Far Pangaea 92: Cold Shoulder

"A reflection of me? I don't understand."

"It will come back to you someday." Jack assures.

"Oh...before I forget Jack. I found a cure to your curse."

Nothing.

"Jack? God?"

In a fleeting moment James actually sees Ruby, Gaicazar, and others standing over a grave. He wonders who died. As God peers down into the hole James is privy to the inhabitant.

"Madigan? What the heck?"

As visions fade James discovers new images. This time within the Hordakian ship. He must be seeing through Jack's eyes. A glance out over Mountains of darkness was minimal. Then came the face of a woman snapping her fingers in front of him. The woman known as Circe. James could see treachery in her smile. Finally the visions faded. James and Xander sat alone.

"Whew! What a trip."

One final vision comes in the form of read lips.

"Mom? Ruby?"

"I'll find you James. I swear."

That was good enough for James.

The City of Gold.

"This totally sucks." Renee sits next to Psi Chii and Obadiah. Their weapons removed and placed together under a large contingency of indigenous guards.

"That did not go as planned." Obadiah sighs kicking the dirt.

"Keep your chins up. There's still Buku. He's bound to find us at some point. Milo and Serena are out there."

"Just tell Dorsey about everybody." Renee grumbles.

"My shield is up. I just can't convince any guards to act on our behalf. If I do I let my guard down to Dorsey."

"We could make up things and let him eavesdrop. Get him to think he's surrounded by an army." Obadiah shrugs with a pucker. He did conform in the future to be a General leading troops into combat.

"He would sniff out that lie with ease. All we can do is hope for help."

"While a baby is out there hiding waiting on me to find him? Are you two idiots? General Ridge you of all people should know we can't sit this out."

"I understand. I'll think of something."

Renee Ramse clammed up and shook her head. Hope was fleeting.

Less than eighty feet from them a Native woman notes a weaved basket of grain moving and lifts the lid. Looking up at her a baby giggles. Picking him up delicately he pats her nose. She smiles at him just before he feels a tiny prick to his arm. Pouting he begins to cry. Seconds later his body goes numb. The woman passes her off to a Man that races with him toward the Temple. Yelling grew loud enough to attract Renee and her fellow prisoners.

"Dammit! They found Jimmy." Renee leaps to her feet rushing the bamboo door. Spears encourage her back.

"Any ideas Psi?" Obadiah swallows.

"I sense Jimmy Jack is losing control over his limbs. Perhaps a smaller dosage drug that was used on Renee."

"Wonderful. I can't see my boy grow up to tell him not to do drugs."

No use in calming her vocally, Obadiah stands and grabs her from behind tightly hugging her arms to her side. No words spoken. Psi joined them and placed her forehead against Renee's. Emotions were absorbed.

His hologram having returned to his seat onlooking the Temple altar Lucas Dorsey sits smug.

"That's better. Let's get this show over with."

Kym'Ani remained silent, never once leaving her meditation. Dorsey looked at her and rolled his eyes. Let her miss it. He just needed the Prophecy enacted. Rubbing his hands together he tantalizes Kym'Ani with a nudging elbow, "You're going to miss it. I should have ordered up fireworks."

As if spontaneous something higher up on the mountain blows up. Fire leaping out into a rain forest too damp to stress over a wildfire. Dorsey narrows his eyes motioning to guards outside his royal chamber with his mental call, "Contact the Pleidians. Find out what that was. Oh, and get that formation of fighter ships out there to blow up that Giant nearing the City." So much going on. In his agitation Kym'Ani smiles faintly.

Moving his holographic body to the Altar Lucas Dorsey stands near the Shaman as the blade rises. Something else captures his eye. Wincing he sees something flying away. Something very, very big. Hearing the Natives chatter the term Quetzalcoatl and drop to their knees bowing at the direction.

"That's Aztec legend. Half of you bastards aren't even Aztec." Dorsey snaps, "Get on with it sacrifice the baby already. The Moons are at their peak. Fulfill the Prophecy." His eyes return to the altar to see a Shaman patting the stone where baby Jimmy had rested. Again the boy was gone.

"For crying out loud. Bring in another baby."

A second baby does not live another day. In her Tower Princess Kym'Ani mourns its passing.

Having heard the explosion Obadiah, Psi Chii, and Renee look at each other with curiosity. Watching the indigenous guards drop to their knees they knew it was time to move. Obadiah reaches out to obtain a dropped spear and drags it into their bamboo cell. As did Psi Chii. Together they cut the tethers granting a carefully stepped escape. The Natives refused to look up. Running after a lengthy space they hear Dorsey call for that second baby. That gave Renee hope. Racing along the three of them look around for Jimmy Jack. He could be anywhere. Had Milo cooked up an escape plan? That explosion was very near the Maltese Cuckoo. In their eluding of the tribes Psi Chii calls out for Milo. There was no answer. Time and time again she cautiously appeals for him to reply. Nothing. That only left Serena. She had hoped to avoid calling her in case of Lucas Dorsey hearing and knowing of his daughter. Luckily her shields held up.

"Serena? Are you out there?"

"I'm here. Where are you guys?"

"Try not to reveal your location to me. Eavesdropping ears."

"Right. Milo...he's gone. So is the Cuckoo."

"What? Cano?"

"He's loose."

"Hide. I'll find you."

"Hurry."

"Soon as possible."

Severing the telepathic connection Psi reveals the situation to Renee and Obadiah. Obadiah choked up. He was becoming rather fond of Milo. Renee though saddened was more concerned over Jimmy Jack. Reaching the epicenter of the City of Gold they discover people running out of fear toward them.

"What the hell?" Obadiah grunts.

"Ohh no! Please let me be wrong." Psi Chii frets looking to the sky amid the Moons, "INCOMING!" She drags them toward an adobe looking hut and pushes them inside just as fire erupts everywhere.

"Cano?"

"Serena said he flew off. I think he just circled around."

"This hut will melt around us. We have to find better shelter." The General advises seeing the walls sweating.

"Jimmy Jack is out there."

Scratching at the door leaves the three expecting trouble. As it continued Obadiah dared to peek outside. Realizing the scratching amid the hundreds of screams was lower on the door he predicted the dying wanting safety. Boy was he wrong. Eyes bulging at the sight Obadiah whips open the door letting the scratcher enter. In comes prancing the dog that had found them on the Mountain. On his back sprawled out rode Jimmy Jack his toes and fingers dragging the ground. The baby aware but numb. He was nude. The dog spat out the baby's diaper.

"Oh My God! Jimmy Jack." Renee rushes the dog making him uneasy but he lays down letting her pluck Jimmy from his matted fur. Holding him to her chest Renee bawled. Obadiah turned to sigh at Psi Chii who offered a bewildered shrug.

"And you were worried he might be a threat."

"It's early. But, yeah he did good."

Obadiah knelt down allowing the Pekingese sized dog to stand on his hind legs leaning on Obadiah's knee. A pat on the head was earned.

"You did good Pup."

"Thank you." Renee whispers toward the animal then kisses her little boy.

"We're still trapped people. Dragon out there cooking Native butt." Psi looks leery listening to the death outside. It was stronger than before. Stepping to the open door each of them watched a scene right out of Game of Thrones. Cano was diving in flight and showering people in flames. It was horrible. Then, came an even more unexpected turn of events. A spaceship moved into position over the City of Gold. Firing on Cano it forced the Dragon to retreat. The ship was far bigger than he.

"That's the ticket S'Lope. Good job. Now bring me your prisoners. That other mission needs your attention." From his Tower Dorsey smiles even as his hologram oversees another situation.

"S'Lopp, Lord Dorsey. My name is S'Lopp."

"Whatever."

Shocked by his holographic appearance behind them Obadiah, Psi, and Renee turn to face Dorsey.

Gaining a bit of mobility Jimmy Jack looks upward and points, "Daah!"

Renee looks in horror. Swallowing she whispers, "Daah? Daddy?"

"DAAH!" He mutters louder.

"JACK?" Renee regrets her mention of his name. Let alone thoughts.

"Now isn't that a hoot. Is that there Jackie's boy? Oh this keeps getting better."

Guards that survived the torching enter and overrun the hut. The dog growls but makes its escape. He was fast. Very fast. Leaving them behind they hear a yelp as if stepped on. Then a loud fight as if the dog was getting even.

"Hey! Get off me Sparky. Go chase a firetruck."

Maybe he would. The dog took off into the hills.

"That voice." Psi Chii looks with surprise.

"Any room at the Inn?"

Buku steps through the doorway shrugging off Natives trying to prevent him entry. Blowdarts are used but bounce off of his skin as spears splinter.

"BUKU!"

Everyone was happy to see their friend.

Lucas Dorsey merely stood his ground. Being a hologram gave him safety. Buku however.

"Ahhh! A susceptible mind. Kill the General and the Asian woman. Bring me the Mother and son."

"Say what?" The Sumo slaps his ears attempting retaliation. Buku fought as hard as he could. In a flared temper the Sumo rips the door threshold wider. The wall to his left crumbled.

"Better run Guys. I don't think I'm invincible in the head."

Obadiah takes the time to rush everyone past him. As the mental hold increased Buku turned with his eyes white. Time to hunt.

"Obadiah?" Renee calls out, "Jack is here."

"Worry about Colonel Ramse later. Get to safety. I'll lure Buku away."

"No General. Buku and I are family. Of a sort. Go. Get them as far from here as possible."

Psi Chii force nudged Obadiah into doing as she ordered. Finally he gave up. Her lapse in shielding freezes Obadiah in step. Renee slows to a stop herself. Lucas Dorsey had them under his influence. Turning to face her Obadiah joins Buku in circling Psi Chii.

"Come Buku. Let us dance." She flutters her fingers until seeing Obadiah, "So not good."

This was certainly not gonna be good.

The frozen tundra...

"Welcome back Prince Charming. I thought Sleeping Beauty was the one in a coma."

Sophia Ridge peers into the tent, her left hand enabled by asking her Tyrants to retreat to her shoulder. It was getting cold fast though even with the heat generated by the rest of her luscious naked body.

"Mal ate the poison apple first." James shakes his head, "You're not gonna believe who I ran into."

"Who?" The answer would have to wait.

A scream outside cuts their reunion short. Sophia narrows her eyes curiously, "Was that Mom? How?" She departs the tent lighting up brighter to see her Mother's ghost. It was not a ghost she should be looking for. Curled up in a ball she finds her own Mother nude in the flesh. Madigan Ridge was alive.

"MOM!" Sophia recalls her Tyrants to her feet and defies the bitter cold, "How are you human again?" They embrace. Sophia's heated body felt wonderful.

"I-I'm not s-sure. I think Briar gave me my body back."

"Hurry up get into the tent before you freeze to death...again."

Out of the dim darkness steps another visitor. Was it the Hairy Man? A large bear skin is draped over Madigan's body as Sophia steps away from her Mother in fight mode. Lighting up brighter still she sees a large man with pale flesh and long white hair. He was nearly nude himself.

"I mean you no harm."

"In a place like Pangaea everyone means you harm."

"I have travelled far. I saw the Ganthorian ship in the sky. People falling. I had hoped that someone survived the plummet."

"We all did." James Ian calls from the tent doorway. Xander shivering beside his furry Master.

"A dawn ape? Talking. How curious." The giant speaks, "My name is SeVen. I am Pleidian."

"I know that name. From my hacking days. From Milo." James grows happy to hear the name. Even daring the weather to join the Giant, "Our hero. Where is your spaceship?"

"I fear I have none."

"Awww maaaan!" James pouts.

In the briefest of instances a portal opens thirty feet away and the hairy hand drops something into the snow. Sophia rushes out to look at the object.

"Looks like our Santa Claus is in the right place at the North pole. I think its a gun. Anyone order Ralphie's official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle?"

Tears well up and freeze in Moe's eyes as James coughs up, "I so love that girl. She knows Ralphie. You're making me cry Sophia."

"HOLD!" SeVen studies Sophia then looks down at Madigan, "You are the family of Obadiah Ridge?"

"YOU KNOW DADDY?" Sophia leaves the gun in the snow.

"Yes. He is here in Pangaea searching for the two of you."

"Oh my God!" Madigan crawls to her feet tugging the fur along, "Obadiah is here? Sophia? Your Father is here."

Without thinking the two hug. The unrestrained Tyrant Tears feed on the bearskin until they smell burnt flesh. A swift separation made them both laugh.

Calling her Tyrants to her feet Sophia and Madigan both risk hugging the Giant man. SeVen faintly smiled.

"Where is my Husband?" Maddy peers up at SeVen.

"I-I am uncertain. He and Milo led a group to Pangaea in search of the two of you and James Ian Pryce."

"James Ian Pryce?" Moe jumps for joy, "I'm James Ian. Overlook the monkey body. Long story. I'm James in this lucky fellas head. So Milo is here too? Fucking A!"

"Watch your mouth James."

"Oh come on Maddy."

"Yes I guess we should all rejoice." Both she and Sophia yell at the same time, "FUCKING A!" They needed a good laugh.

Xander sniffing at the gun prepares to bite on to it when a portal again opens to his left. Out drops a bag of Gravy Train. As it collides with the ground it ruptures pouring its contents into the snow. The portal quickly fades.

Starving Xander digs right in. Sophia hearing her Tyrants grumble excuses herself slyly, "Best turn your heads. The boys want fed."

Dropping to her knees beside Xander the dog snarls. He then rips the bag wider and gives her room. She shared the bag but it was a battle for the final kernels. Moe watching Sophia bent over naked was entranced by her bare bottom and glowing clam. So entranced the Monkey got an erection. SeVen shakes his head at them all.

"You're lucky SeVen. A few minutes earlier I was a ghost."

"Curious."

The gun remained in the snow.