Outlaw Badjans (Six of Toigan)

by D Gemcats Purcell

  Of course, I knew that to be true even before she ‘said’ it. It was like I could know her thoughts before she even expressed it, scary! It was even more scary that she was able to do the same with me.

  It burst into my head to say it, ”Won’t there be a problem with Mader, having me over?”

  She laughed, “We just aren’t going to be able to have secrets from each other Jordan, are we? We’ve hung out together yes, did the pool party thing a month ago and he likes me maybe more than I am willing to like him, truth be told. At this stage of my life, I have many years to go and many people to meet before I confine myself to one relationship.”

  I said, “My thoughts too Jessi, my thoughts too.”

  I was sure that she could hear my interest in there. “Let’s spend some time getting to know each other and I have to say that we both need to test our powers and I feel safe sharing that knowledge with you as well as doing further testing jointly.” Her address seemed to just lock into place in my mind without effort. She must have thought it out.

  We were both trying to be more grown up than we really felt.

  “See you then, ”I said and my mind snapped back to my bedroom. Obviously we had both turned off our capabilities at about the same time. “Good to know,” I thought about how that worked. “We need to be able to separate our thoughts from each other’s minds. I’ve got to work on that! “

  It was Thursday night. There was still 2 more months of formal school to finish before graduating from High School. Classes were mostly by vid conferencing, though two days of the week demanded personal presence and face to face work, including opportunities for debating face to face, and sports of all kinds.

  Friday was by vid and the day went well. I even helped Dad and Moog for a few hours around the farm, giving vet care to some of our herbivores, cattle and sheep. The air was heavy with moisture, it being late spring early summer. Mom Elma’ s flower gardens were in full bloom too.

  I cornered Dad as we walked back from the barn, “Dad, I’d like to go visit a new friend I made during the IMMERSION at her home tomorrow morning on the edge of Pommerose.”

  He said, ”Is it that the Jessi girl that you mentioned a month ago?”

  I said, ”I’m surprised that you remembered her name Dad. Yes.”

  He said, “Hopefully her parents won’t object to a poor farmers son and ‘NONCOM’ coming to meet their daughter! Their parents seemed well connected with the academic elites you had said. Professors yes?”

  “I got the feeling that they both made gardens for food and flowers too.”

  He shook his head approvingly. I realized that once I was tuned into my Dad, that I could hear his thoughts too, before he said them out aloud, but I had to focus on him and be emotionally involved in the conversation.

  “How neat,” I thought, silently.

  Saturday morning arrived, and breakfast was quickly scarfed down. My folks could see that I was excited about the trip. Dad had agreed to me using his classic car since he did not have an association meet this weekend. One and a half hours later, I pulled into Jessi’s driveway with a wroomph and I saw curtains move on the side of a window next to her front door. They lived in a nice two storey cream painted brick mansion as I had expected. The front door was an elaborate curlicued metal grating glassed type and wide. It looked like four super obese folks could walk through at the same time! As I got out and closed the car door firmly, I caught a glimpse of other curtains moving in two houses opposite and an elderly couple walking their dog on the side- walk a few feet away, made a beeline for the car, all the while gaping!

  The gentleman gasped in delight, “Now that is a sweet smoker, if there ever was one! We don’t see these much anymore. Do you own it?”

  To which I replied, “No it’s my Dad’s, he allows me to drive it sometimes.”

  He said admiringly, “Well son, do take good care of it. It’s a beaut! Very well maintained, what beautiful paintwork too. “

  I suddenly noticed a light fragrance and a presence off my right shoulder while I was still turned facing the street during the conversation. I turned around and my hand bumped into Jessi’s thigh awkwardly. She grabbed me into an enveloping hug and I wrapped my arms quickly around the top of her shoulders and quickly let go as I saw what had to be her parents sliding through the front door, eyes glued on the car. She held on for just a bit longer, by a few moments. Those were some heady moments. It felt like when I was levitating on the sled bike at high speeds, just much more intense.

  Jesse was remarkable in every way. She had large captivating eyes, dark brown with a little speckling of green, I think or was it grey! If the soul could indeed be inspected through the eyes, then she had an open honest sincere one. She was gorgeous pale chocolate complexion, 5’6” if I gauged it right, so 3 inches shorter than I. Her build could best be described as medium with narrow hips, long looking legs and small neat chest proportion. When she turned to walk toward the front door, dressed in good fitting but not cream colored trousers, I could see that she seemed well toned there with an oh so nice pert looking behind. Very nicely put together I was thinking in just the few moments I had to really get a good look at her.

  Even though I worked on a farm, I looked just like my Dad, wiry tough and slender not muscle bound as many young ladies seem to prize. I guess I wasn’t bad looking otherwise, dark skinned from the sun plus a fair dose of melanin, but certainly no standout. As those introspections flashed through my mind, two things jumped there too. Jesse, oh gosh could read my thoughts and what was her ‘friend’ like- some Mader fellow! ? I admit that I did not feel myself overflowing with confidence at this juncture.

  Jessi reached back and squeezed by hand and guided me towards Jace and Susan.

  They really looked nice and approachable and reached out to shake my hands, Susan first. I felt a slight jolt of electric power surge between us! She was maybe 5’2” and looked up into my eyes with a twitch of a smile, “I am Susan Wentworth and I am thrilled to meet you. Jessi has said a lot of nice things about you and I can see that you do appreciate her a lot. You have great power and potential.”

  I was momentarily at a loss for words, just managing to let stumble out. “The pleasure really is mine Mrs. Wentworth and you sure have a nice looking mansion.”

  I was a bit puzzled by her statement though. Was it made just to be polite, or because Jessi told them about my powers, or heaven forbid, could she herself be able to read other’s energy like her daughter?

  She turned to her husband Jace, “He is so well spoken too. “

  He said, “I am Jace and I am glad you can come. Don’t let’s stand in the yard; let’s go on the porch for refreshments. By the way, your Dad’s car is gorgeous. It says a lot about you that he’d allow you to take his prized possession so far from home.”

  He continued, “Yes we both, Susan and I have similar powers to Jessi, though she has long since eclipsed us. Yes we are sensitive to the general direction of other’s thoughts but can’t read it word for word like she can. So glad we can be open and honest and clear the air amongst us.”

  Her father went behind us to walk appreciatively around the car and when he returned, I noticed something quite remarkable. He came from behind us but seemed to appear as if in a blur in front of us, he was now facing us.

  My expression must have been one of puzzlement; it must have screamed, “What happened just now?”

  Jessi on my left looked up and said simply, “Dad can translocate when he gets excited, you know. We can talk about it later. Let’s show you around our little home in the ‘burbs’ after we get you a refreshing drink.”

  It was no little home, it was an executive mansion on a mature tree lined street, judging by its front facade with six large columns in the front entrance area with a small sitting area there. There were 4 large rocking chairs with white cushions pulled close on one side, it appears, just for the occasion. They invited me to sit, which I did primly. A platter appeared as if out of thin
air and Mr. Wentworth doing his magic trick again had a cold glass in my hand before I could blink. As we sat sipping, my mind was full of questions, but I purged them out and kept my mind focused on my surroundings, taking in the beautiful shade trees- noticing that their names were just jumping into my mind effortlessly, estimating their ages. All of this new found knowledge I did not have before the IMMERSION.

  Just in the two months since, my teachers have been astounded at the dramatic improvement in my academic performance all around in diverse courses. Of course they knew about the immersion but in my rural farming area, people were mostly Noncoms and therefore did not have much first hand knowledge of the details. They were impressed though with how it seemed to have improved me. Of course, if I had to admit it myself, I was no slouch prior to that enhancement program.

  The Wentworths obviously were paying close attention to me while trying not to appear to do so. We chatted about the area they lived in and it’s history, the folks who lived on the block and their professions and even some of their special attributes in some cases. Jesse mostly listened, had something to say about some of the kids too. They were very affable to say the least.

  Once, when I glanced at her with a slightly questioning look, “Relax and enjoy”. She said into my head.

  Finally her Dad got up and ushered us inside just as two powerful motor sleds whooshed by down the tree lined road each with two kids riding and much faster than allowed on a nice residential street. “Like I should complain,” I thought to myself. “At least I speed on rural roads.”

  Susan suddenly turned to me saying, “You don’t want to do that speeding around here. The cops here use ‘invisible’ camera traps and the penalties are quite high!”

  I ducked my head. So I am quite literally among a brood of people who can read my thoughts, oh man.

  The house tour went quickly and it was gorgeous home with tall foyers and soaring ceilings everywhere fully responsive to voice, gesture, could read your temperature and demeanor and answer any question you asked, plus tell you the status of the world too while at it!

  The basement was the happening place though. There was a portion devoted totally to toys, including a full sized two person three dimensional simulator suspended on gimbals from the floor and ceiling both of which were reinforced and padded. Adventures could certainly be had here. I recall both Charlie and I drooling about the ones we saw in trade shows from the high tech companies from both our planet and the next door planet of Baclet. Here I was in front of one and in a private home! The two at school were underpowered in terms of hardware and software, very underwhelming indeed.

  Mr. Wentworth who admitted to me that he had gone on one 2 year trip to our two neighboring moons while doing research with his University of Pommerose said that the programs he ran in his Sim were quite realistic, down to the nausea produced with maneuvers.

  The pool and entertainment area in the back, fully glassed in if desired, was nicer than anything I’d seen elsewhere. It was truly a relaxing paradise. I would have loved to see my family’s faces if they could see this backyard. It sure beat our utilitarian backyard. I felt like what I was, the farmer boy come to rich suburbia! “Some people have all the good stuff”, I said to myself.

  Jessi and her Mom both looked at me at the same time. They looked at each other and giggled while Jace looked at them quizzically. I assumed then, rightly or wrongly that he was not as sensitively attuned to others thoughts as they both were.

  Then he shrugged his shoulders and said, “These wonderful thought readers.”

  Jessi kept silent in my head, thank goodness.

  After her father finished explaining about his simulator, he strongly recommended that I jump in it sometime WITH HIM! I suppose he didn’t want anyone playing around with his toy without supervision. After all as he explained the hardware was off shelf though expensive stock but the software was his baby and he licensed it out the less capable versions to companies to sell to dumb folks like me. So he has the super cutting edge not-yet-released programs. He had two separate super-cooled rooms down there with his supercomputers. Poor Jessi, with parents like hers she could not help but be super talented!

  Mrs. Wentworth suddenly cocked her head to the side and said, “There are some people entering the driveway.”

  I wasn’t sure how she knew but I said nothing, simply followed them up the stairs to the front door. There had been no chime. Obviously, her husband and daughter thought nothing of her behavior.

  When we got there, the house spoke to us, “ Four teenagers are on the steps and their names are .. Cherese, Matt, Dillion and Mader.” The electronic screen mounted by the side of the door revealed their pictures, “Nice looking youngsters, I thought. Great, I get to meet her friends and the Mader, gee!”

  Jessi eagerly opened the door and proceeded to give each of her friends a quick hug, but I noted not for as long as mine. Ruefully I thought of the possibility that they likely get together much more often than in my case which was only our second time! They were all likable looking folks and all greeted her parents formally as I had done. Quick as a flash, after Jace and Susan informed us that there was food and drinks already set out for us, they disappeared into the bowels of the house leaving us upstairs.

  Greetings now exchanged, we grouped into the kitchen, but not before Mader and others complimented me on the ‘beautiful smoker’ as they put it. They seemed to have come with one vehicle, a merkaur electric. So I asked, “So do you all live close to each other.”

  Cherese a blonde super petite young lady answered, “Yes we do, within a mile of each other and only 4 miles from here, so it made sense to pile into one transport and we can easily take the whole group too in it, to the park. Have you been there yet?”

  “No, not yet.” I answered.

  She continued in what was apparently her rapid fire breathless way of speaking, “There is a large escarpment which gives good climbing or rappelling opportunities, lots of hiking trails, a large pond with paddle boats, sun bathing and photography spots, bird watching and for me boy spotting. And guess what, it’s called Escarpment Park.”

  They all had backpacks in their hands or slung over their shoulders and so I ran outside to the car, retrieved mine which already had my own home-smoked ham plus Mom’s horseradish jam on brown flour bread impregnated with different types of nuts. Mom had packed good stuff in there along with hibiscus flower drink called sorrel. Life is good, I was thinking. I already was in my laced up leather hiking type boots, so I grabbed a broad leather hat, my shades and came back into the house as the others were loading up their packs. I helped with loading up on bottles of water, plus some camping mats to sit on. We took some of Jessi’s insect repellent too and a small camp stove plus rope and other safety equipment. Then we loaded in the merkaur after taking advantage of the restroom. Here we come Escarpment Park!

  This was a huge park, more than 500 acres of a mix of groomed trails, streams, a large hill with escarpment, pond and it was 30 plus miles away on the other side of Pommerose. We got there at midday and chose a medium hike that would take us to the top of the hill and it’s overlook where we could lay on the grass, eat and take in the view of the countryside plus a large part of the city.

  It was a first for me to be on a hiking trail with a bunch of Moderns. Matt and I were up front talking, getting to know each other and we had a lot to share. We, in fact were all around the age of 17 and had gone through the IMMERSION already as virtually all moderns did anyway. He was super enhanced for vibrations, in the air and ground. Thus before we met up with that old couple, he started smiling, “ We are within 100 feet of a couple of ripe old moderns; 4 artificial hips and knees, cardiac pacemaker, new vertebrae coming up.”

  I had already learned of his skill during the transport ride. He and Jessi were sitting third row behind myself and Dillion. We were second row. Cherese, blonde and petite, was the driver up front with Mader and were they a contrasting pair. Mader was tall, I wagered 6’2�
��very dark skinned sharp featured face, skinny with strangely arrestingly blue grey eyes.

  Matt had leaned forward to point out a spot in the sky where a cloaked police drone hovered. I thought I saw a momentary silvery glint, and he confirmed that a slight defect in the paintwork may give it away. I had tried reaching out from inside myself to feel the electrical charge it carried, and golly if I did not get a hit! It was more than a glint, as in my mind’s eye it was there, and it was moving. I had never before done that! Wow! I kept it located for at least a half mile until the merkaur rounded a bend and it was obscured by a hill.

  When we got to within 3 feet of that old couple who we met up with on the trail, Matt put on his charming smile and said “Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, how are you today and may I be so presumptuous as to ask how old you are, tackling such a big hill?”

  The old lady smiled and answered, “Good afternoon youngsters brimming with energy. We get that all the time. My husband is 228 and I’m 226 years and we figure since we have neighbors who are 285 and still going strong, that we should hang around awhile before being recycled!” The old man said, “She’ll outlive me I know, these ladies always do.”

  We walked behind them a bit making small talk, until the trail widened a bit then we carefully slipped past them.

  We could already feel the air a bit cooler up here than in the parking lot 1200 feet below us. We stopped at a few lookout spots to take in the view and let some boisterous 12-14 year olds run past. They were us, minus a couple of years and we already felt noticeably tempered by age and wisdom I dare say. Maybe the immersion really has been having an impact, making us more careful, more aware of our surroundings and our impact on others.