by Laer Carroll
Jane held up a hand to high-five the girl.
"You got it in one."
They chatted a bit more and the girl began to yawn. She soon excused herself and went off to bed.
Most of the other people did the same. Soon Jane followed them.
<>
Near daylight habit brought Jane awake. She quietly used the toilet, splashed water on her face, and snuck out carrying her tennies and a big bath towel slung over the shoulder of her bathing suit. She slipped the shoes on as soon as she was out of the trailer and jogged down to the docks.
There she dropped the towel onto a convenient big rock and ran to the edge of the pier and dove in. She arrowed through the dim green waters like a mermaid, her arms folded flat to her body and her entire body as well as legs moving sinuously to send her far into the lake.
She stayed under a half hour before she needed air. Head out of the water she hyperbreathed long enough to stay under longer. Later maybe a mile away further out she did near-surface and above-surface acrobatics for a while.
It had been too long that she'd been private enough to indulge her beyond-human performance in the water.
She returned to the pier mostly under water. Near it she sped up and curved upward to burst out of the water to stand on the edge of the pier.
She shook water out of her eyes and saw The Princess/Kate in a lawn chair with Jane's bath towel in the bottom of a second lawn chair beside her. As Jane approached she lobbed the towel to her.
Jane dried off then fell into the empty chair. Kate handed her a thermos of coffee then offered a small paper sack holding packets of cream and sugar.
"Thanks."
"All part of the job of being the Captain's executive officer."
"I'm getting awfully tired of the 'Captain' business."
"Tough. But you are stuck with the actuality if not the name."
Jane could argue about it but it did seem to be the reality. Though...
"Who appointed you Exec?"
"Me. Or maybe biology. I first joked about you being Cap but I quickly realized its truth and that I was going to be your exec."
Biology. Hmm.
"Why do you want to be military? A pilot? You had a big career in opera ahead of you, they tell me."
"My family is mostly military going back to the civil war. I had a great-grandad--maybe great-great, I can never remember--who was a soldier in the war. Later another ancestor was a Buffalo Soldier. That means--"
"Yeah. The Indians called them that because of their hair."
"Fast forward. My dad and most uncles were graduates of the Citadel. Sort of West Point for blacks. My brothers are all military, all the forces. I was sure that music was where I'd break the mold. I didn't want to, I wasn't rebellious, I just loved music so much."
"Then what happened? Don't stop there."
"I was sixteen. One day I looked up to see a passenger jet fly over. Seen one thousands of times. This time I knew with absolute, quiet certainty. I belonged there. Belong there. Been aimed there ever since.
"What about you?"
Jane finished the coffee in the vacuum bottle-top turned cup. Poured more, flavored it with cream and sugar and stirred it with one of the little wooden spoonlets which had come in the paper bag.
"The very first time I saw a night-time sky I knew, maybe in the same 'absolute, quiet certainty' you did that I'd come from there and would return there. Not 'must' return, WOULD return."
"So you fell from the sky like a star?"
Jane wondered if she should tell anyone her maybe-secret of being an alien. It was unwise. But it seemed inevitable, necessary, that she should confide in the woman.
"You homo for me, Kate?" If the woman became jealous of Jane's future lovers she might betray Jane.
"No. I recognize you're an esthetic woman, but it's the same way I recognize an alabaster statue or a tree or a sunset as lovely. It's men who get me all tingly."
"I'll have other execs. Other friends. Other important others. You going to be jealous of them?"
Kate got an inward look. After a minute she spoke slowly as if thinking through her words.
"Can't be absolutely sure. Can't be absolutely sure of anything. Don't think so though, imagining all those scenarios just now. Those situations are inevitable."
Jane sipped more of her coffee. It was lukewarm now.
Kate seemed totally honest, totally sincere. Maybe Jane was wrong, but she'd take the calculated risk that the woman was not wrong. And not a covert agent of some kind.
In the latter case Jane was ready to take the most extreme measures to be sure she did not pass along Jane's confidences.
Inside her the robot agreed.
"I think I'm an alien. Abandoned here on Earth, maybe sent here."
"The Superman scenario. Or Supergirl. Why Super GIRL? That sexism always annoyed me.
"You got any super powers?"
Hmm. Kate didn't seem to be unbelieving and her question was serious, not mocking.
"Really good with math, engineering, anything relating to machines, especially computers. Tough. Maybe three times as strong as anyone my size. Fast. Never been sick.
"Don't know if this last is a plus. Could be a weakness. I like people. Want to help them. Do help them. That can bring threats on me, weaken me if they're held hostage by intent or accident."
"One of those qualities with plus and minus sides. On the plus side it makes you friends. What other weaknesses do you have? An exec needs to know."
Jane eyed Kate. How much to reveal?
"Don't have any or at least many. Not bragging, just fact. I think people where I came from had most weaknesses edited out, or they evolved out.
"One maybe-weakness that comes up sometimes. I tend not to understand how impressive I can be, how big my achievements are. To me they're just...what I do. How I am."
"What about sex? Sorry if talking about it embarrasses you."
"I don't embarrass easily. I don't feel any sexual desire. Maybe never will but my guardian/mother is a physician and she says the biochemical as well as the biological equipment is there. She thinks I'm a late bloomer."
"Female athletes, especially gymnasts, tend to have their period start late, as late as twenty. You are certainly an athlete. I saw what you were doing out there. Or didn't 'see' but guessed from what little I could see."
"Maybe that's part of it. Maybe people like me were engineered this way and sexual desire can be turned on and off."
Jane finished the coffee in her cup and, looking around, saw no reason not to pour out the last. She did so and capped the bottle. She stood.
"Let's see what the others are up to and what they want to do."
"The others" were up and about; habit had awakened them. As Jane and Kate neared Swamp Rat/Nicole said, "Let's get some chow." She waited a moment and when Jane nodded went on.
"The renters have a buffet set up at the main house. Looks good."
"Yeah," said Jane. "I bought the Early Bird Buffet as part of the rental agreement. I'll head there now as soon as I put on dry clothing."
When she came out of her trailer the nine cadets were formed up except for Kate. Nicole, the front far left cadet, said quietly, "Cadets, atten-SHUN."
Everyone snapped to.
Nicole, again quietly enough not to awaken the other trailer park guests, saluted and said, "Sir! All present and accounted for."
Jane looked at Kate, standing off to the sides. She grinned, shrugged, and raised her hands to disavow any knowledge or blame for the display.
"Knock it off, assholes. I don't want my appetite spoiled." She turned and walked toward the main house/buffet. Kate fell in beside her.
Behind them Nicole said, "Knocking it off, SIR! Cadets, follow the Captain as we faithfully follow her everywhere."
"Sir, yes, sir!" Then the giggling group followed.
The buffet was simple but well done. On several long tables on a porch, it included scrambled eggs, bacon strips labeled Fake and Real, slice
s of hard but edible bread, and soft butter to spread on it. There were also slices of two kinds of melon and some fruit juices. No coffee or tea. It was enough.
Everyone filled up paper plates of food and sat at two of the several long folding tables covered with pink-tinted paper. They fell to eating and drinking and chatting. Kate sat with Jane on her right and Klaus on her left.
He said as everyone took to eating, "What are we going to do today, Jane?"
"What everyone decides. Don't keep on with this 'Captain' joke."
"Wasn't. Just wanted to know if you had some ideas. Just as I want to know if Kate does."
"OK. Sorry. Didn't mean to snap your head off."
"You didn't. What do I want to do? Leave early if everyone else goes for it. I did the water sports thing, want to get home and do some studying to prep for tomorrow."
Once done, Jane stood up and asked what everyone wanted to do. She was leaving in an hour or so and would take anyone with her who fit into her van. Viking Boy/Anthony said he'd stay on with his SUV if anyone wanted to stay who would fit into his vehicle.
In the end five would return and four would stay. The three trailers were rented till the next morning so that was workable, letting one trailer go empty.
Jane and the cadets who were leaving packed up what they had brought and said Goodbye to the three families with whom they'd shared the trailers. Jane exchanged email addresses with Zoey, hers one of her anonymous addresses.
The girl was near tears and promised to keep Jane aware with how her music studies were coming.
On the way back to Laughlin someone asked Jane what her plans were.
"Some routine stuff. Then family stuff. Maybe some studying, catching up on sleep, stuff like that."
"What about doing something tonight?"
"I'm going to go where I can eat genuine Mexican food."
"You're not going over the border?!"
"Lord, no. Del Rio has a little Mexican community. Not just immigrants. A lot of Texicans, Texas Mexicans, were here before Anglos came."
Kate, Klaus, and Tokyo Boy/Ricky said they'd go with her. The remaining two cadets had other plans. Jane guessed they wanted to be alone together.
"OK. Meet me downstairs at 6:00. That will give us an early start. Ahhm, dress nice but not showy. Maybe a jacket with no tie. Most of the people won't be affluent. You MIGHT want to wear shoes you can dance in, leather preferably which can double as dress shoes. We might want to dance. If there is dancing, and kinds you can do."
<>
At 6:00 the four met as Jane had said. She surveyed her companions.
Kate was in a red dress with short sleeves, narrow but not string straps, and a square neckline which revealed the upper swell of her breasts. The dress was fitted but flared out a bit below her hips into an A-line. She wore matching red pumps with a heel but only an inch high. She carried a pink sweater.
Her hair had seen a dresser, or she was talented with hair. Neck length, it was fluffed out enough to show her curls.
Jane's dress was similar but all in black which suited her pale complexion and short straight midnight hair. On confirmation she'd be going to Laughlin she'd had her hair cut in a short but chic style which would fit easily under a helmet. Brushed vigorously after a blow dry it fluffed out into the shape she'd chosen at the stylists.
Klaus wore a camel hair sport coat of beige enlivened with a wash of gold. His pants were khaki but nice and he wore light brown shoes. A cream shirt completed the outfit. Overall it was a nice compromise between dress up and casual. He was closely shaven and his crew cut as always was short but not shaven short.
Ricky was a bit of a surprise. He wore jeans but not distressed ones with holes and so on, just nice comfortable pants. Atop it was a light blue shirt with short sleeves. His shoes were dark brown leather half boots with an inch heel. The heel might be to add to his height which was only a few inches above Jane's. However the heel gave his boots a touch of chic. She reminded herself that he did come from an affluent New York family who surely knew how to dress fashionably.
The fact which surprised her was that he carried a dark blue sport coat thrown over one shoulder and held by a crooked forefinger. This emphasized the very muscular curve of his arm. This drew her eyes to his chest. His body was quite muscular under his fitted shirt, a fact that she'd missed when she'd seen him and all the other cadets bare-chested in their swim wear.
"Well," she said, "I see I am accompanied by very fashionable companions. The paparazzi should go crazy over us."
Ricky said, "And no one more fashionable than our fair chauffeur. Allow me, My Lady."
He half-bowed and pivoted close to offer her his free arm. She said, "Thank you, Sir," and tucked a hand into the crook of his arm. He ceremoniously conducted her to her waiting van, and opened the driver's door to her. With her inside he shut the door firmly and walked around the front of the van to take the front passenger seat.
After she'd clicked shut her seat belt she looked over a shoulder to see Klaus escorting and seating Kate and then walking back behind the van to get into his own seat.
Everyone secured, Jane pulled her van out of the Manor driveway where she'd left it to go inside to pick up her passengers. Soon they were on their way west with the evening breeze from the half-open windows cooling them.
It was only five miles to Del Rio center then another five to pass through it into MexTown. This area was downscale and old but not trashy. Its one main-ish street had a lot of one-story shops with a few two- and three-story buildings. Ad signs were mostly Spanish with a few exceptions for McDonald's and such.
Jane turned into a side street then into another side street parallel to "Main" street. A few blocks further and she parked across the street from Lorena's Cantina.
They sat for a moment and looked around. Ricky said, "No obvious signs of Mexican gangs. Well lighted. Businesses in good repair."
Kate said, amusement in her voice, "You expected a slum?"
"No, but knowing the...Jane's adventurous tendencies I expected something...quirkier."
Klaus was also amused. "It's a family restaurant in a peaceful neighborhood. Kate, stay there and let me play a gentleman. Air Force officers are after all supposed to be the nobility of the sky."
Kate replied in a little girl voice. "OK, you big strong thing. Little old me will just sit here demurely."
Ricky was quick to ask Jane to wait for him to play escort. She waited.
As they crossed the street she tweeted her van to Secure. They were joined by other couples and more, families of as many as ten, parents and grandparents and children up to early teens. Everyone was dressed nicely, many of the men in business suits. The men who weren't all wore sports jackets.
Their men held the door for Jane and Kate, which had been held open for the men by the men before them, most with smiles at the four young people.
Inside the crowd was quickly taken to tables by black-dressed waiters and waitresses wearing white aprons. The quartet was seated at a foursome table next to a table for ten which held a three-generation family including children below as well as above ten.
Jane caught an adorable eightish girl staring at her. She smiled at her and the girl ducked her head, then raised it back with a smile of her own. Her mother (or an aunt) said something to her and the girl looked away.
Jane was looking away too, as were the others.
The room was huge with many tables. Lighting was bright but not glaring. The tables were already half filled. In one wall was a pair of swinging double doors already swinging with wait staff entering and exiting them. On another wall was a low stage. A piano sat near the wall facing into the dining room. Two stools and a standing microphone promised a trio or maybe a quartet.
"Looks like we get entertainment," said Ricky.
Jane said, "Their web site promised bands on Friday through Sunday nights."
The wait staff was fast with water and menus and help placing the napkins on the table o
nto laps. There were quickly gone too.
Everyone discussed their food and drink choices. The women chose wine and iced tea, the men beer and iced tea. Jane wanted a chimichanga plate: a big burrito covered with a spicy salad and sides of rice and beans. She suggested barbacoa, or a barbecue plate, for the meat lovers, and couple of veggie dishes for those with a taste for them.
Almost as soon as they all raised their heads a pair of wait staff was there to take orders and as quickly gone.
Ricky said, "Wow! The Marines could take rapid-response lessons from these guys."
Kate said, "One of the reasons they are so popular, no doubt. Interesting. Look around. Notice that there are almost no couples. This is a family restaurant mostly."
They observed and agreed.
Klaus said, "And notice the way the kids behave. Not a single unhappy or unmanageable kids."
Kate noticed something else too. "The older kids take care of the younger kids, not just parents taking care of kids."
Jane said, "That's the pattern I've seen in LA. I go to a lot of Latin dance venues and it seems to be the pattern south of our border. Older kids take care of younger kids, and younger take care of younger still."
Their food arrived soon and their conversation almost ceased.
It was almost an hour before they spoke much again.
"Now THAT," said Ricky, "is what I call a meal. And I come from a family of restaurateurs and have worked in them for most of my life"
Klaus said, patting his belly, "If they have dancing I think I just incapacitated myself for duty."
"You dance," said Kate.
"I have three sisters. Who do you think was forced to be their practice partners? Still, it was lucky for me when I started dating. I was already starting ahead of all the boys. Who were idiots enough to think dancing was unmanly."
"What do you do?" Jane wanted to know.
"Swing dancing, east and west coast. Ah, east coast is what used to be called rock and roll. Ballroom."
"American or International?"
"American."
"What's the difference?" Ricky wanted to know.
"American is looser, more natural. International is really British renamed. It's a competition form more than a social form. Very exact rules of how to stand and move. There are literally hundreds of precisely defined 'steps' and you get points taken off for any errors.