EXTINCTION WARRIOR

Chapter 14

We're cruising silently on our descent into the Serengeti at five hundred feet. Tuk pilots. I'm in the galley eating strawberries from the greenwall. It's taken less than five hours to get to Africa, and below on the grassy plain is alive with wildebeests, zebras, giraffe and gazelle. The painted dog's spirit cord stretches brightly across the grassland to a giant tree, miles in the distance with odd, round patches dotting the earth.

"Audio only Tootega –what are the brown circles in the soil?"

"The northern Serengeti is filled with termite mounds. Some reach seventeen feet tall. Many are old and abandoned." She answers.

"Are termites edible?" I ask, biting into a giant strawberry that drips down my chin, onto my pants and into my boot.

"Affirmative. Termites have a sweet taste, with a flavor like pineapple. Driver ants consume them."

I've never tasted pineapple. "Hmm, maybe I'll catch a couple." I reply,curious.

"Use caution."She says.

"I'm afraid of spiders, not termites."

"I am referring to the formicidae, not the isoptera."

I head to the cockpit and buckle in for the landing. "Land us near the tree, the one like an umbrella, up there." I point.

"Landing adjacent to Acacia tortilis," he nods, "known as the umbrella tree."

We touch down and my shoulder burns. It's hard to unbuckle. Hard to move my upper arm. It's the wounded dog...I'm feeling his wound.

"I'll leave Mig in his cubby," I baby my shoulder as I release the harness.

"Excellent idea. He, and we will be more vulnerable to one of Africa's apex land predator's."

"You mean humans?"

"I was referring to lions. We cannot spend more time here than absolutely necessary. You must not chase after Mig here, the way you did in Hungary. It is not at all safe."

My heart skips a beat, and my stomach drops. "Right." I agree. My mindsight's been so focused on saving the wounded wild dog, I never thought about getting attacked by lions, and squeeze out between our seats.

"You are correct, however. Humans are apex predators, and unique in your ability to influence ecosystems." Tuk says, unbuckling.

"And not in a good way!" I reply, over my shoulder.

"Exactly.Humans have been extremely successful in creating a terrifying environment for animals at three trophic levels." Tuk says,following too close behind me. "Your species is the entire reason for the Sixth Extinction."

"Humans are so stupid." I feel like Mom with my mouth drooping, while Tuk opens the galley drawer for the first aid kit.

"Tootega, audio only," I declare, "Prepare room three with bedding material for a canine, and open the cargo door."

"Confirm cargo door egress. Faunal bedding extrusion will take sixty seconds."

"Let's go Tuk." I head down the hall to the stairs, listening for the whoosh of the cargo door.

The cargo ramp kicks up a cloud of dust as it slides out. I pause, gazing at the primordial grassland, and inhale the dry, warm wildebeest air.Nothing but grass for miles, and the umbrella tree about a hundred yards ahead. The dog's spirit cord runs through the grass in a straight line and around the tree.

"Well?"Tuk asks, standing too close to me.

"He's on the other side of the tree. We need to go really slow. He's been shot. We don't want to scare him."