The Tambinder Engine (part sixteen)

The Tambinder Engine 

(part sixteen)

The next sheets were lives, gathered facts as to the engine’s toll.

Jennifer Salvio, Minerva Apartments, Minerva Circle, Unit A10, first home 1302 Ross-Angel Road. Final workplace, as receptionist, Building Two, Bitterroot Cooperative. Her mother was a stipender, her father had received support; both parents were at home for the first six years of Jennifer’s life. Under the latest seven-year budget of that period, which capped the full household stipend, her father’s was reduced proportionate to her mother’s, costing the household 18% of their previous allowance. John Salvio was rated able to work, and was taught to unload roofing supplies from a truck. Jennifer attended her first four educational blocks, up to the age of ten, at Center 18. She was put in a children’s dormitory to attend her next four blocks, at Center 9. She was returned to the Ross-Angel house to finish her last four blocks, those divided between education and skills. Her father was wheelchair-dependent at this period, and Jennifer was placed on the home help track, to do her training by providing care for him. Although the Salvio family received a Benefit Exchange (the daughter’s training reducing the cost of the father’s care), they were ultimately ruled unqualified for home help, as John Salvio was able to work from a desk, and Laura Salvio was able to provide him with meals, laundered clothing, management of medications, etc. Jennifer was denied graduation at eighteen and reassigned to a second skills track. At twenty, she received her certification from Center 4. Jennifer was given employment at the Bridge Fund, a government research post dedicated to the recovery of unassessed monies for the city’s renewal projects. (Following the many structure collapses that had occurred in the early 2090s.) Jennifer spent eight years at the Bridge Fund, and was privated out, made to find a job with a for-profit entity. At Bitterroot she was placed in the offices outside a building called the wellhouse, eventually designated Building Two, and was present in her receptionist position through the construction and initiation of the Tambinder Engine. Jennifer Laura Salvio was born on 19 July 2067, and died of drowning, ruled self-inflicted, on 2 September 2098.

Will Sinar, 20205 Oldenfield Court condominiums, electrical engineer, visa sponsored by the Bitterroot Cooperative. Final workplace, as Supervising Engineer, mezzanine offices, Building Two, Bitterroot Cooperative. Early educational history unavailable, MEng degree obtained from Brawa University, Brawa Islands, 2090. Was missed at his desk on Wednesday 9 July 2o98; his body was found tangled among mooring ropes at the pontoon crossing, Bitterroot River, Front Street and 6^th Avenue, 3 August 2098. Death thought to have occurred near the time of his disappearance. Decomposition of body advanced; cause of death recorded as drowning. Due to Will’s isolated social environment, and Bitterroot Cooperative’s orders to his colleagues, his state of mind prior to his disappearance could not be determined. His death was ruled accidental. Will Sinar was born on 2 January 2062 and died (estimated) 9 July 2098.

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The Tambinder Engine

The Tambinder Engine (part seventeen)

(2025, Stephanie Foster)