Through out the night Jack Ramse slept with one eye open. Not just for the next unexpected Beast to try and eat him either. His two newfound associates were still too new to him to fully trust. It was bad enough trying to rest without the Sprite named O'tah alias "Iota" clinging to his covered manhood. He needed to break her habit before it got out of hand. His hesitance to scold her lie in the fact that in his eyes the tiny woman went nuclear and obliterated a massive aquatic dinosaur right before his eyes. Pissing her off might not be the smart thing to do.
The Leprechaun named Lowball was devious, Jack could tell. He worried that the runt might steal his pack and run. Jack had too much in that pack that he needed to survive. Still, he knew he could catch up with the runt. Finally, Jack's nerves settled and he drifted off.
As the sun rose Jack became aware of the fact when he felt Iota stirring over his crotch. The buzzing of her wings jolted him awake. To his surprise Lowball was up cooking another steak carved from the Plesiosaur.
"Breakfast Laddie?" He hissed with almost a glint of respect.
Stretching as he stood up Jack gazed out over the water, "My belly's still full. Thanks though."
"Me tummy's n'er too full. Place like we live in ye eat when ye can. Food be hard to come by."
"Yeah? Out in the desert maybe. I see lots around here to eat. Birds. Lizards. Fish. I'm still puzzled why there's no animal life much out there where I came from. Lizards are pretty much it. Why no birds flying? Hardly any insects until I get near the coast. Then, this place comes alive."
Iota buzzes in front of him pointing at her dragonfly like wings. As if to question her roots. She was amusing as all get out.
"I don't classify you as an insect." He chuckles, "I need to keep moving until I find a city. I know you fear them but if you want to join me you're welcome to." Jack pulls his shirt on over his head then the chainmail secondary for protection.
Lowball chews his food loudly as he speaks with his mouth full, " I say ye still be mad. Nay be but death out there"
"Maybe. But, there are people who are counting on me."
"People ye say." Lowball squints.
"Yeah. When we crashed here there were seven survivors. Well eight if you count Maddy. She returned from the dead. Actually pretty healthy nowadays."
The Leprechaun's eyes bulge and he stops chewing, jaw dropping he turns pale, "Dead returnin'?"
"Long story but yes. Like I said yesterday I'm surprised Iota here hasn't told you. She buzzed the ship we live in under a month ago."
"Did she now?" He narrows his eyes at O'tah. The Sprite throws her arms wide and offers a shy grin. She had evidently forgotten to mention it. But, again she wasn't much for conversation.
"Wait. If you two are so tight why didn't you tell him about it?" Jack winces at the Sprite for answers. With an echoing huff she crosses her arms then buzzes backwards to avoid the confrontation.
Before Jack can figure out his next move he hears a crackle coming from his back pack. "You out there Jack?" Came a voice of recognition. He was unprepared for contact. He had whispered to James to try and keep Ruby from checking on him so soon. If he needed them he would call them. His curse led him to believe he needed to sever ties. As hard as it was to admit. Just hearing her voice Jack pauses and grimaces at his options. Perhaps it was smart to at least let her know he was alive and well.
Jack crouches down and pulls out a communicator from his pack specifically designed by young genius James Ian Pryce. He had multiple options to do this with either accessing Fenway his drone companion or through his translator collar. He chose to show off a bit in front of his new friends. He places it on the ground and clicks a tiny switch watching metallic legs extend for ground support. A small disk opening up to capture the sunlight for increased power and imaging. A thin beam of light shot straight up in front of the startled couple. Refracting outward into an image. In front of them stood a life sized hologram of a beautiful redhead.
"Morning Ruby. I'm still alive. I reached a massive inland sea about 200 miles out. You might tell Animahni to let Oophalah know. Maybe he can find his way out here through a cave system. Lots of fresh air and he can move about in the sunlight."
"I'll do that when I see her."
Lowball who had stepped back arming himself with his axe circles the hologram. He was leery of the woman before him.
"This be the dead Lass?" The runt growls.
"No. Calm down. She's a friend. This is Ruby. Ruby this is "Lowball." He introduces the stalking man in a Conquistador's helmet. Ruby's image reacts as if right there in person. "You made a new friend? It's a pleasure to meet you Lowball."
The dwarf merely backs away and eyes the situation with distrust. In his place returns Iota buzzing around the hologram before hovering in front of Ruby's belly. With a strange behavior Iota tries to rub Ruby's stomach amazed that her tiny hand slipped through the body before her.
"Another friend?" Ruby asks.
"Yeah. Her names Iota. We've met before kind of. I never mentioned it because I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. She approached our ship one night when everyone was asleep. Come to think of it that was the night you and I--yeah, that night."
"Why does she keep rubbing my belly?" Ruby looked stressed.
"Who knows. Probably just amazed by the holographic image." Of course he had his suspicions. He was just waiting for Ruby to break the news. She knew as well but wanted to surprise Jack. If that were possible.
Finally, She smirks, "We both know why Jack. Even from there she senses I'm pregnant. James ran a sonogram. We found an Ultrasound machine in a cargo container. Surprisingly it worked." She then hesitates, "There's more Jack."
"Let me guess it looks like a Weaver bug."
"No. James refers to it as an energy fetus. It's glowing red hot within me. I went for a morning workout and over did it. I'm superhuman now too. Or, at least the fetus had made me that way. Without realizing I was doing it I destroyed my cargo gym. Walls came flying down. My body was super heated and vibrating. Every step I took it felt like my body was energizing. I scared everyone. I feel fine now. It dissipated. I guess young Noble was thinking he was defending me. Fighting back against my sandbag."
Jack shoos Iota away from toying with the hologram, "If that was a bug zapper you would be toast." He then sighs at Ruby's revelations, "Keep me posted."
"I will Jack. We all miss you. Not just me." Ruby fidgets.
"Same here. Just hold the fort until I can figure out how to get rid of--you know."
Deciding to change the subject because he just knew mentioning the word curse would freak out Lowball. Finally he points toward the inland sea. Ruby's attention turns to view the water.
