Tank Borne

Part 13: To impress

Synsyn was bringing the leg and horn back with him to the shuttle when Liana with Parker in tow ran across him.
Liana jogged closet and said, "hey we were going to help you!"

Synsyn looked at Parker with a frown, pinning him in place, then looked at Liana while still walking along. He said in Youtja, "why is the bastard here?"
Liana looked at him from over her shoulder to the right while Synsyn was on her left. He was looking at the ground and other plants while he followed behind them.
Liana looked at Syn for a second then straight ahead saying, "look I figured since he's with us he can earn his keep like everyone here." Synyn just cocked his head trying to make out what she said then she tried translating, "he is here to help me help you."

Synsyn huffed but than said, "n'got (good)."

Parker was trying to listen in on them when he suddenly asked, "how do you know how to speak like them and how does he know how to speak?"

Liana answered Parker and said, "well the tank he was grown in imprinted things on him him. He told me that slowly he remembers how to do things but fighting and like hunting experience is earned I guess."

Parker's eyes grew wide and he said, "wait you mean to tell me he fought on the ship then killed that thing he's carrying on instinct?!"

Liana looked at the large hind quarter and leg being dragged on the hooves smiling. She said, "yeah I'm guessing. Pretty impressive I'd say."

They made it to the shuttle and Liana elbowed Synsyn saying, "look at you. Made big kill already at  a week old! Big strong pup!"

Synsyn was feeling quite puffed up and posing as if standing there taking it all in when she talked his language till she had to ruin it by calling him a pup."

He snarled at her and snapped saying, "not pup!"

Liana snickered and said back, "oh English now? Well no need to be so pissy! I was just making fun... giving you a compliment actually."

She faced him and looked hurt at his outburst. Synsyn saw something in her eyes and how her body heat faded from orange and bright yellows to a orange and green hue. Her temperature was dropping around her face and chest and he didn't like it.

Her scent smelled like she was sick too so he tried his luck at English again and asked, "you good?"

"Hmm?"

He pointed at her then at his face and chest, "you good?" His deep voice and lack of lips was throwing off his speech but he swore he said things right.

Liana got what he was saying then answered, "yeah I'm fine." She lied of course. Really felt like she was tired more than she should be and her chest hurt lie she was having trouble breathing or she was drowning."

Synsyn looked at Parker but noticed he was fine. He looked back at Liana and noticed she was looking at the horn in his belt and so he took it out and showed it to her. She tried to hold it when he handed it over but it was really solid and heavy. Not only heavy but it was four feet long and she commented, "it's actually well balanced and sharp for an animal horn. Would make a good weapon."
She handed it back and Synsyn took it and thought about what she said and was agreeing that he'd use it somehow. Then he looked at the leg and watched Liana take out her knife to carve it but Syn stopped her and she thought he didn't want anyone to touch it so she backed off but watched when he took the horn like a cleaver and hacked the leg off at the knee leaving the thigh like a giant chicken leg all ready to roast and eat but this was too big. He did it again till he had three good size pieces sitting on a giant wall ice that served at his butcher table. Liana commented, "it's still too big. Can I cut my own size?"

Syn looked at her with a satisfied smile on his face and nodded watching her cut a few serving sizes in strips for herself and Parker.  Parker was by the shuttle ramp not wanting to he anywhere near a Youtja with a weapon.

Liana turned after thanking Syn and went into the shuttle to put their net in the cooler just to come back out and said to Parker, "while that's chilling we should look for some vegetation to go with it."

Parker nodded and tried to ignore the Youtja eating his meat raw.

The rain had stopped for a bit while Liana and Parker were scanning plants that looked edible or fruits that smell good or looked ripe. They came across a fern that hand a man sized dark pink flower that looks like a day lily and a yellow with orange spots on the inside. Growing from vines of that flower where green lime colored fruits. Liana scanned it and the scanner showed it wasn't poisonous so she picked one that was the largest one she could find and the softest. She split it open in her hands and saw the inside was a bright purple color with black seeds shapes like an oranges. She took a bite and was surprised that it tasted like citrus and nectarine at the same time. "Mmm, oh my god you have to try this!" She said to Parker handing him half and he took a bit as she picked a few more, enough for their dinner and some for Synsyn to try.

Parker thanked her for the bite and asked, "are we going to look for more?"

Liana holding some fruit shook her head and said, "not for today. We'll have plenty of time to scout tomorrow. You'll have to stay because of dangers but I will leave you loose in the ship if I can trust you. Can I?"
She looked straight in his eyes as he was chewing the fruit then spitting out some seeds.

He nodded real quick and said, "yeah I'll cooperate."

"Good. Now let's go before Synsyn thinks you've ran off or hurt me again and comes charging." She finished and started walking back.

Parker caught up after a minute holding fruit of his own and walked next to her. He asked, "why does he seem to care so much for you?"

Liana thought about his question and knew it couldn't have anymore deeper meaning than, "I found him. I was on the ground team and was the one to find him and then saved him from you guys." She paused and Parker knew she wanted to say something more and waited for her to finish.

She started again by saying, "I guess all those years of studying their language and being able to talk to him helps... along with well."

"Well what?" Parker asked softly wondering and wanting her to finish.

"Youtja have a sense of justice and honor is a code to them. It's more important to keep your word then to keep breathing to them. Maybe your people should learn from that instead of freeze people and keep their illness weight against them."

At that Parker stopped and Liana turned frowning, she looked at him and waited for him to say something.

He said looking the ground then slowly looking at her, "I'm sorry. I mean for shooting you and well... I didn't know anything about you and only followed orders. I tried getting ahead by sucking up to Valgor and the company. I came from nothing and wanted to become someone important."

Liana rolled her eyes eyes and walked up to him and got into his face and said in a low serious tone, "you should only become something for yourself and suck up to no one but you."

Parker watched her back off then she continued, "learn from this little trip we're on and decide who you are. That's what I'm going to do with the time I have left till I can get Synsyn to his people where he belongs. Not with the company being cut to bits and studied in a lab!" She yelled at the end but not particularly at Parker.
He had to look away then back at her when she stormed off not caring if he followed her or not. She had tears from sadness and anger flowing down her cheeks. She wasn't really crying, no, she was frustrated.

She learns that she was frozen for one human lifetime then gets free from being a lab rat just to learn she's going to die a slow and painful death anyway.

Synsyn was her last mission and with her last breath if needed be, she was going to get him to his people.

      Somehow

                      Some way

                              I'll get you home for saving me too