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Author SHA1 Message Date
BodgeMaster 06be4b41b4 03 A Simple Errand: fill in a gap
This makes this chapter nominally complete, apart from the needed revisions
as indicated by the comments.
2024-05-24 07:49:08 +02:00
BodgeMaster 790df2a171 'km' Unhappy Engine Noises: revison 2024-05-22 08:45:21 +02:00
BodgeMaster d3fa4d11fc 'na' Telescope: revision, continue writing 2024-05-21 19:25:26 +02:00
3 changed files with 78 additions and 56 deletions

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@ -19,15 +19,23 @@
<p>
Annie walks down the stairs and steps onto the square. It is brightly
illuminated by a large glowing sphere made of yellow and brown glass
tiles, suspended on steel cables hanging from four office complexes
that tower over the rest of the buildings. The other buildings around the
square are more in line with the rest of the city but they each have a
very unique look. <span class="comment">Add a description of some
buildings</span> To the right is the library, a large building with a
facade of sandstone blocks. The front features large pillars and a
staircase spanning the entire width of the building giving it the look
of an ancient temple. The wall behind the pillars has multiple rows of
windows.
tiles, suspended on steel cables that hang from four office complexes
at the corners of the square, towering over the rest of the buildings.
The other buildings around the square are more in line with the rest of
the city but they each have a very unique look. There&apos;s the town
hall <span class="comment"> city hall?</span>, a building of dark red
and yellow bricks, arranged to form beautiful patterns. Next to it is
the Museum of the Last Days, a dystopian-looking building with black
metal plates as a facade. Other buildings of note include the courthouse,
a theater, <span class="comment">Does that word also apply to what the
German word means?</span> and the cathedral - the only religious building
in the city.
</p>
<p>
To her right is the library, a large building with a facade of sandstone
blocks. The front features large pillars and a staircase spanning the
entire width of the building giving it the look of an ancient temple.
The wall behind the pillars has multiple rows of windows.
</p>
<p>
Annie makes her way up the stairs and enters through the large wooden

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@ -37,36 +37,36 @@ going with this so I'll just leave it in here, commented out.
Michelle pokes her head out from underneath the train.<br />
<span class="quote speech">I think that&apos;s it.</span><br/>
She puts a large piece of leftover hose aside and crawls out.<br >
<span class="quote speech">That was quick &ndash; nice work.</span><br />
<span class="quote speech">That was quick &ndash; nice job.</span><br />
Jack walks over to the compartment holding the batteries, takes the
cables off the terminals, and hooks them up to his makeshift power
supply. Then, he starts the generator and climbs into the train.
Michelle follows him and they go to the driver&apos;s cabin. Jack turns
the key switch and parts of the dashboard light up. Then, he pushes the
a key switch and parts of the dashboard light up. Then, he pushes the
engine start button. While holding it, he points to the fuel pressure
gauge and, raising his voice to talk over the noise, he says:<br />
gauge and, slightly raising his voice to talk over the noise of the
engine turning over, he says:<br />
<span class="quote speech">That&apos;s progress already.</span><br />
The needle on the gauge slowly creeps to the right as the engine turns
over.<br />
The needle on the gauge slowly creeps to the right.<br />
<span class="quote speech">Too slow though</span>, he adds after a
moment.<br />
He holds the button for a while, the engine keeps turning over,
but it doesn&apos;t start.
but it doesn&apos;t seem to fire even once.
</p>
<p>
Michelle suggests they take a look at the carburetor. Jack turns the key
switch off again and they go to the middle of the railcar. The floor
panels above the engine bay are already missing, they had removed them
earlier to replace the bits of rotting hose in the fuel line. Jack grabs
the manual from one of the seats and starts flipping through the pages
while Michelle jumps out and stops the generator. He begins to undo the
bolts holding the case of the carburetor together. The gasket crumbles
as he removes the top of the case.
<span class="comment">Hey car people, how&apos;d you describe this?</span>
Michelle suggests they take a look at the fuel injection. Jack turns
the key switch off again and they go to the middle of the railcar.
The floor panels above the engine bay are already missing, they had
removed them earlier to replace the bits of rotting hose in the fuel
line. Jack grabs the manual from one of the seats and starts flipping
through the pages while Michelle jumps out and stops the generator.
He begins to undo <span class="comment">knowledge gap here: How
does that work? What do you undo to fix a gunked-up fuel injection?
Also, do/did diesel engines have a carb?</span>
</p>
<p>
After cleaning the carburetor and replacing the gasket with a makeshift
one made from <span class="comment">what?</span>, they try again.
After <span class="comment">cleaning out gunk and doing some makeshift
fix</span>, they try again.
The engine attempts to start a few times but it still doesn&apos;t run.
Michelle notices the fuel pressure is back down to zero so they pull
the line out to see what&apos;s going on. Michelle waits next to
@ -78,15 +78,15 @@ going with this so I'll just leave it in here, commented out.
He presses the button for a few seconds, then he leans out of the window
looking at Michelle and the bucket. She looks up at him and says:<br />
<span class="quote speech">Barely a few drips. But there&apos;s pressure
back here.</span><br />
<span class="quote speech">So we need a new filter?</span>
on the other side of the fuel filter.</span><br />
<span class="quote speech">So we need a new one?</span>
</p>
<p>
He walks over to the closest door and jumps out. Michelle begins
undoing the <span class="comment">clamps?</span> holding the fuel line
to the filter while Jack starts searching all drawers and boxes in the
vicinity for a replacement. One side of the filter comes loose and
Michelle starts with the other side.
undoing the clamps holding the fuel line to the filter while Jack
starts searching all drawers and boxes in the vicinity for a
replacement. One side of the filter comes loose and Michelle starts
with the other side.
</p>
<p>
<span class="quote speech">Not the right one but I found this.</span>

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@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
Michelle pulls onto the street in front of the bunker.<br />
James asks her: <span class="quote speech">How far is it?</span><br />
<span class="quote speech">A decent bit. Used to be about an hour on the
highway... If it&apos;s in even somewhat decent shape, I&apos;d say
highway. If it&apos;s in even somewhat decent shape, I&apos;d say
we&apos;re gonna make it there in about that time.</span><br />
She turns right at an intersection onto the on-ramp, saying:<br />
<span class="quote speech">Gonna find out very soon...</span>
@ -23,41 +23,55 @@
on the uneven asphalt. James <span class="comment">hangs on to the handle
</span>in the door as the remains of the city outskirts fly by.
Michelle notices it:<br />
<span class="quote speech">You don&apos;t need to hold on, that seat
belt is gonna hold you.</span><br />
<span class="quote speech">James, relax, that seat belt is gonna hold
you.</span><br />
<span class="quote speech">How are you not absolutely terrified by the
speed you&apos;re going?</span><br />
<span class="quote speech">You get used to it after a while... Also,
I know the capabilities of this car very well &ndash; I used to drive
one like this.</span>
I know very well what I can or can&apos;t do with this car &ndash;
I used to drive the same model.</span>
<span class="comment">wording?</span>
</p>
<p>
Within a few minutes, they make it out of Ivydale, leaving its valley
behind. The mountains make way for an area of plains and shallow hills.
She takes an exit onto another highway. The large, rusty signs above
still indicate the proximity of Sentinel Shores where they haven&apos;t
faded completely. <span class="comment">feels like something is missing
here</span>
</p>
<p>
The highway takes them north, around the western part of Ivydale&apos;s
lower side. After a while, they approach what used to be the outskirts of
Sentinel Shores and Michelle takes an exit, getting them onto a rural
road. The observatory is located on a hill, now ahead of them; a small
group of buildings in the distance.
<span class="comment">What symbol to put where that semicolon is?
Keep the semicolon? A comma? A dash?</span>
The large, rusty signs above still indicate the proximity of
Sentinel&nbsp;Shores where they haven&apos;t faded completely. Following
them, Michelle takes an exit onto another highway that takes them north,
around the western part of Ivydale&apos;s lower side.
</p>
<p>
After a while, they approach what used to be the outskirts of
Sentinel&nbsp;Shores and Michelle takes an exit, getting them onto
a rural road. The observatory is located on a hill, now ahead of them
&ndash; a small group of buildings in the distance.
As they get closer, the buildings take distinct shapes. Two of them stand
out: The one in the center holds a large geodesic dome and another one off
to the side <span class="comment">elegant description of an optical
observatory?</span>. The other buildings look mostly unremarkable.
out: The one in the center holds a large geodesic dome and another one
off to the side is a smooth round dome with a slot cut out of it for
a telescope to peek through. Well, it <i>was</i> smooth at one point
&ndash; now, it has many holes with a tree growing out of the largest
one. The geodesic dome has ivy vines clinging to it but looks otherwise
surprisingly intact. The other buildings look like mostly unremarkable
ruins in various stages of decay.
</p>
<p>
Michelle parks the truck on what remains of the large paved area between
the buildings and they get out. Trees and bushes grow all over the place,
some even out of the windows and through the roofs of the buildings.
Michelle says to James:<br />
<span class="quote speech">I&apos;m sorry but it doesn&apos;t look
like your idea of using telescope is gonna pan out.</span><br />
<span class="quote speech">Oh well, still worth checking it out &ndash;
maybe, there are old photos left behind... Didn&apos;t you say you also
need the telescope?</span><br />
<span class="quote speech">We need the <i>radio</i> telescope. That&apos;s
a very different beast. It&apos;s in that ball made of triangles in the
middle there.</span>
</p>
<p>
She drives onto what remains of the large paved space inbetween the
buildings and parks the truck next to the entrance to the optical
telescope. They get out and look around. Trees and bushes grow all over
the place, some even out of the buildings. Dora runs up to a bush and
barks at it. A young fox jumps out and runs away.<br />
<span class="quote speech">Dora, c&apos;mere!</span>
</p>
<p class="comment">
What now? They start exploring but where to they begin?