Date: 7/21/2371
The digging was moving smoother than was anticipated, the crew was excavating at a fast rate, pretty soon they would make their way to the goal for the day. At a point, Wade was happy that they were moving quickly, but yet there was a nagging feeling that something was good in the way they were progressing.
He took a moment to look at the tunnel they were drilling in.
The slaves were hard at their jobs - moving quickly as efficiently as they work - hoping their progress would earn them some slight comfort in their bare lives. Wade's family own a few of them as well as the prominent family in the Nite. They didn't buy but were given as a reward by the Three.
Some of the slaves that were working with Wade was some of his family. It was a practical approach - Wade didn't condone or oppose it. It was what he knew and was taught - reality of the Nite people. His gaze lingering on the motion of the slaves before returning to the dig in front of him. It was odd of how easily they were breaking the new walls of the tunnel.
Especially at this depth where the rock were made of hard bedrock.
Kiv, his mining partner, gave a glance at Wade "Wade, yer pace is slowing." Kiv was an old miner, with well muscle arms, a balding hair and a scarred face, one that has been digging in the earth since forever with a healthy hatred toward the three as people of the Nite called them. Not to mention that Three was the politest term they used. And obviously, the slaves that weren't Wade's family were property of Kiv.
Wade blinked a moment under his goggles, his concentration on the uncanny pace had cause him to slow down, his eyes snapped up, "Huh? Sorry.." Kiv shook his head with a light grin on his face. "Dunnit worri abut it, jus keepin' an eye un yer since yer're one da fast."
Kiv made a spitting sound, "Dun wan the tubbies git wind."
Wade nodded, "Thanks."
His pace moved to its regular speed, as they drill into the wall, the earth parting from where their tools struck. They move about twelve feet into the new tunnel before Kiv continued, "Wat's da prob?"
Wade gave a cursory glance at Kiv, "Moving fast."
Kiv return the look, "Yer sure?"
"Yeah." Wade replied as they continue to dig. Normally, there was nothing wrong with moving through a new tunnel at a fast pace - it was preferred because the three would reward those that completed the task with extra ration and materials. However, the implication that Wade was telling Kiv was that the earth was soft and breaking off easily as if they were eroded.
It meant that there was a water source nearby. It was not that unusual to find trap water underground, after all - that's how the tribe were able to continue to exist - the water that they found within the earth. But, finding and excavating the water was a risk as well, since one didn't know when they were digging into a trap source or where mining into the ocean.
There had been accounts of miner finding signs such as what Wade and Kiv had found - only to find when they broke through the barrier that it was the ocean they broken through. It was one of the reason why the new tunnels makes S shaped curves at the end. So, in the chance of hitting the ocean - the tunnel would not flood and could be seal off.
There no need to explain to what happen to those miners caught in the misfortune.
Wade took the moment to put aside his equipment and crouch toward the area where his drill was. He noticed the upper layer hardrock as he dug with his own hand into the small hole. It was soft and somewhat cold. Then, he place his head into the ground, to hear if there was movement.
After a few moment there was - a gentle beating against the wall.
He swoop some dirt and brought it up to his face, smelling it and putting some of it into his mouth, it was to determine if there was water and if it was sweet or saltly. Behind him, Kiv held his breath as he watch Wade test it, hoping that they found something great. The dirt in Wade was fill with rich minerall - and a small concentration of salt. "It's sweet." He replied to Kiv's unspoken question.
Kiv made a low and high whistle.
Kiv began chuckling, "Wade, mah boy, if yers right - we be rich, if nut, town-poppies." As one could surmise finding water was a very precious commodity and anyone finding such a source would be rich. If there was comparison to be made - it would be finding gold or precious gems. However, Kiv somber up immediately afterward, he had forgotten that the credit would go to the Bolenitie-in-charge of this tunnel.
"Dimple piss pod." Kiv swore.
Wade shrugged.
He made the signal to cease mining to the slaves as he made his way to the mid-taff. The mid-taff was the control base for the miners to communicate with the Bolen supervisor. An Bolen operator usually supervised over forty tunnels and used the mid-taff as a way to communicate with the all the mining operation. Kiv growled at the fortune and Misfortune to have found a potential water source. He limped slowly behind Wade as he glared at the slaves, whom were perplexed by the sudden cease, his mood becoming foul by the minute. "Dimple piss pod.." he muttered.
Wade took it without comment as they reach the mid-taff.
Wade reach a small area where there was the taskmaster whom had the Mid-taff. "What's da business - Deepwell." The Taskmaster asked, ignoring the older miner. "I'm here to report to the Operator that we have found a potential new source." Wade replied, pulling out a small pouch that contained the dirt he swooped out earlier.
The greed that was evidence on the Taskmaster face couldn't been hidden away as he rushed to put out the Mid-taff. Wade ignored it as he waited for the vox. The taskmaster made the comments and handed the vox over to Wade.
"So.. Deepwell, I've just heard that you've found a new source?" The smooth voice from vox asked.
"Perhaps, I'm reporting that we found water - whether or not it is a source that's up to the Achteoh to say." Wade answered as Kiv kept muttering his curses in the background.
"Even so, finding water is a lucky thing, I'll be down. Tell the Taskmasters to suspend operation on all tunnel until we find how big it is." the voice command.
Wade replied curtly, before handing the vox back to the Taskmaster, "You heard the operator."