you ready to try this?” Gypsy and Pat look at sergeant Nathan.
“I’m ready for that.” Nathan knew the jetpacks had an emergency parachute if things went wrong.
“Alright, we’re going to test the jetpack we built first. We're going to launch you by remote a few times to see how you handle the takeoff. Then
afterward we're going to let you launch yourself.” Gypsy hopes everything goes well during the remote launches.
“How high up are you going to do each launch?” Nathan wanted to know, so he could be prepared.
“The first one is ten feet off the ground. The next at least thirty feet and then we will go higher to at least hundred and higher. The last will be the 10,000 feet mark. That way you can see how the suit works at higher altitude. Also, we will want to test the emergency parachute at that time as well.” Pat had a smile on his face.
“Trust me, Sergeant. We won’t allow anything to happen to you.” Gypsy checks the system and switches out the power pack, so he had a fresh power pack.
The suit didn’t shut down when Gypsy switches power packs. He didn’t know if the suit was supposed to do that.
“Gypsy, Pat is the suit suppose to stay on, while you are changing the power packs?” Nathan was curious.
“Yes, the suit’s system stores enough power to maintain the suit for ten minutes.” Gypsy had designed the internal storage battery to maintain the suit. That way the wearer wouldn’t be vulnerable to the environment or attacks.
Pat walks into the command center and grabs the jetpack Gypsy made. He carries it back outside and over to Nathan.
“I need for you to turn around, Sergeant.” Pat wanted to make sure the pack was secure on the suit.
Nathan turns around to allow Pat to mount the suit. He looks at Gypsy “how do I control the pack?”
“The on and off switch are part of your glove. The HUD display inside your suit gives you fuel, direction, and altitude. It also gives you the GPS coordinates of your location.” Gypsy makes sure all the connections between the suit and the jetpack was working.
“Alright, here’s your take off and landing spot.” Pat lays down a white square with a red X in the middle.
Gypsy walks inside the command center and takes her seat. Pat comes in behind her and sits in his seat.
“I love this command center.” Pat loved the fact that he could sit in comfort.
Gypsy just shakes her head. She looks back at the monitor in front of her.
“Sergeant, are you ready?” Gypsy hopes everything works right.
“I’m ready when you are.” Nathan was feeling a little excited
“Counting down from ten. 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1.” Gypsy presses the ignition button.
The jetpack fires and lifts Nathan up to ten feet. Nathan has never felt like this before. The information Gypsy said would appear, appears
showing him, his altitude, GPS coordinates, fuel level. He manages to learn how to move his body.
“Alright Sergeant. Time to come back to Earth.” Gypsy causes the suit to descend.
Nathan prepares himself as he lands. He loved hovering there in the air.
“How did you like that, Sergeant?”
“I loved it. Let’s go higher.” Nathan wanted to go higher this time around.
“Alright, I’m going to take you up to fifty feet.” Gypsy actives the jetpack and have it hover at fifty feet.
“Gypsy, give me a little control of the suit.” Nathan wanted to try something.
“Okay, releasing remote control, now.” Gypsy disconnects the remote piloting.
Nathan felt the remote switch to manual and he drops some before he regains control. He gives the jetpack more fuel and shoots up to two hundred feet before he stabilizes and hovers.
“Do you think that was wise, Gypsy?” Pat looks at his partner.
A smile appears on her face “he’s a natural, Pat. Look at his readings with the suit.”
Pat looks at the readings and couldn’t believe his eyes. The suit was responding unbelievable to Nathan’s control.
“I’m going higher guys.” Nathan gives the suit more power and he shoots up to 4,000 feet.
Pat and Gypsy just watch him on the monitors. The sensors inside the suit cause it to switch to a self-contained environment. Pat and Gypsy watch as the other systems come online.
“Nathan, you’re at 4,000 feet. Let’s see if you can land the suit, now.” Gypsy wanted to see if he could land safely.
“Alright, returning to launch pad.” Nathan slowly descends as he comes back to the command center.
The suit shows as he slowly descends back down. He keeps going and finally lands. He lifts the visor and breathes in normal air.
Gypsy and Pat come out of the command center. They noticed Nathan had the visor lifted.
“Is everything okay?” They were worried that something went wrong.
“God yes. I can’t believe I actually flew.” Nathan loved the feeling he had.
“Well, actually you only hovered, but close enough.” Gypsy walks behind Nathan to check the jetpack.
“I think once we put on a full display on what this suit can do, the military is going to want it.” Nathan knew if they had this suit over in Pakistan, things would have been different.
“Let’s do the last test and call it a day for now.” Gypsy looks towards Pat to see what he thought.
“I agree. Are you ready Nathan?” Pat looks at him.
“Let’s do it.” Nathan closes the visor.
He presses the ignition button and holds it as he is lifted off the ground and head straight up.
“There he goes.” Gypsy and Pat head inside and sit back down at their stations.
Nathan reaches 10,000 feet and hovers there. He loves the feeling he was experiencing.
“Alright, cutting engines now.” Gypsy cuts the jetpack off.
Nathan starts falling. He watches as the ground starts coming towards him.
“Pulling emergency chute.” Nathan pulls the chute lollipop and jerks up when the chute emerges.
He manages to guide his drop back to where he took off. It reminded him of his training when he first joins the army as he touches down on the white square.
Comments
Why does this story remind me so strongly of
Iron man? If it had a glowing hemisphere in the chest you might have copyright issues.
Looks and sounds like an
Looks and sounds like an armor suit you would want your Special Forces, Paratroopers, Rangers in. Could also be one set up for the SEALS, Combat Controllers and ParaRescue personnel.
Kid with a new toy
Nathan acts just like a kid with a new toy, with all the excitement included.
He thought things would have been different if they'd had the suit in Pakistan, since it proved itself during the live fire test, but testing and actual conditions are as wide as the north rim of the Frand Canyon is from the south rim.
And yet if the suit does perform well under actual conditions then they will have something that will make a big difference.
Others have feelings too.