Tara lets out a breath, a relieved smile crossing her lips as she leans back down to talk to the gzzk with that same quiet, gentle tone. "We're taking you home with us, okay? I promise you'll like it." she assures, studying the creature as if searching for its approval. "It's nicer than here..." She seems to find what she seeks when the gzzk dares closer to sniff her hand, looking up towards Leah. "I-... yes."
#FreedomFalls – March 4, 2020
The batarian merchant lets out a grunt, placing a small, but sturdy-looking plastic chew toy on the counter as he overhears the question aimed at Tara. "You'll want one of those. Still teething, that one." he informs in a grumble, before gesturing towards a nearby shelf. "Got food there. Collars, leashes... beds." he says, indicating each in turn. "Don't have a lot else when it comes to toys." The only option for food seems to be basic
dryfood, protein-heavy and made mostly from ground up insects. But an extranet search on gzzk diet would indicate that almost any levo fruit makes for excellent treats. The bed that's marked 'Gzzk' is pretty simple - a hollow, fabric-covered egg shape with a fairly small entry hole in one end.
Leah offers Tara a soft smile before her attention is pulled back towards the batarian. She follows his gesture towards the shelf, stepping towards it and appraising the items as he lists them off. Her brief research on her omni-tool would have, of course, told her as much regarding the gzzk's diet. And there's always some fruit on-hand back home, but she makes a mental note to pick some more up before they leave. "Come pick out
a collar and leash." she calls out to Tara as she gathers up the simple bed and bag of food and brings them towards the camera, the addition of her own bags making it a bit unwieldy and requiring her to make separate trips for the two items.
Tara reluctantly stands up from the carrier when Leah starts collecting items. She looks over towards the shelf when Leah speaks, taking a couple of steps closer, but she just eyes its contents skeptically, a faint frown on her face. "Why?"
Leah blinks a few times, gaze turning from Tara back to the contents on the shelf. "Umm-..." she swallows, a bit of confusion seeming to settle in as she looks back to the younger girl, "...Why-... what?" she asks, a confused snicker slipping out, Tara's concerns seemingly lost on her.
Tara seems to grow a little self-concious when she's questioned, just grabbing the nearest collar and leash and turning to head back towards the counter, but as her gaze lands on Leah again she hesitates, frowning as she struggles with how to express herself. "She... she doesn't have to stay with us, right...?" she asks quietly, seeking out Leah's eyes. "If she doesn't like it...?"
Leah's confusion only seems to grow when Tara voices her questions and it takes another moment before it all sinks in. She briefly shuts her eyes, wincing at her failure to connect the dots. "No... No, sweetheart, of course not." she assures. And, despite how ridiculous the exchange might seem to an outsider, her words are sincere. It causes her gaze to shift to the collar in Tara's hand, the implication now obvious. "That's-..
It's not-..." she stammers before cutting herself short and drawing in a breath. "It's more like-... a necklace!" she decides when she looks back to Tara. She reaches up, tugging the small chain around her neck until the heart-shaped locket at the end of it escapes the top of her jacket and she holds it up for emphasis. "In case anything ever happens and she gets lost, you know? It will have your contact information on it
and then if someone finds her-..." she explains, dipping her attention back towards the carrier and the timid creature inside. When she turns her attention back to Tara, she props up her smile and tucks her necklace away, "...they'll know how to make sure she gets back home."
The merchant shoots the two of them a brief glance before shaking his head to himself and turning his attention to one of the shelves behind the counter, rearranging some things just to have something to do.
Tara nods a couple of times at Leah's initial reassurance, the worry in her face softening a little, but unease lingers. The words that follow don't seem to resolve it, a conflicted frown forming as she studies Leah's necklace and then looks down at the items in her hands. Silence descends a few moments as she thinks it over, before offering a hesitant nod.
Leah shoots a brief glare at the impatient merchant. Tara's hesitation causes her to draw in a soft sigh, sympathetic to the young girl's concerns. Obviously there's a big difference between a pet and a slave, but the middle of a pet store- a batarian pet store- isn't exactly the place to go into that. So, for now, this will have to do. She props an encouraging smile back up as she steps back over to the counter with Tara,
giving her a small, playful nudge. "This should do it." she says aloud in an attempt at getting the batarian's attention, hand diving into her jacket pocket to fish out her credit chit once more.
Tara follows alongside Leah, silently placing the leash and collar on the counter alongside everything else.
The batarian turns back towards them when they're done, nodding as the last items are placed on the counter. He mumbles quietly to himself as he makes note of their selections and keys them into his terminal. Once he's done he gestures toward the payment slot. "I'll be around for a couple more weeks if you need anything else." he informs, before adding: "No refunds, though." He grabs a bag from beneath the counter, fitting everything but
Leah merely nods at the batarian's words as she slides her credit chit through the slot. "Thanks..." she offers softly as she looks over the many things their shopping spree has amassed. It causes a small snicker to escape and she looks to Tara. "Think you can manage these...?" she asks with a glance from the bag to the gzzk bedding before she swivels at the waist, elbow resting against the counter. "I can carry our new friend."
Tara has already started to lift the carrier in her right hand when Leah makes her suggestion, and she looks reluctant to let go. "I-... I can carry her...?" she says, although it ends up sounding more like a question, as if worried that Leah will disapprove of this. She already has her shopping bag looped around her left arm, and she reaches for the new bag as well, a quiet grunt slipping out as she lets that too hang from her left
arm, leaving the bedding for Leah. She studies her cautiously, looking like she wonders if this is an acceptable arrangement.
Leah slips her credit chit back into her pocket as she begins to rearrange her own bags, shifting them onto one arm. "Oh-... yeah, of course!" she says as she pulls her omni-tool free, leaving the bedding for the moment. "Just-... let me know if you need a hand, okay?" she offers, already getting to typing as the interface expands in front of her. The grunt causes her to shoot a quick glance Tara's way before her attention shifts
back to her omni-tool. "I can get the other bag, though. Just-... let me send a message to Jasper real quick. We can pick up some snacks for her-..." she explains, gaze turning to the carrier and causing her to crouch down slightly in an attempt at getting a quick peek inside, nose twitching in a smile as she does, "...on our way back to the exit."
The gzzk seems to have been slightly spooked by the carrier being picked up, pressing low to the floor and looking around at the shifting view outside with wide eyes.
Tara adjusts her grip on the bags a little, but she's more concerned with keeping the carrier steady. "It's okay." she assures, waiting for Leah to send her message. The suggestion of picking up snacks brings out a small smile and a nod of agreement.
Leah is quick to poke out the message to Jasper and stow the omni-tool away before reaching out to alleviate Tara of the bag so she can focus on keeping the gzzk's carrier steady. "Should pick up some bread for dad while we're there or else he'll probably send me back out..." she mutters with a roll of her eyes, though there's a fond smile beneath it.
Tara lets Leah take the bag, perhaps recognizing that she's bitten off a bit more than she can chew. She doesn't want to rattle the gzzk. Leah's words and the eyeroll that accompanies them brings out a small snicker, and she nods.
Leah once more adjusts the bags before shooting Tara a brief lift of her brows and leading the way out of the shop, careful to avoid nudging the gzzk's carrier. "Let's gooooooo~"
The pair slowly make their way back to the entrance of the market, stopping at a few places along the way to pick up some odds and ends and so Tara can select some snacks for her new furry blue friend. Of course Leah manages to sneak a few snacks for herself onto their small shopping list. By the time they reach the front doors, Jasper is already waiting. Side door open, the old engineer is visible through the doorway, shifting a few things
about. He catches sight of the approaching pair once he finishes using his boot to shove a crate aside, pushing it beneath a seat to keep it out of the way. His attention shifts to the bags hanging off of them, that kind smile of his surfacing. "You two leave anything for the rest a' these folks?" he asks with a snicker, already reaching out to offer his assistance in loading up their bags.
Tara finds herself unable to wave with her arms occupied, but she looks happy to see Jasper even if it hasn't been long. As usual she leaves the talking to Leah, letting Jasper help get her bags stowed away so that she can place the carrier on one of the seats, almost immediately distracted by it as she kneels down on the shuttle floor to check on the gzzk, bringing one hand to the door as she peers inside.
Leah gives a playful roll of her eyes. "Thanks for picking us up." she says, dismissing his question as she goes about stowing her bags on unoccupied seats.
Jasper gives another snicker. "Nothin' ta thank me fer'. Was jus' sittin' 'round in the hangar anyhow." he responds as he sets Tara's bags aside. "So where to next?" he asks, starting towards the cockpit.
Leah approaches the old engineer once the bags have been dealt with, but Jasper's question causes her to shoot a suspicious glance Tara's way. "Umm-... just one more-..." she begins before scrunching up her nose, obviously not wanting to speak in front of Tara. She approaches the doorway into the cockpit, nudging Jasper inside.
Jasper furrows his brow, but takes Leah's hint and settles into the pilot's seat, canting a glance up at her. After an inaudible whisper, he gives the blonde woman a small nod of his head and reaches up to adjust his well-worn cap. "Not a problem!" he says cheerfully, already starting to prod at the panel.
Leah offers a bright smile and a quick, "Thanks." before turning on her heels to face Tara once more.
Tara is busy fussing over the gzzk as Leah and Jasper speak. As it comes closer she scratches its head again and then she reaches over to unlatch the carrier door. "You don't have to stay in there anymore..." she whispers softly, reaching in to lift the gzzk out, but she lets out a startled gasp when it slips from her grip and darts out the door, right into the street next to the shuttle. Tara is on her feet in an instant, eyes wide.
She lets out an utterly horrified cry of "No! Wait!", immediately taking off in a run after the gzzk, not a thought spared to the truck coming down the street at them.
Leah turns back just in time to see Tara take off after the gzzk. "Tara, wait!" she shouts, out the door a few steps behind her. A lifetime of military training and a career requiring a healthy amount of situational awareness makes the oncoming truck the first thing she takes notice of as she steps outside. Her eyes widen, heart skipping a beat as it instantly becomes clear that there's no way they'll be able to get out of the
way of the vehicle. "Tara!" she calls out a warning instinctively as she pumps the brakes to keep herself out of the path of the truck. Immediately, both of her hands shoot forward, palms outward and boots planted against the ground as a flash of blue wraps around her. It's a snap reaction, no thought put into it. Just pure instinct as she lifts both arms like an evil sorceress raising the dead, attempting to lift the pair
Jasper is back on his feet as he hears the shouting, racing back towards the door as fast as his tired old legs will carry him.
Tara catches up to the gzzk in the middle of the road as it freezes in front of the oncoming truck. She scoops it up into her arms just as she notices the vehicle, eyes wide before they're suddenly enveloped by a biotic shimmer and yanked into the air.
The driver of the truck barely has time to slam the breaks on her vehicle, but the pair blocking the street narrowly avoid ending up on the windshield as they're pulled out of the way. With her foot still firmly on the break pedal the truck stops just past them and the driver, a batarian woman, jumps out of the cab, eyes wide as they scan for the girl she almost hit.
Jasper manages a choked, "...Truck!" that's a moment too late as the pair are already whisked into the air, his gaze following them upwards. It takes him a few seconds before he even processes what just happened, causing him to let out a deep breath he didn't even realize he was holding. His hand shoots up to jerk the cap from his head, clutching it close to his chest. He bites down on the expletive stuck in his throat. "Got dang-...
Leah's shoulders practically vibrate with relief and adreneline as the pair are whisked out of the way just in the knick of time and, for a moment, she merely holds them in place. Her large green eyes remain fixed to the pair and she steadies her nerves with a deep breath before slowly bringing Tara to the ground. With no attention paid to the batarian woman, she hurries over to Tara, wrapping her- and by circumstance the fluffy
blue critter in her arms- up in a hug. "Don't do that! You almost got yourself killed!" she exclaims, her voice dripping with worry rather than anger as wetness stings at her eyes.
The driver breathes a sigh of relief when she sees that Tara and the gzzk are okay, slumping a little against her truck. She lingers for a moment, perhaps just to calm herself down.
Tara looks more than a little rattled as she's brought back to the ground, swaying slightly as she struggles with her footing, only to be immediately wrapped up in a hug. She still has a tight grip on the animal in her arms. She lets out a breath as a worried Leah chastizes her, blinking rapidly. "I-I-I'm sorry..." she manages, voice a quiet, shaky whisper as she stares over her shoulder.
Leah eventually releases her grip on Tara so she can pull back, one hand moving up to Tara's cheek as she searches her face, as if to make sure she's okay. "You have to-..." she begins, hand practically trembling as she takes another breath, "...You have to be more careful, okay?!"
Tara still looks shaken as Leah pulls back to look her over. She takes a deep breath alongside Leah in an attempt to calm herself, a couple of rapid, stilted nods following. Seeing the wetness in her eyes brings out the same in her own and she blinks again. "She was-... she was in the road..." she explains with a frown, voice still weak. She glances down at the gzzk in her arms as she speaks. It's fidgeting a bit over being stuck
betwen the two of them. She adjusts her grip, hugging the scared, furry little creature closer to her chest and stroking its back distractedly, doing her best to calm her new pet despite her own frayed nerves.
The batarian driver scowls as a car honks at the blockage in the street, waving dismissively and casting another glance towards the the humans by the shuttle, taking a deep breath and climbing back into her truck to get moving.
Leah's attention is pulled towards the batarian as the car's horn sounds out, but there's too much adrenaline coursing through her veins for her to even consider apologizing for what must've been an anxiety-inducing experience for the driver, too. Instead, she merely looks back to Tara, her words causing Leah to glance down at the gzzk between them. She licks at her dry lips, nodding distantly a few times. The combination of
emotion bubbling up and the cold outdoors causes her to sniff at the air. She rubs at her eye with the back of her hand to pre-empt any tears from slipping out and wraps Tara up in one last tight hug before letting go. "She-..." she begins, stopping to swallow at the lump in her throat, "...Until we get her home she has to stay in the carrier, okay?" she says, searching Tara's eyes.
Tara looks like she wants to protest, but Leah's blatant fear makes her concede with another series of small nods, sniffling a little. "Ok..." she agrees, guilt joining the worry and shock in her frown as she meets Leah's gaze. "I-I'm sorry..." she repeats in a whisper, the last word coming out more like a quiet whine as her voice breaks a little.
Leah protests the apology, shaking her head a number of times which causes the ball of her hat to bounce back and forth behind her. It would be almost comical if Tara hadn't nearly been flattened by a truck moments earlier. "No, it's-..." she shakes her head one final time, "...you're okay. That's all that matters." She dips her head, gaze falling to the ground as she fills her lungs with cold air to try and dispel some of the
lingering nerves. Casting a glance over her shoulder she spots Jasper. He doesn't seem to be in any hurry, looking half-way to a heart attack himself. But it causes her to look back to Tara and utter a soft, "...We should get going."
Tara nods again, looking towards Jasper and then down at the icy ground. She once more adjusts her grip on the gzzk, taking another breath before starting to head back to the shuttle, keeping her eyes low and willing her legs not to wobble. She carefully ushers the runaway furrball in her arms back into the carrier, it fidgets a bit, reluctant to return, but she manages, looking even guiltier when she's done and closing the door again.
"I'm sorry... you can come out soon. But you can't do that. It's dangerous." she admonishes softly, eyebrows deeply furrowed as she studies the rattled animal. "You have to be careful." she says, echoing Leah's words.
Jasper watches Tara as she approaches, reaching out to place a comforting hand on her shoulder once she steps into the shuttle. He remains nearby, casting a brief glance out to Leah. Once Tara has the gzzk back in the carrier, he speaks up. "...He alright?" he asks, gaze turning from the strange creature to Tara.
Leah remains behind for a moment, briefly lowering into a crouch and resting her forearms against her knees. Head hung low, she draws in a few deliberate breaths before standing back up. She paces out into the road a few steps before turning back towards the shuttle, shaking loose some of the lingering nerves. After everything they just went through with Fasha, it's a truck that nearly takes Tara away. If she didn't have her
Tara glances up at Jasper before looking back at the gzzk, studying it with a frown. "She's-... she's scared." she says quietly. Her shoulder is tense, and there's the faintest hint of a tremble, excess adrenaline still coursing through her system. She gets up to take a seat right next to the carrier, hugging herself a little as she looks out of the shuttle towards Leah, the frown lingering as she watches her pace.
Jasper gives a little dip of his head, kind smile resurfacing. "She." he corrects. With a small nod he follows Tara's eyes to Leah. "Yeah..." he says, drawing in a breath, "S'pose we all had a bit of a scare..." he offers softly. Giving Tara one last pat on the shoulder, he starts towards the cockpit.
Leah's gaze turns to the carrier as she steps into the shuttle, briefly studying it before shutting the door. Her gaze settles onto Tara for a moment before she moves to take the seat beside her.
Tara looks down at the floor for a moment when Leah sits down next to her, but it doesn't last long before she suddenly wraps her arms around her for another hug, squeezing tightly and burying her head against her jacket.
Leah is jostled slightly as she's wrapped up in a hug, but the experience has left her a little too rattled to immediately respond. Soon enough, however, she brings her arms around Tara, pressing a soft kiss against the girl's hat. She draws a deep breath into her lungs, holding it in for a beat as her eyes fix to the shuttle wall. She gives Tara a gentle squeeze as she brings her chin down to rest against Tara's hat in silence.
Tara lingers for a while, some of the tension managing to find its way out of her in a series of slow breaths. She eventually pulls back, still looking guilty, but a bit less rattled. The carrier is shaking a little in the seat next to her now that the shuttle is airborne, and she pulls it into her lap, arms wrapped around it as she does her best to dampen any shaking and ensure the gzzk has a smooth ride.
Leah only shuffles once Tara has pulled back. Nerves having calmed a little, she leans her head back against her seat, finally speaking up. "...That's why we got the leash, sweetheart." she explains softly, tilting her head to look Tara's way. "She doesn't know any better..." she continues, green eyes briefly dipping towards the carrier in Tara's lap. "We have to teach her, okay? So she doesn't get herself hurt?"
Tara nods faintly, eyes fixed on what little she can see of the gzzk's blue fur through the vents in the side of the carrier. "I understand..." she says softly. "I'll teach her. I promise." she says with a glance Leah's way. There's a couple of tears rolling down her cheeks, maybe a delayed reaction to the craziness minutes before. One mitten-clad hand reaches up to wipe at her eyes before she looks down at the carrier again, the
expression on her face making it seem like the creature inside is already the most important thing in her life.
Leah forces a small smile, the gesture taking a little more effort given the harrowing experience that just transpired. A fact reflected in how heavy it looks. "I know you will..." she says softly, extending her arm across Tara's shoulder and gently pulling her in for a quick side-hug. It seems as though she has more to say, but she's interrupted by a shout from Jasper.
Jasper's voice sounds out through the open cockpit door. "Alright, we're here!" he says as the shuttle begins its descent.
Leah sniffs at the air, straightening up a bit in her seat as she looks to Tara. "I'll be right back." she explains with an apologetic wince, already rising to her feet and reaching for one of the handholds. "This should only take a second, okay?"
Tara blinks, looking at Leah in confusion, the earlier exchange between her and Jasper having gone completely unnoticed. "We're not home...?"
Leah gives a shake of her head, once again prompting the ball atop her hat to whisk about. "No." she confirms before adding an almost apologetic: "Almost!" on to the end. "I just-..." she casts a glance towards the door as all motion comes to a stop once they touch down and it begins to slide open. "...need to pick something up real quick."
Once the shuttle door opens, they're greeted by the frontside of a small storefront. Numerous metal signs decorate the front of the shop, each with a different design and made from a different material but, despite the multitude of fonts engrave on them, they all say the same thing: 'Mayra's Metalworks'. There's a few pieces of abstract art that flank each side of the store's front door, metal statuettes that would probably be dismissed as
trash by most. As a matter of fact, they might be made from trash. Disposed pieces of metal and odds and ends repurposed to create something unique. One man's trash is another's treasure.
Tara scoots forward a little in her seat, peeking curiously out the door at the odd shop. "Okay..." she says with a nod.
Jasper reappears a few moments after Leah has exited the shuttle and disappeared through the front door of the peculiar shop. Arms folded across his chest, he remains in the doorway. "What's 'er name?" he asks, dipping his head in a nod towards the carrier on Tara's lap.
Tara blinks again, looking over towards Jasper and then down at the carrier. "I don't know..." she says, a faint frown forming.
Jasper furrows his brow, smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You don't know...?" he repeats her words.
Tara nods slightly, still studying the gzzk, leaning a little to the side now so she can look through the door. The frown remains, as if this presents a problem.
Jasper shifts a bit against the frame of the door. "...She is a-... errr-... pet, right?" he asks curiously, as if to make sure he hasn't misinterpreted things. He wouldn't expect Tara to go darting into traffic to chase down Christmas dinner but, hey, stranger things have happened.
Tara nods again, fingers brushing against the metal bars of the door as she tries to coax the gzzk closer, but it remains where it is, perhaps still shaken by its misadventure. "Yes... she's going to live with us. If she wants to." she explains, voice soft, gaze still focused on the inside of the carrier. She doesn't seem to think anything of the question.
Jasper's smile widens at the girl's peculiar phrasing, but he's grown used to that, having spent more than his fair share of time around Leah and Tara while taxi'ing them to-and-from the Respite. He takes a few steps closer and, with a deep grunt, lowers to one knee, head dipping a bit lower to try and get a peek at the creature in the carrier. "Whaddya s'pose she is?" he asks through a squint.
The young gzzk cautiously studies Jasper with four curious eyes when he leans down to take a look. It's is a bit of an unconventional sight no doubt, but it's hard not to sympathize with the spooked little critter as it hesitantly inches forward slightly and sniffs the air, ears twitching a little.
Tara looks to Jasper and then back to the carrier. "She's a gzzk." she informs, her tone implying familiarity.
Jasper watches the curious creature, attention only shifting to Tara once she speaks up. He doesn't even bother trying to repeat the unfamiliar word, merely muttering a low: "Huh..." to himself, brow creasing beneath his beat up old cap. "Ain't ever seen me one a' these before." he muses. Looking back to the gzzk he studies it for a few moments. "She's gonna need a name ya know." he offers, hazarding to slowly bring a finger up to the
The gzzk studies Jasper skeptically before going a little closer and poking his finger with its nose and giving it a curious sniff.
Tara furrows her eyebrows, nodding in agreement as she studies the gzzk with a serious expression, clearly pondering this conundrum.
Jasper gives a snicker under his breath as the gzzk sniffs at his finger. The ensuing silence from Tara seems to be enough to inform him that she probably doesn't have a name in mind. "Well, you jus' think on it." he advises. "Sometimes these sorta things jus' hit ya outta nowhere. Fer' example? When my ex-wife was pregnant with our daughter? We didn't have even a goat's-hair of an idea what we were gonna name her. Then? One night? I
jus' woke up in the middle a' the night. Reckon it was about 3 in the mornin'." he recalls, "It just hit me right behind the ears." He pauses for dramatic effect as he turns his gaze up to Tara. "Wally." he says, as if it should've been clear to him all along. "Like after the ol' singer? Wallace Shannon?" he explains fondly, giving a nod of his head before looking back to the creature and inching his finger through the bars. "Wife
didn't let me go through with it but ya jus' never know where a good ideas gonna come from." he concludes on matter-of-factly.
Tara looks at Jasper with an almost comically puzzled frown. She very clearly has absolutely no idea who that is, and she struggles a bit with following the turns of phrase he's using, doubly so with the translator providing another barrier.
Jasper doesn't seem to be too bothered by Tara's confusion. Leah's reappearance through the front door of the shop causes him to turn a smile up at Tara. "Jus' you keep thinkin' on it." he repeats, reaching out to place a hand on the seat next to him to help him climb back to his feet. "Got what ya came fer'?" he calls out to Leah as he starts back towards the cockpit.
Leah holds up a box small enough to hold with one hand so Jasper can see. "Good to go." she says as she steps back into the shuttle. After closing the door behind her, she steps over to a bag on one of the seats to stow the box inside of one of her bags.
Tara nods thoughtfully as Jasper stands back up, looking down at the carrier again. Leah's return soon draws her attention, and she eyes the box curiously as its stowed away. She hesitates slightly before hazarding to ask "What is it...?"
Leah sits the bag upright against the back of the seat it rests on to make sure it doesn't tip over during their trip before turning back to Tara. The question draws out a smile, sincere but the near-miss still weighing on it. "Well... I guess you're just gonna have to wait until Christmas to find out." she says, doing her best to muster up a little bit of enthusiasm as she retakes her seat.
Tara 's eyes widen ever so slightly in understanding and she casts one last curious glance towards the bag before nodding.
Leah draws in a deep breath as she settles back into the seat. The emotional toll of the ordeal in front of the market has clearly sapped a bit of energy from her, but she does her best to put it out of her mind. Tara is safe now. That's what matters. She gives a small roll of her shoulders as she shifts in place to get situated, the shuttle once more rumbling to life. "Can't wait to get home." she mutters, those sticks of meat