by Max Jager
"Well it definitely looks like someone hid that box here a very long time ago."
Matt also figured his folks would bring the cops in on this as well, and he wasn't disappointed. The contents were examined by the local museum curator, who declared everything original, and that the cache must have been dug back when gold and silver had first been discovered in the 1860's, however the coins were dated 1876, and 1879, so the cache must have been created sometime after that.
Matt got his name in the paper, but the article merely stated that he had uncovered a small cache of old coins and a ladies ring down by the river, prompting a small wave of treasure seekers to prowl along the banks.
Matt's treasure was kept by the police for a couple months while inquiries were made concerning stolen gems. When nothing turned up the treasure was returned to Matt. Once this had occurred, a local jewelry shop was consulted but the owner was unable to give an accurate appraisal as the gems were flawless. The next stop was Denver, and a professional jewelry appraiser, who proclaimed he had never seen such flawless gems, but after careful examination, he called the diamond at $2000 dollars, and the ruby, which impressed him even more, at $2500. There was also a small diamond in the ring but it was only worth about $500.00, Matt decided to hang on to it.
As he expected, that $4500 was going into his college fund, although he was allowed to spend five hundred of it. As he told Kaitlyn,
"I was really hoping those gems would go for a lot more, but I guess I'll have to get rid of my ATV after all, but I've got a couple of ideas kicking around."
At school, he gained some fame, Patricia even showed renewed interest, although Matt figured she just smelled money. As much as he hated to, Matt sold his ATV, giving his folks the impression he had loaned to a friend who was going to an ATV park up near Montrose. He then started ordering the uniforms having the deliveries made to his grandmother's motel, telling her people had been stealing packages off doorsteps around his neighborhood.
All winter, Matt had been perusing the tactical clothing websites selecting what he felt were the proper uniforms for three space adventurers. For the trousers, he chose ACU tactical cargo pants in subdued urban camouflage, a color that would go well with Amber's grayish metallic color. Lightweight short sleeve military style grey shirts were also on the list, as well as black TAC 1 field jackets and full face balaclavas with face pieces. He also ordered hats, boots and black tee-shirts as well as tank tops for Amber and Kaitlyn. Another little touch was shoulder emblems and name tags like the military used.
The emblems depicted a rocket with a trail behind it leaving a planet below done in black and grey. So far his plan was on track, and hopefully Amber would be returning in just over a month.
Chapter 7
Titan Stand Chapter 7
June couldn't arrive fast enough for Matt and Kaitlyn, it was warming up nicely, the tourists would be arriving shortly, and so would Amber. One Friday evening Matt rode his bike down to the old ball park, only to find Kaitlyn standing there.
Any day now," he said, "Actually I thought she'd be here by now."
"You don't think anything's happened to her do you?" Asked Kaitlyn.
"No, I doubt it," he replied, I'm sure "shit happens" as much out in space as much as it does here."
"Well are you all ready to go?" she asked,
"Yes, and no," replied Matt, "This is going to really upset my folks, I've already written the note, it's damn near five pages long, how about you?"
Kaitlyn chuckled,
"I'm just leaving her a note saying,
"Thanks for fucking up my life mom; I'm going where I can get a fresh start, so long and goodbye."
"Wow, that's rather sharp don't you think?"
"Listen!" Snapped Kaitlyn, you don't know a thing about my fucking life OK, just let it go."
"Sorry, excuse me for living." Kaitlyn then dropped the tough girl attitude,
"I'm sorry for jumping in your shit Matt, I really didn't mean it, I'm just scared and nervous."
"Matt put his arm around her shoulder and replied,
"You can't be any more scared than I am, you've got nothing to loose, I do."
As fate would have it, Amber showed up the night before graduation, Matt called Kaitlyn and told her,
"Amber's here, want to grab everything you're bringing and get down to the little league field"
"Mom's at work and has the car I can't carry all my shit down there on my back."
"Where do you live, I come over in my dad's truck, I've already got my stuff packed." Kaitlyn told him where she lived, and Matt found himself heading for an older part of town filled with two story homes that had been built in the twenties and thirties, most in poor repair. Kaitlyn was waiting for him and threw two large duffle type bags in the back. As they headed for the ball park, Kaitlyn said,
"I sent all that stuff off to doctor Frick yesterday; he should be getting it tomorrow or the next day."
"That's great," replied Matt, just one last thing to do then we're out of here."
They found that Amber had already landed and was waiting for them.
"Good thing not many people come around here anymore Amber or someone might have seen you."
"Not really," she replied, that scanner picks up every life form in a five rank area, I saw you two approach."
"So how re you Amber?" Asked Kaitlyn, Amber gave her a weak smile,
"I'm fine, sorry I'm late, but there were…Complications." Matt didn't like that reply at all,
"Are you in any trouble Amber? Seriously, are we getting into something we can't get out of?" Shaking her head, she quickly replied,
"No, no, I will explain everything once we leave for the last time." Matt and Kaitlyn grudgingly accepted her explanation, and proceed to load their gear. Along with all the clothing, Matt brought several cases of MRE's and freeze dried food, his AR, and a Mossberg 500 shotgun, along with a large quantity of ammunition. He also brought a large pack containing every kind of bandage and medication he could lay his hands on. He was leaving his phone at home with the pictures of he and Kaitlyn, along with Greg and Amber, as well as the Nora-Lee.
"I've spent weeks going over everything I could think of that we might need, I even stole a check out of my mom's checkbook and wrote a big check for all that ammo, food and med supplies, sure can't turn back now!" "My folks are throwing a party for me, I can't get out of it," he explained to Amber and Kaitlyn, "Kaitlyn, why don't you get over here first and wait for me, I probably won't be able to get away until around nine thirty or so, then we can haul ass out of here."
Matt couldn't sleep a wink that night; he was just too wound up, the next day was worse, his parents noticed as well, and called him on it.
"I'm just nervous mom, I don't know why, I'll be OK." During the graduation ceremony, he found himself constantly thinking,
"C'mon, C'mon! Let's get moving here, I've got places to be." It didn't help when Liam came up to him and said,
"Sorry for being such an asshole Matt, say, how 'bout we go camping up at that old ghost town one more time?"
"Uh I'm gonna be busy for awhile Liam, maybe later." Even Patricia gave it one last shot.
"I won't be leaving for school until August Matt, how about we go someplace?"
"Look Patricia," replied Matt, "I've got a lot going on, right now, how about getting together another time?" Patricia gave him an evil look,
"You mean after you get done screwing that little whore I hear you've been running around with?"
"Jeezist!" Thought Matt, "How the fuck did she find out about that, after all the precautions we took." He just gave her a smirk, and replied,
"No comment Patricia, "You can't always believe what you see, or in this case hear."
It was announced that everyone would be getting their real diplomas in the mail as the ones being handed out were fake,
"Oh well," he thought, "Guess I won't be around to get it after all."
If the ceremony wasn't bad enoug
h, the party was a real trial. Matt changed back into his jeans and tee-shirt, the one that got him into all that hot water, placed his phone on the nightstand next to his bed, with his "goodbye" note under it and headed downstairs. Feigning an errand that needed to be attended to outside, he went up to his dad, and smiled,
"Dad! I'm sorry,"
"Sorry about what son?" Matt shrugged, I'm just sorry, that's all."
He did the same with his mother nearly bringing him to tears; giving her a quick hug,
"What's that for Matt?"
"Um, just for being my mom."
Slipping outside, he jumped on his bike and quickly headed for the old ball park
Kaitlyn and Amber were waiting for him. Kaitlyn was looking very different this time, she still had her bright red hair, but now it was very short and spiky. The heavy Goth make-up and some of her body jewelry was gone as well.
"Let's get out of here before I change my mind Amber." For the longest time, he remained glued to the seat, his mind numbed with regrets; Kaitlyn came up next to him,
"I feel for you Matt, but sometimes you just have to say goodbye to the things you know, and hello to the things you don't" He had Amber set a course for mars as it had been in the news lately and he figured it was as good a place as any to begin their future.
"I think I like the "new" Kaitlyn," commented Matt, as the Nora-Lee raced towards the red planet. Kaitlyn shrugged, and matter-of-factly said,
"I did it to split from my old life; I saw a sci-fi flick once that had a chick with the same kinda hair, so I thought what the hell!" She then added,
"You know Matt, I'm kinda curious about something?"
"Shoot!"
"How come you've never tried to fuck me?"
"Well if you think that's all any guy ever thinks about you've got a problem, in case you weren't aware of it, we've got bigger concerns going on here."
"Well I was just askin'…That's all."
"Look Kaitlyn, I asked you along because I thought you might be able to contribute to our little team here, and I'm not talking about sex. Honestly Kaitlyn I'm really glad you came, we may be opposites in interests, but something tells me you've got what it takes for what's ahead." Kaitlyn just looked at him for a long moment, then said,
"Thanks."
"Oh, one more thing, for what it's worth, as it turns out, everyone knew about us after all."
"What?"
"Go figure."
Traveling at hyper light speed, put them over Mars in very short order, Matt then said,
"Before we head out, I wanted to make a stop here, Amber, is there a spacesuit aboard, and if we landed, would it be possible to go outside?"
"There is one in that locker back there," she replied,
"Yes it's possible, that small chamber in the back seals off, you have to climb down a ladder, why?"
"Call it childish, but I've been thinking about something that will shake 'em up back home. NASA has a robot vehicle wandering somewhere around on this planet, do you think we could find it?"
"We can probably do that, do you have an idea of where it is?"
"Supposedly it's rolling around Gale crater, I downloaded a map to my computer, see, look, it's over here, there are several other older rovers in that area as well."
Amber set their terrain scanner to high, and headed for the region of mars Matt indicated. After some searching, the scanner picked it up.
"Just land a little ways in front of it, I've got a sign I want to make up, and I'm going to need help getting this suit on." Amber landed about a hundred feet in front of the rover, which appeared to be just sitting there.
"Does that thing still work?" asked Kaitlyn
"As far as I know," replied Matt, "I haven't read anything to the contrary." He then took a piece of cardboard he'd brought along, just for this reason, and wrote;
"Hello mom and dad
Told you I was coming here and that I'd be the first man on mars
This place sucks, it's too cold, nothing's open, and there's no one here
Doctor Frick…
Now you know all that data we sent you is legit
NASA…Listen to this guy he doesn't lie"
With the help of Amber, Matt managed to get Greg's space suit on, it looked very different than the NASA one, being all black for one thing. He then started having second thoughts worrying about the suit leaking, or something being wrong, but he soldiered on, entering the small airlock, and climbing down the ladder, actually standing on the surface of mars. Amber showed him how to adjust his oxygen, and heat, which Matt had to turn up as the intense cold came right through the suit.
"Damn it's cold!" He thought, as he began to make hi way over to the rover.
"Feels like I'm standing outside in December in just a light jacket." Slowly the inside temperature made things more tolerable, as he kept moving, which was easier than he expected. Standing in front of the rover, he waved and held up the sign at what he thought was the proper distance. He stood there for close to ten minutes, then waved again before returning to the ship.
"All that for some crazy stunt," chided Kaitlyn.
After undressing, Matt said,
"I read that the rover's camera only takes photo's at certain intervals but I've forgotten what those were, ten minutes should have covered it. Now before we do anything else, I think we all need to talk. First of all, Amber…I can tell that something has been bothering you, please, tell us what's on your mind." Amber clearly looked uneasy, even for an android.
"there is a planet called Xandrus, it…It is where I find peace, that's why I was late, I just couldn't leave. When Greg and I were coming to your planet, we stayed there for a very long time; Greg was so thoughtful and cared for me very much. Leaving there was so very hard."
"What is so special about this place?" Asked Kaitlyn
"It is a world of my own kind,"
"A world of androids?" Asked Matt.
"Yes I have many friends there."
"Imagine that," added Matt, "A whole planet of nothing but androids, any robots there as well?"
"Yes, I was told that a very very long time ago, humanoids used the planet for manufacturing."
"Would you like to go there right now Amber?" She began to squirm, and bowed her head.
"Oh yes, very much, but you cannot."
"Why?" persisted Matt,
"Humanoids are not welcome, there are too many bad memories, the creators of the Xindusians mistreated them terribly, they have not forgotten."
"Would they kill Kaitlyn and I?"
"Perhaps if I spoke to my friends and explained that you are not one of the creators, they would not harm you."
Matt looked at Kaitlyn, and shrugged,
"What the fuck! We've got to start somewhere, might as well be this Xandrus. OK, Amber, we are going to Xandrus, but first, let's get those uniforms on."
Note found on Matt's nightstand
Dear Mom and Dad;
I'm very sorry I've run out on you like this, but sometimes opportunity lands on your doorstep at the most inopportune times. By the time you read this, Amber, Kaitlyn and I should be half-way to mars (watch the news) please find my extended explanation and copies of Greg's collected data. Also check my phone for pics. Please do not worry, I have not been kidnapped, or taken against my will, I am of sound mind and free will. Amber is an incredible android, and the Nora-Lee an incredible ship. Kaitlyn Parkinson is also traveling on her own free will as well. Again this is something I must do, maybe, I will return sometime in the future
All my love to you and dad…Matt
End Of Part One Titan Stand
Chapter 8
Titan Stand Chapter 8 Part Two
"You look great Amber," observed Matt, I had you in mind when I chose that style and color of "cammo's, you look great too Kaitlyn."
"Would you be more comfortable if I wore clothing?" asked Amber.
Matt snickered,
"That's not really the point, naked 'droid'
s don't really bother me, but I just think all of us look a little more professional in these outfits." Kaitlyn didn't really have too much to say, about the urban cammo cargo pants, black boots and a black tank top, other that an embarrassing comment to Matt. Modeling her uniform to Matt, she asked,
"Or would you prefer I didn't wear a bra, Amber isn't wearing one?" Matt shook his head, and sighed,