The Ark Diary of Dylan De Rovia Book One of De Rovia Diaries

A Message and a Invitation

Monday January 4th, 2150

Today we went to the primary school catfrea where a clogged pipe caused a backup of dirty dish water sounds glamourous I know. I was unclogging the pipe with the snake. That’s a long metal coil it contors like snakes did on earth. There is a camera mounted on it as well as small pair of pincers. When I looked at what was in the pipe it wasn’t a mass of food waste but a small metal tub wrapped in plastic. Using the pincers I bring it out of the pipe.

I flush the pipes with liquid clearer and its fixed. Robbie was in the main dining area talking with the lunch ladies. Unwrapping the plastic the tube relivels itself to be a flash drive.

Dad told me about these its from people who had family in the Lowers. They put messages and picture on it and flush it down the sewers. In the Lowers the person gets it adding replies and anything else they want. It backs to the person here with other contraband.

This person used to much plastic it caught here almost where it was supposed to go. What I should’ve done was report it handing it over to the guard to find smuggling ring. What I did do was put the drive in my overalls.

Now I’m sitting in the breakroom eating my lunch, I’ll have to find out who this belongs too tonight. I can bring it back to them tomorrow. Being cut off from my family and friends for a crime of the heart or for being born it's not fair. Not that life ever was fair-

“Can I have everyone's attention?” Robbie says wheeling in a huge grandfather made from real wood.

A few people groan looking it other get real wide in the eyes. “This better be going to the junk rooms, chief.”

“This is Mrs. Pamela Haas grandfather clock made from mahogany its old and broken. She offering a 100 points to anyone who can fix it.”

A chorus of boo’s rips through the room, that not even a weeks wages and this thing is at least months work. Who ever this woman is she has a low opinion of Mecha’s.

“I know it's not much but anyone who volunteers to fix will get complete freedom of their schedule for the next year.” Robbie doesn’t lie he’s true to his word we all know this but still this clock is a lot of work that no one really wants.

“I’ll do it Boss,” I stand.

New humorless chuckles ripple through the room. He looks at me. “You sure De Rovia it’s not like a regular repair.”

“I made my father a watch for christmas I can do this.”

“Let her do it.” A female voice says.

“Yeah no one else wants to.” Another deeper says in concert with the first.

Robbie smiles, “Alright let's get you set-up in private room.”

He leads me to small room in with a window looking out to the ship interior. “Okay you can set-up here.”

There’s a workbench and few tools on the wall, hooks for my coat and an apron. “This is nice.”

“Well this is just a side project something to do on the weekend or a day off it will not interfere with your regular work.” He says in a matter of fact way.

“Of course not.”

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So, today was full of surprises. One was a special commission from an unknown Upper for the repair of an antique grandfather clock. I was the only one who wanted to do mostly because the compensation is only 100 points which is a terrible price. Robbie sweetened the deal but I was still the only one who wanted to do it. Now I was my own work space with a view of the city.

I stayed late today getting to know my new workbench, it’s hybrid of digital and analog. The screen takes up the whole wall. A touch screen kinda like the smart boards we use in school. I can take a styles and make notes on the screen. Also I found every blueprint of clocks from the arknet.

To start I scanned the Clock then created a 3D model of it so that it label every moving part of it. I had just placed the last piece on the counter to the right of the screen where the window let in plenty of light from the beam and I had a view of the city when Cole knocked on my door with the second surprise.

“Hey,” I said turning on my rolling stool to face him. “Welcome to the Tick-tock shop.”

He smiled, “Tick-Tock Shop I like that.” Cole looked at his shoes then back at me. “Do you like problem solving?”

I gestured around the room, where I had a dismembered clock and notes on the wall. “Maybe a little, why do you ask?”

“Um...Jolie and I were going on a date this weekend and we’re kinda hoping you and Kye might join us.”

While I would consider Cole my only other good friend here besides Robbie I’d  never been asked to hang out socially with him. Most people disapprove my relationship so I don’t get invited to activites much anymore and Kye is never invited to come with me.

Cole misreads my face, “It’s cool if you have other plans.”

“No,” I say quickly. “We’re free to hang out with you and I would love to meet your wife. What will we be doing?”

“Nothing to special I guess we’re going to eat out and then to the Arcade for VR murder mystery.”

“That sounds great.” It really does since I don’t spend much time in the VR rooms.

“You sure you don’t want to ask him?”

I think about it, Kye was like me unless he had plans with his old Upper friends or was roped into a family dinner his weekends were free time. Mostly we’d hang out at his place or see a movie at the cinemas the fourth floor of the Arcade. He would be fine with this. In fact he’d be happy that I’d made a friend like Cole.

Our taboo relationship had automatically excluded me from every person I called friend except Lori.

“I’ll ask him but the answer is most likely yes.”

Closing the journal I put the flash drive into the port I click when the explore icon comes up. There are notes that I don’t read and one video that do click.

The gray wall doesn’t give any information about who it is, I hear voice male off screen. Then he sits down with a new born baby. I look at the man he’s a not cafeteria worker, a teacher maybe. Carefully cradling the newborn he smiles. “Hey sis meet your niece, her name is Sarah and was born on December, 28th. I hope it's okay with you that  we named her after Mama.”

The new born coos looking at the screen with wide green eyes, “I can’t wait for her to meet her cousins. Caroline is fine, tired but great we’re both so happy to have her finally.” He just smiles at the baby tears in his eyes. “I hope you had a good Christmas, just a few more years we’ll be a complete family.”

He carefully sets the Sarah in a rolling bassinet next him. “I talked with Caroline about it and she agrees with me. When we all get to the surface we’ll go with you and the Freeman to your settlement. By the time you get this it will be the new year so happy new year. Tell Joshua and Nathan that we say hello.”