Starfall: Chapter 9: Home On The Range

Yawning while stretching, Usako winces. 'I feel like I belly flopped onto a concrete porch, multiple times.' Whining, she reaches over and flicks on the desk lamp causing the box it's on to wobble a little.

'Why does it feel like I had a dream last night, yet I can't recall it, sigh, I hate it when this happens.' Wincing some more, Usako lets out an involuntary whine while siting up, then yawns.

Standing, she goes about getting dressed in the borrowed clothing.

Only to let out a dejected sigh as her hand brushes against the slave collar around her neck.

'Not that I'm a slave, and Steven has made it clear he regrets putting it on me. Still, if what he says is true, as far as this world's concerned I'm a young Bio-Morph. Not an adult arctic vixen. Add to that neither of them seem to realize Bio-Morphs are as smart as they are.'

The sound of foot falls above her echos in the basement, causing her ears to twitch.

'Seems Steven and Angela are up.' Taking a moment to straighten the covers. 'Just because it's a cot, and in the basement, my parents would be angry if I didn't do this.'

With that done, and her legs protesting her movement the whole way, Usako climbs the stairs one step at a time due to their size. 'Yea, this fucking sucks. I hope we can find the first aid kit at the crash site. I don't think I'll be able to stand going without any sort of pain reliever for the next few days.'

Reaching up and grabbing the door handle, Usako opens the door. “Hello? Steven? Angela? Good morning?" Looking over at the empty couch and chair, she tilts her head. 'Where are they?'

“Oh, good morning Usako!" Steven exits the kitchen carrying a plate and a bowl in his hands as Usako shuts the basement door behind her.

Her tail twitches a couple of times in curiosity. “What do you have there Steven?"

Walking over to the coffee table, Steven sets the two piece of dinnerware gently onto the surface. “Considering what happened yesterday…" He rubs the back of his neck. “I scrounged around the kitchen to find something you could eat that isn't… Well…"

'So he made me something for breakfast that wasn't made from…' Her ears tilt just a bit, while her tail tip twitches rhythmic as she goes to the couch, then climbs up onto it.

“Toast and dry cereal?" Usako looks over at Steven as he sighs.

“Yea, I figured this would be the safest stuff we have till either I can coax Angela to go to the store or I can go." Forcing a polite smile on his face he watches Usako.

'I hope she accepts… I feel terrible about lying to her yesterday…'

'He doesn't have a muzzle, yet even I can tell he's faking a smile for my sake.' Walking over to the edge of the couch, Usako picks up the plate of toast and places it on the neighboring cushion.

Sitting next to it, she picks up a piece of toast.

'He even cut them down to size from the looks of it. Sigh, if this was any other time I would yell at him for treating me like a cub.' Usako sniffs toast before looking at Steven.

“Thank you, but some water would be nice though. Also, milk is fine. As I said last night cow's sell their excess so for mammals like me it's considered a treat."

Steven snaps his fingers. “Forgot about that. I'll go get you some." Walking swiftly back to the kitchen, he soon returns with a glass of water and a glass of milk, placing both next to the bowl on the coffee table. Followed by sticking a small spoon into the cereal.

Sitting down in the chair opposite of the couch, he watches Usako gnaw on a piece of toast, then drink some water. 'Good, she's eating. Here I thought she'd refuse. If it was me instead of her, I probably would, or would that make the whole situation like solient green?'

“So, Usako, do you have a good idea of where you crashed or should we just try to canvas the property?" Pulling his phone out, Steven brings up a map of the family farm, waiting for Usako to answer as she chews and swallows a piece of toast.

Taking a sip of water, she looks over at Steven. “Not really… A copse of trees not to far from the weird fence you have and the road. I don't know what time I crashed nor do I know how long I walked the road on your property to get here." Pausing a moment to lick one of her teeth. “I do remember having to crest a somewhat tall hill between here and there."

“For what its worth Usako, that narrows it down." Swiping with his finger, he finds the hill. 'There's only one hill on our property that has a road on it. Hmm, three copses of trees fit her description. Guess we'll have to check all three out.'

Looking up at Usako who's sniffing the dry cereal before pouring the milk in, Steven stares for a moment as she takes a few bites with the spoon before Usako looks back at him. “Why aren't you having breakfast Steven?"

Smiling he puts his phone back into his pocket. “Because it's a farm Usako, I got up at about five am, so I already had my breakfast. It's seven thirty am right now. I wanted to let you sleep in due to your injuries. So considering how stilted you're moving I think that was a good call."

Usako puts down the spoon. “Yea, you won't believe how much pain I'm in. I'm hoping to find some vulpine and cainid safe pain reliever in what's ever left of my first aid kit at the crash site." Usako pauses. “Still, why did you get up so early if you're not out there working? Could've slept in a bit."

Steven shrugs. “Well, been getting up at five am for most of my life, I don't think I could sleep  later even if I wanted to. Also, had to get Angela into gear. Sis would sleep through a bomb going off, or the whole day if I let her." He pauses.

“Or would you rather deal with her most of the day?"

Usako shakes her head, causing Steven to smile.

'Still going to have to figure out a way to sis and her to get along. Usako is going to be here for the foreseeable future after all.' Standing up, he grabs the empty dishes and places them in the kitchen sink, returning with a couple of water bottles in his hands.

“Are you finished with the cereal? We should get going before it gets too hot out."

Standing and stretching, Usako nods, then lowers her ears a bit in shame. “Just um, the one room upstairs isn't the only bathroom right?" 'I hope not, the urge just hit me and I don't know if I can make it with how stiff I am.'

Chuckling, Mark points in the direction of the half bathroom on the first floor. “Meet me on the porch when you're done. I'm going to go grab our ride."

“Alright." Climbing off the couch, Usako walks over to the bathroom, the sound of the front door opening and closing echos into the room before she closes the door.

Several minutes and a bit of an embarrassing time trying to use fixtures much bigger than she's used to later, Usako walks over to the front door and opens it.

'By karma! It feels like a cross between Savannah square during mid summer and Sahara district!' involuntarily Usako's fur fluffs out, drawing a laugh from Steven, and drawing her attention to him, and what he's sitting in.

“What is that?" Pointing at the vehicle Steven's in as she walks across the porch and onto the driveway. Wincing the moment her foot-pads touch the gravel causing her to hop from foot to foot as she walks.

Steven smiles at her from the drivers seat. “This, this is my grandpa's old Toyota hilux circa the year two thousand. My dad removed all the exterior parts due to rust, and then rebuilt the engine. A similar story with the interior, just replace rust with broken. It's been our farm's workhorse vehicle for years and it's a damn fun thing to drive."

Usako eyes the flat bed and bare metal frame of the vehicle. Crudely painted to protect against further rust. It lacks doors, windows and windshields, even anything covering the engine itself.

'At least it has seats, sort of…' Hopping over to the passenger side, she jumps up and scrambles into a molded plastic bucket seat.

'Why does this remind me of the plastic seats in grade school minus the tail hole?'

Glancing nervously at the completely empty dash save for the bare steering column and a few gauges, Usako looks up at Steven. “Is this vehicle even remotely safe?"

With a grin Steven shakes his head. “Nope, it's not street legal, but as long as the streets are on our property the cops can't touch us. Here though." Reaching behind the seat, Steven pulls the go-kart harness that serves as the vehicle's seatbelt bolted to the back of it around Usako and places it in her paws.

Her tail stiffens. 'That grin is kinda disturbing with that flat face of his.' Looking it over. 'Well, at least he has a multi-point harness. So I won't be flying out the front of the vehicle through the missing windshield if we crash.' Steven reaches to buckle her in, but Usako waves his hands off with her paw.

“I know how to use one of these Steven. Not exactly the ten point one any space or fighter craft has, but I'm glad you have these in this death trap of yours."

Arching a brow, Steven straightens up in his seat and puts his harnes back on. “Weird seeing a test pilot being so safety conscious." Picking up a water bottle from between his legs, he hands it to Usako.

Taking it and opening it, she takes a drink before replacing the cap. “Test pilots are 'very' cautious when piloting a new vehicle. We're highly trained and know that taking risks is antithetical to testing an unproved machine. We can't just fool around and do whatever we want or the engineers wouldn't be able to tell if it was their design or our reckless behavior that caused the issue they have to fix."

“I think I understand, anyway I'd take it a bit easy on the water there. We'll be out in the heat for a while and I only brought two bottles." Steven reaches forward and flicks a switch bolted to the frame, with a roar the engine comes alive shaking the whole contraption.

Keeping the water bottle in her lap, Usako folds her ears. 'They should've at least kept the engine covered…' looking over to Steven. “Is it always this hot here in um, Texas wa… AHHHH!"

A second after the engine comes to life, Steven puts the 'truck' in reverse and hits the gas. Turning the wheel at the right moment the vehicle turns, skids, and faces the direction of the hill Usako informed him about.

A small grin forms on Steven's face. 'This thing is so fun to drive, I just wish internal combustion engines could still be legal.'

“What the hell Steven?!" She looks at him with ears flat back and lips slightly curled, showing a bit of her teeth. Only to force her lips down out of habit.

Steven only grins back. “The engine's designed to move a vehicle heavier that it is now, so it has a lot of power and makes it a blast to drive." He drops his smile. “Besides, I haven't had much fun the past few days."

Taking deep breaths, Usako calms herself as she closes her eyes. 'I can't fault him for that. Not every day you lose your parents, and then sibling in the span of a week.'

“Alright, just, maybe tone down the stunt driving a bit?" Giving him a toothless smile while she has her ears forward.

Putting the 'truck' in drive, he nods. “Sure. Since you have to tell me where you crashed, and we have more than one possible location based on your description. I can't just put the pedal to the metal."

Usako grabs onto the harness as Steven hits the gas, not quite the rubber burning start like a moment ago. 'Still faster than I would like in something like this, I just hope the wheels don't fall off or the thing just shakes apart.'

Letting go with one hand to shield her eyes from the sun and wind, Usako looks around as Steven eases up a bit on the gas when the hill comes into view.

“That hill didn't look so big the other night when I was following the road."

Glancing over at Usako. “One of the larger ones in the area, at least for a few miles. My grandparent's originally wanted to build the house on it, but the local electrical lines don't reach this far." Bringing the stripped down vehicle to a stop on the crest of the hill, he looks over at Usako.

Usako's jaw drops a little at the sea of wheat and corn swaying in the morning sun on a nearly flat landscape. Off in the distance something's stirring up a cloud of dust, while a large building stands where the road meets the horizon. “How much of this land is yours Steven?"

Smiling, he points. “From the house to the meat processing building." Indicating the large building. “As well as a few miles in the other direction from the house. My grandparents were well off due to the technology boom around the year two thousand. The rest, you read in their journals. We also have a barn but it's at the other end of the field across the road from the house. So you wouldn't have seen it from the road as the land dips there a bit."

Letting the vehicle idle he pulls the parking brake. Unbuckling himself, Steven stands in his seat. “Should be able to see from here all but one of the copses of trees that would be close enough that you would've been able to walk to the road before dawn."

Unbuckling herself, Usako stands, then using the remaining metal bars of the former truck's roof as hand holds, she stands on the back of the seat. 'Not that I got a good look at the place after I crashed… hmm. Not the one at the bottom of the hill, I remember walking a bit before reaching this point.'

Looking a bit farther down the road. 'No not that one. There wasn't a gate nearby, I wish it was though. Wouldn't have lost my clothing.'

Letting out a sigh, she turns her attention to the one about a half a mile if not a bit more down the road.

“I think it's that one Steven." She points to the farthest one in sight as he lets out a low whistle.

“Usako, you walked all that way injured. I'm actually kind of impressed. Now sit back down and buckle up, tightly, we're going to have to go through that gate and use the tractor lanes to get to it. Won't exactly be a smooth ride."

Sliding back down, Steven disengages the parking brake, but doesn't buckle himself back in, Usako quickly scrambles back into her seat a moment later. Just able to put the seatbelt on before Steven takes off down the hill.

'Should've asked to walk rather than ride this thing.' Even with her claws, there's little for her to grab a hold of as the decent lifts her from the seat a bit.

Glancing over, Steven sighs and as they approach the gate, slowing down, then stopping the truck gently. “Sorry Usako, I'll drive more normal." Pulling the parking break and hopping out, he jogs over to the gate, unlocking it and swinging it open.

Hopping back into the truck, he slowly drives it into the ruts left by the tractors they use, stops, and hops out to close the gate behind them.

Idly tapping a claw on the surface of the water bottle, she looks over at Steven as he sits in the drivers seat. This time putting the seatbelt back on. “Why not just leave it open Steven?"

Turning off the parking brake, Steven sets off at a much slower and sedate pace. “Because, if you get in the habit of always doing it, you're less likely to forget. Which would be especially troublesome if the field you're going into is being used as grazing land that year. Next thing you know half your cattle herd is wandering down the street and the police don't like having to respond to it." Steven sighs as Usako lowers her ears.

'Talking about stepping in it. Granted, she is going to have to come to terms about being the only non-human sentient being on earth.'

Opening the bottle and taking a drink, Usako forces her ears back up upon seeing Steven frown, or what looks like one. 'Aurochs call their clan's 'herds'. Please let Steven not be lying about animals being non-sentient. Other than those Bio-Morphs that is…'

She opens her mouth, then closes it. 'Silence is better than causing an argument over Bio-Morphs.' Steven then hands her his unopened water bottle with a small grin.

“Here Usako. I'm used to the morning Texas heat, not the first time I've been here during summer. You're an arctic fox so this must be boiling to you even with your summer coat."

Usako holds it in her hands, looking at it then at Steven. “Thank you. I hope the first aid kit is at least a bit intact. I could use some canidae safe pain reliever right now. As for the heat, well, I won't lie, it's almost the worst I've experienced outside of being close to the 'heat' side of the climate wall."

Steven slowly brings the vehicle to a stop, causing Usako to tilt her head a bit. “I don't think there's a good chance of it being intact." Pointing to one of the tops of the tree's about a dozen yards away.

Following his finger, Usako looks up. “Oh for Karma's sake!" The first aid kit's gauze blows in the wind like a long and thin white flag, staying stuck to the upper-most branches.

Unbuckling herself, Usako hops out, looking through the brush near the vehicle.

“Just the black boxes then considering the survival kit's a bust?" Shutting off the engine, Steven unbuckles himself before hopping out as well.

Sighing, she looks around. 'My dignity, but apparently I lost that in the crash too…' Walking a few feet forward towards the copse of trees and the wreckage.

“Anything and everything that's intact from what's left of the survival and first aid kit, I'm sure 'something' survived."

Turning to look at Steven. “ Besides, no matter how fancy Frank's tools were, it won't save me if you give me medicine that isn't for canidae species."

“Good point." Walking on ahead of Usako, Steven leads her around the crop of wheat to the copse of trees.

“Yea looks like we're going to have extra fire-wood this winter for the Bio-Morphs." Pointing up to the top of the trees around the one with the gauze flapping in the wind.

“Your ship sheered and broke off most of the upper branches and trunks for most of the trees here." Steven points to it. “ Then it split a section of that tree's trunk nearly down to the roots. Going to have to fell them all before bark beetles set up shop."

Drooping her tail a bit, Usako glances in the direction Steven points. “Sorry about that."

Stopping a few feet into the debris filled clearing, he turns and looks back at her. “No need to apologize. I'm just glad you came down here and not closer to the house or the barn. I don't think you would've survived if you hit something sturdier like the buildings themselves."

Nodding his head further into the clearing. “Is that your ejection seat laying on its side?"

Walking past Steven, she approaches it, letting out a sigh. “Yea, looks in worse shape in the daylight than the other night." Spotting a partially broken branch on the ground with the brownish tint of dried blood, she doesn't fight the urge to rub the gauze on her injured arm.

'Look at the size of that thing, I was lucky to only have that stick impale in my arm rather than the whole branch.'

Glancing back over to Steven. “Mind taking this back with us? Along with anything else you can find around here while I grab the black box's?"

Steven shrugs.

“Sure, just don't know what I'm looking for." Rubbing a hand though his hair, he examines the debris near him.

Usako holds out a paw, fingers spread. “Anything with a shiny generic looking canidae paw print. Our universal sign of first aid for predators."

Steven walks a few feet from the nearest tree and picks up a piece of debris. “Why isn't it red?"

'Sigh, guess he wouldn't know.' Lowering her hand, Usako's ears splay a bit. “Two reasons, the main one is a red canide paw in a white circle on a red flag has some, negative, history for us to put it lightly. Second, it was found out how widespread color blindness is with most mammals and that prevented mammals from seeing it." Raising her ears, she glances around, but not before seeing a small frown on Steven's face.

'Hmm, if I recall correctly the rest of the ship crashed over there. Well, at least that's the general direction of the fireball when it exploded.'

“Don't need to say anything more Usako." Forcing his frown off his face, Steven tosses the scrap of plastic aside.

A few steps into the meandering walk to where the cockpit lays, Usako momentarily turns her head back at Steven, nodding once, she continues on her way. Soon leaving clearing and Steven behind.

'Sigh. Of course Usako would have a parallel event there compared to 'that' one here. Hmm, I wonder though.' Looking up, he mentally traces the fall of the cockpit from the angle of the tree damage, then heads in the direction of the bushes nearby.

“Usako, Did you, I mean did your world have two world wars or one?" Out of habit, Steven raises the volume of his voice so Usako can hear him.

'What an odd question, This world so parallel's mine they must've had just that one great war.' Usako stops mid step between the copse of trees and the visible 'crater', calling back in the same volume as best she can match.

“Only one. Lasted several octets if you don't count the armistices, the cease fires, and what not. From Nineteen Fourteen to Nineteen Forty-Five. In the new system."

'Jesus Christ. I've seen documentaries on both world wars, couldn't imagine having to live through a several decades long version of world war one.' Shaking his head a bit.

“We had two, but some professors, like my college history one claimed it was still one considering the treaty at the end of the first one directly caused the second." Not finding anything directly under the damaged trees, Steven sighs and heads for the ejected pilot's seat.

“I would still count that as one Steven." Yelling out before sliding down the small crater.

'Less thinking about that and more looking for what Usako described. We'll have more than enough time later to compare world histories.'

Walking over to the ejected pilot's seat, Steven grabs one side and pulls it upright. 'Interesting. It's like someone took a jet fighter seat and miniaturized it for a nine-year-old.' Tracing his hands over the back of the seat, his eyes widen at the texture.

'Whoever made this didn't check the clearance of the seat to the cockpit, trees don't cause this kind of damage, feels like the result of metal grinding on metal. No wonder why she lost her medical and survival kit if they were attached to the back of the seat.'

Grunting loudly, he lifts the seat and carries it over to the vehicle, dropping it loudly onto the storage bed he returns to the clearing. 'Considering the state of the seat, I'm not too hopeful at finding anything intact. Besides, depending on how high she ejected from, the stuff could be scattered pretty far apart.'

Letting out a sigh, Steven starts walking from one end of the clearing to the other, back and forth in neat rows.

“Oh for Karma's sake you stupid pile of scrap!" Stopping mid step he looks in the direction Usako went.

“Everything alright over there Usako? Do you need any help?" Taking a step towards the crash site, Steven stops as he feels something hard under his boot.

Moving his foot to the side and kneeling down, he brushes some wind blown litter out-of-the-way revealing part of the first aid kit box. Underneath it, a bottle, and a syringe.

“No. Just the fucking bolts for the black boxes are being a pain due to the wrench attached to the boxes being crap."

Steven picks the items up as Usako's voice echos though the copse of trees. 'Governments and lowest common denominator…'

“Alright, I'm right here if you need any help." A non-conformal bark's his only reply as Steven turns the item's over in his hands, then shakes his head with a smirk.

'Damn Usako's lucky.' Dropping the bit of plastic that was formerly part of the box of the first aid kit, he turns looks over the bottle.

'There's that shiny canide paw print she mentioned. Hmm, no idea on how to pronounce the name of the drug it's made of, but it's labeled as canide safe pain medication. Take one tablet for two hours, two for four, and three for six. Do not exceed more than six tablets in a twenty-four-hour period, and call a doctor if the pain doesn't go away after twenty-four hours. So it's just like aspirin.' Pocketing it, he turns his attention to the sterile packaged syringe the size of his longest finger.

'This is an epipen. Just for small mammals according to the label. Weird.' Keeping hold of it in one hand, Steven continues to walk through the clearing in neat rows, mentally checking off the grid he formed in his head upon clearing a row.

A few rows and many steps later, the glint of something reflective catches his eye. Coming from a bush under one of the few intact trees. The sound of metal grinding roughly on metal fills the surrounding area as he approaches it.

“Karma dammit, Finally!" Glancing in the direction of Usako for a second, Steven kneels in front of the bush.

'What do we have here…' Picking up a firearm that's comically small in his hands. 'This looks like a child's toy of a nine millimeter pistol, but I can tell by the weight this thing's real. Must've been in her survival kit.'

Turning it over, he brushes some dirt and tree litter off. 'Safety's on, that's good. Is it loaded? Leaving it unloaded would've been smart. That way it won't discharge on its own.'

Looking it over, he finds the clip release. 'Nope, still loaded, then again there is that oxymoron of military intelligence.'

Pocketing the clip, he checks the chamber. 'Least no round's chambered and ready to fire.' Letting the top of the pistol slide back into position as he stares at its small size resting in his hand.

'Things would've been different if Usako had this on her when we found her. Still, I think it may be a good idea to hold onto this for now. On the surface she does seem to be taking the whole 'from another world' thing well, I just don't know if this is just her putting up a front to mask her feelings or not. I don't want to lie to her, but, if she's not taking it well then having this would make her a danger to us and herself.'

The sound of something heavy dragging across the ground forces him to stuff the pistol into another pocket and stand.

Looking over, Steven can't help chuckling at the sight of Usako dragging two shiny boxes, one with each arm as she slowly backs up into the clearing, both boxes the size of her forearms with handles on the front and back.

“I see you found the black boxes, so to speak." Keeping the epipen in one hand he fishes out the bottle with other.

“Found a couple of things from your medical kit." Holding them out for Usako to see.

“Thank Karma!" Huffing loudly, Usako lets go of the black boxes, they hit the ground with a thunk.

Tongue lolling out she looks over at Steven as he hands them over to her. “Wow, score! You found just the thing I needed." Taking the bottle, she hands the epipen back to Steven. “Hold onto that in case I have an allergic reaction to something."

Popping open the bottle, Usako dry swallows three pills and pockets the bottle. 'That should take care of the whole body ache.'

Looking about the clearing as she pants, she turns her attention to Steven. “Where's the seat?"

He nods back in the direction of the vehicle's truck bed. “I stuck it on the truck bed. Sadly all I could find was the pills and the epipen. Considering it looks like the containers got sheared off when you ejected, the contents could be spread across several square miles." Looking around at the wheat fields outside the copse of trees.

“I'm actually hoping that nothing too large fell in the crop fields around here. A big hunk of metal would ruin a harvester if it picked it up along with the crop. They're expensive to repair."

Letting out a sigh Usako looks about the clearing, lowering her ears a bit while her tail stays motionless. “Can't be helped I guess. Looks like there's not much here to begin with, so I must've ejected higher up than I thought." Politely smiling to Steven, she grabs the handles of the black boxes, lifts one end with a grunt and continues to drag them to Steven's vehicle.

“Here Usako, let me. My mother would give me hell if I let a young lady like you drag objects that are obviously too heavy for her to carry." Stepping over the black boxes, Steven grabs the back handles before they dig themselves to far into the dirt.

Lifting them up, he quirks a brow. 'They have to be about forty-five pounds each. How did she manage to pull them this far? Combined they look like they weigh more than her.'

Stopping mid step, but not letting go of the black boxes. Usako looks up to Steven while slightly folding her ears back in annoyance. 'A bit rude, but he isn't a fox, so I guess he doesn't know.' Forcing her ears back up, she makes friendly eye contact. “You don't have too Steven. I'm able to get them to the vehicle myself."

Shrugging his shoulders. “But I should. My mother, god rest her soul, drilled into Mark and I that we should be polite to women. You're obviously struggling with their weight, and it can't be helping the pain you said you're in. On top of that, Frank also said you shouldn't lift anything heavy because ti could reopen the wound in your arm."

Glancing at her injured arm like it would hold the answer. 'If this was back home it would be a royal misstep for a todd to say that and insist on helping while assuming the vixen is incapable and has to have their help.'

She mentally sighs. 'Except he isn't a todd, and I'm not back home. Steven is also right, I'm injured and if Frank did say 'not' to do something like this. Then I shouldn't do it.'

Gently placing her end of the black boxes on the ground she looks up to Steven again. “You're right, I probably should've had you grab them. Just be careful with them, they may be designed to take a beating but, they've already went through a crash landing so lets not tempt Karma and have them break simply by putting them on your vehicle."

Rolling her shoulders, Usako turns and walks to the chop shopped truck.

Lifting them up, Steven carries them one in each hand over to the truck, following Usako and her twitching tail. Putting them gently on the bed of the truck, Steven grabs the tie-down straps from behind the drivers seat, using them to secure their three pieces of cargo to the flat-bed.

“They shouldn't be going anywhere now."

Usako shrugs at Steven. “I'll take your word for it." 'I doubt they will stay put if he doses the same thing he did earlier upon leaving the driveway.' Climbing into the passenger seat, Usako fastens her seatbelt.

With the loose ends of the straps tied down, Steven hops into the drivers seat and flicks the starter switch for the engine.

While he pops the break Usako picks up one of the water bottles, downs a third of it, then returns it to the storage container that serves as the vehicle's cup holder. “Are we headed back to the house? It's getting hotter out."

Shaking his head, Steven does a slow three point turn, taking the vehicle back onto the tractor path to the gate. “No, there's a few things I need to show you before I do." Once through, Steven turns and heads further down the road.

Holding onto the seat, Usako looks over at Steven.“We're heading to the building you use for meat processing?"

Keeping his eyes on the road, Steven shakes his head. “No, just the fields surrounding it."

“Why?" Tilting her head slightly, Usako sniffs the air as the direction of the wind chages. 'That bovine smell I scented earlier?'

“Should've figured you'd be able to smell them before you'd see them. Then again I've become nose blind to the scent of cattle." Steven slows the vehicle down as the fences on either side of the road transition too higher ones with more barbed wire rungs.

Laying her ears back Usako glares at Steven. “Cattle? That's a derogatory term for bovines and other ungulates."

Turning onto a dirt road, the barbed wire fences become steel pipe deeply set in concrete forming small pens.

“I'll take your word for it Usako that it's a derogatory word where you're from, but here, it's a catch all name for all the breeds of domesticated bovines. Specifically the breed we have here are Texas long horn's." Turning the vehicle again, Steven drives alongside a smaller holding pen with Usako's side of the vehicle closest to it.

Stopping the vehicle, Steven pulls the parking break, but doesn't shut the engine off.

With shaky paws, and a fully poofed tail, Usako hits the release of her seatbelt. 'What the hell?!' Pulling herself onto her feet using the backrest, her claws dig into the plastic.

Whipping her head around Usako's wide eyes meet with Steven's calm ones. “They're… Feral!?"

“Yea. Believe me, if they started walking on two legs and talking, it would be common knowledge by now." Gesturing at the small herd stuck in a small pen.

“These are older males and females, or individuals that we determined to not be suitable for breeding. Or females, which are unable to produce enough milk."

Letting go of the seat, Usako slumps back down, bringing her knees to her chest with her tail around her lower ankles. Ears drooping, she lays her head on her knees. “So it's true. I'm in some other weird dimension, where mammals are all feral, there's such a thing as humans, and they're sentient."

Steven reaches over and lightly but firmly grabs her shoulder.

“For what it's worth Usako, I wish there was a better way to show you. While I was making you breakfast this morning I kinda figured that even with what we told you yesterday, what we showed you, there still could be doubt that what we were saying was a lie. After all, pictures can be faked, websites too. Not to mention anyone can write anything on paper." Giving Usako's shoulder a gentle squeeze results in her to look up at him.

Steven winces and releases Usako's shoulder at the visible tear streaks on her muzzle. 'Shit, what kind of gentleman makes a lady cry.'

Wiping her tears and raising her ears, Usako sighs. “There was a small part of me that thought this was all some kind of elaborate joke. Due to, you know, being a fox and all that." Usako wildly waves a hand in the direction of the herd, and the building beyond.

“This though, I don't think anyone would go as far as to set all this up for a prank." Letting her  ears droop a bit she blindly stares at the building and the pen.

Both of them Ignore the male Bio-Morph walking over to the pen and 'encouraging' a steer to go through a series of gates to the slaughter house.

Chuckling a bit, Steven shakes his head. “The last time someone tried anything similar to that was on America's funniest home videos, and it went over like a lead balloon." He tilts his head a bit at the physical wince Usako has when she looks at him.

“Did I say something wrong?"

“No, Just, you reminded me of hone. I guess my Anamilia is the same as your America." Usako pauses.

“Was the show about funny video's mammals record and send in for a chance to win a prize?" Usako lowers her legs slowly, sitting properly in the seat she grabs the seatbelt and buckles in.

Taking a short, final glance over to the holding pen. 'Sigh, what am I going to do? What can I do? I have no clue how I ended up here rather than being in my own dimension.'

The moment Steven hears the click from Usako's seatbelt, he pops the parking brake. Continuing down the road, he does a series of right turns to turn around and head back up on the path they came in on. 'Talk about an odd tangent for a conversation, but, if she wants to talk about anything else than the reality staring her in the face, then so be it. Can't force her to deal with reality any faster than she already is.'

Steven stops the vehicle momentarily just to make sure nothing's coming down the road before pulling out onto it. “Yea, that's the show. Well, until they allowed professionals to send in videos and that stunt happened, they were the longest running show in history. Surpassing an animated show and a sci-fi show in second and third place respectively."

No longer fighting the urge to pant in the now too warm morning sun, Usako turns her attention over to Steven. “What did they do to get booted off the air?"

Steven sighs. “You know, in hindsight, it seems kinda cliché considering it's kinda what happened to you. Anyway, some down on their luck comedy actors. I think they were former Saturday night live comedians after the show had been canceled. Don't quote me on it because I'm not sure. I think I was, one, maybe two at the time this happened."

Slowing the vehicle down, he passes by the house, then drives towards a well-marked 'end of the road' sign.

He turns left onto a dirt road as Usako looks around curiously. 'Where are we going?'

“So they grab some random dude off the street, knocking him out in the process. I forget what race or how old he was, though that mattered little in the end. They held him in a closed set and tried to make him think he woke up in a world where he's the only one of his race left and the world was better for it. Long story short, it wasn't funny, those who thought it up were high on something and the multiple laws they broke bankrupted the studio." 

Making their way down an incline, Usako's ears shoot up and forward. Not to far off in the distance are three large structures neighboring each other. “Is that, a barn? So they do pain them bright red. I thought that was just some Hollywood myth."

“Yea, it's original to the property. My grandparents fixed it up, my parents made it a storage shed for their hobby's, don't know what Angela and I will do with it." Slowing down, Steven drives past it.

Pointing to large metal building painted beige with a steel roof. “The more modern metal building next to it is our actual barn for our farming equipment. Next to that is our Bio-Morph pen."

Coming to a stop between the latter two, Usako tries to hide a wince at the sight due to talking with Charlie, causing her ears to twitch back just for a moment.

“Seems a bit harsh to keep them in that." Gesturing to the giant chain link fence trapezoid shaped dome, Usako looks at Steven.

“Yea I know, but it's more for their protection from wild animal's than to keep them in." Pointing to one wall, “Those are Mark-IV residential containers. Mom and Dad wanted Mark-III's because they were cheaper, but the distributor stopped selling them. There was a flaw with the fridge in the back of the Mark-III's that could allow someone to get inside."

'More than likely Bio-Morphs found out that it was a way out.' Looking over the two rows of double stacked containers connected by a wooden ganteryway, Usako silently sighs.

Steven points to a shipping container sitting by itself, attached kiddie corner to the stacked residential containers. “That's where the food system, monitoring, HVAC system and controls for said systems got moved to. Of course, it meant the company could charge a lot more for it. That 'feeding and control module' as it's listed on the loan cost the same amount as half the pack."

Glancing back at Steven, she points to a set of security doors on the steep side of the dome. “So why have the double gated entryways? If it was just for protection against wild animal's you wouldn't need that."

Usako flicks an ear. 'Hell, even a chain link roof is excessive if all you're protecting against are birds and lizards… Sigh, no, mammal's here are not intelligent here. That means other predator species would go after them too.'

He shrugs. “We had no choice, the dome came as is with the containers, just one big kit for Bio-Morphs trained for farming. You can't imagine the pain it caused us putting in those simple park tables and that tree. All for them to sit on and enjoy in there for their off time. You know even animals need some enrichment."

Usako looks over at the common area of the set up, a few aged park picnic tables scattered about the mostly dirt covered ground, a single small tree in the center. Looking scraggly and stunted 'As if everything else about the thing didn't give it a prison vibe.'

“Wait, so you had to put them in 'after' the chain link dome went up?" One of Usako's ears tilts to the side.

“Yup! Pissed Dad off something fierce when the rep told him. 'I paid how much for all this and you won't let me put these simple items in until 'after' you've built it?'. I remember hearing him yell that at the rep. Now with the debt and contract is in my hands, so to speak, I know why. Until we pay it off, the fence, the containers, and the Bio-Morphs along with any who are born here. Belong to the distributor."

Running his hand through his hair, Steven lets out a sigh. “So it's their property to do what with they please."

'By karma it sounds like some sick version of a car lease.' Usako looks between Steven and the giant Bio-Morph cage.

“So, what's with the show and tell? Not that I don't appreciate it."

Turning in his seat to look at Usako more directly.

“Well, considering you'll be staying here for the foreseeable future. On top of that as far as the government's concerned, you're a Bio-Morph named Trinity that we own." Idly, Usako reaches up and fingers the Bio-Morph tracking collar around her neck nervously.

“Sis and I have come to an agreement, of sorts. You'll work for us on the farm, though we won't have you do what we have the Bio-Morphs do, and in return we'll give you a place to stay, food, and whatever else you need. Within reason, we're not rich despite all the land we own."

Raising one ear while lowing the other one, she looks back at Steven. “Could've fooled me."

“Well, it's true. Most of our worth's tied up in the land and the company we run. Most of the money we earn goes right back out to pay the loan payments for the Bio-Morphs, Taxes and fees." Steven returns her gaze, then pauses and looks at the wood barn before glancing in the direction of the house.

“Tangent aside, we just haven't decided on where to have you stay yet. Angela wants to set you up in the barn, using dad's 'man cave'." Letting out a sigh, Steven's face falls a bit.

“As for me, I think it might be a good idea to put Mark's stuff in storage for the time being and put you up in his old room. Killing two birds with one stone, but Angela doesn't want any of it touched. I don't think sis has accepted Mark's gone."

Lowering her other ear, Usako looks at the barn. “ You know, I can stay in the basement if you want. I'd Rather be in the house than out here in some old barn."

“Nope, if mom was still here, she'd have a fit about having a guest stay in the basement. You'll be sleeping either in Mark's room or out here tonight." Turning the vehicle around, Steven drive back in the direction of the house.

Taking a drink of water to stop her panting, Usako looks at Steven when finished. “I'd still want to stay in the basement rather than a drafty barn."

Chuckling, Steven turns onto the road. “Oh, forgot to mention, the barn's furnished, insulated, and has power, water and its own septic tank. It's just not 'legal' to have anyone sleep in it overnight since that was all done by Mom, Dad, Grandma, and Grandpa rather than 'licensed' contractors. The state considers it unsafe because of that, like they'd know." Driving down the short stretch to the driveway.

'What's Angela doing back so early?' Eyeing his and Angela's shared work truck.

Parking the vehicle, He unbuckles himself as Usako does the same. “As I said earlier, I think you should stay in the house too, just not the basement."

Sliding out of the vehicle after noticing the truck, Usako winces, then half hop's and half runs to the porch to get her paws off the hot gravel. “It's not noon is it?"

Following Usako at a more sedate pace, Steven kneels next to her as she sits on the porch rubbing her bare feet. “No, it's not even ten am yet." Pausing a moment to look at Usako's feet. “I think we'll need to get you shoes or something, walking barefoot on this gravel can't be comfortable."

Letting out a barking laugh, Usako nods. “Same with this damn heat. I want to go back into some air-con before I burn up." Standing, Usako lets Steven get up, then lead her to the front door.

Being the gentleman Steven is, he opens it for her to enter first.

“So you're telling me, you recovered most of the bodies of the vector's crew, but Mark's wasn't among them. Yet, despite the fact no one could've survived a breakup in sub-space, even in an escape pod for this long. You're not going to declare him dead, in turn, you're not going to release the payout from his life insurance policy to Steven and I, his siblings and the only listed beneficiaries?" Angela's 'angry' voice hits them.

Usako wordlessly glances at Steven mid-step through the front door. 'Yea, this is a matter between Steven and his sister.' Walking into the house first, she heads on over to the couch and climbs up, trying to find anything else interesting to pay attention to other than Angela's aggravated and loud voice.

Angela, who's leaning against the frame of the entryway between the living room and the kitchen with her phone against her ear, a deep frown embeded on her face, doesn't even acknowledge Usako's presence, despite seeing her walk in.

Steven closes the door behind himself walks over to stand near Angela.

“Fine! So correction, you're not going to pay the money out, nor unfreeze his bank account till either the twelve-month period of inactivity triggers, or some evidence shows up that this was an accident. Until then, you're assuming this was an attempt at life insurance fraud and leaving it at that."

Steven frowns.

“Do you at least have Mark's personal belongings from the ship?!" Angela pauses for a second, her foot tapping on the floor.

“Good, then you know where to send them… No how can I have a good day when you do this to me?" Steven winces as Angela almost punches her finger through the screen to end the call.

“Before you ask bro, I'm not out there directing the Bio-Morphs at butchering the older cattle because I have been fielding calls from both the company Mark worked for and the bank whom he also took a life-insurance policy out on himself. For the past hour. Mark listed me and you as his sole beneficiaries without our knowledge." Holding her arms under her bust, Angela glares at Usako, who returns the gaze with a look of sympathy that Angela ignores before looking back at Steven.

“If you had your phone on I wouldn't have to have done this. Why did you shut your phone off?"

Pulling out his phone, Steven blinks at the missed calls. “I set it to ignore calls because I was helping Ms. Chasofito retrieve what we could from where she crashed, among other things."

Putting her hands on her hips, Angela winces from a twinge of pain from her injured arm. “That could've waited, considering the amount of money they're holding back from us is nearly sixty million because they'll pay out his complete fourth run payment IF they can prove what happened was an act of god. Not to mention the half a million for the life insurance policy."

Steven fumbles with his phone as Usako's ear's shoot up.

“SIXTY MILLION?!" both of them shout at the same time.

'That would've been funny, if it wasn't 'her' doing it with my brother.' Angela stares at both of them.

Slipping off the couch to join in on the conversation out of pure curiosity, Usako approaches them.

“How the hell did your brother earn that kind of money?!" She looks up to Angela as Angela glares down at her.

“That's none of your business 'Ms. Chasofito', now go back to…" Steven stops her with a polite cough and putting his hand between the two, lowering it a moment later.

“Long story short Usako, crewing a resource runner is 'very' dangerous, so they entice people with a 'lot' of money to sign up, because most people don't make it past their first run. If you reach your fourth or fifth run they either pay you this much, or offer you a place among a bridge crew of a ship that has an opening. If you manage to survive that, well, they allow you to become the captain of a ship that lost theirs."

Steven looks to Angela.

“What I still want to know is why Mark continued to do this after the first couple of runs. Most people who survive that long quit and retire even before they're thirty with the quarter million you earn."

Usako looks between the two while flicking an ear. 'Dang, wish we had that back home. Doesn't sound to hard and a quarter million is a lot of money.'

“No offense, maybe Mark was greedy?"

Angela laughs, hardening her gaze at Usako. “That would be completely unlike Mark. He didn't have a greedy bone in his body!"

Folding her ears back, Usako's tail tip twitches rapidly. “I was only throwing out a guess, 'Angela'. The prospect of earning sixty million can change a mammal."

“You know, I don't recall inviting 'you' to this family conversation Ms. Chasofito! Also, Mark was a person, not some filthy 'mammal'." Pointing her finger at Usako, Angela's long fingernail mere millimeters from Usako's nose.

“Enough!" Steven growls out, drawing both of their attention to him.

'For not being canine, Steven did a pretty good growl. If I had heard that without seeing what he was first, I would've thought he was a wolf.' Usako tilts her head just a tiny sliver.

Steven focuses his attention on Angela. “What was it they said about waiting and Insurance fraud?"

Angela sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Ten minutes of legalize aside; Since they have yet to find even a part of Mark's body, the black boxes for 'the vector' have yet to be analyzed, and obviously no witnesses to the event. Mark's bank has made the 'cautionary step', their words, not mine. To freeze Mark's account, and flagging the life insurance policy he had put on himself as suspect. From the language they used, I think 'they' think Mark is alive, wasn't on the ship, and knew it would do this."

Clenching her fists til the fingers turn white, Angela holds her arms under her bust again.

“In other words, as I nearly yelled at them, they refused to give us access to either his bank account or the payout of the policy till what's left of his body shows up. That, or twelve months have passed with no usage on his national ID." Closing the few steps between himself and Angela, Steven wraps her up in a firm brother;y hug.

The instant he makes contact, Angela clings to him and buries her face in his shoulder. “He's… Gone… Isn't he?" Angela's voice trembles.

“Why did Mark have to do that stupid stunt with Pip's collar, pissing off mom and dad, If he hadn't done that, he'd be alive and with us now rather than floating god knows where!"

Lowering her ears a bit, Usako sighs. “For what it's worth Angela, you have my sympathies. I know it's little consolation though. I just hope my sister isn't taking the news too hard considering they've more than likely pronounced me dead."

Angela just looks at her for a moment, then buries her face back into Steven's wet shoulder.

Slowly and gently, Steven leads Angela over to the couch, sitting her down. Tepidly Usako follows behind the two of them. 'Should I just go elsewhere for the moment? It feels like I shouldn't be here.'

Making eye contact with Usako, Steven nods in the direction of the chair. Returning the nod,Usako climbs up onto the chair.

'Boy this is awkward…' Looking down at the coffee table or the blank TV, anything to not watch Steven hold onto Angela as she cries. Spotting a magazine, Usako picks it up and thumbs through it.