Far Pangaea 19 : Food Fight

Ruby returned from her run to find an unnerving sight. She halted her stride to a dull walk about hundred yards from her visual. Before her squatted Greta Winston taking a piss in the dirt. While, Ruby had zero interest in women she still had to admire the woman's shapely ass. Admire in the sense of momentary jealousy. Growling under her breath she blamed her feelings on Jack.

"Found the ladies room I see." Ruby waits until Greta stands and pulls her pants up.

Jumping at the voice Greta blushed as she turned. Her own eyes locating Ruby's busty chest in a thin white tank top that unfortunately enticed her nipples erect. In this harsh realm Ruby had decided that a bra was sacred. Kept for the right time. Discarded until then. It wasn't transparent at least, even coated in sweat.

"Don't go sneaking up on a Gal like that. Scared me." Greta fidgets.

"Sorry. Impossible not to see you coming down off the ridge. We definitely need to figure out the plumbing in this place."

"Plumbing?" She had never heard the term before.

"Crapper. Bath tub. Running water."

Still Greta looked confused.

"I forget where you're from those things are a few years off. I apologize if I confound you."

"I know what bath tub means. We had one out back of the cabin."

"Bet that was a sight. Literally. People watching you bathe."

"We had a clothes line with sheets around the tub. Plenty nuff privacy."

Ruby lowers her chin grinning, "For the record. Maybe 40-50 years from 1873 you might have indoor water. Toilets that flush away into the ground. Tubs that fill water into it through a faucet. Sinks that run water over your hands to wash them afterwards."

"Sounds nice. Far fetched but nice." Greta nods with a timid grin.

Ruby in turn spreads her arms and faces the ship, "As far fetched as this place?"

Greta turns pale realizing that she needed to conclude the future was right before her.

"Still getting used to the idea. Give this gal time."

Ruby lowers her arms and steps close to Greta. Face to face.

"Hold out your hands." Ruby insists.

Complying Greta watches Ruby pull a tiny bottle out of her pants pocket. She opens it and squirts a tiny bit into the woman's palms.

"Rub your hands together."

"What is it?"

"It's called Hand Sanitizer. No running water it's all I have. Not much left at that but call this a friendly gesture."

Greta scrubs her palms until dry then sniffs her hand, "Smell's purdy."

"Lavender. Come on Cowgirl. Let's see what's on the agenda for today."

"Jack already told me to start tilling up soil with this here shovel. Says he plans on seeding crops."

Ruby puckers nodding, "Alright. You get started. Let me talk with Jack and then I'll come help."

Greta shuffled along behind the woman.

"Mind if I ask you something, Miss Ruby?"

"It's just Ruby. Ask."

"Aren't you embarrassed showing off so much of your body?"

"Where we come from there's a much freer thought on things like modesty. Now, I wouldn't go around wearing less than this shirt mind you." She chuckles.

"You sure?" Greta raises an eye brow.

"Well maybe. Depends on the reason for it."

"For Jack?" Greta winks.

"Just friends, Greta. But, yes. I suppose."

"I figgered." Greta giggled.

"That stays between us." Ruby puts an arm around Greta and roughly hugs her to her side before releasing her.

"Sure nuff." Greta brightens her eyes at the friendship brewing.

Indoors James, Cameron, and Malcolm move about carefully in the Garden. They were amazed at what had grown there in the dark. Without any soil or water source.

"How did this shit grow in here Kid?" Cam coughs.

"I'm not sure honestly. It takes soil at least to mature under. Absorb nutrients from the ground. Including water in most cases. We are dealing with alien seeds though. As I told Jack some grow in sunlight others moonlight. I don't understand how these grew without either one."

"Fruit on that tree. Looks like an Apple." Mal reaches up and plucks one sniffing it.

James rushes over and swats it from his hand.

"Don't. Use this to pick anything up. Until I know what might be poisonous we can't risk hand contact let alone eating anything." He passes around handkerchiefs made from the Life Fiber clothe he found earlier in the week.

"Place one on each hand."

They follow his suggestion then watches the clothe mold around their hands into gloves.

"Holy shit!" Malcolm darts his gaze to James.

"I call it Life Fiber. It's the clothing of the future."

Cam winces, "What about inhaling anything poisonous."

"Good point." James wraps a slip of fiber around his mouth and nose allowing it to tighten up. Knowing he could still breath under it he gives the men some material to do the same.

Once attired James picks up the dropped fruit and contains it in his back pack. Then the three of them gather more fruits, veggies and jars of seeds from shelving containers until the pack was full. James at least knew what types of seeds were needed for the outdoors. To create grass and wheat.

Examining the floor closer James realized that the floor beneath the foliage was rubbery in context.

"Here we go. The floor under this garden is an artificial landscape. It offered the plants a source for food. Crazy tech. I love it."

"Does this mean we don't have to plow outside?" Malcolm wondered.

"No. We still need to do that for the cows. Unless you want to bring the herd here." James chuckles.

As the group amuses themselves they suddenly heard a shuffling noise behind them. All eyes bulge as they silent themselves with a chill. Gazing over their shoulders they spotted a vine reaching out for them. It was alive.

"RUNNNNNNNNN!" James bellowed.

They did.

Out in the hall James brought out D-R-1 again and used it to reconstruct the door into a blockade to the interior. Better safe than sorry.

"What the hell was that?" Cam shivered.

"Living plants I suspect. They don't know what human life is like. We could be food for them. When we ever go back in there I think we need to plan better. Safety first right?" James claimed his drone.

"We definitely HAVE to go back in there if we want to eat." Cam nods.

Mal offers a terrified expression, "Ya'll can. I'm not on the shopping list."

"Let's go." James leads them away.

For now he had tests to run.

For over an hour Jack Ramse had re-entered the sub basement area he had sealed off just yesterday. The pump was still there and running. Yet the hoses had burst from the pressure of his closing the door on them. Therefore he had to look for more length's of potential hoses as well as a filtering system out of fibers he salvaged from what he determined was already a form of filter. Although from vents above. Still, he was proud of his achievement.

As he finalized his dimly lit task he heard someone approach.

"Still down here Colonel?"

"Sophia?" He presumed.

"Yes. Can we talk?"

"I'm listening."

She approached him and willed her body to let off a glow that helped him to see better.

"I hope that helps. My friends told me I could do that yesterday. I used it to see by when I went swimming. Anyway, I feel badly over what I did yesterday. My friends were hungry and I felt I was protecting everyone at the same time. Maybe I shouldn't have killed that shark thing. I figured if I didn't he might attack you or one of the others. I hope you understand that I want to keep my family safe."

"I do. However, I think your act ruined a perfectly good friendship with Animahni. She looked terrified. I wouldn't be surprised if we never see her again. Her or her other two friends. Are we even certain they were any true threat?"

"The shark was. He tried to eat me. So, I felt no real remorse at the time hunting him down. Besides it was liberating to dive down so deep under us. The tunnel goes on forever."

"Regardless! No more killing until we know who the enemy is. Am I clear?"

She lowers her gaze, "Yes. I'm sorry Colonel."

Before another word was exchanged Ruby Goddard joined them shining her own light down into the darkness. Until she realized Sophia was illuminating the room quite well. She then turned her flashlight off.

"All this time we could have put a lamp shade over your head and stood you in the hallway." Ruby jests dryly.

"I'd have ate it. I was just apologizing to Jack about yesterday. I was out of line."

Ruby nods, "I'm glad you have a conscience. Good job Sophia."

"I might be a carnivore but I have a heart."

Jack and Ruby share a concerned gaze hearing her statement. They both worried about her mental state concerning her occupied body. Were the parasites really friendly? Time would tell.

As they changed the subject to evaluate the pumping system their chatter was interrupted by a severely loud splashing. Almost as if dozens of fish were frolicking at the same time. Sophia increased her phosphorecence to nearly blind Jack and Ruby. However, the light displayed the water of the massive pool.

"Animahni?" Ruby pointed out into the ripples. The hybrid beauty's body was slowly surfacing. Behind her was a large net containing over a hundred fish.

Another ripple followed behind her as a second body rose from the depths below. It was the humanoid Octopi friend of Animahni. He too dragged a net of even more fish behind him.

The two hybrids cautiously walked from the water to stand twenty feet from Jack and the others. It was there the two hybrids tossed their catch out on to dry land. Once their hands and tentacles were free the two hybrids kneeled and bowed before them.

"Animahni? Is this a peace offering?" Ruby asked while stepping closer to the netting of lively fish.

"This is a gift from "Oulapho". We told him of the death of Karnog. He does not wish to be enemies. Nor does my brother "Tyrakuus" here beside me."

Tyrakuus wags his once severed tentacle to show that it was already in the process of regrowth. His humanoid face emerged from within his mass of tentacles and offered what appeared to be a smile. His features were so gelatinous that it was hard to be certain. They would believe it was.

Jack steps between they and Sophia just in case, "We were never your enemy. Neither you nor us were certain the other could be trusted. Sophia's actions didn't help. She should not have killed your friend."

"Karnog was a friend to no one. We fought always. He has injured all of us at some point. Yet, we were family. Oulapho is our leader but even he worried about Karnog's lust for power. Only Oulapho's size kept Karnog at bay."

Jack expresses gently, "Tell this Oulapho we are friends if he chooses to be. I would like to meet him someday."

"He has grown bigger than our tunnels. You would have to go to him." Animahni suggests.

Ruby and Jack stare at one another until Jack adds, "If we can find a way to reach him safely tell him it would be our honor."

"Please feel free to visit us more often. Both of you." Ruby expresses, "And, thank you for the fish. We are very grateful. If we can repay you in any way let us know."

"We shall." Animahni decides to brave walking from the shallows to face Sophia.

Sophia lowers her brilliance and attempts a smile.

"I'm sorry if I scared you. I was only protecting myself and my friends."

Nodding, Animahni smiles at her in return.

"You are welcome to join us below. We will trust you. There are many fish deep in this world. Many fearful creatures as well. I forgive you for my brother."

"Awesome. I might come visit soon. I get hungry and at least down there I'm not hurting my friends up here. And, I promise I will never harm you three survivors."

"As will we swear the same."

"We can be sisters." Sophia giggles.

"I would like that. Goodbye Sister. Friends."

Animahni turns and returns with Tyrakuus to the depths.

Ruby moved to Sophia's side, "That was a very grown up thing to say Sophia. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks. I claim the second bag of fish. Time to feed the boys."

Ruby smiles and expresses a wave to go right ahead. She then faces Jack.

"Guess who gets to clean supper?"

Jack smirks, "Cameron was always the fisherman. I'm more the hunter."

"We can all clean the fish. Let's not look a gift horse in the mouth."

"Haul them up. I'll finish up here and join you shortly."

With a wink Ruby snatches up the net and drags it with a strain toward the stairwell. She had to stop at the bottom and handle a few at a time.

Sophia devoured her mound of fish like a starving child. Luckily her idea of eating meant laying in the catch to let her parasitic associates dissolve the fish into her every pore. It was a sickening sight to watch. Even Jack had to turn away.

Making certain all of the hose connections were channeling properly Jack left the girl to her feast.

With an assist He and Ruby managed the net upstairs.

The place would reek for a week.