“Wait here,” Galen told Captain Hawser, “and keep an eye on Marigold and Camille here. They mean very much to me,” he said and then repeated the order in English for Blue’s benefit. The big Indian smiled slightly and tipped his head, happy and curious about his new world.
“Lead the way Patia,” Galen said, moving between languages smoothly, and the woman felt a wave of pleasure. The great Galen Dawkins knew her name! And he’d spoken directly to her!
“Yes…yes Sir,” she replied and headed back out across the open fields.
Ten minutes later they spotted a group approaching. As Patia reported, they were mostly on horseback but to Adam, Christine and Cord’s dismay there were two military vehicles rolling along with them, hummers, both with mounted and manned sixty caliber machine guns.
“We should rethink this Galen,” Armstrong advised, clumsily steering his horse closer to the young man. “Those guns mean serious business. I doubt even your wicked lady friends here would stand much of a chance against them,” he warned with a smile for Vio. The woman obviously had set her cap on Dawkins, which crushed Armstrong a little, but he wasn’t ready to give up just yet. She was a fine looking woman and worth fighting for, no matter what the odds.
Galen kept riding forward however. “These people need our help. Trust me, they’ll be our friends before nightfall,” he answered, but despite his reassurances the rest of the group advanced with more than a little trepidation.
As the two groups neared, Galen pulled to a stop and raised his right hand and smiled. The men before him did not readily return the wave, nor did they stop, instead they kept coming fanning out until Galen and the rest of his party were completely surrounded.
“Might be a good time to use that time trick of yours,” Armstrong suggested.
Galen chuckled. “Relax Cord, some of these men are Americans, just like you,” he told them and a man in one of the hummers stepped out. He was wearing fatigues, US Air Force issue from what Armstrong could tell and he was sporting a general’s insignia. The man’s eyes were wide with surprise as he scanned the group in front of him. Another man, this one dressed in a simple tunic thrown over a long sleeved silk shirt, climbed gracefully down from his horse. He was tall and thin and wore long black boots and had a sword slung about his waist. He was relatively handsome, but in all actuality he looked like something out of an old painting. Without a trace of fear the man moved over and stood close to the general.
Galen immediately dismounted and everyone in his group followed his lead.
“Who be these strangers?” The man with the sword asked his counterpart in barely comprehensible English, but the general just shrugged.
“You’re American,” the man stated simply aiming his comment at Armstrong, but his eyes also swept over Adam, Christine, Galen, Vio and Avigail, because they were all dressed in twentieth century clothing, which meant blue jeans and a comfortable shirt.
“I am,” Cord answered,” and you?”
The man nodded and took one simple step forward and held out his hand in greeting. “My name is General Stephen Peebles…this is King Alfred of Wessex….or King Alfred the Great to you.”
In the stunned silence that followed this declaration Galen Dawkins began to laugh. It was a laugh of utter, unabashed joy. It was an infectious laugh and most of those near him found it hard to resist. Soon others were laughing as well, though King Alfred only smiled, his expression deeply curious.
“Galen,” Christine whispered at his side. “Where in the…where have you taken us?”
“Earth,” he answered still chuckling. Christine frowned as Galen reached over and pulled Avigail very close.
She smiled up at him, very happy, very content.
Galen’s eyes twinkled as he looked into hers, but then he released his love and moved to Christine.
“Don’t be afraid mother,” he said and then with a sweeping motion that encompassed all they could see, he continued. “This is Earth. This is home and I’m absolutely positive that this is the best of all possible worlds,” he added with a laugh.
Christine stared nervously at the man…Alfred the Great, her doubt and unease growing.
“But please don’t worry. If you don’t like it,” Galen added with a mischievous wink, “there are so, so many more.”
The End
394
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[i] Phys.org April 5th 2005 Source: CSIRO
[ii] Length of a Human DNA molecule, The Physics Factbook, edited by Glenn Elert-written by his students.
The Best of All Possible Worlds Page 50