When Worlds Collide (MxM)

Chapter 4 - I Want to Ride My Bicycle

Aino was an interesting Terran to work with. For the most part, he liked to keep to himself and would become annoyed whenever a servant walked in with a message from the king. He never smiled and always scrutinized everything Kade worked on.

"Why not make the front wheel bigger?" Aino asked, referring to the bike they were producing. "The larger wheel would help for greater speed."

"I don't think speed should be our biggest concern since these will be used in the capital," Kade explained as he wrote down measurements. "If people go too fast, they might hurt someone or run into obstacles and crash."

"But a bigger wheel would be smoother over rough terrain." Aino grabbed his own paper and sketched what was essentially a penny-farthing bike. "The pedals will be simpler with this design."

Kade had tried designing a more modern bicycle. However, gearing was just now being invented in this world, so the concept would be hard for the Terran to grasp.

"I understand the gears are more tedious, but with a large front tire, the overall design will be too dangerous. Riders will be more likely to fall on their heads!"

"We don't know that."

"Then why don't we make both models and test them?" Kade huffed, not backing down from the senior inventor.

"And waste resources?"

"Yes."

Aino looked shocked by that comeback. With his harsh demeanor, he had grown accustomed to his apprentices backing down the instant he disagreed with them. But Kade had already had one negative experience with letting his senior call the shots. Never again.

"Fine. We'll make both models and test them." The Terran gave in, grabbing both blueprints and calling for a servant to deliver them to the metalworker.

While they waited, Kade sketched even more blueprints to present to Aino.

So far this universe only used nails, but screws would be more secure and not come loose. Plus they'd be better for holding vertical forces.

Next, he smuggled some thin planks of wood from Aino's supply stash and put together a box with an open top. Then he used a metal rod and wood slabs to make a wheel-like structure with flaps.

Aino had been working on perfecting his own invention, the oil lamp, and stopped to watch as Kade put two metal cups inside the box. There was a small stand inside, with kindling so that it would boil one cup of water. The other cup he poked a hole in and placed upside down. As the water heated up, steam came out the top.

Unfortunately the wheel didn't spin.

He could tell that the Terran was intrigued, but he wasn't saying a word or offering any advice as Kade mulled over how to develop his makeshift steam engine. He'd only tried making one out of wood so he could save time, but it looked like he'd have to rely on the precision work of the blacksmith again.

Pulling up another piece of paper, he sketched out what he was imagining.

"If you expect to order supplies for that, you'll have to explain it first." Aino finally spoke with his arms crossed.

Making a face, Kade made a fan out of paper, attaching it to a small wooden rod and replacing the wheel from the top of the box. The lighter material began to spin, but slowly.

"The steam from the boiled water creates pressure, and with enough pressure, it can generate power greater than any man or animal can."

"You're extracting power from water now?"

"I could do that too, but it'd have to be a much bigger wheel, and a more inconvenient location." Kade shrugged. "Steam is more powerful and easier to control. If we can get a working steam engine, we could make trains."