“Um, then what is that sound?”
SuperBun didn’t need to answer. We found out fast what the sound was.
“Sprinklers?” Christopher asked, as water—or what I sincerely hoped was water—sprayed over us. “Seriously?”
SuperBun shot a look at Christopher that was far more snide than I’d thought a rabbit could manage. He wondered just how Christopher thought a planet stayed this lush without regular watering.
“He can be tough to get to like at first, but he’s really a great guy when you get to know him.”
SuperBun had no desire to “get to know” Christopher, but he allowed that perhaps Christopher would grow on them. In a long while. Heard a variety of quiet snickers from the team as Jeff translated this, and some quiet muttering from Christopher.
The cottontail shared that it liked me better than Christopher, too. “Aw, that’s nice, Peter Rabbit.”
The cottontail contemplated the name. He decided that he liked it. And me.
The “sprinklers” came into view, interrupting my communing with Peter. Had to admit—while I hadn’t been expecting this, it made a hell of a lot of sense.
What looked like an entire herd of extremely pygmy elephants were walking through the grass, spraying water out of their trunks, said trunks waving side-to-side in a very soothing, very rhythmic manner. These elephants were as synchronized as the Rockettes or any other top dance group you’d want to name.
“I didn’t see this from the ship,” Tito said softly. “And they’re above the grass so I should have.”
“Where is the water coming from?” White asked in kind.
“Real elephants have to refill,” Mahin added.
Squinted at the elephants. “Are those actually living creatures or are they robots?”
SuperBun shared that they were improved living creatures. He also went on to reassure that our android had been taken to avoid him getting soaked by the watering. We were all clearly organic, so the water shouldn’t hurt us, and our ship was enclosed. They didn’t care if it hurt our weapons.
The elephants drenched us and moved on. They might have only come up to my knees, but they definitely had range. None of my animals liked this, Ginger in particular, but they merely moved nearer to the rabbits while they shook themselves off. Peter jumped out of my arms, shook himself off with the others, then came back and jumped back into my arms.
“Now,” I asked as the rest of us followed suit and shook water off as best we could, “how did you know that John is an android but the rest of us are not?”
SuperBun rolled his eyes, sat up on his haunches, and pounded his right hind leg on the ground, just like Thumper. Actively chose not to make this comparison, in part because I had a feeling it would take far too long to explain Disney movies and why they were awesome and I also was pretty sure that SuperBun wouldn’t be flattered by the comparison.
Was also pretty sure that SuperBun was the mad scientist or working closely with him or her, but focused on the elephants to avoid this thought surfacing.
What SuperBun had been thumping for appeared—a section of the ground rolled open. Literally, the grass rolled over itself, like really healthy sod, and, as it did so, a metal platform raised up. At least, it looked like metal. There was no one on it, regardless of what it was made of. SuperBun looked at me expectantly.
“Um, what are you suggesting?”
He heaved a dramatic sigh, then hopped onto the platform and looked at me again. The expectation seemed pretty clear.
“Um . . . do you happen to know anyone named Grumpy or Dopey? Asking for a friend.”
SuperBun did not. He wanted to know what we felt was going on with his planet. And he wanted to know why I was wasting time and stalling.
Decided we were at a stalemate. “I don’t think all of us will fit onto the platform.” It was only about the size of an elevator, only without the niceties that elevators had, like doors and walls and phones for emergency calls. Didn’t feel like all of us bunching up and doing a massive group hug, just to go wherever the potentially very rascally rabbit wanted us to go. “Can I choose who comes with me and who stays with our ship?”
SuperBun felt this was acceptable. He requested that the person taking pictures come with us, which I found surprising. Chose not to argue.
“MJO, you’re up. Jeff, Richard, and Christopher, you guys come with me, too. Everyone else, stay here topside on the Planet of Doctor Moreau of Westworld.” Harlie went small and jumped into my purse. Chose not to complain about this at all. Ginger and Bruno went onto the platform next to SuperBun. Chose not to argue about this, either.
Peter looked up at me, then jumped into my purse, snuggling in next to Harlie, who did not object. Patted both of them. Peter made my purse heavier, but not all that much. Was pretty sure that Algar had not only made my purse a portal but had also made it lighter in some way, so that I could carry a ton and not feel it. He was a good King of the Elves in that way.
All the A-Cs looked confused. The humans, however, seemed to get it. “I think I should come along, too,” Chuckie said.
“Works for me, Batman. I think we can just fit you onto the platform with Kolchak, Superman, the Flash, and Professor X.”
“And Wonder Woman,” Chuckie said with a grin, as he sauntered over to join the other guys.
Serene hugged me. Felt her slip something into my purse. “Stay safe.”
“We’ll do our best.” Wondered if it was a tracker, a bug, or a bomb that she’d planted on me. Really hoped it was all three and that she’d given me more than one of each. Also hoped that Peter wouldn’t try to eat it, whatever it was.
Peter shared that he wasn’t an idiot and that he was along to help, not harm. Chose to believe him, in no small part because he was also pretty darned adorable and his fur was hella soft. I wasn’t pro taking sentient creatures from their home worlds, but, hey, if Peter wanted to go, that would be a different thing. We didn’t have bunnies in the menagerie yet.
Reader and Tim looked like they wanted to add in as well. Made eye contact with both of them. “Be sure that the shuttle wasn’t affected by getting watered. And make sure that the New Wonder Twins are ready to go, too.”
Reader nodded. “Got it, girlfriend.”
Tim managed a grin. “I guess I get to copilot after all.”
“Hang tough and remember—always go with the crazy.” With that I went and got onto the platform with the others.
CHAPTER 32
ONCE I WAS ON THE PLATFORM, SuperBun thumped his rear foot again and we lowered. It was a smooth ride, which was good, because space was tight on the platform and, as we went down, the sod that had rolled back to allow the platform to rise up rolled over us.