Harnessed in their flight couches, the three astronauts ran through the final checkout of the maze of switches and gauges which surrounded them.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwh7XTDMcr4
"TARS reference check," said Kirk.
"Stage 1 is green," responded Pike.
"Stage 1 green," echoed Kirk.
"Stage 2 is green."
"Stage 2 green."
McCoy said, "Malfunction Detect System on second panel."
"Roger," said Kirk. "MDS on second panel."
"Enterprise IX, we confirm TARS and MDS," said a voice out of a speaker grid. "We have green on both. You are to go for Inertial Guidance and OAMS checks."
"Roger, Houston," said Kirk.
From the still-open hatchway, White said, "Gentlemen, we are ready to shut the hatch."
"Anybody who wants to get out," said Kirk, "this is your last chance."
"One last question, Chuck," said McCoy. "Is Mars the red planet or the green one?"
"Twenty-four billion dollars to put a smart-ass in space."
"Well, it's a living."
Marking a snorting sound, White closed the hatch.
The Launch Control Center in Houston was a huge room, filled with over 300 television display consoles and other computer gear. Each console was manned by a technician. On one wall a vast television screen showed the launch site in Florida. On each side of the screen were maps with a variety of colored lights which would track the orbits and flight path of the spaceship.
Sitting unobtrusively in a relatively quiet corner of the room was Dr. Gene Roddenberry. A thin man, with an almost gaunt face, he was fifty-three years old and the director of NASA.
From an overhead speaker grill came a voice. "This is Robert Sarnoff, Enterprise Control. We are at T-minus 15 minutes and still counting. All systems are go, all lights are green. The flight crew has completed the final launch vehicle range safety check. Mission Control has reported the spacecraft is now on full internal power at T-minus 50 seconds."
A black colleague passed near the seated Roddenberry. "It's a great day, Gene," he said, grinning.
Roddenberry nodded, a very faint grin touching his lean face. "Damn right it is," he said in a low voice. "A great day."
"Both the Ascension and Canary tracking stations report clear reception," continued the voice on the PA system. "The prime recovery ship in the event of a terminated flight will be the U.S.S. Hornet, which is located 350 miles south-southeast of Bermuda. In the event of an abort before orbital insertion, the secondary recovery ship is the U.S.S. Exeter in the Indian Ocean."547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡySTq3GOVmP
Very slowly Roddenberry ran his tongue over his lips. And for a few seconds he let his eyes fall shut.
"Landing Module OI shutdown," announced Kirk into his throat mike.
"Enterprise IX, you should have full CM internal power."
"Roger, Houston," said Kirk, "we have internal power."
"Vehicle final status check," said McCoy.
"Begin stat----" Kirk began to say.
Then the door of their module was opened from the outside.
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