Ghost Station (The Wandering Engineer)

by Hechtl, Chris

  He was unhappy about the admiral's presence. Irons was oblivious to the dark looks Kennet shot at him whenever his back was turned.

  Since it is a grand opening it was attended by a great deal of the off duty station personnel. So many people came to try the food that Bertoli was quickly overwhelmed. His butler bots and staff do their best to serve patrons who lined up outside while he sent his bus boy with enough credits to clean out the butcher's shop and the grocer's flour stocks.

  Of course Kennet had been on his best behavior with so many witnesses at first. That was until he found out about the meat toppings and cheese. Irons missed the first bit of the rant that followed that particular unpleasant discovery but when Kennet started accusing the butcher, pizza chef, and the baker of importing controlled substances he has to take a hand.

  “Not everyone is a vegetarian,” Irons said as Kennet glared at the group. Savo was on hand, he didn't care for the cybers attitude. He made a show of sticking his tongue out as he opened his mouth wide to take in a big slice of pizza. He didn't know or care what the big deal was. He preferred chicken over kielbasa or pepperoni. The stuffed shirt was just lucky he was a ghost. If he'd been solid more than one person in the restaurant would gladly clean his clock or show him the nearest airlock.

  “They are barbarians then,” Kennet said with a disgusted sniff. “Eating meat is bad for your health.”

  Savo burped. He grunted at Kennet's glare. “Excuse me,” he said. Petunia hid a smile of approval behind her napkin as she daintily blotted at her face. She couldn't encourage the old fart. He was enough of a handful as he was already. Fart... oh goddess of space, she thought. She'd better get him out in an hour or he'd clear the room all on his own.

  Sprite rolled her eyes on the admiral's HUD. She didn't know what the big deal was over food. The admiral wasn't picky, he usually ate something simple but occasions like this one brought out the more social aspect of his feeding. She had delved into his taste buds a few times and tried to parse it out but so far she still didn't understand it.

  Irons didn't see the harm. He also did see that Kennet was making an ass of himself. He wondered if the guy even realized that he was bitching about meat yet he and the council had imported predators as the security force centuries ago? The comparison probably hadn't occurred to him.

  “Actually, an extremist is a barbarian. They close their minds and hearts to new things. I prefer the middle ground,” the admiral said, picking up a slice before Savo snagged it. Petunia smirked at her husband's look of disgust and annoyance at being beaten to it.

  “There's more if you want it,” Bertoli said, wiping his hands nervously on his apron. He wasn't so sure about his supplies now but that was a proforma statement. He used a rag to wipe the counter in front of him. He had a dozen pies going and another dozen ready to go. At this rate he was going to run out of flour just today!

  “It's good Mr. Bertoli,” Petunia said, leaning around the admiral to assure the nervous looking chef. “I think we may want to try another though, this time with a mix of veggies and meat if you don't mind.”

  “Sure,” Bertoli said with a nod. He rushed off to the kitchen.

  “Being an omnivore has its advantages,” the admiral said with a smile to Savo and his wife. “It lets us keep the middle ground, remain adaptable and open to new things. It means you can enjoy both sides of the discussion without committing to either fully. Or you can commit to one side or another for a brief time and then switch.”

  “True,” Savo admitted. He wasn't a big fan of eating his veggies but he knew Petunia loved the occasional salad. He did like to eat apples. He tapped his chest with his fist. “Going to have heartburn I just know it,” he mumbled as he rubbed his chest.

  “Then stop,” his wife said, giving him a gimlet eye. He shrugged and picked up his stein. He took a swig and wiped his mouth smiling a tight lipped smile her way. She looked away and rolled her eyes.

  “Don't say I didn't tell you so,” she muttered darkly.

  “The mark of true culture and civilization is a vegetarian,” Kennet said with an upturned nose.

  “Really? Hitler was a vegetarian. I could name quite a few other despots and tyrants that were vegetarians,” Irons said with a smile. Kennet was in over his head.

  Kennet glared at him. “A minor aberration,” he said with a sniff.

  “Possible. I'm not much of a fanatic so I wouldn't know. Like I said, I prefer to let people live their lives with minimum interruption and interference as long as they obey the law. They have enough on their minds,” the admiral said.

  “Here here,” Savo said, saluting him with his stein. Petunia and those around them did as well. People sitting around them who had been listening to the exchange saluted as well.

  “Well, he will not be receiving any more contraband,” Kennet said with a sniff. “So enjoy your meat while you can,” he growled.

  “Actually, they can get meat anytime they want. If the council has a problem with the way people live their lives or feed themselves then they are going to open up a can of worms they will not enjoy. You can tell Fu that for me too,” Irons said meeting Kennet's eyes with his own. He bit down into his pizza and then made a show of enjoyment.

  “We'll see about that,” Kennet snarled. He glared at the group and then vanished. The moment he was gone Savo started clapping. Petunia set her pizza down and soon her and others joined in. Irons waved off Savo's hand as the big chimp tried to get him to stand and bow.

  “Let's enjoy the pizza before it gets cold and the beer gets too warm folks,” he demurred. That got a laugh.

  Kennet couldn't let it stand at that however. The next shipment of food for the pizzeria was denied entry at the port the following day. Bertoli protested but his protests were ignored. The meat and cheeses languished on the dock for an hour before Kiev took them back on in an effort to keep them from going bad.

  “I don't understand it! I just don't understand it!” Bert said, pacing.

  “It's Kennet. He can be an ass,” Savo growled. He'd been called in to handle the pizza chef when he'd gotten upset. For once he didn't like his job.

  “Can you do anything? Or the admiral?” Bert asked, raw appeal written all over his face.

  Savo scowled, trying to think of something, anything he could do. Derrango would look the other way most likely. The will of the people and all that. But Derrango answered to the council. “I can call Irons... I don't know if he can do anything,” Savo muttered. He put the call in. Together they explained the situation to Sprite and then waited as she contacted the admiral.

  “This is Irons,” he said after a minute of waiting.

  “Admiral, thank the spirits of space. We need your help,” Bertoli said desperately. He quickly sketched out the situation once more.

  When he was done the admiral sighed. Savo knew that wasn't a good sign. “Unfortunately there isn't a whole lot I can do Mr. Bertoli, the station council has tied my hands. Have you considered taking your protest to the council?”

  Bertoli nodded. “I have. It's been tabled for the end of the week.”

  “The end of the week?” Irons grunted. Kiev was due to leave at the end of the shift.

  “I need that material now to stay in business!” Bertoli said, totally lost. “If this keeps up I'll close!”

  “You may have to,” Savo said scowling.

  “I'd rather you didn't but that's up to you,” Irons said. “My suggestion? Talk to the other businesses and see if they are running into the same problems. Form a.... form a better business bureau and a chamber of commerce to protect your rights. Talk to them about what you should do.”

  “I'll do that.”

  “A unified front might change things quickly. Working on your own won't,” Irons said. He wasn't so sure.

  “Thank you admiral,” Bertoli responded. It wasn't much but it was a start. The butcher was nearby, also furious about the situation. He'd grab him and have a talk now. “I'm sorry to bother you with this
. It must seem trivial with everything else you are dealing with.”

  “Think nothing of it Mr. Bertoli; honestly I love your restaurant. You are a great cook and losing you would be a detriment to the station. Hopefully wiser heads will prevail. Good luck,” Irons said.

  “Thank you,” Mr. Bertoli murmured.

  Mr. Bertoli took him at his word, immediately grabbing the butcher and together visiting the other businesses. Most were incensed over the interference. The butcher has also been blocked and he had brought his protests to his newlywed wife. They spent a few minutes grimly discussing their options in the back room of the grocery store where others couldn't hear them before agreeing on a protest.

  The next morning the morning patrons found that the businesses they had come to visit were all closed in protest. Signs, big and bold proclaimed why. The coffee shop was a favorite, people came for the gourmet coffee and donuts but found only a locked door and big sign. Mr. Bertoli's stated rather plainly that he was closed down and will be closed for good. He could be seen packing his things through the shop's window.

  The media received word of the protest and brought it up to the general public. People began to pause in whatever they were doing as word spread throughout the station. Suddenly people were walking off the job or calling in sick.

  When word reached the station council Kennet was furious. Fu however was as calm as ever. “What did you expect?” he asked. He blamed Kennet's bungling and the people of this time period. They were obviously uncultured buffoons.

  “You projected,” Sid snarled. This was playing merry hell with his manning tables. He had holes all over the station, watch bills were mixed up, and work had slowed to a crawl. If it continued for more than one shift it would be a disaster. “You projected your beliefs on others and this is the consequence.”

  “He followed his belief. Our belief,” Fu replied.

  “Not mine. I happen to enjoy a good steak. Or did,” Sid growled. The Stewards nodded in agreement. “You can't force people to change to your culture and beliefs because you want them to. If you try to use force then you are asking for trouble. Slap them in the face and they slap back. Bertoli isn't the only one shutting down. Em and I have been trying to put out the fires your idiocy started. Half the station is now up in revolt over this stupidity.”

  Kennet sulked. “It's Irons. It's all his fault. He interfered. Again,” Kennet seethed.

  Emily glared at him. “You started it. At least Irons has kept it civil. So far no one has been hurt. Financially yes. But not physically,” Emily said.

  “How do you know Irons was involved?” Sid asked, turning to Kennet.

  “He said...” Kennet started to talk but Fu waved an imperious hand to be silent.

  “He said what?” Sid asked, suddenly curious.

  “It doesn't matter. What is done is done. We cannot change the past we must move forward,” Fu said and then stroked his beard.

  “We have to learn from the past Yan!” it was Sid's turn to seethe. “Which you aren't doing of course. Blame Irons. Why?”

  “He told Bertoli to protest. To get with the others,” Kennet replied with some heat. “The man is a menace!” Yan Fu turned a glare on his pupil.

  “This from the man who started this mess because he is a vegan?” Sid replied in disgust. “I bet it was a private conversation you eavesdropped in,” he suddenly realized.

  “There is no cause why I shouldn't,” Kennet replied, eyes snapping. “I was doing as I should.” He squirmed uncomfortably under Sid's basilisk eyes.

  “Really,” Sid said in disgust. “Meddling in affairs that didn't concern you, breaking how many privacy laws?” He glanced at D'red. D'red clicked his mandibles and shifted uncomfortably.

  “I was only doing as I was told...” Kennet said before Fu grunted. He shut up then, shooting Fu an apologetic look.

  “Right,” Sid drawled, eyes slowly turning to lock onto Fu. “Your directives,” he said looking at Fu. “This is all making more sense now,” he said.

  “We shall address the situation and make amends,” Fu murmured.

  “You just bet you will,” Sid snarled.

  An emergency public meeting was called for that evening. The council room was mobbed early, forcing them to transfer the meeting to an auditorium. The business owners sat in a block together. Their supporters sat behind them, occasionally leaning forward to pat them on the shoulder. More than one person had an improvised sign they occasionally waved. Several had colored t-shirts on with slogans.

  “Where is Irons? I thought he'd be here,” Kennet asked, looking around the room. He was of course using the cameras. The crowd was quite ugly from all appearances. He was fairly certain if he appeared now he'd cause a riot. Fu had enjoined him to watch for now and only appear with the council when they were in session.

  “He's on shift. Someone had to man things since most of the station is here,” Sid replied. Which was true, Irons was on shift. His AI was near though.

  “He is where he belongs. This is station business,” Fu murmured. Sid looked at him in disbelief. Did the man even think about what he just said? Irons was taking care of the station while they... he shook himself. Fu pulled a hand from his robes to wave to the others. “Shall we?”

  Their usual bit of theater as they opened the nightly meeting was quickly curtailed when the undercurrent of resentment washed through them. Even the cybers were not immune to the grumbling and growling. Fu didn't like the occasional expressions of annoyance his fellow cybers were shooting his way. Kennet's bumbling boondoggle was costing him dearly in political points with his fellows. The man had his heart in the right place but his timing and execution were atrocious.

  “We will call this meeting to order. For the sake of the current problem we will table the scheduled agenda in favor of discussing this. Objections?” Fu asked. None of his fellow cybers opposed it. He tapped his virtual gavel. “It's decided then.”

  “Decided? What's decided! Nothing's been discussed!” a heckler called waving a hand.

  “Are they just making decisions without consulting us? Is that even legal?” A woman demanded and then turned to the crowd.

  “It appears so,” A Tauren rumbled angrily. “I think we should leave.”

  “Now ladies and gentle beings, be at peace. We are merely opening things up to discussion. Unfortunately heads are running rather heated tonight so please bear with us,” Sid said. He was trying to salvage an untenable situation.

  “I think it's rather obvious things are heated. The cause is sitting right there,” a heckler said pointing to Kennet. Kennet seemed to sink in his seat. He glanced at Fu for support but found none. He looked down.

  “I was just trying to help,” he finally muttered.

  “Wanna say that again for the rest who didn't hear it?” Sid asked turning to him. Kennet shook his head. Sid turned back to the audience. “Look folks the food issue was not a council decision. Some of the council over extended their authority. They had no right to do so. We will correct this,” he said, turning a glare on first Kennet and then the Fu's.

  Fu made a brushing motion. “We apologize for the confusion and suffering this has caused. We will make restitution.”

  “You're damn right you will!” a heckler said, standing and waving an arm. Savo glared at him. The man sheepishly sat.

  “I think we need a bit more than that,” Bertoli said slowly getting up. He looked at his fellow business owners. They nodded grimly. “We have discussed it amongst ourselves and as of this afternoon the station's chamber of commerce has been reformed. Clio helped us file the necessary papers.”

  “Done and done,” Clio said with a smirk in her voice. “Oops, sorry, gotta go,” she said and disappeared as quickly as she appeared.

  “The council needs to be more open to us!” a woman in the back said.

  “Which it will be. Eventually,” Sid said.

  “We're talking now. We want a say in our future. You brought up elections. None of you
were elected to your posts,” a voice growled.

  “Settle down,” Savo growled looking over the crowd. Security and the sheriff force were out in force today. He like his fellows hoped things didn't get ugly.

  “I think in all fairness we, that is the chamber deserves a presence on the council. Also leaders of the council should be elected representatives. That should prevent a reoccurrence of this,” a banker said.

  “Unfortunately we can't step down,” Fu murmured.

  “Oh yes you can! A few of the cybers have already!” a heckler called.

  “That is...”

  “None on the board are currently willing to step down,” Sid replied, looking at Fu and then the audience at large. “Not even me. But I am fully willing to accept any elected representatives as well as a representative of the chamber,” he said. Gwen had been added to the chamber but wasn't here now, nor were some of the other organic members. He looked around. Some were apparently watching from the sidelines and some were off working with the admiral.

  “We still haven't accepted them!” Kennet said and then looked down as his fellow cybers glared at him.

  “I think we need a vote. Do we accept the chamber?” Emily asked.

  “We need time to discuss this. Time to look over the relevant documents and precedents,” an attorney demurred unhappily. The audience immediately became restless and annoyed at that suggestion. The grumbling started to grow.

  “I think you should have thought of that before sticking your hand in things. Now we'll have to deal with the consequences,” Sid said tiredly. “Take a moment to scan it. I think you'll find Clio just copied the old chamber's documents you drafted and updated them.”

  “I did,” Clio's voice said.

  “Ah,” the attorney nodded. “I believe I had a hand in that.”

  “Then you should be aware of the contents and therefore shouldn't object,” Emily said sweetly. “I call for a vote. Seconded?” she looked at her husband. He nodded. So did the Stewards and a grim Averies.