A Long Time Until Now - eARC by Michael Z Williamson

Author:Michael Z Williamson [Williamson, Michael Z]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: fiction, science fiction, time travel, General, Action & Adventure
Publisher: Baen
Published: 2015-05-05T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 21

Winter had come up fast. The frost turned to snow the next morning. It blew and eddied around the kitchen, and they huddled on their chairs and benches.

Sean Elliott wished he knew more about the climate here. Everyone had cold weather gear, but would the weather be cold or arctic? How wet? What would they have to do? How would they stay busy?

“I know everyone wants to crawl back into the tent, but we’ve got to keep working. Gina’s got the project list. We’re managing.”

Alexander had a spreadsheet of food, consumption, fuel, and date estimates. She kept the solar panels charging, though they were less effective this time of year.

Ortiz had organized the gathering of heaps of hay and greenery as fodder for the goats, and a windbreak for them that would protect two sides plus offer a bit of overhead. It was woven twigs, as they’d eat any actual thatch or green. The Urushu didn’t seem to grasp the concept of keeping or shielding goats, so they just said it was some of Alexander’s animal magic and they accepted that.

“I hope you don’t mind us crediting her,” he told Ortiz.

Ortiz shrugged. “As long as they goats are warm and we’re eating, I’m cool with it. By the way, I think we can make pancakes, when we milk a goat. I don’t know what to use for syrup or jam, though.”

“Just a straight pancake sounds great.” Who knew you could miss bread so much, and have too much meat for comfort? But they did. Bread was taken for granted in the modern world. When someone said, “The greatest thing since sliced bread,” they had no idea what a compliment they were offering.

One idea occurred to him. “I have a small but useful project,” he said.

Dalton was first to reply, “Yes, LT?”

“I want a bunch of small rocks and gravel from the stream. We’ve already done inside and outside the tepee door. I want a walkway starting at the outhouse, working this way.”

“When do you want it done?”

“I realize it won’t happen all at once. I’d say get a good five feet done, and the rest can be a handful every time someone goes. And I know it’s getting cold, but I don’t want any stinking piss behind the tent. Everyone goes to the stream, hooah?”

“Hooah. Then let’s get all hands on it for a half hour or so.”

With shovels and boots they got a good pad laid out. Eventually he’d like to add slaked lime and sand and let it concretize.

“When we run out of gravel, we’ll have to sift more from the stream, or crack slate and other rocks to use. That needs to go on the task list.”

“Got it, sir,” Alexander said.

It was sobering how much their productivity had increased with Urushu help. A few more bodies made that much difference. They’d make even more now, he realized, clutching his stinging hands. The wind was cold.

He really wanted a recon of the Neolithics, to keep an eye on them, but that posed a danger.

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