Luca was a big man, and usually a quiet one. On those rare occasions that he got upset, his face would darken, his ham-like fists would clench, and his voice would get just a little bit louder. That had always been enough to encourage people to see things his way in any dispute, so it happened that none of his neighbors had ever seen him get truly angry.

 

"None as lived to tell about it," said one wit, but he was hurriedly hushed by his friends in case Luca might hear.

 

Most of his fellow ice miners worked in pairs, but not Luca. He was easily strong enough for two, and had never once fallen below quota. He had earned the respect of the other colonists, if not their love, and with this he was content.

 

On this morning, there were storm clouds forming on Luca's normally placid brow. He had waited patiently in line at the office of the Company's factor in Mutch Crater. Now it was his turn, and his package hadn't arrived.

 

"They said four weeks. It's been four weeks. How is it not here?"

 

Selden, the factor, enjoyed his role as petty tyrant, and fancied he had an image to uphold. Thus he made a special effort to maintain his composure. Despite his effort, there remained a noticeable quaver in his voice. "Let me check the tracking... Ah! Here we are! Its container was received at Elevator Station on the 28th of Dhanus, last Saturday. There's our problem right there; the Dutchman was running late. It should have arrived on the 24th."

 

"Four days. Hmf," muttered Luca. "I can wait four days." With that he stumped off, leaving the factor still stammering about delivery schedules and deviations from the plane of the ecliptic (a subject about which he knew practically nothing).

 

Four days later was Lunday, and the factor was watching out for the hulking miner's approach. He had been growing increasingly anxious as shipments arrived (or didn't), much to the amusement of bystanders, and his agitated messages to Central Shipping had not endeared him to his superiors.

 

"Two more days!" he called out, seeing Luca's head and shoulders above the crowd filling the square. "Held up in Welles due to a broken axle!"

 

Luca's forehead furrowed. The crowd parted ahead of his path as he marched to the factor's window. The Company’s man visibly quailed as Luca pronounced, "I can't wait two more days."

 

"W-well, there... there's not a lot I can d-do, L-Luca," managed Selden.

 

Luca ground his massive jaws in thought. "No, but I can do something," he said. "Have them hold it at the office in Welles. I'll pick it up."

 

Had it been any of the other miners, the factor would have quoted regulations about the sanctity of the mails and the inadvisability of interrupting their measured progress, taking satisfaction in his recall of chapter and verse. Had it been one of his few cronies, he might have pointed out the dangers of trekking across the high plateau in duststorm season. Since it was Luca, he kept his mouth shut as he typed an urgent message to his counterpart in Welles.

 

It was well after nightfall when Luca's hired rover returned to the Mutch Crater motor pool. Both he and it were caked in dust, and the vehicle had a deep dent in the right rear quarter panel, but the attendant didn't say anything about the damage when the big man turned in the keys.

 

Luca returned to his solitary apartment, wiped red dust from the face of his watch, and decided he had time for a fast shower. When he had finished, he dressed carefully in a clean smock. Only then did he open his parcel and remove a dozen tubes and some tools, including a curious knife ending in a right-angled point. He checked a list, selected several items from the shipment, and added them to an array already laid out at his work station. Then he activated the controls to his vidscreen and waited stolidly for the grainy signal to clear. It was time.

 

The familiar figure of a thin, wild-haired man appeared, and in a soft voice began giving instructions. Luca followed them precisely. When he was told to use the odd-shaped knife, he smiled and picked it up, holding it carefully in one massive hand. His brow furrowed in concentration as he went about his task with a delicacy that would have shocked his neighbors if they could have seen him.

 

"Happy... little... tree..." Luca said quietly to himself, as the voice of the painter on the screen danced cheerfully around the room.