Of Ponies and Puppies

Fragments Part 1

"This movie's kind of lame, isn't it?", Uzi asked, her eyes looking over at N.

N nodded, his hold on Colt tightening. "Yeah. This is uh, not good".

She bared her teeth in discomfort, "sorry dude, thought this would be a good movie".

The explosions on the screen made bright flashes of light splash onto their walls. The family was curled up on the couch together.

"Yeah... Kind of a lot of fighting going on in this movie", N said, "I don't really like it".

"Same", Uzi added as she reached for the remote and turned it off, "probably for the best we don't finish it. I don't want Colt seeing so much violence. He doesn't have to grow up like we did".

"He won't", N smiled at Uzi, "we're making sure of that". Uzi smiled back and leaned into him, her arm curling around Colt. N sighed in content and he cuddled up to Uzi too.

"You know", Uzi smiled, "it's nice that life is so mundane now. There's spice, but it's not stuff that'll kill us".

N's tail wagged on the floor below them, "yeah. I like this a lot".

Her hand reached for the remote again, "do we want to watch another movie tonight?".

He nodded, "I'd like that. I think it would be good to wash ourselves of that other movie".

"So what do you want to watch instead?", she asked.

He made a noise as he thought it over. "One of those movies about the puppies who do stuff!", he said.

Uzi laughed, "now that's something we haven't seen in a while. Let's see what we got".

They looked over the library of dog-related films N had on their entertainment system. Uzi pointed out which ones they had already seen. N was torn between a few movies in particular.

Before they could decide, a knock came from the door.

Uzi groaned, "didn't we tell V and Lizzy that we were busy tonight?".

N passed Colt off to Uzi, "I'll go talk".

He got up and opened the door, seeing a drone he didn't recognise very well. "Hey, um, Mr. and Mrs. Doorman?", he asked, "there's someone on the radio asking for you guys".

"The radio?", N asked, "who could that even be?".

Uzi got up in confusion, "yeah, who is asking for us?".

The other drone pointed over his shoulder, "I dunno, come up to the radio coms with me because she's kinda... eh?".

"She?", they practically said in unison, their gazes catching on each other in confusion.

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The group headed into the communication room, the couple being directed to the radio relay. A familiar voice could be faintly heard from the radio, N tensing at the sound. Uzi groaned as she held Colt tighter in her arms, "ughhh, not her".

"About time. You're three minutes past meeting time", the voice said over the radio.

N's fingers fidgeted with each other nervously, "J? You're... here?".

"Why'd you call us on the coms?", Uzi asked, a grimace on her face.

J audibly sighed, "I... accidentally hit the radio coms while landing my ship".

"Right...", Uzi said as she held Colt, "and you're here because?".

"Would you two meet me at the spire so we can talk without being listened in on?", J asked.