The Adventures of Alice and Max

Chapter 19: Max Learns How to Weld

Welder. Photo by Felipe Silva: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-welder-in-blue-welding-in-a-dark-room-27630177/

Lauder led him up the stairs into the locker rooms. He gave Max a locker with keys, a lock, and a combination. Lauder then supplied him with the same blue jumpsuit, safety glasses, and hard hat.

When Max was ready, he came out onto the floor. Beeps and horns raged. Cuts and sparks flew in the muggy air. Lively it was, with everyone doing what they were supposed to be doing. It flowed like clockwork. Cogs in a machine working towards one person’s goal: the Queen’s.

“Alright, Maxy,” Lauder said, “Let’s get you up here to work on these things.” Flying ships were complicated machines with all different intricacies that only a select few knew how they worked. Lauder was one of those men. He had been working in this little shop since he was a child and knew everything there was to learn.

“OK, so let’s first teach you how to weld.”

They went over to a small table right in front of the t…