Jethro Goes to War (Wandering Engineer Jethro's tale) (68 page)

He smiled and
blinked as the flashbulbs went off rapid fire. “That's right
folks, an Earth like planet. We sent a probe last month. It confirmed
the presence of air, water, and plants.” He held up a hand,
behind him a vid screen came to life showing a scratchy video of
another world. “Ladies and gentlemen we present to you the
first images from another Earth like world,” he smiled as the
murmur grew. “I am looking forward to exploring it personally.”

“
This is an
opportunity to explore a new world. It is also a possible gateway to
establishing a beachhead for mankind on another world,” he
scowled slightly. “Say what you will about exporting our bad
habits, but folks, we've got a lot of good ones too. We're going to
do our best to make sure this new world is kept as pristine as
possible but also allowing us to use it as a branch for mankind's
next step,” he smiled as some nodded.

“
We're growing
up folks, and leaving the nest. I for one think it's about time, but
that's just the space fan in me,” he smiled again, this time
invitingly. “I've got to get with the crew but your'e more then
welcome to watch.” He waved and walked over to the group
getting ready to go.

“
Boss, solar
storm is building. Tracking estimates an hour before the flare goes
off,” a female tech said coming over to him. She held up a
tablet and pointed to the graph. He nodded and turned to the group.

“
All right
listen up.” People turned to him. “We've got about an
hour and eight minutes until the flare pops and hits us. I want
everyone to go through this place and grab anything you want or need
that you forgot about. The company will reimburse anyone for
materials,” he waved. “Personally, I want more toothpaste
and a lot of coffee. A whole lot of coffee. And filters.”
Several people chuckled at that. The military contingent looked at
each other. “Seriously folks, you've got forty five minutes to
go, we'll strap it everywhere so hustle.” He slapped his hands
together. People started talking then scrambling.

“
Boss?”
the tech asked confused.

“
I want you to
poll the staff, get them to make a list of what we take after we're
gone and submit it to accounting. I want you to get the staff to toss
in anything they can think of that we'd need. Comfort items. Grab
every back up generator and fuel bladder and toss them on.” He
waved to the trucks. “We'll unload in base camp.”

Lieutenant colonel
Richards came over scowling. The colonel was tall and imposing,
sporting a proper military grade haircut. His temples and sides were
slightly silver. The man wasn't vain enough to use hair dye
apparently. “A moment Ryans.” He gave the tech a look.
She made a moue and quietly retreated.

“
Yes Colonel?”
Ryans asked, smiling politely.

“
We don't need
to disrupt the team at this critical time.”

Ryans cocked his
head. “Actually, I was thinking that getting them to grab what
they can while they can would help... “ The Colonel glared.
“And it would keep them busy.” The Colonel blinked then
slowly nodded. He didn't quite smile, but there was approval in his
eyes as he digested that. Maybe the kid wasn't so stupid after all.

“
Good point.”

Ryans snorted. “I
have my moments. I don't think we need them barfing in the trash
barrels because they're scared shitless. Once one of them does it
will make the others follow.” He shook his head as the Colonel
chuckled.

“
Opening night
jitters does get to everyone,” he admitted. Some more then
others he knew, even if they'd faced the elephant more times than
they cared to count. “Very well, carry on.” He walked
off, pointing to a tech and engineer strapping equipment to the hood
of a LAV.

“
We've got
trailers too, and everyones' vehicles are going to be overloaded as
it is,” lieutenant Perry said eying the suspension of his
hummer. “Are you sure this is necessary?”

The Colonel snorted.
“Ryans is right, keeping everyone busy is a good idea. Besides,
if this is a one way trip, I want everything we can get our hands
on.”

The LT nodded. “Good
point.. ah with your permission?” he asked looking away.

“
By all means.
And grab me more cigars!” the Colonel called as the lieutenant
hastily retreated at a jog. He turned and gave a brief salute
acknowledging the order.

“
Here, take
mine,” the general said, coming up behind him. He handed over a
package from his breast pocket, then a lighter and cigar clip. “You
deserve it. Where you're going there ain't going to be any more.”

...*...*...*...*...

“
So how do you
know the, what do you call it Malp worked? If your vehicles and
electronics can't be powered, how did you get it to work?” a
reporter asked. Ryans turned to see Max nearby.

The giant machinist
was waving his hands as he talked to a tech. “Well Max here...”
He pulled a surprised Max over by wrapping an arm around the big
man's shoulders. “Max figured it out. I'll let him explain.
I've got to take the batteries out of my electronics before we go or
they will be fried.” He waved as he retreated.

“
Don't forget
the CMOS!” Max called. Ryans waved back. Max nodded. “Okay,
um ah... what was the question again?”

“
The Malps.
How did you get them to work?” a reporter replied.

“
Oh ah, well,
see when they first tried them they were all electric. The first one
drove up the ramp, but when it got close to the vortex a fat bolt of
lightning came out and fried it like Sunday chicken at granny's.”
He licked his lips and grinned. Some of the reporters chuckled at
that.

“
You shoulda
seen the engineers and scientists, they were dumbstruck, just... Ah.”
He dropped his mouth open and bugged his eyes out. Several more of
the reporters chuckled at that. “I saw it, I mean who on the
floor didn't? Damn expensive, fried the entire robot. Five mil down
the toilet.” He shook his head.

“
So what did
you do? Or they do?” a woman asked, indicating the control
room.

“
Well,
actually, that's where I came in. See they got it in their head to
try simple things, even tried tossing a camera through. Didn't work.
Nothing did. The batteries exploded the moment the lightning hit.”
He shook his head. “So I was tinkering around and saw this
thing on Discovery channel about that guy Da-Vinci. He created these
mechanical things with springs and such. Even made a robot cart with
springs and gears.”

Some of the
reporters nodded, catching on. “So I roughed out a concept and
put it together in my spare time. The others didn't think it would
work. The brass were foaming at the mouth and then he...” He
indicated Ryans sitting at a table pulling his laptop apart. “He
came by and saw what I was doing. I was almost ready for a test. He
took it and ran with it,” he smiled proudly. “Not bad for
a GED and trade school guy I think.” He smiled again, hooking
his thumbs in his belt proudly.

“
Needless to
say it worked. Wind up the spring, toss the thing through the vortex
and when the spring wound down it engaged a gear...” He moved
his fingers together simulating the contacts. “Which moved the
contacts together and the circuits were restored. Voila! All fixed.
Sometimes it's the simple fixes that matter, not no multi-million
dollar boondoggle with more bells and whistles and places to go
wrong...” He threw his hands up. Some of the reporters smiled
at that.

He looked over to a
pair of techs nearby waving. He sighed. “I gotta get back to
work folks, see ya,” he waved. They shut down and moved off.

...*...*...*...*...

“
Boss, this is
nuts,” the tech said shaking his head.

“
More nuts
than going through a wormhole to an unknown world?” Max asked
amused.

“
Something
like that. I mean, we shouldn't be doing this, we don't even have the
catapult!” the tech said, waving to the deck ramp leading up to
the vortex.

“
Well,
unfortunately, we've got to go with what we've got. According to the
egg heads keeping an eye on the sun, this is the last major storm of
the cycle that will be big enough. We wont have another one our end
for a while. Maybe not for another eleven years. I don't know about
you, but I'm too impatient to wait that long.” He grunted as he
taped another package to the roof packages.

“
What about on
the other end?” Scooter asked, coming over to them. “Is
it true we wont have any steering or brakes?” he asked looking
dubious.

“
No, no power
steering, no power for the hydraulic brakes. No engine for that
matter.” Max pointed to the truck behind them. “The
catapult got held up in port by a storm so we're improvising. That
truck is going to shove each vehicle up the ramp and into the vortex.
Each vehicle will go in neutral, with it's electrical's isolated.”
He looked up to see the other drivers around him.

“
Okay, when
you get through the vortex, try to steer the best you can. I know
it'll be a bitch without power steering with these beasts. Roll out
as far as you can, at least the first couple of vehicles.” He
nodded to the drivers in the three lead cars. They were busy taping
things all over the lead hummer.

“
Looks like a
damn Mexican tour bus,” he sighed seeing a guy taping a coffee
grinder to a bumper. “Make sure you leave a spot so the driver
can
see
folks,” he
called.

“
Everything
electrical or electronic is going to be shielded in bronze Faraday
cages and lead. That goes for us too.” He waved to the lead and
bronze lined suits hanging nearby. “Visibility is going to be a
pain. Watch out for ditches, large rocks, or a sudden drop on the
other end. We don't want anyone playing Wile-e-coyote.”

A couple people
snickered at that. “So, keep our hands and feet in the ride
till it comes to a complete stop?” Nate quipped, smiling as he
taped another biological kit to his truck. He had a first aide kit
and fire extinguisher at his feet.

“
Got it in
one,” Max said smiling. “Try to steer away from a
straight shot from the gate. Left or right, just out of the direct
line of fire.”

“
So how do we
stop?” Nate asked.

“
Well, if you
need to stop quick use the parking brake,” he smiled. “Slalom
the steering back and forth to slow if you can. As long as you don't
tip the fuck over with the high center of gravity.” He ended
that last with a raised voice to a marine trying to load a fridge on
top of a cab. The marine turned and flipped him the bird. He snorted.
“Or you can go the Flintstones route and stick your feet out.”

Several people
snickered at that. Nate's long British face twisted into a wry grin.
“Thanks mate but I'll pass on that. Don't need the tootsies
torn up.”

...*...*...*...*...

“
Shut it off
Scooter,” Perry grunted to Sergeant Scott 'Scooter' Alvarez,
their lead driver. The noncom was a short whip thin Hispanic from
Texas. He looked up at the order.

“
But..”
The noncom complained. Perry gave him his best commanding look.

“
Sorry sir,”
the noncom said sheepishly, turning off the iPod.

“
Take the
batteries out too,”  Perry warned. “Oh, and
Scooter?”

“
Yes sir?”
The Sergeant said fumbling with the tiny battery pack.

“
I want that
song. Upload it to me when you get a chance,” Perry smiled.

“
Blow me away?
Sure thing boss. I love it when I'm playing Halo,” Scooter said
smiling now.

...*...*...*...*...

“
How are we
set for fuel?” Lewis asked.

Max looked over to
them. “The military vehicles will use diesel, or bio-diesel
once we get that up and running.” He waved to the lead truck.
“The civilian vehicles use ethylene.”

“
What the
hell?” Scooter asked. “Why ever for?”

“
Cause it's
smart. That's what it is,” Max said smiling. “The
bio-diesel’s a bitch to make. We've got to have lye, methanol,
that's wood grain alcohol by the way, and oh gallons of veggie oil.”

Scooter grimaced at
that. “Yeah, I can see that ain't exactly going to be easy to
get our hands on.”

“
Yeah. But the
RWG thingy, that's different. That takes hydrogen, which we get from
running current through water, plus carbon monoxide and dioxide,
which we can get from the air and from the tail pipes of your trucks,
and we run em through a reverse water gas shift thingy and it makes
methane, and then ethylene.”