“I can imagine you’ve had plenty of offers, but I would have thought Jacobs would top any of them to keep you on, especially after the success of the Ninety-one.”
Gunderson grunted and looked through the window to the runways. The plane was not yet in sight, but the group of engineers and brass were standing immobile, awaiting it. Gunderson smiled faintly. The plane makers didn’t often allow themselves to be awed by their own creations, but this was one time they could not help it.
The engineer turned back to Montgomery. “Two hundred and eighty-five tons, sixteen engines, three quarters of a mile per second — and it’ll do even better when they check it out at seventy thousand, where it belongs. The biggest and the fastest — all in one ship. The Air Age makes progress, Monty!”
Montgomery’s eyes narrowed at the bitter smile on Gunderson’s face. He was used to his friend’s sudden inversions, but this was more unexpected than usual. “What’s wrong, Soren?” he said. “Is there something about the Ninety-one you haven’t told us?”
Gunderson was a rather small man of forty-eight. His hair was beginning to gray on the sides. As he sat hunched on the stool now, drawing on his pipe, he looked almost wizened.
“There’s only one thing wrong with the Ninety-one,” he said at last. “It’s a failure.”
“Failure —!” Montgomery’s face went white as he thought of his own position among the Air Force experts preparing to accept the ship. “What are you talking about? It’s —”
Gunderson’s head nodded rhythmically. “The biggest, the fastest, the heaviest, the most monstrous — It’s the final spawning of a long line of monsters. And, unless we’ve lost our senses completely, it’ll be the monstrosity to end all monstrosities.”
Montgomery relaxed. With the tension of the work now safely past him, Gunderson was feeling free to ride one of his hobbies again. The major wasn’t sure just what this would turn out to be, but he prepared to listen sympathetically.
Gunderson saw the change in his face and understood what he was thinking. “You’re going to believe every word the picture magazines say about our beautiful Ninety-one, aren’t you?” he said.