Day 34.
"ADA."
"This is ADA, how can I be of assistance?"
"Inquiry," grunted Thomas, turned the socket wrench once again with great effort, "I don't understand how these conveyer belts work without power."
"This was extensively covered in Pioneer orientation," said ADA, "Please reference Module: Conveyor Belts, Chapter: Perpetual Motion, Paragraphs: Three through twenty-eight."
"ADA... I do not have access to those modules," whined Thomas.
"Pioneer: Patel, Thomas," said ADA, "All Pioneers have access to the orientation material through their ADA link. If you are having difficulties with your virtual account, please reach out to your Human Resource representative or your foreman in the absence of a representative."
"WAIT!" Thomas stopped wrenching and grabbed at his helmet, "ADA, ADA, who is the registered HR representative on this site?"
"The registered Human Resources Officer for this site is: Vacant," said ADA, "The only viable candidate according to site roster is: Pioneer: Patel, Thomas."
"Ah-HA! Yes," said Thomas, "ADA, does that mean I can become the HR representative? How do I get myself listed as one?"
"Your application for Human Resource Officer for this site has been received," said ADA, "No appropriate management on site for evaluation. ADA will calculate based on your file."
"I... I don't understand," said Thomas, "Does this mean..."
"New rank, achieved," said Ada, before a click denoted the channel had been switched, "Attention Pioneers. The vacant position of: Human Resource Officer... for this work site has been filled. Please join Ficsit in silently congratulating... Pioneer: Patel, Thomas... who has accepted the vacant position. You have been emailed their contact information, and a reminder on Ficsit Human Resource protocol, for your convenience."
"All right!" said Thomas, "ADA, so now do I have the power to assign orientation training to myself for Pioneer?"
"Please observe the Human Resources Orientation packet emailed into your inbox," said ADA.
"ADA, can I assign Pioneer Patel to Pioneer orientation or new hire training?"
"Pioneer: Patel, Thomas, does have such authority," said ADA, "Please use the office computer in the HUB to properly assign and take such training. The foreman of the worksite will be made aware of the change in schedule to allow you such training time."
"My GOD!" said Thomas, standing up, "Finally!"
A chat window popped up on Thomas' visor. The image was that of Mike, standing by one of his portable miners, thumbs-upping at whoever's video feed this image was taken from. The window was him sending an instant message to Thomas.
-Congratulations, man. I knew you had it in you.-
Thomas rolled his eyes.
"Instant Message, Gunn," said Thomas, "You do know this is what I am supposed to be, right? By trade. I was supposed to be an HR rep? Send."
His words were put into text and sent off.
Before Thomas could react, another message came in from Mike.
-Hey, Tommy. 'Mere.-
Thomas shook his head, mumbling, "'Mere'? What is that?"
Thomas stood to his feet, deciding that he needed a stretch, anyway. He could see his line of conveyers leading from the furnace. Ingots of iron metal interspersed with a few copper ingots littered the conveyer leading out of the exit port.
He couldn't spot Mike around. He sighed again.
"Instant Message, Gunn," said Thomas, "Is that 'come here'? Where is 'here'? I have to make progress on these belts."
Thomas cleared off some dust from his suit's pants before heading towards the HUB. While he waited, he might as well log in and get set up to actually perform some of the duties he knew how to do. And perhaps going through orientation and some Pioneer training can help him better get a grasp on this whole crazy situation he was stuck in.
-Fine. I can come to you. I have a congratulatory gift!-
Thomas rolled his eyes again. By the time he had made it to the HUB office and sat down, Mike came running up and sliding into the doorway.
"Hey there, you little rascal," said Mike.
"Shhh," hushed Thomas, "I'm pretty sure that's Simone on her scheduled sleep time. How can I help you?"
"Oh," whispered Mike.
Thomas' eyes widened and he leaned away from Mike.
Dripping from his helmet was a thick, red, gooey substance. It was chunkiest and dripping from his mask filter's hole closest to his mouth. Through Mike's helmet speakers, it sounded as if he was actively chewing something.
"What the heck is on your face?" asked Thomas.
"Shhh, I'm pretty sure that's Simone trying to get some shut-eye," whispered back Mike.
"Mike!" Whisper-yelled Thomas in a hissing motion.
"What's on my face?" asked Mike, "Did I get a little messy with it?"
"With... what?" asked Thomas.
"Well... I gotchu a little something," said Mike.
He pulled one of his hands from behind his back and thrust it forward. In his hand was a large, bulbous fruit with a resemblance to berries. It was roughly the size of a Cordaxium Orange and had a distinctive pinkish-red heugh of a rose.
Thomas was amazed at it. However, he couldn't help but look on horrified at Mike's face.
"Mike... did you eat this?" asked Thomas.
"Of course not, not a bite, see?" said Mike, turning the fruit around in his hands.
"Mike... did you... is it... dangerous?"
"Oh course it is," said Mike, "I've done already tasted it myself. I wouldn't offer you some weird alien garbage. They are sweet and perky. Perhaps even caffeinated. I feel amazing!"
"Mike... did you test these?"
"I just said I did," said Mike, "Had three already. If they were bad, I'd've already been in that toilet over yonder already."
Thomas closed his eyes, but accepted the strange alien fruit, "No, I mean... did you scan it? How did you know this wasn't poisonous? Or you wouldn't have a negative reaction to it?"
"Well the MAM ain't finished yet," said Mike, "And they sure are sweet. Nothing bad for you can be so sweet. Yessir."
"I cannot believe you had three of them!" said Thomas, "Where did you even find this?"
"Just over yonder," said Mike, "Thataway. Come on, I'll show you."
"I'm coming too!" said Simone, slinking out of the bunk as one would expect a serpent to do.
"You're sleeping!" said Thomas.
"Can't sleep with all this ruckus," said Simone, "Besides, I want to have some sweet Pale Berries!"
"Pale Berries?"
They all surrounded the odd plant. Out towards the edge of the field, right before the tree line, a single plant sat. It's flowers were pink with white stripes. On the buds, additional berries hung at various sizes.
"And ya just gobbed it down, did ya?" asked Clint, looking from the plant to Mike's messy helmet.
"It wasn't so bad, I suppose," said Mike, "Seemed like the right thing to do at the time."
"It does seem to reach out and grab one's attention," said Simone, "I bet it makes a fine jam."
"We're not making jam with it," said Thomas, "We need to... analyze it."
"ADA," asked Clint, repositioning the rifle he held on his arm, "What's Ficsit's stance on cataloging plants and fruits and the like?"
"Ficsit Incorporated encourages curiosity in Pioneers on their own time," started ADA, "Such attributes have lead to the discovery of many exploitable flora and nutritional sources. However, your assignment to Project: Assembly does limit the effectiveness of such discoveries to 'elective- personal' status."
"There we have it," said Clint, "We can scan the wee things once we've built the M.A.M. and can properly observe the benefits. But we've wasted enough time on this site meeting."
"Not fair!" said Simone, "Mike gets to eat the sweet berry?"
"He does nae get to, he already did," said Clint, "I can't fix stupid, lass. Now, let's go."
Clint turned his back and walked away. Mike picked an additional fruit and followed him, squishing the berry into his mask, and making chewing noises through his helmet.
Simone went to grab one as well, picking it off the stem. Thomas quickly stepped forward and snatched it from her hand.
"Did you not hear what we just talked about?" said Thomas, "There could be parasites in this thing. You could have a reaction!"
"Your denial of the sweet poof only makes me desire it more," said Simone, who crouched down and began to scuttle sideways back towards the hub, "You must sleep sometime, berry man!"
"I'm just-" stuttered Thomas, "Why are you... what is going on? Ugh!"
Thomas looked at the second berry in his hand. With frustration, he reeled back and chucked it to the tree line. The berry seemed to hit the ground and roll slightly, but did not burst. Thomas lifted up his original, gift berry.
He wondered if he should throw it as well. Perhaps it was worth it if the analysis worked out. He looked back towards the hub. He found himself hoping Mike was all right.
A reptilian squeal broke the silence. Thomas nearly jumped out of his suit, he started so hard. His fist closed so hard on the berry in his hand it exploded, covering him in berry matter.
Wiping at his helmet visor, Thomas turned around. A reptilian creature roughly as tall as Thomas' knee had clunk out of the forest. The creature was a long, reptilian looking thing. It had the head of a snake, or a dragon, with two sets of beady eyes. Its scales were a light orange, making it stand out against the greens and blues of the trees and bushes. It appeared to have a stripe of white going from its face down its belly. The carapace on its back was segmented. It had four legs. It had a pair of long, floppy appendages that looked like ears. It's back scales and tail brought Thomas' mind to a earth shrimps.
With an excited cry, it opened its mouth and slurped out a long, blue tongue and wrapped it around the berry Thomas had thrown. In moments, it was chomping down on the berry, spreading its juices everywhere. It quickly gulped.
With its mouth left open, red juices staining the lizard skin around its mouth, it turned its four eyes onto Thomas.
Thomas let out a scream, but it came out has a horse, dry wheeze of fear. His legs wobbled.
"H-H-H-Help," was all he managed to say.
The creature's ears seemed to perk up. It made a bird-like chirping sound. Soon it was trotting towards Thomas.
Thomas' heart was racing. He turned to run. He took only a few steps before his boot slipped in the grass and he tumbled onto his face. On the way down he saw the discarded remnants of the berry that had exploded onto him.
"Oh my GOD!" shouted Thomas, flipping over onto his back.
The creature was closer now. And was actually picking up speed. Its mouth was open. The long licking the air.
"HELP!" screamed Thomas, for real, "HELP!"
"Hello, this is ADA," said ADA, "Please design-"
"ADA! Emergency! ALIEN!" shouted Thomas, slowly attempting to crawl backwards, "Help me! CLINT! CLINT!"
"Please prevent damage to Ficsit property," said ADA, "Your foreman has been alerted to possible imminent damage to Ficsit Pioneer suits and equipment."
"OH MY GOD!" shouted Thomas, "It's headed straight for me!"
The beast was galloping now, running straight for him like some sort of dog. It gave a small leap.
Thomas desperately reached for his broken gun, but his hand was too slippery from the jam.
By the time Mike, Clint, and Simone ran back, it was too late. They came upon the side of Thomas, crying and screaming in intervals, with some sort of large, reptilian creature on top of him. It's long, blue tongue raked across his body, licking up every ounce of the berry.
"I can't get a clear shot!" said Clint, lowering the rifle, "I'll hit the lad!"
"Wait, you can't risk it," said Mike, "I'll beat the thing to death!"
"Stop!" said Simone, stepping in front of the other two, "Look at him! It's a PUPPY!"
"A... Puppy?" questioned Clint.
Sure enough, the group looked on. Whatever the creature was, it was licking happily at Thomas' skin and helmet. Despite Thomas' blubbering, there was no sign he was actually getting harmed. Even the creatures feet seemed totally devoid of claws or spikes. Simone's assessment of "Puppy" might've been accurate, as with the tail wagging and enthusiastic licking, it resembled more of an Earth pet than of an alien menace.
Thomas still whined from underneath it. His arms were raised in an attempt to shield his face, but that only lead the creature to locking the berry juices off his arms.
"Aren't you going to help me?" he cried, "Get if off!"
"What is it?" asked Clint.
"It's only the cutest little DOGGO I've ever seen in my life!" said Simone.
"Hell, it's goin' to town on you, Tommy!"
"Get it OFF!"
Clint approached, lowering the rifle and getting a better look at the creature.
"The beastie appears knackered at that berry stuff," said Clint, "Now, what are you doing covered in jam, Patel?"
"It wasn't on purpose," said Thomas, "He burst out of a bush and came right at me! He's eating me!"
"Naw, he ain't eating you," said Mike, squatting down next to Thomas, "Dang critter is licking you clean of this berry stuff!"
The creature turned its head for only a moment. It eyed Mike, before lashing its tongue out and cleaning his faceplate of the berry remains he had. When it had finished, it turned back to Thomas.
"Well hot-dog!" said Mike, "See, that didn't hurt!"
"It's eating me!" whined Thomas, "Guys... you don't even care! What if its spit is acidic? What if it lays its eggs in me?"
"That would be a sight to see," said Clint, "And you're not dead yet, lad."
"He's only the best little lizard pupper on this side of the Milky Way!" exclaimed Simone, "Aren'tcha boy? Aren'tcha?"
"Is it a boy?" said Clint.
"For the sake of the egg theory?" said Mike, "We better hope not."
"Girls lay the eggs," corrected Simone.
"H-Help ME!" cried Thomas again, "You guys are doing nothing! All this egg talk is NOT HELPING!"
"I second this," replied Clint, "We're losing precious time! I'm frankly disappointed in you, Thomas. We got work to do! Stop playing with your wee beastie and get back on those conveyor segments!"
"Shoot it and I will!" said Thomas, in less of a cry and more of a whine.
"Don't shoot it!" said Simone, "He's the bestest doggo! We got to keep it. For science and stuff!"
"Science and stuff?" asked Clint, "I fail to see the profit in this."
"ADA," asked Simone, "Is the good little doggo here discovered?"
"Unable to positively identify species matching visual description," said ADA, "Would you like to create a new entry?"
"OH! For the Lizard Doggo!" said Simone, "What should we name it?"
"Ooo, Ooo," said Mike, "Let's call it the Berrisaurous Rex! And we can name 'im REX!"
"I... I don't see it," said Clint, "More of a Space Kelpie to me."
"Why don't we name it, 'Can someone quit dicking around and get it off of THOMAS' Lizard?" grumbled Thomas.
"I like the 'Tadungosaurus'," said Simone.
"Name recognition approved. No creature by the submitted name," said ADA, "New designation: 'Lizard Doggo', discovery made by: Pioneer Tadungo, Simone."
"Awwww," went Mike.
"Oh well," said Simone, "Serves me right."
"Excuse me," said Thomas, "Discovery made by who? Not the person who is being attacked by the dang thing?"
"Discovery bonus of 25,000 credits added to your account," said ADA, "Pending verification for full amount of 75,000 credits."
"Whoohoo!" said Simone.
"Unbelievable!" said Thomas, "I hate today!"
"What should we name them!"
"Well, we gotta figure out if it's a boy or a girl," said Mike, "Does it have any dangly bits? Tom, feel anything jabbing you?"
"Gross," came the cold response of Thomas.
"Hey! That's no way to tell," said Simone, "It's a brand new species. We'll have to think of a better name."
"We are not naming it," said Thomas, "It's not a pet."
"It could be our mascot!" said Simone.
"We'll name him, Berry Potter," said Mike.
"No! Pick a genderless name," said Simone.
"We've wasted enough time on this!" said Clint, "It's Thomas' pet. Let him name it and get back to work. And Thomas, stop playing around!"
"Shoot the thing!" said Thomas.
"I will nae waste the bullets I have on a pet," said Clint, "Get up and get over it! Before the generators run out of leaves!"
Clint turned around and walked away.
"That's a good point," said Simone, "My vote is for Mashaka. My grandparent never settled on a gender they liked. That is the one they chose."
"That's a boy's name," said Mike, "General Mashaka Umbobo of the Saturn war of independence. Mashaka Smith of the Talos Explorers. Great band."
"Oh yeah? Mashaka Uunta of James Bond meets the Avengers?" asked Simone, "Mashaka Osman, first woman to hit ten trillion subscribers. How about Mashaka Zellon, the villain of Die Hard, twenty-five two, Multiverse of Die Hard!"
"I still think it should be a boys name, like Jordan, or Alex, or Drew. Or if we think it's a girl, why not Taylor, or Parker, or... Cameron. You know... solid names. Easy to remember."
"If I name the stupid thing," interrupted Thomas, "Will you get it off of me?"
"Can't, gotta work," said Simone, tucking in her legs and rolling away backwards, "Thanks for the footage! I.M. me the name!"
"Well, they ain't helpful," said Mike, "But we have taken too long on this, Tom. Consider Charlie. No wondering about tie or necklace if you name them Charlie."
"I... what? Mike!"
Mike got up and walked away too. This lead Thomas just getting licked clean by the creature. Thomas sighed, looking at the creature's smiling face.
"I... hate you," said Thomas, "But I guess you aren't going to eat me..."
The creature gave out a chitter, before getting off of him and sitting, like a dog would, on the grass next to him.
Thomas sat up, wiping at his Ficsit Pioneer suit. He groaned at the side of some sort of slobbery substance mixed with berry juices. He turned to see the creature still looking at him.
"Fine," said Thomas, "Unbelievable. Are you going to stay here all night?"
The creature leaned forward, and the long, blue tongue slurped up his helmet once more. Thomas only flinched a little, and let out an annoying sigh.
"Fine, if you are going to stick around, I'm at least giving you a fitting name," said Thomas, "I am feeling... 'Hari'."
"New identity, registered," said ADA, "Pioneer: Patel, Thomas has registered a new Pet entity: Hari."
"Well... there's that," said Thomas.
The creature chirped again, its eyes closing.
"You have been charged the Pet registration fee of: 900 credits," continued ADA, "Ficsit Inc facilitates pets, but do not allow yourself to fall behind on your work."
"Aww... are you kidding me!" said Thomas, "I discovered the damn thing!"
"Error," said ADA, "Pet: Hari, is registered as lifeform: Lizard Doggo. This species was registered by discoverer: Pioneer: Tadungo, Simone."
"Unbelievable," mumbled Thomas.
He stood to his feet and began the trek back to the hub. When he peered over his shoulder, an excited critter was trotting along beside him, eagerly looking around the field and lapping at the air with its large tongue.
Thomas shivered with unease, but sighed and continued toward his new training.