Clones on Earth

The Woods

Fern woke up early the next day to get ready for her rounds. She dressed in all green, a hoodie, trousers, and a camo pattern T-shirt. The clones woke up earlier today and are currently eating breakfast that Fern had made for them, sausage sandwich and orange juice. Safe to say the clones enjoyed the new flavour in their food, after eating the same bland rations for years.

After breakfast, and seconds, the group was ready to get on with the day. Kix insisted to help Fern change her bandages, which she allowed after great reluctance. The other clones were polishing their armour and cleaning the blasters when they stopped and noticed Fern was preparing to leave.

"Fern? Where you off too, kid?" Waxer asked, looking up from his blaster. The other clones looked to Fern for an answer.

"Oh, um, it's a teacher training day at school so I don't have to go to school today. But, um, I sorta help out the local rangers with keeping the woods safe, and stuff, um." Fern gulps," You can come if you want, no one is going to see you." Fern and the clones had previously discussed the fact that people may react weirdly if they saw the clones, and so they decided it was best for the time being to stay out of sight.

The Commander and Captain turn to discuss this, while Fern went to put on a pair of ankle-high boots that were caked in mud. Just as she is about to leave the house, the clones walked up behind her.

A little later, Fern was leading the group through a secluded woodland trail. The more energetic of the group, meaning Hardcase and Fives, were running ahead and exploring the area. The others were marvelling at the amount of Flora in the area, as well as listing to Fern as she pointed out several types of Fauna that she spotted.

When the group entered a small clearing they spit up, curious as to what else the planet could show them. Fern decided to sit on the stones at the edge of the somewhat wide river running through the glade, pulling out a small notepad and pen. Echo, who was previously preventing his overactive brothers from wandering too far, noticed Fern scribbling in her notes.

"Fern? What are you doing?" He asked walking over. Fern looked up at Echo, then back down to her notes, "Bird count." She answered simply. Fern gave a glance at his hand, "Sorry for biting you, I'm not the nicest when cornered."

Echo gave a dry chuckle as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck, "Well, we don't blame you. Any sane citizen would have probably done the same." Fern lowered her head with guilt, "Still, it shouldn't have been my first reaction."

Echo sighed, "If it's any consolation, what you did was ... impressive. We've gone up against Assassins and Clankers, but we didn't stand chance against you the other night." Fern looked up slightly, not used to receiving praise.

After a moment of silence, Fern glances over at the trio of orange clones, who were coming dangerously close to a particular flower. She bolts up, startling Echo, and warns the clones.

"I'd stay away from that Onopordum acanthium!"

"The what?" Asked Waxer, who stopped his approach along with Cody. Boil, however, continued.

"The purple flower with the spiky leaves!" Fern describes and quickly makes her way to the group.

Boil continues to ignore the girl as he reaches out to touch the plant ...

"Arrgg!" He quickly recoils, clutching his hand. Fern comes over and tuts, "Tch, well I did warn you." She mutters as she pulls the grumbling clone up by the shoulder and drags him over to the small river. Fern pushes the intergalactic soldier to his knees and forces his hand into the water. By now, the other clones had come over to investigate what was happening to their brother.

"And that is why I told you to stay away from that plant. Onopordum acanthium, also known as the Cotten Thistle or the Scotch Thistle, can cause irritating or somewhat painful sensations around areas of contact with skin." Fern explains as she takes a small box out of her bag and opens it. She pulls out a pair of tweezers and gently takes Boil's hand out of the cooling water.

She gently pulls the embedded spike out of Boil's hand and pulls out a small container of green slime. "This is a type of Aloe Vera, I've found helps with a few kinds of stings." Fern explained as she gently rubs the solution into his skin. "There, that should help." Fern stands and packs away her bag. "Come on, the rest of the trail is this way." She points to the opposite side of the river.

Rex and Cody glance at each other, unsure if the teen was actually able to get there. Rex speaks up first, "Uh, Kid? Are you sure you can make that?" Fern only stares back at them with a neutral face. "Yes, Can you?" She asks calmly before running to the edge of the river.

Fern pushes off the edge and expertly leaps across the rushing water below her. She looks back at the gobsmacked clones behind her.

'Maybe this won't be so bad.' Thought Fern as she watches Hardcase and Fives try and decipher how she made the jump, with a tilted head.