Welcome to the Galaxy

Life in the Fast Lane

Helga’s assertion to dominance had cost him his chance to recover any unguarded barrels of black powder. There had been a few available. Looking back at what had happened, Helga had taken control before he had realized. It was her that had really cared for he wounded. Helion might be losing himself to her control fully. He found this thought most distressing. Her personality was as strong as his had been. 

Her battle with the soldier had been a savage one. Helion was not sure if that side of him decided to more forward, he could surprise it. He could be stuck as a passenger in her body until she died. The prospect of that happening made his desire to get back soon, stronger than ever. He had a time limit now if he was pregnant. He knew it only took nine months on average for his body to grow a child. He needed to work fast.

Helion started working on creating a transmitter. Then he had a terrible thought. He didn’t know when he was in time. He had been traveling forward in time. He had advanced four hundred years. Time was constant throughout the universe. If he moved four hundred years forward his family may not exist to find. It was something he had not considered. He knew this was a backward place in the universe but he had not studied the history of this planet. He did not know where they were compared to his own time.

Helion needed to move quickly. Some things he couldn’t rush no matter how much he want. He had to transmute materials for parts. The bayonets steel was useable as a component. Combining it with the Electurnum would make a strong flexible metal called Stelernum. It’s uses for computer components and transmission systems could reach the interstellar ranges with ease. This was a great material. He could reuse and reshape it as he needed after sending a signal. He could create an entire navigation computer with the amount of materials he had now.

The new material would take another month to make. He couldn’t use all of his Electurnum or he would be back to ten year bursts thru time. He setup the transmuting chamber with the first batch. Then loaded his temporal shifting device with another batch of fuel. His inspection of the device lead him to believe he should be able to shift two more times at one hundred year increments before having to repair it again.

The temporal shifting only worked one way. The device wasn’t perfect and didn’t have the capability to shift him to specific times. Sorting out how to go back in time and stay was still something he hadn’t mastered. If he had got himself out of time with his family and his own right place in he universe, it wouldn’t matter if he could reach his people. No one would know who he was. If he couldn’t prove who he was he wouldn’t be able to be cloned.

Creating a galactic timepiece would have to happen before he could make a transmitter. The timepiece would be able to tell him when he was in relation to other systems in the universe. The new influx of coins provided him the materials to make that device. He got to work on it. It was a precise instrument and one he had always taken for granted. They were common components of most things in his world. He had made one in school so he knew exactly how to. This was different though, he had to make all the tiny pieces from scratch.

He worked long hours making the wristwatch sized device. He had plenty of money for food from what he had looted. He did notice an uptick in how much he was eating. Cravings and morning sickness soon followed. They showed up about the same time as he finished the galactic timepiece and his first batch or Stelernum was completed.

Helion started a second batch. Then tested his timepiece. The test took eight hours for three consecutive days. It had to start at the exact same time each day, at the same precise location. It also had to be clear skies and nighttime. It required alignment with stars he knew. It took a week of attempting to met the conditions for the test to be successful. Once it was verified it would tell him the day, month and years on the galactic level.

Helion stared at the test results. It was staggering to him. He had been born on the day he had been reviewing the past with his original time traveling device. He one he had shot with his blaster. It was his first ancestor of note greatest contribution to science. He had perfected Taraforming new planets. That had ended wars among his people. They no longer needed to fight over lands. It even made changing deserts into oasis increasing useable lands on inhabited planets. It was seven thousand years in the past.

Helion had somehow ended up far in his past. In order to get back to the right time he would have to travel another sixty six hundred years forward. That was a ballpark figure. It would take more materials than he had to get there. The burned out parts from his first device could be reforged. But wouldn’t be enough to make a full batch of parts to make another one. He could choose to advance closer to his own time four thousand years and be stuck in a more advanced time. That would eat up all his resources except the Stelernum. It would also eat up all his projected time before the birth of the child.

Helion shifted time again another hundred years. The city had moved closer to the exit from his underground sanctum. Cobblestone roadways ran throughout the city. Helga walked into the town to scout the place out. Her dress was out of place again. People stared at her like she was some ancient mystery ghost or something. Jokes and sneers were tossed her way by the women. She was called a milk maid, a country bumpkin and grandmother by them.

Helga noticed their dresses and styles. It took little effort for her to make clothing now. She found a seamstress shop and asked “Do you have any work available?”

“Did you make that dress? If those clothes are the limit of your ability to make them then no.” The seamstress responded.

“I can make any style I see. I’m also quite skilled at making blankets. If you supply the materials I’ll work off commission. If what I make doesn’t sell you’re only out materials.” Helga replied.

“Hem these pants to the mark. It’ll let me see how well you can sow.” The seamstress offered handing her a set of trousers.

“Okay.” Helga took the offered audition. Ten minutes later she returned with the project completed.

The seamstress took the pants and began pulling at the fabric trying to break the stitches. They held firm. “Alright make a dress. If it’s good enough I’ll display it.” The seamstress stated evenly.

“Fair enough. Show me the materials and I’ll get straight to work.” Helga suggested.

“Follow me.” The seamstress said and went into the back of her shop. There was a good sized room with two other women working. They were making dresses using sewing machines. Bolts of fabric were stacked everywhere. “You can use any material you choose in here.” The seamstress said as she waved her hands around the room.

Helga watched the other women as she selected materials. The machines were operated by foot pedals. It made the work go much faster than sewing by hand. She could make a dress in a day. If she used machines, she could turn out three of four easily. 

Helga cut fabric and made three different designs. Each one had two different colors and matched the current styles. The other women were busy and didn’t leave the machines. She was forced to continue by hand. The two women finished heir work late in the evening and left. Helga spent an hour on the machine and finished the three dresses. She left the three on the counter before she left for the night.

If they sold it would be a source of income. Gaining money in this world where money had continued to change every time he arrived was annoying. It was where he got most of his materials for crafting his technologies. Food was a growing concern too. The little parasite growing inside his body demanded food regularly. To make matters worse it was picky and liked expensive kinds.

Helga stopped at a tavern on her way back from the seamstress shop. She inquired “Do you need any assistance in the kitchens?”

“No, but you could find some work as a serving wench.” The barman replied.

“What is that? I’ve not heard of that job before.” Helga asked.

“Taking orders, serving drinks and carrying food to the tables away from the bar.” The barman returned.

“How much does it pay?” Helga questioned.

“Tips only. The customers pay you. They are men, you’re a pretty girl. If you’re friendly you will make a good amount.” The barman responded with a lecherous glint in his eye.

“I’ll give it a whirl. Shall I come by tomorrow?” Helga inquired.

“Before lunch, that is one of our busiest times. You can work the hours you choose after you see how it works. Most work the lunch hours, the dinner hour and late into the evening.” The barman finished talking to her. He had been forced away to pour drinks again.

Helga returned to the cave. She had a long day already. Traveling through time wasn’t an issue normally. This time though he had shifted in the evening and arrived in the morning. With the full day of work beforehand she barely had enough energy to finish her dinner. Sleep took her quickly when her head hit the pillow.

The need to vomit woke her up again the next morning. It was as good as an alarm clock. Every morning at six she needed to vomit. Then it was time to make food and eat. Helion worked on the transmitter in the mornings. Helga made a dress each day after the lunch rush ended. She returned to the bar for her dinner. After dinner she worked late into the evening.

The money Helga was pulling in was good. She was very popular and received many offers for work in the alley. Her hormones wanted to say yes but, Helion was able to resist her desires. It was getting harder as time went by. He wouldn’t have continued working here this long but the coins were useful. They were enough for food for the little tyrant and for Helion’s projects.