Far Pangaea 08 : Joint Effort

"Mom? Is it really you?"

Sophia stands before her Mother's floating astral body.

"I'm here Sophia." Her voice more distant than at first.

Sophia reaches up to touch her Mother, her hand passing through the ghostlike body. She then pauses to listen to her parasitic friends within.

"Jack's bio-chemistry, Mom's connection to her Wedding ring that I'm wearing now bonded us. Elle was the channel. Mom latched on to her because she was the last to touch her ring."

Elle looked haunted by her possession. Malcolm steps in to comfort her. She needed the shoulder for certain.

Jack now joined by Ruby moves closer to Madigan.

"Welcome back Mrs. Ridge." Ruby hesitates.

"How am I back? I'm a ghost."

"Keep calm Maddy." Jack directs.

"Calm? I'm dead Asshole. How is this possible?"

"Mom. You didn't leave me. Your ring grounds you to me. It was a Doctor Frankenstein move. Jack's new bio chemistry offered enough electricity to draw you out. His weaver bug is a healer. He might not have been able to save your body but between all of us we saved your spirit. I think this place we're in causes temporal fluxes. Your spirit was just waiting to crawl out. We pulled you through."

Ruby raises an eyebrow, "Since when are you so knowledgeable?"

"My friends are explaining it to me. I'm just telling you all what they tell me." Sophia shrugs.

Elle feels a tingling sensation in her left arm, nothing painful, merely a cool tingle. She shivers and looks over at Malcolm holding her close. He notes her eyes become glossy and winces.

"You okay Elle?" Malcolm asks.

"Just a chill. I'm fine." She pats his hand and notices the blisters from digging graves.

"No gloves around. They'll heal in time." He frowns.

As her right hand touches his he feels a fire enter his body. Without a moment to ponder he watches his calluses and blisters instantly heal.

"BEEJEEZUS!" He releases Elle to examine his hands, "What did you do?"

Cameron moves in to check it out as Elle steps back to look at her own hands. Her left hand was glittering under the skin. The sparkle in the daylight twinkled. She didn't know what to make of it all.

Malcolm looks at Jack and Ruby showing them his hands, "What do you make of that?"

Attention divided Jack stays with Maddy Ridge and her daughter Sophia. He felt that was where the true concern should be.

Ruby however felt in charge and had to question everything. She looks at Elle for insight.

"Did that situation earlier do something to you too?" Ruby narrows her eyes at Elle.

"It was certainly a weird feeling but I'm fine. Almost like something entering my body like a possession maybe."

Ruby holds Elle's left hand, still shimmering, "What about this? Your skin feels harder than it should be."

Elle puckers, "Feels the same to me."

"Maybe you should have James Ian check you out."

"I'm fine Ruby. Please don't fuss over me."

Ruby narrows her eyes with a firm scowl, "Who outranks you?"

Elle fidgets then turns away and returns to the ship. Malcolm watches her stroll away before looking at his palm again. Ruby nudges closer to look him over.

"This place just gets weirder all the time. Go join Elle and James. Explain what happened to him and get checked out yourself." Ruby encourages.

Malcolm nods in agreement and traipses away. As soon as he's gone Cameron Scott joins Ruby.

"Okay. Aliens. Crazy bugs. Pterodactyl's. Possessions. Ghosts. What's next?" He fiddles with his ball cap.

Ruby offers him an expression of uncertainty, "I'm not sure what's good news and bad news. Jack being back helps my nerves. He seems fit and on top of things. Not much shocks him. Sophia? Little worried about her new friends as she calls them. Her Mother's ghost freaks me out. Still, if her Mom's around then Sophia might keep her sanity. I just hope we do."

"We never did test that bird to see if it's edible. Longer it rots over there he won't be good. I guess the fact it looks intact means there's no other predators nearby." Cameron points out.

"At the moment. My gut says it's just a matter of time. Go ahead while you have it on your mind. Grab a sample and get it to James. Keep the kid busy so he doesn't get into trouble. If it's good we can grill out tonight."

"On it." He immediately leaves her for the decaying dinosaur.

Ruby then chose to return to Jack's side. He had been communicating with the ghost of Madigan Ridge.

"Maddy I know this is crazy but at least we still have you. Better than not at all." Jack stands with arms folded.

Sophia agrees, "Exactly. I need you Mom."

Maddy floats above them, "What you need is clothing young lady."

"Speak for yourself. You do realize your clothing doesn't leave your body when you go to the spirit world. You're just as naked as I am."

Maddy peers at herself with a look of awe. She had failed to notice in all of the drama.

Jack lowered his gaze suddenly. He knew what was coming.

"Stop looking at me Soldier. That's an order." Maddy shouts, her sudden outburst deafening, forcing Ruby and Jack to hold their ears. It was almost damaging to their hearing. Ruby worst of all.

The scream made Maddy offer a terrified look, "Oh my God. I'm sorry. I didn't know I would cause that. I'll try and remain calm."

Ruby enters the fray, "Mrs. Ridge. There's not much we can do to clothe either of you. I guess we just get used to it. Until we find an alternative. If ever."

Sophia snorts, "Just be glad Daddy bought you that boob job."

Maddy frowns, "Uncalled for."

"Sorry Mom. I couldn't resist."

Jack picks up on a new sound around them. Almost a hissing noise. Astonished that even his hearing had evolved to a degree it puts his defenses in check. Scanning around he follows the noise. Ruby stood dumbfounded by his reaction but follows him none the less. They moved over to where the aliens were dissolved. The ground was literally bubbling up before them.

"What now?" Ruby scowls.

Before their eyes more ghosts rose from the soil. Six to be precise. The dead Goranthian's floated as Maddy was doing. However they were not responding as she was. Their gaze was affixed and looking toward the distance. In seconds they merely drifted away into the distance.

"Wonder where they're going?" Jack squints.

Maddy reacts, "I can hear something calling me. A soft reassuring but controlling voice. But, I'm staying here. For some reason I have a choice I think."

"It's our bond. Yours, Mine, Elle, and Jack. I think you are part of all of us." Sophia adds.

Jack squints testing his vision's increase as he watches the Goranthian's fade away. He would educate the distance to be just under a mile. He smirked to himself, liking the enhancements.

Ruby snaps her fingers in front of him to recapture his attention. He merely winks at her and turns away. His focus returned to Maddy Ridge.

"Are you connected to the Goranthian's too?"

She creases her brow, "Strangely I think I can feel them. Their spirits are being pulled against their will. I sense fear in them. Should I know the same fear?"

Jack shrugs, "You resisted. I would say no. Keep resisting. Obviously, we know very little about this place we're in. The more we learn the better. I know you're traumatized. So are we. If you learn more about your state or your surroundings please let us know."

Maddy nods then peers down at her physical body below, "I think you should bury me. I don't imagine I'll be going back to that body. I look horrible."

Jack agrees, "I intended to dig you a private grave. Respect and all."

Maddy smiles, "Place me with the others. I'm fine with that."

He then crouches down to gather her body up and moves to the larger grave of corpses. Stepping down into it he lays her to rest. Once out he begins shoveling dirt back into the hole. Ruby joined him with a second shovel. Within the hour they were done.

Jack and Ruby then stood vigil over the grave and saluted the fallen.

Silence was necessary.

Peace.