Home on the Range
Posted on Mon Mar 8th, 2021 @ 11:27am by Jonas Cutter
567 words; about a 3 minute read
Mission:
Frizzle
Location: Xaeprea Wilderness
The homesteads looked pretty quiet for the middle of the day. Positioned this far out from Haumea's central structures, it wasn't unusual for there to be very little going on, but in the midday sun it felt like Miller's farm was deserted. Jonas approached on foot, having left his Argo ATV down by the main roadway back to the colony. It wasn't a long way from Haumea, but it was far enough that he wasn't walking the whole way.
"Hey." He barked over at the tall ranch-hand sweeping up in the shade of the house. Jonas recognised Gus almost on sight; the Elasian was at least a foot taller than most of the other workers out this way. Easy to pick out. The other man waved, then slowly sauntered over.
"What can I do for you, Jonas?"
"Bobby Miller around?" Jonas leaned against a polycarbonate fence that had been painted white to look more picket-like. But it was over waist-height and didn't look nearly as well-maintained as a traditional wooden fence might.
"Not until later, I think. He's down by the river with the rest of his boys." Gus shrugged.
"Tell him to give me a call?"
"Something up, Ranger?" Gus asked. He wasn't the sharpest of the agricultural workers, but he had an honest enough way.
"Only if I catch his boys poking around the southern woods again," Jonas replied sternly. "They were marked up for a reason. Pyrithian bats are protected, and it's mating season. If Jamie and the others start stomping through there looking for trouble, it's going to find them." Gus probably didn't quite catch the fact that Jonas was the trouble, rather than the bats.
"Sure, I'll-" Gus peered around him. "Hey missy."
Jonas whirled as the mop-haired girl trudged their way, swinging a long-stemmed flower in one hand and humming a little tune.
"Beth?" Jonas glanced back and forth, then moved back to the girl and touched her shoulder. "Thought I told you to wait in the Argo?" he asked with a soft annoyance.
"I was bored. I wanted to see what you were doing, daddy." She smiled brightly. For a girl her age, she had developed a particular curiosity. One that covered just about everything; The girl was a sponge.
"Just taking care of some work, honey. Nothing too exciting here."
"Okay." She rocked from side to side, and started humming her tune again. Jonas looked at her, back over at Gus, and then to Beth again.
"All right, let's get you back home." He hauled her up into his arms, letting her swat him in the face with the stem of the flower a few times as a giggle escaped her lips.
"Can we go see the shuttles again? I like the shuttles." She started pulling at his wide-brimmed hat, peering underneath and blocking half his view. He couldn't help but let down the stern expression and smiling at her.
"Later, honey. Daddy's got a few people to go see. Hey - want to see the Antlions again? Can help me feed them this time."
"Yay!" Bethany cheered and exaggerated a fist-pump.
"Hey, easy there little Beth..." he grumbled as she shifted in his grasp. "Let's go then."
The ranger and his wriggling companion began the long walk back towards the main road section, the little girl now singing a more lively tune at the top of her lungs.
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