Ghost Station (The Wandering Engineer) (104 page)

There
were other shops opening up, a barber, nail salon, massage parlor, also a
butcher shop and a grocery store. The butcher shop and grocery were
adjoining... a heated discussion between the would be proprietors a week ago
led to each of them knocking holes in the wall... security being called... and
then security hastily left while laughing uproariously when the owners passion
had overflowed into the bedroom. Now the two were the first couple to get
married and were quickly joining their businesses together. Hopefully things
wouldn't run the same course when the baker opened up next week.

Kennet
was incensed to find that someone had imported real beef onto the station. He
made his protests during the grand opening of the pizza parlor. He was the self
appointed representative of the cybers and station council sent to attend the
opening.

He
was unhappy about the admiral's presence. Irons was oblivious to the dark looks
Kennet shot at him whenever his back was turned.

Since
it is a grand opening it was attended by a great deal of the off duty station
personnel. So many people came to try the food that Bertoli was quickly
overwhelmed. His butler bots and staff do their best to serve patrons who lined
up outside while he sent his bus boy with enough credits to clean out the
butcher's shop and the grocer's flour stocks.

Of
course Kennet had been on his best behavior with so many witnesses at first.
That was until he found out about the meat toppings and cheese. Irons missed
the first bit of the rant that followed that particular unpleasant discovery
but when Kennet started accusing the butcher, pizza chef, and the baker of
importing controlled substances he has to take a hand.

“Not
everyone is a vegetarian,” Irons said as Kennet glared at the group. Savo was on
hand, he didn't care for the cybers attitude. He made a show of sticking his
tongue out as he opened his mouth wide to take in a big slice of pizza. He
didn't know or care what the big deal was. He preferred chicken over kielbasa
or pepperoni. The stuffed shirt was just lucky he was a ghost. If he'd been
solid more than one person in the restaurant would gladly clean his clock or
show him the nearest airlock.

“They
are barbarians then,” Kennet said with a disgusted sniff. “Eating meat is bad
for your health.”

Savo
burped. He grunted at Kennet's glare. “Excuse me,” he said. Petunia hid a smile
of approval behind her napkin as she daintily blotted at her face. She couldn't
encourage the old fart. He was enough of a handful as he was already. Fart...
oh goddess of space, she thought. She'd better get him out in an hour or he'd
clear the room all on his own.

Sprite
rolled her eyes on the admiral's HUD. She didn't know what the big deal was
over food. The admiral wasn't picky, he usually ate something simple but
occasions like this one brought out the more social aspect of his feeding. She
had delved into his taste buds a few times and tried to parse it out but so far
she still didn't understand it.

Irons
didn't see the harm. He also did see that Kennet was making an ass of himself.
He wondered if the guy even realized that he was bitching about meat yet he and
the council had imported predators as the security force centuries ago? The
comparison probably hadn't occurred to him.

“Actually,
an extremist is a barbarian. They close their minds and hearts to new things. I
prefer the middle ground,” the admiral said, picking up a slice before Savo
snagged it. Petunia smirked at her husband's look of disgust and annoyance at
being beaten to it.

“There's
more if you want it,” Bertoli said, wiping his hands nervously on his apron. He
wasn't so sure about his supplies now but that was a proforma statement. He
used a rag to wipe the counter in front of him. He had a dozen pies going and
another dozen ready to go. At this rate he was going to run out of flour just
today!

“It's
good Mr. Bertoli,” Petunia said, leaning around the admiral to assure the
nervous looking chef. “I think we may want to try another though, this time
with a mix of veggies and meat if you don't mind.”

“Sure,”
Bertoli said with a nod. He rushed off to the kitchen.

“Being
an omnivore has its advantages,” the admiral said with a smile to Savo and his
wife. “It lets us keep the middle ground, remain adaptable and open to new
things. It means you can enjoy both sides of the discussion without committing
to either fully. Or you can commit to one side or another for a brief time and
then switch.”

“True,”
Savo admitted. He wasn't a big fan of eating his veggies but he knew Petunia
loved the occasional salad. He did like to eat apples. He tapped his chest with
his fist. “Going to have heartburn I just know it,” he mumbled as he rubbed his
chest.

“Then
stop,” his wife said, giving him a gimlet eye. He shrugged and picked up his
stein. He took a swig and wiped his mouth smiling a tight lipped smile her way.
She looked away and rolled her eyes.

“Don't
say I didn't tell you so,” she muttered darkly.

“The
mark of true culture and civilization is a vegetarian,” Kennet said with an
upturned nose.

“Really?
Hitler was a vegetarian. I could name quite a few other despots and tyrants
that were vegetarians,” Irons said with a smile. Kennet was in over his head.

Kennet
glared at him. “A minor aberration,” he said with a sniff.

“Possible.
I'm not much of a fanatic so I wouldn't know. Like I said, I prefer to let
people live their lives with minimum interruption and interference as long as
they obey the law. They have enough on their minds,” the admiral said.

“Here
here,” Savo said, saluting him with his stein. Petunia and those around them
did as well. People sitting around them who had been listening to the exchange
saluted as well.

“Well,
he will not be receiving any more contraband,” Kennet said with a sniff. “So
enjoy your meat while you can,” he growled.

“Actually,
they can get meat anytime they want. If the council has a problem with the way
people live their lives or feed themselves then they are going to open up a can
of worms they will
not
enjoy. You can tell Fu that for me too,” Irons
said meeting Kennet's eyes with his own. He bit down into his pizza and then
made a show of enjoyment.

“We'll
see about that,” Kennet snarled. He glared at the group and then vanished. The
moment he was gone Savo started clapping. Petunia set her pizza down and soon
her and others joined in. Irons waved off Savo's hand as the big chimp tried to
get him to stand and bow.

“Let's
enjoy the pizza before it gets cold and the beer gets too warm folks,” he
demurred. That got a laugh.

Kennet
couldn't let it stand at that however. The next shipment of food for the
pizzeria was denied entry at the port the following day. Bertoli protested but
his protests were ignored. The meat and cheeses languished on the dock for an
hour before Kiev took them back on in an effort to keep them from going bad.

“I
don't understand it! I just don't understand it!” Bert said, pacing.

“It's
Kennet. He can be an ass,” Savo growled. He'd been called in to handle the
pizza chef when he'd gotten upset. For once he didn't like his job.

“Can
you do anything? Or the admiral?” Bert asked, raw appeal written all over his
face.

Savo
scowled, trying to think of something, anything he could do. Derrango would
look the other way most likely. The will of the people and all that. But
Derrango answered to the council. “I can call Irons... I don't know if he can
do anything,” Savo muttered. He put the call in. Together they explained the
situation to Sprite and then waited as she contacted the admiral.

“This
is Irons,” he said after a minute of waiting.

“Admiral,
thank the spirits of space. We need your help,” Bertoli said desperately. He
quickly sketched out the situation once more.

When
he was done the admiral sighed. Savo knew that wasn't a good sign.
“Unfortunately there isn't a whole lot I can do Mr. Bertoli, the station
council has tied my hands. Have you considered taking your protest to the
council?”

Bertoli
nodded. “I have. It's been tabled for the end of the week.”

“The
end of the week?” Irons grunted. Kiev was due to leave at the end of the shift.

“I
need that material now to stay in business!” Bertoli said, totally lost. “If
this keeps up I'll close!”

“You
may have to,” Savo said scowling.

“I'd
rather you didn't but that's up to you,” Irons said. “My suggestion? Talk to
the other businesses and see if they are running into the same problems. Form
a.... form a better business bureau and a chamber of commerce to protect your
rights. Talk to them about what you should do.”

“I'll
do that.”

“A
unified front might change things quickly. Working on your own won't,” Irons
said. He wasn't so sure.

“Thank
you admiral,” Bertoli responded. It wasn't much but it was a start. The butcher
was nearby, also furious about the situation. He'd grab him and have a talk
now. “I'm sorry to bother you with this. It must seem trivial with everything
else you are dealing with.”

“Think
nothing of it Mr. Bertoli; honestly I love your restaurant. You are a great
cook and losing you would be a detriment to the station. Hopefully wiser heads
will prevail. Good luck,” Irons said.

“Thank
you,” Mr. Bertoli murmured.

Mr.
Bertoli took him at his word, immediately grabbing the butcher and together
visiting the other businesses. Most were incensed over the interference. The
butcher has also been blocked and he had brought his protests to his newlywed
wife. They spent a few minutes grimly discussing their options in the back room
of the grocery store where others couldn't hear them before agreeing on a
protest.

The
next morning the morning patrons found that the businesses they had come to
visit were all closed in protest. Signs, big and bold proclaimed why. The
coffee shop was a favorite, people came for the gourmet coffee and donuts but
found only a locked door and big sign. Mr. Bertoli's stated rather plainly that
he was closed down and will be closed for good. He could be seen packing his
things through the shop's window.

The
media received word of the protest and brought it up to the general public.
People began to pause in whatever they were doing as word spread throughout the
station. Suddenly people were walking off the job or calling in sick.

When
word reached the station council Kennet was furious. Fu however was as calm as
ever. “What did you expect?” he asked. He blamed Kennet's bungling and the
people of this time period. They were obviously uncultured buffoons.

“You
projected,” Sid snarled. This was playing merry hell with his manning tables.
He had holes all over the station, watch bills were mixed up, and work had
slowed to a crawl. If it continued for more than one shift it would be a
disaster. “You projected your beliefs on others and this is the consequence.”

“He
followed his belief. Our belief,” Fu replied.

“Not
mine
. I happen to enjoy a good steak. Or did,” Sid growled. The Stewards
nodded in agreement. “You can't force people to change to your culture and beliefs
because you want them to. If you try to use force then you are asking for
trouble. Slap them in the face and they slap back. Bertoli isn't the only one
shutting down. Em and I have been trying to put out the fires your idiocy
started. Half the station is now up in revolt over this stupidity.”

Kennet
sulked. “It's Irons. It's all his fault. He interfered. Again,” Kennet seethed.

Emily
glared at him. “You started it. At least Irons has kept it civil. So far no one
has been hurt. Financially yes. But not physically,” Emily said.

“How
do you know Irons was involved?” Sid asked, turning to Kennet.

“He
said...” Kennet started to talk but Fu waved an imperious hand to be silent.

“He
said what?” Sid asked, suddenly curious.

“It
doesn't matter. What is done is done. We cannot change the past we must move
forward,” Fu said and then stroked his beard.

“We
have to learn from the past Yan!” it was Sid's turn to seethe. “Which you
aren't doing of course. Blame Irons. Why?”

“He
told Bertoli to protest. To get with the others,” Kennet replied with some
heat. “The man is a menace!” Yan Fu turned a glare on his pupil.

“This
from the man who started this mess because he is a vegan?” Sid replied in
disgust. “I bet it was a private conversation you eavesdropped in,” he suddenly
realized.

“There
is no cause why I shouldn't,” Kennet replied, eyes snapping. “I was doing as I
should.” He squirmed uncomfortably under Sid's basilisk eyes.

“Really,”
Sid said in disgust. “Meddling in affairs that didn't concern you, breaking how
many privacy laws?” He glanced at D'red. D'red clicked his mandibles and
shifted uncomfortably.

“I
was only doing as I was told...” Kennet said before Fu grunted. He shut up
then, shooting Fu an apologetic look.