TheTraveler - book 1 Read online

  Then Owsee said, "if you need to go deeper than 100 feet I will pay you double for the extra part." And they shook hands on it.

  I said, "I'm going to the other side of the mountain, I'll see you later."

  Owsee, "have fun writing a story for me to sell."

  “Morning treasure in the sand”

  So I headed for my ship by the lake. I picked some fruit from the tree, to eat later, and flew over the mountains to where Owsee’s big ship was.

  The side of the nearby mountain was shining like a thousand mirrors in the sun. I hoped no one would fly over, as they would see it for sure. Even if the crystals did not have much value on this world, I still did not want anyone to know I was mining them.

  After fiddling a bit with the release locks on the big bay door, I got it to open and the loader out. I pulled the cargo containers out and began to fill them. Scoop after scoop, one after another I got them filled at the rate of one per hour. I left three containers on the port side empty with the idea of putting water and fish in them. By the looks of the sun, it was past noon as I pushed the last container back into place. It was getting hot in this desert and I was ready to head home. So I got in my ship and headed back to the lake.

  On my way to the house I was thinking about lightning rods, and how I didn’t see anything on the big ship that would do the job. So I figured I would just have to find something at the hardware store to make them out of. I thought about the power cells to my air thrusters, and how they were at half power, they would soon need a good charging. I was also thinking about what I would eat, when I noticed I did not hear the drill. When I got to the house I went around the side of the barn to see what was up.

  The trucks with the pipe and the drilling rig were gone. They had a rig that could cut a trench in the ground and lay the line as it went. It was working on running a line to the town’s substation.

  As soon as Owsee saw me he yelled out, "84 feet," with a big grin on his face.

  They had hooked the generators to their breakers and were ready to test them as I walked up. They started one than the other and the gauges showed the power output that they could provide. The town would have a lot more power than it ever did before. The man said he would have the building for the generators done today.

  Then Owsee walked back to the house with me and asked how the mining went. I told him and he said I sure knew how to work a loader. I told him I would like to fill the other three containers with water and fish for the dockworkers, if it was all right with him.

  He said, "of course it is, and we will catch enough fish to feed them all. But I'm not sure how we will get the water in the containers. You can fly the containers over with your ship, but the trick will be to get the water into the containers. We could buy a pump but it would need a power outlet, and I just can't see running a line all the way to the lake for a one-time job."

  I said, "my ship moves containers by clamping on to them. But what if after I bring them to the lake we put some cables on them, and I fly out and dip them in the water?"

  Owsee, "too risky, I would never let you do something like that."

  I said, "the bottom floor of my ship is set up to hold water. I could fly out and land on the water with the door open, then close the door and fly back."

  Owsee, "you know I think you could do it. But if you don't pull up before your half full your side thrusters will get wet, and you will go right to the bottom. There must be a better way."

  I said, "remember how you got the dust out of the ship?"

  Owsee, "yes, the vacuum tubes."

  I said, "can't we run a line from the water storage tanks to fill the containers before I bring them over to put fish in them?"

  Owsee, "the pumps run off of the ship's main power supply. We would need to put the control chips back in to do that. I don't think it would be wise to do that before you are ready to take off. After all we still need to catch the fish and I'm worried about the chips cracking from E.M.P.’s."

  I said, "well, I don't know, how about I just tried to move the water like I moved the rock?"

  Owsee, "do you think you could do that?"

  I said, "I don't know. But I bet I could move a container in and out of the water. Outside of the rock and the mountain, I have not tried to use the telekinetic enhancer. I have been worried about having an accident if I just get mad or something. It is already coming on without me turning it on. What if I blast someone or something without a second thought? I might get pissed off and blow a hole in the side of a space station or something. I just want to be careful about using it until I'm sure I have it fully under control."

  Owsee, "yes, of course you do. Learning control is important, but you can't do that without a bit of practice."

  I said, "perhaps I should spend some time trying to do small things."

  By this time I had a mug of ale and was sipping it in between thoughts.

  I said, "have you thought about what we may use to make lightning rods?"

  Owsee, "I'm sure we can find what we need at the hardware store. Do you want some rum?"

  I said, "sure, why not. How long do you think it will take them to run the line to the town’s power relay?"

  Owsee, "I don't know. It only a half-mile, but the machine is slow."

  I said, "it may be slow but they keep at it. I thought they would have been done by the time I got back."

  Owsee, "it broke down and they had to get parts, but they got it running again just before you got here. We could drink on the porch and watch them work."

  I said, "no, I was never good at just watching others' work. I don't like people watching me when I work, and I don't like doing nothing while others work."

  Owsee, "so let's take our drinks out to the back porch, I want you to try something."

  “Practice makes juice”

  We went out and I sat down as Owsee took a basket off the porch and put it in the middle of the yard. Then he came back, sat down, and said, "let's see if you can pick just one piece of fruit off the tree and put it in the basket from here."

  I said, "you're not afraid I might blast the whole orchard?"

  Owsee, "you had enough control over the rock at the cave."

  So I looked at the tree, picked out just one piece of fruit and reached out for it. The gem in my ring came on and the fruit popped off the tree, and flew across the yard, into the basket.

  Owsee, "good, now try it again."

  So I concentrated on the same tree. First one piece of fruit went up in the air and hovered there for a moment. Then the tree began to shake and all the fruit in it flew up in the air, with a large amount of leaves flying off the tree as well. The fruit flew toward the backyard, landed all over as they bounced to a stop. The leaves gently fell down by the tree as the one fruit still hung there turning in place. Then that one piece came flying toward us, split in two and the halves landed in our laps.

  I said, "control does not seem to be a problem, but boredom may be."

  Owsee, "I was planning to start juicing some anyway. At least it was not the whole orchard. Tell me, are you at all tired?"

  I said, "no, it gets easier each time. I'm even starting to feel good, it can be a bit of a rush."

  Owsee, "I hope that don't become a problem for you."

  I said, "it's something I have been thinking about. I may get to the point that I will have to leave the enhancer off when I don't want to use it. Of course, that means I would not have the only weapon I have ready to use if need be. I guess that I would have to start carrying a blaster. I hope it don't come to that."

  I took a sip of my drink and a bite of the fruit, that I split in half, and said, "you want me to wave my hand and put all that fruit in baskets for you?"

  Owsee, "no, I think you're right not to get too used to it. Besides, it's good for me to have something to do."

  I said, "but you're the only one I can show off in front of. You said I should get some practice, and I have something good in mind, watch this."
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br />   And with the slightest movement of my hand, the baskets flew out to the middle of the yard. All five of them were hovering two feet off the ground and spinning in a circle. The fruit all gathered at the center of the baskets and began to flow up like a fountain, into the baskets, until they were full and sat back down on the lawn.

  Then I said, "that's enough showing off for one day."

  Owsee, "that's very good. You seem to have plenty of control. How do you feel after something like that?"

  I said, "I admit the complex stuff does drain me a bit, I'll be fine in a moment. But I have been thinking about something. What if we were to use the spice dew and the power of the enhancer together."

  Owsee, "if you could do that, you could move things as far away as your mind could go. I guess the next C.M.A. you run into better have some good manners."

  I said, "I don't think I could reach him through a transmission, but if he was in orbit and I had spice dew then something may happen. But let's not talk about what may happen. Tell me if you know anyone, in the system I will go to, for selling the crystals."

  Owsee, "it's the opposite way from the way we came, but I can make a few calls on my father's old transmitter. We can at least find out who the dock masters are at the stations you will stop at."

  I said, "it would be good to know a crystal pirate before I get there. I want to dump my load, get paid and out of the system before the CM knows what I have done."

  Owsee, "yes, it's a big deal. And if the CM has a ship out there they may try to board you."

  I said, "if the CM gets close enough for me to see them, they may find they have so many problems with their computers, I will be the last thing they are concerned about. But still, all my powers don't help if I can't make the deal before it's time to go. In and out, no waste of time, that's the way not to get caught."

  Owsee, "maybe we could find a facilitator. Like what I did, but someone that knows all three stations you are going to."

  I said, "it would have to be someone with a reason to hate the CM. They put up big rewards to their spies. I want the deal to be over, with the credits in my hand, before the CM knows what I'm up to. Then I can go toe to toe with them if need be. I just don't want to get into trouble without something to show for it."

  We then went inside for more ale.

  I said, "what about the dockworkers at the central city spaceport? With all the ships that come here, some of them must be smugglers."

  Owsee, "with the ban from the CM, anyone that brings goods hear is a smuggler. But most of them are from nearby systems and can bypass the gates."

  I said, "I thought the boycott was only on water and crystals."

  Owsee, "the CM wants to control everything that comes or goes from this planet. It's their way of putting pressure on us to sell to them."

  I said, "so all the ships that land here are defying the CM. How can they do it?"

  Owsee, "like I said, most do not need to use a gate as they come from nearby systems. Others hide things in their ships where no one can find them, they are the true smugglers. Several of them have tried to take crystals out, but it's a long way without a jump gate, and they search rather well. It’s just not worth losing your ship or freedom over, to most. But for someone with a free pass that would not be searched, now you're talking a chance for profit."

  I sipped my drink and said, "so, do you know who owns the central city port?"

  Owsee, "not yet, but by tomorrow I will have some information for you."

  I said, "the third station, it's what, about a half a day's trip from here?"

  Owsee, "yes, if you don't stop, just jump from one gate to the other until you are there. Are you planning to go all the way out and work your way back?"

  I said, "yes. If I sell the water or give away the fish on my way out the CM may be looking for me as I return. I can also sleep in between gates on the way out to the third station, then stayed awake on the return trip. It's like starting a fire in the woods, you need to keep running until you get to the river."

  Owsee, "how soon do you think you will be ready to make the run?"

  I said, "well from I need to bring the cargo containers over and put some water in them, I can do that today. I should catch the fish the same day I am ready to leave, then move the containers back and put the control chips in the computers. It could take me most of tomorrow to do all that."

  Owsee, "so we are looking at you get in to the third station the morning after next."

  I said, "that’s about the way I see it. Of course, I could use some help putting the chips back in the computers. You need to go over the controls with me for taking on water, and it would be helpful to plant a homing beacon so I can land in the same spot."

  Owsee, "yes, yes, there are always those last-minute things that need to be taken care of, and I will help you with all of them, but for right now we drink rum."

  I said, "what happened to the man that only drank spice dew?"

  Owsee, "he got his arms back, sold a mountain of ice and put a lot of space between himself and all his old problems."

  I said, "yes he did. Here's to leaving a place you were never going back to, and hitting the waste purge button on the way out."

  Owsee, "they said they didn’t care about the station anymore, which is good for the way we left it for them."

  I said, "yeah, on fire and covered with shit, I would say that was a rather rude goodbye. Luckily there is nothing to hurt from taking off in the desert."

  Owsee, "that's one of the reasons I bought part of the desert."

  I said, "hay, I just thought about the lightning rods we were going to make. Do you need my help on them?"

  Owsee, "you know more about them than I do."

  I said, "do you think it will rain tonight?"

  Owsee, "no, not tonight. When it rains it rains for a day or two then it is clear for four or five days, that's the way this planet moves, it's always the same."

  I said, "well then we don't need to worry about them for a few days. The windmills can be cut from the main line before the next storm, so we don't need to put rods up on them. However, I am concerned about where to put one to protect the generators. It’s best if it is the highest placed near to were your trying to protect. That would be the top of the barn, but with you living up there you could get hit yourself."

  Owsee, "well, that don't bother me, a lot of people get hit, it don't seem to hurt much. The lightning we have here does not have very much power to it, more like a static discharge."

  I said, "well then you're lightning is not like the kind I had on Earth, or anywhere else I have been. Ours would split trees, start fires and kill people. If all we need to worry about is the substation, then I say we attach a rod onto the fence and we are done with it. But you said that lightning fried the station once, how could that have happened?"

  Owsee, "that was in the days when we had fuse’s instead of the breakers we now have."

  I said, "then the doctor can turn them back on if need be, and the shed they put up will protect the generators. But tell me why this town seems so old fashion, I would think it would at least have a power line to it from the city."

  Owsee, "well, it's like this, we came from another planet about a thousand years ago. A friendly alien gave a thousand of us a ride across the galaxy, and we settled here. This town is no more than a hundred years old, and we are still making do with what we have. Due to the embargo upgrades are slow in coming, because most of our technology comes from other worlds. Therefore, you can see why we are such a mix. There are small towns all over the planet, and some don't even have roods to them yet. Some like it that way, they don't want trade with the cities or anyone else."

  I said, "I understand. Back on Earth there are people that move out of the cities to live, but they go back just to work. Before long so many people are living just outside of the city that it becomes part of the city. This makes it harder and harder to find land to farm, and even harder to find people to farm it. C
orporations take over the job that hundreds of farmers did to feed the cities."

  Owsee, "that's why I’m glad we are so far from the city, it’s close enough that it don't take all day to get there. Before now we never even had a doctor in our town."

  I said, "now you have a clinic and extra power."

  Owsee, "all the power we need. Talking about power, do you need to recharge the power cells on your ship?"

  I said, "yes I do, but there is enough power in them to make a few more trips to the other side of the mountains and back. I may as well get the most out of them that I can. Those kind of cells can only be recharged a certain number of times, then they have to be replaced. Would you like to go with me to get the containers?"