Chapter 4

The Powers put their heads together ... it's their normal mode of existence, unless Seven is off somewhere doing sevenish things. Then the Six usually separate and party ... they're famous partiers. Seven is the stuck in the mud one. Tradition, tradition, tradition. She harps on Rules, Regulations, Codes of Conduct and manners constantly.

TPTB raised quite a dust ... pushing and shoving ... arguing and complaining ... until Junior said, "You gave me a new one."

"But that was because Too needed ... no ... wait ... That's right ... you needed a new watch because Wendy was going to die September 11th. How did that work out?" Such concern.

"Ask her."

The combined looked at Wendy. That she didn't die was taken in stride as easily as if she did.

"I lost David ... but I've been doing my best to see that ancient history conforms."

Seven said to her minions, "Give Gary a watch ... emergency use only. Vee doesn't need one ... she's THE PRINCESS."

So, Gary got a watch. Emergency Use Only printed across the dial. It was an old fashioned wind up with very few functions. It was a lot like the original Family Watch ... a keepsake ... but this one was in a cheap brass Westclock case. Big old clunker ... next size up sat on the mantle over the fireplace.

It would wind clockwise to go and depressing the stem winder would send the user back to the exact place they started from ... one second later. Wind it counterclockwise and you went back but were invisible in both line of sight and touchy-feely.

Once in the past the watch kept vehicles full of fuel and changed currency to fit the local time ... clothes too. 22000 years back and 2000 forward but it stopped with the end of the world. Since the end of the general population was now less than 100 years, Well ... you know. Why bother.

People and things touching went with the winder ... within reason; standing on a piece of ground would NOT bring it with you.

Its redeeming feature ... it kept the holder at his optimum age. Gary appreciated that. Now it looked like he was just five years older than Vee's 16 look.

"What do we need to take?" Gary asked April.

"You mean like wine or chocolate? Like flowers upon invitation to dinner?"

"No ... food? Camp gear? Firearms?"

"I'm a full service ship. I need to fuel up and stock stuff and from then on it's recycle. Water is fuel and lawn clippings or tree chippings ... and a little coal."

"Coal?"

"Christmas presents."

"Oh ... OH! Like in when you were bad you were very very bad?"

"Yup," the tinkle in April's laughter sounded like a glass flute.

Everybody fell out on that one.

"How about transportation for when we get there?" asked Vee.

April went from nice shiny silver to steamy red. "What?!?"

"We'll need a car."

"What on earth for?"

"To get around," Vee said, "There might be roads ... Was that as stupid as it sounds? I see."

"Uninhabited planet? Roads?" April asked.

"Well think about it ... it might not have always been uninhabited." Vee said.

Gary suggested something with wide tires for dunes, "You know ... like Silver Lake."

That simple statement brought up visions of old Fords with big wide tires charging up and down the dunes with tourists laughing, and catching Big Air ... girls screaming and kids losing dinner down the front seat riders collar. Best roller coaster ride in the world.

"You bet, of course we're taking a car," Gary said. "Any of the planets have lakes?"

Now ... there's a thought.