It's a nice day. It's always a nice day here. They crank out
the big awning on the side of the trailer for shade. Celeste has already
set up housekeeping in the hospitality suite in the front of the trailer
while the guys are bunking in the large living quarters area behind the
cab of the trunk. They have hardly even set up camp and Nitro and TK are
already back in the trailer, building and fitting pieces of the H²O-S
system to SuperBike.
For the next few days, the four of them work on putting
together the new setup on the race bike, taking time to explore the area
around them, have a few barbecues, and watch the sun set over the high
desert. TK has his computer set up, and with the modem hooked into the
small satellite dish on the roof of the truck he is once again totally in
contact with the world and all that information. "You can't get
enough information," says TK. Nitro just snorts, "Computer kids.
"
Less then a week has gone by since they arrived at China Lake
and SuperBike with the H²O-S system installed is ready for a test.
Nitro is nervously checking fittings and lines to make sure that nothing's
loose: "Can't be too careful." TK is fiddling with the small
onboard computer that monitors the bike's mechanical functions and watches
over the H²O-S system. All they have to do when the engine is running
or after a race is plug the bike's data accumulator into TK's computer
and they will have a complete read out. This tells them how everything is
working and detects any flaws, or adjustments that are needed.
Near the cab of the truck, Celeste leans against her dirt bike
and absent mindedly sips from a water bottle.
There's not much for her to do at the moment and she's feeling a little
left out. For the better part of a year she's known that TK would benefit
from male companionship and role models, but now that she sees him totally
caught up in this project with Nitro and Terry she wonders what her role
in his life should be right now. However, she knows she couldn't find
better guys for him to hang out with. 
"MAN FROM MARS"
Just then, Terry comes out of the side door of the trailer. He looks over,
sees Celeste looking a little blue, and smiles and waves to her. Celeste
has to laugh. Terry has his silver driving suit on and is holding his
helmet, standing on the edge of the runway with nothing but the endless
desert behind him. He looks like an astronaut-on Mars!
