Page 20 of Oret
“Do you think they'll need it?”
“I’m not sure, but the other farm has extra water too, just in case,” Victoria observed.
Three tanks were full of water, and two had gone to the farms.The other one was here at the main camp.None of them would be used unless needed.She felt good about the emergency water because there wasn’t enough on this moon.Victoria believed in always having emergency reserves.They knew too little about this place and hadn't been around it nearly long enough.The scientist guessed that there wouldn't be any seasons, but there was no way to be sure.As far as she was concerned, they needed to plan for every possibility and ensure that emergency rations of all kinds would be available, just in case.
Victoria was able to sleep for six hours, and then she jumped up and ran to get breakfast so she would make it at the start of the mine’s day shift.Not one of these new miners could keep up with her, and every one of them knew it.Some of them tried, but most of them didn't bother.It was all right because she didn't think that if they tried too hard, they would be able to make it to the end of the day.These new people didn't understand the work that was required in a mine or any other place in a new colony.That was the problem: all the good workers had left, and now they had what was left.This was what she had to work with, and they needed to understand that they would have to put in some effort.If they couldn't make it in the mine, they would probably go to the builders next.If they couldn't make it there, the kitchen would be their last stop.
If someone had a medical problem, they would probably be put in childcare.That was a different issue altogether, and they would address it accordingly.None of the miners had any medical problems because they had undergone health checks to ensure they were healthy enough to perform this job.The same was true of the builders.Kitchen help and even farmers would sometimes be allowed to take on the job, even if they had medical issues.Colonizing was a complex process, and the rules had been in place from the very start.She knew those rules came from the old empire, and it was hard to say if they had come from here to begin with or not.
She had two more days of work at the mines before heading to the farm, where she helped the children complete the second story and began making some upgrades to the house.The two youngest children cooked better than any of the people she had in her cafeteria.She'd like to say that was sad, but it was no surprise.She trained all her children in cooking and other skills they needed to know.Victoria had never considered anything as "woman's work" or "men's work"; it was all just work.Tasha would be working nights for several weeks, and she would do her best to visit her grandchildren and assist them whenever possible.It wasn't easy because she had other areas that also needed assistance.
“You’re back,” Oret observed.
“I am.”
“Where are you at as far as Tasha's farm?”
“Both levels are complete, the laundry is installed, the kitchen is as it needs to be except for water, and the bathroom is ready for water.The kids have finished the barn and are now starting on the first greenhouse.All the fields and their personal garden are planted.”Victoria explained.
“Impressive.Will the barn hold all the animals they have?”
“There are two barns, so they will for now, but they intend to add more.”
“What did you bring me?”Oret asked.
“The kids fixed chili and cornbread.They made carrot cake for dessert.This is the best food that you will probably get for a while.”
Oret didn't wait and immediately began to dig in.It was obvious that he was enjoying it, and she had to smile.This was probably the way she had looked when she was eating it.The food from the cafeteria was filling but not necessarily tasty.That was something they had to change, but how to do that when they had no one who could cook?Everyone in her family who was a skilled cook oversaw an area where they were needed just as much.Victoria could remember when they had come back and had a BBQ with some of the meat they had brought from another planet.People had fallen over the food because it had been good.It was so much better than what they were getting daily.
No matter how much she wanted to improve the quality of the food, someone had to run the mine, and they also had to work in it to help it reach the expected level.They were close, but they just couldn't seem to make it.They had only made it one day, and that was because the others had helped just to see if it could be done.Now she felt like she was falling behind every day when she didn't meet the level of expectations.Maybe she could manage if she worked an extra half shift, but she needed that time with her grandchildren so she could be sure they were alright and had the help that they needed.Right now, there was no place that didn't need all the help it could get.
“Things will get better,” Oret said.“The chief always sets higher levels than he expects, and you made things worse because you met them when you were on Mars 2.He's not unhappy, not yet.We should know soon if he's sending Gabe and his family or not.”
She knew that was true, and she wanted them to come so badly.It was not just because they needed them but because she missed them.If she could have all of her family here, the mine would be running perfectly, and she would be happy.That was something she knew would never happen, and she knew that those who she had here now might eventually go elsewhere.It was morning, and she was ready to go to the mine and start her day when a ship landed.Hurrying out to meet it, she was thrilled when she saw Gabe, Anna, and the kids get off.She ran to them and hugged each of them in turn.
“I'm so glad you came.”
“I'm not sure what you expect from us, Mom.You know that we wanted to spend more time with our children while they were small,” Gabe explained.
“I know, but you’ve got two older kids who can work with you if you take charge of the builders.Anna can have the other two with her if she takes charge of the kitchen.”Victoria explained.
She could see that they were considering it, and she was certain that they would see things her way.Right now, she took them up the mountain so they could pick out a place where they could stay.Although it was still under development, family areas were available where they could stay with their children.Having Anna in charge of the kitchen would make things so much better.When she and Gabe had first married, she'd not been much of a cook.Victoria had taken her under her wing and taught her everything she needed to know, including how to hunt and fish.She was someone anyone would want in charge of their kitchen.
They looked at each other.“We’ll give it a try on a temporary basis,” Gabe said.“For now, we need to settle in, and we’ll start in the morning.”
“I’m so happy you’re here,” Victoria admitted.
She was, and regardless of what they decided, they would be a big help anyway.They needed trainers to help these people learn.Just because they were here, she felt like she was under less pressure and would have some of the help that she needed.Victoria looked at her mate and wished that they had some time for personal reasons.They didn't, and she had to head up to the mine to get it to work.First, she was going to eat breakfast because she was very hungry.She didn't intend to get in the condition she had been in before, where she collapsed.The work she was doing was hard, and she needed the energy to complete it.Oret brought her lunch, and she hadn't realized it was that late.She finished what she was doing and took off her gear to go to her office, where she could have lunch with him.The meals he brought her were always the best, and this was no exception.After lunch, she returned to the mine and gave it her all until quitting time.She knew it was quitting time because her mine manager let everyone know that they could leave, and the night shift would come in.
Their night shift was small, and they were all learning new things.One of the miners who had more experience and ability was training them.She would probably be doing it herself if she weren't going out to the farm to help Tasha and her kids.Her daughter worked wherever she was needed, and right now she was in the cafeteria because those working there had no idea what to do with fresh kills.They only worked with processed foods up to this point.That was changing, but they needed help, so they would learn what needed to be done.It was a surprise when Tasha arrived not long after she had.
“What's going on?”Victoria asked.
“Anna sent me home, and she’s working in the cafeteria for now.”
That was a very good sign.The only thing that worried her was that the people there knew so little that Anna might become discouraged.Anna was tough, but she wanted time with her kids, and people who wouldn’t learn would make that harder.Victoria could only hope that it wouldn't be the case.She needed her daughter-in-law to work in the cafeteria for it to see improvement.Without her, there would be no one consistently there, and that would hurt the training.She didn't mind giving her the support she needed with any difficult people, but everyone had to have their area and oversee it.That was why she had asked Radvar for them.
Since she had gotten what she asked for, the chief would expect immediate improvement.That was what she needed and wanted to give him.Everyone would have their place, and hers would be in the mine.She knew her mate didn't like it because they were using outdated equipment, which meant increased exposure to the minerals being mined.They would get an upgrade on the equipment when they completed the next lot.They would obtain the equipment that Mars 2 was using, and the monster moon would receive the equipment they were using, provided they earned it.Radvar had a plan, and she knew exactly what it was.If they did a good enough job and provided what he needed, they would get regular equipment updates.Those updates would make it easier to provide what he wanted and protect the miners.
