Blower

Alpha, Nancy & Rote Songmark Characters Copyright Mr. Simon Barber.

Used with permission

Alpha Rote blinked in the morning light as she hurried towards breakfast. It had been a late night studying again what with her dorm mates chattering about the music they were listening too. It had been a dull night of study on top of that. Songmark’s courses were overly restrictive in her opinion. Why there was almost no possibility of experimentation. How could anyone improve anything if all they could do was follow the book. Didn’t anyone understand that following the book simply snuffed true imagination? She might as well take a swim in Dark Crater Lake at this rate for all the chance she had to make advancements here. There were almost no challenges. Why, she would almost do exploratory brain surgery on one of her dorm mates alive and conscious just for the chance of one little challenge.

Of course those experiments too were denied her. Not so much by Songmark rules, for what she had heard lately there would be no tears shed if certain Red Dorm students woke with their brains switched. It was just, well, Nancy would be horrified. While the chance to say switch Bridget and Liberties brains would be really worth the effort, having Nancy look at her like she had looked at her captors in her memory would simply kill Alpha. She just knew it would. So while she could dream of such an operation, it would have to wait until Nancy tossed her aside in three years. But what to...

Alpha stopped, looking to her left. Wasn’t that the hot water boiler all the third years had been using? Forgetting her breakfast, something she had done often at home, the little shrew walked directly towards the dismantled blower. Squatting down she started picking up pieces. Yes Alpha realized, a typical mechanical squirrel cage fan motor. For an instant the image of Nancy in a real squirrel cage drifted across the shrews mind. How would Nancy react to that, like she did when Alpha brought out the ropes her wife had bought just before school started? Now there was an interesting experiment. Pushing that warm thought aside (and in the process forcing her heart to slow) Alpha studied the problem in front of her.

Shaft broken, it would be easier to replace the fan than to... Her mind settled into the challenge before her, her eyes glazing in that way they did every time she was given a worthwhile challenge. Images flashed through her mind as fast as she normally talked, and was had anyone ever bothered to ask, why she spoke so quickly. ‘If I discard the mechanical fan completely, it is a four inch airpipe. I could...’ Breakfast, and her first morning class were completely forgotten.

Sometime later a figure approached the young first year from behind. Tatiana Bryzov had been sent directly to Alpha Rote by Miss Devinski. Apparently the little first year had missed her first class and was now in deep trouble, something that Tatiana herself tried to avoid as much as she could. She was approaching with the greatest stealth she could manage, from downwind and with her shadow well out of the shrews sight. A second year now and NKVD trained the young Russian well knew how to sneak up on an unsuspecting opponent.

“Stopthereplease” Alpha called none too loudly.

Her abrupt announcement caught Tatiana completely by surprise. She was still well out of leaping range though well within knife throwing range. How had this little first year spotted her. She was still trying to work out the how when Alpha turned to face her, her notebook in her paws. “Am working on problem” she explained. “Please notupsetenergybalance.”

‘Tell me... A second year’ Tatiana thought. “That is enough first year. You have missed first class, you are in violation Songmark rules. You now follow me to Miss Devinski, who sent me to gather you.”

“Missclass” the shrew gasped, looking not up into the sky to read the sun as Tatiana would, but towards her apparent work. “Oh no, have” the shrew continued. Closing her notebook she stood, walking quickly to Tatiana’s side. “I in trouble yes?”

“Pravda. Much trouble” Tatiana agreed.

A look of horrified failure came to the shrews eyes. “Nancy be very angry me” she gasped. “Please lead.”

Turning on her heel Tatiana marched the errant little first year student towards Miss Devinski’s office, her own thoughts rambling as they traveled. ‘Not worried about Miss Devinski. Worried about her Nancy? ’ she wondered. “You have made me miss my class” she snapped at the shrew, covering her own curiosity. “Maybe I just eat you instead.”

‘There’ she thought. ‘That will frighten her of someone other than her Nancy.’ They came to a stop at the main door with Alpha stepping forward to open it so that they could both walk in. Stopping again, this time at Miss Devinski’s door Tatiana showed her fangs to the shrew. After all, it worked so well with Millicent. ”What do you say” she asked Alpha. “I am hungry.”

By all rights Alpha should be frightened, for a Sable was not a creature the average Shrew could normally stand to frighten. Alpha instead stunned the Russian. “Nancy sayImustexperiment. Your room or mine?”

Sputtering, Tatiana covered the only way she could, rapping sharply on the door she waited for permission to enter, then left the Shrew to wait alone behind the now closed door.

“I have returned with missing student” she reported after coming to attention in front of the hounds desk.

“Very good Tatiana, I knew I could depend upon you” Miss Devinski answered. “Now. Before I release you to your class in the remaining time I have two questions. First.” She opened a folder, withdrawing a single sheet of paper. It was covered in block printed English Tatiana noted, but that signature could only be one person. “She has sent written conformation that she has adopted you. Are you agreeable to this?”

“My family all dead” Tatiana answered. ‘Or as good as in Siberia or worse’ she continued in her thoughts. “To have family again yes. I accepted, Oharu have much to teach me, much I find I wish to know. Is very good woman who heals my pain. I am proud carry her name.”

“I see. Well. We have two firsts now. Of course you are not the first Songmark student to be adopted by a native, but you are the first to be adopted by a Priestess. I am not certain if you understand the honor, just be aware that in the years I have lived on this island this has never occurred. My research tells me that this is not unknown, simply very rare. I think that you will be surprised at what doors this opens to you. Very well, will you retain your name as Tatiana Bryzov or change it to Tatiana Wei?”

That question caught the sable by surprise. She hadn’t thought about it actually. “For now, until finish school I retain Bryzov” she quickly decided. “After pass Songmark, become Bryzov-Wei.”

“I see. Actually my young student that is your best choice. My second question. Her room or yours? After all, the invitation was yours and I am certain that Millicent would not object if it is only the once.” Miss Devinski barely held back a laugh at her students sudden embarrassment. In one statement she had just notified her student that she not only had somehow heard what Tatiana had thought a private comment, but somehow knew about her involvement with a certain English housecat.

“I must think on that” Tatiana abruptly answered. “I have no interest to join certain dorm. Yet was my offer. Must learn not to say what may be taken wrong. Pravda.”

“Very well. I expect a complete written report in one week on the advantages and disadvantages of accepting your new name. You will be graded. Dismissed.”

Alpha wondered at the sudden departure of her guard as Tatiana ran from the building towards the class rooms. Her introspection was broken instantly at the sound of her name, followed by orders to enter the room. Entering she barely remembered to come to attention in front of her instructor. Instead of speaking Miss Devinski looked pointedly at the door, amused when Alpha hurried over to close it, then back to attention in front of her.

“Tell me Mrs. Rote. Is it your desire that the two of you be drummed out of this school today?”

“No Mam” Alpha answered, having to fight to keep her words apart.

“I see. Well, your dear sweet wife is currently barely holding onto her place. If she is found off Songmark property without a pass one more time this year you will both be released. Her actions, caught snooping on an island she knows she is not permitted upon, without even a pass are unacceptable. Now you simply ignore your basic flight theory class. Why.”

“I truly sorry Miss Devinski. I wason way tobreakfastand saw broken blower. I have nothad challenge in weeks. Couldnotresist.”

“I see. Building a radio we still have not located was not a challenge enough?”

“Please Miss Devinski. Building radio is babyhobby. Very easy. Nochallenge.”

Sitting down the hound stared at the young girl across from her. Challenge. Alpha Rote needed a challenge. Of course a Card Carrying Cranium Island Mad Scientist would find Songmark’s technical classes exceptionally boring. It would be later, in the more advanced classes that things would be ‘challenging.’ Events fell into place within the hounds mind. Finding Nancy Rote, wanting her. A challenge, most likely the last serious challenge Alpha had run up against before school started. Of course the squirrel would have had no chance, not against someone with the energy, the mad focus of ambition Alpha had already exhibited. But a challenge...

“Your dorm is fined five points for your failure to attend class” Devinski announced. “Your wife’s dorm is restricted to this compound for two weeks due to her actions. My rules regarding contact with her remain. You are though ordered to find a way to personally explain to her exactly what she did wrong, and that any further disobeying of Songmark rules will result in both your expulsions. For someone who can build an invisible radio, managing this should be simple. Is this understood?”

“Yes Mam. But radio isnotinvisible.”

“So you say. That blower. You have an idea as to how it may be repaired? Our third years truly need the hot water.”

“Yes Mam. Take fourmaybefive hours hard work tocomplete build when findallmaterials” Alpha answered.

“Very well. At ease Mrs Rote, you will keep what I tell you next a secret or you and Nancy will be on separate transportation to your separate homes. Homes many thousands of miles apart ten seconds after I discover you have said anything. Is this understood?”

“Understand fully. Accept. My word. I swim Black Crater Lake before speak.”

“Black... I see. Very well, I task you to insuring that your wife is never again caught breaking Songmark rules. Is this challenge enough for you?”

Alpha’s mind screamed as it crunched data. In two breaths a light blossomed behind her eyes. “Songmark rules meanttobebroken But only if not caught” she announced in enlightenment.

“By the Gods your smarter than any of us thought” Devinski gasped. “All that with just a few bits of data? Alpha. Why are you attending Songmark? You don’t need anything we can teach you. You can think your way out of anything, can’t you.”

“No Miss Devinski” Alpha admitted. “Data easy to crunch. Easy to findanswerbut must knowsomethingfirst. I am not pilot. I cannot survive outsidecivilizedarea. There is great gap in what I know. Not what I can know. I wanttobe air traveling Scientistbeforemeet Nancy. Now I want beabletravelwith her. Do her science work. I want to studyallthe world. Without Songmark trainingthisneverhappen. I die alone Cranium Island, no matterhowlonglive. Take Nancy to makemeunderstand love. It is true yoursciencenot advanced asmyown. But I know nothing of engines. Flight. Weather. Survival. I need Songmark.”

She paused, looking into her mind for something important. “Yes. I think very fast. But if tiger jumping at me, is it bettertohave training or trying to thinkwhattodo?”

“Depends on who the tiger is” the hound admitted, laughing softly at some memory. “But yes, I understand what you are trying to say. All right then I have a second challenge for you. You will have until sundown to repair that boiler. If you do I will grant more than your lost five points to your dorm, I will also add the same unnamed number of points to your wife’s dorm making their restriction only one weekend. Second, if you find a way to talk to your wife without coming within thirty feet of her I will double those points to both dorms. This will remove her dorms restrictions, withdraw her from the edge of expulsion and very much impress us all. You will though have to explain to me exactly how you do this. After the fact. Finally, fail to repair that blower by sundown and you pack your bags. Neither of you will be on Spontoon by sunrise. Is this enough challenge for you?”

Alpha ran Miss Devinski’s words through her mind. Fully seven breaths passed, during the time her eyes were so obviously out of focus that for a moment the hound was worried. Abruptly Alpha returned from wherever she had been. “On pain expulsion tonight, fix blower by sunset. Find way to speak to Nancy without seeing her before weekend. Explain same to you when?”

“Two weeks.”

“Challenge accepted.”

“Dismissed” Miss Devinski snapped. She watched the shrew depart, wondering at what had just happened in her office. And really, what was a full card carrying Cranium Island Mad Scientist capable of. Alpha Rote was a surprise, Nancy Rote though was so far a disappointment. Yet between the two, once they lined up, it was going to prove to be an interesting three years. Putting Oharu’s letter back into Tatiana’s folder she closed it. It had probably taken the mouse several hours to write that letter, it was painfully obvious that she was referring to a tourist dictionary, but the effort had been one of love. Love of a mother for her daughter. What would happen in the future to their young Russian spy she wondered. Especially when she discovered what being the daughter, even adopted daughter of a priestess meant. Especially a priestess as important as Oharu was becoming.

Alpha rote returned to her careful pile of scrap parts. Repairing the fan would require tools she did not yet have access to, therefore no fan. All the copper wire was in acceptable condition and she had more than half the day yet to work. “WhatIneed” the shrew told herself, no longer trying to slow her words “Isastrongnonconductingpipetherightdiameter.” There was some pottery sewage pipe of various diameters behind the workshop she remembered. Setting her notebook down Alpha Rote trotted over to the waiting stack of unconventional spare parts.

Many hours later Tatiana Bryzov, on her way to supper, noticed the shrew Alpha Rote still working on a pile of what appeared to be useless scrap. Curiosity caught her, causing her feet to change direction. This time when Alpha acknowledged her presence it wasn’t that much of a surprise. Somehow the shrew could sense people near her, though the how was so far beyond Tatiana’s knowledge. So far.

What she observed was puzzling. Alpha had completely dismantled the old direct current fan, breaking its huge magnets into dozens of near equal sized sections. This in itself must have taken a great deal of time, and yet there were now hundreds of short copper wire coils tightly wrapped around carbon rods. Most were already set into the pipe Alpha held. Maybe three were left to place. Alpha was using a broken drill bit and a small rock to cut holes into a terra cotta clay pipe. “Have you eaten” Tatiana asked, knowing that whatever the shrew was doing would take hours to explain.

“Not today” Alpha admitted as she started yet another hole. “Have only three hours to finish or Nancy I be thrown out. Sunset. Must work.”

“Thrown....” Tatiana gulped. Turning she headed for the mess hall. Alpha’s transgression hadn’t been that bad. What in the hell had Nancy done the Russian asked herself and why was her wife paying the price.

Alpha had placed the last magnet where she needed it, holding it in place within the wire cage of insulated copper wire she’d recovered from the motors winding until the dope glue could set. Satisfied she stretched, feeling bones pop into place while sore muscles screamed. Other than connecting the pipe to its place and adjusting the system she was finished. As she stood her mind felt the approach of Tatiana again. “Yes” she asked without turning around.

“Food and water” the sable answered. “Unless you want to die out here of starvation and thirst.”

“Thank” Alpha answered, accepting the water first. “Thought taking food out of mess hall was violation of rules.” She drank deeply, abruptly aware of how drained her body was.

“Mrs Rote” Tatiana whispered, as though in some dark room with another agent. “There are very few rules not to break. Harm another student, instructors, endanger others life. Such as those. All others meant be broken, broken only if not caught.” She offered over the food, a non-standard wooden bowl filled with the purple sludge called Poi, on top was a brown liquid. “Borrow soy sauce from other student. Make taste better” the Russian explained.

Digging in with two fingers as she’d been shown, Alpha took a taste. Certainly the brown sauce made the tasteless sludge palatable. She would have to ship samples home for her parents, it certainly promised to make their vat grown food taste better. “Why” she asked suddenly.

Settling down on the ground Tatiana looked about, insuring herself that they were not in open view. She had no illusions that any place on Spontoon Island was beyond her instructors view, not after the Millicent comment. “In way you like myself” she explained. “Both have heavy weight on shoulder. You have Nancy, who is great social fool.” She held up a paw to forestall Alpha’s beginning explosion. “Fool not cover self when breaking rules. Nearsighted is work, she see only that path to her destination not what she needs. Songmark teach her that, or send both of you home dah? You are forced cover her mistakes.”

“Dah” Alpha admitted. “Kak eto nazyvaetsja? Love.”

Tatiana’s eyes widened. “You speak Russian? With no accent? How.”

“I speak Russian, German, Italian, English, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Latin and French” Alpha admitted. “I hadyearwhen Languages interestedme. Chem vy zanimaetes' v svobodnoe vremja?”

Tatiana laughed. “Let us remain in English, I need much the practice. I am spy in spare time” she admitted. “Or was, now I learn what mo... Oharu will tell me. You?”

“Love Nancy” the shew admitted, carefully cleaning the bowl with one finger to get the last of her bodies needed fuel from it. “I have no real, as youcallthem hobbies. Now Imustfinish this.” Setting the bowl in front of Tatiana, Alpha turned back to her contraption.

“May I watch” Tatiana asked.

“Dah. I would much like that” Alpha admitted.

Tatiana watched in silent, puzzled amazement as Alpha Rote carefully wired up her strange device. It looked nothing more than a length of narrow clay drainage tile with wire wrapped carbon rods, rods obviously taken from the dead dry cell batteries stored for later disposal, mixed with wrapped metal rods that may have been spikes and the broken bits of magnet. So intent was Alpha in her work that Tatiana was certain she could bargain beside her with a Kuo Han agent to sell her without the shrew noticing, as long as she let her keep working on the odd device that was. It was very near sunset when, sliding a larger clay pipe over the smaller one Alpha seemed to have finished.

“It is magnetic accelerator” the shrew explained as she carefully fitted the combined pipes into the boilers waiting intake. “Works not very well, should do.” Running a water resistant electrical line over to a large wooden box set well above the floor she opened it, giving Tatiana a view of a standard tube based power supply, except there were no tubes only four separate five inch square plates of window glass that were oddly discolored. “Silicon is semi-conductor” Alpha explained as she made a connection. “By stressing, can make allow energy flow only one way. Break alternating voltage down to direct current. Alternating not work this case and too much energy. Melt coils.” Alpha turned a knob inside the box.

For several seconds nothing happened, then Tatiana felt a slight breeze. As Alpha moved the knob that breeze increased until a soft roar came from the boilers area. “Too powerful” the shrew decided after sticking her paw in front of the pipes open end. After making adjustments she seemed to be satisfied. “Will please to light boiler” she asked Tatiana.

Having little experience with the boiler it was still rather easy for the Russian to determine how to do what Alpha asked. A soft thump answered her efforts as fuel oil spray, atomized by the air current, lit. The flame though was more orange than it should be, yet Alpha was already on that problem. Another adjustment of some unseen control and the flames began to spiral, turning much less orange and much more blue.

“Need serious machine shop makebetterunit. Need make adjustmentsowater not too hot.” It required several more minutes of fiddling before the shrew admitted it was the best that she could do. Sealing the box she walked over to another circular object, the discarded squirrel cage fan. Reversing the device Alpha added more dope glue, then gently slid it over the intake. A soft whirring noise rose from the device, not unpleasant, simply there. “Keep things outnotneed be inside” Alpha explained as she picked up the wooden bowl Tatiana had brought. A bit of dope glue and wire later and it was covering the open end of the squirrel cage fan. “Best canhope for. Now must tell Miss Devinski I finished so she may inspect.”

Tatiana followed the shrew out of the bathhouse. “How does it work” she asked as they walked.

“Magnetism” Alpha answered. “All thingshavesmall magnetic charge. I simplydraw inair, magnetize moreso, send outother end. Is simple test I passwhenfive. Works much betterwithwater though.” They had arrived at the office building so Alpha went in still carrying her ever present notebook while Tatiana remained waiting outside.

She looked West, where the sun was almost touching the horizon. Alpha Rote had either finished on time or had no time left. ‘Were I still a spy for the murderer Starling, turning Alpha Rote over to the NKVD would insure me fame throughout my life.’ the sable thought. ‘A year ago I would have without thought. Now I will not. So much has Spontoon changed me. For the better I think.’

“Come” Miss Devinski ordered when she walked out with Alpha. Together the three returned to the boiler, to find that there was already hot water. For some time Tatiana watched in silence as Miss Devinski examined the device, asking Alpha pointed questions, sometimes very probing questions then inspected the now water resistant power supply. Finally she stepped back. “Show one of the third years how to run this” she ordered. “Then wait here. Miss Bryzov, come with me please.”

They returned to the hounds office where a well known pad appeared upon the desks surface. “Two passes to Song Sodas. One Ice cream, one soda each from my personal account” the hound explained as she wrote. “You must return before sunrise. Miss Bryzov-Wei, I am charging you with Mrs Rotes safety and safe return. Also, you will search her thoroughly before returning to insure that she does not try to smuggle in any illegal material. Extremely thoroughly. Leave no possibility something could be hidden upon or within her person. Anywhere. Am I clear?”

“Dah Miss Devinski. I am to escort Mrs Rote to Song Sodas, then back by sunriset. I am then to search her for contraband before entering gatye. Miss Devinski, a question please.”

“Ask.”

“How smart is Alpha Rote” she asked in all seriousness.

“Miss Bryzov-Wei. We give a test to all our prospective students to determine their ability to learn. This is not an IQ test, as it is not slanted for a specific countries style of education. All you girls must score high on that test, you yourself had very impressive results. Let me say this only. Mrs Rotes results were as above your own as our Ju 86D is above the Wright brothers first unpowered man carrying kite. That though only means she has an amazing ability to learn. It does not make her better or more equipped to survive than you are. I will give you an example of her abilities though, and not just that amazing blower she created that I am aware is still science fiction to the world at large. Alpha Rote was born and raised on Cranium Island. I am certain that you are aware of how dangerous Cranium Island is?”

“Rumors only” the sable admitted. “Rain Island aircrew lost while flying near same.”

“Cranium Island has an almost double digit yearly death rate. That is only the natives, for visitors it is near forty percent. Any further questions?”

“No Mam.”

“Then off with you.”

Not much later Tatiana watched as Alpha carefully examined her ice cream before eating it. “It is safe” she offered.

“Maybe. But on Cranium Island sometimes supper eats you while you sleep” the shrew explained. “Never wrong to be careful. Not want to wake up inside something else’s stomach. Ruin whole day.”

This simple statement abruptly adjusted Tatiana’s opinion of her lower classmate. Of course she would be different, growing up in that kind of environment. Why, not even the NKVD was that dangerous though not by much. It explained to the sable exactly why the Rote’s sudden marriage. When one could be being digested in their sleep, waiting for love was a fools adventure. It also warned her that Alpha had a sense of humor. Morbid yes, but still there.

“You will be seeing Nancy?” Alpha asked. There was hope in her voice, though not a great deal.

“Pravda. Can speak with her special if need tonight. Why” Tatiana asked.

“Need favor” Alpha admitted. Reaching into her coveralls she withdrew what appeared to be an aluminum 35mm film canister. “Here” she offered.

Taking it into her paws Tatiana felt its weight. It was what it seemed to be, but was rather heavier than expected even if a film canister was in it. “Is?” she asked.

“Transceiver” Alpha explained. “Limited range. Few hundred feet only. Build while wait for glue to cure. ” She withdrew another canister from her pocket, opening its screw top. Holding the item for Tatiana to study the sable was surprised to see what appeared to be fine mesh. A soft, pleasant green glow came from somewhere within. One could probably read by the glow if they tried. “Miss Devinski order I explain to Nancy danger she placed us in with her adventures” Alpha continued. “Cannot see her on Songmark grounds, mean Song Soda too. So only way can think of.”

“How long are batteries good for” Tatiana asked, amazed at what she held in her paw. What her controller would do if given these. How Starling would destroy this young girl and anyone she loved just to gain her knowledge.

“No battery. Run off Cradium 4 crystal I bringfromCraniumIsland. Last thousand years or more.”

Slipping the first transceiver into a pocket Tatiana held her paw out for the second. At Alpha’s puzzled expression Tatiana explained Miss Devinski’s orders. “If they not on you, then I not have take away from you give to Miss Devinski. Pravda? Give you back one when inside gates.”

“Oh.” Closing her can Alpha surrendered it. “I think I understandnow. Always a way aroundrules?”

“Always” Tatiana agreed, slipping the second can in beside the first. “Only must find way, you have finished ice cream?”

Looking down at her empty bowl Alpha giggled. “Looks like” she admitted.

“Then I take you place can search, no others see. You have other devices not want found you give me before search starts. I return after we inside Songmark. Come.”

As the two walked to a very secluded place near Songmarks fence line Alpha sighed. “So I owe you favor. Whatisityou need?”

“This you will discover” was Tatiana’s only answer.

Much later it was a very relaxed shrew who tumbled into her bed.