The Filters are Free......
Labor day Sept. 1991 "Yes Sir, number three is doing
fine. I've checked it five times and I'm sure the filters are
free. Must have been a ton of sediment in each one." "You must
change them more often now that the dredging has stirred up the
sea. Another Windcity they say." Five times a year the
inspection team dumped the filters into the back of a truck and
headed North to the shore. There a processor examined them for
any objects or materials. Of the now more than fifty stations
only one had ever found anything strange. About the time during
the building of Lockfence 5 a kind of object cought in the
netting. Small and jaged edges the object tore into the net
like it was tissue. "Darndest thing. Cost a months work to
repair the damage. It's setting in the barn there on top the
office." "Anyone ever try to look into where it came from?"
"No, no time these days with only one truck for thirty
stations." "I hope they get enough water up there" "Each one
of those city buildings has about fifty reseavors. They started
doing that after my uncle told them it was cheaper than pumping
it. Got to go, say hello to 'you know who.'" "Sure, I've got to
visit Grandma in Sea 5 tomorrow, so, I'll say you called.
"Thanks. So long." Finding time to visit everybody was becomming
less a requirement as using the disks was easier than trying to
buy ballast. There must be more cities under sea than on land
sence they started building for millinia story. Mile high
cities were an object of curiosity at one time but now anything
that wasn't, was considered scrap to be used as one would.
They almost stopped when that arch twisted and a couple of
little mothers fell into the east river. I think they planned
that one. A Society based solely on data will eventually realize
how easy data can be manipulated. Now, up through this 'section
sector' and onto port for 'weeksifall.' Ah, more gliders. Looks
like 'racksfull' this evening. I think I'll bring a friend for
a change. Everything couldn't be this good forever. Now's the
time to slow down and enjoy the view. "CLUMP--chck-zzspe" that's
it, all out for 'Port Rise.' The clamps took the work out of
birding that thing. Up it went into 'Bay full' and me to the
'lift a lot.' Funny. Not many in the port but it was late.
Gusess they made room for a tired entry. 'Weeksifall' was
settin up to be a real busy one due to the new 'Dropzonefreeze'
extra meat again well that's, OK. "Hello, Mister Caps, can I
seat you now? Your menue has already reached your table. I
know you like the cubes." "Thank you, you deserve a raise for
being so thoughtful." "Why, thank you and be welcome. It's a
rair sunset. Mr. Caps. Did you forget something?" "No, but I
think I can manage to find something if I look hard enough. I
heard a new one.... Oh, another directory full of.....OK. Breach
of libelism was a bit hostile." "Not bad but its' nearly eight
and time to party." We left the evening of the 'eves Week end to
visit our local haunts. Counting the neighbor, I counted at
least twenty from the same block. I figure the last place
visited would have to peak out the evening "To the top." I said
to show I had the time. Knocking, "Quite a crowd there, I heard
on the VID." Opening "I've had my shots." Teasingly bumping my
arm. "A real night to remember. Look, the Pole flight." In the
far horizen the flair of a 'Tetra' leaving for tomorrow in a
few minutes to somewhere I wasn't. "Ever thought of going as far
as you can? Like running till you are so tired you drop?"
"There is a Tetra leaving tomorrow. Want to be on it?" I mused.
"Work has been dull the last few weeks but aren't you going into
overdrive next week?" "I was going to place an 'orderly' in but
that can be done by radio. Lets' go!" "Tonight?" "Sure." "I'll
square it with your boss, oh, he's already expecting something
like this I'm sure." "Only, If you go the full cycle. I've got
some work that needs a templet cut." "I'll give you one of mine.
Should make for some interresting output." "Try it! I've got 9
weeks." "Make it ten and I'll throw in OrderlyII." "Deal!" We
laughed out loud together. Five minutes later we were nearing
'Portrise.' We had both packed and had only to pick up our
glider and away we went from three Mile City. Day 1"Sleep as
long as you like. We are economy tube through 'fivecities' only
a fish now and then. We'll reach Pole Station in the morning.
"'Best Dreams' I've got to send the orderly a command. Give it
my password for Orderly II." Handing me her disk I entered the
signal and leaned back. "Just a minute." OK, there it's in, now
type. Simple as 1,2,3-tch- 'Sleep well' Stations, silent of
people, slipped past in the under sea world only to be broken
up by the long connecting runs between what seemed to ignor the
presence of itself until it opened into another station. For
five hours the speeding needle pierced the calm by not
disturbing only making a sigh as it passed. "Huh, are we there?
You need something?" "I'll be right back. I want to check on
something." Moving into the coradore back to the 'machines,'
bits of light came flashing in as by room after room of
sleeping people she passed. A pack of gum and some sugars, a
few taps on keys, a flash of some information than back to the
room to finish the night. "Back?" "Sweet tooth." "Morning soon
... want to stay up?" "Sure. Want a sugar? We're going to be
early anyway. Just a little way to the shoreline locks." "Is
that what your were checking?" "That and the program back home.
Leave's approved." "Good now everyone can relax a little..
Woops, there's the lock." Light peering through now I pulled the
shade up and in an early morning freshness the sun was
hovering above the horizen creating its' ozone and small wave
of heat through the window. "This time of year is best to
travel because it hurts the atmosphere the least. Winter
travel is bad in many ways because of the vulnerability of the
gasses. Some prefer both I'm told." "Nearly there, There's the
peaks." "I was there when the Dome cracked. Cold. You can see
ships sometimes working on the beds." "Yes, I can see one. See,
over there. A trimaran." A trimaran carried enough to stock a
large city. This one was restocking some of the species that
were getting sparce. In the bay it filled so many docks they
had to anchor it to a mountain. It'll leave before the sun goes
down. One day aboard one of those and you could imagine spring
planting. "Pole Station. Kindly Move Toward the Exit." "We are
booked on the needle. Love that view." "I've got the next chore.
The schedule room." "OOOwh that's number one. I'll check in." We
were moving so fast now that before anyone could interrupt us we
were on our way to the 'Big Room.' There was a slight rush as
the car stopped to let us enter, 'the schedule room.' I felt
the best thing to do was work our way around to the left as
that was where the long trips were. "See this one. Only has two
stops." "Yes, did you see the list on that one?" I pointed. "We
have 10 weeks and maybe a little more." "More?" "In case we get
lost somewhere I left a message." "How about this one? Leaves
this after noon." "Wait, I saw one that has that included."
"Great! How much do we do?" "About 9 weeks 4 days and 6 hrs."
"Hit the button! We're going. Now how much do we have left?"
"That, really, barely touched mine. I worked a lot. 'oh' We
could get lost on one of these but they're 'Colony'." "Colony?
Does that mean like pioneers? Who goes there?" "Look, over there
at those people that's the gate." She pointed. "Hummm that's
like what my Uncle did ten years ago." "Was it a success or did
something dredful hoppen?" "He is still there. I heard he owns a
planet now." "A whole planet? Isn't that like investing
adventure?" "Breakfast is served. AH. just like back home." We
had moved around to a small, if anything is small here, Cafe
where the food was being served than Music played while you ate
on a jutting balcony overlooking a deep drop of about a mile.
Glass on the edge had nicks in it where small objects had
glanced off it from above. The furnature had that feeling that
if you sat there too long the scenery would drop below you. "Try
the buffett? or Dejour. Better fill up." "I'm hungry too. That
was some night." After eating, the day was full of site seeing
and than a move to the gate where our packages were. Up and up
like the rise of a rocket to the loading platform near the top
of the 'Well of light' Inside the doors a light flashed toward
the center. "This is it. Hang on! Or is it quick?" 'TCH.' "Can I
open my eyes or is this staged?" "Come here and see the first of
wanders." Outside the chamber it was like daylight. The newly
built structure held similar stores as the trimaran and rose
above the land like a spire. "We have now 9 wks. 4 days left."
"Go or no go? Lets' take a walk." "That colony thing had kept
going around my head because of the possibilities of striking it
rich." "Well we have some time, let's take a side tour." Back to
the chamber to check alternative routes. The time was
available. Several were listed and we nodded. 'TCH' A guided
tour was provided of the 'Worlds on a Wall'. Large planets hung
from the ceiling even in the great dropoffs. "My uncle knows
that one on the wall." "That one? How do we see that one?" "One
moment. We're on the way there now." Arriving on time with just
one day used a large unit was already there to meet them.
Dusting off his hat the agent hiss'd a short speech than
waited. I looked at her and she looked at me. "Does the unit
stay? What else is here?" Not being bothered to explain he
showed an inventory of surplus and used equipment fully
operational and some that were not. Looking again at each other,
one thing was certain.... "A planet!" I waved a sign on the
consul and the agent dissappeared. "Is this that 'in case we
get lost?...Hmmmman?"
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