All so confusing, a jumble of numbers and lights. One lighted display in the top center of the dash- board said the number 342, another next to it said 22. Down beneath that were dials with lines that
seemed to indicate what the wings were doing, tipping or moving, and one dial with a needle pointing to
the number 70, which he thought-only thought-might be the altimeter. The device that told him
his height above the ground. Or above sea level. Somewhere he had read something about altimeters
but he couldn't remember what, or where, or anything about them.
Slightly to the left and below the altimeter he saw a small rectangular panel with a lighted dial and two
knobs. His eyes had passed over it two or three times before he saw what was written in tiny letters
on top of the panel
. TRANSMITTER 221, was stamped in the metal and it hit him, finally, that this was the
radio.
I
The radio. Of course. He had to use the radio. When the pilot had—had been hit that way (he
couldn't bring himself to say that the pilot was dead, couldn't think it), he had been trying to use the
radio.
Brian looked to the pilot. The headset was still on his head, turned sideways a bit from his jamming
back into the seat, and the microphone switch was clipped into his belt.
Brian had to get the headset from the pilot. Had to reach over and get the headset from the pilot or
he would not be able to use the radio to call for help. He had to reach over...
His hands began trembling again. He did not want to touch the pilot, did not want to reach for him.
But he had to. Had to get the radio. He lifted his hands from the wheel, just slightly, and held them
waiting to see what would happen. The plane flew on normally, smoothly.
All right, he thought. Now. Now to do this thing. He turned and reached for the headset, slid it from
the pilot's head, one eye on the plane, waiting for it to dive. The headset came easily, but the micro-
phone switch at the pilot's belt was jammed in and he had to pull to get it loose. When he pulled, his
elbow bumped the wheel and pushed it in and the plane started down in a shallow dive. Brian grabbed
the wheel and pulled it back, too hard again, and the plane went through another series o NR 'AW-AW AG
wrenching swoops up and down before he could get it under control.
BE