A Planned Improvisation Read Online Free Page A

which lot needs the least prep work. We can prioritize the construction that way. We may as well put one in anyway.”
    “You sound like you’ve made up your mind, sir,” Terry observed.
    “You know the old saying,” Park laughed. “If you build it, they will come.”

Three
     
     
    Iris arrived two hours later with the packed Mer buggy. The vehicle operated using the same suspensor technology that allowed the Mers to move freely on land. Park had frequently speculated that the technology must have existed before the first Mer as they seemed to prefer to live out of the water most of the time even if their cities were semi-aquatic, modern versions of Venice. They did not like sleeping in the water, for example and while they loved swimming and beaches, moving through the water was recreational for the average Mer.
    The buggy could fly comfortably over most terrain although it did have its limits. If the   ground beneath was too steeply pitched, they would slide back down or even flip over entirely. Travel through mountainous areas required them to find passes or to go around. However, most of this trip would be over flat ground and gently rolling hills. The Rocky Mountains had long since been worn away. There were still mountains along the west coast of Pangaea Proxima, but they more closely resembled the Cascade Range, being a long string of subduction zone volcanic mountains.
    Park’s torc chimed when they were an hour away from Van Winkle. “Can these things be turned off?” he asked Marisea.
    “You should have left it behind,” she told him seriously, stroking Cousin’s fur. There had been no doubt that the latter day primate would accompany them on the trip. Cousin had grown used to being alone in Park’s and Iris’ home during the days, but she was a very social animal and preferred to be with her people. In the evenings, Cousin would stroll from Park to Iris to Marisea and croon for attention until she was picked up and cuddled for a few minutes. Sometimes she would just make happy noises while they pet her and other times she used her tiny hands to stroke their hair in return. Park decided it was probably grooming behavior among Cousin’s kind.
    Two years earlier, an exploration team had found and returned with another example of Cousin’s species, another female. Marisea had taken Cousin over to meet the new one and have what Iris called a “play date.” The two female burrowers did not seem to hit it off. They were not hostile to one another, but they each seemed to prefer the company of the people who had found them to that of each other. Further, Cousin made indignant noises when Marisea attempted to make friends with the new female. Clearly, the creatures had a sense of ownership and family, but families were Independent units, probably territorial. Others of their species had not been found, however, so the Humans and Mer had no idea if the mutual reaction between Cousin and her counterpart was typical.
    Park nodded, but asked “Hello?” to activate the receiver.
    “Park?” Arn asked, his holograph forming inside the buggy. “I thought you were inspecting the runways.”
    “I was,” Park chuckled. He knew it wasn’t funny, but it would annoy Arn and Park was still feeling somewhat resentful of having been coerced into the runway inspection. “I have authorized a more detailed study which I will review on my return and also a study on the construction of VTOL spacecraft landing pads. I imagine Terry and his engineers will have more than enough to keep themselves busy for the next week or two. In the meantime I am on an important diplomatic mission for Dennsee.”
    “Important diplomatic mission my arse, Park!” Arn growled. “We’ll discuss this on your return.”
    “No we won’t, Arn,” Park told him calmly. “By then we’ll have more important things on our minds. I’ll bring you a souvenir from Yellowstone.”
    “Make it a snow globe of Old Faithful,” Arn laughed in