Far Pangaea 15 : Cattle Drive

Thirty miles out Jack had documented the surrounding territory in his mind. He had seen a number of prospects for salvaging later. Things he never knew existed. Still no radioactivity zones. In his untiring sprint he opts to finally walk. He knew he could run back by nightfall if needed. Squinting toward the horizon he stopped cold. He had heard something. Something familiar. A stench in the air confirmed it.

"Cows?"

Jogging up a high hill he reaches the top to find the shock of his life. Below him were at least a dozen adult cows and a calf. A single horse, white with black spots lingered to feed on a large grassy area in the desert. It was an Oasis complete with a small underground filling pond. The sight made Jack huff and stare with bewilderment. Then it dawned on him. The horse had a saddle. That must mean a rider.

Sure enough. Jack freezes at the cocking of a rifle. He carefully lifts his hands into the air.

"Who are you? I'm not letting you steal my herd." Gruffly spoke a feminine voice.

Jack was taken by surprise at the woman's voice. It had a drawl he had only heard in old movie Westerns.

"I'm not here to take what's yours. My name's Jack. I'm going to slowly turn around to face you. I'll keep my hands high until you know me better."

"You better Jack. I'm not afraid to unload this Winchester on you."

"Understood." He timidly twists in step to get a full on view of the woman.

She stood roughly 5'5, 125 pounds with blazing red hair that was over her shoulders and naturally curly. On top of her head was a cowboy hat with a neck band dangling over her neckline. Her attire was khaki and suede, with a tucked in button down shirt of white.

Her aim was poised high and she appeared nervous.

"Keep 'em up. What do you want here Jack?"

He admires her big green eyes, "Lost, just like you are. How long have you been here?"

"Going on two days now. I don't understand where exactly I am but I know this ain't no Kansas prairie."

"No. It's not Kansas. Is that where you're from?" He attempts to smile.

Stammering she appears haunted, "Hundred miles due west of Wichita."

"I'm from New York. Near Buffalo and Niagara Falls."

"City slicker? You sure do dress funny." She squints.

"What year is it?" He had to ask.

Shaking her elbow she tells him her version, "1873. Where have you been?"

"Well! This might come as a shock to you but I'm from the future. 2019 to be precise."

She laughs at him and rolls her eyes, "Sure you are. Don't you go playing tricks with me Mister."

"I can prove it. I'm going to reach into my back pocket okay?" He lowers his right hand very slowly.

"Not before you drop those funny looking six guns you're carrying."

"Also made in the future." He crouches and plants his glock's and pack on the sand. Standing back up he produces his wallet.

"Inside is a card with my picture on it. It has my name and the date I had it taken. Don't be afraid to look. I'm not going to jump you."

He slowly tosses it at her and she catches it. In doing so she got careless and tilted her rifle. Jack took that moment to snatch it from her hands. She fell directly into him while trying to maintain her grasp.

"Calm down. I'm just making sure you don't shoot me. I'll give the gun back to you I promise. Just take the time to breath and let's be friends. Look at my wallet there. See for yourself. I'm being honest with you."

Whining slightly she takes the wallet and opens it. Finding his Military I.D. she reads the contents.

"You could have gotten this from some Carnival. Color picture. I ain't never seen color before. You look handsome."

He chuckles, "Thanks. You know my name. What's yours?"

"Greta. Greta Winston." She flirts suddenly.

"Nice to meet you Greta. Me and my friends have been lost here for barely over a week now. Our airplane crashed here. Seven survivors."

"Seven? It's only me and ole "Quiver". My horse there. I was helping my Pa round up strays. Some God aweful light blinded me and here I am. How do I get back home Jack?"

He offers a shrug and a frown, "This place might be home for all of us from here on out. We're lost in Time I think."

"Time? You lost me handsome."

"Look around you in the distance. How many things do you recognize? Airplanes and Nuclear Sub-Marines weren't invented by 1873. Ships got bigger and sturdier. Spacecraft? Hell I didn't believe in that until this week."

She takes the time to wander her gaze and conclude he was right. As soon as she leered back at him he handed her the rifle back. She accepted it and felt more at ease.

"Twelve cows. You're lucky you found this oasis. Where we landed is thirty miles I'm guessing, in that direction. You're lucky, I intended to stop at ten miles from our camp. Nothing but desert and a graveyard of planes, ships, boats, cars, you name it. Oh, and one big ass spaceship that we call home."

"Are you from out there?" She points at the sky.

"I told you I was born in New York." He raises an eye brow.

"Right. I forgot. I need a drink."

The thought of a drink averted his gaze, "That watering hole is the first drop of water I've seen that's not diluted by chemicals."

"I had fourteen head of cattle when I got here. Something's killing them after dark one at a time. I want to move the herd but I'm afraid I won't find another patch of grass for them to eat. Or water to drink. I need water myself."

"Let's go down and look for suspicious tracks. Get an idea what might be preying on your cows."

"Not no cougars or wolves. I know them kind of paw prints. No bear neither. I haven't been able to build a fire since I've been here. I just huddle up with "Patsy" the calf for warmth."

He leaves her behind and heads down the hill to the watering hole. The cows gently move out of his path to let him through. Stepping in the thicket he discovers an unusual set of prints.

"Gator maybe. Big! Very Big! Whatever it is. Has to be if it drags cows away." He spies drag marks in the mud.

"I did hear splashing and a ruckus. You think maybe the predator is under that water?"

"Drag marks right over here leading in to the water. Whatever is down there can survive under water. Gators come up for air. So, let's out rule any Gator."

"I'm afraid to waste bullets in the dark. I might hit one of the cows or ole Quiver."

"I say we move the herd to where my group is. There we can build a pen for them and figure out how best to care for the herd."

"You just want them for food." She grits her teeth.

"Another week or two you're going to say that about yourself. Survival makes you do things you detest. I'm not worried about food for now. We have enough rations to eat for a month maybe. We can use the cow manure to grow vegetables." He sternly looks into her eyes, "I can't just leave you out here. Obviously it's not safe. Come live with us. At least you're not alone."

"You getting fresh with me Cowboy?" She bats her eyes.

"Nice try. Nope. I'm a soldier. It's my job to protect. The choice is yours though. Stay here and lose your cows every night or save them as best you can. Next kill might be your horse. Or you."

"Sweet talker! You're right. I'm a sittin' duck out here. Promise me I'll be safe?"

He nods, "Going to pick up my guns. I'm heading west if you want to join me."

"I'll round up the drive. Wanna share ole Quiver with me?" She hints pointing at her horse.

"I'll run. You just keep the herd in line."

"Run? Thirty miles? You must be loony." She scoffs.

"Lots you don't know about me Greta. Little at a time so I don't make you uneasy. Keep in mind I'm 146 years younger than you are."

"Sure you are. One fancy shmancy picture don't mean I believe you. No new fangled guns neither."

He frowns at her disbelief.

"Mount your horse. Let's get going before we lose light."

Still uncertain of her trusting nature, Greta still knew she had very little options. She would have to take the risk.

After a thirty minute preparation she gets the cattle to move west. Her cries made Jack almost laugh. He recalled watching "Rawhide" reruns as a kid with his Grandfather.

The trip would take hours.

Back at the Ganthorian spaceship Cameron and Malcolm returned with their salvaged goods. Outside the ship sat Sophia Ridge who looked as if she was meditating. Her nudity still made the boys sweat.

Boarding the ramp up into the ship they were met by Ruby and Elle who tended to hush when they noticed the arrival of the men.

"Find anything worthwhile?" Ruby questions with curiosity.

Cameron removes his backpack and produces the locked ironbound book.

"Dusty but I'm thinking this isn't Tom Clancy."

Ruby claims the book looking it over front and back. She then passes it off to Elle to do the same.

As Cameron shows off the blades he accidently cuts his finger on the jagged edge. As soon as blood releases the bag Malcolm held shuffles about as if on it's own. The motion made everyone jump.

"You catch a rabbit?" Elle winces.

"No. That was weird." Malcolm lowers it to the floor.

Elle then reached over and touches Cameron's finger and uses her healing practices to clot the blood. He then uses a handkerchief to wipe the excess blood.

"Never going to get used to that Doctor Eleanor."

The woman winks at him then crouches to open Malcolm's discarded bag. Inside she spotted the ruby amulet. Carefully picking it up she dangles it in front of everyone.

"Someone's been shopping. Who's the lucky girl?" Elle exhales admiring it's glint.

Ruby shivers suddenly, "Only room here for one Ruby. That's me."

Cameron huffs, "The thing's a beauty but it gives me the willy's."

"Almost as if it's alive." Malcolm steps away slowly.

Elle passes it up to Ruby for inspection offering, "Sorry Diamond only girl here."

"What did I just say?" Ruby frowns yet raises the amulet up to look deeply into it. Her vision narrows and she offers a strange expression.

"You okay Boss?" Cam watches.

"Strange. It seemed like the ruby darkened more as I held it up. Almost like it clouded up."

Malcolm and Cam step back.

"This place just gets weirder all the time." Malcolm shivers with widening eyes.

Ruby shrugs, "You two found her. You babysit."

She tosses it over at Cam who catches it and feels a tingle his hand. His wound had reopened and began bleeding more rapidly.

"Whoa! I thought you healed my cut Elle?"

She moves closer and examines the wound and carefully lifts the amulet aside. Before their eyes Cameron's blood was absorbed into the gem. Elle swiftly switches hands using her diamond sides fingers to hold the gem. She then healed Cameron's wound again.

"This thing's not normal Guys." Elle steps back with the amulet, "I say we get rid of it. Must be cursed or something."

"Cursed? Come on people. Are we going to believe in things like that?" Ruby frowns then shivers in step, "Okay, I take that back. Aliens, Clones, massive UFO's. Time warps. Yeah, I can buy a curse. Take it outside and bury it. Let's eliminate one less problem."

"Clones?" Malcolm winces.

Ruby realizes her misstep, "Oh, about that. We have a cloned hybrid fish living in our basement."

Cam and Malcolm look at each other with a terrified gaze that becomes intrigue.

"Does fish mean water?" Mal grins.

"Yes. Water. However, for the moment we're giving her room to get used to us."

"Her? We have a mermaid?" Cam chuckles.

"Her name is "Animahni". She's a human/ Ganthorian, Porpoise/ Anemone hybrid, James says. Yeah, I know that was a mouth full to say. Not quite sure we trust her just yet." Elle adds.

Ruby stresses with a stern gaze, "Or her trusting of us. Let's just give her time to think. Long as we don't surround her the less stress she feels."

"What about this book here? I drew some writing glyphs too." Cam lifts his bag which the book was returned to.

"Pass it on to James. See if he can decipher it."

Elle steps away with the amulet preparing to head outside. In her stride the amulet attempts to pull away from her and toward Cameron. She growls at it forcing it down, "That will be enough Vampire."

The sight gave everyone room to pause.

That term Vampire made everyone uneasy.