Crash Course by Derek Fee (freenovel24 .TXT) 📗

of modesty, I don’t believe it. You’re fazed. And there I was thinking that you were made of stone and you go all human on me and display a little bit of fallibility. Don’t let the dials worry you. It only looks confusing. By the end of the week, this cockpit will be as familiar as the driver’s seat of a car. Let’s start on your side.” She pointed at one of the dials. “Right in front of you, you’ve got a set of compasses and a pointer there,” Morweena tapped one of the displays, “which is connected to an onboard GRP satellite receiver. Everything looks great now but when you’re moving through rough water at a hundred and fifty knots an hour with spray lashing against the canopy, keeping your bearings visually can present a few ticklish problems. So you’ve got to keep a weather eye on the compasses and the navigation system.” She moved her finger to another set of dials. “These nine little buggers are repeated on the other side of the panel.” She pointed at the indicators directly in front of her. “They show what’s happening in the engines, oil pressure, revs, temperature. Over here I’ve got some other dials showing the fuel levels in the various tanks. All clear so far?”

“Clear as a muddy pool. Are you sure that you don’t need a degree in engineering to handle this beast?”

“It might help but most of the guys on the circuit know as much about engineering as I know about nuclear physics and for the record, I know nothing about nuclear physics. Don’t get all hung up on the technology. Powerboat racing is a team sport. You drive the boat. I man the throttle and those guys fooling around on the stern look after the engines and associated mechanical equipment. Each one of us must be there for the others or the team goes down the toilet. That means all you have to do is to concentrate on your part of the business.”

Kane placed both of his hands on the wheel. The touch of a piece of circular plastic transformed his face.

“Exciting, isn’t it?” she said watching him caress the steering wheel. “And we haven’t even started the engines yet. You’re purring like a cat. Try to imagine two thousand horsepower throbbing beneath you.” She suppressed a smile. “All that naked power in your hands. You’ll never have experienced anything like it. It will be better than the best sex you’ve ever had.”

His hands moved smoothly over the circular steering. He was in a world of his own. He’d found his ultimate toy.

“That’s always assuming that you have had sex.” She couldn’t keep the smile off her face.

Kane suddenly broke out of his reverie. He realised that he had been lulled by her words. Yes, he was excited. Yes, he wanted very badly to switch on the engines and feel the powerboat under his control but her last remark showed him that she had been winding him up.

“Yes,” he said removing his hands from the steering wheel. “For the record, I have had sex and if driving this boat is better than the best I’ve had, then it really will be something to look forward to.”

“Touché,” Morweena said softly under her breath. She turned and shouted over her shoulder. “How are things back there?”

“We’re ready,” Reg answered.

“Shouldn’t we close the canopy?” she said.

“Let’s do it.” There was a tremor of excitement in his voice.

She reached up and pulled the aircraft-type canopy over their heads.

“Why did Tom pick you to be the driver?” she asked as the canopy clicked into place. “Does he owe you?”

“I think that maybe he’s trying to make a man of me. I haven’t exactly covered myself with glory up to now.”

She looked back blankly.

“No, I wouldn’t believe that either,” he said before she could reply. “Let’s say that he has his own reasons. Most of which he hasn’t explained to me.” He could feel her eyes boring into him and it made him uncomfortable. He wanted to scratch his head, fiddle with his hair, avert his eyes, anything that would show her he didn’t want to be questioned but he stared straight ahead. With the canopy closed the cockpit appeared even smaller. Lucky he wasn’t claustrophobic.

“Quick run-through before we get going,” she began in her most controlled voice. “Sooner or later you’ll skipper the boat but for the moment let’s say that I’m in charge.” She looked at him half-expecting an argument but there was none forthcoming. “You steer the boat and keep it on course as much as possible. I look after the motors.” She dropped her right hand onto a handle at the side of the boat. “This is the actual throttle mechanism. The one thing that we try to avoid is revving the engines when the boat is out of the water. And believe me, this boat will spend a lot of time in the air. Every time we’re about to take off, I throttle back and then start revving as the boat hits the water. If I don’t manage to do my job properly, not only do we not make the right speed but we may destroy two beautifully constructed marine engines. I also balance the flow of fuel from the various segregated tanks in order to ensure the boat maintains its trim.”

“It looks to me like you’re probably the most important person in the boat.”

“It’s funny you should say that because, in general, the throttlemen and the mechanics are the professionals in the team. The drivers are usually the owners. They spend the big bucks on the boat and the team and they always get the kudos. In your case, of course, your uncle is spending the big bucks but we’ll keep that our little secret. If the other drivers don’t respect you, we stand a good chance of being driven over.”

“Life is cruel.” He flicked the switch on his helmet which activated the communications headset.

“Welcome,” Reg