Adventures of a Greenie (Vol 1)
All rights reserved Vanessa Ravencroft
Chapter 7: Surprise!
Roy and his friends arrived a little early. No one said much and had a gloomy mood, already fearing they were about to lose their animals. Roy was especially depressed, even if all other parents said yes. He was certain his would never allow it and most likely take Partner away and dissect it. So he had already made up mind; he would run away and live in the jungle for good.
They’d never find him there. There was plenty to eat, if you knew what was consumable, and he had heard there were caves in the White Head Mountains, far to the north.
He could stop by Uncle Sam from time to time and it would not take long for his parents to forget about him, probably less than five minutes.
A month or two in the jungle until they were gone was a prospect that looked better with each step he took towards the Boathouse. To the surprise of the teenagers, there was a sizable crowd waiting for them. In addition to the parents there were at least twenty more adults, not all of them human. One of them, he recognized as the black Shail mollusk medic from the hospital.
At the rear where the floaters always parked, and next to the Rangers Hover tank, one of the Green and yellow Flyers of the Institute.
Not far from it, he spotted his parents, recognizing the color scheme of their Armor suits. The entire crowd was wearing armor suits of various designs and types.
It looked as if a company of Orbital-assault infantry soldiers had dropped to the surface of this planet. The presence of six expeditionary Marines with full armament reinforced that impression. The crowd became silent and all heads most underneath full sealed helmets turned to watch as the group of teenagers appeared coming around the sharp bend the shore line made about 500 meters to the east.
The sight of unprotected human juveniles walking along the shore line accompanied by a Moolax spider, a young Water Snake and a sizable black Beast no one seeing it recognized; silenced the last mumbled comment. In that complete silence, Martha finally whispered. “He really is outside!”
Ranger Solomon was standing just a few steps removed from the inside of the force field barrier that separated him and the crowd from the outside and the approaching teenagers.
He raised his hand and pointed at Roy and the others with an open hand. “I can see you are as shocked as I was when I saw it first; they are indeed outside. No armor, no battle suits, and they just walked almost nine kilometers in an environment we all consider absolutely lethal.”
The Ranger made a pause, yet there was still complete silence, no one spoke. It was clear that the adults present, some of which had heard the rumors of kids being outside, still tried to believe their own eyes. For centuries they were told that nothing not native to this world would survive for long. So he continued. “You notice they are not injured and quite frankly appear more at ease out there than some of you behind a military grade energy shield and heaviest armor. There is no rational explanation I can think off, other than the one obvious: they are true children of this world.
“A testament to the fact that man can adapt to any environment eventually.
“When humans came to this world almost 400 years ago, they survived only under the heaviest protection, taking trips beyond the city walls for the briefest times and inside the heaviest technology armor our civilization could create. Still despite all that, many died.” He gestured down his own body and said. “I was born here and so was my father and I don’t wear the same thick armor he did and without really thinking about it expose myself for short periods to the outside Something my father would not have dared. “Now our kids take the next steps and not only survive out there for extended time in nothing more than Bio seal suits.
“And If that wouldn’t be amazing enough, the true marvel is the fact that they somehow tamed and bonded with what we see as terrifying, creatures.”
He took a breath as he was talking fast and with increasing intensity to his tone of voice. “This is a historic moment for Green Hell, because it is the turning point where this world is no longer just a scientific curiosity to a scientific elite, but also becoming a home world to us all in its own right. I am convinced that the grandchildren of these teenagers will not call this world Green Hell, but Green Paradise because their eyes will see beauty where we only see death and danger.”
The City Council Foreman and Mayor of Green Hell, who was also Norm’s father was the first who started to clap.
His wife brushed back her helmet and followed her husband’s lead. Moments later most of the adults present clapped and there were cheers for the simple Ranger who managed to put all this in context and words.
Roy could not hear what the Ranger was saying as the force field was an effective barrier for everything including sound waves. All he saw was the Ranger gesturing and talking to a bunch of adults. The waiting was as worse than coming here, but then the adults started clapping, cheering and now with most helmets folded back into the collars of the suits, Roy saw the smiles.
Melissa said. “Whatever he said must have been good, they seem to approve.”
Maria brushed bangs to the side and raised her head. “He gave a fairly good speech, I must say.” Bob not taking his eyes of his father said. “I know you can read lips, but his back was turned towards us for the most time. How would you know what my dad said?”
She raised her arm and pointed at her PDD. “They are broadcasting the whole thing on Green Hell Two. If you really observe and not just look, you see Galwina Smith the news lady, of Channel GH2 complete with Cam Bot over there.”
Bob grunted at her from the side. “You are a Smart ass.”
Maria giggled silently and then said. “I know.” She then dialed her wrist PDD to a higher volume so they all could hear what was going on inside.
The Ranger raised his hands and with this motion got the attention of the people there once more. “Do not applaud me just yet, because I want you to trust your children and don’t force them to conform to our rules, at least in this case. Let them make their case to you.”
After a moments silence it became apparent to the people that the Ranger had said what he has to say. Melissa’s father was the first to stepped forward, saying with a hint of fear in his voice. “That was a great speech Ranger, but my beautiful, delicate daughter is standing out there. Let her in and we see about her sneaking outside in the future!” Someone behind Melissa’s father pointed at the red haired girl outside. “Is that a Pandora Swan perched there behind her head and her shoulders?” Melissa’s father grabbed the arm of the Ranger, “For God’s sake do something! That thing has claws as sharp as razors; the slightest scratch could kill her!”
The man’s voice rose a few notches. “I am no Off-Worlder; I know what these monsters can do!” Melissa stepped close to the energy barrier and gave her father a withering look in a way only she could, and whenever she did that somehow her bright red hair seemed brighter and her eyes burned with a green and intense fire. She spoke in her own PDD and her voice carried an edge just as sharp as the claws of her swan. She said, “Yes father that is a Pandora Swan, his name is Silver. He has never hurt me, even though he could. He does something else however, he protects me, and I know he cares for me. Dad I love this animal as dearly as I could love anything. I knew this day would come and you would find out, but I know my rights. I am old enough to file for a divorce from you, my parents, if you so much as try to separate me from Silver. I love you Dad but I will not abandon Silver because of you. I beg you as your daughter, don’t make me choose.”
Her father swallowed hard, strong emotions moved the jaw muscles of the richest man in Ant Hill. His knowledge of Green Hell; all he knew about this world; the fear for the life of his only daughter clashed with the image of her standing out there. So completely at ease and with one of the deadliest killer animals, of this world of killer monsters on her small shoulders. He clenched his fists but before he could make up his mind as to what to say or do his wife, Melissa’s mother moved past him and looked at her daughter through the barley visible force field.
The mother looked much like an older mirror image of Melissa. She had the same almost translucent complexion, the same flaming hair and green eyes sparkled with intelligence, mischief, and curiosity. “It does not look like she is hurt. If that Swan wanted to harm her, she would be dead long before we even knew she had one.
“I had a feeling that she was one of the kids that sneaked out, for quite a while.” Then she gave her husband an elfish smile.” Haggard O’Malley you know how stubborn the females on the Brady side of our family can be; I think you will lose this battle too!”
He said. “You knew she went outside?”
“Knowing is a strong word to something I didn’t really believe possible until now, but I suspected it when she ordered Terran All Terrains instead of DeNoir Heels; and when she had a Bio Seal suit hidden under her bed or when our daughter asked for a Bo-Zap Blaster, on her last birthday...”
Haggard only now really noticed the strong Plasma weapon riding low in a fast draw holster, next to an Ka-Bar MC7 Combat knife and he said with a weak voice of fading disbelief. “I thought she was joking. You actually got it for her?”
Aideen paid no attention to her husband’s question and said. “I never seen a swan so close. I never knew they looked so beautiful. Look Haggard how it’s wings drape down her back and appear like a shimmering cape.”
The Ranger took the opportunity the change of mood in Haggard O’Malley and said. “Melissa, your Swan is not a hamster or a domesticated cat, as they have on other planets. This is a wild predator and as far as we know the reason this animal acts so differently is because it is sick.”
Melissa spoke in her PDD. “Not one of you would know how a Pandora acts on anything. You could not tell a Mountain Pandora from a Swamp Pandora or if it is a male or female.”
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