Bootstrap Colony

by Hechtl, Chris

  The convoy team led by Paul Fenn took the same path to Copper town a few weeks later. They surveyed a better path first with a light convoy of hummers and the drones. They were followed by one of the tractors pulling a flatbed loaded with one of the bobcats and trade goods. They reported an ecstatic greeting from the people of Copper town.

  They traded tools, a ham radio, antenna, seeds, medical supplies, and a couple of the survival manuals for as much copper they could carry. Paul reported that a man named Jack was the village leader. Jack pointed out a flat area for a runway; the bobcat was used to smooth it out, as well as to do a bit of digging for their defensive wall while the crew rested for a few days before the return journey. Jacklynn flew a nervous Doc to the village and landed after Paul radioed it was ready.

  Doc spent a day with them. She checked them all over pronouncing them okay, if suffering a little from malnutrition. She left some multivitamins as well, and eggs Mitch sent along to give them a bit of surplus food. Jack asked for more eggs, he joked about omelets. Jacklynn’s next flight brought them in, as well as a pair of small wind turbines.

  When the convoy returned Paul reported in to Mitch. “Before we made contact with them, they were working on domesticating some of the local wildlife,” Paul reported.

  Mitch looked up interested. “How’d that go?” he asked.

  “Well, Dora and Diego Martinez worked on domesticating dinos at first. They were former zoo keepers, Diego was a bird wrangler.” Mitch nodded as Paul continued. “The large dinos were passed over in favor of smaller therapods. They managed to catch a few bison calves in the spring, but the animals are difficult to handle,” Paul said, wrinkling his nose. Mitch snorted.

  “They also caught a giraffe baby, but it died,” Paul sighed. “They had better luck with antelope and deer they caught, but the constant stress of being around humans quickly killed the animals.”

  Mitch nodded. “Yeah, they do have a tiny tolerance for us.”

  Paul nodded. “Eventually they managed to catch an auroch cow with calf, as well as a small herd of ancient horses.” He wrinkled his nose again. “I don’t see much use for those horse things, they are tiny.”

  Mitch looked interested. “Tiny?”

  Paul nodded. “Yes, with weird hooves and dappled coats. They look more like deer then horses.”

  Mitch nodded. “They are most likely the ancestor of our modern horses.”

  Paul cocked his head. “Huh, no kidding,” and walked off bemused.

  With copper, iron, carbon, and plastics on hand he set up an automated factory to construct more alternators and wind generators. The first sets were crude, but go out to the iron miner’s village, along with a bigger antenna.

  Although sulfur had been found, the seam was small and was used up quickly by the growing appetite of the villages. More sulfur was extracted by the molecular furnace, but a pure seam was made a priority find. Tin was a major problem, what little tin that can be extracted from the soil was nowhere enough to satisfy their growing civilization.

  They hit a deal to trade with each of the mining villages every other month, allowing them to stockpile enough to make the trip worthwhile and so it was least disruptive to both groups. The automated miners were back online. Now that power was restored repairs and expansions to the greenhouses and other buildings were ongoing. Ivan was excited about the planting, chasing Mitch and anyone around to gush about the tools and rich soil.

  Two of the Amazons, Brian, and a couple teens worked on expanding the fortress, while the vet team handled the large amounts of births and expanded the grazing pastures, with much heated debate with Ivan over space. With the automated silicon miner going full steam Mitch powered up the entire base and turned on the solar blanket fabricator. The fabricator created cheap solar panels on a film as thin as a piece of paper. Mounted in plastic frames, they were mounted outside on the walls and roofs, while some were stockpiled for shipment to other villages as trade goods. Super conductive wire was run between the panels and the base’s power relay station. Things were finally looking up Mitch thought with a smile of approval.

  Chapter 13

  Mitch was making dinner, pan fried tilapia fillets breaded and cooked in butter when Phyllis and Vanessa came in. Wearily Phyllis sat down; Vanessa rather shakily sat in a nearby chair. “Home the conquering hunters come... So what did you bring home this time?” Mitch asked and glanced at them, and then turned to move the fish before it stuck to the pan.

  Billy came in, gathered dishes from the dishwasher and then rushed off to set the table. Janet came in drying her hands. “You two better get cleaned up here, diner is almost ready,” she warned. She paused to look at the pale Vanessa. “What’s wrong?” Mitch turned to regard them.

  “We were hunting and just bagged a giraffe when this THING came out after us,” Vanessa said, shaking. Janet rested her hands on her shoulder.

  “It was huge, like a boar, bristled and dark, but with a hump and great big tusks,” Phyllis continued the story.

  Mitch handed her a beer and then another to Vanessa. Vanessa’s eyes were lost. “I thought we were toast, I mean, it just grunted and the next thing we knew it was charging...” She began to shake again. Janet took her into her arms.

  “So you killed it?” Mitch asked, and then turned to move the fillet around to keep it from burning. He turned the temperature down as Phyllis cleared her throat.

  “No. We didn’t, something else did,” the Sergeant said quietly. He turned and looked at her drawn face. “It was half way across the clearing charging us when this tree suddenly moved and slammed the beast to the ground,” she said and then shivered. “The thing that was charging us was screaming and squealing like a pig.” Janet nodded.

  “Then the arm came up with the beast in its claw and just squeezed...cut it in half,” Phyllis said, gulping. She shuddered again.

  Hanna came in, noted the taboo. “What did I miss?” She looked from Janet to the shaken Vanessa, trying to hide hurt and jealousy.

  “Phyllis and Vanessa had a close call hunting,” Mitch filled in quickly. Hanna paled, and rushed to her lover.

  “The tree thing... It was the damnedest thing when it moved,” Phyllis took a long pull of the beer. “It had black eyes, I did catch that. We got the hell out of there fast though.”

  Mitch nodded. “I am glad neither of you were hurt.” Natali looked from one woman to the other.

  “Come on dear, let’s get them cleaned up,” Janet said, easing Vanessa up, and guiding her out with Hanna.

  “What do you think it was?” Phyllis asked softly, eyes dark.

  “The first thing that attacked you may have been a relative of the boar. Ancient ones were pretty nasty customers,” Mitch replied thoughtfully. He flipped the fish down onto the serving tray. “Order up!” he called to the dining room. Billy came running in, grabbed the tray and rushed off. “The other thing...” He looked in her eye. “Your guess is as good as mine.”

  She sighed. “I was afraid you would say that. We didn’t see it, not until it attacked. It looked like a funky tree, bark and all.”

  He nodded. “Some ambush predators have great camouflage,” he replied while cleaning the stove. “You may want to steer clear of the deep woods, maybe hit the grasslands for a while,” he commented. Phyllis nodded and set the empty beer down on the counter, then went to get cleaned up.

  Serana called to complain about spider rats in the grain. She quizzed Maggie about the problem. Janet suggested a simple old farm idea. “Put grain in the bottom of an empty barrel. Leave the barrel out where they can get to it easily. Prop a plank or log up so they can climb in and out. After they start visiting and bring all their friends, remove the inside plank and fill the barrel with water. Then sprinkle the top of the water with grain and bran.”

  She waited a moment for Serana to digest the idea. “Jambo, I like it,” she replied suddenly with a grin in her voice. Janet smiled ferally.

  Maggie took the mike. “Just to be on
the safe side I will send over half a dozen cats and a handful of dogs on the next convoy.” Serana gratefully acknowledged the gift.

  “Victoria secrets it isn’t but I think it will do.” Anne held up the latest bra design from Selma.

  “Ohh, I like!” Janet shucked her shirt and wrap. “Gimmey gimmey!” Anne playfully kept it away, and then tossed it to her when Doc came up behind her.

  “I was wondering, I don’t think any of the girls caught him all winter,” Anne said thoughtfully, wiping her hands.

  “I thought you said no man can resist a woman’s charms?” Doc teased.

  Janet shrugged. “You have to catch him in a room alone long enough to weave a spell,” she said, testing the bra. Doc nodded in wry amusement over that observation.

  “Vanessa was more interested in tying herself to him for power,” Janet wrinkled her nose. “Luckily, Hanna put the kyboshes to that.”

  Anne chuckled. “Vanessa didn’t even see it coming,” she said with a smirk. “Some huntress.” Janet giggled a little.

  “Why didn’t you two hook up with him?” Doc looked from one lady to the other.

  “I guess you could say we have both been in mourning for our husbands dear,” Anne replied, smoothing her dress as Janet modeled the bra, tweaking the fit a little.

  “Oh.”

  “It is like riding a horse dear, you just have to get back up in the saddle,” Janet added. “Practice made perfect,” she grinned mischievously.

  “Gee thanks a lot,” Doc replied dryly.

  The scorpions killed a goat in the night; Maggie found the horrifying mess during her feeding rounds. The fur rippled, and then hundreds of baby scorpions come out from under the hide, sending her screaming in fear, startling many animals into bawling fits. The scent of blood made the situation worse; several animals injured themselves in their stalls. Doc and the vet sprayed the corpse, kill as many of the things as possible, but a few got away.

  “From the looked of these things, they only kill large animals when they have an egg sack on their back ready to hatch. Then they pop in, eat their fill, drop the sack and leave,” Maggie said, clutching Billy.

  Mitch nodded. “We will have to do another fumigation,” he growled firmly.

  She nodded. “Maybe we should relocate some of the armadillo’s to the barn?” she suggested.

  He nodded. “Might be a good idea.” Maggie gave Billy a pat on the rump and told him to round a few up for her. He gave a theatrical squall and rushed off.

  “Keep a few in the sleeping areas too,” Maggie shivered.

  Mid spring the greenhouses had another harvest; this prompted a major effort in canning and food production to process the food into something that wouldn't spoil immediately. The communications team worked with their counterparts in the villages, striking a deal for needed material. Mitch headed out to the iron village first with a shipment of wood, animals, food, clothes, and basic tools.

  The trip was difficult and time consuming; several detours make them late and annoy Mitch, who vowed to grade a road when the storm season ended. Brian laughingly agreed as they hit a pot hole. Almost to the mine a thunderstorm hit, washing out the creek, make them detour to higher ground. When they arrived at the village they were gritty and sore. Mike took a look over and nodded to the camper for them to get cleaned up.

  Mitch looked things over, noting that Mike and his team had not been idle, first setting up a palisade and moat for defense, then buildings inside, each built off the ground. Many used the interior walls of the palisade as their fourth wall. A more permanent stone wall structure was in the works, with piles of rocks, sand, gravel, and clay nearby. They had dinner together; the African domestic manager kept her cooing baby on her hip, jouncing her once and a while. Janet had tagged along, they trade recipes and tips. Paul had overseen the transfer of the animals to the stables. He dropped in for a quick bite just before dark.

  The next morning they loaded up with the iron load and headed off. The heavy iron ingots managed to get them stuck a few times; judicious usage of branches under stuck wheels got them loose. A flat tire stalled them a short time later. While outside re-inflating it a predator in the bushes put them on alert, but Mitch tossed a firecracker into the bush and its loud string of pops chased the snarling animal away.

  The return trip took nearly twice as long as the one coming out, by the time they arrived Mitch’s jaw was set with firm annoyance. Janet and Paul kept a low profile and tried to keep things moving as fast as possible. “Unacceptable,” Mitch muttered over and over.

  “You have to get used to it, it isn’t like we have a freeway,” Doc commented in exasperation when they got home, gushing out air and waving them to the showers. He nodded.

  The next day he took Paul, Jolie, and a small crew of volunteer teens out with the grader, spreader, dump trucks, and other gear at dawn and they began grading a road. Vance was annoyed at losing half his gear and crew. It was trial and error; none have ever done work like that before. The road out was crude, but filled in many of the potholes in the path to the north. They only manage a few hundred meters, but it was progress. They managed to do this for two more days, increasing the efficiency before a rain storm forces them indoors.

  Swearing at the rain, Mitch had his crew stand down while he worked on maintenance issues that had cropped up in his absence.

  When the storm cleared Angie and Jacklynn took the bush plane out to the copper village with a small load of trade goods. They came back with two hundred pounds of raw copper, along with Sam, a road crew member. He took charge of the road crew, while Mitch and girls sighed in relief and got back to other delayed projects.

  A month later the rough road to the iron village was completed. More dirt road than gravel, but smooth enough for easier travel. Sam wistfully wished they could tar it, but without oil to make tar asphalt it will have to wait. Although they had a supply of concrete and cement, both were needed for the walls. His crew stood down for a short party while he took leave in the copper village (courteously of Jacklynn flying the bush plane for a trip) and then returned to get the next leg to the Copper village under way.

  Mitch took the road crew and trade goods out to the Copper village, stopping along the way to use the gravel they brought along with the bobcat to smooth areas for easier travel. They arrived just as the bush plane landed a week later. Doc came out with her med kit and was hustled off to a hut.

  Mitch turned to Angie, who smiled and told them that one of the ladies was in labor. Nodding he turned his attention to Jack, the village leader. Jack was the quintessential woodsman, wearing worn jeans, red flannel and suspenders. His boots were a bit worn and torn.

  Jack was enthused about the wind generators, along with the load of lumber, animals, and food Mitch's crew had brought along. He whistled up a stand by team who began to unload everything by hand until they heard a motor and spotted the forklift and bobcat unhook from the back of the trucks and then turned to work. They quickly got to work unwrapping the tie downs and stowing them.

  One of the men noted a pallet with TP. Asking what it was, he cheered at the answer, making some grin and tease him. He instantly turned beat red. Jack laughing told the convoy group that, “Gary here had an unfortunate run in with poison ivy while needing a wipe in the bush.” Everyone laughed at this. Gary looked steamed and then chagrined.

  Helen snickered that he needed some quality time with Natali and the calamine lotion. He shrugged off the good natured laughter and ribbing. Mitch patted him on the shoulder and told him that they aren’t laughing at him, just the situation. His unfortunate incident while painful will let others know to be more wary of what they use in the bush. Some nearby snickered a little more at that.

  Mitch took in the scene, smiled as Jack watched him. “It reminds me of something between a castle and something from the Mad Max movies,” Mitch observed. Jack looked a bit defensive. Mitch held up his hands. “No offense, you're doing wonders here. I just had a bit bigger budget to s
hop for before we came.” Jack scuffed his feet. They passed through the patched gates, made of sheets of metal and plywood Mitch observed. Inside Mitch took on the complex. The three mobile homes were now pushed back. Massive buildings, some of stone, others of crude cute logged hug the exterior earthen and wooden palisade.

  The largest building was made of stone. The roofs were crude patched affairs, only one seemed to have shingles. Some of the buildings have stone fireplaces; others had holes cut in the roofs for smoke to exit. He nodded in approval. Jack gave him a searching look and then pointed to an open faced building nearby. “That is John’s black smithy. It seems I wasn’t the only one who a bit about castles and medieval architecture.”

  A giant black man, towering like a mountain stepped out of the shade, wrapped in a leather apron. He waved, did a stretch to work his back and shoulders and then returned to his work. Sparks could be seen as each hammer blow rained down on the glowing ingots. “The charcoal is a pain to make, but John did a stint at a Renn fair a few years back and was taught how to make it. Bitch to cut the hardwood down though when we ran out of fuel.”

  Mitch smiled “Well, we don’t have gas, but we do have electric chain saws, and if all else fails hatchets and axes. Mike’s iron works are churning out some pretty good iron now.” Jack nodded. “I noticed the piles outside; I take it you're sorting the gear that came with you?” Mitch asked.

  “Yeah, I have a few plumbers that would like to run pipe, but without a clean source of water inside the perimeter we are SOL for now,” Jack replied. Mitch nodded. “We got all the food, blankets and snivel gear we could, the rest is furniture, keepsakes, and odds and ends. Even some vehicles, we siphoned the fuel for the chain saws till they ran dry,” Jack sighed.

  Helen offered them a meal, while Sam took the bobcat out to the gravel pit with a dump truck to work on the road. Jack asked how the vehicles could be powered, Mitch smiled.