Roy and the others were still outside

Chapter 8

Roy and the others were still outside and while the pebble beach here at the Big Lake was far safer than the Jungle; even here it was not a good idea to stay too long at the same spot. A Stomper crushed through the thicket into the open, what made him storm onto the pebble beach was not clear to Roy and he wondered about it. As Stompers rarely if ever actually came into the open, they feared nothing except Water Snakes. There was a collective scream of fear going through the crowd at Ma Swanson's Boathouse and the present Marines lowered their weapons and wanted to shoot, but the shield prevented them from turning the Stomper to molecular ashes. The teenagers outside appeared not scared or panicked, even as a titanic Water Snake rose to the surface. An at least seventy meters adult with dark green scales and black spots down the side, a clear indication to locals that it was a female Snake. The sudden appearance of a Stomper and now the Water Snake's arrival actually caused one of the Science Institute researchers to faint, he didn't fall over though. The seven ton Extreme World civilian converted Battle Walker he used prevented that. The onlookers were certain of the teenager’s gruesome and terminal fate and that they would die a swift and violent death before anyone could do something. Some even wondered if the soap-bubble thin film of energy could really protect them from the wraith of the King of all Green Hell Monsters, a raging mad female Water Snake. Yet the enormous Anguis Viridi inferni as the scientists had named the big serpent, did not attack the children. It went right past them and then it spewed a stream of its highly flammable bio gel at the roaring Stomper. The massive eight legged, twelve thousand pound Stomper, could not stop its momentum fast enough, so it could turn and flee. Once a Stomper committed to a charge, there was almost nothing stopping it. The one natural force on Green Hell that could, was right there. This was not a simulated Snake call, emitted by a boy hiding in the trees. The Stomper cried in panic and agony as it vanished in an exploding cloud of bright hot fire and then it collapsed as a charred and burned corpse just a few meters before the teenagers. The image of the still burning Stomper behind them, while a billow of smoke and dust wafted around the teenagers standing there without the slightest fear in their faces accompanied by their fierce pets and holding their weapons at the ready, with the enormous shape of a Green Hell Water Snake’s head hovered over them was captured by the news woman’s camera bot. This would later become one of the most iconic poster images of this century, gracing countless teenagers walls and T shirts. (And was a sore spot for Melissa as long as she lived, since she wasn’t in it.) The big snake lowered her head close to Norm and the serpent’s black tongue, longer and thicker than a man, flickered with its sensitive tips over Norm. The female snake for a moment looked over Roy and the others as well and after that eerie display of affection, she returned into the water, slipped below the surface and moments later was completely gone. Roy watched the stunned crowd and sighed. He feared this thing would go on all afternoon, as the Adults again took a small eternity to react and speak again. The Major of Ant Hill was a politician at heart and so far, all the speeches, all the instant history making headlines were made by someone else, but now his Son was clearly the center of it. No one had said a word since the Stomper attack and so he walked briskly to the barriers edge and spoke into the audio pick up of his PDD. "Norm my son! What animal do you have?" Norm appeared to grow a few inches as he smiled with pride and beamed with self importance. His snake reared next to him until its head was at the same height as Norms. "Father, this is Zisch and he is of the same den as his Mother you just saw.” Norm snapped his fingers and pointed at a large piece of drift wood washed to the shore. "Zisch, burn it!" His Snake instantly reacted to his command and raised her head even further, then it spread the leathery bright red colored skin folds to the left and right of its neck. Like a suddenly opening old fashioned umbrella making the snake even more frightening to look at and a stream of the burning gel hit the tree, ten meters away with explosive force. Norm pointed his finger at a more distant piece of drift wood. "Zisch, nail it!" The Snakes scales spread and finger long spikes slammed in the trunk with deadly accuracy. The onlookers still baffled by the virtual barrage of unforgettable images were treated by an encore of a truly spectacular finale of Norms act. The adults watched as Norm took off his weapon belt, suit shirt and exposing his entire upper body skin and all to the elements of Green Hell. He then ran towards the water, evading Terror Moss and Needle Grass with elegant jumps and athletic moves, splashed into the water, diving forward with an arched body and dove out of sight. No human had ever bathed on Green Hell in any of the lakes as far as the Adults knew. That his Snake friend slithered next to him into the water like a faithful dog was just another facet of this afternoon of fantastic revelations, barely noticed. The water settled and became mirror smooth. Norms father who never swam or dove in his life and the very idea of bathing in a lake full of Razor Fish and Water Snakes was beyond his realm of comprehension believed that he just watched his son commit suicide! After a long minute passed, like a missile launched from a submerged warship, Norm broke through the water in an explosion of gushing water, standing on the nose of the giant fully grown Water Snake and he was lifted at least twenty meters into the air. It was a spectacle that made the assembled crowd drop their chins again and even Roy's parents had completely forgotten their lofty, ‘we seen it all’ attitude and were reduced to gasping spectators just like the rest. Norm, dove head first looking like a human spear, into the waves and walked moments later back on the pebble beach, dripping wet, Zisch close to his side. The Snake nailing a blister crab with a deadly accurate shot of its dart like spikes, as the dangerous crustacean came too close to Norm. Norm Stevenson couldn't help himself and bowed like a performer after a successful show and said to his father. “Will that be evidence enough that I am perfectly safe out here and that Zisch and I are friends?” All the Mayor could say was. “Wow.” Robert Stevenson, who already saw himself rise to become the Planets Representative and get a seat at the Assembly cursed himself, later that his first chance for a speech was squandered with a foolish single word exclamation. Yet seeing what his son did was a fair excuse for not being on top of his game. Norm grinned and crossed his arms. "So can Zisch and I stay together?" This time the Mayor did manage to give a small speech. "I have never in all my life seen anything comparable. If anyone would have told me they had witnessed what I have just seen I would laugh and call them liars!” Stevenson looked closer at Zisch. “You are friends with all Water Snakes?" "No Dad, just with Zisch, his siblings and his parents. It happens to be that Zisch's mother is one of the biggest in this lake and nothing on Green Hell messes with a big mommy snake protecting her young. She considers me as one of her litter, because of that I am as safe in that lake as you behind that screen!" "Come on in, son! I'll sign your Animal Owner's permit myself!" The woman of the local News Agency approached. "Norm, the footage of your stunt will make you an instant star Union Wide I am certain! What would you do if you would be Mayor?" "I would make sure we keep our Jungles and Lakes as pristine as they are and make sure we grow in a controlled and careful way. I would make sure that anyone can go outside who wants to go outside. Most of all I’d make Snake Hunting illegal and anyone hurting a Water snake without serious reason, I'd send bathing!" Roy had to admit this was a very good answer and he would certainly support Norm if he indeed would run for Mayor one day. Norm passed through the re-activated gap in the force field with Zisch and posed with his Dad for more News images. The Mayor beamed and waved and loudly promised Norm to push for local legislation to make Snake Hunting a punishable offense. One such hunt happened only a few months ago, conducted by a rich Off-Worlder. Since there was no legislation in place to prevent it, the Hunter gained permission to hunt by a court order and against the concerns and objections of the Ranger. It was Norms father who supported the Hunt request as he envisioned a new source of income for Ant Hill. The Off World Hunter came with a State of the Art Battle suit, a team of tough looking Mercenaries and he steered a Surplus Marine Corps Landing Tank from the loading bay of his private yacht, fired the tanks canon and killed five or six snakes. (Six of his eight men got killed when they tried to retrieve a snakes head for the man’s trophy room.) The incident made real Greenies very angry and upset. No one here hunted Snakes or anything else for that matter. With the exception of the Scientists who occasionally captured a local life form, but no one minded that. The Mayor signed his son's permit for anyone to see right before the Cam Bots visual sensors and then promised his son and the audience that he would put a motion before the city council to craft legislation to prevent further hunts.

Solomon waved to his son. "You're next, son.” Bob blushed and put his hand on the pelted body of his Spider. "I don't know if Wobbler can do any cool tricks like that.” Ben’s eyes reflected the affection he felt for that monstrosity. “He just likes to sleep a lot and eat pizza like me." Of course Wobbler was not a true spider or even remotely related in any way to Terran Arachnids. A Moolax was about double the size of the recently discovered sentient race of Spiders in the Downward sector, beyond the Klack Empire, they too shared little in common. A Moolax had ten legs and was considered Spider-like because it spun nets, used silky strings and could climb up and down vertical surfaces. Unlike a true spider, a Moolax had actual muscles in its legs and a though inner skeleton. And like everything on Green Hell a Moolax was a very dangerous animal with a variety of lethal abilities: electrified nets, dagger like spines and a teeth filled maw. Then Bob's face lightened as he had an idea. He climbed on the back of his spider and rode the arachnoid up a steep set of boulders, made Wobbler shoot filament webbing up a tree and the spider balanced with Bob on its back up the almost invisible line all the way to the canopy of a tall Tantalus Oak standing at the edge of the jungle. With his spider friend, Bob swung to another tree, and finally came back down. His father, Ranger Solomon had his fists stemmed against his hips as he watched his son and then he laughed. "I am certain Norm's show was much more spectacular, but seeing my son ride a horse sized spider up a tree and back, will stay with me for the rest of my life.” Again there was laughter and slowly but surely most of the adults present relaxed, even to the presence of Green Hell life forms sharing the space inside the force field with them. Bob and Wobbler went in. Ma Swanson’s husband, who wore not much more protection than Roy strode across the Duro-Crete carrying one of the Pizza Pies they sold in the store. “I always wanted to see a Moolax form close up,” he explained and held the Pizza up while looking at Bob. “Would it be okay if I feed it?” Bob made disappointed face and crossed his arms before his chest. “Sure it is alright, but you didn’t bring me any.” Mr. Swanson laughed and fed the spider who gobbled the pizza with noticeable excitement. The event at this point became more like a party or festival. Ma Swanson and her husband brought drinks and food out and there was laughter and lively discussions about the experience so far. Maria's mother standing next to her husband said, "Our daughter can come in. She is a Tech whiz. She never likes anything alive and always has been a bit of a recluse without many friends. So I am, for one, very proud to see her outside with friends of her age while being active, playing and being a real Greenie.” Her father nodded. “Seeing her being interested in anything else but machines and tools makes me happy too. If she thinks she thinks she is safe out there, this is fine with me.” To Ma Swanson he said. “Let my daughter in, please. She only likes machines and will have no animal.” Maria parted her long hair that as always obscured much of her face and she said with a protesting edge in her voice. “Very nice of you painting me a techno looser in front of all these people; and I do have an animal too!” She opened the flap of her ever present big shoulder bag and looked inside. “I love my Snuggle.” She said and then with the most gentle cooing voice she said. “Come to Mommy, little Snuggle baby.” Something moved and Snuggle the Ninja Weasel first stuck his head out over the rim of the bag and then snaked his long body around her arm while quickly sliding up and pressing its head against her cheek. This time there was a collective “Ohhh” coming from the crowd and comments like. “Sweet, cute and adorable” came from the women in attendance. Maria stared at them, while putting her other arm in a protective manner before her pet. “Snuggle doesn’t do any tricks and can’t impress you like Wobbler or Zisch. He is not good fighting Wasps yet either. He is just a baby! The Ranger said. "No one expects you to have it do tricks. All I willl ask is if you have it under control so it won't harm others. It is a dangerous life form!" Maria caressed the soft fur and said. “Snuggle is very smart! He never extends his claws, keeps his poisonous barbs in check, he is totally tame and as afraid of most of what crawls and lives out there as you are." She looked at the beast like a proud mother. “But he is smart, very smart. Snuggle does know tools! That should count for something!" To the animal she said, "Go get me the Small universal." Amazingly the furry being slid down and pulled a tool from Melissa's belt and dropped it in her hand. Maria held it up. "See, it is the small universal!" Maria was allowed to pass the Barrier. Her parents immediately petted the Ninja Weasel and it turned on its back so they could massage its belly! Maria's father said: "I never touched a local animal and I was born here. That Weasel is the cutest thing I ever saw. I had no idea they could be so soft and docile!" Roy knew from the beginning he was last. What his parents were thinking he could not tell as they were among those who still had their helmets closed. He noticed that all those who still did, were all members of the Science Institute, but he was glad his mother could not read his mind or check on him. The Military grade TransDim Shield Ma Swanson had prevented telepathic contacts as well. Mr. Solomon however knew about Roy’s concerns and he said to them. “Now it is your turn and I know you are scientists and not locals. You don’t consider yourself Greenies. To you this is an amusing term describing, technicians, engineers and shop keepers; the ones serving you and your very important work.” he managed to say this with thinly veiled contempt swinging between the lines. He continued saying; “Now I know this post, this settlement would not exist without the Science Corps, but I have been a Ranger here now for the better part of twenty years and I know your kind is not always seeing things the same way we do.” He gestured towards Roy. “You didn’t believe your son, yet I wonder how do you think he gets to school every day?” Martha gasped underneath her helmet as she guessed the truth and pressed the release of the helmet. The rigid bubble became paper thin soft plastic and folded in the collar of the suit. The Ranger nodded as he was now able to read her face. “Yes indeed your son walks seven kilometers through the densest jungle to Research Outpost 3 where he keeps his flier. “He does this every day. It was him who found the shell of the Takkian fool and once I received his call from the Umbra-Muck Bogs, that’s almost 45 clicks from here. “He doesn’t wear armor, and officially I am not supposed to know, but there is no one on this world of ours who moves further and deeper into the Jungles.” Then he gestured towards the black animal. “I have no idea what kind of animal he found, but not even the Institute knows about every critter out there.” He looked straight in Martha's eyes. “Your son is a good kid. He is down to the bone honest, courteous and always eager to help. He is growing up to become a fine citizen. He is always welcome in my home and like a brother to my son. So give him a chance just once.” Paul Masters did not feel very comfortable with several of the local life forms so close inside the force field. Of course the suit would protect him, but he was a scientist and he could not explain how Wild animals of a world that had no human population, just a few hundred years ago, changed their behavior so drastically. This world was an enigma, as there was no evolutionary explanation for the development of so many deadly life forms, or could explain the vicious, aggressive behavior the life forms displayed towards intruders. Why would a Water Snake, or any of the other samples, suddenly allow themselves to be touched and act like the most docile purpose breed Terran dogs, was a mystery of similar proportions. There was certainly not enough observational data to allow such foolishness. If the animals changed their behavior so fast, who could say they would not do so again? Paul said. “The Ranger is not a qualified authority to make such decisions. You come in here, this instant and we talk about it. In the meantime we should restrain that specimen you found and categorize it.” Martha Masters however was slowly changing her old convictions. “Roy, we still are barely able to process what we have seen today or put it in any context we can to postulate a response.” Roy put his hand on Partner and said. “I knew you would react differently than all the others. I know you want to take Partner away and dissect it, but I won't let this happen. You called me a liar and dreamer. You never believed me when I told you I was outside, I am outside and I am going to hide in my Jungle and no one, not even all your science can find me there!" He jumped on Partner’s back and the big animal turned and it bolted towards the jungle. Roy turning off his PDD. Within a few heart beats, the boy and the Black beast had reached the Jungles edge, and then they were gone. The Marines reacted and followed as Paul Masters yelled. “Marines go get him, he won’t come back!” They flew through a structure gap, Ma Swanson made. The crowd looked at the Masters with open contempt and it was the Black Shail who said. “We don’t have the same family concept on Shaill as you humans do, but you are the most emotion deprived coldhearted specimen I have come across in fifty years of practice.” Martha felt a restricting knot in her throat and something wet rolled down her cheeks. Something she hadn’t done since her Grandfather had died. She cried tears. Paul Masters, well aware that he made the wrong decision and should have waited till Roy was inside before he scolded him, also felt worried about his son. The worries and the words of the Shail doctor started a similar very delayed reaction in his mind. Seeing his wife, the emotionally so controlled Martha, cry made him slowly realize that he had failed his son and his family. “No worries Martha, the Marines will find him.” One of the Marines called and reported. “My squad is still trying to get a scan lock, but our sensors are severely hampered by the Jungle as usual, and we can’t pick up his energy weapon signature anywhere.” The Ranger said with a stern face. “He didn’t have a chance.” Martha remembered at the last moment that she could not wipe her eyes with power augmented Power Suit gauntlets. “I am so sorry and my husband has made a grave error, please find him. We will give him a chance of course and we won’t harm his animal.” Paul, who was only beginning to understand, and was still overwhelmed by the events, his wife's sudden emotional reaction and his own growing feelings of concern vented by snarling “Ranger Solomon, do your job and get our son back!” “Dr. Masters, you are a member of the Institute and I treated you with respect and courtesy but frankly I’ve had about enough of you. You might be smart when it comes to your science stuff, but to me you are geeky wimp without a shred of common sense and an arrogant attitude that would make the Grand Wizard of all Kermac look like a jovial fellow. You are a lucky man to have a son like that and you are even luckier that I am wearing this uniform because I am restraining myself very much not to pull you out of that tin can and give you a good old fashioned knuckle sandwich with all the trimmings of an oh so primitive and simple being.” Paul saw the sizable fists of the Ranger and even he knew about their excellent training and stellar reputation. For a moment he forgot Roy and his emotional confused state and his thoughts found a baseline. The thought of being whipped by the burly ranger made him remember his own school time. When he came home with a bloody nose and his father took care of him, talked to him and helped him and gave him pointers on how to deal with a bully. This mental image of his father, had the same emotional impact that Martha felt when she saw the unanswered messages of her mother. The Ranger was not done and said. “Actually none of this is technically Ranger business. I am following up on a council request, and tried to find the best solution for both the kids and the adults. I am here primarily as a father.” “But you must go after him, Ranger. Martha is right and I too will try to be a better father, but how can we try if he is out there in mortal danger.” “Mr., Masters, the Marines won't find him with all their Fleet tech and I won't b able to find him. He knows these Jungles and he will be alright. I expect him to turn up at Browns place in a few days or perhaps hide out in one of the abandoned Research Outposts.” “Sam Browns place? Thirty Kilometers from here?” Norm who had heard it all interjected, “I often teased Roy not being a real Greenie, Dr. Masters; but Roy could walk to the other side of the Planet, bare feet and be as happy as can be the entire way.” Martha said. “You are one of his friends?” “Yes I am, we all are his friends ever since Kindergarten. I was at your house just the other day for his birthday party.” She sighed as she realized she had forgotten all about Roy's birthday and remembered vaguely wondering about the many kids in the living room while she tried to attend a tele-presence meeting, “I wonder if he actually hates us?” She mused more to herself than anyone, but Norm answered anyway. “No I don't think he hates you, but I know he wishes he could talk to you sometimes.” She didn't respond to that but asked instead, “What will he do? Even if he can survive out there during the day, it will be dark soon and he had nothing to eat!” “There is plenty to eat and Roy has been out at night before.” Martha's foundation in life was science and everthing had an orderly place in the Universe. The events today had shaken that foundation. Nothing she believed to be empirically true about this world was indeed true. Four hundred years of bio research conducted by the finest minds of the field and the resulting conclusions were based on the fundamental assumption that everything alive on Green Hell was utterly and completely lethal to almost every other known life form. On top of everything she had seen today, she was now told there was food out there. Decades of her complete devotion to her field of study raised the sudden desire in her to have Roy guide them, show them what he knew and that desire clashed with her very recently discovered maternal instincts and her worries about Roy's safety. The Ranger could see some of it reflecting in her eyes and he said in a softer tone. “I will fly out to Sam Brown's place. If anyone can find and talk to Roy to come back it's him.”

There was a difference about thinking to run away and actually doing it. Roy realized that the moment he turned and guided Partner into the thickets. It suddenly dawned to him that he could not go home, not see Sam or go to any of his usual hideouts. He could not go to school on Monday or go to the Rocks and call his friends. It was not the prospect of living a few days outside, he actually looked forward to that. It was the finality of his action that severed the very last strands of connection he had to his parents. He knew they didn't care, but keeping the illusion alive that they did was a comfort, he only now realized he had in the first place. He wiped his nose and said with a coarse voice. “I wish we could reach the Mountains today, maybe we can find us a cave, I heard Sam say they are there.” Of course even with his formidable mount, who didn't seem to grow tired, it would take him at least a week, and then there was the other Big Lake he had to cross somehow or walk along its thousands of miles of shoreline. Not that he had anything better to do and going there gave him some sort of goal. A sudden unexplainable surge pulled at his spine, a painless sensation that felt as if his mind, his point of view, was pulled into a bottomless hole. The sensation was so strange, but it lasted no longer than a heart beat. To his utter surprise the deep green coastal jungle around Big Lake that surrounded him had changed completely. The Tantalus Oaks around here were much shorter, the air noticeable cooler and there were wide patches of vegetation free ground, exposing bare rock. As he looked up he saw the snow tipped mountains of Green Hells far North right before him. More than 5000 miles from Ant Hill near the top of this world. He had never seen them in person and only on Virtu Maps in school. At first he considered the ill effects of a Fire Nettle Bush, he may have touched, making him dream all this, but there were no blisters anywhere on his exposed skin and the wind fanning down the steep slopes felt very real. He jumped off and touched the ground. It was indeed solid rock. A herd of animals reminding him of Stompers, but much smaller and with longer legs, climbed agilely over a tumble of giant boulders about half a mile away. Something that looked like a Gladiator Eagle, but completely black circled above him and perhaps considered if Roy was worth an attack. His natural sense of Danger made him aware of a slow creeping patch of reddish moss that edged closer to where he was standing. So he climbed back on Partner and made him move slowly away. “Partner I think I am losing my mind. If I didn't know better, I’d say we somehow traveled all the way across the planet in less than an eye blink.” Partner of course did not understand his complicated train of thought, not even Roy himself really did, but the animal seemed very pleased with itself and Roy could see an image of him sitting on Partner in the Jungle and then sitting on Partner near the Mountains. “Yes exactly my silent friend. We somehow ended up here and there are no Trans Matter Tunnels on Green Hell or one of the rare Saresii Talents who are supposed to be able to teleport.” Partner snorted and seemed very pleased with himself.