I don't know how to build an internal-combustion engine. I know how they work; I helped a buddy rebuild one years ago (for certain values of "helped"). But how to create the actual parts from scratch is beyond me. At least if I want to be able to use it within a year's time.

  Maybe I could build up a set of recipes if I had one to start with, that I knew worked and that I took apart completely and that I could put back together again and that it would still work after that. That's a lot of "that"s.

  So if I want an engine to use right away and an engine to take apart, I'm probably looking at buying two engines. And if I'm buying two engines anyway, why not just buy two engines to use? I mean, I really want to be able to figure out how to make machine parts, but I can figure that out using old lawnmowers.

  Of course, the engines I'm finding online, at least new, are running upwards of $3,000 each. There are probably used ones out there, but I might not be able to tell a good one from a bad one or troubleshoot it if it's messed up. So now I'm looking at significant capital outlay, which I can't responsibly do without consulting with my life partner and current primary earner.

  The life partner and primary earner had some concerns.

  "We do not have seven thousand dollars, Husband."

  "No, but we probably will eventually."

  "This is for the project you have been keeping to yourself? For which you have wanted all the plastic and aluminum?"

  "Yes, my love."

  "I think I need to know about the project now."

  I'd suspected that would happen. I still want to do blind experiments with her, but we can find smaller-scale ones. So I showed her the picture that came with the blueprints I'd paid $150 for. She stared at it for a long moment.

  "This is…an airship?"

  "No, it's an airplane. It doesn't float like an airship. It flies by staying in motion with air going over and under its wings."

  "Like a bird or a dragon?"

  "Kind of, yeah, except the wings don't move. They stay straight and stiff, like an amaro when it's gliding. But it needs to keep moving, so it has a propeller, either at the front or the back. Driven by an engine."

  "A mechanical bird. These truly exist?"

  "This world is full of them. Commonly used for long-distance travel. This one is meant for one person, but there's planes that hold hundreds of people."

  "And why do we want an airplane?"

  "For long-distance travel. It's something we can use in daylight without confusing or upsetting people."

  "But it is a vehicle, is it not? Did you not say we needed licenses to use vehicles?"

  "Not this one. This is called an ultralight. The government says airplanes under a specific size and weight don't need licenses to use."

  If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

  Tsu'na peered at me skeptically. "We cannot drive a car…but we can drive an airplane."

  "Yes, my love."

  "That is silly."

  "Yes, my love."

  "Do you know how to drive an airplane?"

  "We can learn together."

  "Our mounts can float. You say this does not, that it must keep moving. What happens if it stops moving?"

  “It falls down and crashes.”

  “With us in it.”

  “That’s something we should avoid, yes. People fly airplanes all the time without crashing.”

  “People who know how to fly an airplane.”

  “We’ll learn together.”

  She studied my face for a moment, then turned to the blueprints I’d laid out. “What is it made of?”

  “Aluminum for the skeleton. Treated cloth for the skin. Plastic foam for filler. Clear plastic for the windows. Plus the seat, the engine, the gas tank and the controls.”

  “Gas tank…so it uses gasoline? Or cornoline?”

  “Right. That’s a gasoline engine I’m looking into.”

  “So this would use my plastic, my rubberized cloth, my cornoline. I have been making your airplane for a while now.”

  “Yes, my love. I mean, all of those things are generally useful too, but yes, they’re particularly useful for the plane.”

  “If it needs fuel, how far will it travel?”

  “Well, the law says the tank can only hold five gallons, but the engine is less powerful than a car engine. I’m hoping it can get us at least two hundred miles before refilling, maybe more.”

  “Why must the tank be that small?”

  “Probably to minimize fire damage if it crashes.”

  She looked up from the blueprints and scowled at me. “So we can fall down and burn.”

  “We should be avoiding that, yes.”

  “Seven thousand dollars is a lot of bus rides, Husband. Buses do not fall down and burn.”

  “Buses don’t go everywhere we might want to go. We can fly a plane into the middle of nowhere, which we may need to do to get to stuff we need.”

  “Two hundred miles is smaller than Oklahoma. We will still not be leaving this state.”

  “Yeah, but that’s just from what’s in the tank. We can carry hundreds of gallons in inventory and refill as needed. Maybe even while flying if we can work it out.”

  “...You truly wish to do this.”

  “Yes, my love. I want to build it, I want to fly it, I want to use it. And I want to share it with you.”

  “You do not need my help. We share our recipes. You can make this airplane yourself, and fly it yourself.”

  “I don’t want to do it without you. I want to share it with you. I promise it’ll be fun. Have I ever let you down with something I said would be fun?”

  “Falling down and burning does not sound fun.”

  “Avoiding falling down and burning will be tremendous fun.”

  She met my eyes for a long moment, then sighed. “One airplane. We make it, we make it work, we make it fly. Then we make a second.”

  “I acknowledge and concur with your amendment to the plan.”

  “I may try to feed you to gators if you disappoint me. I think that might be fun.”

  So now I have Tsu’na’s signoff on buying one engine. We’re gonna try to make an ultralight aircraft. One might be tempted to make a joke about flying pigs, but we happen to have the flying pig mounts from the pixies. This will probably be harder.