I've long been curious as to what sort of life Mestral would've lived on earth: whether or not he'd stay in Carbon Creek or become more like a wandering gypsy in his efforts to study humanity. I don't own anything except the idea of this story and the OCs. I hope you enjoy; please review if you do or even if you don't. Also if you have a request for a certain scene or moment let me know, I aim to please. :)
He found the heat cast by the midday sun to be most agreeable. His prior research on the north Midwestern area of this country had alerted him to the extreme weather patterns that often occurred in the 365 day pattern year, with the winters being far colder than any he'd experienced prior. He'd already made what he felt to be the necessary arrangements to combat the coming winter: instead of having one suitcase he now carried two, his newly bought winter coat taking up most of the space in the second suitcase. The official first day of winter was still four months, seven days, thirteen hours, and twenty-seven minutes away. If he had need of purchasing more supplies in order to cope with the weather patterns of this region, he would have ample amount of time to do so.
Mestral stepped away from the bus and onto the curb of the Montana town of Great Falls. He set his suitcases on the ground by his feet and turned slowly in a circle, observing all that was around him as he recited what he knew of the place in his mind. Currently it was the largest city in Montana with the population size, according to the last census, at 55,244. He knew the average temperature in summer was 90 degrees Fahrenheit and winter below 0. The wettest months were in spring and the summers often had thunderstorms in the afternoon. The primary economic activities of the city were centered on the river and its trade but further out from the city the economic activities varied between agriculture and cattle ranching. It was for the latter that he'd come here.
In the four years he'd been on this planet he'd made it a point to never stay longer than a year in one area. He'd discovered from his time in Carbon Creek that if he stayed longer than a year the locals began to ask more questions and grow bolder in their interactions with him, feeling that the formalities of stranger-hood were done away with after such a length of time. He did not find these more intimate levels of social interaction to be disagreeable (unlike his counterparts back on Vulcan who most certainly would have), aside from the risk it posed towards his true nature; however, it was more efficient to avoid unnecessary entanglements if at all possible. He'd learned that such intimacies could prove cumbersome to extract himself from.
He still thought of Maggie on occasion, and was curious as to how Jack was faring in his studies, but had never made an effort to re-contact either individual once he'd left the town a few months after T'Mir and Stron had returned to Vulcan with the rescue vessel; that was four years ago. Since that time, Mestral had been able to gather enough data from his daily interactions with humans to now know that such behavior was not common, except for a certain "type" of person that he'd heard called: a drifter. While he did not see any similarities between himself and the more common stereotypical traits of such individuals, Mestal had at least once wondered if Maggie now reflected on him in such a fashion. Through Maggie he'd been able to glimpse more closely the emotional workings of human females (and in the years since he'd not attempted to grow close to any other females emotionally or physically; her few kisses and touches had been experiment enough for him) and Jack had also presented to him many opportunities to observe the emotional and physical changes adolescent humans go through in their growth process.
"Hey, hey buddy," Mestral looked to his left and saw a tall man (no more likely an adolescent) waving at him as he came closer, "are you Mister Mestral?"
"I am." Mestral turned to face the human fully. "Are you my contact for the Yew Valley Farm?"
The adolescent pushed back the hat upon his tawny haired head (Mestral believed it was commonly called a cowboy hat) to reveal more of his forehead, "I'm Jessup." He held out his hand and Mestral quickly responded with a firm handshake approximately two seconds in length with three equal pumps up and down (he understood quite well by now that to refuse such a gesture was seen as rude and often caused unnecessary questions). "I'll be your bunk mate for the rest of the summer before I head back east for school. Is that all your gear?" He pointed to Mestral's suitcases. Mestral nodded. "You pack light. Well come on, the pickup is over here. We've still got a few hour's drive ahead of us. Most likely won't get there until right about sundown. I already picked up the supplies Miss Jodi needed but is there anything you'd like to get before we head out to the ranch?"
Mestral shook his head, "I am sufficiently prepared for our journey."
The youth eyed Mestral's bags for a moment before he shrugged and gestured for Mestral to follow him. They walked for about a block before they came upon the "pickup" Jessup had earlier spoken about. Mestral had not yet ridden in one of these vehicles, though the further west he'd traveled the more he'd seen of them. He found the design to be efficient for work that required hauling of materials and was therefore not surprised that this was the vehicle that Jessup was driving.
"Just toss your gear in the back with the other stuff." Jessup called from across the back of the truck prior to entering the vehicle on the driver's side.
Mestral placed his suitcases in between two wooden crates, thereby sheltering them from the elements and ensuring that they would not accidentally bounce out of the vehicle if they encountered rough roads. He too entered the vehicle then and reached for the safety belt. He paused and looked over to Jessup in question when he found that there was no such belt.
"Oh Hank, the foreman, got tired of it always getting in the way whenever we all had to pile in here on our fence checks so he took it out." Jessup ignited the engine and put the vehicle into gear. "Don't worry. I've been driving since I could barely walk. You're in good hands."
Mestral nodded and resisted the urge to hold onto the door of the vehicle when the youth shot out of the parking space and into oncoming traffic.
Jodi closed the barn door and wiped her hands on the sides of her pants. Hank was right about the heifer; they'd need to get the vet out there as soon as possible if they wanted to save her. It was just past calfing time and the poor girl hadn't come through the season very well. Jodi hated this part of ranching; losing a part of her herd always felt like she was losing a part of her family. Her father had always teased her for getting too attached to the herd, warning her that accidents happened and sales also had to happen and that it'd be best to not go around naming everything with four legs and big ol' eyes. Jodi smiled at the memory of her father and shook her head. He'd most likely have only shook his head to know that this particular heifer was named Nancy.
She looked up then when she saw the headlights of a vehicle pull onto the long drive that lead to the main house. Most likely it was Jessup with the supplies and their new cowhand. There were right on time, at least right on the projected time Jodi had estimated they'd arrive after Jessup got a somewhat late start to his trip. It was a shame to lose Jessup but she was happy that he was pursuing his dream out east. Ranching may have been in his family for generations but he felt destined for greater things and he had the gumption to pursue the education he needed to achieve those things. Jodi would not begrudge the kid that passion or drive. She was just glad that he would be able to train in the new cowhand before he left. It wasn't always easy getting new cowhands at this time of year, especially not this far out of Great Falls, but Jessup's grandfather's sister's cousin's…Jodi shook her head. She couldn't remember what the connection was but Jessup trusted the connection and the man the connection had recommended. After working with Jessup for close to four years now, Jodi trusted Jessup's judgement.
She rechecked the latch on the barn then headed towards the main house. The sun was just starting to sink on the horizon. It was her favorite part of the day. The fields were bathed in an amber light and while one side of the sky was lit with a myriad of oranges, pinks, and yellows, the other was darkening into velvety blues, purples and black. The end of another productive and long day. The muscles in her arms and upper back were just tight enough to remind her that she'd done some good, hard labor earlier in the day, and her mind was at ease in such a way as to let her know that she'd accomplished everything on her to-do list. Jodi smiled as she knocked the dirt off her boots on the edge of the porch steps. She'd sleep well tonight.
She was just coming around the corner of the porch to the main entrance when Jessup parked. Illah May and Dirk were already coming towards the truck ready to unload the supplies. Jessup hopped out and gave Jodi a wave before he turned to talk to Dirk. Jodi nodded to the kid then turned her attention to the other figure emerging from the truck. She first noticed that he was tall, taller than Jessup and Jessup was the tallest of the ranch hands, and broad shouldered; he didn't quite have the bulk of Kelly but she was certain that this man could hold his own in regards to strength. Next she noticed that his head was covered with a knit cap, an accessory Jodi found a might strange given the heat of this time of year, but the rest of his clothing matched the description Jessup had earlier given her (and that he'd received from his grandfather's sister's…whatever): a neat and durable button-down shirt (according to Jessup's contact the man cycled through about three of these shirts, all alike in design and style), khaki trousers, and durable work boots.
Jodi watched as he pulled two suitcases from the back of the truck and set them down near the front tire. His eyes moved across the rest of the spacious front yard, from the truck over towards the barn and then towards the closest bunkhouses, but did not move his gaze in her direction. Seemingly satisfied with his perusal, he then moved towards Dirk, Jessup, and Illah May. The fact that he was already offering to help them, prior to making her acquaintance, was commendable in her mind. She'd thankfully had only ever had to fire one ranch hand in her time as "the boss" while all the others who'd come through had proven trustworthy and true. It was comforting to have what looked to be another such fellow arrive now.
She'd been blessed to have the respect of her men, given readily to her from the reputation of her family, her grandfather, and so on. Her family had been an established presence in this valley for many years and any who applied to work for the ranch had no doubt that she knew what she was doing and gender was not an issue. Typically speaking, though, gender rarely was an issue in these parts. The elements could get so harsh sometimes that a person was damned lucky to have a partner, male or female, to cover their back and keep them alive. Jodi had always liked that part of the culture of her hometown, having had the opportunity to travel further abroad than most in her peer group she could compare it to many other cultures. She was one of those who'd gone out to see the world out of curiosity and then come back home for a contented existence, rooted to the same spot. When she listened to some of the women in town, whenever she happened to get there, she'd find herself unable to relate to many of them with their desires for this or that. Perhaps she'd grown too practical in her years of running the ranch.
The small group finished unloading the truck and Jodi nodded to herself before moving back around the corner to the side entrance. She wanted to clean up at least a little before she met the newcomer. She always liked to look professional when meeting newcomers; having the grime of a long day on her clothes and face was perhaps professional looking for a ranch owner, and a sight they'd most often see, but she'd prefer the first impression to be a clean one.
Mestral nodded once more to Kelly, the other "bunk mate" Jessup had introduced to him, before the large man turned and went back towards the bunkhouse. He'd been on the premises for an hour, aiding the process of unloading supplies and setting them in their proper places. In that time Jessup had introduced him to five other individuals who worked on the ranch: two were kitchen workers, and the other three were employed as wranglers (the men responsible for training the horses of the facility). The total number of ranch hands numbered close to twenty, with the majority living on the premises in the bunkhouses or the main house, depending upon their daily duties. As time passed and Jessup continued to talk animatedly with his hands and vocal inflections, it appeared that the youth was most eager to acquaint Mestral with the many comings and goings of the place in one sitting. Mestral found his energy and enthusiasm most fascinating.
"Jessup." Mestral turned towards the source of the voice, the youth at his side doing the same. A woman clothed in a dark shirt and blue trousers stood at the entrance to the kitchen where they'd just finished their work. She was taller than the average human female he'd encountered, her complexion also darker than her peers back east (most likely due to her hours outdoors). Her hair was of a reddish hue, long, and in a fashion he'd understood to be called "braided." Although she had her arms crossed over her chest, a stance Mestral had learned to be one of defiance or displeasure, it appeared that she was trying not to smile. "Just when were you going to introduce our new cowhand to me?"
"Oh sorry Miss Jodi." Jessup took off his hat and held it with both hands in front of his body. "I guess I got carried away telling him about Yew Valley." He gestured towards Mestral. "Miss Jodi this is Mister Mestral. Mister Mestral this is Miss Jodi Madsen, the owner of Yew Valley Farm."
Mestral had learned that in regards to human females it was best to wait to see if they would offer their hand for the customary handshake. Some women refrained, and these women were typically of a more delicate nature than those who partook of the custom. Handshaking had been fascinating enough to learn to do with males but with females it had proven more demanding upon his shielding to adjust to. This woman silently closed the few feet between them and held out her hand. Mestral shielded his emotions more carefully when he took her hand and repeated the same routine as he'd done earlier with Jessup. He had learned to not look at the gesture in the connotations as it would stand within his own culture, that would be illogical to do in this time and place, but there was a part of him that still pulled back whenever he had to make the gesture with a female. He never tried to pry into what others were feeling whenever they touched him, it was not his place, but there were times when a small increment of emotion would move past his shields. He was even more careful in regards to touching females, as on a generalized scale it seemed that their emotional barriers were easier to glean more readily than males. Though their handshake was efficient and brief, Mestral had a brief movement of emotion within his mind that he knew had come from the woman: a different form of contentment than that which he was used to, and not disagreeable in the slightest.
"A pleasure to have you here at Yew Valley Farm, Mister Mestral." The woman smiled again, though not a large toothy smile that many humans were apt to offer. It was smaller but no less an indication of welcome. "I hope the trip wasn't too taxing for you."
Mestral gave a nod, "Though the journey was indeed long it was not overly arduous." He paused then offered. "You appear to have an efficiently run facility Miss Madsen. I thank you for including my service amongst your people."
"Not a problem, Mister Mestral." Her smile returned, though this time the quality of it had changed. Mestral was not yet a scholar of human emotions but it seemed that the woman was amused by his words. He would have to think on that later. He had been told before that the manner in which he conversed appeared formal to most humans. Perhaps this was another instance of that. "Have you eaten yet?"
"I have not Miss Madsen."
She turned to Jessup and Mestral saw that her expression was one of displeasure but not anger. "And when were you going to feed our new cowhand, Jessup?"
The youth's cheeks reddened in what Mestral knew to be a reaction of embarrassment, "Right away Miss Jodi." He disappeared into the adjoining room of the kitchen where the other two kitchen workers had previously gone.
"You can follow me into the dining room Mister Mestral." He looked back towards the woman to see that she was already leaving the room, fully expectant on his following. "We'll be more comfortable there."
Mestral followed, taking in the details of all the decorative objects adorning the walls of the corridor they passed through. Judging by the number of objects (pictures, stuffed animal carcasses, decorative blankets, and more) and the variety of their aged conditions, Mestral would venture that this house and the ranch itself was quite old by human standards.
"Yew Valley Farm has been here for over a hundred years." The woman spoke over her shoulder, as if she'd been aware of his thought pattern. "It had been passed through the Madsen family from father to son up until I came along." They arrived at the dining room and she gestured for him to sit at one end of an elongated table while she moved to sit around the corner from him. "My parents were unable to have more than me so it was only natural that I inherited it. My uncles have their own places and none of my aunts or their boys were interested." She folded her hands in front of her, resting them on the cool surface of the table, and Mestral mimicked her position. He had grown accustomed to the human tendency for full disclosure of life events upon first acquainting themselves. "Life out here can be quite isolated and harsh, just like the land. Each day is long and hard and not for the faint of heart. There are just as many sacrifices that must be made as there are rewards for those very sacrifices." She grew quiet, her eyes studying him. "Do you believe you have what it takes to remain here Mister Mestral? Are you acquainted with long work days and hard labor, harsh weather, and abrupt difficulties?"
Mestral nodded without hesitation, "I am well acquainted with living in a harsh environment." He would not explain the deserts and molten rivers of his home planet. "Hard labor, as you call it, is not a detriment to me either. Indeed, I find that I prefer staying active with variations in my daily duties. I believe, through my previous places of employment, that I have been adequately prepared for my service at Yew Valley Farm."
The woman continued to study him, her eyes narrow though her face showed no signs of disbelief or displeasure. He knew that some humans were more skilled at observing the behaviors of their peers and were therefore better judgements of what humans called "character." This woman sitting across from him appeared to be one such individual. She also did not appear to be as animated or given to emotional displays as her peers either. Of course he would have to refrain from too hasty a judgement in that regard. He'd learned sometime before that humans had a fascinating ability to shift from highly emotional to near absence of all emotion within the span of hours if not minutes.
"What of your family Mister Mestral?" She asked then. "You will not be able to return to them for the better part of each year while you're here and even then you've already become acquainted with how much effort goes into traveling beyond the borders of my land."
Mestral bowed his head for the briefest of moments before he returned the woman's direct gaze with one of his own, "I have no family to return to Miss Madsen therefore that will also not become a detriment to my service."
She appeared surprised by his response but was unable to reply by the arrival of Jessup. He'd earlier told Jessup of his inability to eat meat when the youth had offered some "jerky" as a between meal sustenance. The youth had found it ironic that a vegetarian had sought to work on a cattle ranch; Mestral also found the location and circumstances to be of an unusual order. The woman did not eat although she did partake of a hot tea beverage while she continued to interview him. Mestral did not find the questions illogical or invasive and so felt no discomfort as he answered them, in between the moments that she allowed him the silence to eat.
Jodi kept her questions to a minimum after the arrival of food and Jessup. Jessup plopped himself down beside Mestral and pipped up with some questions and answers of his own while Jodi continued to casually interview Mestral. While the newcomer was not the friendliest of individuals, she could find no sense of evasion or deceit in his answers. His mannerisms were precise, she noted, but lacked effusive warmth. In comparison to Jessup, this lack was even more apparent. The boy had always been an animated talker and rarely sat still. This man Mestral, in contrast, only moved when necessary and even then his movements were exact. She couldn't help but wonder if he'd done some time with the military; they often churned out strict, precise fellows. The veterans that poured through town, whenever she was there, were of suck ilk.
She also noticed that Mestral had requested no meat and had used his fork and knife to cut through the bread roll that'd been on his plate. Most peculiar, as was the fact that he'd not removed his cap even while indoors, but not alarming. Perhaps he was not American by birth, mayhaps Canadian, and had not yet lost the habits of his homeland. It had been surprising to hear that he'd had no family to visit, especially for a man of his age and looks, but it was in her favor if this was true. She wouldn't have to worry about losing another cowhand at the holidays (and a small part of her brain took pleasure in finding out that such a handsome man wouldn't make her feel guilty when she stared at him since he was single).
"Jessup will help you get settled in the bunkhouse." Jodi walked the men to the kitchen door after they finished their meal. "Don't be afraid to ask him questions or tell him to slow down when he's explaining something." She gave Jessup a sidelong glance and smiled when she saw him blush in response. She turned her attention back to the newcomer. "Sleep well, Mister Mestral; tomorrow will be your first long day at Yew Valley Farm."
"Indeed Miss Madsen." He bowed his head to her and Jodi smiled. It was another peculiar thing that he did. The formality of his speech and mannerisms, as if he'd stepped through time. "May you also have adequate sleep."
He picked up the suitcases he'd left near the kitchen door sometime prior and, moving off the porch, disappeared out of the light of the kitchen with Jessup at his side. Jodi closed the door. He was a strange man but she welcomed his eccentricity. His presence was needed on the ranch in regards to work, but Jodi already felt a kinship with him. His speech betrayed higher education and while most of the other ranch owners had good education, those with higher degrees were few. Jodi had managed to graduate college and had gotten at least a year of graduate work under her belt before her father's health had gotten too bad. It would be nice to have someone else around with whom she could discuss higher level subjects than just ranching.
As she settled between the cool sheets of her bed, the house around her silent and near empty aside from Illah May and her husband Dirk, she admitted to another reason why she was glad for his presence. She'd known her ranch hands for many years now and among those that were still single she had never been attracted. None of the neighboring ranches had much to offer by way of single males her age either (not that she was old but being 32 and single was odd for this area). While she had no intention of romantically pursuing this Mestral, she knew next to nothing about him anyway, it would be nice to have a handsome face around upon which she could harmlessly project the girlish fantasies she still kept locked away inside.
Jodi rolled over and fell asleep then. Her dreams that night filled with images of her daily life but now, mixed in amongst those images, was the voice of the newcomer.