Backpost: Free space & Automobiles

Posted on 29 Jul 2018 @ 7:29am by Lieutenant Commander Iria Taltos & Captain Edward Bolingbroke (Dec-Jan 2389 - TRNSFR After Gorn War)
Edited on on 29 Jul 2018 @ 10:08pm

Mission: Ne Me'e Laua Na Paio - Heroes & Villains
Location: Holo-Deck 3
Timeline: After the Dissappearing Doctor

[ON]

[Holo-deck 3]

Iria grumbled under her breath as she stood staring at the mess of parts before her. Two piles. The Captain of Varient station had sent/returned to her the restored 1969 GT Shelby. Only problem it was in pieces. Several were worn down to being useless and the denting to the body of the car was worse than when she had unearthed it from the garbage pile she had spotted it on. Added to the mess before her was the sad remains from the 1979 Harley Davidson she had rebuilt months ago for her brother Runi. She shook her head and sat down on the bumper of the bustd up Shelby and sighed. After a moment she called up some music from the computer and started going to work on the Shelby's engine.

Music was just loud enough to cover the sounds of her tools as she leaned into the engine....

Bollingbroke arrived at the Holo Deck about twenty minutes late for his scheduled time. He had spent the time debriefing with Security and his Marines after rounding up the errant Gorn Doctor.

He was a little surprised to see the Deck occupied, even though he was late he had booked it for two hours. He was going to leave but decided to check on who was using it and hit the chime.

Inside the suite the entrance door way appeared and the chime sounded.

Iria smacked her head on the hood and yelped then cursed then took a breath before calling out, "Not locked come on in!" She rubbed the back of her head and faced the doorway her tools in hand a wry grin on her face.

The door opened to reveal Taltos in a set of grubby white overalls with a blue FORD and running horse logo on them, holding a plug wrench in her hand.

"Oh, hey, it's you!" Bollingbroke smiled when he saw it was the Engineer. "'Good work on the force fields today" He was about to mention she had high jacked his booking, then he noticed the overalls, plug wrench and the Mustang behind her.

"I say is that a Shelby Mustang?" He asked "Sixty eight?" He walked in to admire the automobile.

Iria smiled brightly, "A sixty-nine actually I like the old stuff as much as any of our fabulous technical wonders." She was a bit embarrassed she had not expected to see him again so soon but his compliment about her work as support nin engineering made her flash another cheeky grin his way.

''Huh, sixty nine. Oh yes it's got the four headlights, instead of just two" He agreed. "Not really my thing though, I'm a Brass Car sort of chap." He said with a grin "Came down to take the '28 Bentley Speed Six out"

Iria's eyes got wide, "A twenty eight Bentley speeder? May I see?" She paused and asked the computer to sent the mess of parts from the Shelby and Harley Davidson, to her quarters. She would get them put away in crates again later.

"Of course!" he smiled. Once the Shelby was gone and the deck was bare he announced "Computer! Initiate Bollingbroke Bentley - File Three

Soundtrack

The bare holo deck faded away to be replaced by the interior of a large brick garage. A work bench ran along the end, the shelves above it full of old antique oil cans, tools boxes and parts. Both sides had windows, one that looked out over a large well kept lawn surrounded by trees and farmland beyond. On the other side the view was of a large and imposing Georgian style country manor.

A large shape sat under a heavy dust cloth. Long, low and wide, with four large spoked wheels and tires, which peeped out from under the dust clothe.

'This is the old girl!" Bollingbroke walked over and pulled off the cover. There was a large dark green automobile beneath.

"Originally belonged to one of my ancestors, the 20th Viscount" Bollingbroke explained. "He brought the Speed Six chassis from Bentley, was going to have a Limousine body on it, but then he decided to go with a roadster! Took my very great Grand Mamar on a tour of Europe in 1929."

He opened the hood, displaying a massive straight-six cylinder engine. "Six and half liters, cast iron block and head all in one. Four valves per cylinder and a pair of SU carbs. All in about a hundred and eighty horses. Nowhere near what's in that Shelby of yours of course. But she'll do a ton on a good day"

"The original is back home on New Anglia. Far too valuable to take out, except on special occasions, of course. But this one.... " He grinned wide.

Iria smiled as she looked at the car then to him. "I think these are the better cars anyway. The Shelby is fast but this," she paused and her cheeks turned pink, "Has style and speed for its time." She was probably going to regret saying that one day. "This type of engine sounds nicer too, but that's from someone with sensitive hearing." She gave a wry grin as she admitted that aloud, "You won't get me within two hundred meters of a formula one race car those whining engines are awful to listen to!"

"Well let's start her up then" Bollingbroke replied, grinning. He checked the oil level, then closed and secured the hood. Went back and opened the half door, turning on the fuel pump and magneto, pulled the choke, checked it was out of gear and the handbrake was set, then went back to the front.

"This is the fun part" He said, bent forward and pulled a starting handle out of its slot in the chassis. He slid it in to the hole on the crank, got both hands on it, braced his legs, and started turning. There was a soft whine as the engine began to turn, then it roared into life, the whole car trembling with the vibration and the open exhaust burbled loudly.

He quickly withdrew and replaced the starting handle in its slot and went back to ease the choke a little. The engine settled into a steady beat as it warmed up.

He patted the hood. "Good girl. Last time it kicked back and nearly broke my wrist! Better open the doors, before she gasses us though" he walked forward to open the garage doors.

Iria moved to help with the doors smiling, "Nothing like a car with some spirit." she said once the barn doors were wide open. "Sorry again for borrowing your time with my Shelby." she added with a sheepish grin.

"Not a problem" Bollingbroke replied with a grin, swinging the doors open and walking back to the car. he leaned in and pushed the choke in a little. The revs dropped and the engine settled down into a deep rumble. "Fancy a spin?"

Iria smiled brightly at him, showing off her dimples in full to him, "I would love to join you. Thank you." she moved to the passenger side door and had to hop to get in but she was used to such things with her petite stature. "How long have you been driving?" not many folks actually knew how to drive the old cars anymore at least of folks she had met most frequently. Most figured shuttles and run-a-bouts were the only way to go but she still liked the old cars and such.

"Me? Oh since I was about ten or eleven I think."Bollingbroke smiled as he settled himself in behind the big steering wheel "Started on a tractor during the harvest, then I was given one of Grandfathers old MG's for my sixteenth birthday. Still got that one! Not as much fun as this beast though"

He pushed down hard to depress the clutch, rammed the big gear lever into first, picked up the revs and eased the clutch out. The Bentley eased forward, and rolled out of the garage. The engine beat changing as it picked up speed and Bollingbroke changed up into second, hauling hard on the wheel to take the the car on to the big long driveway that led past his ancestral home, Creedmoor Manor.

"The coast is about twenty minutes, country lanes all the way and there's a nice little pub, if you've a mind?" He asked Taltos.

Iria smiled, "Sure as long as I don't offend with how I am dressed, I mean all grease monkey here." She motioned to the cover-alls. She did have clothes on underneath but she wasn't certain the t-shirt and dark blue jeans were that much better. Though the t-shirt and jeans had no grease nor oil stains. Which was the whole point of the cover-alls. Protecting the clothes underneath.

The countryside was very pretty and being raised on a freighter gave her an appreciation for the things planet-side offered. Pretty scenery with promise of seashore where among her personal favorites. Iria adored swimming out of all other sports.

"Oh you'll be fine and there's a couple of spare shirts in the trunk" Bollingbroke replied with a smile. He eased the big old Bentley along and headed down the mile long oak tree lined driveway that led from the Manor to the road. He turned right at the large ornamental gateway and soon the car was running along a country lane through gently rolling farmland.

After about ten minutes they crested a hill and ahead in the distance could be seen an ocean blue horizon. It was late afternoon, the sun was warm and soon there was a fresh breeze with a hint of salt in the air.

The road forked and Bollingbroke took the coastal turn, with fields on the left and grass covered dunes on the right. Another five minutes and a small settlement appeared, there were several houses surrounding a small harbour where fishing boats lay moored to the jetty.

Across from the harbour was a white-washed, stone built, country pub The Seagull Inn. Bollingbroke pulled up and shut down the Bentley. The engine burbled to a stop and gave a final pop. "There's a garden around the side, with a nice view of the sea" he said, setting the hand brake.

Iria took a moment and wiggled out of the cover-alls, she smoothed her cerulean t-shirt and made sure that there wasn't anything on her Jean pants as she followed him out of the car.

As they walked around the side a door opened and a chubby fellow came out, the man sported a bright yellow wasitcoat, a very large bushy mustache and a wide smile. "Good afternoon MiLord! I thought I heard the Bentley. How's she running?"

"Ah, hello Watkins!" Bolingbroke replied shaking the landlord's hand. "Just fine! How's the Triumph, got that oil leak fixed yet?"

"Just about, I had to have a new head gasket replicated specially MiLord, but I'll have it back together in a day or two" The man replied smiling.

"Good to hear! Watkins, this is Ms Taltos. She likes those brash American Muscle cars! Watkins has a 2035 Triumph TR 11, in a rather loud yellow color. About the same as his waistcoat if I'm not mistaken!"

"Well we won't hold that agaisnt her sir" Watkins grinned "Pleased to meet you miss! "

Iria smiled up at the mushtached man, "I actually like all old cars and boats if you have trouble with that gasket for your Triumph, let me know I can make a new one myself." She shook the big man's hand, "Pleasure to meet you Mr Watkins, please feel free to call me, Iria."

The landlord smiled and nodded.

She didn't add that she really preferred not replicating parts she would find the parts and clean them up and work out the kinks until it was useable again. She eyed Bolingbroke with a cheeky grin, "You can call me Iria too, unless you're meaning Miss to be annoyingly over polite?"

Bolingbroke grinned "Iria it is and I'm Edward. "

Edward Bolingbroke, 1Lt, SFMC

Iria Taltos, LTJG, SF
ACHENG