They Soak It Up Naturally

The afternoon on the Overland train stretches on. 

They are still in the café, drinking Coopers Pale Ale, and eating cheese and crackers.

Can we go back to our seat now? asks Terence.

Not yet, says Gaius. We're still talking. 

Can I go back by myself? asks Terence.

I don't think so, says Gaius.

Perhaps we should let him, says Pierre-Louis. We've left Squattu asleep in my back pack.

She might wake up and be scared, says Terence.

All right, go, says Gaius. Take your feathers.

Pierre-Louis escorts Terence back through the two passage doors.

All looks peaceful in the Red Premium carriage.

Pierre-Louis returns to the café.

All well? asks Gaius.

Looks like it, says Pierre-Louis.

Good that he's showing so much independence, says Gaius.

Is he part of your team? asks Marx.

Yes, says Gaius. He'll be in charge of  the drone. You've no idea how many knobs that thing has.

Modern technology, says Marx. I can't keep up.

I know, says Gaius. But the young seem to soak it up naturally. It was Terence's idea to make use of the bat.

How will that work exactly? asks Marx.

The bat will accompany the drone says Gaius. It will supply the intelligence. A drone with built-in animal intelligence would have been too expensive.

Yes. I'm aware of the rising cost of living, says Marx. 

Perhaps your conference will come up with some answers, says Pierre-Louis.

We already know the answers, says Marx.

Gaius decides not to ask what they are.

He ought to go back and check on Terence, who may be rummaging through his backpack for fish glue, and disarranging his papers.

Or he may have have woken Squattu.

And caused who knows what chaos?

He excuses himself from further discussion.

He returns to the carriage.

Terence is sitting in Gaius's seat with a tube of fish glue.

Squattu is awake, on his lap.

She is helping him join some of the feather pieces together.

This one goes with that one. See how the cuts you made with the scissors match up?

Squattu is handing Terence the two parts of feather in question.

Terence is squeezing fish glue onto his finger.

Too much.