a bit of a shock

[miro_zenador]

He hits the ground hard; it is impossible to tell quite where he's fallen from, but it's far enough to knock the wind out of him for a few moments

Comments

[peaceourcargo]

"Hey, hey," Fletcher says, all rough teenage concern as he vaults over the rail of the porch, "Take it easy."

He drops into an easy crouch at Miro's side, wrists hanging off his knees. "What about humans? Did you hurt yourself?"

[miro_zenador]

He blinks in startlement, and picks himself up cautiously. "Don't think so. Where--"

[peaceourcargo]

"Well," Fletcher says, "It's a planet. I think it's probably Earth."

Sheepish lanky teenager. "I'm not sure, though. I've only seen Earth in simulations."

[miro_zenador]

This earns him an odd look. "Yeah?"

[peaceourcargo]

"Yeah," Fletcher says, "I mean, it's got all kinds of plants you don't find anywhere else - there's an oak right there." He gestures to the right, where there is, indeed, an oak. "You don't find oaks on Downbelow." Of course, if this was Downbelow, they'd both be dead by now, considering how long they've been breathing the unfiltered air.

[miro_zenador]

"I guess not." Miro looks at it in some wonderment -- he knows what they look like, of course, but being ten feet from one is another matter. "That's where you're from?"

[peaceourcargo]

Fletcher flushes a little. "Not really. It's not like anybody's from Downbelow anymore - except the hisa. But I got to go down. For a few months, I got to work there."

[miro_zenador]

"I don't know it," a touch warily.