Osiris grimaced as the drill pulled away from his grasp, leaving a jagged fissure in the delicate metal. “This is impossible!”
Mentel laughed and placed his hands over his son’s and guided the drill back towards the intended hole. “You’re not putting enough pressure on the base of the drill, and it’s jumping away from you. If you just lock your elbow and press forward you’ll be able to hold it steady.”
The young boy frowned as he cocked his head to the left and looked at the fissure he had just created, “Where did you learn all of this, dad?”
Mentel scratched his chin as he leaned back against the workbench. “I may not be able to teach you the fancy quantum mechanics or the astrophysics that your teachers are cramming into that little head of yours, but since I was a boy, I’ve been working with machinery. I can give you the hints and tricks that you wont learn in books, hard earned experience.”
Osiris grinned as he picked up the drill again, “But is that not cheating, dad?”
Mentel winked at him as he ruffled his son’s hair, “No, it’s not cheating… consider it your inheritance.”
“Dad, there was a question I wanted to ask you.” Osiris began as he bit his lip in concentration.
Mentel smiled at him, “Put down the tools and ask, us men cant multitask, so there is no point in trying. Even if you are a genius.”
Osiris grinned as he placed the tool back on the table. Taking a breath, the young prodigy looked to his father. “Why do you only repair things?”
Mentel laughed, “What do you mean?”
Osiris frowned as he looked around the workshop. “This is all you ever do, a few orders every week, nothing exciting.”
Mentel hopped up to sit on the smooth edge of the workbench, “What would you suggest that I do with my time then? Cook?”
Osiris snorted at the suggestion and matched his father’s smile, “No, I really don’t think you should cook. Why do you not enter the Thunderist academy?”
Mentel lost his smile and looked at his son, “A Thunderist? Why on earth would I become a Thunderist?”
Osiris started to wring the cloth in his hands as he looked around the room, refusing to meet his father’s gaze. “Maybe you’d be able to take me there and show me some of the stuff they make there?”
Mentel’s smile came back in an instant, “You really have a strange way of asking for things, don’t you?”
Osiris blushed as he tried to explain himself, but his father had already cut him off, “No, I wont become a Thunderist. But you did remind me of something very important. Something that you may like.”
The young boy’s eyes lit up with excitement, “What is it? You cant just say that and not tell me!”
Mentel grinned at his son, “When you can make seventeen different melds without a fissure, we’ll go and watch the holoarcs.”
“Holographic Archives! We’re watching history stuff?” Osiris exclaimed excitedly as he ran back to his bench and picked up the laser meld. “Whoa! Be careful, son!” Mentel exclaimed as his son started to rush his work. Looking at his son for a few more moments, Mentel sighed. “I’ll go get the popcorn then.”
“Sit down, or I’ll start it without you.” Mentel said as he browsed through various files with the remote that was embedded into the arm of the chair. Osiris ran from the kitchen and hopped over the back of the couch, only to tumble onto Mentel’s lap. “I’m ready.” was all Osiris said as he grinned up at his glowering father.
“House, can you try to find the Thunderist entrance examinations. I cant find them at the minute.”
“38 files found, Sir.” The voice echoed through the room, causing Mentel to visibly relax.
Osiris’ father raised his voice as he looked to the clock. “Put the shop on lockdown and start the first episode.”
“Confirmed, Sir. Enjoy your evening.”
Looking to his son, Mentel gestured upward at the lights with a faint smile on his face. Osiris clapped his hands, causing the lights to turn off. “I still don’t know why that makes you smile so much, it’s just clapping.” Osiris murmured as he turned his head to watch the holograph extend across the wall. Mentel squinted at the screen, “Can you see that properly?”
“Yeah, looks fine to me.” Osiris said as he pulled the popcorn from the table and placed it on his chest.
Mentel frowned and put on his glasses, “Its easier than fiddling with the adjustments. We both know that House would just forget our settings on purpose.”
Osiris laughed as the first episode started.
“Starting Episode 16, Sir.” House echoed through the room, causing Mentel to murmur something in his sleep. Osiris however was sitting upright, his eyes fixed on the screen in front of him. The young prodigy watched as the men were given an assignment. The previous episodes had shown entrants being given nuclear reactors to construct and other episodes seemed to advance in difficulty. Hover stabilisers were the previous assignment, yet this time Osiris was sure that they would be required to make something much more difficult. Yet to his disappointment, the contestants were merely given a laser to construct.
Osiris was about to raise his voice to move to the next episode when something strange caught his eye. “House, freeze picture.”
Getting to his feet, Osiris walked over to the screen and gasped at the sight. “House, who is that on the left of the screen?”
“Identity confirmed. Thunderist Entrant 462. Gryffon, Skott.”
Osiris sat and watched the remainder of the episodes, his mind was buzzing with questions that he wanted to ask his father in the morning. “Skott is just like my dad, and he was nearly became a Thunderist…” Osiris smiled to himself as he lowered a blanket over his father’s torso.
Turning back to the now blackened screen, Osiris looked back to his father as he raised his voice. “Computer, search public Thunderist archives for any entrants with the name Creek.”
“3 results, Sir.” House confirmed in a low voice, its sensors detecting Mentel’s slumber.
Osiris frowned, “Filter out results that are not family.”
“0 results found for Creek, Sir.”
The young boy laughed to himself, wondering how he possibly got the idea that his father would attempt the Thunderist exams.
“1 result found under family search, Sir.”
Osiris paused for a moment before he allowed himself a grin, “Download and play, he probably changed his name?.”
The lights in the room dimmed as the young boy clapped his hands, his eager eyes were glued to the screen. However as the figures walked onto the stage to stand behind their work benches, confusion struck Osiris.
None of the people behind the benches looked familiar to him, “House just who was…”
The breath caught in his throat as he saw her. “House, identify that woman.”
“Osyria Byrne, Sir. Family relevance: Mother to Master Osiris Creek, husband to Master Mentel Creek.”
“She liked engines?” Osiris said in wonder as he watched that one episode over and over for the remainder of the night. At no point did his notice his father wake behind him, and at no point did Mentel disturb his son. Both Creeks just watched the screen until light came up.
“Was she a good mechanic?” Osiris asked his father as he climbed into bed. Mentel paused in the doorway. “I wont lie to you, Osiris, she wasn’t a good mechanic.”
Seeing the disappointment in his son’s face, Mentel continued. “She wasn’t good at mechanics, but engines? I don’t think there was another living soul that knew more about engines than she did.”
Osiris’ eyes lit up, “She liked engines?”
Mentel smiled as he looked at his son, “She loved testing them more than taking them apart, but that is another story for another night. Get some sleep.”
“One last question dad, just one.” Osiris said as he turned in his bed.
“Yes, son?” Mentel asked as he leaned his head through the doorway.
“When is the next entrance exam?” Osiris asked confidently.
Mentel smiled at his son, “One month.”
Noticing that his son was struggling to ask his next question, Mentel did answered for him. “I entered you into it last week, so don’t worry, you’ll have your chance. Just dream about what you can do to surprise the crowd.”
“Goodnight Dad.”
“Night, Son.” Mentel said as he manually pulled the door closed.
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