Kobayashi Maru - Michael A. Martin [44]
“I dont know about that, Juan said. Paul quietly watched as the junior engineer looked askance at Noras handling of the spanner, as though expecting it to come flying out at any moment, like Excalibur suddenly freed from the stone. “Sure, they seemed a bit imitative, but that probably just reflects their method of absorbing new languages.
Nora grimaced as she put more of her weight into the task of trying to extract the spanner from where it had become lodged. “Maybe, she said. “Maybe not. It might be fun to come back here in twenty years, she said, pausing momentarily to grunt with another burst of futile effort to extract the spanner, “to see if theyve started trying to build their own J-type interstellar freighters.
Rianna folded her arms and shook her head skeptically. “Theyre still trying to get a handle on steam technology, Nora. I wouldnt expect them to get anything off the ground for at least another hundred years or so.
“Probably true, Juan said, his dark eyes still riveted to Noras trapped spanner. “Careful with that thing, Nora, he said, his expression showing vicarious pain for the abused tool. “Youre gonna break it if youre not careful.
“Helping is good, Juan, Nora said, scowling slightly as she continued fruitlessly coaxing the stubborn instrument. Her tongue was sticking out of the corner of her mouth as she worked. “Kibitzing, not so much.
Juan shrugged and looked toward Paul and Rianna, perhaps to avert his eyes from Noras flagrant abuse of the innocent spanner. “Anyhow, the natives really didnt seem nearly as interested in that sort of thing as they were in the cultural stuff, anyway.
Paul couldnt help but agree with Juan, though he thought that Nora definitely had a point as well. In fact, he had already characterized the natives as very bright and imitative people in the log he had recorded for later transmission to Earth Cargo Service Central. Even in the merchant service, which arguably made more of an imprint on the galactic neighborhood than did Starfleet, detailed reports about all first contact situations were a regulation-required necessity. It made no sense to allow the next Earth ship that happened by this world to rediscover these people purely by accident.
“Im still just happy that they seemed so eager to help out a bunch of stranded strangers, Paul said. Had the Horizon been forced down in more hostile surroundings, the outcome of their just-concluded adventure might have turned out far less happily.
“Dont forget that they expected to be paid for the stuff we needed, said Rianna, her gaze locked on her younger sons. “I think their cultural leanings saved our asses at least as much as their sense of altruism. Were just damned lucky they were willing to accept some of the stuff we were carrying in the hold. What exactly did you give them, anyway?
Paul chuckled quietly. “A few of the vintage amusement items from Earth that I was hoping would pay most of the bills during that stopover we have coming up at Denobula Triaxa.
Riannas eyes narrowed. “Which vintage amusement items are you talking about? she asked in a voice that seemed to lower the ambient temperature by at least a good two degrees Celsius. Paul could only hope that he hadnt accidentally traded away any of Moms favorite nifties in his haste to acquire the materials the crew needed to get the Horizon back under way.
He concentrated for a moment, staring off at a bulkhead as he assembled a brief mental inventory. “Analog music recordings pressed on vinyl disks, he said sheepishly. “Along with a couple of old hand-cranked players. Some flatvid movies recorded on celluloid, and a projector. A mechanical arcade game I think they used to call a pinball machine. Oh, and a couple of boxes of books.
Her eyes narrowed further still. “ Which books? she said, her tone evoking childhood memories of the moments immediately preceding the occasional “time outs hed had to spend alone in one of the empty cargo holds.
Wait a minute