– Check, check. AD1012-TWNS, do you copy?

…

– Check, check. TWNS, do you copy?

– ….arckkkk…bzzzttt…hel….graaaakkk….hear us?

– Come again, TWNS. Check, check. Do you copy?

-…bzttttt…hello! He…bzzztttt…llo! Do you copy, base?

– TWNS! Copy on a 2:5 quality. It’s good to hear from you. Status report!

The operator was now standing, eyes fixed on the radar.

– Get the general! – he shouted, while making a gesture to the official on duty, no longer numb by sleep.
As instructed, if any sign of life from TWNS should be found, the general was to be immediately warned, top priority.

– Base, you can’t imagine how happy we are hearing your voice again..qrtttt…It’s a long story…!

– How far out are you? Can you give us an ETA?

– We are several hours away, we can’t be more precise. You should see the airship we are flying in.

– Airship? What happened to the helicopter? We lost signal and we were fearing the worst!

– We did cras..bzzzzztt..nd got stuck in a hell forsaken dese..gnarkkk…bzzztt.

– What?! Is everyone ok? What happened? What is this airship you are talking about? Make sense, TWNS!

– We assembled one from pieces we found in the desert!

– In the desert? Pieces? What happened to the bird?

The operator kept grasping for any logic: airship? desert? What about the bird, did the helicopter crash? And what are these pieces that were mentioned?

– Base, sit back, you have a big one coming your way.

Flight AD1012-TWNS was inbound and scheduled to arrive at 1900 hours, local time. All comm checks were acknowledged and, following protocol, the interval between communications was increased.

Next comm check should have happened at 1300 hours, but no signal was found nor any communication was successfully completed.

– Try again. Call them. – ordered the general assertively, visibly worried with the lack of response from the expected heli.

– TWNS. AD1012-TWNS. Do you copy? Acknowledge 1300 hour check. It’s now T plus 15 – requested the corporal, checking communication timer above the radar.

Fifteen minutes had passed since the expected contact time.

– TWNS, do you copy? Acknowledge 1300 hour check.

The same answer had been repeating for the past 15 minutes: a fearsome static noise that kept creeping in the possibility that something terrible might have happened.

– Nothing, sir. No signal, no answer of any kind.
– Keep trying! – shouted the general, while leaving the radar room.

Heavy footsteps could be heard going down the corridor while the echoes of the last command could still be heard – “keep trying!”.

t+60

The radar operator kept staring into the screen, hoping for a sign of life from the helicopter. A blip in the radar screen, a voice on the speaker, anything that showed TWNS was ok and heading towards base.

– TWNS, check. Do you copy? It’s now 60 minutes past expected contact time. Come on, guys, say something.

…

– TWNS, do you copy? – the operator squelched the mike and turned to the side – I think they are gone, man. It’s been over one hour…
– Keep at it, Dinsi, those are the orders, dude. – remarked Afonso – keep at it, come on!
– I know, I know. I keep wondering if we shouldn’t just stop waiting and go look for the guys. Imagine if they are stranded somewhere.
– Do you imagine how much terrain we would had to cover? We would need some sort of reference or place to start searching from!
– If we back trace the last comm check with the average velocity of the helicopter, maybe that could give us some idea – explained Dinsi – maybe…I don’t know…

Both went silent.

There was just too much ground to cover and with the storm warnings that kept popping on the screen, who knew if TWNS route had been forcibly changed.

T+96

The navigation and communication room was almost empty. 

The greenish lifeless reflections from the radar screen were only brought to life by the constant humming from the computers and machines. A regular blip from the radar needle on its incessant 360 spins shed an artificial life onto the room.

Two officers stayed on point close to the navigation equipment. Dinsi kept a close watch on the screen and possible comms while Afonso, still holding his fourth cup of coffee in his dozed hand, was asleep next to him.

– Check check, TWNS. Do you copy? – Dinsi called  – Check check, TWNS.

…

T+104

– Check check, TWNS. Can someone hear me?

Strange sounds started wheezing from the speakers.

– CHECK CHECK! TWNS, is that you? Guys, are you there? – Dinsi stood up abruptly, slapping Afonso on the left shoulder, waking him up. His heart was racing. – TWNS. Do you copy?

– I heard something, man! – said Dinsi to Afonso, still trying to get his bearings.

Dinsi kept checking the comms, leaving small intervals for the possible helicopter response.

Afonso, eyes still adjusting to their new aware state, rushed to the radar screen to spot any new object on the infamous empty circle of nothing.

“I can’t see anything, are you sure you heard something?”
“I did! TWNS, is that you? Can you copy?”
“There is nothing on the screen, Dinsi!”
“It’s them, Afonso! TWNS, do you copy?”

Suddenly, the speakers gain life:

– ….arckkkk…bzzzttt…hel….graaaakkk….hear us?