Almost Human

Getting Dirty

     2070, a workshop near Lisbon.
"They're going to be verry busy these next few years, they'll be modifying vehicles for the Anti-grravity Olympics, they're immensely popular since they allowed prrivate citizens to compete." The Doctor announced grandly and strode in swinging his umbrella,
"Giorgio!" he bellowed in greeting,
"Dottore!" a giant bellowed, emerging from the shadows, both threw their hands up in greeting, but failed to embrace because Giorgio was smeared with the badge of his trade from bald head, past beard, tattoo & ring to fingernail. Kate looked thoroughly amused with the spectacle, even the lately-solemn Rachel raised a smile. A screech of angle grinder interrupted the pleasantries, followed by roar of bike engine, it sucked Kate and Rachel in like a tractor beam. When he followed them in after enquiring after Giorgio's extensive family he found Rachel poking her fingers into the synchromesh between the driveshaft and the antigrav generator bolted under a Ferrari painted entirely with flames, while Kate had her head almost inside the frame of a partially dismantled black motorbike,
"It's a Bonny," he'd never heard such a mixture of reverence and almost nauseous envy, "Triumph Bonneville Scrambler."
"It seems Giorgio has a vacancy in his garage since his sister's boy has taken up racing professionally." He announced casually, both women regarded him with naked hunger, "It would suit a space ship engineer verry well."
He turned back to Kate's incipient protest as Rachel whooped, beaming,
"I've got one of those," he waved the umbrella at the bike, "in the garage, you know. T120." She got that avaricious look again, he could feel her thinking 1200 cc.
"Does it fly?" she asked breathlessly,
"Not yet." The doctor said cheerfully.