Second Chances (79 page)

“Aren't we all?” Jack demanded.

“We can come now,” John Duster said. “I mean, if you'll have us. We're already at the first outpost,” he said.

“I can get Jamal; no wait, he's with you, I forgot that. Um...Angie, yeah, Angie can fly out to you and pick you up, then fly back, refuel and pick me up,” Jack said.

“And go where?” John asked cautiously.

“Where else? Capital Base,” Evan said with a laugh in his voice. Mitch grunted but didn't say anything. “If that's okay with you, Mitch?”

“I'm okay with it. I'll host the representatives but we've got to have some sort of timetable and agenda. When? It'll take what, a couple days for Jack to get in. And what about the people east and southeast?”

“You mean me?” Evan asked. “I'm not sure if Colonel Dunn is listening in or not. If not I'll try him again in the morning. I'm pretty sure the Asians aren't though some of the other communities might be. The Falklands group I'm not at all sure about. I think they need to relay through Colonel Dunn. We can see about rounding up people in our neck of the woods and then flying them to you. But we'll need planes and fuel.”

“Planes...we've got three aircraft. One with you, one here, and one in Copper Town.”

“I'll drive in,” Mike grumbled with a heavy sigh. “Or I'll never hear the end of it if I don't,” he said, pitching his voice of protest to someone with him. Mitch snorted again.

“So, we're planning this for four days from now?” Mitch asked, looking at Pete. Pete spread his hands, shaking his head to indicate to leave him out of it. Mitch snapped his fingers and then pointed to his tablet he'd left on a counter out of reach. The teen looked over to it and then picked it up and passed it to him.

Mitch wrote out the plan, then checked the map. “It'll take at least four days for everyone to get here, baring weather issues and people dragging their feet.”

“Some of us are still dealing with the first summer harvest,” Evan said. “And trying to preserve what we can,” he said.

“That's something I'd like to bring up in the agenda, better preservation methods. You are making stuff in your base. Can you make, I don't know, jars or cans?” John asked.

“We can make some things. Plastics are the easiest,” Mitch said. “We can do glass, but we don't have the right quality sand to do the quantity you are talking about. I'm also not set up for that.”

“Okay, so maybe someone else can make them? Somewhere with a lot of sand, then export them as a trade item?” Evan suggested.

“That's an interesting idea,” Mitch murmured.

“How are they going to get set up? I mean, you can do it, but not in quantity. And I doubt you want to give up what you can do...” John said.

“No, but he can set them up. Grubstake them like he did us and Mike's outfit,” Chief Travis said, finally getting his own two cents in. “Right, Mike?”

“Sure,” Mike said. “Sounds good.”

“It sounds complicated,” Evan said. “I know making glass sounds easy but it takes experience and equipment. Infrastructure for bottling, electrical power...”

“We have sand here. Sand all along the beach,” Colonel Dunn interjected gruffly.

“Ah, Colonel, glad you could join us,” Evan said. “We were just discussing a meeting, planned for four, no let's make it five days from now.”

“We'll need to let our people know we'll be late coming home,” John said.

“I've been listening,” the colonel replied. “I'd host it here, but I regret I don't have the facilities.”

“Mitch does,” Evan said cheerfully. Mitch ground his teeth together. One thing he hated was when someone volunteered him or his home to do something without consulting him. Well, technically they had, but it still grated on his nerves a bit.

“Base will host since we've got the excess capacity and the ability to feed everyone. While representatives are here they can work out trade agreements, territory, and pick up copies of anything from our database. They can also talk with the various department heads here,” Mitch said.

“Sounds good,” John said cautiously.

“While I'm there, if I can, I want to take a couple hours to do a guest lecturer at the college and school,” Evan piped in.

“College? School?” Colonel Dunn demanded. “You're not serious.”

“Oh but he is,” Evan said proudly. “I saw it the last time I was there. A lot of it is on the job training, but there are classes too. It's open to all ages as long as they show a genuine interest and can handle the homework,” he said with a smile in his voice. “I've been relishing the chance to discuss the latest 3D printing techniques with Brian,” he said.

“So, we're going to do this? We're going to need fuel,” Jack said. “Not to be a scrooge or anything, but I'm going to be picking up John and Chief Roberts and then flying everyone into base.”

“We've got a lot more people here,” Evan said. “Like I said, we'll have to stage it. I understand the aircraft can carry four people. So, should we limit the delegates to one or two people per community?”

“Sounds good,” the colonel said. He thought furiously. He wasn't thrilled about getting up in the air with Jesus Salazar but ever since they started trading with the other communities their vehicles had all been overhauled and fixed up. “I can relay to Klinger and the Caribbeans. I'm not sure if they'll get the message or want to attend though,” he cautioned.

“Understood,” Klinger said, sounding distant. “We too have been listening. I'll head to the trading post in the morning,” he said.

“Well,” the colonel said, surprised. “I'll get Jesus to head out there once you radio you are there,” he said, clearly taken aback. “It's a long drive. Even longer flight,” he cautioned.

Mitch understood that Colonel Dunn and other leaders far out were not happy, but they also didn't want to be left out. He was pretty sure they also wanted to see just what this Capital Base everyone had gushed on and on about was really like. He listened as they hashed out the details, taking notes. When they signed off he saved the file and then e-mailed it to Anne, Janet and the other department heads.

------*------

The next morning Anne and Janet woke to read the e-mail and then reportedly shrieked loud enough to wake everyone on their floor. They then hushed the babies and swung into action. First-up was breakfast; Janet was always up with Jean to get that going. Anne got the kids on setting the great room up for the breakfast crowd but her mind was swirling with her to do list. They had a lot to prepare for and not a lot of time in her mind to do it.

After breakfast she had a fast powwow with Janet, Jean and Brian and then corralled every loose kid to press-gang them into work. Some were put to cleaning, others were put to work on the grounds or doing inventory. Brian was given tons of things to produce, from gift baskets to additional cleaning supplies or tools.

All the running around prepping for conference took its toll on Anne. She was exhausted but clearly exhilarated once the idea took root. Mitch shook his head. He tried to dial back the excitement, but it was contagious. He didn't want everyone to get too excited and then get let down. He wasn't at all sure what would happen, but even he had high hopes for things to start off in a positive way.

“It always pays to make a good first impression,” Anne said firmly as she put Kamerin on pressure wash duty.

“We're going to be exhausted by the time they get here, Anne,” Kamerin complained. The teen slept a lot. He had started puberty and was covered in acne despite daily showers and creams Cassie had pressed on him and other teenage males.

“We'll sleep later,” Anne said dismissively. “Do the courtyard and then move out as far as the hose can go. We're washing everything down. Head in the direction of the airfield first though. No wait, do that last so it's the cleanest,” she said.

He wrinkled his nose and then shook his head as he dragged the washer out. He grumbled, but Anne ignored it as she moved on to the next task.

------*------

Colonel Dunn went into Chamber's “Capital Base” as the representative, he couldn't trust anyone else to do it the way he wanted. Ciara maybe but she flat out refused to leave the kids. She was right; one of them had to be there for the kids even though Jake was a man in his own right, or almost.

Jesus Salazar had picked up Klinger's representative, a Gunnery Sergeant Usher, as well as a Caribbean woman Trinika Lafitte. The mahogany skinned woman was from Haiti and carried herself like a leader. She had sharp eyes and great poise. There had been some confusion at the landing post. Apparently, Neal had tried to go as well. But Jesus had put his foot down, and the man had backed off with ill grace.

Once he landed he refueled and then headed out west to the Falkland Island and picked up Curt Brennen. Brennen was a sheep rancher who had been elected leader of his community. He had a thick British accent and a long face. He shook hands with the others and then they were off.

It took two flights to get all four delegates to the Prairie Village. Jesus went on to pick up the African delegate east of that village, making the colonel seethe with the fuel expenditure. He was only slightly mollified when he found out that the Prairie people not only tanked up Jesus for the flight, but also the flight back and provided him with some mechanical parts he and Joe needed.

The colonel wasn't impressed with the Prairie Village. Sure they had a wall but it was made out of sod, stone, and a bit of metal and wood, not anything that would deter a predator. But they were quite proud of it, so he did his best to be polite. He reminded himself he might need them as an ally. He did take the time to tour the community. He murmured a few ideas for improvement.

In the afternoon Jacklynn landed and picked them up. The woman flew them to East where she had been picking up delegates from the surrounding communities. The colonel was more impressed with East Village; it much less of a post-apocalyptic base, more modern. It felt right, with the concrete and iron wall, concertina wire, and concrete moat. He made a note of the wire; he would have to ask about that and if he could get some. He could see where some newly manufactured things had been put to use. Professor Lang proudly showed them his 3 working 3D printers and what they could produce. At first Miles thought of them as toys, but when he noted the plastic containers and plastic tools he changed his mind.

He was also interested in the electrical grid. The village was almost to the point of a modern city. Sort of a cross between a castle and an American town. He noted the various roles and places of things. It never hurt to keep an eye on them.

Olaf and Inga were picked up by Phyllis at the base of their mountain. When Dunn heard the news in East he protested. “If it's okay with you, I'll sit it out,” Inga said with a thick accent. “I'll be in the library, don'tcha know,” she said.

“You can check in with Doctor O'Connell. Excuse me, Doctor Chambers,” Evan suggested. “Or Brian the manufacturing expert.”

“Good to know,” the woman said politely. “I thank you kindly for the advice,” she said.

Colonel Dunn scowled but waved it off. He realized he may have annoyed this Olaf, the woman's partner. As he sat and waited for his turn on the flight he spoke with the others, feeling them out. Everyone was excited, a few joked about wishing the Meme aliens were around to transport them and make all the commuting instant and easier, but all were looking forward to making ties to the communities and especially Mitch Chambers. It seemed each interested community had been willing to send in a representative despite losing them locally. John had been chosen to go to base; Nel and Gerald reluctantly returned to their home with orders to pick him up at the outpost in a couple weeks.

------*------

Anne organized a welcoming party for each group. There were representatives from fourteen communities coming. “Just like on Hawaii?” Sandra teased.

“It's pronounced He'
v
aii,” Anne replied with a mock glower.

“Sooorrry,” Sandra shot back with a small smile.

“We were going to give them leas and soap, but the kids aren't thrilled about flowers, even those from Hejira's greenhouses,” Anne said making a face. Sandra nodded thoughtfully. “And the soap might be construed as an insult to some, however much they might need it,” she said and then coughed delicately.

Sandra wrinkled her nose and then nodded.

“We're going to hit them with a hotel gift basket with a printed manual with everything we know about this planet.”

“That's...that's a lot of paper. And ink,” Sandra said, frowning.

“Tell me about it,” Anne sighed. “Mitch wasn't happy, but we just got that shipment of wood from Iron Village. Half of it was judged for the pulp mill anyway,” she said.

“So it just sucked that dry. I can't wait until we get the electronics production up to making chips,” Sandra said. Anne's right eyebrow rose in curiosity. Sandra shrugged. “If we can make microchips that are reliable we can make flash chips and tablets, which means less trees we'll need to cut down for paper.”

“Except for TP,” Anne said with a grin. “That's in the welcoming basket by the way,” she said, indicating the baskets the kids had woven behind her. Sandra nodded.

“So, what else have you got in there?” she asked, sniffing. “I'm only asking because I smell something,” she said teasingly.