Plumbers...in...SPAAACE! : Science Fiction

[penthius]

You gotta check the oscillation, that's what I keep telling them. Phase generators don't tune themselves. But do they listen? Nah. There's a reason guys like me get paid the big bucks, and a reason that my parents said don't bother with the literate crap, just get into one of the six-year trade schools and you'll be set for life. It's true. I got a nice hab out on the ring, and my coparenter and I are licensed for supporting up to six kids. Six! How often ya hear something like that about one of the nice, well-educated, unemployed folk floating around, I ask you? You don't, that's what. No, no--we don't actually have six. We've only got two, so far, but in five years or so when they're old enough to fend for themselves, mostly, we might have another duple.

Inspiration: An oscillation knob on the Google doodle today.
Story Potential: High.
Notes: Nice blue-collar space worker character. I like it. Plus, what *does* happen when a phase generator goes awry?