by Tim Blagge
Stella answered my question and said, “There is a place about three miles out of town that is available. It has enough space for all of us and is being cleaned now. It’s an old stone farmhouse now used as a rental when visitors come to Grapsner to vacation. Because of the Cromwell threat, it’s still available.”
“Stella, your residence is ready,” Mrs. Flibrip said. “I’ll let you use my vehicle to take you to the house. I’ve programmed the address into the transporter so just give it the command to take you home and it will take you there.”
“If our scooters had that technology we wouldn’t have gotten lost and had to engage the Cromwells,” I said to Jerry.
As we walked to the transporter and got in, Stella said “home” and the vehicle rose up about six inches off the ground and proceeded to our destination.
Brenda turned to me and asked calmly, “You had a fight with the Cromwells?”
I explained the entire encounter to the group and even though Joanna responded with the horror that I felt our experience dictated. Brenda remained calm.
“Brenda, I’m kind of disappointed that you aren’t a little more upset about the fact that Jerry and I were nearly killed today.”
“Sorry Bill, it’s probably because I’m tired. I even fell asleep in the doctor’s office and had trouble waking up. Now let’s go check out our new place.”
-Chapter 23-
We all exited the transporter and walked up to a beautiful mid-sized country manor that, like Grapsner, was built in the Veladorian medieval period. It was two stories, had paned windows and was built with stone walls. The large, thick wood entry door and the forest surrounding the structure rounded out its enchanting appearance.
“Welcome to your fairytale cottage, my princess,” I whispered to Brenda and kissed her on the cheek. “This looks like something out of Hans Christian Anderson.”
Jerry looked at the house and pounded his fist on the exterior wall. “This is solid stone,” he said “This place is a fortress; at least against light weapons.
We all admired the quaint exterior and entered the cottage. The interior was as charming as the outside. Old overstuffed couches and chairs were surrounded by strangely carved cabinets and side tables. Most of the lighting was provided by lamps with simple round shades hung from the ceiling. They were obviously added long after the house was built. On first inspection, the kitchen looked original, complete with a wood burning stove. But hidden behind cabinets and counters were modern amenities like a cooking range, oven and a refrigerator stocked with food. There was even a door which housed what looked like a wine room.
“Stella, is this wine? It looks like wine. Do you folks have wine on Velador?” I questioned.
“Yes Bill we do and it’s nothing like that artificial beverage Planshoo that you drank at your bachelor party. Our wines here are as good as anything on Earth but, if you drink enough, you’ll have a hangover, just like back home.”
“Damn, I thought you’d have eliminated the hangover part on a planet as advanced as yours.” I commented.
“Like Earth, wine is consumed in moderation among friends.” Stella said. “Don’t forget the moderation part.”
My thought pattern changed, I looked at Brenda and winked. “Hey Brenda, let’s go put dibs on a bedroom and relax for a while. You know I’ve had a rough day, almost getting killed and all. A little R & R would help a lot.”
“I hope rest is not all you need Bill.” Brenda added with that endearing cute smile I’d come to love. “I do think I need to comfort and console my husband the hero.”
“Joanna and I are right behind you,” Jerry said as we all went upstairs. “Stella, we’ll see you in a couple hours.”
Brenda and I picked our room and entered and put the few belongings we had in an old dresser. Brenda turned toward me and had the strangest, most peaceful look on her face.
“Bill,” Brenda spoke quietly but loud enough for me to hear clearly. “Remember on the trip here when I said I fell asleep in the waiting room at the doctor’s office? Even though I thought it was only for a couple minutes, Joanna told me I was out for about a half hour. In that time, I was visited by a spirit or angel of some sort. The angel felt like it came from God because a tremendous feeling of comfort and warmth that came over me. This angel told me that you and I were distined to do great things. It said that even though the road would be difficult and dangerous, we would survive. It said my child, who is in me now, would be a great leader of people. The angel finished by telling me not to be fearful but to enjoy what my life would bring. Then the angel faded away and I woke up.”
“I know you think everything I’ve just told you was just a dream but to me it felt real and I choose to believe it was a message from God. I have never felt this calm and loved.”
“Brenda, I would never question your relationship with God even if I have trouble with the whole concept sometimes. However as time goes by and considering what our life has become, I am finding it easier to believe that some sort of unseen higher power may be involved in our lives.
After our rest period, Brenda and I cleaned up and went downstairs. Rolf had come home and was sitting with Stella. “Hello Bill,” Rolf said. “When Jerry and Joanna come down, I’ve got some things to report.”
“Did I hear my name?” Jerry asked as he and Joanna came down the stairs.
“Everyone please take a seat,” Rolf said. “Stella and I have been planning the logistics of our short trip to Earth.”
Brenda jumped in and interrupted. “I’ve changed my mind everybody. I’m going too. Just like our rescue of Bill and Stella in China, I can help. You might need a Russian hooker to distract the guards like I did on the first mission. I could learn Russian from your machine too. Since I’ve only been pregnant for a few days, it’s not like I’m going to show. So it’s settled, I’m going.”
“Bill, I’ve dealt with your wife before and when she makes up her mind, there’s no changing it.” Rolf commented. “Stubborn and determined are understatements when she decides to do something. And she may be right. A diversion along the way might be needed.”
“It’s against my better judgment Brenda but if you insist.” I responded with truthful concern. “Actually you’re better trained for this kind of mission than I am.” “Rolf, we’d like to book a first class cabin for Brenda and I on the next flight to Earth. You know, the rooms that have privacy so we can discuss the mission.”
“Sure Bill, I’ll see what I can do,” Rolf said with a forced and sarcastic smile. “I want you to know that we have never transported a pregnant woman through a jump zone and coupling that with a time shift has obviously never been attempted either. Because of the unknown outcome, you both must seriously consider what you are planning. Now I’ll let Stella outline the rudiments of our mission.”
“This may sound like a joke,” Stella warned, “But we haven’t been able to come up with much of a plan. Since we don’t have any locations or diagrams of where or how the Russian nukes are stored, the planning must be done after we do some reconnaissance there.”
“It makes sense to us to send Rolf first and have him contact our people on the ground there. When we understand the location and security measures installed at our target facility, Rolf will return and we can we formulate an intelligent plan for the actual theft of the nukes.”
“The only thing we know right now is that, on the second trip we will need a three man crew to pilot each of two airships.” Stella continued, “Since we are not sure of the exact size of each bomb, Pops’ people will have to design shelving that is adjustable. And the only people we can use for the mission itself are ones that look human and that includes Bill, Jerry, Rolf, Brenda and our operatives on the ground already. If we can get you four on an ITD to learn Russian, we’ve got a chance.”
“Rolf, how long will you be away on the first leg of the mission?” Brenda asked.
“I don’t know for sure but it could be for a day or two to a week.” Rolf ans
wered. “I should be ready to go in two days. I need to confer with our producers who organized the Earth mission and get the names and locations of our people who were in Russia in 2008.”
“Rolf, I think I need to go on the first mission with you.” Jerry volunteered. “It could be dangerous and I’m sure I can help. The only problem is I don’t speak Russian. Is there any way to correct my deficiency?”
“Jerry, don’t go,” Joanna stood up suddenly and put her arms around her new husband. “We just got married and I need you here.”
“Joanna, I love you but the needs of Velador and Earth may depend on the success of this mission.” Jerry explained. “I’ll only be gone for a few days and this first trip is the least dangerous of the two. Don’t worry honey, you’re stuck with me now and I promise I won’t be gone long.”
“Jerry, I think I could use your help,” Rolf agreed. “And to answer your question, if Blosh can get us an ITD to take, I know the Russian program exists on Earth so with a little luck, you’ll be speaking Russian in no time.”
“We’ve all got a few more days together before we begin the next phase of the defense of Velador.” Stella announced with a rousing voice and then she immediately softened her tone. “Let’s relax tonight and enjoy this time together. Girls I’ll show you how to make a traditional Veladorian dinner. Bill can tend bar.”
“Hey, finally something Bill’s qualified to do,” Jerry added.
-Chapter 24-
The next three days were a whirlwind. Jerry and I had secured a vehicle similar to Mrs. Flibrip’s that had autopilot. After our destination was programmed, we just said New Pasadena and we were off. Pops had completed moving and positioning the machinery he’d transferred from the California facility and was ramping up production on his new smaller fighter as he referred to it. He and his engineers had designed a bare-bones unit that only required a pilot and co-pilot. Where it was short on gadgets, it was long on power and armament.
Some of the other Engineers were restoring the refinement equipment and the actual mining of uranium ore had begun in an old shaft that went deep into the mountain.
Grandma had relocated to New Pasadena and was directing the outfitting of the hundreds of small new residences that were required to be built in the underground facility.
The word had been circulated that we needed help and there was no shortage of volunteers. Our biggest concern was keeping the knowledge of our growing beehive of activity away from the powers in Prossfell. Strict, offsite interviewing procedures were put into effect and all the workers agreed to have their phones monitored.
So far, we had been going at our monumental project for nearly a month and there was no indication of a leak. Fortunately and for now, the large invasion force from the Cromwells had not arrived.
Jerry, Rolf and one Veladorian flight crew was ready for the mission to Earth. Blosh had secured an ITD device and it was located on one of the new Big Bertha ships that Pops had completed in California. From his Earth intervention producers, Moindcon, Rolf had secured a list of the operatives he had on the ground in Russia in 2008 and how to contact them.
Back at our rented house, I asked Rolf how the technology to go back in time actually worked.
“Bill I don’t completely understand the concept myself. But if I did understand it, I couldn’t tell you. Remember that’s something the people of Earth will have to figure out sometime in the distant future. And keep in mind; it’s still somewhat experimental with us too. We’ve done it many times even though anomalies in the universe occasionally confuse the process and could cause us to end up anywhere at anytime. But don’t be concerned, we’ve secured our most experienced pilot to guide us to our time and location destination.”
“I suggest we have a nice meal and retire for the evening. Jerry and I are leaving early tomorrow morning. There is a new moon on Earth and that will make our approach less visible.” Rolf added.
The next morning, Rolf and Jerry were picked up at a small clearing near our house. The trip to the Earth jump zone took just a few minutes. The pilot positioned the aircraft, set the controls to create the proper time shift and proceeded. A bumpy ten minutes later, the craft was in a wide orbit around Earth. When they came over Russia, Rolf sent a signal to the primary Veladorian operative in the area. The operative was given information about the dire situation back on Velador, what was required and arranged a time and place for a meeting.
The man named Choxerbus responded suggesting that Rolf and Jerry wait until the next night to meet. He told us he wanted to notify other Veladorians in the area so they too could attend the meeting. Rolf confirmed that the year on Earth was in fact 2008.
“Phase one is a success Jerry,” Rolf smiled and said. “It’s the winter of 2008 in Russia and the rest of Earth so we are in the right place at the right time. The only problem is that it’s minus fifteen degrees centigrade there. That’s about zero in Fahrenheit terms. Choxerbus said he’d have some warm clothing for us when we arrive. Tomorrow night we will land, be picked up by our people and taken to the rendezvous point. So there’s nothing to do now but kill time. I don’t know about you but I’m going to sleep.”
The next night the Veladorian airship dropped Rolf and Jerry and the ITD machine at the designated location and returned to deep Earth orbit. The two men were picked up and transported to small house in the countryside to discuss the plan.
The house was a simple wood frame design and was old and run down. When they entered, several pieces of electronic equipment indicated that it was some sort of surveillance installation.
“Who are you spying on,” Jerry asked Rolf.
“Anyone and everyone,” was the answer. “It takes considerable communications to monitor the possibility of someone inventing anti-gravity. Even though it was Bill in the case of Earth, it might have been a government or academic institution instead.”
After a brief discussion of our reason for being on Earth in 2008, Choxerbus yelled. “You are actually going to steal nuclear weapons from the Russians?” The storage site near here has security that makes it almost impregnable.”
“Where is the site?” Rolf asked.
“It’s about sixty miles East outside the town of Krasnoyarsk.” Choxerbus explained. “There is a complex called Dodonova located in a deep bunker next to a mountain. It is surrounded by a small military facility with at least fifty soldiers on duty at all times. The facility itself has at least twenty more security personnel inside in addition to the technical staff and everything is locked behind thick, vault style doors.”
“The security people are no problem as long as we can disable the electronic equipment,” Rolf said. “Choxerbus, can you get me an internet connection? I need to go to work. And do you have an ITD program for Russian? The only one that exists back on Velador is in Prossfell and we are not able to access it right now.”
“I anticipated your request and I brought it with me.”
Choxerbus pulled a wire over from the wall and handed it to Rolf who plugged it into his laptop. Then with complete focus Rolf went to work attempting to get into the computer system at Dodonova. About and hour later he was successful.
“Choxerbus, look at the schematic of the facility.” Rolf directed as he pointed to a list of weapons on the screen. “It appears that nuclear bombs for aircraft are stored here plus they have many nuclear tipped artillery shells that are used in ground to ground tactical combat. It also looks like they have a few suitcase nukes too. This is perfect! Now let me backtrack and find their locations within the facility.”
“The heavy bombs for aircraft will be buried the deepest.” Choxerbus explained. “If you could do without those, it would make your job much easier. As I understand it, you only need to convince the Cromwells you have nuclear capability. Is that right?
“Yes, but actually having some capability is what we are really after,” answered Rolf. “Choxerbus, go ahead and hook Jerry up to the ITD so he can learn Russian while we plan a strategy
to acquire the weapons.”
Jerry moved near the ITD machine and sat down as one of the other Veladorians, a Doctor Gricaldop attached several small wires to Jerry’s head, neck and spine.
“I’ve never done one of these on a human,” the doctor commented. “But if you say it works, I’ll give it a try.”
With the twist of a knob and the push of a button, information began to flow into Jerry’s brain. As he explained to me later, his body stiffened and felt tiny tremors in his neck and head region. Then he blacked out.
When he regained consciousness, about thirty minutes later, Jerry felt groggy and when he tried to speak, he couldn’t.
“Don’t try to talk,” the doctor cautioned. “Your brain will be sorting the information that was just implanted for about two hours. It would be best if you rest and try not to concentrate on anything. Just do your best to relax.”
Jerry was led over to a small bed and laid down. Even though his feet extended over the end of the bed, he fell asleep almost immediately.
Two hours later, Jerry found himself awake lying on the bed with his eyes still closed. Rolf and Choxerbus were discussing something in Veladorian but because Jerry had removed the translation device from his ear while he underwent his ITD procedure, he had no idea what was being discussed. Rolf said something to Choxerbus and left the room.
Before Jerry opened his eyes, another man entered the room and spoke in Russian. Jerry understood everything he said!
“Does the human have any knowledge about our plans for Earth?” the man asked.
“No, and he probably never will. He should be waking up soon and may understand Russian so don’t say anything about this again.” Choxerbus said.
The man nodded and exited the room.
Jerry waited about five minutes before he moved. First he stretched and rubbed his eyes as if he just awakened. “How’s the plan coming?” he asked Rolf who had returned to the room.