Danny and Netty have stood shock still during this enthusiastic interchange
between Billy and the amphibious octopus. Finally Danny finds his voice.
Danny steps forward, tentatively at first, then with more confidence.
Billy steps back, having let go of the tentacle.
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Danny hesitates for a minute.
Danny spontaneously reaches out a hand to get wrapped in the pink worm. After
a moment he is having a conversation.
Water can be heard lapping quietly nearby.
_______________________________
Billy comes into view, climbing over some rocks in a dry, rocky place. He is
talking to Netty who is following closely.
Netty is right behind him, with Danny lagging back so that his head finally
pops into view, looking around before he ventures forth. Seeing nothing
alarming, Danny closes the gap between them as they move on down the rock
tumble. Suddenly Billy stops short, Netty almost bumping into him, as they
both look forward without saying a word. Danny comes up behind them, slowly,
looking in the same direction. All are silent for a moment. Finally, Billy
breaks the silence.
Two short hominoids with thorny plates like a turtle’s back covering their
bodies are standing before them, several arm's lengths away. They wear little
brown colored coats, are brown colored themselves, and are barefoot. One of
the pair is smaller than the others, shoulder height.
Suddenly a large Zeta materializes between the pair and the three visiting,
motioning to the pair to come forward, which they do. Netty seems to come
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alive, suddenly understanding what one of the pair, the female, is saying, the
Zeta translating telepathically for them. Netty is leaning toward her.
Netty falls silent as the female horned toad hominoid is grunting quietly.
Netty says,
_______________________________
Inside the ship, a large living ball is almost filling the interior of the
ship. It has veins over its surface, but between the veins one can see liquid
in the center. It looks like a living water balloon. Inside can be seen what
look like jellyfish, very fine and fluttery, not the solid kind with a bell on
top that populate Earth's oceans, but more like a mass of spaghetti. Billy
steps forward and touches the side of the living water balloon, which presses
inward at his touch as our skin does.
Billy utters, almost beneath his breath.
The jellyfish moves toward Billy's finger, and he gets an ecstatic look on his
face, in communication with the water creature. He looks over his shoulder and
says to Danny and Netty,
Suddenly Billy disappears, his clothes falling to the floor in a heap. Netty
gasps and points at the living water balloon, seeing Billy nude inside the
living water balloon, peering out at Netty. His lungs are obviously working
in the water, breathing water. Netty faints to the floor as a dismayed Danny
lunges forward to catch her, breaking her fall.
_______________________________
The observation ship is designed to have the occupants crowded around the
glass floor and ceiling, but has private rooms as well. These circle the ship
on the perimeter, each with an archway without a door. The central observation
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room is bounded by a wall in front of the private rooms, so that no direct
view into any of the private rooms is possible from the observation room.
Danny has taken Netty to one of these rooms, so sparsely furnished that only a
table with a center post to support it stands in the room. Netty is stretched
out on this table, coming around. Billy has his pajamas back on, is toweling
his hair dry and running his fingers through his hair to put it into place,
like a comb. Billy looks up at Danny.
Netty focuses on Billy, a confused look on her face.
Without hesitating, Billy replies.
