Chapter 2: The Mystical Folk find Futura

~~ July - Week 28 ~~

Futura got visitors this week.

A tribe of Burgis turned up and asked to see the Faerie Queen about using the plains for grazing of their herd of reptii’s. Sparky informed him he had to deal with Lord Lee, as she now owned the plains. This was news to Lee. She decided she and Sparky needed to have a little talk about precisely what she was supposed to own and what she didn’t.

Cais Judoc, the head of his little tribe, took Lee, Sean and Dave to see the herd of reptii. Cais wanted to settle his extended family of eight here. The scrubby plains to the south-west were exceptional for his herds, and he was happy to organise a leasing and trade deal with the new people.

He had been to this valley many years before with his father. They hadn’t stayed because the only people to trade with, were the faeries and they didn’t eat reptii meat. His new wife also didn’t enjoy the nomadic lifestyle. As soon as he heard from Iain that these people were here, he packed up and came before any other people did.

For now, Lee had decided that he could stay until they worked out a deal. Not that she had a clue as to what was fair, something else she needed to discuss with her daughter.

When they got out to the herds, the humans were amazed at what they saw. The animal resembles a Lystrosaurus dinosaur, according to Dave. They looked like a cross between a pig and a lizard with a very short beak-like snout with no teeth, except for the tusk-like upper canines on the males.

The variety of reptii that the Burgis people herded grew to about 60cm high by 220cm long with half their length being tail. Apparently, the hunches and tail were their most succulent parts. Cais had a herd of four males, twenty-eight females and ten juveniles of mixed genders.

Cais explained That the reptii were a bit lean after coming across the Little Blossom Desert. But on these plains with that scrubby bush that they liked and after they lay the eggs, they would fatten up quickly. Cais enlightened his audience about some of the reptiis habits.

He told them the reptiis would dig a shallow burrow to lay their (ostrich sized) eggs that took eight U-weeks to hatch. The females of the herd would take turns guarding the nests while the others ate. They loved to wallow, could swim and eat just about anything.

They laid three to four eggs each in a communal nest, often shared by about four females. The reptiis would produce twice a year in the colder months either side of the high summers in this region. The breeders would produce for about fifteen years, and the best age to cull was nine U-months (forty-five of their six-day weeks).

The area of land Cais wished to lease had a lovely little lake surrounded by scrubby brush, spiny-grass and warm sandy soil that was perfect for the nests. Lee told him she would get back to him on exactly how much land he could lease and the costs. She had no problem with adding to their meat stores if people liked the meat. She also liked the man and his family and thought that he was basically honest.

The settlement later found the meat tasted like a smoked chicken. (On earth, the chicken has a ham-like flavour due to the sodium nitrite salt that is used to cure them). Some found it was a little peppery but very succulent meat if it was cooked right and it soon became very popular.

Especially for Sean, Lee and Kyle, who still couldn’t eat most pork products because of Miss Piggy.

Lee’s solution on what to charge for the land lease was solved by the Pix, Alis and Haf Martyn.

The couple, with their four offspring Dye, Hatti, Jacko and May, turned up the following day as Iain had them on his sailing boat. The Pix family wished employment and Iain had thought that the new people might benefit from their expertise.

Lee had a chat with Sparky, Ide and Muirín about what the hell she was to do with the Martyn and the Judoc clans. The faeries assured her that the Pix were very trustworthy people and could be very helpful to her.

Ide determined the Martyns were scribes, who also had contract experience. She told Lee to employ them as her Contract Agents as she was probably going to need them. Now that the local people knew they were here, that had a new town and would trade they would come and visit.

Ide told Lee to give the Martyns a list of what items the humans were willing to trade and show them to the Martyns. They will help work out a value. Then the Martyns could work out trade deals for her. All she would have to do is agree or get them to renegotiate for her.

So, Lee set them up in one of the four-bed dorm-rooms in the dome, as Haf was the tallest at 128cm, they were happy to share the big beds. The Martyns loved what they considered luxurious accommodations.

Lee, Ulani and Debora set up a little office area outside their room. They got Bones to make a small platform and cut the legs off the front of the desks. So, the desks sat half on and half off the platform. Then their taller customers could sit on the other side, but the Pixs would be comfortable on theirs.

They found some office equipment for the Martyns to start with until Lee could set up an accounting system. She would have to get them trained to use it on the pads that she would give them, as well as the equipment they were supplying.

Finding space to set the Pix up in was no big issue. There was spare space in the dome because they hadn’t set up the animal area inside. The room and open area that lee had chosen were also close to the dining area. This would make it easy for people to find the Martyns when they needed their help.

Little Bear fitted the table and platform and said he could make the room more comfortable for the family. First, he pulled out the big beds and cut four of them down to 160cm long by 60cm wide and high. He constructed a platform 200cm wide down one end and placed the four short beds foot facing foot with heads against the sidewalls, and put two on the platform and two below.

He added a small cupboard and side table combo. He even gave the kids a safety rail for the top beds and curtains for a little privacy on each room and a straight ladder on each end for access to the top rooms.

He built a second platform area on the bathroom end of the room with a rail. He added a ladder and curtains. He added a slightly longer bed that was twice as wide for the parents. He included built-in cupboards for storing their things underneath. Bones contributed the table with little chairs.

Little Bear installed a small fringe with a microwave and several low cupboards for food and dishes. They could use the top to act as benchtops. He was still left with a little sitting area in the middle of the room. So, he installed a vid screen and big cushions with a low table for them as well. He even put in a smaller seat on the toilet and steps for it and the sink for them.