Tara

by J G Possum

  The colonel sat in Zor’s chair at the round table. Three NSA captains showed up, reporting to him. He explained everything to them that happened. General Urgon was taken under guard to the NSA prison to await trial. His head was bandaged and he was stripped of his uniform, restrained and placed under guard.

  Tron made sure the council members were comfortable. Ross notified the national communications network and told them the whole story about General Urgon’s plot to crash Leader Zor’s aircraft and take over the government, including the amazing rescue by the Earth people and the recovery of the government of Erona. It would be told to all the people so all would know his treachery.

  Ross discovered how General Urgon was able to come so far with his plan. He had a specially configured headband that concealed most of his thoughts and he worked alone, trusting no one.

  Tron called Frank and brought him up to date.

  Frank said, “Colonel Ross sounds like my kind of guy. I look forward to meeting him. He’s got guts and loyalty not found in many men, a true leader.” He then said to Tron, Ross, and Eloy, “I’m proud of you, men. You all performed like seasoned veterans and became a special forces team when you had no other choice.”

  They all thanked Frank for his help.

  Chapter Twenty

  Lance told Zor the Government of Erona was now back under his control. He explained all that had happened. Zor was delighted. He said, “I would like you and your wife Ashley, and anyone else you choose, to return to Erona with my wife and me for a grand celebration.” Zor asked for Colonel Rick and told him, “You are a brave and loyal follower. I hereby promote you from colonel to general. Zor asked General Rick to work with Tron, who was elevated to his first-in-command, and plan a grand celebration on his return to Erona. He said, “It must be for all my people to enjoy.”

  On Earthland, Ashley notified all the directors that a military takeover of the Government of Erona had been averted and all was well. Lance announced to everyone that General Urgon has been arrested for treason and General Rick was now in charge of the NSA; also Ambassador Tron was promoted to Leader Zor’s first-in-command. Peace had been returned to Tara.

  A few days passed, and the shuttle lifted off the ground and headed toward Erona. On board were Zor, Ora, Lance, Ashley, Walter, Lois, Frank, Terry, and Andy, who was the pilot. When it landed at the palace, there was a military honor guard at attention; music was playing, and hundreds of people were crowded up against a temporary fence. There were cheers and praises and flowers all around. The Eron were happy and were dancing in the streets.

  Tents were set up outside the palace with food, drink, and music. Tron, General Rick, and the council, all lavishly dressed, greeted them. Zor smiled, and raising his hands, said, “I have returned.” The cheering and screaming were deafening; the people were overjoyed that Zor was alive and back in Erona. When they entered the palace, the great room under the rotunda had been decorated.

  There were colored banners everywhere. The round table was set with the finest dishes and silverware. When everyone was seated, Tron stood up and made a toast, “To our great Leader Zor--long may he live.” Everyone at the table cheered and drank their toast to the leader. The food was elaborately served in bright silver dishes. There was a variety of vegetables with tasty sauces to enhance the flavors. Outside the palace, several thousand people had gathered to join the celebration. This hadn’t happened since the end of the Great War.

  Everyone at the table laughed and showed great joy. Tron sat next to Zor with his wife Ora on his other side; next to him sat General Rick. Next was Eloy, then Ross with his wife, Sere. Ashley sat next to Ora, then Lance, Walter, Lois, Frank and Terry. Andy sat next to Rea, his brother, Wes, and Rea’s granddaughter, Lue. The three council members completed the circle. Tron leaned over and whispered in Zor’s ear.

  Zor stood up and said, “May I have your attention? I have an announcement. Would my friends please stand up and be noticed. Commander Lance Roberts, Ambassador Walter Walker, Director Frank Warren, and Andy, who is indispensable. It is with great pleasure that I award you our nation’s highest honor, the Golden Medallion of Honor.”

  Tron stood up, and walking around the table, hung a medallion around each of their necks. Everyone in the room cheered. The wives all smiled with pride at their husbands, who were heroes

  Zor said, “If it were not for my friends, I would not be here today. I have another announcement to make. General Rick is appointed the head of the National Security Administration, the NSA. Tron is promoted to my first- in-command. Ross is promoted to master engineer, and Eloy is promoted to captain of our Air Force. I have a special thanks to some special people who risked their lives for me: Rea, his brother Wes, and his granddaughter Lue. I honor them all with the Silver Medal for Bravery and a reward of one thousand X, which they deserve.” Tron pined a medal on each one and shook their hand in turn. Once again everyone cheered.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Zor continued, “Before I sit down, I have one more thing to say. Commander Roberts, leader of the Nation of Earthland, we do not need our share of your harvest; it was a test of your honor that you far surpassed. From this day forward, humans and Eron shall be as one people on planet Tara.” The cheers that erupted were overwhelming and continued for a long time; they were heard outside the palace.

  Lance and Ashley looked at each other and around the room at all the cheering people. Ashley said, “I haven’t felt this happy and proud since we were married. We have made a difference on this planet.”

  Ashley was fascinated with the Eron people. Ora was very friendly to all the ladies. They sat in the palace lounge and talked about everything that came to mind.

  Lance and the men gathered at the far end of the lounge, seated in comfortable chairs, and discussed various subjects with Zor. General Rick kept glancing across the room at Lue, who returned his smile. The evening wore on, and gradually everyone went to their assigned rooms. The outside celebration ended with soft music being played by a few who hung on for a,while before leaving.

  General Rick took Lue and her family and left for home. Lance and Ashley curled up in their bed to enjoy the peace they deserved and had worked so hard for. They were totally relaxed and slept the sleep that only peace can give.

  The date was 07/10/502. The shuttle landed back at the Aquarius on Earthland. The sun was shining brightly. Lance was glad to be back. Ashley talked with Mike and Sue. She told them all about the Eron celebration that was held for Zor.

  Mike said, “We would have enjoyed being there, but our roads couldn’t wait.

  Ashley asked, “How’s the road projects coming?”

  Mike replied, “River Road and Oceanfront Drive are completed.” the lots along the ocean front are staked out. Sue has the shopping center at the Aquarius well underway; we’re working on that project.”

  Lois checked with Martha, who said, “The printing plates are ready for your approval so we can print our money. The molds for our coins are also ready, and the design for the identification and banking card, known as the IDB card, will be ready in two days.”

  Lois replied, “You have been busy--thank you so much.” A sample dollar note and two stamped coins were on her desk for approval of the design. She brought them to Ashley, who called a directors’ meeting for tomorrow. Together they went outside and met with Sue to review the new central bank constructed beneath the ship at the entrance to the shopping center. They had made great progress in a short time. At the directors’ meeting the next day, Lance told more of the great celebration that they attended in Erona. Ashley told of the honors bestowed on them and that Zor stated we are one people on Tara. All the directors were pleased to hear that.

  A notice describing the event would be posted at the shopping center for all to see.

  Hikaru said, “We are harvesting our crops now, and we should give the Eron their share; we have more than enough.”

  Lance said, “I’m glad to hear that. I would like to s
end some of our vegetables to Erona, so they may consider them for their use.”

  Walter replied, “I will take care of it.”

  Takeo said, “I would like to introduce their vegetables into our diet, I’ll add some to our menus at the café. I think they are tasty and nutritious.”

  Walter said, “Next month the rains will come. Ross told me about them. It will rain every day for several hours, and at times it can rain for a week. We must be prepared.”

  Lance said, “I wonder how high the river will get?”

  Ashley remarked, “We need to finish building the warehouse at the end of River Road, complete the harvest, and maybe pour a few foundation slabs on some lots along Oceanfront Drive.”

  They reviewed the design for paper money and coins and voted to go forward and issue one hundred million dollars in various notes to fund the treasury. They also agreed to issue the IDB cards. Lois was authorized to approve them.

  Mike said, “I suggest we dig a drainage ditch completely around the perimeter of the ship outside the security fence.” Lance agreed. In the weeks ahead, everyone was issued an IDB card and a specific bank account with a balance of fifty thousand dollars as a homestead award.

  Tron visited Earthland and returned to Erona with some vegetables, including, corn, potatoes, beans, and, tomatoes. Takeo insisted he take some seeds as well and start some plants in the spring. The shopping center was almost complete, and a few stores and services were being prepared.

  It was now 08/10/502, and the first signs of heavy rain had started. The area next to the landing pad had been partially roofed over to protect the transportation vehicles. They had set up a schedule for a public vehicle to run from the government center to the ocean center that was setup and located next to the warehouse at the mouth of the river. The public vehicle made two round trips each day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. They named the river Roberts River in honor of Lance and Ashley. The river waterfall was named Ashley Falls. The rains increased as expected and continued to fall both day and night. The drainage ditch helped keep the area from flooding, but just barely. When it poured, no one could work outside; maximum effort was given to completing the shopping center beneath the ship. The central bank was open.

  Lance, Mike, and Frank decided to drive to the ocean front and take a look at the warehouse and the status of the river. They climbed into an ATV and headed down River Road. They were alone, since the public vehicle was canceled due to the rainstorm. The rain came down so hard they could barely see the road ahead. Mike was driving when they almost ran into a Tarasaurus standing in the middle of the road. Mike slammed on the brakes. The ATV slid to a stop about ten feet from the creature. Frank stood up and raised his arms over his head, looking up at the huge creature. They couldn’t move.

  The Tarasaurus faced them, looked them over, turned, and walked into the jungle alongside the road, crashing through the foliage. Frank smiled and said, “Works every time.” This was the first time Lance saw one up close.

  Lance remarked, “I’m sure glad we can get along; for a minute I thought we were all dead.” They all laughed to relieve the stress. They could still hear the creature crashing through the jungle in the distance.

  Mike said, “Do you think it’s the same one you helped, Frank?”

  “I didn’t have time to look for a scar on its neck,” Frank replied, with a grin. They all burst into laughter again.

  Mike continued driving down River Road. The wind from last evening had blown a lot of branches onto the road, Mike had to maneuver around them. He said, “When the weather settles, I’ll have a crew clean this up.”

  They could see the outline of the warehouse and ocean center up ahead in the distance. They drove to the landing at the mouth of the river. The river had risen about a foot over its banks and was running wild; no rocks could be seen, and the current was swift. The moving water had started to erode the bank next to the landing dock. Mike said, “We’re going to lose the dock. I think it would be a waste of time to try to save it.” They agreed.

  Lance said, “We can replace it with an improved dock that can have a solid base. Bigger and better, more like a pier.” Lance continued, “We’ll know how high the river gets in a couple weeks.”

  They stopped at the warehouse and went inside, making sure everything looked dry. The attached central power station was fine, and the transportation shelter was not damaged. Satisfied, they climbed back into the ATV and headed back up River Road. When they came to where they saw the Tarasaurus, everything was quiet. They drove past the government center and checked the hog pen where the wild hogs were being raised.

  The hogs were housed in an elevated building that had an attached open yard. It was located at the end of the garden area. The hog pen was constructed using Kyrex blocks and trusses. It had a dome shape and was surrounded by an electric fence of its own. The wild hogs were fine and protected from the rain. Hikaru had assigned several farm hands to care for them, and Takeo liked to check on them herself. Having completed their inspection tour, they parked the ATV and returned to the ship. The heavy rains continued every day for two more weeks, then tapered off. Everyone was happy to see it end, so they could get outside again.

  Roberts River crested about ten feet above its banks, and the land was saturated with water. As predicted, the dock at the north end of Oceanfront Drive was washed away completely, and the riverbank was eroded.

  It looked like the jungle grew two feet taller. Everything looked fresh and greener than ever with the sweet smell of grass. When the sun broke through the clouds, steam rose throughout the area, like a misty fog that was in layers.

  Ashley, Lance, Walter, and Lois looked out of the observatory window and noticed how beautiful this planet really was. Lois remarked, “This is close to paradise--with everything that’s going on, I sometimes need to stop and realize how lucky we are to be here.”

  Walter put his arm around her and said, “You help make it beautiful.”

  She replied, “That’s so nice of you to say that.”

  Ashley said, “Walter, I didn’t realize you were a romantic.” Everyone laughed. The sun was starting to set, and the sky was full of color reflecting off the scattered clouds. A flight of large birds could be seen in the distance on their way to the ocean shore.

  The triangular-shaped spaceship slipped into orbit around the planet Tara, with a smooth transition. The pilot grinned and said in a guttural language, “See, this is the planet I told you about--it is perfect for mining the Xenon mineral we must have. Our analysis indicates a high probability it is present. We will be rich.”

  The large humanoid being standing next to him replied, “I can see by our sensors that it is inhabited.”

  The pilot said, “Not for long, Master Og,” as he hissed his laughter. The others on the deck joined in. The spaceship continued to scan the surface.

  Og moved to the surface monitor looking the planet over and replied, “How big is the population?”

  The pilot answered, “Less than five thousand. They all live on one large island close together.”

  Og said, “Excellent, this should be quick. Prepare to attack before they realize we are here. We can surprise them.”

  The pilot, using one of his four arms, made some adjustments on the control panel. The spaceship slowed down and started to enter the atmosphere. The forward weapons systems armed itself. The weapons panel indicated red lights. The crew grew anxious as the thought of battle entered their minds.

  On Erona, General Rick contacted Zor and said, “Sir, we have just observed a spacecraft entering our atmosphere.”

  Zor replied, “Prepare to defend our planet. Keep me informed.” He then called Lance on Earthland. After hearing the news, Lance announced, “Everyone return to the Aquarius at once. Turn off all exterior lights and close all ports. Commence total blackout--we are at condition RED, until further notice. All directors report to the government center at once.”

  The alien spaceship s
treaked through the sky toward Erona. The beings on board were mercenaries who searched out planets to mine rare minerals that they could sell for large profits. This crew had no feelings for others, no compassion, and no loyalty even with each other. They lived only for wealth and the thrill of battle. Og watched with his slanted eyes as the lights from Eron City grew closer. Slamming one of his huge hands down on the console, he shouted to his crew, Fire! Fire! Fire!” The sound of the forward weapons system vibrated loudly throughout the ship.

  On Erona, the four aircraft sent by Captain Eloy approached the alien spaceship. Without warning, they were immediately blasted into a thousand pieces before they could even send a message. The alien spaceship suddenly slowed, turned and hovered near the city, appearing to be inspecting it like a hawk observing its prey.

  General Rick ordered a total blackout, and the city lights quickly started to disappear. The alien spaceship suddenly fired a barrage of missiles, and a section of the palace and some of the adjoining buildings disintegrated with a blast. The spaceship banked left and swung around in a circle, ready for another volley. Watching the results of the attack, Og announced, “Stop, do not waste further ammunition at this time. That was the center of the city. They are finished for now. They will disperse and run away. They received the message we sent them.” The ship turned and headed west over the ocean. Og said, “Return to the edge of space. We will evaluate the resistance that is left and return tomorrow in the daylight. There will be no one to stop us. The planet will be ours to do as we wish. We will burn their city and leave no one.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  On Erona, the palace was partially destroyed. Large clouds of dust and smoke covered the entire area. Tron and General Rick, with several guards, climbed through the wreckage looking for Zor and Ora, who could not be found. Zor’s apartment was vaporized and the area was totally destroyed with no chance of survival. They discovered several dismembered dead guards who never knew what happened. There were small fires burning in the rubble, and mangled, smoldering, unidentifiable material. Several buildings near the palace were also destroyed. Zor’s personal guards were missing.