Chapter 8

George nodded his agreement. "Gosh, NO, that would be far too long. I am sure you could calculate the optimum dimensions of the steel links between the cars, assuming them to be welded to the underside and lower sides of the car. These connections would have to be robust, remember: timber is heavy. Much would also depend on how great a diameter of log can be accommodated. Anything too large could be left for the trains to transport through the tunnel at a later stage.

"Who is going to be cutting the timber in the forests?" George wanted to know.

"We haven't clarified that point," said Evelyn. "There are two options. One, ask The Personalia to do it with their mechanoids, or Two, send men in to do the task. The latter would depend on how secure the men felt, in an area recently inhabited by mega beasts. They may be afraid that one was missed, or that eggs laid recently will have hatched, and young beasts will be hungry, even if small."

George was sympathetic to that consideration. "I can fully appreciate how the men might feel. I suppose you could mount a protection squad with high-powered rifles."

One of the other committee members commented, "I would prefer to have The Personalia's mechanoids doing the timber cutting and stripping off the branches; and perhaps loading the flatcars with the logs, later."

Evelyn interrupted, "That reminds me: We may have a cable car transportation device in use, but that only goes as far as ground level on the other side. There is the gap between there and the timber operation. Some sort of rail tracks and trains will be needed to transport the logs to the cable car terminal."

George was quick to offer his help. "We use small shunting engines on Rehome, for moving goods wagons and passenger coaches around. Possibly The Personalia can obtain a few more, for timber operations.

"You must remember that once the tunnel is built and the tracks laid, we will require engines, flat cars, and carriages to move people and goods on the rails. We also need a signalling system to control the traffic. Is the tunnel to be twin track or single track? Single track would be awkward."

Evelyn cleared his throat. "Ah, on that point, George, our tunnel designers did not think ahead. They were looking at the fastest way to build the tunnel, so they adopted a single track size. Sorry about that. Any ideas on improving the situation?"

George was not to be beaten. He had an idea almost immediately.

"In the case of railroads on the surface, we would add a passing loop at various places – usually at stations – where one train would sit while another train went past, in either direction. As long as you have a foolproof signalling system, it works fine. In some cases, a single physical object – acting as a sort of key, though it is called a token – has to be held by the one train using the single track stretch, and the driver hands it over when they reach a double track. No train is allowed on the single track without the token. It is an excellent safety device.

He had another idea. "This is not the same, but using modern phones, the drivers can establish who has right of way, and woe betide any driver that does not cooperate in that! He usually would end up in a collision!"

"But, George, that is not the same as making a loop in a long tunnel."

"True, but there is nothing to stop you having the tunnel widened, or made into a twin tunnel, for a suitable stretch of line. You calculate the longest practicable length of a train, say using elongated flatcars, and a margin front and back, then space for the points and curves at either end; and "hey presto", you know how long you need for a track loop. Plan your tunnel machine to do two tunnels for that length – that is easier to control and support than a widened tunnel – and that means one train can be sidelined, while the other passes in the opposite direction (that is one of the origins of that phrase, by the way – the other being on the side lines of a sports field)."

"Except, George, it is not a tunnel machine; it is nanos taking the rock to bits in front of them. I am sure The Personalia can bring in a second mechanoid at the appropriate spot, and drive the other tunnel, parallel to the first one, for the required distance, then curve in and re-join the main tunnel after it has been excavated."

"Exactly. You guys are no slouches when it comes to seeing what has to be done. It should be fun working with you."

By the time John got home, Tabs and Penny were finished bouncing around, according to Muriel.

"These two were manic, John. You would have thought they had found a treasure, instead of just Penny getting a place at college."

Gloria added, "I had better warn you, darling: Penny wants to thank you for your help."

John grimaced. "Not another kiss?"

"I expect so. She seems to enjoy inflicting them on you."

"This is what I get for being helpful? Kisses? As if I didn't have enough from you ladies already!"

"Oh, I wouldn't say you had enough, darling." Gloria came over to him and pressed her body to his, and her lips to his. After an outstandingly gratifying smooch, Gloria pulled herself off him.

"Had enough of these, dear?"

"Okay, I give up. No, I always want more of these, Gloria my love."

"Oh, goody", declared Penny, coming into the room. She launched herself at John, and repeated what Gloria had just done, if somewhat less expertly.

When she released him she declaimed, "Thanks for your help, John."

Gloria looked on with an involuntary giggle spilling out of her. She apologised to her husband, "I honestly didn't know she was there and heard me, John. Sorry about that!"

"Such is life, Gloria." He gazed at Penny. "Thank you for your welcome, Penny. Perhaps not so boisterous in the future?"

Penny looked downcast. "All right, John. If you prefer, I can just do this:" and she came back to him and gently smothered his lips with hers, sliding effortlessly across his mouth, and away.

"Wow. That is just about as effective. I think that is enough kissing for now, girls."

Just then Tabs came into the room and looked around with a puzzled look. "What has been going on?" She asked, certain there was something she had missed.

Penny told her, "It was nothing important, Tabs. Grown-up stuff."

Tabitha seemed unconvinced, but let it pass. "Did you hear about Penny getting a place at college? On TWO courses – isn't it marvellous?"

John replied, "It certainly is great news, Tabs. Now all we need is to hear that you have picked up some more chemistry to tell us about."

"Oh, nothing of real interest today. I was learning about a great diversion, called phlogiston. It was invented in the 18th century to explain combustion. Many of the top chemists of the time believed in it, despite having no actual evidence to support the theory.

"The idea was that when a substance burned, phlogiston was released. That would mean that the resulting substance should be lighter, you see. When eventually someone got around to testing this, weighing the substance before burning, and after, they got a shock. The product weighed MORE, not less than the original, so something had been added to the substance.

"Phlogiston was on the skids from then on, but it still took a while, for there was no explanation of what caused the extra weight. It was only when oxygen was recognised; that was when the penny dropped. Burning was in fact the substance combining with oxygen, producing an oxide. I found that when you burn hydrogen with oxygen, the product is dihydrogen oxide, better known as WATER!"

"Great discovery, Tabs. It shows that scientists can be committed to an idea without evidence. That is not true science. You can always advance a theory to explain some effect, but it remains a theory until it is tested to show whether or not it is valid. Science says that such a result has to be independently repeatable to be accepted. If it cannot be repeated by another scientist independently, it is not acceptable as proof."

Tabs had not finished. "I also discovered that chlorine gas can be introduced into the water supply, to disinfect the water. It is a poisonous gas, and was commonly introduced into the water of swimming pools, for this reason. It helped to prevent the spread of bacterial infections from one person to another, and it is also used as a bleach, and in some cleaning fluids.

"Another interesting thing about chlorine. Just as oxygen produces oxides, chlorine produces chlorides, and the commonest chloride is that of sodium: sodium chloride, also known as common salt, is the main contaminant in seawater, which is why we call it saltwater!"

John contributed, "If you combine hydrogen with chlorine, to form hydrogen chloride, that product is better known as hydrochloric acid."

Tabs responded, "Chemistry is fascinating, isn't it?"

John agreed. "It is, but when you get down to the smallest level, the difference between chemistry and physics begins to blur. At a quantum level, chemical action turns out to be physical constraints within the boundaries of an atom – all to do with the various electron shells in an atom, and what can be swapped with another atom."

Tabs was blasé. "Oh, yes - quantum theory. I have heard a little about that. Perhaps I should have read some more about quantum physics."

Muriel pointed out, "Tabs, a fourteen-year-old interested in quantum theory is quite exceptional. I reckon your teachers are going to be quite surprised at what you have learned while away from school."

John's phone sounded off, so he excused himself from the conversation, and took the call in his study. It was his head of Administration, Peter Parker.

"Sorry to bother you at home, Governor, but something has come to light that it is essential that you know about."

"That's all right, Peter. Fire away."

"You recall that we declared New Eden to be free of any biological alien presence, some time ago. That encouraged many people who had trouble co-existing with aliens, to come here instead. You recall that, sir?"

"I do. So what has happened, for you to refer to that policy?"

"There is a human family due to arrive tomorrow, and one of the children is an alien!"

"I don't understand. If it is a human family, how can one of them be an alien? It cannot be a Malan child, surely? They are all settled on Rehome."

"Not that, sir. The child appears to be Towatan. For some reason that we are not aware of, the child's biological parents are either dead, or unable to raise the child – it all sounds a bit confused, to me. Anyway, the gist of it is that a human family adopted the child, and gave it a human name, so legally the child is human!"

"So, an alien child is officially a human?"

"That is the way I read it, sir. In that case, we have no legal basis for refusing the child entry to New Eden; and that means we will have an alien presence among us, despite our stated policy."

John though for a moment. "Let me see. What exactly was the way our policy was worded? Did we say we would never admit any alien presence, or did we simply say that our policy – at that time - was to not have any aliens resident in our Colony? Or did we state that our Colony did not have any aliens, and were inviting humans to come and enjoy that situation?

"Much depends on the wording of our announcement at that time. Do you mind going over our records in the morning, and clarifying the matter? We can take the situation from there, depending on what we find."

"Very well, sir. I will have that as my priority in the morning. Good night, sir."

John was intrigued to discover what actually had been said a couple of years back; his memory was not terribly clear on the point. He did remember it was a ploy by Rehome's Governor to flush out and remove anti-alien prejudice, by encouraging them to move to the beginning Colony of New Eden.

It certainly brought a small flood of opinionated families to the Colony, but almost all of these had settled in well. With no focus for their belligerent attitude, the families had become more normal members of the community.

Peter was at his door five minutes after John had arrived.

"Got it, Governor. There was actually no stated policy as such.

"You made an announcement to the media, about New Eden not inviting aliens in, as you wanted the Colony to be a place where humanity and its abilities was the main feature of the Colony. In order to encourage more humans to settle on New Eden and develop their abilities as settlers, you offered special deals for immigrants with talents and abilities, and you especially invited applications from Rehome.

"The conclusion is that while you presented the Colony of New Eden as a purely human colony, at no time did you state that this would always be the case.

"So this family can be welcomed as a human family if you wish. There is no need to publicise the fact that one of the children is a Towatan."

John was gratified at this finding. "I had a feeling that this might be the case, Peter, but I could not recall what was actually said or propounded at the time.

"Now, what do we know about this family?"

"I have extracted the family's data from the embarkation files sent to us by The Personalia. I am transferring it to your phone now, sir."