sixthiterationlogs | Hey brother from another genus...

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Hey brother from another genus...

WHO: Mark Watney and Alec Holland
WHERE: Mark's house "The free weed house."
WHEN: September 20th.
OPEN TO: Mark watney
WARNINGS: So far nothing but two science nerds.

[The free weed house. One of the benefits of studying Botany was access to all the free pharmacological plant life you could handle and then some. Moments in between study were full of his colleagues lying around getting high.

He has no need for that anymore (hell he barely had any need for it then) but given that his body produces hallucinogens he knows what it looks like.

Does he go up and knock? Approaching the small house? The plants at least look well fed. Hell they look friendly.

Kneeling down to one he pets it.]

...He's taken good care of you.

[Someone strong with the green. Good.]

...He's going to geek out? Really?

[The plants had no response. I never realized I was missing their conversation.

He'll be examining them outside. One big green boulder shuffling through Mark Watney's garden.]

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As I stand just inside, watching from behind one of the front windows, I am distinctly glad for two things: That I'm afforded this moment to take Alec in so as to not make a total ass of myself when I step outside, and that Bethany is currently not in the yard where she might very probably start eating parts of him.

I'm glad too, in an indulgently academic way, to see that seems at the very least interested in my plants, if not genuinely approving. I don't know what all he's got going on, but you have to figure that a guy literally made of plants might be something of an expert.

"Hey," I call, finally stepping out the front door with a raised hand, making an attempt to straddle the line between 'casual for the sake of comfort' and not seeming, as Kira would probably say, like a fake-ass bitch.

[He's far too busy studying the leaves of a particularly large bush. When he stands he stretches tangled bits of himself over his head. Thank god I don't see any excitement.]

Hello Mr. Watney.

[Being surrounded by those who care for the green in such a way is invigorating. Probably why he sounds a bit less human then he does normally (and he sounds pretty inhuman to begin with.)]

You take very good care of your plants. These plants are very well cared for. Thank you for agreeing to meet with me.

"Mark's fine," I say, watching Alec as I step down from the front porch and around to where he's inspecting the plants. "I apologize in advance if I stare. I've never seen anyone like you, I can't help but be fascinated. But I know this is your body we're talking about, so feel free to tell me to knock it off anytime."

I glance down to the raspberry bush he's inspecting. It was here when we moved in so it's a little bigger, fuller than the ones out by the fields. "A PhD in botany has to be good for something, right? This one's an old guy. Gives tons of fruit every year." Even before Kira and I moved into this particular bungalow, I'd come by and collect the berries to add to the harvest.

[Alec manages a chuckle before he stands.] I can understand. When I first became the avatar I learned more about the plant kingdom then I could have ever dreamed. It gave me a much higher appreciation for the science...even if it's hard to articulate concepts I now know instinctively.

[He grimaces slightly. Things he should be able to explain and demonstrate, if he could connect to the green. Since he can't...]

You've treated all of these plants well. All to the good. I'd like to see any notes you have on any flora in the area. I've begun collecting things from some but I'd like to know about it from others as well.

[He raises his head.] Anything that can give us clues and help the humans here survive for as long as they can.

"Speaking for the humans, I'm glad to have the help," I reply with a smile, and wave Alec back toward the porch.

Above, there's the infamous marijuana strung up to dry, free for anyone to take. Below, the steps and porch floor are packed in with plants, potted in whatever I could find — The plastic buckets from the survival kits we all got that first winter, old boxes, pots, kettles. Some are plants Alec will surely be familiar with, herbs and tomatoes, things too temperamental to grow in the fields alongside the heartier potatoes and chard. Others, though, I've gathered or had brought to me from further out, strange and singular to this place: Goldbells heavy with round blossoms, tiny forget-me-nots with the final few blooms of the season.

"I've got a some inside, too. The blue lilies have been particularly difficult to cultivate. They apparently have an affinity for scorched earth, but it has to be a very particular composition."

[The last time he encountered flowers with strange affinities for things they didn't turn out to be flowers at all. Instead they were extensions of the rot that had erased his earliest memories of Abby.

So he is wary.]

Those carry the electrical charge yes? That shock people to defend themselves?

[He grimaces with a hrm.] ...Will I fit in there?

"I can bring them out," I reply, waving off Alec's concern about fitting through the door. This is just easier. "Back in a sec."

When I return, I'm carrying another one of the plastic buckets, a single, bloomless blue lily plant wavering above the dark soil. "I've kept it alive at least, so I'm considering that a win. I have a theory that it might actually take a specific compound from a lightning strike or created by a lightning strike to get it to bloom, but I haven't tested the theory yet. It's the pollen that induces the powers, but they're difficult to control for most people so far."

[Hmm. He studies the plant before raising a hand to it.]

Powers? No one mentioned that these things can endow people with abilities.

[He leans in close to study the plant.] It's beautiful. Though terrifying.

If I reach for it will it activate.

"Honestly, I can't be completely sure how it'll affect you because of the difference in genetic makeup," I reply, watching Alec carefully. "For humans, there are a couple of benefits. It renders the individual immune to electrical shock, and it provides the temporary ability to manifest and manipulate electricity. Lightning. We've had a few mishaps with it, but it was actually used to kill a creature that came into town not too long ago, so it can certainly be harnessed and directed under the right circumstances."

I hesitate, then motion Alec's way. "If you want to try it, I'd rather move away from the houses," I say with a soft laugh.

[Alec considered that.]

Plants can conduct electricity.

[Looking up to the other man he nods.] Open to a little experimentation? I must confess I'm very interested.

[The plant is bright and vibrant and Alec, shaking his head,nods to it.]

I wish I could talk to you little one. I hate feeling so disconnected from you.

"Let's move out back," I suggest, and nod that way before starting off. When I moved, I chose as house as close to the fields as I could get, and there's some space that's been cleared but won't be planted until next year. Perfect for practicing your Zeus impression.

"I know plants can conduct electricity, but the lily itself isn't the source of the electricity," I explain as we move. "It's something in the pollen that triggers the ability, I presume to pull it out of the atmosphere. I don't know if it's a chemical reaction, a latent ability we've been given in this place. So it'll be interesting to see how you do."

I pause when we reach the approximate middle of the field, and hand Alec the pot. "It's the pollen that does it," I reiterate, and then chuckle as I step back. "I'm just going to stand behind you."

How much of a charge have you seen it carry?

[Alec gestures over the lily, not feeling anything. The lily looks proud, blossoms bright before Alec gently, ever so gently, probes the lily's center. It's soft, fluffy even. One finger gently probes the stamen.

He prods at it again and feels it. It seeps in, drawn into him and he jerks -

Before sending a spear of lighting across the ground, instinctively wrapping his other arm around the flower itself, keeping it safe.

He has no feeling in his arm but a sense of build-up. A sense of power twisting through her body. Lightning dancing across his massive fingers before he takes a step back.]

...Ah

[He points, feeling that same build up.] How far it can go?

"The charge you can conduct seems connected to the amount of pollen you've been exposed to and how long it's been," I explain, and then startle despite myself when the bolt shoots off across the field.

"And I don't really know how far it has the potential to reach. Like I said, I haven't really taken the time to do proper research on it yet."

Alec flops back onto the field with a very loud whumph. Annoyed that he can't catch himself he stands and coughs - slamming a fist into his chest.

"...So this will last all day for me?"

"About six hours, give or take. At least, that's been the experience so far. I don't know if your biology would affect that or not."

Not for the first time, I wish I had more and better answers about these sort of things, but we're not exactly awash in lab equipment, here.

"Perhaps it would be prudent to monitor this."

He can feel the energy crackle through his fingers, "To figure out how long it conducts through me. If I can hold it, I can prevent others from using it."

He hrrms, "I can feel it coursing through my skin as it is. Human beings- has this damaged anyone?"

"I guess that depends on what you mean by anyone," I reply with a cant of my head. "Like I said, it was used to kill a creature not too long ago, so it can definitely be as lethal as an actual lightning strike, and I've got to assume the same goes for humans. Apart from that, we've had some minor shocks and burns, but nothing too bad. Honestly, we've been lucky."

I motion back toward the house. "I've got some paper and a pen I can give you, if you want to keep track of the effects, maybe hour to hour? The data would be very useful."

"That's a good idea."

He raises his hands and feels them crackle. Plants could conduct electricity but...

"It's a good thing perhaps that I don't have my abilities. I'd be considerably more dangerous with them."

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Hey brother from another genus...

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