A Spaceman

Chapter 22--Meanwhile in the middle of the jungle, arguing

"No you shut up."

"No you shut up."

"No you shut up."

"No you shut up."

"Okay, good news, Thorn and the two smugglers are going to meet us at the station," I say, finishing up on the tablet.

"No you shut up."

"No you---"

"Okay both of you, shut up," Col. Tom says, standing in between Col. Card and his older brother, who likes antagonizing him almost as much as I do.

"We're good then, what about the people outside?" Solokov asks, standing, almost shakily.

"They won't come in," I say. I have told them this. It got a bit lost.

"Why not?" Tom asks.

"They're afraid of him-----oh my god quit looking over your shoulder both of you!" I cry, annoyed.

"Oh my god, they're as bad as the other," Tom groans.

"And mother thought you were switched at the hospital," Jacob Card says, affectionately.

"Looking innocent for something I've completely done is a learned behavior, not genetic," Col. Card says, flatly.

"Which one, Starr?" Tom asks me.

"The bigger one," I say, to irk Card.

"Me?" Jacob asks, putting a hand on his chest, in mock anguish, "What've I done?"

"Eaten people," Sophie says. I like her.

"But not them. Or anyone they know. Lately, that they know of," Jacob says, still looking very hurt, remarkably so given the sentence.

"Lately?" Tom asks.

"He's the one who ate part of Trevor's arm they should be frightened of him," Jacob says, pointing at Titus.

"I was four," Titus says.

"You use that as an excuse for burning the house down as well---"

"I was also four!"

"And you still ate his arm—"

"Part of it."

"I only eat parts of people, the juicy parts---"

"You bit a cheek an hour ago," I say.

"I spit it out," Card says.

"Oh he did? Well there you go then," Jacob says.

"They're more afraid of you," I tell him.

"Cadet Everett isn't afraid of him," Tom interrupts.

"Not specifically but he twitched his hands and looked like he was either gonna cry or scream if I made him come in so I left him," I explain.

"Okay, then, I'm going to go out and get them," Solokov says, standing.

"I can," Tom says.

"One) No don't think you people can accomplish anything without a two hour argument Two) I'm just going," he says, backing out of the room, "While I'm gone -----" Jacob and Titus both raise their hands "_---you are in charge," he says, pointing at Sophie.

"I'm not comfortable with being in authority," Sophie says, "And they're scary."

"You'll be fine, I'll liquefy their brains if they do anything," Solokov says, leaving.