Bootstrap Colony

by Hechtl, Chris

  “Your mom said you don’t stuff a turkey?” Janet asked softly. He swallowed, and then nodded. “Your mom was a good cook then. Hopefully some of that rubbed off on you.” She said in approval as she patted his arm.

  “You don’t mean I have to cook them too do you?” Pete asked, thoroughly aghast. Janet, Brian, and Mitch laughed.

  They build a drawbridge for the waterfall entrance, exciting some of the kids. Classes were going well; he had set up the computer and Janet to teach three hours a day. Most of it was hands on, stuff that both interested the kids and helped them in the long run. Brian, the fourteen year old was more into security and engineering so Mitch took him under his wing most of the time. Vance Martin, the gangly seventeen year old was more of a natural leader but he was incredibly quiet and reserved. Mitch noticed the young man still needed to develop his confidence though. He had great initiative, so Mitch learned he can set him a task with a few hands and get out of his way to let him do it.

  Vance, the robots, and Mitch stacked rocks, and mortar in the Great Hall, Much to Janet and Anne’s disgust. He tried to explain that they were going to build fireplaces, but gave up after a while.

  They also went to work and built the scaffolding for the second floor, on top went metal plates from the flatbeds and a welded railing. Vance had been thrilled at the chance to do his own welding. Once Mitch was sure he had it under control he turned the job over to the teen and went onto the next project. He checked in on him of course, but he knew that doing it on his own would help restore the young man’s self confidence.

  Anne had been a hotel assistant manager; Mitch had her take over the day to day running of the base managing everything. Janet ruled the kitchen, and helped deal with the kids as a mother figure. The two girls, Sandra and Brie enjoyed assisting in the schooling, all the kids began to blossom and put on weight again.

  One of the first things Anne did was a round of haircuts. She even got Mitch to participate. She waited until he was in the chair before she then pulled out a bowl behind her and plopped it down on his head. The kids and Mitch laughed.

  Two of the younger teens, Jeff and Sean spent most of their time off with the animals. Jeff had been in the four H club the year before. The two girls, Brie, and Sandra stuck to Anne like glue; she made them her assistants when they weren't helping Janet with schooling. Mitch was glad; if the adults and older kids hadn't been here he would have been overwhelmed with everything going on.

  They set up a better compost system, much to the disgust of some of the kids, until he explained why. The compost pasteurizer allowed them to better control the bacteria in the compost, allowing them to limit pests and control the quality of the compost easier. The younger kids didn't quite get it, but they did understand that it helped so pitched in with a resigned sigh.... and occasional cough and pinched nose.

  The new compost system also sported a plastic cover. This was part of the recovery system that would allow them to siphon off surplus methane and other natural gases that the wastes gave off... allowing them to compress and store it for later use.

  Concrete pads were poured for each of the silos as well as the seed container tankers. The seed container trailers were tipped and set on end. They had been designed from the beginning to be able to be transformed into seed/grain silos. It was gratifying to see the design had worked out so well when put to the test.

  Getting the silo’s set up had been interesting. The crane was used to move the assembled sections, topping each completed level until it was finished. Vance and Brian had handled that project; both had enjoyed the responsibility but admitted each of the ten silos had been hard work.

  The silos were a big concern for Janet and Mitch. They discussed the concerns over lunch several times. Too dry and silo dust became a major flame and explosive hazard. Too wet and bacteria would set in, destroying the stored crop and also causing fermenting...which could again lead to an explosive situation. Finding the happy medium and staying there would take careful monitoring by both the computers and humans. Janet made a point of not trusting the machinery.

  With Wayne, Vance, Pete, and Brian Mitch set up the first of the permanent greenhouses. The dwarf wheat was harvested, and a new crop laid in. This time dwarf corn. Since they didn’t have much fertilizer beyond the trucks and compost, they were going to have to rotate crops. When the first dwarf corn planted was harvested, they replaced it with soy.

  Most of the crops Mitch had brought along were genetically engineered crops, but with limited need of fertilizer. He knew that commercial crops required massive amounts of pesticides and fertilizer to reach optimum potential. He, hell, they were relying on the natural soil and whatever he could toss together. It would just have to do.

  The plants were short, allowing for faster growing cycles with minimum waste. He would have to hold back ten percent for seed for next year, but so far yields were within expected tolerances.

  The sodium solar heater went up, Brian was particularly proud of his contribution to its construction. The small seam of salt was tapped to fill the heater. Once the mirrors focused the light from the sun onto the center tower it would heat up, super heating the sodium which would then flow through a series of turbines before running through the heat exchange and back to the top. The heat exchange was a thermal pump that transferred some of the heat through conduction to pipes filled with water that then ran to the network of plumbing. It would hopefully keep the water from freezing when it snowed out.

  He let Brian set up the heating and air conditioning system on his own. The young man reveled at the challenge. It took him a while, but the experience was good for him. Handling all the duct work had been an interesting challenge with scaffolding and ladders. Brian wryly commented at dinner the night it was completed that he had a lot to learn.

  While Brian and two of the robots were setting up the heating system Mitch had dug into the mills. Janet watched, lending a hand when she had the time. When he was finished she surprised him by giving it a go, then turned and gave him an urchin smile. “I grew up on a farm, I even helped out in the local mill a time or too.” She smiled as he nodded in sudden understanding.

  “Good, you can play with the flour then,” he said. She rolled her eyes at him as he left.

  Mitch even got into projects he hadn’t thought possible the first year, assembling the vats for the algae and bacteria farms. The algae vats were giant clear plastic cylinders, each filled with a mother sample of genetically engineered algae. Each of the little plants would take in waste materials like C02 and other things, along with sunlight and produce hydrocarbon sludge for industrial use.

  The transgenic bacteria from the Alcaligenaceae family were an important link in his plastics industry. The bacteria excreted polyhydroxybutyrate, or PHB, a polymer used to make biodegradable plastics. Once he and his helpers had it up and running, they would keep a mother like they do for the algae to reseed the tanks after each harvest.

  With plenty of power and solar water heating things look good. Summer rolled in, hot and annoying. Animals poached the fields, causing problems. They set into a routine of working in the early mornings, taking a siesta in the heat of the afternoon and then working when the cool breezes cut in a few hours before dusk.

  The caves acted as a heat sink, keeping themselves cool if a bit wet and moist. Additional insulating foam was sprayed around the ceiling duct works. Plastic sheets were extruded, and then cut into panels for the false ceilings and wall paneling. They'd have to keep a sharp eye out for mold and mildew.

  With a twenty eight hour day cycle, they have plenty of time. Mitch continued working straight out, setting up tanning areas, the machinery, and the communication towers. Pete helped him to set up the communication room. They even got started on an outer curtain wall around the outer perimeter before they ran out of rebar. Mitch had them halt on pouring until the iron supplies could be restocked.

  With the kids and sufficient power he set up the core factories, the other mills f
or various things, plastic extruders, smelters, and forges. All of them were automated and cutting edge, so of course they have some teething problems. The molecular furnace was one of the biggest headaches, it drew an enormous amount of energy, almost all four of the water turbines on its own at peak draw. Since right now he needed it to extract and separate as much material as possible he set it to run at night when draw from the other machinery was the lowest. It would give them a small but steady supply of materials not easily found.

  Brian and Anne relocated the two spare hydro electric turbines to under the main waterfall on their own. The supplemented power allowed for more lights inside, something Anne had complained about.

  The lights seemed to scare off the critters and creepy crawlers. After seeing a scorpion retreat when it was flushed out with a light Mitch was convinced to leave more of the lights on and even some LED night lights in the halls.

  The armadillo’s were found not to eat the centipedes. Instead they would chew on them, getting some sort of foam going on them and then rub it on their bodies. Then they would act like they were drunk. It took a bit of researching in the database by Sean and Jeff before they uncovered a possible reason. Mitch had them present it to the class in a report.

  “So, from our research, we discovered that certain animals, most notably the Terran lemur, would bite centipedes, and then lick their poison onto themselves. It is some sort of hallucinogen,” Sean reported.

  “You mean they poisoned themselves?” Wayne asked dubiously.

  “Yeah,” Sean replied.

  “Here, watch this,” Jeff told the class, queuing up the video of a lemur. The giggles from the kids while they watched the antics of the hopped up lemurs made even Mitch smile.

  “Remind you of anyone?” he asked the class.

  “Druggies? Drunks? The armadillo’s?” the class responded.

  “Right. It doesn’t kill them, but it does give them a trip and acts as some sort of pesticide,” Mitch said. But let's try to not handle them; you don't want that stuff getting on your hands and into you. It might make them trippy but it could kill or make you sick,” he warned. The kids nodded, now cold sober.

  Chapter 8

  When the computer estimated the planet had entered midsummer they had the second harvest, then they replanted the fields and greenhouses once more. Janet and Anne had the kids busy with cooking, canning, and jarring, as well as the usual chores and school.

  Mitch, Janet, Brian, Vance, Pete, and the robots get the second large greenhouse up and planted as another hot house. Inside the computer controls would keep the temperature at sauna levels to imitate the natural tropical climates required for the citrus, latex, cacao, tea, coffee, and other plants.

  Brian commented about not needing it, but Anne pointed out that even though it was consistently one hundred plus right now, it had been cooler with signs of snow when they had first arrived. “These plants require year round tropical conditions to thrive,” she pointed out. He grunted a reply.

  Mitch, Vance, and Brian took the logging gear out and carved into the forest, pruning back some of the growth. The loud noises spooked the local animals; Mitch used a Bushmaster rifle on single shot to bag a few deer and antelope to supplement the cheetah feeding program. The trees were stripped by the automated logging machinery; all of the wood was hauled back to the base for use.

  They used local lumber to build sheds, garages for the vehicles, and a sheltered walk to the greenhouses. Even with the automated mill and blueprints it took two weeks of hard work, and several minor injuries before the buildings were complete. Everyone was aware that they would leak, but would help protect the precious machinery and shelter anyone trying to get to the greenhouses during foul weather.

  Janet had the group sheer the sheep, goats, and alpaca again, the one hundred plus temperatures were just murder on animals with such thick coats. The fleece was stockpiled for later use.

  Anne taught some of the more nimble fingered kids basket weaving; they took to it inside during the day when they were bored. Soon baskets and woven goods were all over the base.

  Mitch, Brian, Pete, and Vance took turns going out hunting around the base. Mitch made sure they buddied up and had a robot with them. The additional meat helped to feed the predators they had, while the excess either fed the humans or filled the indoor freezer. Janet made them gut, skin, and dress their kills on the spot though, much to the kid’s disgust and Mitch’s secret relief.

  A week past the mid summer harvest Brian found a pair of teenage girls and an seven year old boy (brother to one of the girls) and helped them back to base. They had been separated from their parents. Tisha the eldest girl quietly told the adults that the parents had been cornered in a ravine by the Rex family and had been killed. The kids got the usual de-lousing and feeding up before settling in.

  The brother and sister were Dora and Kevin Douglas, African American kids from California. Eight year old Kevin was a bit traumatized, but seemed to come out of his shell a little when the boys played. Teenage Tisha was of mixed African American and Indian decent, she immediately started giving Anne, Janet, and Mitch a hard time.

  Tisha wanted to see the Amazon village; sure it would be an easier life. Anne and Janet as well as the boys tried to talk her out of it. Recognizing obstinacy Mitch said okay. Janet threw up her hands, but asked that he bring a wheel of cheese, some leather goods, and a couple baskets of mushrooms, fruit, butter, bread, some jerky, and eggs to the Doc. He reluctantly agreed knowing all those things were easily replaceable. He packed a cooler with lunch materials just in case of an extended stay.

  The new girls were excited, prattling on as Mitch drove. He set his jaw, and they ignored him. At the outskirts of the village Dora looked around and saw it for what it was, it was a third world shit whole, with crude huts and a partial palisade. Trisha mouthed soft obscenities until Mitch turned to her and raised an eyebrow. “You were expecting a utopia?” he asked, voice dripping sarcasm.

  The hunters and dominatrix were out hunting. Doc warily greeted them. She was gaunt but she still had fire in her eyes. He handed over the baskets, cheese, and leather from Janet, making her tear up. One of the women came to see and jumped up and down for joy. They were gaunt Mitch realized, more so than before. A red headed teen came; she was gaunt with her clothes hanging in rags. She saw the food and stumbled forward. The Doc called her “Cassie slow down. Softly.” Mitch felt dismay at the sight of her he remembered her being a better.

  Cassie looked up and flushed in embarrassment. Mitch suggested the girls go sit under the tree and eat a sandwich out of the burning hot sun. He opened a cooler and handed each of the girls a sandwich and a bottle of water. He admonished the girls he wanted the plastic container and wrappers back.

  Doc was tired and sat. He pulled the cooler up, tossed a blanket down and handed a sandwich to each of the adults. He checked the safety on his rifle and then set his rifle down near him. They ate in silence. The teens prattled on amongst themselves, making him snort as he gave them a sidelong look. “Nothing ever changes,” he murmured. Doc’s eyes dance in laughter. She mumbled a thanks and he waved it off.

  “You are doing what you can Doc,” Mitch said gruffly. Doc told him the hunters have had to go further and further afield to make kills, and get raided by predators if they stay over long at a carcass. Two of the hunters had been injured, one killed.

  Gathering food had been hit or miss, they had found a tuber that was edible, and berries, but a long tapered tuber killed a girl after she ate it. He patted her hand and told her awkwardly she was doing her best.

  They were eating, but one to two meals a day of mostly meat and berries she explained. They couldn’t save anything, it spoiled fast in the heat and blazing sun. He told her and the other women to smoke or salt excess meat, and explained how to make a spring house. He pulled out a pad of paper and drew it out, and drew a map of the area pointing out where animals grazed, and where water, salt, clay, and iron deposits were. He h
anded over the paper, and pulled out a print out stapled together. He passed the three out, telling them each had stuff on survival, from making soap to how to tan leather or hunt. They nodded their thanks. He gave the Doctor a fishing kit and small net. She thanked him and patted his hand.

  The girls returned and they left with small quiet goodbyes. On the way home Dora and Tisha were quiet at first, before Dora asked why they were doing so badly. Mitch sighed and tried to explain.

  “Right now they are stuck in a strictly hunter gatherer society, something that is very nomadic, and very bad for them since they aren't mobile. They are living off of mainly protein and berries, having eaten most of their supplies early on.” He paused to look out over the landscape. “To live here will take more than meat, you need a balanced diet, which takes farming,” he sighed.

  “What about hunting or fishing?” Dora asked.

  Mitch shook his head. “No, hunting they tried, but aren’t doing well.” He explained each of those tasks and most others in an agrarian society take a lot of upper body strength. “Keeping a plow straight, tossing a bull, handling a raging boar, all these things are dangerous and take a lot of upper body strength and stamina. A small farm in the middle ages could be run by two men and one woman, but the same farm would take eight or nine women to run, each eating the same amount of food per day as a man,” he finished. They grew pensive and quiet as they digested that.

  “So are we going to be slaves? Second class? Back to that?” Dora asked quietly.

  Mitch snorted and then laughed, “Are you one now?” They looked at him and shook their heads. “Then you won’t be as long as you live under my roof. Yes I am the boss, it is my stuff, I am in charge, but I have no intention of being some psycho tyrant. I am not a sexist, and will listen to you if you have a different view then me.” He made a face. “That doesn’t necessarily mean I will agree, but I will listen. Or at least try too,” he said. The girls reluctantly nodded.