[center][h2]”Pumas and Pythons and Drop-Bears, Oh My!”[/h2][/center] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/KvP6IFv.jpg[/img][/center] Part 1 of a JP/Collab from [@xandrya], [@Gunther], [@wanderingwolf], and [@sail3695] The visit to Greenleaf had been a leisurely break for Joe Hooker. Compared to other stops, this was a relaxing visit. He enjoyed his time on the range with [i]Abby Oakley[/i]. He had fun shooting with her, but she won their shooting competition and Joe was stuck cleaning the head while they were planetside. He didn’t mind cleaning the commodes and shower stalls. He performed tasks like this on other ships and even as a child on the farm on Hera. He thought he caught Abby cleaning up one day after him. He said nothing to her. Maybe he missed something? It did bring a smile to his face. The rest of the time, on planet, he spent taking walks, reading books and inventorying the cold storage in the galley. There were plenty of leftovers including Beef Stew and Chile. He still had a few cakes, pies and cookies remaining from the Skye’s night in their shuttlecraft. Aside from having the gaming table upended and all the buttons scattered over him, while sprawled backwards across the floor, it was a fun night. Joe had been thinking about that night for the last few days. An observation he made about the ship’s pilot was her textured clothing. Personally he preferred mostly cottons, but her clothing was different, more colorful. It made him curious. He never asked her about her outfits, but they were admirable. The New Engineer seemed to be fitting in well. He hadn’t yet taken time to get to know him…sure he would be a great addition to the family. The captain said the ship would be leaving around noon on the fourth day. It was already the third. They had one last night on Greenleaf before they had to leave. [i]‘I know, let’s get everyone together and go out. Have a night on the town,’[/i] Joe thought to himself. He remembered the night playing cards with the Skyes and how they all went out to a Rave with Miss Penny a few nights ago. On this, the third day of their stop on Greenleafe, everytime Joe ran into someone on the ship, he would stop them and say, “Hey, we are leavin’ tomorrow. Let’s git everyone together and go out tahnight. Miss Penny can choose the spot since she knows the area best.” A mighty fine plan, ‘cept for when the time came, everybody thought everybody else did the askin’...so nobody had answers an’ the pilot was in the wind. They tried a couple ideas. Cap’n led ‘em to Cafe Al-Baz, but there’s a line all the way down the block. Abby come up with Hap’s La Frontera. After all, she’s sposed to pay a visit there anyway. Sounded fair an’ such, til they got there an’ found the place shuttered an’ dark. They stood for awhile, thirsty souls on the corner, huddled over a cortex. In the end, as was usual, it was the Doc saved their big night with her idea ‘bout “someplace in the jungle?” That set right with China Doll’s crew. With smiles an’ nods all around, they set off for the nearest jungle waterin’ hole, a safari lookin’ advert given’ ‘em their bearings…. “I dunno, Cap’n.” Abby’s followin’ along, but her eyes was on her cortex. “Map don’t show nothin’ but a big blob ‘o’ green where this road ends.” Cal went for his cigarette case. “Well, color me all kindsa bemused,” he lifted one of the smokes to his lips. “Here I was, conjurin’ you only used that thing to send nekkid pictures.” The deckhand didn’t rile none. “Gotta pay fer college somehow, sir.” Yuri listened to the exchange. [i]Surely,[/i] he thought, [i]that has to be a joke?[/i] Next to the idiosyncrasies of people, machines were so much simpler to make acquaintances. Better now to keep his word hole shut; there’d be plenty of opportunities to play the fool. Joe had grown accustomed to the banter between the captain and Miss Abby. He smiled at their discussion on naked photographs and funding higher education. He glanced at Yuri, [i]The New Guy[/i]. He knew he didn’t have a clue. Joe garnered a bit of amusement from the Engineer’s facial expression. In a low volume, Joe Hooker muttered to Yuri, “you git used to it. They’s havin’ fun is all.” The mechanic grinned. “Was I that obvious?” The rivalry between those two never ceased to amaze her. Alana stifled a giggle and were it not for the fact that she was walking towards the back of the pack, that much would have been noticeable. And to think she couldn't name a more entertaining duo unless some coin was involved. By and by, the pavement ‘neath their feet gave way to the thick, moist soil of the approaching jungle. Even under a bright moon, the thick tree line put up a wall of darkness to rattle the nerves. The little knot of China Doll crew strode forward to find a weatherbeaten sign, hand painted and lit by a naked bulb. [center][i][b]BUNGALOW BILL’s JUNGLE TREEHOUSE -follow the lights- Welcome to the jungle. Stuff to know: BEWARE THE PUMA! Stick to the path. Great big snakes. Dohn mah? Pumas hunt at night. You look mighty tasty. If something lands on you, brush it off. They get pissed off if you try to crush them. Don’t feed the pumas. Intentionally, that is. Have fun![/b][/i][/center] Not as big of a fan for certain wildlife, Alana shrugged her shoulders casually. "I ain't volunteering myself as the sacrificial lamb. Hell, I'd probably only be a snack, so maybe it's best I give the honors to one of the fellas more suited for the job," she gazed at Cal with a smirk. Maybe he'd read between the lines, maybe not. Abby laughed an’ snapped a pic. “I wanna see one ‘o’ them great big snakes,” she said. “Perfesser Marquina? That flower science guy? He promised tah send me a capture…no, Cap’n,” her tone went all droll, “that weren’t no double intendry.” Cal lowered his raised finger in exclamation before the deckhand shot down his lightbulb moment. Instead, he countered with a gust of smoke and a few choice words under his breath about big snakes and captures. “This way kids,” Captain Strand corralled, picking out the dirt path amidst the ferns. “Pumas?” Joe said as he read the sign. “Mmm. Miss Abby we didn’ see no Pumas when we went shootin’ mebee our boom booms scared ‘em away.” Joe knows he would have shot one if it did come close. He was always carrying the Ruger RedHawk. He knew enough when not to use it. “I ain’t too bright,” the girl fell into line as Cap’n led tha way, “but I conjure that sign jest let us in on a runnin’ gag. Fella I met once on Harvest warned me ‘bout ‘drop-bears,” she wiggled ‘er fingers in the air fer quotes. "Had me all wide eyed an’ fearful of walkin’ under trees till I seen folk laughin’.” Yuri laughed as he followed the group. “Me too,” he chortled. “My father told me stories of the Rat King who lived in the bowels of our skyplex. ‘Big as a man, with huge teeth and claws!’ It backfired on him, though, when my older brother Ivan and I snuck down to kill the monster. Papa had to explain why his two sons were covered head to toe in sludge oil from the traps.” “Ah, to be young and gullible.” He waved a broad hand in their direction, “I mean you two, seein’ as I ain’t never fell for drop-bears nor Rat Kings,” However, Cal scanned the darkening underbrush with a wary eye before returning to the road ahead, “Mark my words, pumas ain’t fairy tales; they’re cats twice as big as Abigail and with just as many pointy teeth, to boot.” He glanced to the back of the pack with a wink in Alana’s direction, “But don’t you worry, one of us [i]should[/i] satisfy.” [i]...to be continued…[/i]