Episode 10: Okay CORrAL

Time was running out. The cows were HEaRD loud and clear in the short distance from the Ganthorian property line. Although not fully completed concerning necessities for such a large amount of visitors Colonel Ruby Goddard insisted on her small band of assistants hurry it along. They had muscled three separate tanks out of the lower labs that could be salvaged. Empty and swabbed by James for safe use they were placed into three corners of a dedicated static pen once it was activated. Deciding on where exactly to locate the herd for convenience they set up at a rapid pace.

Elle Franklin had gathered enough hose lines to piece together a length that barely made the tanks, but that was topside only. The problem was the water source they had access to was below decks in the sub-basements of the stadium sized craft. No water immediately, at least it was a start. More hoses would need to be found and jury rigged. If not, it was going to be hell hauling up buckets. “Elle, Sophia, with me.”

“Right behind you, Colonel.”

“James? Stay up here and fire up your drone pen to contain the cattle. Once you have them isolated join us with the others in the basement. We pilfer this place with as many hoses as we can link up. Worst case is we create some sort of aqueduct system to reach the troughs. We can disengage those at night so we can close the hatch. Malcolm? Cam? Help get those cows inside the perimeter field. Like I said, everyone heads downstairs to help after.”

All in agreement Ruby charged up the staircase, her troops close behind. With Sophia there to help, the debris that obstructed easy access to the downstairs was moved aside. The strength that her newfound friends imbued upon her was insane. Machinery twenty times her body weight was nudged aside as if brushing a limb away on a trail walk through a jungle. Even Elle in her diamond form exhibited more muscle than she had ever known. A clear path made; Ruby scanned her flashlight around for more hoses. Strange how alien tech used those, but it was a grateful measure.

“Yeah, we’re going to need that aqueduct. No way in hades do we have enough hose line to reach even halfway. This compound is too goddamn big.” Ruby peered around, then pointed at some perfect candidates. “Over there. Collapsed sheet metal of some sort. You two start hauling that up to the main level and see if you can bend it into a gutter. We can reach our hoses as far as they allow and monitor the water until the troughs are filled each day.”

“As big as this watering hole is we shouldn’t run low. In order for it to even exist in a desert like this it has to run deep to be replenished.” Elle suggested. “My daddy was a geologist. He’d love my new diamond high five.”

“Good for us too. At least we can bathe and keep hydrated once James sets up a filtration system.”

“Didn’t he test the water already?” Sophia asked, her body suddenly flaring up like a light bulb. “Whoa! I’m a neon nympho.” She laughed. “My babies generated light like lightning bugs through my pores to assist us in seeing better. Thanks guys!”

“Perfect! Saves my batteries.” Ruby shut her flashlight off. Elle to her left did much the same, her diamond appendages flaring up as if jealous of Sophia.

“I have a tiny bit of solar energy in my body. Just enough to fire up my arm. We’re in business ladies.”

“Look I can make my nipples into searchlights.” Sophia busted up, her areolas glowing brighter and venturing out into a dual widespread high beam as if laser pointers. “Here I come Hollywood!”

“Lucky you!” Ruby frowned, “Get on that metal girls. Chop! Chop!” Everyone set out to do their specified missions. As she hooked up hose lines Ruby sighed in thought. “This is just crazy. We’ve only been here less than a week and things all around here are evolving some of us. I suppose it’s a godsend, but it is pretty freaky. Some sort of communion of parasitic life forms has repurposed Sophia into an invincible powerhouse, lord knows what else she can do with their help. At least they’re friendly and didn’t eat the poor girl. Her mom comes back as a ghost, Elle goes all diamond with solar absorption powers. I suppose all of this does make for a good defense in harm’s way. We have water now. Food, if necessary, once the owner of those cows comes to the conclusion, she’s as hungry as we are. I hope we get along.” Time would tell!

Outdoors in the evening daylight, James used the drones as a herding mechanism. While Cameron Scott and Malcolm Brand ran about assisting Jack Ramse and Greta Winston. Even with help from his pup Xander. The cows were congested into a line drawn in the sand by James to give them an idea where the beasts needed to be within. Once the cows were centered the drones moved into all four corners. Ordered outside the lines, the human population heard a buzzing sound. The static net went active. “And we have a corral! YEEHAWWW!” James threw his fist in the air.

“Good job Kid.” Malcolm patted the teenager on the shoulder. Cameron greeted Jack with a fist bump then peered up at Greta on her horse.

“Greta? This ugly mug is Cameron Scott.” Tip of his ballcap, tip of her Stetson. She smiled brightly at him.

“Ain’t nothing ugly about him, Jack. Sure, beats you in the looks.” She dropped from her saddle to stretch. Cameron offered a handshake, she spit into her hand and accepted. “Nice to meet you, Fancy Hat, Cameron.”

“Hey, there! I’m Malcolm Brand. You can call me Malibu.” Another handshake, he even spit into his own hand. Taking his hand in friendship she turned to Jack.

“Another handsome fella. Should I put ole’ Quiver in there with the cows?”

“Allow me!” James took the rein from her, “Hey there, Quiver. I’m James.” The horse nodded then looked down at Xander. “You heard my voice through him. Sorry for the confusion buddy. Let’s get you in there where you can rest those weary hooves. I’ve always wanted a horse.”

“Can’t have him.” Greta pointed with a playful sneer.

“Just saying! A dog was all I was allowed to have growing up. Give me a ride sometime?”

“Now that I’ll agree to. Where’s the lady folk? Miss Ruby!”

“Oh!” Malcolm froze and directed attention to the ramp going up into the Ganthorian craft, “She’s inside the belly of the beast. She Elle and Sophia are finding more hoses there so we can water your cows. Fingers crossed we succeed. I don’t know about you Jackson, but I don’t care to haul buckets every day. Come on Cam, let’s go help the girls. We’ll leave you to Jack and the boy scout. Talk later Miss Greta.” He and Cam turned away and headed up the stairs.

“I can’t believe this thing. What exactly is this? Noah’s Ark?” She strained to look up at the hull of the ship. “Surely does shade the critters at least.”

“James thought ahead. The ship does block out the sky quite a bit until you escape the rim. Like I filled you in on while coming here, this is a ship from the stars. I never believed in little green men either, but they, like a lot of other things do exist Greta. You’re going to see some pretty mind-blowing things inside this ship. I’m sure it will spook you but just know you’re amongst friends. There are likely other survivors like us out there somewhere but until we’re in better shape to go looking, or they find us we need to call this home. This place is our best chance at staying alive.”

“I understand. I appreciate you taking us in Jack.” She watched James deactivate one wall of the pen and escort Quiver inside. Pausing Jack, she whistled at James. “Hold the fort!” She sprinted through the gateway and patted James on the head. “Lemme take his saddle off ole’ Quiver so he can relax better. Everything I own is in those there saddle bags.”

“You’re really a cowgirl?”

“I am! Kansas gal. Ever been?”

“No! But I know there are military tunnel systems under the state that go clear across the country. Trains running down under even!”

“That a fact?” She draped her saddle bags over his shoulder and handed him her Winchester. “Careful holding Winnie! She might go off.”

“Well, in my time zone. Not in yours. Cool gun!”

“Can’t wait to hear the stories.” Saddle and bridle removed she carried it off like a weightlifter. For a small gal she was tough. Nice ass too! James Ian bit his lower lip as he watched her carry it outside the pen and bend to sit it on the sand. No need to stash it anywhere with nobody to steal it. Looking up at Jack, she saw him frowning at James. A quick glance over her shoulder she caught the boy swooning and licking his lips. A spank to her britches with both hands she chuckled. “Everywhere I go!”

“He’s young, overlook him.”

“Don’t hurt none to look.” She glanced at Jack’s crotch and licked her own lips. “I saw what I mean.”

“Both of you behave.” He warned them while James reactivated the static wall. “Let’s go inside and help where we can before darkness slows us down.” He led them on in. James sat her bags and gun out of the way and raced along to catch up to the others. “We’ll need a generator of some sort to pump water up. I’m glad we found the underground lake; I knew when I gave you that mud sample, I was onto something.”

“The water is drinkable. I did all kinds of tests on it. Traces of salt so that lake might go deeper than we may suspect. Animahni said it went deep. Fish even Jack.”

“Food source too.” He sneered at him for mentioning the alien hybrid he and James had found. “Perfect!”

“Ruby found her Jack. What was I supposed to do?”

“I’m over it! Until we gain a trust of her, she stays apart from us.”

“We got fishing poles?” Greta spoke up, “I like fishing.”

“We can make some.” Jack followed the loud voices to the elevator shaft that was destroyed leading to the basement. A light coming closer Malcolm and Elle hauled up sheet metal bent to fashion.

“Welcome home, Colonel.” Elle smiled brightly, as did her arm. “Hold on, I’ll stop blinding you.” Subsiding her lightshow, the diamond arm simply sparkled.

“Well, ain’t you two a pair.” Greta waved, “You didn’t tell me you had a wife Malibu.”

“We’re not married. And I could never afford a rock that big to propose.” Malcolm laughed. “Greta? This is Elle Franklin. So, not my main squeeze.” Jack helped them lift the metal out into the hallway.

“Hi, Greta.” Elle waved with her normal hand. “Our home is your home.”

“Thank ya, Miss Elle. It feels safer here that’s for sure.”

“James? Figure out that generator issue.” Jack cast a thumb for him to scoot. The boy jumped to it, Xander following his master.

“Coming through!” Cameron was heard, further light glowing in the cryptic hole in the floor. Elle assisted Cam as Greta looked down into the abyss to see Sophia.

“She sure ain’t a shy one.”

“That’s Sophia Ridge.” Jack introduced them from a distance. “Word of advice. Do not touch her in any way. She bathed in some sort of alien liquid that had microbes in it that can eat through anything. You might end up their lunch by accident. Clothing just dissolves on Sophia so she’s naked 24/7.”

“Now that’s unfortunate. Howdy, Miss Sophia.”

“HIIII! In case you’re wondering, my babies aren’t eating the metal because I asked them nicely not to.”

“Keep hauling, Hot Stuff!” Cameron advised Sophia. “Talk later!” Agreed! Everyone pitched in, Jack and Greta hauling the reformed metal down the corridor and stacking them until ready to assemble. In under two hours they had manufactured their aqueduct system. Hearing a screeching noise in the distance Jack paused to see James and Xander dragging a fashioned sled with a generator on it. Using belts that he found they drug it from another distant lab at a slow pace.

“Sled dog service! Hijacked a pump from one of Animahni’s empty fellowship tubes. She says hi. Offers to help if we need it. I told her I’d let her know.”

“I’ll chat with her later on. We have this for now.” Ruby finally made her appearance dirty and grimy from muck. Crawling out of the elevator she looked at herself in the light.

“Why didn’t I just jump in the water and clean up?”

“Still time!” Jack smirked. “Goddard? Greta Winston!”

“Pleasure’s all mine Winston. We can shake hands later when I’m clean. Let’s finish this project.”

“Yes, Ma’am! Never seen a lady soldier before.”

“Elle is one too. She’s our medic, if you ever get hurt.”

“I can play doctor too.” James lifted his hand. “I can kiss a booboo with the best of them and won’t even charge you for it.”

“Enough!” Jack grumbled and made it very clear to Greta not to use James as her physician. “Go to Elle!”

“Why are you telling me to go to hell?” Greta was taken back, “Oh! Elle! Silly me!”

“She’s a hoot!” Elle laughed. “We’re going to get along just fine Wrangler.”

“Less talk more action.” Jack insisted. Moving around James, Jack lifted the pump up like it was a feather and hauled it closer to the elevator shaft. “This is going to have to go down there to pump the water upward. Elle, Sophia, I’ll pass it down, you two take it where there’s a dry spot.” Lowered, the ladies with added muscle carried it into the bowels. Dropping down after getting Ruby and the others on the aqueduct set-up leading down the ramp, Jack was joined by James. With Sophia lighting things up again Jack had his first look at the watering hole.

“I’ve seen fish flopping.” Elle reported. “I dove in earlier today it goes pretty deep.”

“So, I hear!”

“That Micah said there’s an inland sea below us.”

“Micah? Ah! Right, the human part of her. Let’s just hope that doesn’t mean any unexpected visitors.”

“Well, there is access from Animahni’s lab to here.” James revealed, “That lab has empty tubes which once had inhabitants that are out there somewhere. There is always that possibility Jack.”

“We seal this place up when not in use. No one comes down here alone.”

“This pump is tied into the lowest level power source. Which means more to feed off our future potential, but it will probably still exceed our lifespans.” James plugged things in while Elle attached hoses. “Ready to pump, Boss!”

Walky-Talky in use Jack called out, “Pick up Ruby.”

“I’m here!”

“Pump is a go. Topside ready?”

“As ready as we can be. I had Mal and Cam salvage another tub to fill up here on the landing. We’ll have to design more ductwork in the daylight hours. Let’s just fill this tub up and haul down enough to wet their whistles. Greta and I found some small tubs to use as buckets. Means a buttload of trips.”

“Ooo! Ooo! I have an idea.” James abandoned his party and whistled at Sophia on the way by. She frowned and flipped him off.

“Don’t make me eat you.”

“You ruined my chances of ever doing that to you.” Razz and up the elevator shaft he went. Kids!

“You will not eat anyone, Ridge.”

“Come on Jack. I’m not that inhuman.”

“Your father would be proud of you. Where’s Madigan?”

“I hope so. I’m really trying! I’m not sure, mom is moody today.”

“I suppose I would be too as a ghost.”

“She will come around.” Agreed!

Running along into another lab James Ian recalled where he saw something that he had looked up on his alien telemetry board. “This will make things easier.” A handheld device attached to his palm he and Xander ran back to hook up with Ruby’s team at the head of the ramp. “Hey mom!’ Eyes rolled! “Sorry I couldn’t resist. Here!”

“What is this?”

“Better not be a vibrator Kid.” Cameron chuckled. “Hand job special!”

“HAHA! No, you’ll see. Tell Jack to send the water.”

“Start pumping Jack.” Ruby used her walkie talky. In minutes water surfaced from below deck and began filling the landing trough. It smelled like fish but just the notion of running water excited them all. Greta Winston was in awe. It was about to really blow her mind. Telling Malcolm to fill a heavy bucket then set it down on the floor, James activated his handy dandy device. Waving his hand over the metallic bucket he lifted his palm and the bucket rose up.

“A levitation device?”

“The Ganthorians were not exactly a physically strong species. They used things like this to compensate when things exceeded too much for them.” He sat the bucket back down. “Empty it back into the trough. Once it’s half full we can move the trough itself and bring up an empty. Big buckets!”

“Why in the hell didn’t you show us that glove when we broke our backs hauling down those other troughs?” Cam slapped James in the back of the head.

“Hey! I’m smart, but sometimes a little slow on the upshake.” Take! His hand went up and down and actually lifted Cameron off of his feet.