Caught between predatorial dinosaurs and a group of armed men, Kat worries more about the dinosaurs.
Kat, an out Kat, an outdoor video star, tries to make amends with her mother on her home world, an alternate Earth where dinosaurs never went extin...
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The quadcopter set down squarely in the center of the pad out on the end of the floating dock. The copter was loud but not nearly as ear-splitting as some of the helicopters Kat had been near at other times, and its pitch was higher than that of the helicopters. Ripples stretched from the pad a short distance across the small bay. The motors shut off, and the four propellers quickly spun down. James sat in the pilot's seat and waved at them before sliding forward his door and popping out. Kat waved back.
"You're late." Kat grinned at her payback for his comment from dinner. She realized, though, she was grinning because she was happy to see him. She had always been happy to see him.
"Is that how we taught you to greet people?" Her mom chided before turning and waving. "Hello, James."
"Hi Mister and Misses Faberly. Hey, Kat." James warmly smiled as he walked toward them and shook her dad's hand and nodded at Kat and her mom. "A bit late because I ran into a little problem with some raptors I had to chase off. Figure that – raptor trouble in dinosaur country. Anyway, go on and climb in, all of you, while I get the tanks topped off. Got a few spare cans of biodiesel over by the bench for the day."
"I thought the motors were electric." Her dad pointed toward one of the propellers.
"The fuel runs the generator," James replied. "Only a small battery for the starter and the electronics."
"How are your folks? Have you seen them lately, James?" Her mom asked.
"They're fine. Had dinner with them the night before last," James replied.
"You're such a good son." Her mom glanced toward Kat.
Kat rolled her eyes and turned away. Reaching the copter, she climbed into the seat behind the pilot's seat. "Really, mother?" she muttered as she slid the door shut.
Her mother had marched around to the passenger front seat on the right and climbed inside. "Oh, is it mother now?"
"Only until you start acting like my mom again."
"Okay, you two, knock it off," her dad said. "No more of this snapping at each other today. Today we should act like a proper family, not a dysfunctional one."
As if there was such a thing as a proper family. Kat frowned before turning toward her window. "I'll stop if she stops," she mumbled.
"Fine." Her mom's shoulders slunk, and she appeared no happier than Kat to be declaring a ceasefire.
For a couple of minutes, no one said anything further. The silence grew heavy as if the air had suddenly become dense or maybe toxic. Kat considered for a moment apologizing, but then grew certain in her conviction it was her mother who was being unreasonable. After all, Kat was a grown woman with a suddenly blossoming career. Wasn't her mom the one being irrational in her expectations? The silence was killing Kat, but she felt tied up. Her father asked for no more negativity, but she could not think of anything positive to say.
