The Monkey and Squirrel fight for freedom. Read Online Free PDF Page B

designs some time back, as they have a lot of time, metal and very little supervision. The only problems they have, are the tooling for the control systems, in fact all of the fine engineering and electronics work. We have all the required equipment spread around our fleet, and it is possible to most of the work while we're under acceleration!” enthused Tman.
    “I thought you said you were only kicking ideas around?” Chatty enquired.
    “Just for the detailed construction and searching for any defects in our designs. The basic designs are very similar, as are many of the modules, different approaches to do the same job. The next level of detail takes ten times longer than the preceding level, as the physics imposes fewer restrictions allowing a larger variety of solutions. I bet your group has it even worse?” replied Tman.
    “Maybe, but no way could I tackle your job.”
    “By the time we got you trained up, you would be working on the next generation.”
    “I have no intention of getting pregnant” Chatty signed indignantly.
    “Not that! The next evolution of our habitats,as we are very unlikely to get it perfect first time! We are going to do the best job we possibly can, we may have to settle for adequate if the force of events allows no other choice. Anyway I will send you our latest designs, let us know if you can see something wrong that we have overlooked. We can never have too many eyes on a project like this and your life also depends on us getting it right!” explained Tman.
    “Thanks, I think, something else to worry about great! On that reasoning you must review our ideas as well, remember you'll have to live within our constitution once it's voted in!” responded Chatty.
    “I know the process doesn't work like an engineering project, why can't people operate on a definable set of parameters.” signed Tman.
    “They don't, and never will so get used to the idea. Until we have a constitution and government we'll be operating like an army, once our people start to feel safe, the leadership will be questioned, quite possibly before we actually are! Something has to be there to legitimise leadership before the next crisis hits, so everyone is singing the same tune when we need to!” lectured Chatty.
    “I can imagine when we have been at the mines a while and comfortable, without an obvious need arguments could start. We'll all be in the middle of an argument, when the humans show up. With no one in command and no time to debate the options we could neither fight or flee successfully, it would be a painful and humiliating end!” observed Tman.
    “May you sleep as well as me!”
    “I deserved that Chatty, and I probably will. We both are worriers. Still better get my head down, night Chatty.”
    “Night Tman.”
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter 3
    Developments
     
    As time progressed. The Chinese lost no time claiming salvage rights on the station remains still in orbit. Much to the annoyance of their former owners, as the Chinese also bought up those shuttles at the bankruptcy sale, that had previously served the departed stations. The Chinese also recruited as many experienced space workers as they could for their rapidly expanding space industry.
    The Chinese had built a station mostly out of salvage, then towed it into lunar orbit. Using a shuttle with sufficient fuel to return to Earth orbit, reopening the supply link in the shortest possible time. That job had taken just over two months start to finish.
    The new Mars station was going to take a lot longer, it had to be a space freighter first and had to be reconfigured into an orbital station on arrival. Compounded by there being not much salvage left after building the lunar station. The Chinese announced an ion engine would be used for the Mars ship, as it had been clearly demonstrated recently, to be quicker in the long run.
    Cue another round of annoyed mutters from the former leading space powers, mixed with grudging admiration for