Mana Pool Snippets - The Days After

Two

He had gone from mercenary to urbanite and grimaced at the thought of everything he owned turning out to be Terra Firma loaners. First the Lunar Spear, and then his style. He took a breath to stop himself from punching the mirror.

"Treat this as temporary," he said. "Just leave without meeting the family, hear what those two want, and get back quick. Good plan." He walked out of the bathroom.

A window was over the staircase as Jaruka peered at the leafless vineyard. Jaruka remembered they were grapevines; he hoped to avoid the wine, just like the country's obsession with processed fast food. He walked closer to the stairs and could hear the couple's distressed voices as they talked about their bodies, the state of the world, and Katie's parents. He paused when they moved the conversation onto him.

"I can't tell how lucky or unlucky you two are," a man said. "Scott, are you sure those aliens didn't take anything out of you, or put things in?"

"Oh, now you make me worry, Deryl, thank you," Scott said. "Can you be grateful he saved us? Saved me?"

"Scott, we don't know much about him. He needs to be contained. Questioned. Examined for parasites and viruses for God sake, he was in a bathtub."

"He seemed fine, we're fine. He probably has some alien tech to keep us healthy."

"But still in a bathtub. This must be controlled."

"This is going to suck," Jaruka muttered.

He walked down the stairs briskly, determined to make no eye contact. The house felt stifled; his mood and the gasps that came from the family and newcomers when he came into view did nothing to help.

"Jaruka, stop," Scott said.

He ignored them.

"Corporal gunslinger Jaruka Teal?" Deryl Porter asked.

The U.S. Marshal's authoritative tone, and the fact that he knew Jaruka's full title with Nova Company, made Jaruka stop before opening the door. He hummed. Dammit. He turned toward the crowd.

Deryl Porter was a middle-aged man, still physically fit from his years in the Marines, stood tall in a suit. Despite his age and the years of stress, he kept a full head of brown hair. Jaruka noted the gold ring on his left finger and he assumed that it was a human custom. Deryl's dark blue suit jacket was open and Jaruka could see the gun holster and badge next to his chest. Deryl looked content with himself, but gulped as Jaruka's eyes fell on him.

"Good God," Deryl said. "Big difference from the Gray and that red bodyguard."

Jaruka flexed his shoulders. "That's what you call Brill and Kantra? Have some respect, they are family to me," he said. "Except Kantra, he's a cheater."

Deryl nodded. "They also warned me of your attitude."

"Which one? Brill is trustworthy."

Jaruka glanced at the other man beside Deryl, he was the same height as the Marshal, but wore a black suit, a spring microphone earpiece, and a very hard stare on his green eyes. His black hair was slicked back and he was rigid, full of pride, and serious; he could take on Jaruka. He reminded Jaruka of many hard-tailed bodyguards, but the human did not wear pounds of metal body armor.

To note, he did not flinch as Deryl had, which could mean he had psyched himself to go against the alien.

Jessica Bane came to mind and he shoved the memory behind him.

Scott, Katie, and their totems were in the middle of the living room while the rest of the Walsh family, including little Jacob, stood near the kitchen.