Ch 11
Tenya wasn't the happiest when she found out there would be no more grape juice. She did like the apple juice they had, so it wasn't a big thing. She was also beginning to understand that here, hugs were a form of love. Love being not just mating, but doing for those who loved you. Even small things like helping out or just doing your best to understand others. Hugs and kisses were an affectionate form of love. Even by sitting and watching some concerts with her, Robert, Joan, Allison and Malinara were exhibiting another form of love with her. Total commitment. She really liked that.
"It was one night while they were watching the last concert Driftwood gave that Joan got another call. "Joan …Yes, Coach, we can come back and play football again … We got a call from Seattle, a million just to sign on with them … Yes, before the end of December. We start having to pay federal income tax again starting in January now that the radiation restrictions have been lifted off us …" Joan glanced at Allison. "It should be fine with Allie, have you asked Karen yet?" … Next week is fine, we should all be here. Make sure Karen knows too. We can meet up here at the big lake…. "That's perfect! Can the team afford it?" … Joan laughed. "I see. OK, next Saturday. See you then!"
Joan hung up and grinned at Allison. "Coach Baker will be coming next Saturday. We sign with Austin and we will get 1.5 million for the sign on bonus plus two mil each a year as basic salary. You in?"
Allison announced, "Hell yeah! We'll be back on the field and getting paid great to do it! Karen's coming too?"
"She'll meet us here next Saturday. I'm thinking a big lunch party in celebration." Joan beamed.
"Congrats!" Bob announced. "I take it you're going to start throwing the football around again?"
"You betcha!" Joan beamed. "We have to get back in practice."
"What's football?" Tenya asked.
To show her, the next thing they played was their last Seattle VS Austin game.
Tenya watch it, wincing every now and then as the players rammed into each other. Joan and Allison were much tougher than she imagined! The cheer for Joan sang by people in the stands confirmed that.
.
Friday, Joan flew in her Icon 5 to go pick Kenya up from the main airport. She landed at the community airport then got a taxi to the main airport. There was no waiting in line to land or take off there.
Timing it close, Joan arrived only having to wait a half hour before Kendra's plane came in. When the plane landed, Joan waited at the departures area. Seeing the short blonde wave to her, Joan waved back. Kendra was wearing a big pair of face covering glasses. Upon meeting they hugged.
"It's great to see you again," Joan said brightly as they walked to the luggage area.
"It is!" Kendra agreed. "I am so glad you're coming back to play. So think much about coming to play for us?"
"I thought seriously about it," Joan told her. "Talking with Allie, I think it's more important to get you back on the field. It's a crying shame you had an accident, but we will get your eye healed up and get you back out there."
Kendra sighed. "It's really bad, Joan. My eye is destroyed. It looks really ugly."
Joan put an arm around her. "My sister Jackie fell a few thousand feet from a plane and busted up a few trees on her way to the ground. Half her face was destroyed, she broke her right leg, and had deep cuts and tree bark in all her wounds. She healed up well, I'm sure we can get you healed up also."
Kendra nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, after that payoff game, the coach told you she'd been found alive and was in the hospital."
"Yes, Jackie had a real rough week. What happened to you?"
"Motocross accident. We were watching a meet and a guy wrecked. His bike bounced over the barrier and landed on me. My bones healed all right, but the hot exhaust pipe on the bike burned my face. It also destroyed my right eye. I got plenty of plastic surgery to fix my face, but the eye is pretty much gone."
"I'm so sorry," Joan offered.
Kendra shrugged. "At least I was able to stay with the team as a coach. I tried passing but my range and accuracy is shot. I am also very vulnerable on my right side, I can't see anything on my right."
"We'll get you fixed up," Joan promised. Getting Kendra's bag, they headed out to grab a taxi.
In the cab and headed for the Community airport, Kendra said, "I've been taking to doctors about getting a glass eye so at least I'm not so ugly. But then, I won't be able to see out of that side at all. Plus it won't track with my left eye. So what have you been up to?"
"Mainly fixing and cleaning up after the bomb." Joan said. "It really wrecked our town. With everyone's help though, we're getting back to more or less normal. The big lake and the properties around it went up for sale cheap, so I bought it all. I have to warn you though, we do have a strange little town. Just remember, no one there will hurt you."
Kendra eyed her. "Now you're making me nervous."
"Aww don't be. Many look odd, but they are all good people." Joan assured her.
Getting to the community airport, Joan carried Kendra's bag for her into the terminal, then let the desk know she was leaving. Getting out to her plane, Joan opened the canopy and put the bag in.
"This is a cute little plane," Kendra noted. "You like flying I take it."
Joan grew a crooked grin. "Beats the hell out of sitting in traffic."
Kendra chuckled. They got in, Joan got clearance to take off. She taxied to the end of the runway and lined up.
When Joan pushed the throttle up, Kendra was surprised to be sank back in her seat. Right after they shot forward, they lifted into the air.
"Wow, this thing is pretty fast for a light plane," Kendra noted.
"The Ferrari of the skies!" Joan said with a grin. "I love flying this. That C-200, not so much. That handles like a tractor-trailer. You have to plan every move far ahead. It doesn't do anything fast."
"You're talking a big cargo plane? You can fly those too?"
"Yeah, when I have to. Had to ferry some people and goods across the Pacific. Talk about long, boring flights!" Joan told her. "At least I had a couple other pilots with me. We took turns at the controls so we could get sleep time in. Took us days to get out to where we were going. Like I said, that big plane can carry a lot, but fast, it's not."
"Was this a paid job?"
"One was, one wasn't. I don't really like flying that monster. My little plane here handles so much better. This is just a hop, skip and a jump, and we'll be there."
"And much quicker than driving," Kendra noted. "How fast are we going?"
"150 knots. That's about 172 miles an hour."
Kendra laughed. "This is almost like a fighter plane!"
Joan grinned. "It is a fighter, right above us is the gun. Had to use it a few times when we had trouble. That packs a pretty good wallop too."
Kendra thought then said, "Right you've been in a few conflicts. Soldier Joan."
"Colonel Joan," Joan told her. "A navy guy got upset when he found out I was still only a sargent in the Texas Guard and test flew that nuclear powered plane out into the middle of the pacific. I guess he called and got the Governor to boost my rank up. I had a ceremony and everything."
Kendra laughed. "I take it you finally got recognition?"
"Yeah, but now I have to fly that monster cargo plane now and then." Joan looked down to the left and said, "Down there's the lake." she cut power to slow down.
Watching Kendra asked, "Ah Joan, I don't see an airport. Where do we land?"
"On the lake. This can do water landings also. Just gotta watch out for anything popping their heads up."
Joan slowed and descended. Getting down to 60 knots, she lowered the flaps and flew along just over the lake surface. "That's the hotel, up there in front of us."
Kendra saw a head come up out of the water, then quickly went back under.
"What was that?"
"Looked like a Mer." Joan said as they kept slowing down. When they got down to 30 knots, she had to let the plane settle down on the water. Once down on the water, she reversed the prop to slow them down faster. Only plodding along at a few knots, Joan drove up to the beach and shut down.
"We're here."
Joan folded the wings, opened the canopy and got out. She grabbed Kendra's bag as Kendra got out. "Come on, come get a room, then we can start working at fixing you up."
Seeing Tenya come out the back door, Joan called, "Tenya! Can you go get a key to an empty room then show Kendra here up to it?"
"Sure, Hi Kendra!" Tenya said with a wave.
Kendra herself almost tripped upon seeing Tenya. "What is she?" she asked weakly.
"Tenya's a Draco, She's from a planet very far way," Joan explained. "She's a good kid though."
"You have aliens here?" Kendra asked in a squeak.
"Yeah, here and there. She's waiting for her people to come get her."
"But, she's an alien."
Joan shrugged. "Not a big deal here. Like I said, she's a good kid. Just don't give her any grape juice. She has an odd reaction to it."
Allison came out. "Hey Kendra, good to see you!"
"Hi Allison," Kendra got out. She was still staring at Tenya.
"Oh, Kendra? Don't say anything about Tenya to anyone. We don't want anyone coming to stick needles in her." Joan said.
Going inside, Kendra also saw another very odd sight. A medium gray, naked woman was in a power chair and had a tail instead of feet. The woman waved a webbed hand at her. "Arow."
"Hi," Kendra replied and waved back.
"That's Ellen, the mer in our family," Joan told her.
"She's a mermaid," Kendra said blankly.
"She is, so's her son, Enel. He's a gator lover." Joan explained. "As you can probably tell, we have a mixed bunch here. I'll get your medicine ready."
"I feel like we landed in the twighlight zone," Kendra said vacantly.
Joan, Allison and Tenya laughed.
"Follow me, Kendra, I'll take you to your room," Tenya said and waved for her to follow.
Kendra followed the lizard like looking girl with the yellow slit pupils in her eyes. Allison hurried up beside Kendra with her bag. "Just a bit surprised?" Allison asked.
"More than a bit," Kendra replied. "I mean, this is really odd."
Allison giggled. "Just know everyone here is good people, no matter what they are. You've just seen the tip of the iceberg."
"Wow. Just plain, wow. You all live together?"
"Not all here at the hotel, but in town," Allison told her.
Tenya got a key and they went up in the elevator. She took Kendra to her room, and went into be sure everything inside was OK. Allison put her bag on the bed.
Allison said, "Kendra, give Joan a few minutes. She'll have your drink ready. Come Tenya."
They left, Tenya waved before shutting the door.
Kendra sat down on the bed, staring at nothing. She'd always know Joan was a little different, but seeing where she lived and the people she lived with was mind blowing. She was hoping the drink Joan had for her was alcoholic.
.
Joan knew Kendra was hurt pretty bad. The whole right side of her face didn't look right. To be sure Kendra got enough Nanites, she filled a glass with her milk then put it in the refrigerator to cool.
Going back out into the dining room where Ellen was, Enel came in with two of his Alligator buddies. They'd grown some, Joan guessed about three feet long now. Of course they had come in for snacks. She went back in the kitchen and got some meat chunks for them. She gave Enel a few, then held her hand up. One alligator climbed up on her to open it's mouth. The other climbed up on Enel. Getting their snacks, the alligators went back outside to lay on the beach. Joan sat down by Ellen to talk to her. Enel took a seat nearby.
Allison and Tenya came down and joined the group.
Tenya said, "Kendra looked shocked to see me."
"She's never seen anyone but humans before," Joan told her. "I think she was a little overwhelmed. Don't worry, after a couple days, she'll get used to it."
"I can understand that," Tenya agreed with a grin. "Kendra is someone you play football with?"
"She's on another team. We play against her and it's always fun. Kendra's hurt now and I'm hoping we can cure her so she can play again."
"Her one eye?" Tenya asked.
"That and the not so perfect job reconstructing her face," Joan said. "It's going to take maybe a week from the damage I'm seeing."
"That's sad she got hurt, but it's good you're going to make her better."
"Ha! Look what we got!" Eddie called as he and Bob came in with a stringer of fish.
"And Venom already ate his share," Bob said.
Allison stood up. "Great, clean them and I'll start the grill. It'll be a fish dinner."
.
Kendra got the nerve up to go back down and face the menagerie Joan called her family. She went down on the elevator to find a few more, two men and another mer, sitting around a table. Seeing her, Joan got up and motioned her over. Going to the table, Kendra sat down by the seat Joan had vacated. Joan returned with a glass of milk.
Presenting it to Kendra, Joan said, "Here, drink it all down."
"It's milk."
"Yes, with my nanites in it. It will help cure your eye and probably your face too."
Seeing the milk, Tenya asked," Can I try that too?"
"NO!" Joan and Bob said at the same time. Joan explained, "Tenya, that milk will be bad for you. What's in it is designed to cure humans, correct DNA malfunctions and errors. Your DNA is different from ours. It would hurt you badly, maybe kill you if you drank it."
"Oh," Tenya said weakly.
Allison added, "Even if it was just plain milk, that's not good for you. Trust us on this."
"Milk is designed for humans," Tenya concluded.
"Earth mammals," Bob said.
Kendra asked, "It won't hurt me though, right?"
"Nope, it will help cure you. Drink up," Joan assured her.
Kendra did. She also noted the milk had a different flavor to it. It was really good. After she drank it, she asked, "Where'd you get these nanite things from?"
Joan told her "My body produces them. I put them in my milk."
"Your milk?" Kendra asked. She looked at the empty glass. "I just drank your breast milk?"
"Yes. You're my friend. You're allowed."
Kendra asked, "Let's not share that with anyone, Ok?"
"Lips sealed," Joan assured her.
"Ah Joan, you didn't give her any builder nanites, did you?" Allison asked.
"No, just all the healing nanites I could."
Kendra did have a strange but nice dinner with Joan and her weird family. The fresh fish was tasty as was the whole dinner. She did note Tenya looked longingly at her glass of grape juice. Tenya herself had apple juice.
"Tenya, did you want some grape juice?" Kendra asked.
Tenya winced. "I can't."
"No, she can't. She has an … odd reaction to it," Bob explained.
"Yes, just like milk would be bad for her," Kendra said.
Bob was thankful that discussion ended quickly.
Kendra found that after her exciting and very odd day, she was tired. She excused herself and went up to get some sleep.
It wasn't until later Joan realized something. "Uh oh, Coach Baker is supposed to be coming tomorrow."
"So? Think he'll bring our sign on bonuses with him?" Allison asked with a smile.
"He might," Joan agreed. "And Kendra will be here to see it. I really hope she take it well."
.
Kendra had a good, long sleep. When she woke up mid morning her sight looked different. Frowning, she covered her left eye. It was a little cloudy but she could still see.
What?
Jumping out of bed, she ran into the bathroom to study her face. Her jaw dropped. Her right eyeball was still grayish looking, but she now had a pupil again in that eye. She also noticed the puffy right side of her face was looking a bit more normal. "No way!" she breathed. She could see out of her right eye! Grabbing the robe the hotel provided, she left her room and went downstairs to find Joan.
"Joan!" she cried as she ran looking for her.
Allison came out of the kitchen. "Hey Kendra, you missed breakfast."
Kendra ran over and pointed to her face. "I can see out of my bad eye again! My face is also looking better. Joan's milk did that?"
Alison chuckled. "It did. That's what nanites do, they heal what's wrong with you. Give it a week and most likely they will heal whatever problems you have."
Happy, Kendra grabbed Allison by her arms. "Then I can really play football again!" she cried.
"That's right," Allison heartily agreed. "That's why we wanted you to come here. In a day or two, we'll be out throwing footballs with you. We need to sharpen up too."
Kendra grabbed Allison in a tight hug. "This is so great, THANK YOU!"
Allison laughed at her. "Your welcome. Be sure you get your quarterback spot back. I know Joan is dying to play against you again. Hang on, I'll get you some breakfast."
"Sunny up eggs, toast, OJ and some hash brows?"
"Just for you. Go up and get dressed, I'll get your breakfast started."
Kendra cast Allison a big smile. "Is Joan here? She gave me my life back."
"She should be down shortly." Allison said, grinning at Kendra's joy.
Hurrying back across the dining room, Kendra thrust a fist in the air and yelled, "I'M BACK! YEAH!" she had to call the team and let them know.
.
Coach Baker drove to Driftwood. He stopped by the Sheriff's office and told the man who he was and why he was here. He got directions up to the hotel at the big lake and went up to see his players.
Karen didn't drive up to the hotel. In wolf form, her robe in her mouth, she ran up to the hotel. Tenya was checking the parking lot to be side no debris was on it when a big canine ran into the lot with a long cloth in it's mouth. The wolf dropped the cloth and mutated into a woman, who then put the robe on. Tenya stared at the transformation.
"Hi, I'm Karen, Joan and Allison in?" the woman who still retained some of the light and dark gray fur as hair now asked.
"Ah, yes, they're here. I'm Tenya, a Draco. You can transform yourself like that?"
Karen grinned. "I can, I'm a werewolf. I can be human or a wolf."
"That is awesome," Tenya beamed.
Karen chuckled. "Glad you like it." she then went inside.
It made Tenya wonder is somehow she could do that and transform into something else. She followed Karen inside.
Not long after they went in, Coach Baker pulled into the lot. He got out and went into the lobby. Karen was talking to Joan, upon seeing them, he asked, "Allison here too?"
"She is, we're going into the conference room," Joan told him. She then yelled, "Allie! Coach Baker's here!"
Allison appeared with another woman. Coach Baker recognize her. "Kendra?" he asked.
Kendra stopped short. "Coach Baker? Why are you here?"
"To talk to my players. I heard you had a bad accident."
Kendra nodded. She then grew a smirk. "Joan, looks like I'll be playing against you again after all."
"You will be," Joan assured her. "We got a meeting to go to."
"Have fun," Kendra said. "And remember, that dinner you promised if we beat you."
"I won't forget," Joan assured her.
In the conference room, Coach Baker handed them the receipts for the million and a half that was added to each of their bank accounts as they signed the paperwork to play for Austin this coming season. The Acoustics badly wanted them back. After the paperwork, they had a few drinks and talked about the current team. The last time they took the cup was when Joan was their quarterback. Allison and Karen had left also, which put a 'big hole' in their offence and defense. That made them lose games. They still went to regional playoffs, but only won one of them. That year they lost to Seattle in the game for the cup. This last year with Kendra out of the game, Seattle lost a couple games also. Chicago and LA were now considered the 'top' teams.
Joan explained Kendra was here to get healed up so she could return to the field. She was also sure the Austin Acoustics and Seattle Mist would be taking their top spots back.
Joan was due in March, so Coach Baker wanted them in Austin at the beginning of April to start practicing hard and watch last years games to get familiar with the how the other teams played. After Coach Baker shook their hands and went on his way. They set up for serious football watching.
Kendra joined them on the couch with snacks and drinks and a note pad set out on the low table. Watching a Chicago game, Joan noted Windsong had bulked up some and was tight with muscle. She was also impressed with the 'flying twist' the woman used. A deviation of Jon's jumping the line, Windsong jumped over the line twisting her body in the air, making it very hard to grab a hold of her. Upon landing, she also ran like the wind.
"I can catch her," Allison noted.
Kendra snorted. "You're probably the only one who can. She can dodge quick too, so it's best to come at her from the side and behind a bit. She's still going to make yardage."
"Yeah, but not a touchdown, which she usually does." Allison countered.
"Meeting her, it should be a good game." Joan noted. "So far, she's been changing plays up, keeping the other side guessing."
"She also sends out the receivers every time, whether or not she passes," Allison noted. "If we can guess right, we can force her to act."
"Look for hints on which she does," Joan told her.
As they scrutinized the game, they got an audience behind them. Bob, Eddie, Tenya and Ellen were all watching, but staying quiet. Tenya saw this game wasn't just crashing together, each side had a strategy to what they did.
Joan noted Chicago won the game. She also saw a few places where they could be stopped. Their defense did all right, but it was their offense with Windsong that won them the game.
They watched two other games by Chicago. Chicago didn't alter their plays in either game. They were good at profiting off any mistakes the other side made.
"I'm thinking take safety in the middle," Allison said. "That's the best chance at making sure they don't get far no matter what they do."
'That may work, "Kendra said, but it also means they will make yards on every play."
Joan said, "Let's watch a Chicago Austin game, see how our team is handling them now."
They did. Joan noted two things right after the kickoff to Austin. Patty, their best line breaker was on offense as the quarterback. She did a decent job, but could not do the long throws. She wondered what Coach Baker was thinking. Using normal plays and not always reading Chicago's plays, it was easy to see why her team lost.
Kendra was watching these game closely also. Joan picked up some subtle actions from Chicago's offense she'd been missing. Those hints also showed why Joan had beaten her every time they played.
After watching a full day of plays, they went to dinner discussing the games they saw. LA was still using the same tactics, but Chicago was the ones with the new and sometimes risky plays. That was why they pulled ahead to win the cup this last year.
Both Joan and Kendra, who now had a normal looking face and her eye was clearing up, were eager to get out there and start the battles. They agreed to meet at the fight for the legends cup.
Kendra stayed a couple more days to have Joan throw passes with her to get her throwing arm and eye back. On the road, they had just enough room to throw field length passes back and forth. Kendra began a bit sloppy but got her passing back down to hit Joan every time.
Allison took her turn to catch Joan's fast passes. They didn't want Kendra hurt again already from one of Joan's bullets.
.
It was found that pigs again were up at the Lewis farm. Or rather now, the Chancy farm. Anne had spotted a herd of 60 to 70 pigs on an unused portion of land. It was time for another pig hunt.
Besides people in the town, 30 terminators showed up for the hunt. Tom and Margaret came with their new shotguns. The Sheriff laid out the hunting plans, using a stone wall on the farm as the base where the pigs would be driven to. With the Connors and th Lupins driving, mostly terminators to the sides with their normal 30 caliber rifles and Malinara, Bob, Joan and Allison at the base with the Chancys and their farm hands, They were set to hunt those pigs down.
Wanting to see it but not be an active shooter, Tenya rode with John in the EV to watch for pigs. This land was mired from the pigs being here for a while, which didn't bother the EV.
Their coordination and the sheer aggression the hunters showed surprised Tenya. From the moment of contact, the pigs were hunted mercilessly. Above, Cameron was shooting almost constantly with her rifle that had the big, round magazines. Running pigs were shot down no matter their size. Every now and then, she would see a wolf wearing a bright neck scarf appear to chase pigs towards the shooters. She even saw one chase a small pig as it squeaked and ran to grab it and shake the life out of it before running off to chase another.
Every pig they saw was killed, then the pigs guts were cleaned out and taken back to the grocery store to be hung up, weighed and processed. For their part in the hunt, the hotel was getting 600 pounds of pig meat. By now, Tenya knew much of that was going to be used to feed the alligators.