Mayor, "that was very good. I will charge a picture of brew each time I repeat it. Have many others heard this?"
I said, "you're the first one’s on this side of the galaxy."
Mayor, "and you can write this down, then read it back?"
I said, "yes, I can write it down and teach others to read it, Owsee is getting very good at."
Mayor, "is he now. Well this is something I would like to see. But for now let's drink to old friends coming home and making new friends, may you all feel welcome in our town."
Then the Mayor said to Goo da wa, "have you decided where you want to set up your new bar?"
Goo da wa, "we were looking at a cave called the grand hall."
Mayor, "the grand hall. Yes, I know it well, lots of room and not far from town. A more beautiful place you could not ask for. And if Miss Kitty would like to put her shop where the old bar was, it’s just across the street from here. If it is not big enough we can add onto the back end."
Owsee, "I know the place, it's bigger than her last shop."
Mayor, "and you Owsee, what are your plans?"
Owsee, "I am going to live as a storyteller, as my father wished I would. But I also have a number of projects I want to do, some of which I will need your help on."
Mayor, "what do you have in mind?"
Owsee, "I want to set up a medical clinic, with the best equipment there is, at the edge of town. I have everything we need but a place and someone to run it. Instead of just wind and solar power, I want to punch out a geothermal well to give the town more power. I have the credits to pay for it myself."
Mayor, "they sound like good ideas to me. I approve of both of them. I will do whatever I can to speed them along. And you sir, what are your plans?"
I said, "I'm not sure right now. Owsee tells me I can make it as a storyteller. I may do some farming or shipping as well."
Mayor, "good for you sir, a well rounded thought."
The waitress brought us more beer, and Kitty asked for some milk. They brought us bread and butter, jam, nuts, fruit, and berries. I was about to ask if they were vegetarians when the waitress told Kitty they were out of fish but should have some in tomorrow.
We ate and drank as the fireplace flickered and someone played a flue.
The Mayor asked each of us about our home worlds. How the farming was, what the homes were like and the food. He asked about the schools and what we teach our children, and why we left. We went around the table as the evening wore on, telling and asking many things. The Mayor truly had a knack for drawling information out of people.
Then he asked me if I would grace him with another one of my poems.
I replied that would be my pleasure and that this one was called asleep at the wheel.
"Asleep at the wheel at rise of day, coffee in hand we’re on our way. Terrified if realized, how many drivers have closed eyes. Have you noted as you drive, idiots are they slower than I. And maniacs must surely be, those that go swifter than me. Each thinks he has less time than you, each feels their driving is more true. But I implore one eye you peel, as pass me by you do with zeal. That I might give you my salute, and with my horn a quick tote-tote!"
Mayor, "thank you teacher, that was a very nice poem. It reminds me of how busy a big city can be and how glad I am to be here. I shall submit this one to the highway department safety program. And with that I must call it a night. Thank you for sharing your stories with me my new friends, good night to you all."
Shortly after the Mayor left the rest of us did as well. When we got to the house Goo da wa took an upstairs room to sleep it while Owsee chose one of the downstairs rooms, Kitty and I took the other one. A few short good nights and we were all off to bed.
“Much to do”
Day 4
I woke the next morning to the sound of a bird singing outside of my window and the smell of fish being cooked. Kitty had got up early and gone fishing. There was plenty for all us.
While we ate we talked about what we would do today. Kitty said she needed to clean up the shop in town before we move her things in. Owsee said not to worry about her things, we would bring them to her while she worked on getting the shop right. He also said we needed to stop landing so close to the house. He said it would be better to land over near the lake, and use the transport he had in the barn to bring the things from there. He said he was sure it would still work even after all this time.
So after breakfast kitty went to town and the rest of us went to the barn to get the transport out. It looked a lot like a flat bed truck but with a sleeker design, it started up right away. So I told Owsee and Goo da wa I would meet them at the lake, and went to my ship to fly it over there. As I was blasting off I could see the dust that was being sent toward the house. I was sure that was not going to make Kitty happy. I landed at the same spot we had before, not far from the water. Owsee and Goo da wa got on and we headed for the mother ship. I made a low pass by the caves and we decided there would be no problem landing near them when the time came.
When we got to the other side of the mountain, we landed on the side of the ship that had Kitty's cargo in it. Owsee said let me show you another feature of the ship. And he pulled out his remote control. A zap later the cargo container started to slide out from the side of the big ship and two metal arms pushed it a bit farther away.
Owsee said, "I was not sure that would still work. And now, if you will let me fly, we can just pick the whole thing up with your ship."
I said be my guess, and Owsee got behind the controls. He took us within inches of the big ship as he got right about the cargo container. Then he sat down on the top of it lightly and engaged the locking clamps. With a bit of a tilt to one side, we were up and on our way.
I said, "let me guess, you got your first training in a ship on a carryall."
Owsee, "when I first started my mine there was no one else, I had to learn to do it all. That's not saying I didn't drop a load from time to time, but I got rather good at it."
We flew over the mountain and to where we parked the truck, next to the lake.
Owsee, "now here comes the fun part, trying to set the load down on the transport without crushing it. If it was not mine I would not even try this."
There was only one monitor to see below. He hovered for a moment, taped the transport once before letting the load down and pulled away.
We then landed, and looking at the truck Owsee said, "I'm glad the container was light. It's not the best I have ever done, but it will stay on until we get to town. If I were not able to get the ship to push the container out or land it on the transport, we would be doing this one handful at a time. That's why I wanted the three of us."
We drove into town and parked right out front of the old bar. The place had been swept out and Kitty was doing the windows.
She said, "I don't know what we are going to do with the old bar top?"
Owsee said he knew just what to do with it. He flipped a lever and tilted the back end of the truck up, and the cargo container slid off.
Then we walked in and Owsee pulled a sheet off from this side of the bar and said, "it's only a top on some barrels with a sheet on this side. He never changed it, the top comes right off."
So we put it on the transport, said we would be back for the cargo container later and drove to the cave. We were able to get rather close.
Then we went inside to look it over, and it was mammoth big all right.
Owsee, "what do you think Goo da wa? Is it big enough for you?"
Goo da wa, "you could put the whole town in here."
Owsee, "not the whole town, just the people."
Goo da wa, "we can set up the bar over here near the entrance so I will have a view of both inside and out."
We unloaded the barrels, and the bar top, then went to get the rest of the bar. As we got close to the ship Owsee tried to use his remote control, but it didn’t work. He tried again as we got closer and we were in luck. Owsee asked me if I would
like him to take the controls but I said I was fine.
Then swooping down on the box, I made a light touch and locked the clamps, then with a port swing pulled up; and we were on our way back.
Owsee, "hey! You did that like a pro from the mines."
I said, "one of my jobs was flying a lifter for three years."
Owsee, "you have been holding out on me."
I said, "just tell me where you want it."
Owsee, "tell him where you want it Goo da wa."
Goo da wa, "right next to the mouth of the cave would be fine."
I said, "no problem." And when we got there I said it down nice and easy then moved over a little ways away and set the ship down.
We then helped bring all his supplies in.
Owsee, "the way you flew it at first made me think you didn't know how to fly a ship like that."
I said, "I don't. Carryall's are designed to be more stable as they change loads, I needed to get used to the controls."
After we got all the supplies in the cave Owsee told Goo da wa to meet us at the house for midday meal. Owsee and I had another load to move. We took the empty container to the field by the lake. Then went after the one with the medical supplies in it. We then dropped that one off next to the lake as well.
Owsee said he was going to put them all together to build the new clinic, as soon as he knew just where to put it.
We then drove to town and parked in front of the empty cargo container. Owsee tilted the back end of the truck up and used the winch to pull the container up and onto the transport.
We then went in the shop to find there were open boxes all over the place and Kitty said, "I need racks for clothes and a display case for the smaller things. I will also need a chip reader."
Owsee, "you can order anything you need at the hardware store. I'll tell them to give you credit."
Kitty, "and I think the walls need to be painted."
Owsee, "you can't do that. This was a gathering place, the walls are Ear-wood. You can tell by the ear shaped patterns in the grain. My people do not have many superstitions, but one of them is to give respect to the ear wood. It is a very rare wood and said to be able to hear our stories and repeat them back to us after we are dead. So you see, it can't be painted."
Kitty, "I don't want to offend anyone. The walls can stay the way they are."
Owsee, "I appreciate your understanding. You could put racks in front of them, even a shelf will not offend anyone. By the way, the rest of us are having a midday meal at the house, will you come?"
Kitty, "I have a lot of work to do here, if you don't need me."
Owsee, "don't worry it's not a tradition or anything, just a meal. We will see you later then."
Kitty said, "see you later."
I gave her a kiss and said, "later."
Then Owsee said, "we need to stop at the bank on the way to the hardware store, my bags heavy if you know what I mean."
I then realized he had been carrying the big crystal credit ball all this time.
So we went to what passed for a bank in this town.
As we walked in, we saw a large room with a desk in one corner and a man working on a computer at it. We walked over and sat down in the chairs on this side of it.
The man said be right with you as you did something on the computer, then turned to us and said, "yes, what can I do for you gentlemen today?"
Owsee said, "my friend would like to open an account with a line of credit." He then tossed a credit chip on the table.
I said to Owsee, "what's that?"
He said, "it's the water you sold at the last station."
The man put it in a reader and said, "200,000 credits, oh my. Yes, we would be pleased to set up an account for you and open a line of credit."
Then Owsee said, "and when you are done with him I would like to make a small deposit."
The man said, "we are always --," and he was cut short as Owsee pulled out and set the large crystal ball on the table.
The man said, "oh my, my goodness will you look at that."
Owsee said, "it's 21 trill, you can check it," and he tapped the display.
The numbers ran around and around the cut crystal ball as the man just said, "oh my."
Then Owsee pulled out another credit ball and set it on the table, saying to me, "over 20 years of mining, you don't think I spent it all on the ship did you?"
He hit the display and the numbers ran around it as Owsee said, "19 trill. And here is my DNA access key."
At this point the man stopped stuttering and said, "let me get the owner please."
Owsee said, "take your time, we are not going anywhere."
The man went to a back office and came out with the owner, who said, "I'm told you gentlemen would both like to make rather large deposits."
Owsee, "yes. 200,000 for my friend and 40 trill for me. Is that a problem?"
"Not at all," the man said, "please just input your DNA identification here and I'll download your deposits."
He did our deposits and handed us bank ID chips.
As we left Owsee said, "keep the empty credit balls. I may wish to make a large withdrawal one day."
And with that we went to the hardware store and open a line of credit for Kitty. Then we drove back to the house.
Goo da wa got there about the same time and we all went out into the orchard and picked some fruit to eat.
Owsee said to me, "so you worked as a load mover for three years."
I said, "yes, I moved from place to place, moving farther out each time."
Owsee, "they must've given you a free gate ticket."
I said, "yes, but only if I'm going where they want me to go. Each time I changed jobs without their permission I must find my own way there or pay the guild one third of what I make. But for that I get to keep my seniority, and the higher pay rate that comes with it without a new contract with the CM."
Owsee, "but you get to choose where and when you work, that's not too bad."
I said, "yes, and that's a life ticket."
Owsee, "and because the guild sets the rate for contracts, the CM cannot deny you use of the gate because you have a free ticket."
I said, "I have never had to use it myself, because I have always been on a transport at the time. But the guild would take a dim view at the CM stopping any guild member from using a gate."
Owsee, "that's the kind of leverage we need. You see the way the CM treats the stations near the gates. They never let them have enough water so they can keep the price high. I want to help those people from time to time and screw the CM if I can. But the thing is, if I mess with the CM, even with all my money, they could deny me use of a Star gate; and that may put me so far away that it could take a very long time to get back. But with you, that's not a problem. They can't stop a guild member with a free ticket."
I said, "that's true, as long as I am claiming to be on my way to a mine. I would like to help those people with a water run from time to time."
Owsee, "that's why I bought the lake. Water can be power, if you have a way to move it around."
I said, "sounds like fun. After all I can't just sit around here telling stories, I need to make new ones."
I asked Goo da wa how the bar was coming.
Goo da wa, "I need a power source, and a credit chip link up."
Owsee, "and some brew, you need to give these people what they are used to before they will try something new. I have an extra power generator in the barn you can use until we set you up with something different. I'll talk to the bank about a credit feed line so you don't have to give out tabs. And I'll ask around to see who has some beer to sell."
Goo da wa, "I was thinking some torches on the path to the cave and some lights inside. I want to throw an opening party with the first barrel free."
Owsee, "and we need to get you some ear-wood."
Goo da wa, "some what?"
Owsee, "I'll explain it to you later."
I said, "what
about the ear-wood in Kitty’s shop. Can we remove it or will that offend someone?"
Owsee, "ah, let me think, I will need to talk to the Mayor about it. I think it would be good to bring as much of the old bar as we can to the new one. It will make people comfortable."
I said, "we better tell Kitty about it before she starts putting up shelves."
Goo da wa, "what's ear-wood?"
Owsee, "tradition, I'll tell you about it on the way to town."
So we drove to town and Owsee told Goo da wa about ear-wood on the way. We parked in front of Kitty’s shop but she was not there.
Owsee, "I bet she is at the hardware store, take Goo da wa. That's where you will need to go to get the lights and torches anyway. I'll go talk to the Mayor."
So Owsee went to see the Mayor well Goo da wa and I went to the hardware store.
Kitty was there and she had bought some freestanding racks and put in an order for a display case.
I told her about the wall and she said, "if it goes I would like to put up mirrors on the wall, the whole wall."
I said, "that sounds good. Buy anything you need, as I just deposited 200,000 credits in the bank."
She said, "how did you get? Never mind, I don't want to know."
Goo da wa started talking to the owner of the store about all the things he needed, and they soon went out back to look at something. And Kitty started to have a nice chat with the salesperson, as they passed ideas back and forth. So I went out the front door, sat down on a chair, and had a smoke.
Owsee walked up and said that the Mayor thought that moving the ear-wood was a good idea. Then he asked if Kitty was in the store.
I said, "yes, she is talking with the sales girl and Goo da wa is out back with the owner."
Then he sat down next to me and said, "and you my friend, how is it going with you?"
I said, "I'm starting to feel like I have nothing to do, no projects or goals. Everybody has a goal but me. This is a beautiful place, but I don't know my role in it yet."
Owsee, "you mean you feel you should be up there behind the helm of a ship."
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