Red Rock

Chapter 18: Two Rats in a Cage (Part 2)

Daire threw his knees as high as he could to overcome the climb of the steep ridge. "We're almost there! I promise!" the hunter said, urging the group along.

"Why were you all the way out here for hunting?" Daire asked, wondering why he had to walk over three kilometers to a bone dry mountain of a hill. The three gardeners Daire brought with him were just as exhausted as he was, with the exception of Sathu. Sathu easily hopped from rock to rock with only a few drips of sweat streaming down her face. She was used to the Martian environment and was fit enough to conquer it with her lean chiseled body.

"We were tracking a herd of buffalo in this area," the hunter responded, taking another step upward to the top of the ridge.

"Buffalo?" Daire responded, having not realizing there was buffalo anywhere near.

"Yeah, buffalo! They migrate in herds, we saw a few tracks leading this way and thought we could catch them if we hurried."

"Did you catch them?" Daire asked, half knowing the answer.

"No," the hunter shook his head. "But we did see this white fluff coming from the top of this hill here. Then we found this." He pointed over the top of the ridge.

Daire's jaw dropped to the ground. A field of fuzz dressed in white with sketches of green lay below him. It was a wonderful collection of an alien plant never seen in the farms of Earth, a short and thick flower that bloomed with a soft majestic beard that snugged the tip of the stigma to the bottom of the receptacle. Tips of the fuzzy plant departed from the skin of the flower as a soft breath of wind grazed through the fields and carried the bits of weightless sensation to the sky, slowly filtering their way down on the shoulders of the four observers.

One of the gardeners softly pinched the fabric off her shoulder and rubbed it in her hands. "It feels like," she started, stopping to let the beauty of the moment sink in. "Cotton."

Daire turned to an equally stunned Sathu, who still couldn't find the words to mark the situation. "Have you ever seen this before?" he asked lightly so he wouldn't knock her over.

"This is Sambu. I am named after this plant. It is a wonderful, wonderful plant," she finished with tears coming out of her eyes."

"Is it useful?"

Sathu nodded, wiping her eyes clean.

"What is it used for?" Daire asked licking his lips, extremely anxious for Sathu to answer.

"Clothes, rope, beds, nets, anything you want."

Even if the plant could only produce those four things, it was worth Daire to invest his resources to harvest it. Daire took a step downward and led the way to the field of whiteness. He stopped thigh deep in the heavenly white fluff and tore a handful of the plant's product off its stem. The fluff had the consistency of soft cotton but was almost impossible for him to tear. Its durability was amazing for how light and dense it was.

"This is amazing!" one of the gardeners said turning to Sathu. "Do you know how to weave this, Sathu?"

Sathu stood on the outside of the high field and handled the plant like it was her child. "Yes, I can weave. Your life change now. My life change now. This plant so beautiful."

The gardener smiled and patted her on the shoulder. "What should be our next steps, Daire?"

Daire set his chin down in between his fingers. "We need people stationed out here as soon as possible. Sathu, can you stay out here and teach our people how to weave this plant."

Sathu looked at Daire like a god. "I would be honored to live near the Sambu."

Daire smiled. "Perfect! I'll tell you what to produce when you get things running and I will want you to tell me what is possible to do with it as well."