”“See? That’s what I’m talking about.”“What do you mean?”“Again,” she rolled her eyes. “You really can be a dumbass some of the ti...e.”“Well, that’s an improvement from most of the time,” he quipped and got a laugh.“Still, quit changing the subject,” she responded. “You’ve definitely become funnier. And smarter too. But you don’t rub it in everyone else’s face, which is nice.”He shrugged, “I’m trying not to be an arrogant prick.”“Again ... a very mature way of looking at it.”“Hmm,” he thought. "Did you see him?"Oliver shook his head, and winced when Frank touched his tender injury, even with gentle fingers. Frank stood, and held his hand out for Oliver to take."Come on," Frank insisted. "Let's get back."Oliver lifted his eyes to Frank's face, where they suddenly widened. "You're bleeding, Frank!" Oliver said, as if it were his only concern in the world."I'm okay," Frank insisted. "Come on, Oliver. I wanna make sure my sister's alright, and we need to get some ice on your arm. I don't. " "So I'm an experiment?" "Oh, no, wait. Sorry. I didn't mean...um...guess I didn't think that part through." I had to admit I was intrigued. She was just 18 and four months, no regular boyfriend yet, and I figured she'd seen it all as an innocent test of her emerging womanly powers. "Oh Cass. It's OK. It's just, well..." "Too weird?" "No, no. Not really. But, well...we can't...you can't..." "It's OK Mike. I get it. We'll forget it, but first just tell me. If I wasn't your sister, would. We have a creature that is similar in function and nature, which we call an earthworm but not as intelligent as you, gentle being, the Colonel said.It has been an honor to meet and communicate with a new life form such as you, Mendow said. Sadly, I must continue my journey or the planet would be up to its neck in refuse.It has been an honor for me as well, gentle being, the Colonel replied. I hope, if I am out in the dark again, that we may continue our conversation. I too need to return to.