Mana Pool Snippets - The Days After

Two

Scott shrugged and nodded. "That's her pissed off mode," he said. "You must have been messed up bad to screw this up, or did you do it on purpose?"

"Kid, it wasn't my fault, those leaves were horrible," Jaruka said.

"With poison ivy? Why?"

"Oh so that's what that plant was," Jaruka said raising his chin. "It's noted that I have no Terra Firma survival guide. Brill forgot that."

"Answer the question."

So much for that joke. "I thought that some plants rub off fowl smells. If I found them on other worlds, why not here? Sucks not having a guide, and being too drunk to have second thoughts."

Scott coughed, but was really holding back a laugh. Okay, maybe not.

"You know, we never agreed with Denverbay to watch you."

"And nobody has to."

"But, if you are stuck here for two years, can you at least act...normal here? Like taking a shower? And don't get me started on Jacob."

"Kid, I'm pissed. I'm covered in that stuff you said. I need to leave before things turn bad for all of us."

"For what?" Scott asked as he squinted.

"Because the..."

"Here, take this," Katie said holding a bundle of clothes, startling Scott. "These are Dad's old clothes he's been meaning to get rid of. Take them. I'm hoping they fit."

Jaruka stared at the clothes. "You expect me to dress like a human?"

"You're filthy! We have standards," Katie said.

"Eating local food is one problem I'm successfully avoiding, but clothes is another. Granted I'll be happy to accept other species' clothes. Maybe nothing at all and show everybody how Halcunacs reproduce."

Katie closed her mouth and swallowed, but kept her composure enough to push the clothes in Jaruka's arms. "Do it quick, then come down for your papers, I think." Katie stomped out again.

"You just had to put that image in our heads," Scott said, then followed Katie out.

"At least I'm not ashamed for what the goddess gave me."

The couple kept on walking.

"Does anybody take me seriously on this planet?" He yelled to himself.

Avoid the family and visitors by any means had been his quick plan. Hospitality had to wait until things had settled. He wanted least of all for the government, the one power of Terra Firma, to get involved more than they had been told to.

Jaruka hoped that Brill had spoken to the government, or someone. He wondered if they had listened at all. He could only hope and continue to keep himself isolated.

His dropship was unattended, between the knockout and waking up, he had no memory of whether or not he had locked and cloaked the ship.

The satellites were coming and he was scared to think that they could already be there.

*****

Jaruka had no choice but to clean up, thinking that might help alleviate the hate from the Walsh family.

His clothes—still soaked from the tomato juice bath—had been stashed in a white trash bag in his hand. The Halcunac mercenary glared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, grimacing at the loaner human clothes. He had been given a red and white plaid buttoned shirt that was a bit tight but long enough to cover his toned stomach. The dark brown pants were not even close to covering the digitigrade middle of his legs, their bunching up could prove to be a problem later. He found the fabric, which he found out later was cotton, to be itchier than he would have liked.