Fragment 11

Roy decided that sleeping in the rough was not as romantic and problem free as he imagined it would be. Out here was no bath room, no shower and nothing to drink. Oh sure he knew things he could eat, but surviving on a diet of nothing but raw things again was completely different from snacking on things while roaming thorugh the jungle and then eat at home. However he hd made his decission and he thought in a week or so he would be used to it. He petted Partner and said. “Thank you for keeping an eye open.” Partner sneezed and Roy left the cave entrance and again was taken by the sheer beauty that greeted him. He was still relative high in the mountains and there was a cover if sparkling due over everything. It had the appearance as if the entire world had taken a morning shower and was now fresh and new to begin another day. From up here he could see an Insecto Saurus fight with one of those living boulders and in the distance he saw two Lightning Bolters float lazily across the horizon, their long tentacles fishing and filtering small things out of the air. He carefully scanned his surroundings to make sure he noticed any possible danger or threat and to decide what to do with an entire day before him. To his right, about 250 meters was a tumble of boulders and it looked like the genuine kind on top of the largest boulder sat a woman in a green dress. He smiled and waved at her and kept on looking and then it hit him, a woman! “ It wasn't anyone he knew, none of the Kids and none of the Adults he knew, of course there were many people in town he had not seen before. She appeared to be complete at ease and did not even wear a Bioseal suit. Se did return his gaze and so he waved again and begun to climb over the rugged terrain to get within speaking distance. He had to avoid new life forms he had not seen before. A small version of a Water snake, a stream of Black Ants much smaller and not red, but he made it. He was now close enough to talk without really yelling. She had not moved the entire time he came closer, while Partner was a close behind him. She was an adult but he could not really guess her age. She was sitting there in a green dress, her feet sticking from under the seam of her calf long skirt were naked, and so were her arms. The dress was girded but not with an utility belt. Her hair had the same tint as fresh dried grass. A hint of green playing into earthy yellows. Her eyes followed his apporach with an expression of mild curiosity on her face. He waved again and said. “Hi I am Roy, I am sure surprised to see someone else out here.” An impish smile curled her lips and Roy realized she was heartstoppingly beautiful, she didn’t say anything and Roy wondered if she was able to hear him. So he raised his voice a little and repeated his words, then he added. “Sitting out like that, you must be a Greenie too.” She patted the surface of the rock right next to her in an inviting gesture, but then she looked weary at Partner and there was something like fear in her expression, but she has still not spoken. Roy had the strangest feeling about her and the situation however he did not feel any threat or danger. He stroked Partner’s neck and said. “No worries lady. This is partner and he looks much more dangerous than he is.” She spoke and said. “ On the contrary, Child of Qaroniel, your Terror Hound is much more lethal than it looks.” Roy motioned Partner to sit and the animal immideatley obeyed and he said to Partner, “Looks like the lady knows more about you so I will talk to her.” He climbed over the remaining boulders and sat down, at greater distance than she had indicated with her padding the rock. She really was beautiful with fine somewhat arrogant smile gracing her lips. She looked at him but didn’t speak, So he said. “Coming out here often?” She declined her head and said. “Yes I come here every day. You have come further than ever before. I have never seen you here at the mountains.” Roy blinked and said. “Lady this is the weirdest meeting I ever had. You talk as if I you had seen me before, but I have never seen you. Are you one of the Scientists, wearing one of those suits usually?” “No, Roy. I am not one of the Scientists and I never wear any of these technical monstrosities that allow those intruders to stomp through our forests; but yes Roy I know a little about you.” “Who are you?” Her smile widened. “Come see me again, Roy. Right now I think I better leave, they are coming for you and they are going to be here soon.” She got up in a fluid way only girls could and she looked down at him. “It was nice meeting you Roy, and if you keep me a secret we could meet again.” He got up as well. “Keeping you a secret? Who are…” He heard the high pitched whistle of a powerful pulse engine and turned to see Charles the robot descending from the sky. He wanted to tell the woman she had nothing to fear of Charles, but as he turned back she was gone. He tried to catch a glimpse and assumed she had jumped of and was hiding between the deep crevices and gaps of the smaller boulders, There were Dagger bushes and Fire Nettles and nothing looked disturbed. She was a real Greenie for sure. Charles landed on a column of white hot plasma, instead of using his Arti Grav. The Robot was a combat unit and Roy knew Charles liked to remnind his surroundings occationally of that fact. His dark red eyes glowed and his deep mechanical voice sounded genuinely relieved. “It pleases this unit, one has found its master alive and unharmed.” Roy could not hide his feeling seeing Charles and even though it was not something a sixteen year old should do, he hugged Charles. “Good to see you too, Charles. Let me introduce Partner to you!” “If one would be capable of the human emotion of surprise one would indeed be compelled to express astonishment to find you 4211.5 kilometers from the place of your last sighting. “ Charles head rotated towards Partner. “Is this Unit correct assuming that this life form is the Partner you speak off?” Roy waved at Partner and the beast clawed itself with a few leaps up the rocks, leaving deep scratchyes in the hard stone surface and bumped into Charles. Charles extended his upper main arm and formed a full hand, with it the Robot patted Partner. “The animal is non conform to any known life forms but it appears to be docile and well behaved. One needs instructions from its Master as to what pet care tasks are required to tend to it.” Partner was enjoying the attention of the robot and had his eyes squeezed shut.

--“”--- Martha could not remember when she had slept that good. She had slept in Sam Brown’s Farm house, in a simple bed underneath an open window, separated from the outside world of Green Hell only by logs of Tantalus Oak and an active energy window screen. The wood gave off a scent somewhat reminiscent of pine wood and the window screen had buzzed only once all night. Sam called her to breakfast and she ate like a starving stomper gorging herself on Sam’s pancakes with real Terran maple syrup, just before the sun was about to rise. She had noticed a photo viewer on Sam’s Cupboard with pictures of Roy form as small as when he was only six to very recent images making her realize just how much her son had grown. All the pictures showed Roy laughing or smiling doing things with Sam. Working with tools fixing Agricultural robots, shooting blasters, playing ball or wearing some ancient martial arts outfit sparring with the huge black man. All the things a father or a mother should have done. Another picture showed the former President pinning a medal to Sam’s chest. To her astonishment the Immortal Admiral Stahl himself was in several pictures with his arm on Sam’s shoulder. After breakfast he told her that Charles had detected a faint energy signature characteristic of a powered down Union PDD and identified the signature to the one Roy had. Excited she followed Sam to a rugged Ford Farm All Floater Truck. The Ford had heavy armor plates added that had the characteristic shimmer of Ultronit. She completely forgot the suit. Somehow she felt safer with Sam than she would have wearing a real Quasimodo. “Where did Charles detect that?” “Near the White Head Mountains.” “That is impossible!” She exclaimed as Sam pulled the flyer into the air.” That is over 3000 kilometers. Perhaps some flying animal carried his PDD in its…” She didn’t want to say what she was thinking and tears ran down her face. Sam ignored her tears and said harshly. “You keep using that word a lot, you know! The word has very little meaning in a Universe where almost anything seems possible one way or the other. You should cry about how you and that yellow belly piece of work you got for a husband raised that boy.” He then felt sorry for snapping at her and added. “Roy is fine. Charles has located him and found him alive and unharmed.” She still sobbed and the first tears had broken an invisible barrier inside her, and all the remnants of the cold detached scientist were washed away in a diluge of emotions. Sam gunned the Flyer to its maximum speed and kept it as high as the old Ford could go, to avoid any life from collisions. He was a big man and hard as granite, tougher than a Petharian according to the Marines who had served with him, but little kids, fuzzy Holdians and crying women always made him feel a little helpless a and he said. “ We will be there soon enough. There is nothing on Green Hell or within at lest a light years distance that could harm your son now. Not that it looked like he really needed any protection, robots don’t lie. Charles said he is fine.” She wished for a simple kerchief or tissue and thankfully accepted as Sam held a tissue dispenser under her nose. After she cleaned her nose and tears she said. “Thank you Mr. Brown for taking care of Roy all these years and I am so sorry for ever thinking