Ghost Station (The Wandering Engineer) (93 page)

Every
day is a new challenge, one that both were opening up to. Just having a steady
diet of good food was an eye opening experience for some. The real thing, the
real awe inspiring thing is the education. The tribes had passed on information
through hands on training and oral traditions over the centuries. They weren't
stupid, they had just been deprived of things the oldsters took for granted in
their time. Things they had overlooked or things they had taken for granted.
Now that was changing.

As
education became more important and word of more investment in repairing the
schools reached the ship's net teachers, retirees, parents with interests in a
different future for their kids, and many former sleepers made the jump to the
station in order to help and to start a new life. Some insist it was temporary.
Some made the move because their spouses or families had jobs on the station or
because they wanted to be a part of the El Dorado.

Of
course their sudden decision had consequences, mainly delaying Kiev's departure
again. The first week there was a great deal of teething issues as both
students and teachers settled into their new roles. For some it was the same
position but with new tools and a new class room. For others it was a
completely alien experience that they had no framework to base their actions
on.

The
teaching didn't make an immediate impact of course but it did sooth some of the
resentment. Integrating the nearly feral tribal children into the Kiev's child
population made more than one parent nervous. There were some disciplinary
issues with the students but it was handled in house or between the teachers
and parents.

Admiral
Irons took a hand in teaching some of the adult classes right from the
beginning. He tried to limit his involvement to one or two classes a day,
tapping Savo to teach self defense classes while he focused on the advanced
engineering courses. He had a lot on his plate however so he sometimes had to
switch with other volunteers if there was a scheduling conflict.

That
wasn't all bad, sometimes he would get Proteus to stand in if he was jacked in,
or O'Mallory or one of the other engineers would make a guest appearance. The
shifting focus of teachers brought a unique but sometimes confusing and
conflicting perspective of the subject matter to the students.

Doctor
Kraft helped with the set up of the medical institute before he joined the
others in setting up implant procedures and advanced medicine. They planned to
reopen one of the full hospitals as soon as possible. Apparently Doctor Kraft
had decided to remain on the station much to Doctor Numiria's chagrin.

Doctor
Tyler made a lot of noise over the college. He was interested in starting the
college and becoming the dean and made no secret of it with his campaigning for
the position. That amused quite a few people. It also opened their eyes to the
possibilities of advancement.

Ralphie
and Alice were the first of the second wave to jump ship and set up a store on
the station a few days after the schools were announced. Ralphie opened a pub
near the center of the station right away and appropriately named it Ralphie's
bar and grill. Alice is amused by the pretentious name but went along with it.
The bar was quite large, multitiered with brass all over the place and a small
bowling alley that she was keenly interested in trying but never seemed to get
the time.

She
did however keep him on his toes, making them shop for an apartment close to
the bar. She also had a firm hand in decorating the place, not that they could
do much right now. Resources were strictly limited. It was all they could do to
get their beloved ancient still over from Kiev.

Their
adult son was now managing the bar on Kiev, and having fun renovating the
place. Ralphie had spent several days muttering darkly over all the changes
before his daughter-in-law to be Breia had smiled at him and sweetly told him
that he wasn't going to be around to see them anyway. Their wedding was set for
just before the Kiev was scheduled to leave dock, allowing the parents to
attend. Ronald slipped them some stuff every once and a while to keep them
happy.

Alice
quietly but firmly had to sit Ralphie down and explain to him that he's going
to be a dad just as soon as he can get a certain something “unfixed”. This had
him puffed up for several days, strutting about and hitching his belt up. Alice
smirked and rolled her eyes at his chest beating.

Captain
Chambers and chief O'Mallory were excited by everything going on. Chambers
wasn't sure what to do with his ship, he wasn't ready to leave just yet and
they hadn't come through on rebuilding the systems on the ship. Blur negotiated
to run people from the planet to the station. Of course the station or the
planet would supply the fuel. Chambers was amused by this but went along with
it. He could always back out later he knew.

O'Mallory
was excited about repairing the station almost as much as she was rebuilding
her ship. With the additional time they were spending in Antigua space she and
her crews were taking the most advantage of it as they could, replacing and
rebuilding everything they could get their hands on. With any luck half the
hull will be shiny new plate by the time they hyper out. And most of the
primary systems would have had a major overhaul, something she'd wanted done
for a while.

Part
of their new contract was that the admiral would make himself available to
answer questions and to replicate any parts that were needed. The admiral
didn't seem to mind, he gladly conferenced with them or flew over to the ship
to do the occasional hands-on, when explaining over the net didn't work.

Irons
sat with the others at the council room. The council room had been cleaned, but
it was still in need of a few minor repairs. Still it was much better than the
rat infested cobweb covered room it was a few weeks ago. They had even managed
to get the mold stains off the ceiling and wall.

“Admiral,
why do you need all this metal?” Sid asked. Irons toyed with his stylus. The
meeting had become dull and routine, really just rehashing the same matters
from yesterday and the day before.

Sprite
flashed a light on his HUD. He grunted. “Sorry woolgathering,” he looked up and
then down to his empty coffee cup. “Metals?” he asked.

“Yes,
you want quite a bit,” Sid said.

“Not
that we don't need them to repair things,” Myers muttered. Sid turned on his
cohort but Myers just smiled.

“Hmmm,
well, we of course need them for the basic repairs, structural, but also to
complete the dome,” Irons said before Sid and Myers could go at it. They tended
to needle each other when things ran long and he didn't need to listen to it.

“The
dome?” Fu asked, stroking his beard.

“Yes.
You've done admirably to set up the dome over what, forty percent of the
necessary surface before the station went dark?” he asked looking at Myers and
Averies. The avatars nodded.

“Thirty
nine percent,” Averies replied. “But a lot of it leaks. It was a patch job,” he
said.

“Hastily
done and ill thought out,” Fu murmured.

Sid
gave him a dirty look. “You pointed it out before.”

“And
I was right,” Fu murmured again, still stroking his beard. “It is a waste of
time.”

“I
don't think so,” Irons replied. Fu's hand stilled. “With power at a premium
setting up the dome is a necessity. It can of course be built out of clear
materials or metal. Metal is of course easier and much more abundant. Or we
could mix and match the two. Either way having the added protection is good for
the station.”

“We
no longer have a power crisis,” Kennet said with a slight upturned lip. “We
also do not
need
to divert the resources to such a mundane task. Those
sections will not be occupied for years.”

Irons
glanced at the attorney. “It will be years before this station is fully fueled
and manned. But putting the ground work in now is important.”

“I
predict we will have quite the run on the station for some time,” Sid said.
“Our population will most likely double or even triple monthly for the next
several years,” he said with a satisfied smile. “At least until the novelty
wears off,” he admitted.

“As
long as the jobs, education, and medical services are here yes,” Emily agreed
with a nod to her husband.

“We
shall hold a vote on this project,” Fu finally said.

“Wait,”
Sid said. “Shouldn't we call the Stewards in on this?” He sent an IM to them
but it bounced back do not disturb.

Fu's
eyes gleamed. “I do not see why, I hold their proxy's in their absence.”

“Yes
but they have been behind the dome from the start!” Emily said. “Damn it Fu you
know they want this!” she said.

“You
could table the vote until they are available,” Irons suggested. He was fairly
certain now where this was going to lead.

Fu's
eyes gleamed. “I see no need. It is as you said important to deal with the
issue now, not let it linger,” Fu said. “As chairman I call a vote,” he said
sitting up straight. “Seconded?” he asked formally, looking at his wife. She
nodded. So did Kennet.

“Secret
ballot,” Sid said desperately. Fu shook his head. Sid's lips pursed in an angry
line. He shot Irons an apologetic look. Irons shrugged.

“All
in favor?” Fu asked. A few hands were raised, including Irons. From his
perspective it was about even for the cybers. There were only fifteen people in
the room including him.

“Admiral
you are not part of this council so you do not have a vote,” Fu reminded him.

“News
to me,” Irons grunted, sitting back and putting his hand down.

“All
those opposed?” Fu asked. The vote was even. “And it is decided. The vote is
against, fifteen to seven.”

“Wait;
there are fourteen in the room...” Sprite interjected, appearing behind the
admiral. She scowled at Fu.

“The
proxy's,” Sid said with a scowl of his own. “He can vote them however he
wants.”

“Of
course when the Stewards find out they will not be happy,” Emily said. Fu gave
her a cold look and then settled back onto his cushion as if the matter didn't
concern him.

“New
business,” he murmured, waving to his wife who was acting as the council
secretary. She bowed slightly.

“Moving
on,” she murmured. “We have to decide on which power plant to focus our efforts
on next...”

“Can
you believe that guy?” Sprite growled between gritted teeth as Irons walked
back to his room. He wasn't happy about the vote; it said ominous things about
the future if the trend continued. Did they even think of what that sort of
vote would mean to the man on the street? The people actually repairing the
station? It was a backhanded slap at them as well, telling them their safety
and comfort didn't matter!

“I
think Fu did it to put me in my place more than over the subject,” Irons
replied as Sprite seethed.

“Oh?”
she asked.

“Yes.
That little crack about how my vote doesn't matter.”

“Really.
You are the senior officer in the room. The senior Federation representative!”

Irons
shook his head. “And none of that apparently matters. I don't know what Fu's
agenda is but I'm being marginalized.” He didn't like it that Fu directed him
on his efforts and then had counseled him on getting the station underway and
moving towards it's Lagrange point soon.

“Is
this going to be a problem?” Sprite asked.

“If
I can get the station online and then dive into the naval projects no.”

“I've
been a bit tied up in the software repairs. Have you had any interest in
joining the navy?” Sprite asked hopefully. She checked the log and then her
hopes quickly faded.

He
shook his head. “No.”

“What
about the Warners?” Sprite asked after digesting that simple negative. Both
Warners were on the station and assets to the Kiev community. Both had some
engineering experience and since they could now jack in they were invaluable.
However they had limited energy and frequently needed to take a break.

“No.
They haven't volunteered to return to duty and I haven't pressed them on it.”

“Should
you?” Sprite asked as he rounded a corner and nearly bumped into a pair of
workers. He sidestepped them without a word and then nodded politely as he
continued on his way.

“No.
Both are elderly and infirm with major medical issues. The Ensign has brain
damage and may not be able to function. I believe they have volunteered here on
the station but they can barely keep up with the load. Asking them to put on
their uniforms once more...”

“Do
you think they would like the opportunity?” Sprite asked softly.

“I
don't know. Since neither have picked up on any of the light hints I've dropped
in their company I doubt it. You know the rules about fraternizing as well.”

“In
the same chain of command? That hardly... oh...”