OVER THE SILVER SKY TO THE WORLD OF NEVER : Part 265 - I'm Bloody Starving.

Look! Children enjoying themselves. Now if you're a reasonable, responsible, caring human being like me, you will be wondering what can be done to prevent this from ever happening again. There's a reason they put up those "Warning, Children Playing" signs. It's because they are psychotic dwarfs bent on the destruction of civilized society. Yet they get human rights just like you and me. One of these little bastards could be the next Hitler. Or the next worse than Hitler and there are millions of them out there already. What I'm suggesting is a limited hunting season for kids. Something like the complete amnesty they give to pedophiles and child sex traffickers. Now I'm not suggesting we should be allowed to track them and shoot the little shits with high powered rifles. That would be far too dangerous. Innocent people could get hurt. If we see one we should be allowed to deliver a stunning blow to the back of their heads, with a baseball bat. Then we could brand them to get a bounty of say 20-50 dollars per stunned kid. While they're tied up and hanging from a pole by their feet they aren't going to be out there enjoying themselves. All that happiness and noise they produce is the number one cause of climate change, inflation and violent crime. They have to be stopped, otherwise this world might become a much happier place, and nobody wants that.

(The copyright to this image is the property of The Straits Times.)

Okay. There was no one around. Jake had regained his half wits again, following a drug induced coma. Pip insisted he needed one. She was a really strict guardian angel. He sat up stiffly. There was only one drip going into his arm. All fingers present and accounted for. Legs with the exact right number of bones in them. Two eyes that worked. Completely naked. Leaving him with the suspicion the others might have been laughing at his penis. It's what he'd have done if the opportunity presented itself. There were new clothes laid out. Including some replacement body armor. For the set completely wrecked during the conflict. It must be alright to get up. There was no one to stop him.

Jake swung his jelly legs over the side of the cot, lowering himself to the floor. Still a bit shaky. Not a single scar to show for all his efforts at being torn to pieces. He began flexing limbs. Checking to see if Hermes had put the correct number of joints in and so on. As per usual he'd done a bang up job. Stepping forward to pick up those clothes, the drip tugged at his arm. He removed it. When he didn't fall over or faint, Jake considered it was alright for him to continue. Collecting his new attire he set off down to the docking bay. On arrival he was pleasantly surprised to find there was enough water to take one of the totally unsatisfactory showers this advanced reality provided. They cleaned you very well, but there was something therapeutic about standing under a constant stream of flowing water. Instead of dancing around in the mist.

A shit, a shower and a shave later he got dressed. Then opened the docking bay door. He heard the voices outside. Which stopped as soon as the door slid aside. There was no way of making an elegant entrance. The internal ships gravity being at an angle to the horizontal and the small opening entailed either crawling out our sort of lowering himself through feet first. This he did. Brushing himself down as he stood. Three sets of eyes looked at him expectantly. Fetu bobbed his head, giving Jake the impression the two of them were building up a rapport here. He looked around.

"Well don't let me stop you doing whatever it is you're doing. What's for breakfast? I'm bloody starving."
"Whatever you cook." Retorted Pip amiably. "You're not on vacation here. Before you do anything I suggest, you let Ugo know you're still alive."
"Suggestion noted and ignored. When I come back from the dead I need it to be a surprise for everyone."
"Well you might want to make yourself scarce then. There are people coming over to pick up the equipment we've been replicating. They've got a severe shortage of medical equipment including scanners."
"Okay. So it's nutrition bars for me then. I'll see you in a bit."
"Not so fast." His new boss came towards him, holding something shiny. "I'll just run this over you to make sure you're all there. Who am I kidding, if you were all there you wouldn't still be here. We'd be half way back to Palamar."
He held his arms up like a captive as Pip ran a wand over his body from head to foot.
"That looks new." He commented.
"It is. Latest specifications. Most advanced diagnostics available in the Never. Right that checks out. You may go."
"You're sure about that? No other orders you need to give me? And yes I have done toilet mommy."
He side stepped the stone she threw at him. It pinged off the side of the ship landing several meters away.
"People who live in glass houses, shouldn't throw stones."
"What are you on about?"
"I'm not fully recovered yet. I couldn't think of anything funny to say."
"Oh? When have you ever said anything funny?"
"Loads of times. You weren't there though. Fetu will vouch for me. I have had him rolling around with laughter. It's why they have to keep us apart. When the two of us get together it's laughter all the way."
She was definitely smothering a chuckle.
"Piss off then. Somebody's coming. Wouldn't want to spoil your surprise."

There was little chance of that happening. Jake was more concerned with making the timing as perfect as could be managed. It was time for a new chapter in his legendary, and mostly fictitious, existence. After repeating the same chapter an uncountable number of times, he was going to strike out on his own. He wasn't a leader. He wasn't a follower either. Although he'd undertaken both roles. Neither one was a good fit. Now he'd eaten it was time to tool up. Jake strapped his saber to his thigh, his rifle to his back and his pistols to his chest. Six of them, once the overheating replicator had finished its work. He'd accessorized his kit with a few new gadgets. The ideas for which he'd purloined from movies and TV. Modified sufficiently to avoid copyright issues. He felt like spoiling himself. The final touch being the black bird he pinned to his upper chest. Now that was real scifi. A quick look round at all that was happening.

The T'nanga prisoners were being loaded onto a transporter, which had arrived that morning. They looked a sorry bunch. These were the ones who had no idea their former patriarch and his cadre of advisers were machines. They'd fought, and in some cases died, for a false cause. Jake knew all about that. Well he knew a lot from bitter experience. The rest he would have to work out. That might take a long time, depending on circumstances. He was about to throw a lot of shit at a high speed fan. There was no telling where it would land. Or what would happen when it did. Jake exited the ship as the others were about to enter.

"Well I shall be off a visiting." He advised them. "I shouldn't be too long."
Chaska and Kaisha immediately grabbed their weapons and stood to. Fetu shouldered his ax.
"We're coming with you." Pip declared.
"There's no need. I can handle this myself."
"Oh we know you can. But none of us would miss this for the world. What have you got planned?"
He waggled his eyebrows.
"There's going to be a long overdue reckoning. They're bringing Pengelly and Scarlet to the camp. Where they'll be kept until their hearing. Daisy is trying to get past the guards to see them. Still trying to pull matriarchal rank I see, though it hasn't worked so far. We'll pass her on the way I expect. Get ready to see her reaction. Which will be priceless I promise you."
With that he set off. Striding along jauntily. The others fell into step.
"When are you planning on letting the Grand Patriarch know you're up and about?"
"Thanks for reminding me Pip." He tapped his badge. "Put me through to Ugo immediately. Tell him the Wanderer has returned."
There was a surprised exclamation at the other end. Shortly after which the patriarch's rich smooth voice came through.
"Damn me. First bit of good news we've had in what feels like a very long time. I expect there's some reason why you kept your survival a secret. You can tell me the whole story later. I have a lot on my plate right now."
"Could you please order the shield sisters not to get in my way?"
Ugo guffawed.
"They are sworn to protect me. I don't command them. They're perfectly capable of doing that themselves. I can make suggestions. They are free to ignore me and frequently do. Anyway, you're one of them now. You shouldn't have any problems. Chaska and Kaisha can see to those that do."

This was the case. The other surprise being people recognizing him. There wasn't a crowd. Small groups of shield sisters and ancillary staff were doing a clear up. The organic parts of the cyborgs were beginning to stink the place out. Flame throwers were being used on the larger machine/human hybrids, while the rest were being thrown onto a series of bonfires. The various details were spotting him. He could see their reactions were pretty positive. If he wanted to he could have listened in to their conversations. Jake's attention was elsewhere for now.

"I don't like this." Pip announced. "You're looking far too happy. I don't want you going all soft on me."
Jake threw open his coat revealing his arsenal of weaponry.
"Oh I'm fully committed to badass now. The badassery will shortly commence."
"It better. Otherwise you and I will fall out. I'm having one of those communications badges by the way. Who did you steal the idea off?"
"None of your business. Any particular style you'd prefer?"
"I like your big black bird, so I'll stick with that motif. What is it anyway?"
"It's a raven. At least I hope it is. Otherwise I'm going to look even more of an idiot than I am."
"It suits you. Most people will have no idea what it is."
"I've got a feeling that's going to change. Before too long everyone will know about the raven. Here goes."

They were now close to the site of the camp they'd set up when they arrived, what seemed like years ago. It was loosely guarded by a screen of shield sisters and security staff from the other clans. At this moment 3 of them were standing before Daisy as she attempted to reason with them. The normally serene Matriarch was becoming frayed at the edges. Repeatedly asking whether she would be allowed to meet with her friends. The guards had noticed him. They weren't even listening to her pleas and imprecations. They began to whisper to one another as he drew nearer. Again they looked happy to see him. That was a lovely little bonus. Hopefully a positive sign of what was to come. A few more bouncy steps and he was directly behind Daisy's right shoulder. She barely looked, too busy attempting to reason with the officers.

The troopers straightened to attention, right fists thumping into their shoulders in salute. He returned it with interest which finally drew Daisy's attention. Jake beamed. Pip and the shield sisters joined in. Fetu curved his lips ever so slightly. Man he was really becoming far too expressive. The shock was evident on her face. Daisy blinked rapidly taking a step back. She was obviously very surprised to see him. Equally obvious, was the fact this was an especially distressing one. Right up there with coming home to find your entire family dead. Her lips moved soundlessly as her eyes showed nothing but horror.

"J..j..jake! You're alive." The disappointment must have been soul destroying.
Still grinning widely he nodded amiably.
"Yeah. Sorry about that. There's been a drastic change of plans. If you'll excuse me. I have things to see and people to do."