[h2] Of Stealing and Long Walks[/h2] 
[b]Neri and James[/b] 
[i]A Terrans and Dyelli Beybi co-write[/i] 

The Town was still out of sight when James and Neri reached a largish house.  It was hearing midday by the time they got there, hot, with the promise of getting hotter as the afternoon drew on.  It was a rough and ready timber construction with solar panels on the roof and what looked like a mechanical water bore providing fresh water through a pipe to the house.  There was also, true to Neri's predictions, washing on a line.

Climbing vines grey up a long frame that allowed Neri to approach the house without being seen by anyone inside... if they were looking out.  It was hard to tell through the dark windows.

The dhasath was quick, quiet, removing a burgundy skirt and red plaid top, before darting forward to swipe a wide brimmed hat and pair of leather boots, that looked about her size, from where someone had left them in the back porch.  If anyone spotted her, nobody cried out 'thief' and a couple of minutes later she was getting changed in a small depression in the land shielded by a couple of scrubby bushes, "No peeking!" she hissed, her voice low, before adding with a slight groan of irritation, "Urgh... I think I picked up a man's shirt.  I'll wear it open over my singlet; guess it looks like I borrowed it from someone else at the 'crash site'.  I hope."

"I take offense at that notion Miss Neri." James replied from his side of the bushes. Slight indignation evident in his voice. "I might have been thrown in among disreputable individuals. But I am a person of honor and respect." 

It was unknown whether he gave any thought to the fact that the pair of them were currently donning stolen garments. 

James stepped around the bush as he finished changing at the same time as his Dhasath companion. The "Captain" having found a pair of neutral colored work pants; pocketed and well patched things that resembled cargo pants. Dusty and abused combat boots, laced tightly, gave him an extra inch of gravitas. A dark blue button up peeked out from beneath a duster; the duster made of something akin to leather. The duster sharing the same shade of dark brown as the hat which he settled just so upon his scalp. 

It appeared as if all of James' pilfered items had actually fit him. A coincidence he tried not to calculate as he took in his companion's ensemble. 

"Well, it appears we are now both presentable and not identifiable as wrongly accused felons. Shall we proceed to the next part of our excursion?"

"Yes, lets," Neri remained quiet for a while, scuffing up dust with her newly acquired boots as they carried on in the direction of town.  Though James caught her studying him with a sideways glance under the brim of her hat, "Hmm... you humans really do look like dhasath... it's uncanny.  Though you seem quite tall to me?  Would you amongst other humans?  Sorry... I've heard stories, and I heard some of you were on the ship, but I've never actually met a human before today."  She paused for a moment before adding, matter-of-factly, though with a hint of a grin, "I was tempted to peek.  Scientific curiosity.  You might have a mass of tentacles in the middle of your chest."

"No tentacles that I am aware of. Though you may feel free to not take me at my word." James replied, glancing at his new (literal) partner in crime. A grin mirroring Neri's.  "As for my height. Well, I am considered among the taller of humans. Though there are people of larger stature then me." 

"You though could pass as a human. Especially if you claimed to be from certain locales." His gaze appraising as if to confirm his suspicion.

"By the way, did you realise that creature off the ship was a ragon?" Neri glanced back as if half expecting it to be following them, "I'm sure you've heard the stories... tread carefully and carry a gun if you don't want to end up as lunch."

"A ragon?" He quirked an eyebrow and threw a glance over his shoulder. "Seems rather odd to ship something of that nature alongside the likes of us. I mean I know the circumstances of my false accusations and you don't seem to be leading a life of felony....outside a talent for purloining clothing."

"This is the first time I've stolen anything," Neri confessed, "And yes... the ragon is odd, but I think they think I was an armed rebel or something.  So maybe we've been lumped in with the most dangerous people they had?"  She shrugged, clearly Neri was guessing.

James mirrored the shrug. Tilting his brim slightly to ward off the sun. 

"I guess the reasons for our false imprisonments are moot at this point. Given our unofficial pardons and our current situations." He conceded. "So what story shall we conjure up for the masses. So we don't out ourself within a second of entering the town proper."

"They aren't irrelevant," Neri shook her head, "We don't know who we can trust and who we can't, but it's not as if there's an easy way to figure this out.  I'm going to stay on my guard."

"They'll probably have seen the ship landing and taking off," she thought for a moment, "So maybe we're colonists who've been robbed by whoever we'd chartered to take us to Caldera and we need some warm clothing for our companions?"

"A decent as any suggestion. Let us make haste then Miss Neri." His stride began to pick up.