Vinisoya Manor

The entirety of the Vinisoya Estate was somewhat of a business enterprise. Aside from the cottage Snu presented, the local area was akin to a medieval village with a few scattered dwellings and stations set wherever the red clay provided a foundation. The bulk of the overground consisted of vegetable patches with strategically placed trees that provided shade at certain hours. This farm was watered not through the oasis, which was expressly used for leisure and drinking water, but with pumps rooted in the small but adequate creek flowing through the underground. The various homes were fenced in with natural white wood not from the area, and the houses were clay and stone constructions with wooden beams for the framing. It was a great piece of architectural craftsmanship for something made far from civilization. The landscaping and masonry must've taken years to construct. It was nothing at first glance to the Earthling, though.

"This place reminds me of a field trip I attended," Sam said. "Where's the nearest city from here?"

"About a day's travel on kukchi," Vinisnu replied. "Not too far. We even have power lines that come out from there. The other families also travel there a lot to sell meat on the market."Sam spun as if he had just said dragons were real. "This planet has electricity?""Wait, YOU have electricity!?" Vinisnu was practically vibrating. "Isn't it great? My mom uses it so that she can read after dark."

"Pandemians have electricity..." Sounded even less believable the second time. Sam knew of Pandema's geography from the drone footage obtained through Betelgeuse scouting runs. While there were known overground settlements, they were scarce due to the underground nature of Pandemians. The suspected technological level was early modern, at best, and only for a couple of highly developed cities. This boy was telling her that the regional capital had power lines reaching out to the boonies.

"It's popping up more underground. Helps keep the kramals from making nests on the highway. Pretty cool, right?"

"I dunno." She would have to process it later.

Vinisnu led her up the garden pathway and offered her the front door. Shoes had to come off first, but as Sam untied her black boots, Snu's excitement leaked out of him with tiny suppressed giggles. It gave the girl pause, looking back at her host like he was insane, but it was an endearing tic. Once ready, Snu slammed the thick wooden door open. "Mom, I brought a guest home! I saved her from the Redstreaks!"

"Was that what you were doing?" the mother replied from another room. "Bring her in. I'd like to greet her."

There were about four or five rooms max in the abode with a couple of chambers to the side and a staircase that went underground into the buttery. The two entered through the parlor, which was built to seat guests around the central fireplace. From this enclosed room came the kitchen and dining space. A long table crowded out space on the left, while the hearth dominated the right side, providing further heat for the chambers and an area to prepare food.

Vinisnu's mother was making final preparations, and Sam was flustered at the sight of her. She was tall and curvaceous, with long black braided hair and a long white sundress with a small tail poking out. Her skin was dark yet fair, and her body was healthy yet showed the capacity for physical labor. Sam remembered how other humanoid species compared on Earth with their unique aesthetics. If Mrs. Vinisoya was the standard Pandemian woman, they'd be famous across the galaxy in months.

"She isn't one of those poachers, right?" she asked. "I don't need to lecture you again, do I?""No, ma'am! They were shooting at her, so I think she's safe."

The mother turned to them. "Then it's a pleasure to-. Oh."

Sam could see the shock in her eyes. The mother's face deflated like a balloon, suspicious and hostile, before finally giving way to a long, weary smile. Sam felt like she was adept at reading people. It was in her lineage, after all, so seeing the mother glancing between her and her son brought a sense of understanding. Sam could narrate it in her head perfectly. Today's the day, huh? She imagined. I knew it. I knew this boy would drag in something like her one day. It was only a matter of time.

"Looks like things are about to get exciting again, isn't it?"

Vinisnu nodded. "Her name is Sama-lama."

"That wasn't even close."

Today's menu for Pandemian cuisine. Slabs of freshly cooked Redstreak meat. A side of pseudo-cabbage layered with a thick sauce, a tall glass of water, a pile of fresh Pandemian insects, and, for dessert, a bun full of goo. It was all laid out on the long table, ready for the taking.

"Alright, let's eat!" Vinisnu snatched his portions with his hands.Sam watched and tried to follow suit when a ladle dashed across her reaching hands. She jolted back.

"Snu gets first serving, young lady," the mother said with a smile.

"Don't worry, I won't be long." Snu gathered a massive plate for himself as the other two waited. Unfortunately, the lion's share had been procured by the time he was done.Once he started eating, Sam took it as her chance to begin feasting. A second thwack."I'm sorry," the mother said. "I don't believe I either birthed or married you." This time, the words were more venomous as if she'd been truly insulted.

Sam waited again, this time with the remaining buns taken off the serving dish. Insects and worm meat remained. Sam was this close to violence. She could take them, but she knew it was her stomach talking. Eventually, Sam was allowed to partake in the feast, but her plate made her want to vomit. However, a bun made a clandestine trip under the table into Sam's lap. A sneaky tail. Sam swore she could kiss that boy.

The mother, who went by the name of Maed-Laio, went to explain her cooking process. "So we get the meat from those giant sandworms in the valley. They're very nutritious, and their intestinal juices make a nice broth to boil stew in."

"I don't want to know anything about the food," Sam replied. "I'll let my tongue do the tasting." She took the slice with both hands and dug in. The outside was crispy enough, but the inside was rare and undercooked. It was like chewing on rubber except even more bitter. However, her hunger wouldn't allow her to complain, so she devoured it whole with a large gulp. Moments later, Sam was tingling like she had taken an espresso.

"Was it good?" Maed-laio asked. "It's considered a delicacy in these parts."

"Yeah, it gives us magical powers," Vinisnu added.

Sam got a hold of some water and calmed herself down. The meat was trying to dig its way into her spine and head. "Like, it tastes like magic?"

Snu shook his head. "No, no! You know how my tail stretches and changes size?"

"Isn't that because you're a boy?"

"No! I'm the only one that can do that. Since I've eaten this meat all my life, it's given me the magical power known as Jazae-Dai."

"Jazae?" Sam wasn't following, but she went ahead and imagined Snu as some Buddhist Monk practicing martial arts on a mountaintop.

The boy spoke like he was reciting a sermon. "It is a force of nature that helps us become one with the earth and extend our minds into other parts of our bodies. My spirit acts as a pilot to my body and from my body to the outside world." He stared menacingly at a cup, and it nudged very slightly. It might have been the table moving, though. "I can focus out and affect the world and activate parts of my body that I've trained. Mom has powers, too, and so does my dad. We came up here to hunt for this meat and become more powerful. Isn't that cool?"Vinisnu expected her to be amazed, but Sam stopped listening halfway through. Her vision of the monk was replaced with a pill. "It's Z-35B?"

Vinisnu and Maed-laio gave Sam a blank stare. "35?"

"Vitamin Z-35B." Sam also had sermons memorized. "It's a nutrient that boosts brain function and allows for increased mutations in the user's gray matter. It improves memory, reaction timing, and senses, and with enough nutrients, the brain mutates to control electromagnetic waves, body parts, and anything on its own. If you can control your tail, that means the food has made you psychic. We had Z-35B in dinosaurs on Earth, but they all died 65 million years ago."

Maed-laio and Vinisnu, as before, gave her a blank stare. What a strange person, they thought, being able to speak their native language so easily and yet delve into another language on occasion. The mother put on a brave face. "You have such a funny friend, Vinisnu.""It's magic!" he shouted, smacking the table. "And there's nothing more to it."

"But it's real. It's-."

"Magic!" The conversation ended swiftly.