This is a Test

Ch.8 - Part III - New Friends

After a few hours of work, Cashe left the tunnel, pleased with his progress, when he saw Karina conversing with Roger in the Kitchen. She pointed in Cashe's direction, and Roger turned to start swinging his arm in big circular waves towards him. Cashe would have had none of it, except that Karina smiled and tilted her head back in a reverse nod. He could always read her, and it was obvious she was seeking a partner in crime. Cashe wandered over.

Karina was seated at the bar island with a cup of coffee before her. Roger was excitedly jabbering, but stopped when she shushed him as Cashe's presence, Behind the glass wall beside them, Miranda and Dante toiled away in the Lab.

"Start from the beginning," she said and turned to Cashe while tapping a neighboring chair. She wanted Cashe to sit right next to her. He acquiesced, wondering what could be so important.

"Okay." Roger rubbed his hands together as he stood on the other side of the island. "So, since people already love my humor, I figure I'd start telling some jokes I came up with."

"Mars-based jokes," Karina added while raising her index finger.

"Oh, my," Cashe said. He rotated a hand before himself towards Roger. "Please, continue."

"All right. You know how Mars is called the Dead Planet?"

"No." Cashe shook his head. "I have never heard that in my life."

Roger groaned and his shoulders slumped. "Well, it is."

"Don't let him throw you off," Karina encouraged. "Do it again."

"Okay.* Roger rolled his shoulders and shook his head back and forth before reclaiming that stupid grin of his. "You know how they call Mars the Dead Planet?"

"He does now. Hit him with the punchline."

"Well... can they keep calling it that once we're living there?"

With an open-mouthed smile and wide eyes, Roger clapped his hands together and took a step forward, extending an open-palmed hand towards Cashe like an old vaudeville performer. He froze in that position, staring at Cashe in anticipation of a response, while Cashe stared back and blinked twice before a pause, followed by three more rapid blinks. He whipped his head towards Karina.

"I thought it was called the Red Planet," Cashe asked.

Karina held up an open palm towards Roger's bellowing moan. "I have this," she said to him before directing her gaze at Cashe. "See, I thought so as well, but then I realized that it could not be possible."

Such wording was an obvious setup requiring an accomplice. Cashe obliged. "How so?"

"Because..." Karina aimed her palms upwards. "Then the joke wouldn't work."

"I see," Cashe said with a smile. "Good one."

"Thanks," Roger responded. "I knew it would make you laugh. I got a million of them."

"Excellent. On to number two of a million."

"All right." Roger rubbed his paws together. "You know how there are nine planets?"

"Eight. There's only eight now."

"Whaddaya mean, eight? We learned nine in school." He counted off on his fingers. "My. Very. Educated. Mother. Just..."

Cashe doubted the educated mother part. "Pluto's not a planet anymore. Pluto's gone."

Roger froze in shocked silence so long that Cashe began to think the man was a glitching hologram or cyborg. Animation returned as Roger howled, "WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED TO PLUTO??!!"