The big sled has a full kit, of course.’ `No-one’s using it today, are they?’ Thian asked.
`I don’t think so.’ Laria concentrated, `found’ the mass of the big sled in its garage, `located’ the tool kit, and `ported it to a spot by Kincaid’s feet.
`Thanks,’ he said and, opening the metal locker, began to search for the tool he needed. `No rags?’ he asked querulously.
`Here!’ Laria dumped a pile, scavenged from the bin kit.
Flavia watched another moment and then, turning, leisurely began to venture from the scene of the crash to examine the clumps of little blooms.
`Any toxic plants I should be aware of?’ she asked Laria.
`None,’ Laria replied absently, more interested in Kincaid, the mechanic, for he went about cleaning the component with a competent air.
Thian cleared all the intake openings.
`That’s done, but I don’t think that was the whole problem. Xexo usually keeps this serviced,’ he said with a frown.
`Xexo usually does but we don’t know when he did it last and Mother said Morag’s allowed to drive now.
`Hey, that’s not fair,’ Thian cried with mock indignation. `We were at least fifteen before we were allowed and she’s only thirteen!
Laria grinned at her brother. `I suspect they may miss us and have had to revise a few directives now they’re down on staff Besides, Morag’s capable.’ `I think we have to get to the filel injection and clear the line,’ Kincaid said.
`That’s underneath,’ Laria said, pointing to the bottom of the sled.
`No problem!’ The two men said it simultaneously, grinned at each other, and the sled slowly rose to a suitable height to allow them to work easily on its underside.
She could see Flavia off in the distance, picking wild flowers, occasionally holding a bloom up for inspection and smelling it for scent. Not many had any aroma but none that Laria could see in the immediate area were the stinkweeds which had a reek that could linger in nasal passages for days.
`I’ll hold the sled up if that’ll free you up to do the nitty-gritty,’ she offered, leaning comfortably against a boulder.
`Vanteer says that helps him no end.
`Oh, well,’ Thian said in reply to her offer, `if you want to feel part of the team She took over the `lift’ and the men `removed’ the bolts holding the panel, slipping it to one side where it hovered as a receptacle for the pieces they began to remove to get at the line.
`Can’t you just “see” into it, Thian?’ Laria asked.
`You’ve spent the last couple of weeks “looking” inside pipes and conduits, haven’t you?’ `Not quite the same thing, Laria,’ Thian said with an obvious exercise of patience. `This is hands-on stuff’ `Ah!’ Kincaid had given a moderate tug to a hose and it had not only come away in his hand but disintegrated.
`I didn’t pull that hard!’ he said in surprise, looking at the mess and the fuel that spilled down his hand.
`But that’s the faulty part,’ Thian said. `Completely perished.
Where does Xexo keep his spares, Laria? Can you remember?’ `I couldn’t but Roj would know.
Thian grimaced. `I’d hate to interrupt him .
`Well, it’s that or admit to Xexo we crashed,’ Laria said.
`What’s wrong with that?’ asked Flavia, returning.