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analogy was not far from the truth. Each tiny nanobot, a machine so small millions of them could fit comfortably on a pinhead, was working according to a master program transmitted to it from the computer aboard Pete’s Silverback. This computer was in direct contact with Sybil on Tintara. Each of the hundreds of millions of nanobots had a set task. Each was self-reliant and self-powered, and each contributed its tiny part to the vast process of building the nanonet.
    â€˜Pete.’
    â€˜How’s it going, Tom?’
    â€˜Ready for attempt number two.’
    â€˜Okay,’ Pete responded. ‘We’re now at . . .’ he glanced at the display projected inside his helmet, ‘Seventy-four per cent integrity. We’ll need another 66 seconds to complete the net.’
    â€˜Cool. But hopefully we won’t need it. Ready to engage link to Thor ’s system. Three, two, one.’
    The space plane continued on its course for at least 3 seconds. Then without warning, the nose dipped sharply and the aircraft accelerated earthward.
    â€˜What the . . .?’ Pete hollered into his headset.
    The three pilots could hear Tom swearing 2000 kilometres away and watched as the plane pulled back up to the horizontal. It started to roll from side to side.
    Pete opened a comms link to Thor 1 and immediately heard screams.
    â€˜Guys!’ Pete shouted. ‘Guys!’
    â€˜Yes!’ It was Anton, his voice shaking almost uncontrollably.
    â€˜You okay?’
    â€˜Oh, just fucking wonderful!’ Richie replied.
    â€˜You’re tethered, yes?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜And the captain?’
    â€˜Yeah.’
    â€˜Check the ties,’ Pete replied. ‘It’s going to get bumpy.’
    â€˜Mai?’ Pete called over to Paul . ‘We’re at 91 per cent integrity. Everything okay your end?’
    â€˜Affirmative.’
    â€˜Chloe?’
    â€˜A-okay, Pete.’
    â€˜Tom,’ Pete said. ‘You have control?’
    There was a long pause. ‘We did.’
    â€˜What do you mean? You did?’
    â€˜The nav controls have frozen.’
    â€˜Shit!’ Pete glanced at the clock. ‘We have less than a minute, Base One. Then that aircraft will start to glide.’
    â€˜Affirmative,’ Mark replied. The three pilots could hear voices in the background at Tintara Base. Mark cursed. There was a slight rustling sound. ‘Right,’ Mark said to someone, then back over the comms, ‘What’s the integrity?’
    Pete flicked a look at the display ‘Ninety-eight per cent. We’ll be ready in 15 seconds.’
    â€˜We have a problem. As Tom said, the nav is jammed. Thor is travelling on a bearing of 75’ 06’’ 44’’’.’
    Pete was listening to Mark and tapping the black carbon-plastic panel in front of him. As the geographical data was processed, he felt a horrible tightening in his abdomen. The computer on board John completed its calculations just as Mark started to speak again.
    â€˜Downtown Los Angeles,’ he said.

5
    â€˜Holy crap!’ Chloe exclaimed.
    â€˜We’ve got 47 seconds before the fuel tank is empty, then Thor 1 will start to glide,’ Pete said. ‘We’ll just have to go with it and try to guide it down safety.’
    â€˜Copy that, Pete. You at full integrity yet?’
    â€˜Ninety-nine per . . .’
    â€˜We’re there,’ Chloe said. ‘One-hundred per cent.’
    â€˜Okay, keep tight formation,’ Pete instructed.
    â€˜ Thor ’s going down,’ Mai said suddenly.
    â€˜There must have been a secondary fuel leak. Damn it, we’ve lost another 30 seconds.’
    â€˜Just coming in over the coast now,’ Chloe said.
    Pete and Mai could see the details flash across their helmet holoscreens. They had dropped to 2300 metres to keep directly under the space plane and had reduced their speed to 520 kilometres per