Episode 20: Gift Horse

Waking up was hard to do. For some of the survivors aboard the Ganthorian Hilton it was just easier to sleep in and forget their predicament. For high- ranking officers in the Army there were more sleepless nights than others. Case in point Colonel Jack Ramse. Up before daylight he had spent the last hour doing calisthenics in the corridor. With his bolstered strength those 300 pushups were pretty easy to achieve. 100 of which was with one hand behind his back. Show off!

Daylight filtering in through skylights without their solar panels the ship lit up quite nicely as the sun crept up in the sky. Standing tall Jack stared at the blue sky and sighed. “At least it’s good to be alive.” Sadly, being cooped up here at the Hilton he was getting antsy. Homebase was growing boring even though there was much of the ship unexplored. He was simply tired of being cooped up. Everyone else had taken a bath down in their new basement bathhouse but Jack, it was time to feel clean again. Heading down through the shaft they had fashioned he stripped down and filled his tub in peace. Once wading in he sat back and just relaxed! “Made it to Heaven!” For now!

During Malcolm Malibu Brand’s salvage run which took all day and night, the rest of the survivor’s dealt with issues closer to home. Slumber over, Colonel Ruby Goddard began her own day with her morning run but this time simply turning the corridors into her personal track. She missed Jack’s workout by five minutes.

While he bathed below, she worked up a healthy sweat of her own. In passing by a certain Kansas cowgirl’s room, she met with an opening door. Out stepped the Invisible Woman wearing only a t-shirt given to her by pilot Cameron Scott in hopes to patch up her nerves after unintentionally sharing a bathtub together. Before he was aware she was invisible. All was forgiven, now it was a matter of medical evaluation.

“Morning, Greta!” Running in step Ruby smiled at the vintage concert t-shirt promoting the band .38 Special. The shirt was salvaged from one of their deceased passengers from the Hercules flight that brought them to Pangaea. Just her size it made sense for her to adopt it instead of only wearing her ancient rags, her only set of clothes since arriving here herself.

“Morning, Miss Ruby.” She yawned but could not be seen covering her mouth. “Bad breath! You might want to take a step back.”

“There’s bound to be an extra toothbrush around, I’m sure. While you’re up let’s take a walk and let James give you a clean bill of health.”

“Bill? I’m gonna owe him money?”

“No!” Ruby chuckled! “Put some pants on. We don’t need him to learn how to play doctor at his age.”

“If he ain’t no doctor, why am I seeing him? I thought Elle was the doctor.”

“That’s true but James is smarter in the scientific areas. I really don’t think Elle can diagnose invisibility. She’s still trying to figure out her precious flesh.” Meaning her diamond-like skin! “Not to knock our girl’s abilities she can heal wounds for us as long as they’re not major.

“So, she can’t heal my vanishing act.”

“Afraid not! Go on and get dressed. Just go comfy it’s too hot to wear those long sleeves and buckskin. Ditch the hat too you’re at home.”

“Alright! I like having a home even if I do miss Kansas.” Hurrying back into her room she found a pair of boxers that fit her, another secondhand wardrobe assist, thanks to Elle Franklin. Every little bit helped.

Five minutes later within the confines of his lab which James Ian Pryce designated his Doctor’s Office he examined Greta Winston. Nerves calmed she reverted back to her human side and hopped up on a table the Ganthorians often used to perform surgeries and gene splicing. The equipment hanging from the ceiling looked menacing with multiple blades and four precision focused distinct laser turrets, but James had those out of their way. Holding herself together for sanity’s sake she glanced over at Ruby leaning against the wall beside them watching. There to comfort Greta in her time of need was the best medicine ever. It was nice to have a fellow ginger as a buddy.

“How is my patient feeling today?” James aimed for smiles. “I’m out of lollipops this visit. Settle for a thumb?” He gave her a thumbs up that had Greta looking at him as if he were crazy. “Sorry! I’m just trying to test what makes you go back and forth. Emotions often alter moods in the human brain. Anyway, any signs of weakness?”

“Not really! I slept like a baby.” Hearing that James lifted his thumb again. “Ohhh! I get it now. Babies suck thumbs.”

“Now you’re catching on. Okay, I need you to get undressed so I can...”

“She keeps her clothes on. Nice try, James. That is not necessary Greta. He can do what’s necessary without you giving him a peep show.” Ruby tapped James’s telemetry pad with a stern glare. Swallowing dryly, he knew she was referring to his abuse of its x-ray mode to see Ruby herself naked.

“Right! I’ll manage.” Plucking up the pad he tapped into certain sources to check her body temperature and heart rate. “Temperature is normal at 98. Unless you turn invisible, I can’t determine if anything changes. I’d be curious to know if it hides your core temp.” James stood curious. “Let’s go old school instead of Ganthorian tech.” Utilizing a medical kit from their downed Hercules airplane that they had lived through, he carefully double checked her heart rate with a stethoscope. Greta grew nervous that he was so close to her breasts. No bra beneath her t-shirt her nipples instantly perked up at a brush of his knuckles. Not intentional for once he did apologize. Ruby bought the error this time.

“Heart rate sounds good.” He then tested her blood pressure using a handheld upper arm cuff. Greta marveled at the squeezing on her bicep, slightly freaking her out in the process. In her era BP cuffs didn’t exist until twenty years after her departure into this world.

“BP is 125 over 82. Almost perfect.” He sat everything aside then retrieved a syringe like device belonging to the Ganthorians. Thoroughly sanitary he lifted her arm and ties off her blood flow with a band. Tapping her vein for location Greta bulged her eyes.

“We really gotta do this?”

“Stay calm, I won’t hurt you.” James sheepishly smiled! “Tiny bee sting. Hold your breath.” Pricking her vein he drew enough blood to sample. Removing the needle James called to his nurse Ruby to place a cotton ball and a band-aid over the pinprick. Shrugging Nurse Ruby took on the challenge just to keep Great happy. All-new to her this blood giving Greta felt faint as soon as her pulse rate increased. Right before Ruby’s eyes her body faded away. Wearing clothing only, that was all that was visible to James and Ruby.

“So cool.” James brightens up! “Let me check your temp again. He primed a regular thermometer up to where her lips should be. “Ummm! I don’t want to poke an eye out. Hold this end under your tongue.”

Her invisible hand placed it inside her mouth. The end masked by her closed lips James counted down before removing it then looked at the mercury level with surprise.

“No temp at all. It’s like when you go invisible your body goes cold.” He pondered the moment. “Reptiles are cold blooded. I think you adopted that trait from the Komodo. Try and stay invisible.” James plucked up the telemetry pad again and tapped into a thermal imager. Looking through it he did not see a heat signature until her hand reverted to normal. The one Ruby held that is. Then heat exposed itself.

“Okay! When tangible you heat up on the outside. When invisible your heat is within the enclosure of your flesh. Very cool.”

“I feel warm inside when I’m see through.” Greta admitted!

“Any stomach pains? Cramps?”

“Cramps. Might be having my woman thing sometime soon.” She muttered! “Sorry! Virgin ears.” Due to James being fifteen.

“Whatever!” He laughed over it. “That’s natural.”

Hearing this Ruby creased her brow in thought. Her own period was all over the place, sometimes going two months without before rearing its ugly head. She hadn’t had her own since crashing here. Something she was dreading with very few tampons in their salvage supply.

“Okay. I see nothing wrong with you other than the obvious. All you can do is learn to control it. Living with it as long as it sticks around. It might be temporary. Might be long term. No idea. I’ll test your blood sample and let you know more later.” He lifts his palm, “That will be $200 for your visit, another $400 for labs. Just kidding! Welcome to Pangaean health care. We reassure the uninsured.”

Giggling over it relaxed Greta enough for her body to return to normal once more. “I reckon I can be a magician’s assistant. Now ya see me, now ya don’t.”

“Was that term around in the 1800’s?”

“Sure, it was, Miss Ruby. Ain’t you heard of peek-a-boo?”

“Hmmm! I figured that might be a trademark of Houdini or something.” Ruby shrugged!

“Who be Deeny?” Greta winces dumbfounded.

“A magician. He was born a year after you vanished in 1874 and died in 1926.” James geeked out! “We should play Trivial Pursuit.”

Knocking on the door to the lab the trio turned to see their pilot the dashing Cameron Scott. He frowned and looked slightly intrusive. “How’s our leggy patient, today?” He looked concerned but also at Greta’s gorgeous legs, freckles and all. Boxers did her justice!

“I’m fine.”

“I just wanted to apologize again. What happened was weird for both of us. I swear I wouldn’t have-- you know-- if I had known.”

“I slipped. Weren’t your fault. I tried to hide this ailment from all of you. Now y’all know.”

Ruby patted Cam on the shoulder then stepped around him. James sensing a need for a one-on-one conversation headed into the next room with Greta’s blood. Leaving the awkwardness to those it concerned was his policy. Xander was right on his heels.

“I just want you to know I’m always going to be here for you Greta. Hands behind my back. I swear.”

“Thank ya, Cam. No fun in that unless you’re headin’ to the gallows. I reckon that wouldn’t be no fun would it. Bad example!”

“Let’s hope not. I might be well-hung, but I’d prefer not to swing by any noose.” Right over her head! “Friends?”

She hopped down from her examination table and adjusted her t-shirt, it had clung to her under boob while sitting so long. Moving toward him her body quickened its pulse prompting her to turn invisible once again. Seeing only her clothing made Cam crease his brow. Those nipples aroused as they were made him take pause. Distracted on purpose he jumped as Greta dared to palm his crotch. Looking down at his inseam and feeling her gentle jostle he nodded with a hint of erection.

“Only fair, ain’t it? After you done pawed me up in the tub an all. Unlady like as this here is.”

“I deserve that.” He chuckled! “I’d say get a grip, but you already have one.”

“Fun while it lasted! Time for me to go change into my work duds and check on my critters.” She left him standing there with a disbelieving expression.

“Calm down, Cockpit!” He patted his stimulated erection. “Landing gear hitting the tarmac!”

Not today. Updraft!

An hour after his bath Jack stood outside beneath the shade of the Ganthorian mothership. Peering out into the distance to discover a collective of cargo containers had him bolting into a run to get a better look at them. “This must be Christmas Day. It looks like Malcolm kept busy while we were sleeping.” Holding off on opening any of them he contained his excitement and went over to the shelter Malcolm had built for himself so that his size changes didn’t damage the interior of their new home.

“His bedding doesn’t look slept in. He must be out and about for more. Well done, Soldier!” A vibration noted beneath his boots he moved from the tent to look around him. Walking out from behind a rock cropping a fifty-foot-tall naked black man hauled six more containers. They were either in his hands or being drug along behind him on chains that he utilized from the cargo vessel. Nice ankle bracelets! Cameron Scott would joke about chains of oppression just to get Malcolm’s goat.

Malcolm and the Ridge family consisting of Momma Madigan and her daughter Sophia in tow returned with their latest load of freight containers. Having watched their gigantic dust cloud coming closer from miles away. He was in awe of Malcolm’s increased size. The containers dragging behind even more amazing.

Stopping with his load fifty yards from their garden perimeter Malcolm sat his burdens down and knelt to remove his ankle chains. Jack mused over that humongous penis dragging in the sand with no intention of teasing the guy over it. He knew Malcolm was still trying to cope with his curse. Once his chains were left in the sand Malcolm moved out of their way and began his bodily descent, slowly shrinking back down to his normal 6’2 height. He stood there totally nude until Sophia Ridge kicked his backpack off the roof of the container she had ridden in on top of. Oddly enough, she didn’t razz him over it. He swiftly got dressed as Jack approached.

“Looks like you struck the mother lode.”

“Argentine Freighter about ten or so miles out. Covered in sand dunes. We brought home Christmas presents. I’ll go back for more tonight and see what else we can find to use. Let’s just hope there’s some goodies inside.”