To Err on the side of Caution.

"I think I'd better not," I began. "While I have some confidence in Ms. Loome's ability, I'd rather not risk inviting more of Ms. Fraye's ire by overstepping my welcome."

"As you wish Sir, I'll have a Message delivered informing them as such," Howard said, "Will that be all?"

Thinking on it, and remembering the Note stuck in my Pocket, I nodded. "Yes Howard, I believe it will. Gloria, would you be so kind as to prepare another Pot of Coffee and leave it in the Study? I believe I have much reading to do this morning." They nodded and left to attend their duties, while I finished with the morning's news, attempting to mask my concern of finding secrets that I might have missed with more mundane information, such as one of Farmer Jakobson's cows calving.

But One can only be kept indoors for so long.

Sometime after my midday meal, I took a walk along the perimeter of the commune, by a newly cleared field and the untouched forest beside it. The smell of felled Trees and upturned Earth filled my nostrils, and I let out a great sigh. The kind that only those at Peace or with great Hope of the Moment could make.

That Moment however, was lost when upon the next bend, I spied a line of men standing in the middle of the field, with their Trousers down to their ankles, pleasuring themselves, and some, each other, with their hands. "Come on lads!" One of them grunted loudly at his fellows, "we've got this one and more to fertilize before we can pack it away!"

More grunts of affirmation and effort followed after him, as well as the sounds of some furious friction. However, none of it sounded more disgusting, than the sound of myself retching into a ditch, as my meal immediately vacated my stomach via the same passage it entered.

Racing home, I drank nothing but well water, and spoke to Howard about Madosin's Produce's 'Fertilizer'. He merely shrugged at the news, but assured me that everything in my larder, and everything I had consumed thus far, had been imported, upon the Ship that had brought me as well. "And your Message to Ms. Fraye and Loome? Are they aware of my... diet?" I gasped, still quite Green in the face.

"Of course, Sir," he nodded. "When I penned and delivered the Message myself, I had included a Basket of some dried Meats, Bread, Wine, Pickled Vegetables, as well as some wild Roots and Mushrooms for your meal."

"Oh good, good..." I replied, swallowing uncomfortably before running to the nearest window, "now if you'll excuse me, I think I need to go throw up again."

"Very good, Sir," he replied, dryly to my back.