"Why yes, how'd you know?" the woman asked. He shrugged.
"In small towns the local tavern is one of the most popular buildings in the town," he explained.
She looked confused, then nodded. "It is, people come in from the farms to get a drink. Shorty has a bulletin board for messages too," she said.
He nodded. His enhanced hearing could just make out music. "And it's one of the few places for live entertainment," he observed.
She smiled. "Would you like to see?" she asked.
He shook his head. "Maybe later miss, I'm more interested in the sites right now," he replied. She blushed and snapped the reins.
"Sir?" she asked after a minute. He nodded to the Gaston colonist. She was dressed in a homespun blue sweater and cotton dress.
"Yes?" he asked amused.
She waved. "Welcome to Gaston, can I show you around?" she asked with a smile. He smiled back.
"Sure." He stepped up to her and waved. "After you madam," he said bowing slightly. She smiled.
"That's Jerry Smyth the blacksmith with the T'clock click clan," she said. She pointed to an open face structure. A burly black man was pounding metal with a hammer. Two insect aliens were helping. "They're thermavores, they love the heat. They had a colony on the southern continent but it was hammered by the weather from the last asteroid impact thirty years ago," she said. She looked down. "There aren't many of them left now. They need a lot of warmth and humidity to stay comfortable," she said quietly.
He nodded. "The smithy is probably the warmest place in town," he said.
She smiled. "Let me talk to Jerry and see if he can fix that axle." He nodded. She hiked up her skirts and stepped out of the carriage, then around a mud puddle. He got out and stretched. The insects were clicking at each other, Sprite had a running translation. One came over and clicked a greeting.
He placed his hands over his heart and bowed, then returned the greeting. Their mandibles twitched, and then they returned the gesture. "I see you know something of their language..." one said. He nodded to the duo and turned to see Jerry the blacksmith coming over wiping his hands on his apron. The girl was beside him chattering away. They shook hands, he was careful to modulate his right arm to exactly match the smith's grip.
"Well, it isn't any day I meet someone as strong as me," Jerry chuckled. "Let’s have a look here." He bent and checked the axle out. "So how do you know the T'clock language? Have some on your ship?" Jerry asked over his shoulder.
The admiral shook his head. "No, I visited their home world during an exposition on new engineering," he replied. Jerry looked up face clouding.
"That’s not funny," The girl said, growling. The two insects clattered their mandibles.
He held up his hands. "It was a long time ago folks." One of the insects called him a liar. He turned. "No, I really did see your home world. The golden spires were beautiful, but the caverns even more so," he answered in their language. They both stopped and then chattered at each other.
The local humans looked at each other in confusion. "But their home world and colonies were obliterated in the war seven hundred years ago...How could you..." Jerry asked as he looked up. "Did you see it in an old holo?"
The Admiral shook his head. "No, I was really there. It was, oh, seven hundred and sixty years ago."
"Actually Admiral, it was seven hundred and fifty eight years ago," Sprite cut in to him alone.
He grimaced. "Look folks I was stuck in stasis for the past seven hundred years. The ship I'm traveling with rescued me a year ago," he explained. Their faces cleared. The bugs nodded then clattered eagerly. He chuckled. "All right, I'll tell you a bit of your home world, but let’s do it by the forge okay?" He stepped in under the awning and into the heat of the forge. He looked around, noting the blacksmith tools and materials. "Nice. Now, as I was saying..."
He reached into his duffel and pulled out a holographic projector. It only took a moment for Sprite to dump the data on the planet into the tiny projector's ram buffer. The holo appeared over the forge. "As I was saying, I was there for a conference on engineering; I was interested in a report on some new fabrication methods and a new power ratio for a fourth generation antimatter reactor...."
He spent an hour explaining the visit, and projecting what limited data he had. When he was finished he looked over to see his audience had grown to a dozen bugs of all sizes, the two humans, and even a lizard Relgrath. "I'm sorry, but I haven't been to your planet," he finished and then bowed.
“I can only give you the data in my files." he said. Sprite pulled up the dusty home world of the alien reptile, it rotated in the air. The voices murmured in awe.
"For your story of our beloved home world we are deeply in your dept,” the elderly insect said. He bowed to the T'clock female.
"No debt is necessary; sharing knowledge is something I've been taught to do."
The fire and hologram made the sheen of her shell dance. "I know your people have fallen on hard times, but with time, patience, and perseverance each of us will win to see the dawn of a new civilization," he said, trying to encourage them.
She nodded. A smaller female, most likely a daughter clattered at her about going out without her shawl. She draped it around her body. "I thank you," she said. She moved back out into the light of day. The others followed murmuring thanks.
The lady was awed. "I've heard stories of holograms, but never thought I'd see one," she murmured. He looked over to her. She smiled. "I'll take you anywhere you want to go, it's the least we could do." Jerry nodded, humbled.
He noticed the guard shadowing him under a tree holding the reins of a horse. She had been discretely watching from a distance. He nodded in her direction. Jerry caught his nod and turned to look. The guard ducked her head. "Friend of yours?" he drawled.
"Ship's security. The security Chief sent a few down to make sure we don't get into trouble," the admiral said diplomatically.
Jerry gave him a look and then smiled. His teeth were even and only slightly dirty. "Yeah, I can see where that might be necessary. I thought old Queenie was going to snip your head off." He chuckled as he picked up a hammer and pliers. He picked up a bar of stock and thrust it into the fire. The reptilian alien pumped the bellows. "Well folks, I need to get back to work, these shoes don't make themselves!" He gave a nod and turned to the flames whistling.
"So, how big is the colony? I mean how many people?" Irons asked.
She looked over to him. The horse walked around a pot hole and nickered. "I don't rightly know. Maybe a thousand, maybe more. There were a lot, but the asteroids keep knocking us back. We can never get enough land cleared to grow food," she said with a grimace. She motioned to the rock strewn field nearby.
"Ejecta from the asteroid impact and volcanoes," he said and then nodded.
"Admiral, based on my limited census...” Sprite started to say.
He clicked his teeth firmly.
"Shutting up now," Sprite said.
He smiled. "Well, things are getting better, the next asteroid won’t hit for another twenty years, unless we can divert it to a different orbit," he said.
She looked over to him in sudden fear and renewed interest. "What do you mean?"
He shrugged. "We're gathering some asteroids to refill our cargo bays, I'll ask the pilot and Captain if we can divert the next few asteroids projected to hit into stable orbits," he said.
She smiled. "That would be right neighborly of you,” she said. He chuckled.
She showed him the rest of the space port, then a nearby farm. He looked over to the hulking tractor in the middle of the field. "A testament to times past I'm afraid," she sighed. He looked over his shoulder to the road. Sure enough, the guard was there, watching and trying to be unobtrusive.
He smiled. "Well, let’s just take a look shall we?" He walked over to the hulk, circled it, noting the details.
"Looks like it's in good shape, wheels are okay, only a couple leaks. He stepped around a puddle. The woman hiked up her dress. H
e climbed into the cab and looked around. The cab was dusty, but there were no signs of damage. Sprite automatically identified the controls and placed a karat around each of the critical ones. "Well, this is the on button...” he said and pushed it. There was a brief glow, and then the instruments went back to black.
"Power is out," he grunted. He dusted off the jack port with a sleeve and then jacked in. The woman stared. "Yup, looks like a power fault. Dead batteries too." He looked over to her. She was staring at him like he had just grown a new head...or as if his arm had morphed...which it had. He kept forgetting they had backslid. He smiled to reassure her.
"If you have the right materials, you could trade with the ship for parts to fix it," he suggested.
She looked confused. "It can be fixed?" she asked. He nodded.
"It has some broken parts, but it can still run with some repairs. Excuse me." She hastily backed off the ladder and he followed her down. He walked around the other side and opened a hatch. The hinges squealed. "Hmm, let’s see... Nope not here. Must have been underneath." He closed the panel and then sat down in the moist earth.
"What are you doing?" she asked amused.
He rolled under the combine. "Just checking... Ah ha! Here it is," he called, pulling at the ends of a broken cable. He morphed his right hand into a cable splicer, and then began splicing cables. "Can you get on the roof and dust off the dirt and debris from the solar panels? Carefully, it's high and they're brittle," he said.
He heard her feet shuffle away, then the sounds of her climbing. She coughed, and dust flew down. "Is this necessary?" she coughed.
He finished up, took a look around, and then got out. "Yes, if we're going to get the batteries to charge."
He dusted himself off and then got back into the cab. He hit the on switch again and the instruments lit. The engine rumbled to life and he heard her squeal in alarm. He looked out. "Sorry, just checking," h said and then shut it off. "Running now. I can get you a list of parts to finish repairing it," he said.
She climbed down to the door. "So we can use it again?" she asked. Excitement was finally creeping into her voice.
He chuckled and nodded. "Once you have one running you should be able to produce more food. I can teach you the basics of repair, and you can fix the others," he suggested. She nodded excited. "Let’s try that again shall we?" he said. He motioned for her to climb in. Awkwardly with a little grab ass she managed to climb over him to sit in the passenger seat.
She was blushing and looking away when she sat down. He smiled. "Do you wish to do the honors?" he asked. He motioned to the button.
Excited she smiled and pushed it. The rumble started once more, as the instruments booted. "My word, I never in my life thought this thing would work ever again." Her eyes shined.
He chuckled. "It's a farm vehicle, they're known for being hardy. You’re going to need hydraulic and brake fluid though," he said. She chuckled.
He tested the steering then touched the gas pedal. The beast lurched into life, making her gasp and clutch at his arm. "Oh, sorry," he mumbled. She looked around. He tried again. "Stuck in a rut, or four of them." He looked out the window down at the tires. "Let’s try that again." He pressed the gas slowly. They lurched forward then stopped. "Hmm." He fumbled with the gear switch. "Okay..."
He put it in reverse rolled back, then forward, turning the wheel. Slowly the beast moved out of its grave. The woman's eyes were shiny and her mouth open. "Where too?" he asked.
She looked out the window. "Let’s just try not to crush the crop," she said.
He chuckled. "Good point." He drove the vehicle into the ruts and then over to an empty field near a pump then shut it off.
"There. Now someone can wash it off, clean it up and look it over," he suggested.
She nodded. "Thanks." She patted his arm. "When the machines broke down we were lost. There were nearly a million people, and many starved," she said quietly. Her face was bleak. "We still have problems with famine from time to time. We lose crops to disease, drought, or insects."
He nodded. "Well, this will help a little." She nodded.
They went to the horse buggy under the tree nearby. "Things are changing already." She petted the mare's flanks, then her neck. The horse snorted in her hand softly, looking for a bribe. "Only a few minutes in that machine and my whole world has changed," she said softly.
He chuckled as he got into the buggy. "Hardly, you’re just regaining a lost tool. It's up to you on how you use it."
She looked up to him, nodded, and got in. "So, shall we race our follower back to the town?" she asked mischievously. She looked over her shoulder to the guard on the mare and waved.
He chuckled. "Go for it," he said with a grin. She grinned and snapped the reins. He felt inertia slam him back as the horse went from a walk into a canter, then full gallop.
"I'd like to thank you and especially you Admiral," the delegates turned to bow to the Admiral. "For your help. Without your aide we'd still be using horse power and would be fighting a losing battle. With your help, well, let’s just say we should have better winters from now on." Irons knew now why they had wanted him here at this little event.
The purser nodded. "I thank you for the goods in trade," she smiled. She was on her best diplomatic effort here, and wasn't about to allow the presence of an interloper like the Admiral spoil it. "If we can do any more for you let us know." The pro forma dismissal came out nicely she thought. She knew that the colony had virtually bankrupted itself to get their hands on the rebuilt air cars and other goodies.
"Well, actually, we might be able to do something more for them..." the Admiral said slowly, thoughtfully. All turned to him. The purser froze. "For a trade of course," he said. He bowed to her.
"And what's that?" the delegate asked confused. He held the brim of his hat and stroked the band. "We don't have much more to trade. Any more food and we'll go hungry," he sighed.
"Oh, I was thinking about the classes," Irons said gave the purser a look.
"Classes?" she asked.
He smiled. Perfect. "Yes, I've been teaching classes on the basics of engineering. Now, you won't be interested in the spacecraft engineering lectures, but some of the history, medical, and general engineering courses might be of interest to you and your teachers," he said to the delegates.
He gave Mrs. Delgado a nod. "And of course since I'm a teacher I would be the person to evaluate it?" She smiled to take the sting out of that. He smiled back.
"Well, most of it's as I said, basic courses, but a few things may aid you, like instructions on repair and maintenance of the harvesters, or basics of gravity engineering for the air cars that are still repairable," he said. Her eyes widened. "Then there are the basics on computers, how they work, the parts, how to fix them. The basics of medicine, the basics of law..."
He knew he had them hooked. "I left instructions with Jerry the blacksmith and the T'clock clan for the combines..." he said.
The purser nodded. "Yes, we could come to an arrangement." She nodded. "Yes," she said giving Irons a you've said enough look.
He smiled. "I was thinking the shuttles you have in your spaceport graveyard would be nice," he suggested.
The purser's lips formed an O. She recovered. "Why would we...” she started to ask. He shook his head minutely.
"They're doing you no good, and with the parts we could repair more of our shuttles, or rebuild those. The next time we come we could unload much faster," he suggested. She nodded at this. "We can give you a couple holo emitters, a small replicator, a pair of generators, some tools, six satellites, solar panels, wind turbines, a couple water pumps, and tablets to display the lectures as well," Irons said. The Delgado's leaned over to each other and began to whisper.
"They ain't doin us much good sitting there rustin, we could plant that field..." she whispered fiercely to him. Mr. Delgado looked up and nodded. "You have a deal." He held out his beefy hand to the purser. She pursed her lips and then shrugged and shook
on it.
“Well, I better not run into you again young man,” the Captain glared at Bart.
He looked eager to leave. “Oh you won’t Captain, I promise.” He held up his hands to fend her off, looking decidedly nervous.
“Good to hear,” she said grudgingly. She nodded to the chief who escorted him aboard the shuttle. The Captain turned her attention to the middle aged man standing nearby. “Leaving us?”she asked. He nodded. “I thought as much, going to catch up with those grandkids?” she asked.
He smiled. “Well, since your doctor was so kind as to cure my cancer, and turn back the clock, I feel like a whole new man,” he said. He waved to the cosmos. “I may do a little sightseeing on the way.” The Captain chuckled. “You'll have to wait on Gaston for the next ship you know Mister Vadross,” she warned him. The steel haired man smiled.
“I don't think that'll be a problem. Your Admiral isn't the only one who can fix things. I understand they're climbing the ladder of civilization with your help,” he said. He smiled and waved to a crew member. She nodded politely then returned her attention to him.
“Going to dabble a little before moving on?” the captain teased.
Mister Vadross nodded. “I'll have too if I don't want to starve.” They both chuckled. “Well, I see that I need to board, goddess speed Captain.” He shook her hand then jogged up the boarding ramp.
The chief stepped aside then came down the ramp smiling. “My he has changed,” she murmured. she eyed her grandmother. “Just think about what the doctor could do for you!” She watched her grandmother's face go from amused to annoyed, then back to amused.
“Now don't you start,” she growled.
“Come on grams, it'll be good for you!” she urged. She waved to the chair. “Just think of it, no chair!”
The Captain nodded. “True, true.” She waved her granddaughter into the lift before her. She entered then turned. The chief jumped back out of the way. “Still, it has its uses, like keeping annoying grand children on their toes...” she chuckled as the lift door closed.
New Dawn (Wandering Engineer) Page 46