A Glibertarians Exclusive: A Glibertarians Exclusive: Riding the String II
A Strange New World
Kchtiktak looked at his mate Krrik with some consternation visible in the angle of his crest feathers. These… creatures had emerged from some sort of machine. They wore wrappings of some sort around their bodies, and one was carrying a container of some kind. Both had some odd growth on their heads, not really like feathers, more like the soft strands one found on some of the little scurrying animals that lived in the undergrowth, and which made for good snacking.
But these were obviously intelligent beings, not prey. They couldn’t seem to speak, though. They made some kind of oddly melodic, clipped sounds to each other; Kchtiktak supposed that was how they spoke to each other.
Kchtiktak turned his gaze back to the creatures. One of them had something in one of its front limbs; it had hands, of a sort, but they had no scales and no claws. In fact, Kchtiktak didn’t see any scales on any of the thing’s exposed skin, no more than feathers.
How odd they are.
Suddenly Kchtiktak realized what the object in the one creature’s hand was; a device for carrying water, very similar to what Krrik used to fetch water from the river, save that it was not made from cured honker skin but some other material. Kchtiktak pointed one foreclaw at the thing and made a whooshing sound.
***
Anne dropped to her knees, sobbing. “Will,” she blurted out, “they’re going to eat us. They’re dinosaurs, they’ll eat us.”
Will reached down for her. “I don’t think so, hon. Look – that big one, he pointed at our bucket and made a sound like running water. Do you think he understands what we’re looking for?”
The creature raised its red crest and dropped it again. It made the whooshing sound again, then turned and pointed towards the stream. It looked back at Will, then at Anne, then back at Will. Finally, it raised one cupped, clawed hand to its snout, and lapped at the dry palm with its long, narrow tongue.
“He means there is water,” Will said. He smiled at the creature. “Look, Anne, he mimed like he was drinking. There is a stream. We can get water for the reaction chamber and go home.”
He helped her up. Anne looked warily at the two… dinosaurs. “They look like some kind of raptor,” she managed to say.
“Anne,” Will said in a soft, reassuring tone, “they’re not just beasts. They’re intelligent. Look at the harnesses they wear and look at the staff the big one has. Those were crafted.  These are civilized creatures. The big one recognized the bucket and told us where to find water! Come on – let’s get the bucket filled and get back to the Transiter.”
“All right.” Anne clung to Will’s arm as they walked past the two creatures that she could now think of only as raptors.
The two raptors followed at a respectful distance; their demeanor was curious but not threatening. Whenever Anne looked over her shoulder, both raptors would do the strange head-bobbing dance they had done at first.
When they reached the stream, Will filled the bucket with clear, cold water. “I don’t think we ought to drink any of it,” he said. “Hard to tell what might be in it. But the reaction chamber will filter out anything that can’t be converted, so should be OK there.”
“Fine,” Anne said.
“Here,” Will said. “Forget about them. Sit down for a moment. You’re awfully pale, hon. Don’t come apart on me now. Remember, I need you.”
“I want to go home,” Anne said.
“I know. But I can’t take you there yet. We’ll be here a day or two. May as well get used to it.”
The two raptors apparently lost interest and wandered away, splashing through the stream and disappearing into a grove of funny-looking trees a hundred meters or so away.
Will sat down beside Anne. He chuckled. “My Mom wanted me to go to medical school, you know. Can you imagine me as a doctor? Delivering babies, giving people shots. She was pretty torqued when I said I wanted to study quantum physics.”
Anne leaned on Will. “There’s nothing wrong with being a doctor. Doctors save lives.”
“I suppose they do. Kind of late to think about that now.”
Anne nodded.
“Come on. It’s getting dark. Let’s get back to the Transiter, get this water in the chamber, and get the cycle running. Then let’s get some sleep.”
“Yes,” Anne said, “That sounds fine. I’m sorry, Will; I’m sorry I almost fell apart on you. I want to be stronger. I need to get stronger. It’s just that all this, well, we never even imagined…”
“Don’t worry. We’ll be fine. Everything will be fine.”
***
Back at the clan’s lek, Kchtiktak sought out their lek’s Elder, a frazzled-looking old male named K’tooktook. He felt he needed advice about the strange creatures he and Krrik had encountered.
After the brief, traditional dance of greeting, K’tooktook invited Kchtiktak to rest by the fire. “What brings you to see me, son of my nestmate?”
“Nestmate of my father,” Kchtiktak began formally, “I have had an encounter with a new kind of creature, out on the grassland across the stream. It was unlike anything I’ve seen before. I think they came from very far away,” he said and went on to describe the strange upright beings.
“Are they food?” K’tooktook asked.
“I do not think so, nestmate of my father,” Kchtiktak replied. “They are thinking beings, as we are. If it is wrong to prey on each other as we are thinking beings, is it not wrong to prey on other thinking beings? We prey on honkers, and on the little scurriers in the brush at times, and sometimes the clans come together to hunt the great long-necks of the plains, but they are not thinking things.”
“There are no other thinking things but us,” K’tooktook pointed out, using the name the species called themselves, “no others but the Flock.”
“There are now,” Kchtiktak objected. “And they brought their nest with them. We saw it, Krrik and I. It was very much like a great egg, but shining, like water.”
K’tooktook considered that. “If they have set a nest there, they will not be going away. I will send runners for the elders of the three other leks in our valley. It will take a day, maybe two, for them to journey here. We will meet here, at our lek, nearest the strangers. Together we will decide if they are to be prey or not.”
***
Two days later, Will looked at the ribbon gauges for the reactor for the thousandth time. “Maybe another hour,” he opined. “Then we can go home.”
Anne had suffered another panic attack that morning when one of this world’s strange beings had approached the Transiter; Will thought it was the larger of the two they had encountered on the first day, but there was no way to be sure. Will held Anne and comforted her until the strange being, after walking slowly around the Transiter several times, ran off.
“See? They can’t get at us in here.”
The day ticked by slowly. Will went outside twice to take care of natural necessities, but Anne couldn’t be convinced to leave the Transiter. Then, towards afternoon, as she was looking out the port:
“Will. Look. Those things are back. Look, there must be twenty of them!”
The creatures rushed at the Transiter, all bearing staves similar to what the creature on the first day carried. They swarmed the device, stabbing at it with the staves. One big one with a red crest flecked with white found the hatch and was trying to pry it open as Will watched in the viewer, making him wonder, why didn’t I bring a weapon?
He looked at the panel. A green light suddenly snapped on. The recharge was complete.
“Anne!” Will barked. “Get into your seat and buckle in!”
He had long since reprogrammed the navigation console to retrace their transit from low Earth orbit. He punched up the program and hit the Execute key. The blackness-that-wasn’t-black surrounded them as they rode the String away from the strange world.
***
Kchtiktak stood, wonderstruck, looking at the place where moments before the great shining egg-form had stood.  He had come earlier, alone, to try to warn the strange beings of the Lek-Elders’ decision, but they had not been in evidence; now they were gone.
“Where did it go?” K’tooktook demanded over the gabble of excited voices of the Flock. “What happened?”
“They left,” Kchtiktak said, belaboring the obvious. “Not food, after all, it seems.”
***
Come over here from over there, girl
Sit down here. You can have my chair
I can’t see us goin’ anywhere, girl
The only place open is a thousand miles away and I can’t take you there
I wish I’d have been a doctor
Maybe I’d have saved some life that had been lost
Maybe I’d have done some good in the world
’Stead of burning every bridge I crossed
Don’t fall apart on me tonight
I just don’t think that I could handle it
Don’t fall apart on me tonight
Yesterday’s just a memory
Tomorrow is never what it’s supposed to be
And I need you, oh, yeah
He didn’t bring a weapon? What, was he from California?
Well, their intended destination was Martian orbit. Not really much need for a weapon there given the Solar System appears to be civilized (unless, of course you’re expecting an Earth-shattering ka-boom and all…)
Also also — this is the same genius that decided “Let’s test our completely new drive technology with its inventor instead of a probe”, remember.
Wait, you’re going to Mars and are not armed sufficiently to subdue the warlike Martians?
I don’t care if he’s going down the hall for a whizz. Basic defensive capability is a must.
Why does my wife make fun of me for that?
Especially if they had packed steaks for the journey.
Ask John Carter how that turns out.
Nice read as always, Animal — looking forward to see where this goes.
Alternative one – they shared a virus and the poor Flock will suffer for it. Bird Flu.
Alternative two – Next stop is an alternate world where Kchiktak’s mate Krrik is a war leader of a vast Flock Empire. Finding out about other alternate worlds shatters her mind until she shouts out: “I AM CAPTAIN KRRIK!”
And I honestly expected one of the Flock Elders to be egg-sitting unexpectedly on this hop… but it doesn’t sound like it.
This ends like Quantum Leap with them never going home, doesn’t it?
That’s a terrible ending.
It was.
At least eventually he leapt into a starship captain to keep the Evil Leapers from breaking the UFP timeline.
Then off to New Orleans.
Even worse – like Sliders – with all the original cast members and writers leaving.
Fun read Animal.
Shit. Mrs. Suthenboy has been called for Jury Duty. I was called once before but I was fortunate enough to have a good reason to beg out. She does not have one. Voir dire today…keeping my fingers crossed.
Judge hand-waived and said “Don’t worry, the trial will only last a day.”
Uh huh. Where have I heard that before?
Yuck. Actual jury not just pool? California tried to get me four times but I never made it to the pool. Virginia hasn’t even tried.
They tried to get me as well but I slipped their grasp. The Mrs. was at home with a broken foot (very painful and debilitating) so I got free.
Lucky thing….the trial was for Creepy Torture Dungeon Guy not far from where we live. He had kidnapped a bunch of women, chained them up in his dungeon then raped and tortured them. Fuckkkkk, I dont want to know the details of that.
Sister-in-law got called once and served. Once they realized they had a sucker they kept calling her. I think she has served half of a dozen times now.
“This neighborhood has character.”
Years ago I was called but dismissed due to my views on drug legalization. Mrs. TOK was called a few weeks ago, was placed on a jury, and after a few days they called it a mistrial. But she enjoyed it and would do it again, and at $80 a day it’s not as much of a hardship.
I get full pay for days spent on Jury duty.
The Army also gave unlimited jury leave.
Been a while for me. I get called, hang out all day in the big waiting room. One time I did get picked but the defendant copped a plea and we all got to go home. I don’t mind it.
As I like to say, “I’m not stuck in here with you folks, you are all stuck in here with me!”
I was summoned as a witness to a DUI trial but the defendant accepted a plea the night before the trial.
Last moment plea deals are not unusual, though it usually means sitting and waiting most of the day while they work it out.
Get a temporary tattoo of a swastika. Something on the arms that can be covered by a jacket. Take off the jacket for voire dire.
Too innocuous. Put it on you forehead.
LOL, I had the same thought.
I was thinking of safety to and from the court house. Which is why I was recommending it to be able to be covered up.
Called up three times, served twice, once as foreman. I loved it, it was the most basic aspect of citizenship, and I recommend it too all.
Thanks for the story Animal.
Yes! I can’t wait to see where this story goes next. Without any defensive armaments. It’s like Doctor Who!
When they get home . . . . it’s all damn, dirty apes.
Lol!
I would settle for weeping in front of the destroyed Statue of Liberty while Hunter strolls by casually doing a bump of cocaine.
About that…
@Swissy … I put something in pending.
Thankee.
He had long since reprogrammed the navigation console to retrace their transit from low Earth orbit.
“retrace”. Heh. Let’s see what actually happens.
It was a metric/imperial conversion error, right?
If he’s using a base 10 number system, the calculations will never come out right.
…please tell me he’s not doing his calculations in excel?
Never! He’s using LibreOffice Calc!
https://www.engadget.com/amazons-fallout-series-finally-has-a-release-date-163430938.html
🙂
I didn’t even know they planned to rape that IP too.
That’s my expectation, yeah.
And LA? Starting in 2077? Really? And supposedly canonical?
So…. we can look forward to all the characters we care about becoming Super Mutants, Followers of the Apocalypse or fodder for the Master’s armies in other ways until the Vault Dweller nukes ’em til they glow?
I mean… seriously — why say you’re abiding by the canon and then plopping it into a city where the future has been seen instead of an unknown Vault in a mystery area? Your writers just can’t let go of LA?
If they were smart (which I doubt) then they could keep the cost down by making the whole series take place in the vault, dealing with slowly realizing they’re part of a twisted experiment as their society breaks down. The series ends with a whole cast wipe.
Rocks fall… everyone dies.
But it would fit the setting, and be easily regarded as canonical.
Oh, that wasn’t me disagreeing with you. Especially given the state of Vault 15 in the original Fallout, I would certainly buy it.
Let me guess: While traversing the radioactive wastes looking for supplies, they all discuss their privilege.
And then Sting shows up in a bikini.
~s/bi/man/
Walton Goggins and Kyle McLaughlin? Should be weird enoujgh.
Oh, this is nice.
To give the most generous interpretation — they used a stock “contract” they trot out for bullying incidents so kids don’t gloat about it or something (still an unconstitutional abridgement of speech given they’re a public school). Wildly inappropriate in this case… as is finding it to be “political” speech and all.
Children can’t sign legally binding contracts, AFAIK.
They are expanding what decisions children can make without parental approval. Still no alcohol, tobacco, or firearms.
More likely, sounds like middle school kids saying stupid shit because it’s verboten or to provoke other kids.
Manhattan Beach? Anyone talk to Jesse lately?
The absentee glib from Manitoba??
/dense
Well, I wouldn’t ask about Playa — he only uses us to find out the Cal score.
Speaking of absentee Glibs: Anyone heard from Penguin?
The Bee finally triggers me:
https://babylonbee.com/news/texans-announce-plan-to-keep-pretending-whataburger-is-good
“We’ve decided to live or die singing the praises of Whataburger. Probably die, though, because it’s really not that good.”
Bee jabs knife into kidney….
Texans were preparing to hold another important meeting to address whether or not they had any legal or moral standing to keep referring to the perennially mediocre Dallas Cowboys as “America’s Team.”
and twists.
I’m okay with the twist. “Dak Prescott cologne: For the mights when you don’t want to score” and all. But leave Whataburger alone!
*Shakes fist, tightens onion on belt.
Dammit, any place I can get a bacon cheeseburger at 5:00 in the morning on my way into work is good for at least some definitions of good!
And they actually use green chiles on their burgers!
Tomorrow’s Bee headline: “Only Rats and Space Aliens Like Whataburger.”
Mahomes brought Whataburger here. I haven’t tried it. A burger’s a buger’s a burger’s a burger’s a burger.
Since they discontinued the Monterey Melt, they can eff right off.
In the morning links, Mo (I think) mentioned seeing military aircraft flying around. Last night the wife notes a post in her Facebook feed that an Ohio-based air wing (ANG? I guess) will be practicing in their F-16s at night, so we shouldn’t be surprised to hear sonic booms in the night. First, this just appeared in her feed, it was not posted by someone she knows, so the gov tells Facebook “show this to everyone in Ohio?” Second, this is the first time I’m aware of such a warning, which suggests this is exceptional behavior, so why are we practicing night operations now? ::adjusts tin foil hat::
That’s what I’m thinking.
Quantico is always up to something
Happy Halloween
“No evidence” murder of Detroit synagogue president was hate crime, police chief says
Obviously her killer “loved” her. Once again proving the inanity of “hate” crimes.
Women in Iceland, including the prime minister, to strike over gender inequality
+1 Lysistrata
The entire US House is on strike.
In the related articles: “Nine out of 10 people are biased against women, UN report finds”
Hmmm……
Who’s going to make the sammiches?
We order from Whataburger now, Sean. Don’t look back.
Such a sexist country they have a female prime minister. ..
Because oh so many people think women are completely unimportant in the home and in society. (eyeroll)
Of course, they lost me at “unpaid work”… because adults tending to their own houses and chores is just patriarchy, MAAAN.
KJP trotting out something on the level of Why do you make them hit you?. Geez.