We loaded the craft onto the cargo chopper and started to fly back down the coast. Fortunately I was right about the fuel cells, they were going to last.
The chopper was quiet enough that we could discuss our plans for the asteroid. There was a definite shift in the tone of the crew. Their exploration of the technology in the city had shifted their view from the initial landing. They were starting to believe some of the things I was telling them. I may have won them over.
We took turns piloting the chopper as I was already exhausted from the flight up there.
We were trying to determine if we would need a pilot to control the ship in person, or if there was some way we could remotely manipulate it from the planet's surface.
We all knew what was at stake, but going in the machine would be risky, and it scared all of us.
After a couple days of flight we finally returned to the machine. The entire crew was in awe, and needed some time to take it all in, but we didn't have it. We landed near the tower at the end of the floating road and began unloading the craft and moving it onto the elevator.
We had some serious planning to do.
