Have some more. Got plenty of it... though I may need to start filling in some of the gaps I've left before I post more...
When I woke up,
Washu was there.
“Good morning
sleepyhead,” she chirped cheerfully. There was something odd about
the words coming out of her mouth, but I couldn't quite place my
finger on it.
“Mornin'
Washu-chan,” I muttered as I began to stretch out my oh-so-sore
muscles. My cat, Renee, began meowing intently right by my head.
With a grumble of, “get over here you big lug,” I pulled the
hefty feline – a solid twenty-five pounds of which only a slight
minority was fat – up onto my chest and gave him the attention he
wanted. “Any chance I can get an anti-inflamatory? Like some
Ibuprofen? Not sure what the Japanese name for it is.”
Washu chuckled.
“Oh, no worries Garrick. I know exactly what you mean.”
I blinked at that.
“You're speaking Japanese.”
“Yup!” said
Washu happily.
“And evidently so
am I.”
“You got it.”
“You did
something to my language centers while I was out.”
“You're on a roll
now.”
“... What else
did you do?”
“Not much else,
really,” said Washu.
“Washu-chan. I
don't know if you ever took the Hippocratic oath, but I am your
patient, and this patient has some very serious questions he'd like
answered.”
Washu huffed. “Oh,
fine. Spoilsport. Basically, I fixed a few things that could become
serious problems for you later on. Stuff like Alzheimer’s Disease,
Cancer, Diabetes and one of the mildest cases of Dyslexia I've ever
seen.”
I raised an
eyebrow. “You didn't fix anything else?”
“There was a
couple of other things I wanted to fix, but I thought better of it.”
“These things
being?”
“An odd
combination of ADD and Asperger's Syndrome. That's kinda weird –
you're capable of being distracted real easily when your bored, but
you can also hyper-focus to the point of starvation. Being you must
be painful sometimes.”
I snorted. “C'mon.
You're Washu Hakubi, intergalactically renowned supergenius. Surely
a defect in brain chemistry isn't that exciting for you?”
Washu sniffed
disdainfully. “It's one thing to read about it. It's another to
observe for yourself and draw your own conclusions. Besides, we
never really got to discussing how you seem to be so knowledgeable.”
“Oh yeah. Sorry
about that tangent back there. If you thought that one was bad, you
should have seen my brothers and I on a good night – one of us
would start a debate over some matter, and the towards the end of the
night we can't even remember what we started out on.”
Washu laughed.
“Yes, nice try just now, too. Now spill it.”
I shrugged. “I'm
a dimensional displacee through some means not of my knowledge or
power. In my home universe, someone created an animated short-run TV
series called Tenchi Muyo which chronicals the misadventures of a
young manned named Tenchi Masaki who has unwittingly gained the
attention and affections of five powerful women... Six now, if you
include Ryo-Ohki.”
Washu raised an
eyebrow. “Pretty smooth delivery there. How long have you been
working on it?”
“Honestly, I'm
kinda surprised myself. Are you sure you haven't fiddled around with
anything else in my brain?”
“I assure you I
haven't. Anyhow, if it weren't for you being plugged into all my
medical diagnostic equipment I'd say you're lying to me. But you're
not. And even if you could fake that somehow, I have other methods.
But you can't, so I won't resort to it.”
“So, what happens
now?” I asked.
“Good question.
We don't exactly have room for you here unless you started living up
in the shrine. Pretty sure old man Yosho's got a few extra rooms
there.”
“Sure, have me
just stay put. I'm pretty sure I can pull my own weight around here
by fixing the tractor whenever it breaks down. Oh wait, there's no
tractor.”
“Quit being so
passive aggressive. Really, what did you have going for yourself
back home?”
I sighed. “I was
taking an aerospace engineering program at a prestigious university
back in the USA. But my mother wound up passing away and I lost my
job, which killed my tuition, which killed my education, so I had to
start over again.”
“Surely you could
have transferred your credits over to another school,” said Washu.
“Sure, but the
last semester is shot – I've lost those credits. And then there's
the whole new-school bit that I wasn't looking forward to – you
know, adjusting to the new staff, new curriculum, new schedules and
new settings... It's all just a real punch to the gut after
everything else I've been through – you know the drama, who gets
the family bible and whatnot. I just count myself lucky since
everything I own is in my truck.” I suddenly had a horrifying
thought and asked, “My stuff is still intact, isn't it?”
Washu p-shawed.
“Of course it is. I just shifted it all here into the lab so it'd
be safe.”
I breathed a sigh
of relief at that. “Thanks, you have no idea how much that means
to me. Some of the stuff in there... it just cannot be replaced. I
mean... computers and electronics, sure. No problem... but a picture
of me with my sister and all my cousins when we were little, sitting
with my grandparents...”
Washu smiled.
“Yeah, something like that you can't put a price on.”
“No, you can't.”
Washu sighed.
“Well, at any rate I know that Tenchi will be glad to have a truck
around here and someone to drive it.”
I snorted. “As
if I could take it out on the roads here.”
“You might be
surprised,” said Washu as she handed me my wallet. Perplexed, I
opened it up...
...And found a
Japanese driver's license. “WHAT.”
“We also found an
American passport with your visas all in order, a Japanese resident
alien card, and your truck has the proper plates and inspections.
Even your road tax is all paid-up.”
“Oh, c'mon! You
seriously mean that you didn't do all this?”
“Nope,” said
Washu artlessly. “Honest promise! I did not hack any government
systems and I did not make any false paperwork and/or IDs.”
“Well if you
didn't then who did?”
“Not anyone
here,” she said matter-of-factly. “I'd have noticed.”
“Well fuck.
Washu, we got a ROB.”
“A rob?” she
parroted.
I nodded. “A
Random Omnipotent Being.”
And now she
scowled. “So that's how it is then?”
I nodded. “That's
how it is.”
“... Garrick,
with your permission I would like to fit you with a device that will
let me track you where ever you are, even if you get sent to another
universe. I'll even give you a communication device so you'll have
some kind of life line in the event you do get transported again. Do
you agree?”
“No argument
here, Doc. I'll take every advantage I can get.”
Washu performed the
procedure with little fanfare. A simple injection was all it took.
As for the communication device, it came in the form of something
like my 5th generation iPod Nano on a wristband. The
coolest part about it was the tiny little dimensional pocket it had –
just big enough to carry the earpieces. I would never lose a headset
again.
The maraschino
cherry on top was that it was disguised as an iPod Nano... complete
with the music playback functions. It even worked with my iTunes
software, only I could put as much music as I wanted on there.
Sweet!
On the downside, my
iPhone was all but useless. The first generation iPods were just
debuting in this time period, so my iPhone working here was right
out.
As for my rooming
issues... Washu assured me that could be worked out. I'd hoped she
was serious on that matter.
What happened next
was like a scene straight out of a manga.
“Okay everyone!”
said Washu cheerfully. “As you all know we have a new visitor that
will be staying with us for a while. Now, I know that when he first
arrived it gave everyone quite a scare, but thanks to my superior
medical technology, he's as good as new. So, I would like you all to
meet Garrick Grimm.”
I mentally shrugged
and then bowed to the company of the Tenchi Household seated at the
table before me.
“A pleasure to
make your acquaintance. Please take good care of me.”
“Great!”
chirped Washu. “Now, does anyone have any questions for our
visitor?”
“What can you do
around the house?” asked Ayeka.
I shrugged.
“Pretty much anything. Being the oldest out of all but one among
my generation in my family, I had to learn how to do a myriad of
tasks. I do dishes, laundry, windows, carpets, hard wood, bedding,
cooking (as long as I have a recipe to go by), and I can even balance
the check book and the budget. I can also fix things. I can replace
windows and doors, patch walls, paint, hang pictures, as well as
repair, replace, and even install electrical and plumbing fixtures.
My technical skills are not to be overlooked, either. I can
troubleshoot and repair computers (of Earth origin), or even build
one out of parts, with your choice of Apple, Windows, or Linux
operating systems (sometimes even combinations of any). I can even
set up home theater systems. I'm also a shadetree mechanic. I do
all my own maintenance on my pickup truck from oil changes and tire
rotation all the way down to engine overhauls and transmission
rebuilds. I have also been military trained as a maintenance
technician, munitions handler, hazardous materials manager,
firefighter, security sentry, and safety watch. And yes, I know how
to use a gun, and I'm not too shabby at it.
“Oh, and I know
first aid for trauma, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and the Heimlich
Maneuver.”
Everyone blinked at
me.
“Okay, we're
keeping him,” said Ryoko.
“What kinds of
food do you like?” asked Sasami.
I grinned. “I
have been called a human garbage disposal in the past. While I may
not eat as much in one sitting as some might, I will pack away more
food over time than most. And I'll eat just about anything, as long
as it's not alive and is safe for human consumption. Although I will
say this: I hate wasabi and horseradish. Bleagh!”
“Oh! Thank you
for saying so. It shouldn't be a problem, Mr. Grimm.”
“So, where do you
come from Mr. Grimm?” asked Mihoshi.
“I'm from the
United States of America – on the northern continent east of the
Pacific Ocean.”
“Oh? An
American?” said Ayeka with interest. “I've heard about your
people. Is it true that you always get drunk and make a lot of
noise?”
I shrugged. “Some
do. A lot don't. I won't say the stereotype isn't deserved, but
many of us despise the people that earned it for us. Really, a lot
of us are as normal as can be. Our culture just differs because we
have no issues with looking people in the eye.”
“That's something
I've never really understood,” said Tenchi. “I mean no offense,
Mr. Grimm, but why do you your people do that?”
I shrugged. “For
us, it's sort of like acknowledging the other person. Of course, the
trick is not to stare... unless you want their attention. It's sort
of like knowing exactly how deep your bow should be.”
“So... it's like
greeting everyone you see?”
“Pretty much.
Granted, a lot less of it happens in the really busy cities, like New
York or Los Angeles. Another reason, though, is trust.”
“Trust? How so?”
asked Ayeka.
“Have you ever
noticed that someone that is hiding something from you has trouble
looking you in the eye?”
“Oh... why, yes!
I see what you mean, now. You confront people immediately to
determine if they're trustworthy. But even so, isn't that a bit
rude?”
I shook my head.
“It's a hold-over from our frontier days. If you came across
somebody back then you wanted to be sure they weren't going to pull
something on you because you could literally be hundreds of miles
from any sort of help. And, as you know, old habits die hard.
“But at any rate,
I think the most important things to keep in mind about us Americans
is that even though we can be ill-tempered and ill-mannered at times,
we tend to be fiercely loyal to our friends. We often put ourselves
into danger for each other. Sometimes we even do it for people we
don't even know.”
“Ahh... you
certainly seem to know how to use chopsticks,” said Mihoshi
nervously.
“Thanks. It took
me a while to get it just right. I've had a few years experience
just trying it on my own. Then I came to Japan while I was in the
Navy, and a girlfriend I had there taught me the proper way.”
“You had a
girlfriend?” remarked Sasami. “Here in Japan?”
I chuckled. “The
Japan of my world, yes. Though she might exist in this world as
well... but she'd probably be too young. In my world, she was five
years younger than me – it was okay because I was thirty and she
was twenty-five. But here? She'd be about fifteen, sixteen years
old. Very inappropriate, don't you think Sasami-chan?”
“Oh, but that's
so sad,” pouted the cyan-haired cook.
“It wouldn't work
out regardless,” I sighed. “At the time, I was more in love with
the ideal than with her.”
“What ideal?”
I sighed. “Oh, a
sweet and loving wife that does everything she can because she loves
you with all her heart. Someone with those Japanese eyes that are so
exotic by American standards. The grace and the beauty of the
Nadeshiko Yorishiku. Someone whose faith in their husband is backed
not just by their love, but by the cultural mores of a warrior
society. Someone that, once I ask for her honest and unabashed
opinion of me and how I do things, will give me a straight answer
even if it hurts me to hear it.
“It also doesn't
hurt that I saw geisha on an educational program when I was very
young... I thought they were the prettiest women I had ever seen.”
I smiled as I
noticed that Sasami had gone all googley-eyed. “Earth to Sasami.
Come in Space Cadet Masaki!”
Sasami blushed as
she came back to us and I laughed. “Don't worry, Sasami, it will
come to you eventually.” I then sighed. “You're all very lucky,
you know that?”
“What do you
mean?”
“If all of you
play your cards right... you won't have to have your hearts broken
over and over again like I have.”
“Speak for
yourself,” grumbled Washu.
“Yeah, well the
light at the end of your tunnel isn't an express train this time
around.” Washu snickered and shook her head. “Look... Tenchi,
I don't know what Washu has told you guys, but I'm literally someone
who's been on the outside looking in. Don't bother asking why or how
– it's too complicated to explain and it will only give you guys
migraines. But I know that you've got room in your heart for all
these wonderful girls. You just need the time it takes to realize
that love. Though in the meantime, I'd highly suggest you make a
trip to Jurai at some point in time here and see if one of those
trees in the Royal Nursery doesn't take a shine to you. Because at
the rate you're going you're gonna look as old as your grandfather
before it finally hits you.”
You could hear a
pin drop in that place. I simply polished off the last of my rice,
leaving a clean bowl on my place setting.
“Thank you kindly
for the delicious meal. If you folks would be so kind as to excuse
me, I'm going to go for a run – been laying around in a bed for too
damn long.”
The hills that
surrounded Tenchi's home were anything but an urban landscape... but
that meant nothing to a free-runner.
Known also as
Parkour, free-running is a fun, fast-paced sort of running that
focuses entirely on getting from point-A to point-B in as much of a
straight line as possible, no matter what obstacle is in your way.
It was also very
physically demanding – an energy intensive workout that taxed every
part of the body. For someone whose favorite parts about childhood
was climbing trees, this was ideal.
I had only been
doing it for about a year an a half. I was... decent. I'm not as
flashy as some of the people you might see on youtube... but what I
lacked in flair I more than made up for in speed. I usually would go
by so quickly that the only response elicited was a fervent WTF.
The grounds of the
Masaki estate and shrine were beautiful beyond compare. The only
thing I had in my memories that came close was the Olympic Rain
Forrest of Washington State.
Having my music
available to me just made it all the better.
After a few minutes
of not-too-much-fussing with my computer, the C-Pod, as I had taken
to calling it, now had my entire music library on it, fully arranged
as I had it on my computer. As I ran, jumped, and swung through the
woods, I enjoyed the sounds of one of my Movement playlists.
Was I bothered that
I was here?
A little bit.
But I had to admit,
I had gotten off pretty damn easily. I was at a point in my life
where I was completely free. Mother was gone, Father, and my
brothers barely talk between us, and so there were no more family
obligations. My job had been taken away from me and the school had
expelled me.
I was still
heartbroken, though. I still wanted to raise a family of my own, and
be able to introduce my children to the wonderful person that would
be their grandmother. And now... it seems that I'm forced to let it
all go completely.
I had no delusions
about the matter. I wasn't going to go back. This place would
change me on many levels; obvious, subtle, and profound all at the
same time. No one would recognize me... not that it mattered. Few
people ever did since I was always away.
Away from San
Antonio, the home that I had known as a child, doted on by my
grandparents, aunts, and uncles while I played with my cousins.
Away from my
brothers as they came into their own as adults and became their own
people.
Away from my only
sister as she had children of her own, went through her own trials by
fire, and came out of it a strong and independent woman.
But more
importantly... always alone.
I wasn't entirely
fine with that. Sure, I had my anti-social tendencies, especially as
a child. Anyone that wasn't family (and even then there was Mom and
then there was God) had no business telling me what to do.
But I knew after
long experience, being alone sucked. Sure, being out amongst the
people in the city was nice. It gave a false sense of not really
being alone. But I would take having a few close friends over that
any day of the week. In fact, the best times of my life were spent
that way – a few close friends, going out, exploring the lesser
known hidden corners of civilization.
But could I have
that same experience here?
Somehow, during my
cool-down walk, I had found may way to the little island in the lake
where Yosho's Tree, Funaho, had taken root. Knowing that she
wouldn't mind, I jumped and began to shimmy my way up into the boughs
of the great tree. It was Autumn here and the crisp, cool air was
rapidly pulling the sweat off my body. I decided to lean against a
comfortable branch and wait until I dried out completely before going
back inside. I wouldn't smell as bad that way.
“Point in your
favor: Funaho seems to like you.”
I looked down to
the ground and saw Washu standing below, look up at me with a grin.
It suddenly struck me exactly just how much like an impish little
girl Washu really seemed like. The anime and manga simply did not do
her justice.
I grinned back at
her. “She is a magnificent tree. I wish there had been more like
her when I was growing up. In Texas we had mostly Pecan trees, but
they were all big seventy-footers. The lowest branches were two
stories off the ground. And in Washington State we had Redwood
Pines. No climbing those suckers without special equipment – I was
definitely too small for lineman's boots.”
“Be interesting
to see, I bet,” replied the little scientist.
“Oh, I bet. I
would have jumped at the chance, too.” I looked down again and
smiled at Washu. “You know what I always loved about you whenever
I read the Manga or watched the TV series?”
“Do tell.”
“20,000 years
old, and you still cling to that wonderfully child-like spirit...
even if it is every bit as mischievous as I used to be.”
“Aw, geeze,
you're gonna make an old woman blush.”
I laughed. “Sorry.
Just calling it as I see it. So, how badly did I shake everyone
up?”
“It was food for
thought for all of them,” Washu admitted. “Me as well. I just
hope that the rest of them don't get carried away.”
“Washu-chan, it's
a given. They'll go overboard with this just like everything else.”
The pink-haired
girl sighed. “Yeah, your right. But then it'd be pretty boring
regardless.”
“Even so, I think
it would be best if I helped Tenchi.”
“Oh? What do you
have in mind?”
“Well, it's
pretty obvious no one's ever taught him how to deal with womanly
attention. Kiyone passed away before she could teach him anything
about that sort of thing, and Noboyuki has been more than useless on
the matter.”
“And Yosho is
just plain useless,” added Washu.
I shrugged. “He
teaches Tenchi swordsmanship. That counts for something. But
evidence against him in that matter exists. He did, after all, run
from that perfectly wonderful little lady Ayeka.”
Washu snorted.
“I'd hardly go that far.”
“She's got a good
heart. Sasami would be a very different person if she didn't.”
“True,” Washu
allowed. “But then, Yosho simply didn't love her that way.”
“He did love
somebody. We wouldn't have Tenchi around if he didn't. Anyhow, he
could have given Tenchi advice at some point in time. Thus, ground
gained by teaching him swordplay is lost by his virtually destructive
inaction in neglecting Tenchi's education in the woman's heart. So,
yeah. Useless.”
“Agreed,”
chirped Washu. I could almost see Yosho doubling-over in pain
somewhere. “So, what does the love-doctor have in mind?”
I snorted. “Hardly
a love-doctor. Just advice for better interaction with the ladies.
And getting it through his head that it's fine to schedule dates for
each of them! Godsakes, it shouldn't be a competition, and one date
isn't going to seal the deal regardless.”
“Well, this is
all well and good for Tenchi, but what about you?”
“What about me?”
I asked, arching an eyebrow.
“Tenchi can't
have all the fun now. So what about you?”
I sighed, feeling
the heaviness in my gut once more. “I've been alone for a long
time, Washu-chan. I can stand to go a little bit longer. Besides,
bad things happen to those that poach on Lord Tenchi's turf. It's a
law of this universe.”
“Are you
serious?”
“Deadly.”
Washu snorted.
“Alright, fine then. But it's not like Tenchi is gonna get every
girl in the world.”
“Don't tempt
Murphey. He's a cold-hearted bastard. And no, I know better than
that. It's just...”
“Too soon?”
asked Washu.
“... Yeah. Too
soon. Too much hurting. If I get a girl's attention now it's going
to be like Sasami – poor Grimm-kun and all that.”
“M'yeah. That
pity thing really wouldn't sit well. Though it's cute coming from
Sasami.”
I smiled a little.
“Yeah. She's such a sweet heart. Tenchi had better watch out for
that one once she gets older. She's already got Ryoko and Ayeka
running scared.”
“Can't expect
anything less of her, after all she is... Well, you know about
Tsunami, right?”
“Yeah. There's
been a lot of conjecture about their relationship. A lot of people
think that she actually is Tsunami after that incident on Jyurai.”
“Pretty apt
description. Close enough, really. So, you gonna come down or do I
gotta send Ryoko in their after ya?”
“Now why would
you do that to poor Funaho here?” I teased back. “She doesn't
deserve that sort of treatment.”
“Just get down
here. I got something to show you!”
“Alright, Ahm
a-comin', Ahm a-comin',” I mock-grumbled as I swung myself out of
Funaho's boughs.
Washu led me back
to the house, up the stairs, and to a door that didn't exist earlier.
“Is this what I
think it is?” I asked.
“Why don'tcha see
for yourself,” replied the tiny mad genius with a grin.
I leveled a
suspicious glare at her, but the look I was getting back was an
impish 'you're never gonna find out if you don't open that door
yourself' look. So, with an irritated sigh, I reached for the
doorknob and gave it a turn.
Oddly enough, the
C-pod pulsed on my wrist as the latch clicked, allowing the door to
glide open on silent hinges.
It was an empty
room.
Just that and
nothing more. The floor was bare concrete as were the walls and
ceiling.
“I thought it
would be more impressive than this,” I said absently.
“Honestly, I
could have pulled some kind of gag, but I figured you're not quite
ready for that yet.”
“Thanks for that.
So, pocket universe?”
“Yup.”
“Integral life
support and all that?”
“He's on a roll
again. What else?”
“Just how tough
did you make this door?” I asked.
“It's about as
strong as mine. Nothing short of Tsunami herself is getting through
it.”
“Ah. So I have a
place to hide from Ryoko and Ayeka... Mihoshi may be another issue
entirely.”
Washu groaned at
the reminder.
“You know, if you
figure out how Mitoto does it-”
Another groan.
I shrugged and went
on. “So, I take it there's a way to change up things in here?”
“Of course. Take
a look at the options on your C-pod.”
I raised an
eyebrow, but otherwise did as requested. Interestingly enough, there
was a new icon in the homescreen titled “C-Space”. I gave the
icon a tap and jumped when a holographic image of a cube with a white
rectangle centered on the bottom edge appeared, hovering right in
front of my face.
“Ahh! So you
like to peek and poke, too!” said Washu. “Wonderful! You'll
find that it's pretty intuitive, but all the same you should probably
read the manual.”
“What manual?”
I asked. Suddenly the hologram changed into an image of a
not-unreasonably sized book – it was about the same size and look
of a Haynes Automotive Manual, bore an image of my C-Pod beaming a
projection of an open door, and was titled “Washu-chan's C-Space
User's Manual”.
“Nice,” I said
emphatically as I took the manual in my hands and began to page
through it. “Full range tactile response – even feels like real
paper. You even included a feature to disguise it as something else
so as not to raise any suspicions. Clever.”
“Of course, of
course,” preened Washu. “Nothing is too clever for the greatest
genius in the galaxy!”
I looked down at
Washu and snorted, scruffling that pink head of hers.
“Hey!”
“Well, if you're
gonna wear the twelve-year-old body, then you get the twelve-year-old
treatment... Washu-chaaaannn.”
Washu could only
moan in a way that indicated that she was stuck somewhere between
wanting to hurt me and wanting to glomp me.
I pretty much spent
the rest of the afternoon studying the manual. Part of me wanted the
get Scrappy unloaded so I could help Tenchi, but if I was going to do
that then I needed a place for everything to go. And that meant
learning how to reconfigure my space however I wanted or needed.
It turns out that
the C-Space was very flexible.
The maximum amount
of available space was... well, huge. To draw comparisons, I had
roughly the same amount of volume available to me as a Nimitz-class
aircraft carrier... rounded up to a suitably round figure, of course.
And of course, I could have it in whatever shape I wanted.
As for actually
forming the spaces, it was as simple as drawing them. I had a
virtual toolbox that allowed me to do a myriad of things such as make
walls, windows, doors, electrical outlets, plumbing fixtures, and so
on and so forth. I could even make additional doors and windows that
led to the outside, and there was also a huge assortment of preset
textures and colors.
And as I learned I
began to mess around with it. Right away, I set the ceiling to a
lofty fourteen foot clearance so I would at last have a room spacious
enough to accommodate my loft bed without my needing to hunch over in
the slightest.
A sleeping area is
supposed to be just that – a place of rest. And therefore, it
should be as such. No computers, no TVs, none of those distractions,
period. However, I did want it to remain a part of my space. Sure,
I could have partitioned the actual bedroom off in a separate room in
my C-Space, but that wouldn't work for me. The C-Space all on its
own provided me with all the privacy I could want. And I wanted
anyone that I invited in to feel the sense that I was not simply
inviting them into a different room of the house, but a place that
was without any doubt my home.
That said, I
decided to partition off the sleeping area with a heavy draw-curtain.
That way, when it was time for sleep I could draw the curtain and
shut out the distractions, but in my waking hours I could leave it
open and inviting.
After that, I
decided on a full-blown Japanese-style bath... but not the fixtures.
You see, I love the way the Japanese do things. You scrub down
first, rinse, and then have a nice long soak. For sanitary reasons,
the sink area and the toilet area all get their owns spaces –
usually adjacent but always separate. But fixtures.... My formative
years were spent in my grandfather's and great-grandfather's
houses... and they had the most wonderfully dated fixtures going as
far back as the 1940's, where sinks, toilets and bathtubs were
mammoth, blocky things – always in the most gorgeous egg shell
white – and handsome chrome features, again in that big blocky
style.
I don't know why,
but I have always loved it. Maybe it's just because it exuded a
sense of tasteful masculinity. I could almost hear the deep baritone
of Brian Blessed booming in my head, “Here there be a Man's
Bathroom. Respect is appreciated, but fear of breaking anything is
unwarranted.”
So, my bathroom had
no sweeping, graceful curves, except where demanded by such things
where water was directly involved. It was all right angles and
forty-fives with just the bare minimum of rounding out.
The tub, while the
inner walls were smooth and comfortable to lie against, was a massive
slab-sided affair.
The sink; a tall
and proud pedestal sink with separate hot and cold water faucets and
a true basin that can honestly be used for a bathroom sink's primary
purpose: the grooming of the face.
And the toilet... a
massive commode that would never clog no matter what the
circumstance. High-volume and high-flow were the buzzwords here.
The amount of water used mattered little – it was all recycled in
the C-Space system. That aside, the massive flow was better for the
plumbing anyhow.
Eventually, I got
away from the bathroom and back to the rest of the space in general.
I decided on a nice
ceramic tile floor – so much easier to maintain – with a rich,
dark brown color of stone. Area rugs of various patterns helped with
insulation of both sound and temperature. The walls I made eggshell
white with a smooth, matte texture. I would hang pictures and such
later.
I added a
kitchenette. It was small, as the title implies, but it was
comfortably appointed with all the amenities of a larger kitchen...
just smaller.
I added a 'balcony
floor' that overlooked the 'common area' and lined it with inset
bookshelves and curio cabinets running from floor to ceiling. Having
room for more books would never be a problem for me anymore.
Then there was the
garage and workshop. Everything I needed – vehicle lift, gantry
crane with light- and heavy-duty hoists, welding table, work bench,
soldering station... It wouldn't let me create all the tools I needed
– just the really big ones. The rest would come in time, as I knew
they would with an engineering-type like me. Although, I was
surprised to see that one option was a rapid prototyper. Knowing
just how endlessly useful that would be I went for it right away.
And that was pretty
much it.
I had arranged the
library over the bathroom and kitchen area, with a railing
overlooking the lounge. My hobby area was adjacent to the library
and sat over the sleeping area. The garage and shop space was on the
other side and could be accessed from both levels.
“What are you
doing, Grimm-san?”
“Huh?” I said
coherently as I looked up and saw a cerulean head with fuchsia eyes
blinking curiously at me. “Oh! Hey Sasami-san.”
“You can call me
Sasami-chan,” she said with a smile. “Everyone else here does.”
I smiled back.
“Well, in that case you can just call me Gar-kun.”
Sasami's smile then
went to her eyes. “Thanks! I will!”
I chuckled
indulgently – she was adorable! “As for what I've been doing,
well... Washu-chan gave me a space much like her lab... only nowhere
nearly as big.”
“How big?”
“Well... Big
enough to fit several Ryo-Ohki ships inside it.”
“Why would
Washu-chan give you so much space?”
I shrugged. “Just
in case something happens.”
Sasami made a
thoughtful sound, then nodded as she accepted that at face value –
small wonder considering that 'just in case' can be just around the
corner in this place.
“So, what will
you do now, Gar-kun?”
I shrugged. “Just
help out I guess. I have a license to drive, and I have my truck. I
guess I can help Tenchi out with the field work that way. Also, I
think Tenchi can use a big brother.”
“Why?”
I grinned
mischievously. “Because, you adorable little imp, shonen manga is
not how real relationships work.”
Sasami chuckled
nervously. “Uhm, how do you know about that?”
“Outside looking
in, remember?”
“How?”
“You sure you
really want to know? It's kinda scary. It's even kinda scary for
Tsunami-sama.”
“Then I gotta
know!”
“Okay, okay,
settled yourself down, cute stuff. Hate to have to see you redo
those pigtails of yours. Anyhow, you know those TV programs you and
the others like to watch?” Sasami nodded. “Well, imagine that
you could somehow get into one of those shows with everything that
you know about what happens there.” Sasami gasped as the
implication hit her. She was cute, and maybe a little naïve, but
she was by no means stupid.
“That's what you
did!?” she cried out in amazement.
“That's what
happened to me,” I corrected her soberly. “While I always
thought it would be fun to meet you guys, I never really wanted to...
for it to be like this.”
“What do you
mean?”
I sighed and shook
my head. “I know it's kinda silly Sasami-chan, but I feel like
some sort of spy that's become a refugee in the very country he was
spying on.”
“But you're not a
spy, Gar-kun!” replied the blue-haired girl suddenly. “You were
just someone that liked a TV show... and some meanie put you here.”
“And what about
everything I know?”
“I don't think
you're a bad person, Gar-kun. You won't do anything to hurt us.”
I shook my head
again and sighed. “I haven't always been a nice person,
Sasami-chan. I'm worried I might... slip.”
“I don't care. I
love Big Sister Ayeka even though she does mean things sometimes.
And I even like Ryoko even though she did terrible things in the
past.
I smiled, but I
knew it was a wane looking one. “Sasami... I can appreciate that.
I know because I have brothers back... where I came from. They...
were neglectful. They hardly ever supported me when I needed it the
most. I couldn't do anything – couldn't go to school, could barely
hold down a job... we couldn't even make the budget work. We were
always falling behind and any windfalls we came into went into
repaying debts just to keep the lights on and the water running. I
tried my hardest to support them, but all it really did was hurt me.
They were apathetic towards me, and it took them a long time to
realize that I would not be around forever.”
I was rambling, I
know, but with something like this it was like opening the flood
gates – kinda hard to stop once I started. Sasami, though, didn't
seem to care one bit. She was giving me her undivided attention.
“What did you
do?” she asked with sad looking eyes.
“I laid down the
law. I told them that once my obligation to my parents had been
fulfilled that they would be on their own, and nothing they could say
or do would change my mind. It was only then they saw how badly I
was being held back. It was slow at first, but eventually they
started taking care of themselves – just in time for us all to go
our separate ways. That was about three years ago.”
“What happened
then?”
I shrugged. “We
all drifted apart. We suck at correspondence, so we didn't even
really keep in touch with each other. The only person that really
did was... Mom.” God, it still hurt to think of her, to know that
she was gone. It didn't even help now to think that she was in a
better place because part of the belief system that I had been
brought up with said that we would all be together someday.
But now I had been
cast off into the wilderness – a different universe with different
rules and different powers that ruled over them. What became of a
lost soul like myself when my end finally comes?
I will admit now, I
was raised as a Mormon... and us Mormons have an interesting take on
Hell. It was not so much being cast into 'The Pit' with all the
other damned souls to be tortured by demons for eternity.
It was worse than
that.
It was being cut
off from the light of God, the one that gave life to the Universe
itself... to be completely shut-off from that, and cast away forever
in the darkness. Utterly alone and cold until... oblivion.
Was I in Hell?
“DON'T THINK
THAT!” came Sasami's voice suddenly... or was that Tsunami's? I
had no way to tell for sure, but I do know that suddenly Sasami threw
her arms around me and damn near broke out into tears. “You're not
alone anymore, Gar-kun. And I don't want you to feel alone anymore.
If Gar-kun needs a family, then I will be his little sister!”
I was absolutely
floored. For one thing, there was the simple physical sensation of
nearly being tackle-glomped by this little tween-ager, feeling her
force the sobs back into her body because she didn't want to cry.
And then there was
the fact that she was honestly and truly sad for me. This was no
pseudo-sympathetic 'you have my condolences because propriety demands
it' thing. This poor little girl, cursed with a heart so big it gave
a Goddess pause for consideration, felt true sorrow for me.
I was all but a
stranger, and yet she felt so bad for me that she wanted me to be
part of her family, just so I wouldn't feel alone anymore.
I gently wrapped my
arms around Sasami and hugged her back.
“It's okay to cry
a little now and then, even when you're trying to be strong.”
“How can you be
strong and cry at the same time?” asked Sasami in a strained
whisper.
“We do it in
private mostly,” I told her. “Where no one can see us. But
sometimes... like now... it's okay to do it quietly... Where the
people we care about very much can see us... my beloved little
sister.”
Sasami froze, then
looked me in the eyes. The tears had been stabbing at my eyes for
some time now and they had been flowing freely once I realized just
how much this sweet little girl cared.
Without another
word, Sasami threw herself back into my chest, arms wrapped around me
tightly, and began to quietly sob.
Little did I know
just how serious she was about her claim.
That evening, life
went on as usual in the Masaki household. Tenchi came in from the
fields with Ryo-Ohki in tow. Ryoko finally rousted herself. Ayeka
finished with her household chores. Mihoshi performed one of her
infamous crash-landings in the lake. Washu appeared from her lab.
And Sasami served dinner.
“How was your day
Tenchi?” asked Sasami.
“It was good. It
looks like the carrots will be ready to harvest next week.”
“I should have my
truck and trailer unpacked by then,” I chimed in. “We'll be able
to get the entire harvest in one go.”
Tenchi gave me a
surprised look, then beamed. “Thanks! But are you sure your truck
can handle all that?”
I shrugged. “It
handled all my stuff at highway speeds. Granted, not quite as fast
as it normally would, but fast enough for it to be safe. If we can
keep Ryo-Ohki from eating the majority of them at once, we might even
be able to take some of our harvest to the market.”
“That would be a
huge boost to our income,” said Washu. “I knew you'd be useful
to keep around.”
“Yeah, well the
sort of 'useful' you guys usually need isn't of the handyman
variety,” I sniped back. “But anyhow... I just realized that
fuel could be an issue – it was bad enough in my time when it
started running close to about a hundred yen a liter. And my truck
has a sixty-liter tank. Having another vehicle like my truck around
is a boon... but it's also an expense. Washu, think you could help
me out on converting my truck into a diesel-electric?”
“Diesel-Electric?”
asked Tenchi, a little unfamiliar with the concept.
I sighed. “Of
course, most of your locomotives are straight-up electrical. A
diesel-electric drive train is one where you have a diesel engine
turning a generator which supplies power for electrical traction
motors that drive your vehicle. A lot of railroad locomotives in the
USA are like this because the runs between rail yards and depots tend
to be measured in the hundreds of miles. If you remember your
science classes then you'd know that's too far to transmit power
efficiently... at least, using regular power lines.
“Now, this is
opposed to hybrid drive trains that you hear about in some vehicles
because in those the gas engine and the electrical motor do the same
work together – driving the car. It's just that in a hybrid system
the computer is able to balance how much work the engine does with
the motor, and how much work the engine puts into generating
electricity instead of providing driving power. It's very
complicated and requires a lot of moving parts.
“Now, I'm an
engineer, which means I believe perfection is achieved not when there
is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.
I would go for the diesel-electric system – much simpler that way.
Also, add a nice little bank of batteries and a couple of one-farad
capacitors, and then have those capacitors working in conjuction with
some high-efficiency direct-drive dynamos – that way I can reclaim
energy whenever I brake to slow down.”
“Pretty clever,”
said Washu.
I shrugged.
“Wasn't my idea. Someone else came up with it, then slapped a
patent on it so only they could make money off it. I'd do it
differently – patent it, yes, but make it so anyone can use the
basic system, free of charge.”
“You wouldn't
make any money off it,” said Washu shrewdly.
“My reward would
be when global warming starts to look a lot less like a myth here in
the next couple of decades and right-leaning politicians begin to
start rethinking their agendas. Oh, and also it'll be nice for when
the price of gas skyrockets.”
“Good point,”
she conceded. “At any rate, it sounds doable. Though that sort of
vibration tolerance is pretty high. You sure Earth's technology is
up to snuff at this time?”
“Pretty sure. It
may not be in the same class as 'off the shelf parts' but it's out
there. We can work out the details later.”
“Good idea. Food
now, work later.”
Later on, Washu and
I worked at the table once all the food had been cleared away. She
had rolled out a largish piece of clear film over the table and
engineer's diagrams of my truck appeared all over it. I don't know
how she managed to get a hold of it all, but it covered everything
about the Mazda B2500 pickups you could imagine.
We got around
talking about instrumentation and how it would all have to be
changed, I then heaved a sigh as I had an epiphany.
“You know what,
I'm not so sure I want to go through this anymore,” I said.
“What? Why
wouldn't you?” said Washu in surprise.
I shrugged. “I've
got a lot of sentimental value in that truck. Kinda like to keep old
Scrappy the way he is now.”
“You got any
other ideas in mind?” asked Washu.
“Well... there is
a four-door option of this truck here in Japan. I wouldn't mind
trading-off the longer bed in exchange for more comfortable seats in
the back.”
“You don't have
to,” said Washu. “We could just get both versions, cut them in
half, and keep the parts we want.”
“Maybe,” I said
thoughtfully. “It'd take some time to make it happen. There's a
few other options I want to look at as well, like a camper-shell with
an air conditioning unit and cargo-bed seating. Not enough seats for
everyone otherwise.”
“Why's that
important?” asked Washu.
“I thought it'd
be nice if we can go out on road trips now and then. You know, nice
normal stuff. Though if we want the same sort of experiences I had
when I was a kid, we'd have to hit everyone with an American Generic
language pack and head over to the USA.”
Washu snorted. “That'd be something to see. But I think you're
onto something about them enjoying it.”
“Yeah. I think Ryoko would especially like Texas. And I'm pretty
sure that Ayeka and Sasami would like the Riverwalk.”
“What about Mihoshi and me?”
“Lots of schools chock full of fresh-faced science and engineering
majors for you to terrorize.” Washu cackled gleefully at that.
“As for Mihoshi... eh, she'd have a blast anywhere. She would
probably get lost in the barrios and wind up finding one of those
nice hole-in-the-wall panderias and blow her entire budget on
pandejevo and sweet empanadas. And she will never eat any pastries
but conchas and semitas and empanadas afterwards.”
“You sure about that?”
“Latin Americans are renowned for their sweet tooth. Just you wait
and see.”
“And what about Tenchi?”
I grinned. “I'll take him to Lackland Airforce base. If I look
through my stuff, I'll bet that my DD-214's have changed to reflect
my shift in time and space accordingly and I can get Tenchi in with
just a little bit of effort.”
“How so?”
“Whisper into a recruiter's ear that he's considering service in
the US Airforce over the JASDF.”
And now Washu snerked. “You evil person you.”
I grinned and I knew I had that wicked gleam in my eyes. “It's a
gift, I know.”
After that evening with Washu, I put the finishing touches on my
C-Space, and then got myself my sleeping pad, pillow and some
blankets, as well as my cat and his basic necessities, then sacked
out. It was empty and hollow sounding, but it was my space and
tomorrow I was going to fill it.
When I woke up,
Washu was there.
“Good morning
sleepyhead,” she chirped cheerfully. There was something odd about
the words coming out of her mouth, but I couldn't quite place my
finger on it.
“Mornin'
Washu-chan,” I muttered as I began to stretch out my oh-so-sore
muscles. My cat, Renee, began meowing intently right by my head.
With a grumble of, “get over here you big lug,” I pulled the
hefty feline – a solid twenty-five pounds of which only a slight
minority was fat – up onto my chest and gave him the attention he
wanted. “Any chance I can get an anti-inflamatory? Like some
Ibuprofen? Not sure what the Japanese name for it is.”
Washu chuckled.
“Oh, no worries Garrick. I know exactly what you mean.”
I blinked at that.
“You're speaking Japanese.”
“Yup!” said
Washu happily.
“And evidently so
am I.”
“You got it.”
“You did
something to my language centers while I was out.”
“You're on a roll
now.”
“... What else
did you do?”
“Not much else,
really,” said Washu.
“Washu-chan. I
don't know if you ever took the Hippocratic oath, but I am your
patient, and this patient has some very serious questions he'd like
answered.”
Washu huffed. “Oh,
fine. Spoilsport. Basically, I fixed a few things that could become
serious problems for you later on. Stuff like Alzheimer’s Disease,
Cancer, Diabetes and one of the mildest cases of Dyslexia I've ever
seen.”
I raised an
eyebrow. “You didn't fix anything else?”
“There was a
couple of other things I wanted to fix, but I thought better of it.”
“These things
being?”
“An odd
combination of ADD and Asperger's Syndrome. That's kinda weird –
you're capable of being distracted real easily when your bored, but
you can also hyper-focus to the point of starvation. Being you must
be painful sometimes.”
I snorted. “C'mon.
You're Washu Hakubi, intergalactically renowned supergenius. Surely
a defect in brain chemistry isn't that exciting for you?”
Washu sniffed
disdainfully. “It's one thing to read about it. It's another to
observe for yourself and draw your own conclusions. Besides, we
never really got to discussing how you seem to be so knowledgeable.”
“Oh yeah. Sorry
about that tangent back there. If you thought that one was bad, you
should have seen my brothers and I on a good night – one of us
would start a debate over some matter, and the towards the end of the
night we can't even remember what we started out on.”
Washu laughed.
“Yes, nice try just now, too. Now spill it.”
I shrugged. “I'm
a dimensional displacee through some means not of my knowledge or
power. In my home universe, someone created an animated short-run TV
series called Tenchi Muyo which chronicals the misadventures of a
young manned named Tenchi Masaki who has unwittingly gained the
attention and affections of five powerful women... Six now, if you
include Ryo-Ohki.”
Washu raised an
eyebrow. “Pretty smooth delivery there. How long have you been
working on it?”
“Honestly, I'm
kinda surprised myself. Are you sure you haven't fiddled around with
anything else in my brain?”
“I assure you I
haven't. Anyhow, if it weren't for you being plugged into all my
medical diagnostic equipment I'd say you're lying to me. But you're
not. And even if you could fake that somehow, I have other methods.
But you can't, so I won't resort to it.”
“So, what happens
now?” I asked.
“Good question.
We don't exactly have room for you here unless you started living up
in the shrine. Pretty sure old man Yosho's got a few extra rooms
there.”
“Sure, have me
just stay put. I'm pretty sure I can pull my own weight around here
by fixing the tractor whenever it breaks down. Oh wait, there's no
tractor.”
“Quit being so
passive aggressive. Really, what did you have going for yourself
back home?”
I sighed. “I was
taking an aerospace engineering program at a prestigious university
back in the USA. But my mother wound up passing away and I lost my
job, which killed my tuition, which killed my education, so I had to
start over again.”
“Surely you could
have transferred your credits over to another school,” said Washu.
“Sure, but the
last semester is shot – I've lost those credits. And then there's
the whole new-school bit that I wasn't looking forward to – you
know, adjusting to the new staff, new curriculum, new schedules and
new settings... It's all just a real punch to the gut after
everything else I've been through – you know the drama, who gets
the family bible and whatnot. I just count myself lucky since
everything I own is in my truck.” I suddenly had a horrifying
thought and asked, “My stuff is still intact, isn't it?”
Washu p-shawed.
“Of course it is. I just shifted it all here into the lab so it'd
be safe.”
I breathed a sigh
of relief at that. “Thanks, you have no idea how much that means
to me. Some of the stuff in there... it just cannot be replaced. I
mean... computers and electronics, sure. No problem... but a picture
of me with my sister and all my cousins when we were little, sitting
with my grandparents...”
Washu smiled.
“Yeah, something like that you can't put a price on.”
“No, you can't.”
Washu sighed.
“Well, at any rate I know that Tenchi will be glad to have a truck
around here and someone to drive it.”
I snorted. “As
if I could take it out on the roads here.”
“You might be
surprised,” said Washu as she handed me my wallet. Perplexed, I
opened it up...
...And found a
Japanese driver's license. “WHAT.”
“We also found an
American passport with your visas all in order, a Japanese resident
alien card, and your truck has the proper plates and inspections.
Even your road tax is all paid-up.”
“Oh, c'mon! You
seriously mean that you didn't do all this?”
“Nope,” said
Washu artlessly. “Honest promise! I did not hack any government
systems and I did not make any false paperwork and/or IDs.”
“Well if you
didn't then who did?”
“Not anyone
here,” she said matter-of-factly. “I'd have noticed.”
“Well fuck.
Washu, we got a ROB.”
“A rob?” she
parroted.
I nodded. “A
Random Omnipotent Being.”
And now she
scowled. “So that's how it is then?”
I nodded. “That's
how it is.”
“... Garrick,
with your permission I would like to fit you with a device that will
let me track you where ever you are, even if you get sent to another
universe. I'll even give you a communication device so you'll have
some kind of life line in the event you do get transported again. Do
you agree?”
“No argument
here, Doc. I'll take every advantage I can get.”
Washu performed the
procedure with little fanfare. A simple injection was all it took.
As for the communication device, it came in the form of something
like my 5th generation iPod Nano on a wristband. The
coolest part about it was the tiny little dimensional pocket it had –
just big enough to carry the earpieces. I would never lose a headset
again.
The maraschino
cherry on top was that it was disguised as an iPod Nano... complete
with the music playback functions. It even worked with my iTunes
software, only I could put as much music as I wanted on there.
Sweet!
On the downside, my
iPhone was all but useless. The first generation iPods were just
debuting in this time period, so my iPhone working here was right
out.
As for my rooming
issues... Washu assured me that could be worked out. I'd hoped she
was serious on that matter.
What happened next
was like a scene straight out of a manga.
“Okay everyone!”
said Washu cheerfully. “As you all know we have a new visitor that
will be staying with us for a while. Now, I know that when he first
arrived it gave everyone quite a scare, but thanks to my superior
medical technology, he's as good as new. So, I would like you all to
meet Garrick Grimm.”
I mentally shrugged
and then bowed to the company of the Tenchi Household seated at the
table before me.
“A pleasure to
make your acquaintance. Please take good care of me.”
“Great!”
chirped Washu. “Now, does anyone have any questions for our
visitor?”
“What can you do
around the house?” asked Ayeka.
I shrugged.
“Pretty much anything. Being the oldest out of all but one among
my generation in my family, I had to learn how to do a myriad of
tasks. I do dishes, laundry, windows, carpets, hard wood, bedding,
cooking (as long as I have a recipe to go by), and I can even balance
the check book and the budget. I can also fix things. I can replace
windows and doors, patch walls, paint, hang pictures, as well as
repair, replace, and even install electrical and plumbing fixtures.
My technical skills are not to be overlooked, either. I can
troubleshoot and repair computers (of Earth origin), or even build
one out of parts, with your choice of Apple, Windows, or Linux
operating systems (sometimes even combinations of any). I can even
set up home theater systems. I'm also a shadetree mechanic. I do
all my own maintenance on my pickup truck from oil changes and tire
rotation all the way down to engine overhauls and transmission
rebuilds. I have also been military trained as a maintenance
technician, munitions handler, hazardous materials manager,
firefighter, security sentry, and safety watch. And yes, I know how
to use a gun, and I'm not too shabby at it.
“Oh, and I know
first aid for trauma, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and the Heimlich
Maneuver.”
Everyone blinked at
me.
“Okay, we're
keeping him,” said Ryoko.
“What kinds of
food do you like?” asked Sasami.
I grinned. “I
have been called a human garbage disposal in the past. While I may
not eat as much in one sitting as some might, I will pack away more
food over time than most. And I'll eat just about anything, as long
as it's not alive and is safe for human consumption. Although I will
say this: I hate wasabi and horseradish. Bleagh!”
“Oh! Thank you
for saying so. It shouldn't be a problem, Mr. Grimm.”
“So, where do you
come from Mr. Grimm?” asked Mihoshi.
“I'm from the
United States of America – on the northern continent east of the
Pacific Ocean.”
“Oh? An
American?” said Ayeka with interest. “I've heard about your
people. Is it true that you always get drunk and make a lot of
noise?”
I shrugged. “Some
do. A lot don't. I won't say the stereotype isn't deserved, but
many of us despise the people that earned it for us. Really, a lot
of us are as normal as can be. Our culture just differs because we
have no issues with looking people in the eye.”
“That's something
I've never really understood,” said Tenchi. “I mean no offense,
Mr. Grimm, but why do you your people do that?”
I shrugged. “For
us, it's sort of like acknowledging the other person. Of course, the
trick is not to stare... unless you want their attention. It's sort
of like knowing exactly how deep your bow should be.”
“So... it's like
greeting everyone you see?”
“Pretty much.
Granted, a lot less of it happens in the really busy cities, like New
York or Los Angeles. Another reason, though, is trust.”
“Trust? How so?”
asked Ayeka.
“Have you ever
noticed that someone that is hiding something from you has trouble
looking you in the eye?”
“Oh... why, yes!
I see what you mean, now. You confront people immediately to
determine if they're trustworthy. But even so, isn't that a bit
rude?”
I shook my head.
“It's a hold-over from our frontier days. If you came across
somebody back then you wanted to be sure they weren't going to pull
something on you because you could literally be hundreds of miles
from any sort of help. And, as you know, old habits die hard.
“But at any rate,
I think the most important things to keep in mind about us Americans
is that even though we can be ill-tempered and ill-mannered at times,
we tend to be fiercely loyal to our friends. We often put ourselves
into danger for each other. Sometimes we even do it for people we
don't even know.”
“Ahh... you
certainly seem to know how to use chopsticks,” said Mihoshi
nervously.
“Thanks. It took
me a while to get it just right. I've had a few years experience
just trying it on my own. Then I came to Japan while I was in the
Navy, and a girlfriend I had there taught me the proper way.”
“You had a
girlfriend?” remarked Sasami. “Here in Japan?”
I chuckled. “The
Japan of my world, yes. Though she might exist in this world as
well... but she'd probably be too young. In my world, she was five
years younger than me – it was okay because I was thirty and she
was twenty-five. But here? She'd be about fifteen, sixteen years
old. Very inappropriate, don't you think Sasami-chan?”
“Oh, but that's
so sad,” pouted the cyan-haired cook.
“It wouldn't work
out regardless,” I sighed. “At the time, I was more in love with
the ideal than with her.”
“What ideal?”
I sighed. “Oh, a
sweet and loving wife that does everything she can because she loves
you with all her heart. Someone with those Japanese eyes that are so
exotic by American standards. The grace and the beauty of the
Nadeshiko Yorishiku. Someone whose faith in their husband is backed
not just by their love, but by the cultural mores of a warrior
society. Someone that, once I ask for her honest and unabashed
opinion of me and how I do things, will give me a straight answer
even if it hurts me to hear it.
“It also doesn't
hurt that I saw geisha on an educational program when I was very
young... I thought they were the prettiest women I had ever seen.”
I smiled as I
noticed that Sasami had gone all googley-eyed. “Earth to Sasami.
Come in Space Cadet Masaki!”
Sasami blushed as
she came back to us and I laughed. “Don't worry, Sasami, it will
come to you eventually.” I then sighed. “You're all very lucky,
you know that?”
“What do you
mean?”
“If all of you
play your cards right... you won't have to have your hearts broken
over and over again like I have.”
“Speak for
yourself,” grumbled Washu.
“Yeah, well the
light at the end of your tunnel isn't an express train this time
around.” Washu snickered and shook her head. “Look... Tenchi,
I don't know what Washu has told you guys, but I'm literally someone
who's been on the outside looking in. Don't bother asking why or how
– it's too complicated to explain and it will only give you guys
migraines. But I know that you've got room in your heart for all
these wonderful girls. You just need the time it takes to realize
that love. Though in the meantime, I'd highly suggest you make a
trip to Jurai at some point in time here and see if one of those
trees in the Royal Nursery doesn't take a shine to you. Because at
the rate you're going you're gonna look as old as your grandfather
before it finally hits you.”
You could hear a
pin drop in that place. I simply polished off the last of my rice,
leaving a clean bowl on my place setting.
“Thank you kindly
for the delicious meal. If you folks would be so kind as to excuse
me, I'm going to go for a run – been laying around in a bed for too
damn long.”
The hills that
surrounded Tenchi's home were anything but an urban landscape... but
that meant nothing to a free-runner.
Known also as
Parkour, free-running is a fun, fast-paced sort of running that
focuses entirely on getting from point-A to point-B in as much of a
straight line as possible, no matter what obstacle is in your way.
It was also very
physically demanding – an energy intensive workout that taxed every
part of the body. For someone whose favorite parts about childhood
was climbing trees, this was ideal.
I had only been
doing it for about a year an a half. I was... decent. I'm not as
flashy as some of the people you might see on youtube... but what I
lacked in flair I more than made up for in speed. I usually would go
by so quickly that the only response elicited was a fervent WTF.
The grounds of the
Masaki estate and shrine were beautiful beyond compare. The only
thing I had in my memories that came close was the Olympic Rain
Forrest of Washington State.
Having my music
available to me just made it all the better.
After a few minutes
of not-too-much-fussing with my computer, the C-Pod, as I had taken
to calling it, now had my entire music library on it, fully arranged
as I had it on my computer. As I ran, jumped, and swung through the
woods, I enjoyed the sounds of one of my Movement playlists.
Was I bothered that
I was here?
A little bit.
But I had to admit,
I had gotten off pretty damn easily. I was at a point in my life
where I was completely free. Mother was gone, Father, and my
brothers barely talk between us, and so there were no more family
obligations. My job had been taken away from me and the school had
expelled me.
I was still
heartbroken, though. I still wanted to raise a family of my own, and
be able to introduce my children to the wonderful person that would
be their grandmother. And now... it seems that I'm forced to let it
all go completely.
I had no delusions
about the matter. I wasn't going to go back. This place would
change me on many levels; obvious, subtle, and profound all at the
same time. No one would recognize me... not that it mattered. Few
people ever did since I was always away.
Away from San
Antonio, the home that I had known as a child, doted on by my
grandparents, aunts, and uncles while I played with my cousins.
Away from my
brothers as they came into their own as adults and became their own
people.
Away from my only
sister as she had children of her own, went through her own trials by
fire, and came out of it a strong and independent woman.
But more
importantly... always alone.
I wasn't entirely
fine with that. Sure, I had my anti-social tendencies, especially as
a child. Anyone that wasn't family (and even then there was Mom and
then there was God) had no business telling me what to do.
But I knew after
long experience, being alone sucked. Sure, being out amongst the
people in the city was nice. It gave a false sense of not really
being alone. But I would take having a few close friends over that
any day of the week. In fact, the best times of my life were spent
that way – a few close friends, going out, exploring the lesser
known hidden corners of civilization.
But could I have
that same experience here?
Somehow, during my
cool-down walk, I had found may way to the little island in the lake
where Yosho's Tree, Funaho, had taken root. Knowing that she
wouldn't mind, I jumped and began to shimmy my way up into the boughs
of the great tree. It was Autumn here and the crisp, cool air was
rapidly pulling the sweat off my body. I decided to lean against a
comfortable branch and wait until I dried out completely before going
back inside. I wouldn't smell as bad that way.
“Point in your
favor: Funaho seems to like you.”
I looked down to
the ground and saw Washu standing below, look up at me with a grin.
It suddenly struck me exactly just how much like an impish little
girl Washu really seemed like. The anime and manga simply did not do
her justice.
I grinned back at
her. “She is a magnificent tree. I wish there had been more like
her when I was growing up. In Texas we had mostly Pecan trees, but
they were all big seventy-footers. The lowest branches were two
stories off the ground. And in Washington State we had Redwood
Pines. No climbing those suckers without special equipment – I was
definitely too small for lineman's boots.”
“Be interesting
to see, I bet,” replied the little scientist.
“Oh, I bet. I
would have jumped at the chance, too.” I looked down again and
smiled at Washu. “You know what I always loved about you whenever
I read the Manga or watched the TV series?”
“Do tell.”
“20,000 years
old, and you still cling to that wonderfully child-like spirit...
even if it is every bit as mischievous as I used to be.”
“Aw, geeze,
you're gonna make an old woman blush.”
I laughed. “Sorry.
Just calling it as I see it. So, how badly did I shake everyone
up?”
“It was food for
thought for all of them,” Washu admitted. “Me as well. I just
hope that the rest of them don't get carried away.”
“Washu-chan, it's
a given. They'll go overboard with this just like everything else.”
The pink-haired
girl sighed. “Yeah, your right. But then it'd be pretty boring
regardless.”
“Even so, I think
it would be best if I helped Tenchi.”
“Oh? What do you
have in mind?”
“Well, it's
pretty obvious no one's ever taught him how to deal with womanly
attention. Kiyone passed away before she could teach him anything
about that sort of thing, and Noboyuki has been more than useless on
the matter.”
“And Yosho is
just plain useless,” added Washu.
I shrugged. “He
teaches Tenchi swordsmanship. That counts for something. But
evidence against him in that matter exists. He did, after all, run
from that perfectly wonderful little lady Ayeka.”
Washu snorted.
“I'd hardly go that far.”
“She's got a good
heart. Sasami would be a very different person if she didn't.”
“True,” Washu
allowed. “But then, Yosho simply didn't love her that way.”
“He did love
somebody. We wouldn't have Tenchi around if he didn't. Anyhow, he
could have given Tenchi advice at some point in time. Thus, ground
gained by teaching him swordplay is lost by his virtually destructive
inaction in neglecting Tenchi's education in the woman's heart. So,
yeah. Useless.”
“Agreed,”
chirped Washu. I could almost see Yosho doubling-over in pain
somewhere. “So, what does the love-doctor have in mind?”
I snorted. “Hardly
a love-doctor. Just advice for better interaction with the ladies.
And getting it through his head that it's fine to schedule dates for
each of them! Godsakes, it shouldn't be a competition, and one date
isn't going to seal the deal regardless.”
“Well, this is
all well and good for Tenchi, but what about you?”
“What about me?”
I asked, arching an eyebrow.
“Tenchi can't
have all the fun now. So what about you?”
I sighed, feeling
the heaviness in my gut once more. “I've been alone for a long
time, Washu-chan. I can stand to go a little bit longer. Besides,
bad things happen to those that poach on Lord Tenchi's turf. It's a
law of this universe.”
“Are you
serious?”
“Deadly.”
Washu snorted.
“Alright, fine then. But it's not like Tenchi is gonna get every
girl in the world.”
“Don't tempt
Murphey. He's a cold-hearted bastard. And no, I know better than
that. It's just...”
“Too soon?”
asked Washu.
“... Yeah. Too
soon. Too much hurting. If I get a girl's attention now it's going
to be like Sasami – poor Grimm-kun and all that.”
“M'yeah. That
pity thing really wouldn't sit well. Though it's cute coming from
Sasami.”
I smiled a little.
“Yeah. She's such a sweet heart. Tenchi had better watch out for
that one once she gets older. She's already got Ryoko and Ayeka
running scared.”
“Can't expect
anything less of her, after all she is... Well, you know about
Tsunami, right?”
“Yeah. There's
been a lot of conjecture about their relationship. A lot of people
think that she actually is Tsunami after that incident on Jyurai.”
“Pretty apt
description. Close enough, really. So, you gonna come down or do I
gotta send Ryoko in their after ya?”
“Now why would
you do that to poor Funaho here?” I teased back. “She doesn't
deserve that sort of treatment.”
“Just get down
here. I got something to show you!”
“Alright, Ahm
a-comin', Ahm a-comin',” I mock-grumbled as I swung myself out of
Funaho's boughs.
Washu led me back
to the house, up the stairs, and to a door that didn't exist earlier.
“Is this what I
think it is?” I asked.
“Why don'tcha see
for yourself,” replied the tiny mad genius with a grin.
I leveled a
suspicious glare at her, but the look I was getting back was an
impish 'you're never gonna find out if you don't open that door
yourself' look. So, with an irritated sigh, I reached for the
doorknob and gave it a turn.
Oddly enough, the
C-pod pulsed on my wrist as the latch clicked, allowing the door to
glide open on silent hinges.
It was an empty
room.
Just that and
nothing more. The floor was bare concrete as were the walls and
ceiling.
“I thought it
would be more impressive than this,” I said absently.
“Honestly, I
could have pulled some kind of gag, but I figured you're not quite
ready for that yet.”
“Thanks for that.
So, pocket universe?”
“Yup.”
“Integral life
support and all that?”
“He's on a roll
again. What else?”
“Just how tough
did you make this door?” I asked.
“It's about as
strong as mine. Nothing short of Tsunami herself is getting through
it.”
“Ah. So I have a
place to hide from Ryoko and Ayeka... Mihoshi may be another issue
entirely.”
Washu groaned at
the reminder.
“You know, if you
figure out how Mitoto does it-”
Another groan.
I shrugged and went
on. “So, I take it there's a way to change up things in here?”
“Of course. Take
a look at the options on your C-pod.”
I raised an
eyebrow, but otherwise did as requested. Interestingly enough, there
was a new icon in the homescreen titled “C-Space”. I gave the
icon a tap and jumped when a holographic image of a cube with a white
rectangle centered on the bottom edge appeared, hovering right in
front of my face.
“Ahh! So you
like to peek and poke, too!” said Washu. “Wonderful! You'll
find that it's pretty intuitive, but all the same you should probably
read the manual.”
“What manual?”
I asked. Suddenly the hologram changed into an image of a
not-unreasonably sized book – it was about the same size and look
of a Haynes Automotive Manual, bore an image of my C-Pod beaming a
projection of an open door, and was titled “Washu-chan's C-Space
User's Manual”.
“Nice,” I said
emphatically as I took the manual in my hands and began to page
through it. “Full range tactile response – even feels like real
paper. You even included a feature to disguise it as something else
so as not to raise any suspicions. Clever.”
“Of course, of
course,” preened Washu. “Nothing is too clever for the greatest
genius in the galaxy!”
I looked down at
Washu and snorted, scruffling that pink head of hers.
“Hey!”
“Well, if you're
gonna wear the twelve-year-old body, then you get the twelve-year-old
treatment... Washu-chaaaannn.”
Washu could only
moan in a way that indicated that she was stuck somewhere between
wanting to hurt me and wanting to glomp me.
I pretty much spent
the rest of the afternoon studying the manual. Part of me wanted the
get Scrappy unloaded so I could help Tenchi, but if I was going to do
that then I needed a place for everything to go. And that meant
learning how to reconfigure my space however I wanted or needed.
It turns out that
the C-Space was very flexible.
The maximum amount
of available space was... well, huge. To draw comparisons, I had
roughly the same amount of volume available to me as a Nimitz-class
aircraft carrier... rounded up to a suitably round figure, of course.
And of course, I could have it in whatever shape I wanted.
As for actually
forming the spaces, it was as simple as drawing them. I had a
virtual toolbox that allowed me to do a myriad of things such as make
walls, windows, doors, electrical outlets, plumbing fixtures, and so
on and so forth. I could even make additional doors and windows that
led to the outside, and there was also a huge assortment of preset
textures and colors.
And as I learned I
began to mess around with it. Right away, I set the ceiling to a
lofty fourteen foot clearance so I would at last have a room spacious
enough to accommodate my loft bed without my needing to hunch over in
the slightest.
A sleeping area is
supposed to be just that – a place of rest. And therefore, it
should be as such. No computers, no TVs, none of those distractions,
period. However, I did want it to remain a part of my space. Sure,
I could have partitioned the actual bedroom off in a separate room in
my C-Space, but that wouldn't work for me. The C-Space all on its
own provided me with all the privacy I could want. And I wanted
anyone that I invited in to feel the sense that I was not simply
inviting them into a different room of the house, but a place that
was without any doubt my home.
That said, I
decided to partition off the sleeping area with a heavy draw-curtain.
That way, when it was time for sleep I could draw the curtain and
shut out the distractions, but in my waking hours I could leave it
open and inviting.
After that, I
decided on a full-blown Japanese-style bath... but not the fixtures.
You see, I love the way the Japanese do things. You scrub down
first, rinse, and then have a nice long soak. For sanitary reasons,
the sink area and the toilet area all get their owns spaces –
usually adjacent but always separate. But fixtures.... My formative
years were spent in my grandfather's and great-grandfather's
houses... and they had the most wonderfully dated fixtures going as
far back as the 1940's, where sinks, toilets and bathtubs were
mammoth, blocky things – always in the most gorgeous egg shell
white – and handsome chrome features, again in that big blocky
style.
I don't know why,
but I have always loved it. Maybe it's just because it exuded a
sense of tasteful masculinity. I could almost hear the deep baritone
of Brian Blessed booming in my head, “Here there be a Man's
Bathroom. Respect is appreciated, but fear of breaking anything is
unwarranted.”
So, my bathroom had
no sweeping, graceful curves, except where demanded by such things
where water was directly involved. It was all right angles and
forty-fives with just the bare minimum of rounding out.
The tub, while the
inner walls were smooth and comfortable to lie against, was a massive
slab-sided affair.
The sink; a tall
and proud pedestal sink with separate hot and cold water faucets and
a true basin that can honestly be used for a bathroom sink's primary
purpose: the grooming of the face.
And the toilet... a
massive commode that would never clog no matter what the
circumstance. High-volume and high-flow were the buzzwords here.
The amount of water used mattered little – it was all recycled in
the C-Space system. That aside, the massive flow was better for the
plumbing anyhow.
Eventually, I got
away from the bathroom and back to the rest of the space in general.
I decided on a nice
ceramic tile floor – so much easier to maintain – with a rich,
dark brown color of stone. Area rugs of various patterns helped with
insulation of both sound and temperature. The walls I made eggshell
white with a smooth, matte texture. I would hang pictures and such
later.
I added a
kitchenette. It was small, as the title implies, but it was
comfortably appointed with all the amenities of a larger kitchen...
just smaller.
I added a 'balcony
floor' that overlooked the 'common area' and lined it with inset
bookshelves and curio cabinets running from floor to ceiling. Having
room for more books would never be a problem for me anymore.
Then there was the
garage and workshop. Everything I needed – vehicle lift, gantry
crane with light- and heavy-duty hoists, welding table, work bench,
soldering station... It wouldn't let me create all the tools I needed
– just the really big ones. The rest would come in time, as I knew
they would with an engineering-type like me. Although, I was
surprised to see that one option was a rapid prototyper. Knowing
just how endlessly useful that would be I went for it right away.
And that was pretty
much it.
I had arranged the
library over the bathroom and kitchen area, with a railing
overlooking the lounge. My hobby area was adjacent to the library
and sat over the sleeping area. The garage and shop space was on the
other side and could be accessed from both levels.
“What are you
doing, Grimm-san?”
“Huh?” I said
coherently as I looked up and saw a cerulean head with fuchsia eyes
blinking curiously at me. “Oh! Hey Sasami-san.”
“You can call me
Sasami-chan,” she said with a smile. “Everyone else here does.”
I smiled back.
“Well, in that case you can just call me Gar-kun.”
Sasami's smile then
went to her eyes. “Thanks! I will!”
I chuckled
indulgently – she was adorable! “As for what I've been doing,
well... Washu-chan gave me a space much like her lab... only nowhere
nearly as big.”
“How big?”
“Well... Big
enough to fit several Ryo-Ohki ships inside it.”
“Why would
Washu-chan give you so much space?”
I shrugged. “Just
in case something happens.”
Sasami made a
thoughtful sound, then nodded as she accepted that at face value –
small wonder considering that 'just in case' can be just around the
corner in this place.
“So, what will
you do now, Gar-kun?”
I shrugged. “Just
help out I guess. I have a license to drive, and I have my truck. I
guess I can help Tenchi out with the field work that way. Also, I
think Tenchi can use a big brother.”
“Why?”
I grinned
mischievously. “Because, you adorable little imp, shonen manga is
not how real relationships work.”
Sasami chuckled
nervously. “Uhm, how do you know about that?”
“Outside looking
in, remember?”
“How?”
“You sure you
really want to know? It's kinda scary. It's even kinda scary for
Tsunami-sama.”
“Then I gotta
know!”
“Okay, okay,
settled yourself down, cute stuff. Hate to have to see you redo
those pigtails of yours. Anyhow, you know those TV programs you and
the others like to watch?” Sasami nodded. “Well, imagine that
you could somehow get into one of those shows with everything that
you know about what happens there.” Sasami gasped as the
implication hit her. She was cute, and maybe a little naïve, but
she was by no means stupid.
“That's what you
did!?” she cried out in amazement.
“That's what
happened to me,” I corrected her soberly. “While I always
thought it would be fun to meet you guys, I never really wanted to...
for it to be like this.”
“What do you
mean?”
I sighed and shook
my head. “I know it's kinda silly Sasami-chan, but I feel like
some sort of spy that's become a refugee in the very country he was
spying on.”
“But you're not a
spy, Gar-kun!” replied the blue-haired girl suddenly. “You were
just someone that liked a TV show... and some meanie put you here.”
“And what about
everything I know?”
“I don't think
you're a bad person, Gar-kun. You won't do anything to hurt us.”
I shook my head
again and sighed. “I haven't always been a nice person,
Sasami-chan. I'm worried I might... slip.”
“I don't care. I
love Big Sister Ayeka even though she does mean things sometimes.
And I even like Ryoko even though she did terrible things in the
past.
I smiled, but I
knew it was a wane looking one. “Sasami... I can appreciate that.
I know because I have brothers back... where I came from. They...
were neglectful. They hardly ever supported me when I needed it the
most. I couldn't do anything – couldn't go to school, could barely
hold down a job... we couldn't even make the budget work. We were
always falling behind and any windfalls we came into went into
repaying debts just to keep the lights on and the water running. I
tried my hardest to support them, but all it really did was hurt me.
They were apathetic towards me, and it took them a long time to
realize that I would not be around forever.”
I was rambling, I
know, but with something like this it was like opening the flood
gates – kinda hard to stop once I started. Sasami, though, didn't
seem to care one bit. She was giving me her undivided attention.
“What did you
do?” she asked with sad looking eyes.
“I laid down the
law. I told them that once my obligation to my parents had been
fulfilled that they would be on their own, and nothing they could say
or do would change my mind. It was only then they saw how badly I
was being held back. It was slow at first, but eventually they
started taking care of themselves – just in time for us all to go
our separate ways. That was about three years ago.”
“What happened
then?”
I shrugged. “We
all drifted apart. We suck at correspondence, so we didn't even
really keep in touch with each other. The only person that really
did was... Mom.” God, it still hurt to think of her, to know that
she was gone. It didn't even help now to think that she was in a
better place because part of the belief system that I had been
brought up with said that we would all be together someday.
But now I had been
cast off into the wilderness – a different universe with different
rules and different powers that ruled over them. What became of a
lost soul like myself when my end finally comes?
I will admit now, I
was raised as a Mormon... and us Mormons have an interesting take on
Hell. It was not so much being cast into 'The Pit' with all the
other damned souls to be tortured by demons for eternity.
It was worse than
that.
It was being cut
off from the light of God, the one that gave life to the Universe
itself... to be completely shut-off from that, and cast away forever
in the darkness. Utterly alone and cold until... oblivion.
Was I in Hell?
“DON'T THINK
THAT!” came Sasami's voice suddenly... or was that Tsunami's? I
had no way to tell for sure, but I do know that suddenly Sasami threw
her arms around me and damn near broke out into tears. “You're not
alone anymore, Gar-kun. And I don't want you to feel alone anymore.
If Gar-kun needs a family, then I will be his little sister!”
I was absolutely
floored. For one thing, there was the simple physical sensation of
nearly being tackle-glomped by this little tween-ager, feeling her
force the sobs back into her body because she didn't want to cry.
And then there was
the fact that she was honestly and truly sad for me. This was no
pseudo-sympathetic 'you have my condolences because propriety demands
it' thing. This poor little girl, cursed with a heart so big it gave
a Goddess pause for consideration, felt true sorrow for me.
I was all but a
stranger, and yet she felt so bad for me that she wanted me to be
part of her family, just so I wouldn't feel alone anymore.
I gently wrapped my
arms around Sasami and hugged her back.
“It's okay to cry
a little now and then, even when you're trying to be strong.”
“How can you be
strong and cry at the same time?” asked Sasami in a strained
whisper.
“We do it in
private mostly,” I told her. “Where no one can see us. But
sometimes... like now... it's okay to do it quietly... Where the
people we care about very much can see us... my beloved little
sister.”
Sasami froze, then
looked me in the eyes. The tears had been stabbing at my eyes for
some time now and they had been flowing freely once I realized just
how much this sweet little girl cared.
Without another
word, Sasami threw herself back into my chest, arms wrapped around me
tightly, and began to quietly sob.
Little did I know
just how serious she was about her claim.
That evening, life
went on as usual in the Masaki household. Tenchi came in from the
fields with Ryo-Ohki in tow. Ryoko finally rousted herself. Ayeka
finished with her household chores. Mihoshi performed one of her
infamous crash-landings in the lake. Washu appeared from her lab.
And Sasami served dinner.
“How was your day
Tenchi?” asked Sasami.
“It was good. It
looks like the carrots will be ready to harvest next week.”
“I should have my
truck and trailer unpacked by then,” I chimed in. “We'll be able
to get the entire harvest in one go.”
Tenchi gave me a
surprised look, then beamed. “Thanks! But are you sure your truck
can handle all that?”
I shrugged. “It
handled all my stuff at highway speeds. Granted, not quite as fast
as it normally would, but fast enough for it to be safe. If we can
keep Ryo-Ohki from eating the majority of them at once, we might even
be able to take some of our harvest to the market.”
“That would be a
huge boost to our income,” said Washu. “I knew you'd be useful
to keep around.”
“Yeah, well the
sort of 'useful' you guys usually need isn't of the handyman
variety,” I sniped back. “But anyhow... I just realized that
fuel could be an issue – it was bad enough in my time when it
started running close to about a hundred yen a liter. And my truck
has a sixty-liter tank. Having another vehicle like my truck around
is a boon... but it's also an expense. Washu, think you could help
me out on converting my truck into a diesel-electric?”
“Diesel-Electric?”
asked Tenchi, a little unfamiliar with the concept.
I sighed. “Of
course, most of your locomotives are straight-up electrical. A
diesel-electric drive train is one where you have a diesel engine
turning a generator which supplies power for electrical traction
motors that drive your vehicle. A lot of railroad locomotives in the
USA are like this because the runs between rail yards and depots tend
to be measured in the hundreds of miles. If you remember your
science classes then you'd know that's too far to transmit power
efficiently... at least, using regular power lines.
“Now, this is
opposed to hybrid drive trains that you hear about in some vehicles
because in those the gas engine and the electrical motor do the same
work together – driving the car. It's just that in a hybrid system
the computer is able to balance how much work the engine does with
the motor, and how much work the engine puts into generating
electricity instead of providing driving power. It's very
complicated and requires a lot of moving parts.
“Now, I'm an
engineer, which means I believe perfection is achieved not when there
is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.
I would go for the diesel-electric system – much simpler that way.
Also, add a nice little bank of batteries and a couple of one-farad
capacitors, and then have those capacitors working in conjuction with
some high-efficiency direct-drive dynamos – that way I can reclaim
energy whenever I brake to slow down.”
“Pretty clever,”
said Washu.
I shrugged.
“Wasn't my idea. Someone else came up with it, then slapped a
patent on it so only they could make money off it. I'd do it
differently – patent it, yes, but make it so anyone can use the
basic system, free of charge.”
“You wouldn't
make any money off it,” said Washu shrewdly.
“My reward would
be when global warming starts to look a lot less like a myth here in
the next couple of decades and right-leaning politicians begin to
start rethinking their agendas. Oh, and also it'll be nice for when
the price of gas skyrockets.”
“Good point,”
she conceded. “At any rate, it sounds doable. Though that sort of
vibration tolerance is pretty high. You sure Earth's technology is
up to snuff at this time?”
“Pretty sure. It
may not be in the same class as 'off the shelf parts' but it's out
there. We can work out the details later.”
“Good idea. Food
now, work later.”
Later on, Washu and
I worked at the table once all the food had been cleared away. She
had rolled out a largish piece of clear film over the table and
engineer's diagrams of my truck appeared all over it. I don't know
how she managed to get a hold of it all, but it covered everything
about the Mazda B2500 pickups you could imagine.
We got around
talking about instrumentation and how it would all have to be
changed, I then heaved a sigh as I had an epiphany.
“You know what,
I'm not so sure I want to go through this anymore,” I said.
“What? Why
wouldn't you?” said Washu in surprise.
I shrugged. “I've
got a lot of sentimental value in that truck. Kinda like to keep old
Scrappy the way he is now.”
“You got any
other ideas in mind?” asked Washu.
“Well... there is
a four-door option of this truck here in Japan. I wouldn't mind
trading-off the longer bed in exchange for more comfortable seats in
the back.”
“You don't have
to,” said Washu. “We could just get both versions, cut them in
half, and keep the parts we want.”
“Maybe,” I said
thoughtfully. “It'd take some time to make it happen. There's a
few other options I want to look at as well, like a camper-shell with
an air conditioning unit and cargo-bed seating. Not enough seats for
everyone otherwise.”
“Why's that
important?” asked Washu.
“I thought it'd
be nice if we can go out on road trips now and then. You know, nice
normal stuff. Though if we want the same sort of experiences I had
when I was a kid, we'd have to hit everyone with an American Generic
language pack and head over to the USA.”
Washu snorted. “That'd be something to see. But I think you're
onto something about them enjoying it.”
“Yeah. I think Ryoko would especially like Texas. And I'm pretty
sure that Ayeka and Sasami would like the Riverwalk.”
“What about Mihoshi and me?”
“Lots of schools chock full of fresh-faced science and engineering
majors for you to terrorize.” Washu cackled gleefully at that.
“As for Mihoshi... eh, she'd have a blast anywhere. She would
probably get lost in the barrios and wind up finding one of those
nice hole-in-the-wall panderias and blow her entire budget on
pandejevo and sweet empanadas. And she will never eat any pastries
but conchas and semitas and empanadas afterwards.”
“You sure about that?”
“Latin Americans are renowned for their sweet tooth. Just you wait
and see.”
“And what about Tenchi?”
I grinned. “I'll take him to Lackland Airforce base. If I look
through my stuff, I'll bet that my DD-214's have changed to reflect
my shift in time and space accordingly and I can get Tenchi in with
just a little bit of effort.”
“How so?”
“Whisper into a recruiter's ear that he's considering service in
the US Airforce over the JASDF.”
And now Washu snerked. “You evil person you.”
I grinned and I knew I had that wicked gleam in my eyes. “It's a
gift, I know.”
After that evening with Washu, I put the finishing touches on my
C-Space, and then got myself my sleeping pad, pillow and some
blankets, as well as my cat and his basic necessities, then sacked
out. It was empty and hollow sounding, but it was my space and
tomorrow I was going to fill it.