Under Foreign Skies (MG) 2

“So y’were out with Naomi last weekend Kev?” I hear Chris’s voice as I descend the amphitheatre-like steps surrounding the sports oval.

 

“Yeah, what of it?” Kevin’s surly response.

 

“So...” He spots me heading towards them “Oh hey, Johnno, you live!”

 

“Yeah.” I grin. “The eyes aren’t all y’all gots to worry about with Gazers, the tongue and the ears are pretty sharp too, apparently.”

 

“So that’s what she was.” Kevin mused. “Fuck... She could have killed me.”

 

“Lucky...” I murmur, although I didn’t think luck had anything to do with it. Miss McDavidson seemed far too... controlled.

 

“Well sit down cunt, Kev was about to tell us about his date with Naomi.”

 

Kevin gave us a cagey look “What gives you that idea?”

 

“Don’t be like that, so you had a crack. Interested parties want to know mate...” Chris insisted.

 

Kevin looked between the two of us for a moment before breaking into a wry smile. “Landing strip.”

 

“No...” Chris gasped “You got your hand...”

 

“Mouth.” Kevin corrected, wiping his lips dramatically.

 

“Her Dad’s order... You know he’ll shove a glowstick up your clacker if he finds out you sullied his little girl, right?”

 

Kevin smirked “Then you’d better keep your mouth shut.”

 

“A Princess putting out? I’ll believe it when I see it.” drawled a voice from behind us. I turned to see the Kangaroo and Lamia from homeroom this morning.

 

“Keep it under your hat Emily?” Kevin asked sincerely. “I’m not supposed to have told anyone.”

 

The Kangaroo tsked, “Breaking a trust? Kevin...”

 

“Like she’d talk to us anyway.” The Lamia hissed nonchalantly, coiling up between Chris and myself. “Princesses don’t deign to speak to normal people.”

 

“Normal. People.” Chris snickered.

 

“Oh shut up Chris.” A loose coil knocking him to the ground. “You see how mean they are to me?” she wheedled, fixing me with her serpentine eyes.

 

“Vicki, must you?” Emily groaned, rolling her eyes and rocking back onto her thick, muscular tail.

 

“Girl’s gotta keep her options open...” Vicky drawled in a hissing tone.

 

Kevin snorted. “I wonder how Daniel would feel if he knew you were ‘keeping your options open.”

 

Vicki seemed to blanch at that “N-nobody said we were together!” She stammers desperately.

 

“Picky Vicki. Kisses the boys and slithers away.” Chris drawled. “Hell, you even led Kevin up the garden path for a bit...”

 

“Did she now...” Another voice. I look up to see a Human girl staring impassively at us, her auburn hair tied into a tight ponytail. Behind her stood a small group of Humans, all fixing us with the same impassive glare.

 

“Oh fuck.” Chris murmured.

 

“Naomi, it isn’t like that...” Kevin entreated, his words honeyed.

 

“Didn’t I tell you to stop hanging around with those things, Kevin?”

 

“Oi! Em and Vic have been our mates since kindy, that’s fuckin’ off value.” Chris retorted angrily.

 

Naomi sighed slightly, “And I thought we had something Kevin... Still... Nothing much lost... A wasted afternoon subject to your fumbling aside.”

 

“The fuck?” Kevin gasped, “You... You said...”

 

“Oh I say a lot of things, some of which I actually mean.” Naomi interrupted flippantly. “But so do your friends it seems, don’t they Daniel?”

 

A boy steps forward, glaring at the Lamia

 

“I... I didn’t mean...” Vicki stammers.

 

“Slut.” Daniel snarls, stalking away.

 

Emily rocks forward on her large feet, glaring at Naomi. “You did that on purpose! You prissy little...”

 

“Oh I’m so BORED of this!” Naomi groans over her. “Boys, make them sorry.”

 

Two boys break from the group, reaching into back pockets and producing batons which they extend with the press of a button. The batons arc and crackle with some kind of eldritch energy.

 

Chris’s eyes go wide. “Glowsticks! You cunts better not, fuckin’ headmistress’ll skin you for a new shirt!”

 

One of the boys smirks “Who’s gonna tell her Chris? You?”

 

Emily growls, launching herself at the nearest. The boy slashes at her with the baton and the Kangaroo hits the floor, whimpering and shaking.

 

“Em!” Kevin yells, running at the boy. The first strike doesn’t put him down, until the second boy joins in, lashing at him until he’s groaning on the pavement.

 

“I’ll be a good girl, please... I’ll be a good girl...” Vicki is whispering, curled tightly into herself. The two boys snicker as they advance on her.

 

“Got my back John?” Chris asks sincerely

 

I nod, hands in front of my face. “Seems some peckerwoods need to learn to fight someone who can fight back.”

 

“Oooh... Listen to the seppo... Tryin’ to be a hard cunt.” One boy snickers.

 

“Put the stick down, you dickless wonder.” I grate at him, circling on the balls of my feet.

 

“Yeah nah get fucked...” The boy smirks, lashing out at me.

 

In my defense, I did get a couple of good licks in on him before that ‘glowstick’ put me on the ground. I was expecting the pain... I’d gotten hit with a misfired tazer back in the states when some panicking bespectacled boy had tried to stop himself from being ‘proactively dated’, but I wasn’t expecting this.

 

The sensation was like the look a parent gives you when you know you’ve fucked up bigtime, and you feel it in your guts, but... compressed, distilled. This was ‘Chastisement’ given form.

 

“See you faggot cunts don’t forget it.” One of the boys panted, spitting blood from a lucky punch before stalking away.

 

“Fucking pussy cunts” Chris sobbed. I groaned, pulling myself up and putting my head between my  knees. I felt like I had been run over by a train.

 

A screech and a rush of air from above us. “Oh Maou! Are you guys alright?”

 

I raised my head to see the gold-brown plumage of Katherine before me.

 

“And where were you, bird brain?” Emily growled, trying to regain her feet.

 

“Here Em” Kevin offered, taking her arm and helping her up.

 

Katherine scraped a taloned foot on the ground with embarrassment “Flying...” She murmured.

 

“Fat lot of good that was, you could have snatched both those fucking sticks and let me split ‘em up the fucking middle.” The Kangaroo spat.

 

“I’m sorry Em!” Katherine retorted, her eyes brimming with sincerity.

 

“Dammit Kat... Now Vic’s gone inside her head again.” The Kangaroo snarled, noticing the quivering Lamia. “You boys go on, we’ve got to take care of this.”

 

“We can stay and hel...” Kevin began

 

“Rack off! This is between Mamono, and we’ve gotten each other in enough shit as it is.” Emily retorted, stamping her feet on the concrete.

 

“C’mon y’all.” I offered diplomatically, leading the other two away.

 

---

 

“You’re shitting me, right?” I gasp incredulously.

 

Kevin shakes his head, “No word of a lie. We can’t say shit.”

 

I look at him in disbelief. “Kevin, they just whooped our asses using riot batons on crack. I’m pretty sure that’s illegal, even here.”

 

Chris grabbed me by the arm, turning me to face him. “Yeh, they’d get kicked out. You might even get charges laid against ‘em. Then one night The Order will come in, beat your whole family to the edge of death, and set your house alight with you still inside.”

 

That rocked me. “Over a schoolyard fight? Come on that’s petty as...”

 

“Yeah. Also long game mate. Think about it. Make the kids scared of crossing The Order throughout school. Forms a pattern. If you can’t have loyalty, sometimes fear’s just as good.”

 

My mouth worked soundlessly for a moment, before I sighed, overcome with the bleak acceptance of my new friends to this... well... bullshit was the kindest word I had for it.

 

“Alright... I’ll keep my mouth shut.”

 

“Cheers mate. It’s appreciated.” Chris murmured, squeezing my arm.

 

“Emily said that Vicki went inside her head ‘again.’ Is this something that happens to her often?”

 

Kevin shook his head. “Nah actually. I can’t remember the last time it happened. I Reckon someone did her some fuckin’ harm when she was younger. I know she’s adopted... Hell, might even have something to do with why she’ll flirt outrageously with guys but never really DATE date one...” His eyes suddenly flick to me as he realizes what he’s just said.

 

“Dunno if you need to go repeating that shit to her, mind.”

 

I chuckle helplessly. “Remind me never to tell you anything embarrassing, Kevin.”

 

Kevin grins sheepishly. “If it makes it any better I’m a shit liar.”

 

“Uh huh.” I drawl. “What have you guys got next.”

 

“Physics.”

 

“Room 112?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

The shrill klaxon of the school siren sounded, ending the lunch period.

 

“Fuck. I didn’t even get to have lunch.” I grumbled.

 

---

 

“If you could all please take out your textbooks and turn to page...”

 

Ah shit. With all the bullshit at lunch I’d forgotten to get mine.

 

“Sorry, Mr. Schwartzchild?”

 

“Yes, John is it?”

 

“Yessir. I’ve left mine in my locker, could I go grab it real quick?”

 

Mr Schwartzchild sighed, rolling his eyes slightly. “Go on then.”

 

I murmured thanks, hurrying from the room and down to my locker. My eyes were still stinging after getting a hiding from those glowsticks, and I took a moment to splash my face at the drink fountain on the way back.

 

“S-So you see...” I heard Mr Schwartzchild stammer “In ordinary measurements w-we would use this formula to... er...” He coughed uncomfortably. As I opened the door I saw him scribbling frantically on the board, his face crimson.

 

“Sorry about that Sir, I hope I haven’t... What in tarnation?!” I exclaimed as I turned towards the classroom.

 

All the girls, Mamono and human alike had unbuttoned the first few buttons of their shirts and were leaning forward on their desks, creating a broad expanse of titflesh. Now I understood what Chris and Kevin were talking about earlier, and why Mr Schwartzchild had seemed so flustered.

 

So this was a game then? I do like games..

 

“Thank you, Mr Walden, please take your seat.”

 

“I’m not sure I want to, Sir.” I moaned in faux-lament, panning my gaze across the room with a lecherous grin. A number of the boys snickered, clearly approving of the gambit.

 

Sure enough a decent number of the girls started to blush and re-buttoned their shirts. No longer presenting a united front, the remainder sighed and followed suit. Mr Schwartzchild wordlessly took my hand, shaking it gravely.

 

“Now, Mr Walden, your seat?”

 

I nodded “Yessir”

 

“Oh sure, just ruin ALL our fun.” Emily hissed at me as she and Vicki buttoned their shirts. I shot them a wink. Katherine seemed to be having trouble, the vestigial ‘thumb’ on her wing-joint clearly not designed for such dexterity.

 

“Need a hand Kat?” I murmured as I sat down. Katherine blushed crimson.

 

“N-no...” She stammered.

 

“Suit yourself.” I shrugged, as Vicki leant over to assist the Eagle-Harpy.

 

“That was ballsy mate.” Chris murmured. “Course now someone’s probably gonna get ‘proactive’ with you on the way home.”

 

“Who dares wins.” I rejoined philosophically.

 

“Remind your pelvis of that in the morning.” Kevin snickered.

 

---

 

The electronic ‘boop’ of the period ending rang dispassionately over the PA.

 

“Thank you class, make sure to have reviewed chapters four, six and seven for tomorrow. I will be quizzing you on them later in the week.” Mr Schwartzchild called over the groaning and scraping of chairs being pushed away from desks. “Oh, Mr Walden, Miss Lefleur, could I see you a moment?”

 

Lefleur? Who was that then?

 

To my surprise, it was Katherine who joined me by the teacher’s desk.

 

“I noticed you two talking during the lesson.”

 

“I’m sorry sir.” Katherine apologised quickly

 

Mr Schwartzchild waved his hand dismissively “Not what I wanted to talk to you about. Your last test was a little... disappointing, Katherine. And I was wondering, since you and Mr Walden seem to be already acquainted, if he might be willing to help you a little with your study.”

 

“I’d be happy to help, don’t get me wrong.” I began, glancing at Katherine “But I only just met Kat today. Wouldn’t y’all be more comfortable with Chris or Kevin?”

 

“Mr Clark and Mr Robinson are inconsistent students at best. You seem to have a knack for physics, you did pick up that mistake I made on acceleration.”

 

“Don’t wanna blow my own trumpet, sir. My teacher back home used the same ‘mistake’ to try and trip some of us up last year.”

 

“Humility’s a virtue, John, but the fact remains that you picked up on it. Nobody else did.”

 

“Guess that’s that then.” I shrugged, turning to Katherine “We’ll sort something out, yeah?”

 

“Okay...” Katherine agreed, blushing slightly and smiling at me.

 

---

 

“Feel like coming around to mine tomorrow?” Chris asked “Shoot some shit?”

 

“I thought y’all didn’t have guns here.” I drawl.

 

“What made you get all Colonel Sanders on us John?” Kevin chuckled.

 

“Is my accent coming out? Huh. I try to keep a lid on it most times, stops the banjo jokes.”

 

“U-hyuk” Chris mocked.

 

I snicker “Fuck you son.”

 

“Not real guns. I got the new shooter, figured a local game’d be better than trying to predict the future with a 1 second lag.”

 

I shrug. “I’m in. Disappointed, but in.”

 

“Fucking seppos.” Chris laughed. “See you tomorrow mate.”

 

I wave. “Yeah, see you.” I reply, turning and heading for home.

 

It was hot, though blessedly a dry heat, and the wind spoke of the promise of a cool change in the evening. I strolled along, not really thinking much of anything, until a shadow fell over the sun and a pair of talons hoisted me bodily into the air.

 

“The fuck?!” I yelled.

 

“Hi John!” A voice came from above me. I squinted up, the sun above me, but the feathers above the horny, taloned feet which had seized me were brown and gold.

 

“Kat?” I exclaimed “The fuck y’all doing?”

 

“Taking you to mine, you’re going to help me with physics!” She replied sunnily.

 

“Didn’t occur to you to ask first?” I rejoin, wind blowing tears from my eyes, further blurring my vision.

 

“You weren’t going to say no, were you?”

 

“Well no... but...”

 

“Yay!” The harpy screeched, picking up speed as we dove at a blurry, vaguely house-shaped blob below us.

 

---

 

“Get you kids anything?” a matronly harpy enquired, the soft feathers on her head tinged with white.

 

“I’m fine thank you ma’am.”

 

“Oooh, he sounds just like Elvis, doesn’t he sound like Elvis, Frank?”

 

“If you say so dear...” A man’s voice called indulgently yet with clear disinterest from another room.

 

“Don’t mind Frank, he’s such a stick in the mud when the Eagles lose.”

 

“Eagles?” I echo.

 

“Footy. I’m not much of a fan either.” Katherine replies.

 

“Ah. Aussie Football... Strange game that.” I murmur.

 

“Dad’ll skin you if he hears you say that.” Katherine giggles. “He met my Mum when she was mascot for the Team back in fifty-five.”

 

“Star-struck?” I enquire with a grin

 

“On her part. Dad was in Home and Away.”

 

I laugh. “I have no idea what that is.”

 

“Probably for the best” Katherine murmurs conspiratorially “It was awful.”

 

I laugh with her, before turning back to the textbook. “So, resistance... If we’ve got an object moving along the ground...”

 

“Urgh. Ground. Why is it always ground?!” Katherine grumbles in frustration.

 

“Well it doesn’t have to be. There’s different resistances in the air... but I’m sure I don’t need to tell you about that...” I acknowledge.

 

Katherine was staring at me with renewed interest. “Pretend I don’t...”

 

“OK, so let’s say we’ve got an object dropped from 200 meters and the barometric pressure is 1500hPa...”

 

---

 

“Thirty two seconds.” Katherine answers smugly.

 

I flip to the back of the textbook. She’s right.

 

“I don’t know what Mr Schwartzchild was talking about, y’all got every single answer right!” I exclaim.

 

“But whenever there’s a test it’s always ‘A car is moving along the road at burrrrrrrrrrr” The Harpy groans, fanning her wedge-shaped tail exasperatedly. “And I just go all to peices.”

 

“I’ve got an idea...” I suggest, pulling the textbook closer to her and shuffling over. “Say you’re looking at that one. You could pretend you’re an astronaut, flying into the atmosphere of a gas giant, and the air suddenly gets really, really dense right here...” I point at the illustration, where the crude vehicle meets the ground. “You’re still ‘flying’, but the conditions just happen to be the same.”

 

Katherine stares at the problem for a moment, seizing a stylus in her wing-thumb and scribbling on a nearby tablet interface.

 

“F-Fourteen hours?” She asks uncertainly.

 

I check the back of the book. “Right again.” I grin.

 

Katherine screeches, throwing her wings around me. “You’re so smart!” She crows.

 

“Naw... Just a matter of how you look at things. Once you’ve found a way to tackle a problem like it’s something familiar y’all can usually find a way to puzzle it out.”

 

“I feel like a total dumbarse now.” Katherine moans. “All that time and all I had to do was replace all that stupid ground shit with ‘flying’.”

 

“And would you believe I SUCKED at math before I learned to program?” I reply. “One day I just looked at something I was writing and went ‘Hey, that’s math!’ And from that point forward it was easy, I just had to find a familiar way to look at it.”

 

“Now you two, you’re supposed to be studying, not getting cozy!” Katherine’s mom chides gently, sticking her head into the room.

 

“Not what now?” I murmur confusedly, looking down to the wings which are still wrapped around my shoulders.

 

“Oh!” Katherine exclaims, removing her wings from around me. “Sorry John.” She mumbles, blushing.

 

“S’all good Kat.” I reply... Damn it if my face isn’t burning right now as well...

 

---

 

“How do you know so much about flying anyway?” Katherine asks as we bank towards my street.

 

“I wanted to be a pilot when I graduated.” I sigh, my stomach heavy with the descent or the memory, I’m not sure which.

 

“But you’d be in a machine...” Katherine replies, confusion evident in her voice.

 

“Still gotta know how the air works. My uncle used to say that the best pilots can feel the air through the controls, act like the wings of the plane are an extension of their own body. Every breeze, every eddy, every thermal that rises like an invisible hand from the ground below...”

 

“Ooh, you know just what to say to a girl...” The Harpy chuckles, setting me down. “Thanks so much again for today... I... I had fun.”

 

“Physics study isn’t what I call an inspiring afternoon.” I snicker. “But yeah. Me too.”

 

Katherine darts her head forward, giving me a brief smek on the cheek. “See you tomorrow!” She screeches, rapidly launching herself back into the air.

 

I touch my cheek where the ghost of her lips still remains. That girl...

 

“You alright mate?” Kyle exclaims, rushing outside. “I called you a couple minutes ago.”

 

“Sorry Kyle, I was... flying...” I chuckle.

 

Kyle nods, “Yeh, saw her... Bit of orright eh?”

 

“Shut up man.” I exclaim, my cheeks flaming.

 

“I’m only giving you shit John... Wait...” He stops, turning to me and putting a hand on my face, pulling down my lower eyelid and peering intently at my eye.

 

“Who fucking glowsticked you?” He demanded.

 

“W-who said I was glowsticked?” I stammered weakly

 

“Don’t fuck with me John, I’m a goddamn cop. I know stick-eye when I see it.”

 

Oh yeah, he was too... I had almost forgotten. Shit.

 

“I-I can’t tell you.” I mumble, pulling away from his grip.

 

“Ah. Lemme guess. Order brats.”

 

“I’m not saying anything man. If you know enough to know that you gotta know why.” I begged.

 

“Yeah... Yeah I fucking do... SHIT!” He snarls, kicking at the wall and throwing the door open. “Giving the little trouts glowsticks though... That’s a fucking new low.” He opens the fridge, grabbing two beers and passing me one without a word.

 

“You sure Kyle?”

 

“Fuck it, I’m not on duty.” Kyle grumbles “And I’ve copped enough of those fucking things to know you probably need one.”

 

I shrug, opening the bottle and taking a gulp. He was right, the lingering ache did diminish with the cool liquid spilling down my throat.

 

“Can’t let those shits get away with it though...” He mumbled to himself “...Can’t just have the school searched... too obvious...”

 

“Kyle,” I offer “Are Manticore spines illegal here?”

 

“Controlled substance. Obviously the tailpussies can have ‘em, can’t exactly arrest a Mamono for something growing out the poor bitch after all.” He snickered. “Why do you ask? Someone trading ‘em at school?”

 

“No...” I reply “...but there’s nothing saying I couldn’t have been mistaken about that.”

 

“What are you... Oh... OH!” He exclaims as understanding hits him. His smile is almost beatific. “You are an evil little bastard, Johnno, and I love you for it.”

 

“Do what I can.” I grin, raising my bottle in a toast.

 

Kyle laughs, clinking the neck of his bottle to mine.

 

“...And I’m telling you. You did the right thing.” Mick’s voice rings through the lounge.

 

“I dunno... Maybe I can still apologise, I was hasty as fuck after all.” Jeff muses, entering the kitchen with the smaller man following behind.

 

“You two faggots ever knock?” Kyle lamented.

 

“Why? You gave us keys.” Mick rejoins, casually fishing beers out of the fridge.

 

“Sure, use FACTS on me.” Kyle grumbled. “What’s up with you, Jeff?”

 

“I ran into Shaz in the city today.”

 

“Yeh, and?”

 

“Remember what she said to me after the Pub? Before they beat fuck out of those yowies?”

 

“Yeah, that fucking line about how it’d be hard to find time but if you joined The Order hint hint wink wink nudge nudge.”

 

Jeff nodded. “She was using the same line on another bloke. Like fuckin’ Word Perfect.”

 

“Naomi...” I murmur.

 

“Whazzat mate?” Kyle enquires, turning slightly to face me.

 

“A girl from school... Apparently her dad’s Order. She went on a date with a friend of mine but dropped him like a hot rock as soon as she found out he didn’t ditch his Mamono friends.”

 

“And this wouldn’t have anything to do with you getting glowsticked, of course.” Kyle muses.

 

“The FUCK?” Mick exclaims

 

“Kyle!” I yell

 

“Don’t worry mate, Mick and Jeff know how to keep their mouths closed... And if they don’t I can ‘official secrets’ their arses in about thirty seconds flat.”

 

“Police brutality!” Mick rejoins

 

“Shaddup fuckya.”

 

“Still reckon you didn’t dodge one cunt of a bullet there Jeff?” Mick asks, looking seriously at Jeff whilst holding out a beer.

 

“Yeah... You’re right.” Jeff admits, taking the bottle. “You ok Johnno?” he asks sincerely.

 

“Someone got a lift home from a VERY tidy lookin’ wedge-tail... I reckon he’ll be ok.” Kyle drawls.

 

“Noice.” Mick grins.

 

A bang from outside.

 

“Jeff!” A harsh voice yells “We know you’re fucking in there!”

 

“Aw shit.” Jeff groans. “So much for dodged.”

 

“Stay inside, all three of you.” Kyle commands, hitting a few buttons on his PC and opening a kitchen cupboard. There’s a beeping of an electronic lock and Kyle emerges with a pistol in his hand. Checking the weapon expertly, he loads a magazine into it and chambers a round.

 

“That’s what I’m talkin’ bout.” I murmur.

 

“Bloody seppos” Mick chuckles as Kyle steps outside.

 

“Get off my property. Now.” He orders.

 

Jeff, Mick and I scramble upstairs, peering through a curtain at the yard below. Four men bearing glowsticks are standing on the driveway.

 

“This isn’t your concern.” One of them grates. Kyle holds up a leather wallet, presumably containing a badge.

 

“It is now. You’re already trespassing, want to add ‘threatening an officer of the law’ to that?”

 

“You’re not that dumb, Officer Cavendish.” Another retorts “You know who we are. There are some very, very influential people who bend the knee to Ilias these days.”

 

“Yeah, but the Premier and the Police Commissioner still have the square and compasses on their rings, not the wings of Ilias. And will you look here...” He raises his right hand. “...What a fucking coincidence!”

 

“You better watch yourself, Cavendish, because The Order will be watching you.” The man growls.

 

“Clearly not closely enough.” Kyle snickers as two squad cars barrel from nowhere into the street. Four uniformed officers burst out, weapons drawn.

 

“FREEZE!” an officer roars “Drop your weapons and get on your knees!”

 

“Not the first time he’s heard that, I’ll bet.” Kyle spits venomously. “I don’t care what Miss Wingaling claims to be. There are laws in this country still, and you fuckers ARE not, and so fucking help me, WILL not be above them.”

 

“Blasphemy!” one of the men shrieks, before being hushed by another. Reluctantly, they place the sticks on the ground, sinking to their knees and putting their hands behind their heads.

 

“What fucking century are you from?” Kyle bursts in exasperation. “Get them the fuck off my property please, Officers.”

 

“Gladly, Detective.” One of the officers replies as they slap cuffs on the Order thugs and manhandle them into the back of the squad cars.

 

“You’re going home in the back of a whippy van, tshh tet tet tshhh tet tet tah tshh tshhh” Mick sings softly, snickering as the cars drive away.

 

“Mick. Get me some of the big placcy bags out my briefcase, these fuckers left their sex toys behind.” Kyle calls from the yard.