by Max Jager
Holding up the pad, for the others to see, it appeared as though she had also sketched Holliqua, Cath and Lamena Ulwax, the only female bounty hunter in the group. Matt couldn't see the sketches however; the others could and very quickly began to comment on how life-like the sketches were.
"Is this something you earthlings do a lot?" Asked Lamena. Emma stood up clearly worried now, but explained that drawing and sketching; along with painting were simply some of the creative things earth people did. Things then moved quickly, with all of Rekton's friends wanting larger sketches of themselves, with Emma being able to name her price. When Matt finally was able to examine the sketches in closer detail, he decided that Emma must have captured something in these people that they liked. At any rate, it looked like she had a career ahead of her. All of them expressed to her their amazement that a human had the ability to see them as they saw themselves. Each sketch revealed an unspoken dignity all commented on and praised.
Later, on the trip to Endor, Emma approached Matt puzzled by the whole experience.
"All I know Emma," said Matt, "Is that you made a lot of friends. I heard Lamena offer to take you sightseeing if you would draw her and her friends. Something tells me we won't be seeing much of you on Endor."
"I'm scared Matt, what does it all mean?"
"Well it kind of looks like an artists dream come true Emma," he added. "Best I can figure is that in a high tech world such as this, it's more convenient to just take a picture or do a hologram. I never thought about it until now, but sketching someone or something and even painting a picture is a lost art if it ever was in the first place. Go for it Emma, this is why you came isn't it? Then if you ever return home you can probably make a fortune on your work."
She continued to express uneasiness over her sudden good fortune but Matt persisted, finally convincing her to just hang on for the ride and see where it took her.
Finally, it was time to leave, Giving Holliqua a kiss and a big hug she promised to see him again soon on Endor. Before they departed the planet Rixx and the other bounty hunters showed up at the ship to each claim four cases of assorted liquor they had been promised. At one point, Matt happened to see Holliqua and Cath talking about something and laughing. They hadn't seen him so he kept it that way further deepening the mystery behind these two as well as who she really was. Both he and Liam shared one more hug and kiss with their respective girlfriends before departing the fort.
During the final leg of the trip, Matt and Liam sat talking with the four kids who were still talking about their first experience at Fort Kamata.
"You know Matt," said Micki, I was really starting to have my doubts but now I'm so very glad I came. I feel so happy for Emma as well, she's got a great career ahead of her."
"Well you just play your cards right Micki," replied Matt, "And opportunity will come calling to you as well."
"Oh I'm not worried; right now I want to help get this little city of yours off and running. That Mr. Klo'Ax gave me some names of people to contact, but I just want to get started on laying out this New Coryville of yours."
"I've got to go to Denedra almost as soon as we get home," said Matt, I was planning on taking all you guys so you can meet the queen of the elves. It just occurred to me that you might want to see how Gywn Wood, the capitol is laid out. It's kind of a neat place and I think of it from time to time. Denedra and Doradus aren't high-tech societies like on Golia or Ruddoria, more in tune with what I'd like New Coryville to be like. Kind of like home with the high tech modernity of the Oxnian Empire." Micki laughed,
"So you want New Coryville to resemble Durango with all the tourist stuff?"
"Oh hell no, once you visit Gywn Wood, you'll see what I mean."
The first stop was at Mos Eisley where the majority of unloading would take place. With Clath, Rekton and Orlak overseeing the unloading Matt and his friends visited the bar, where he introduced them to Brand and Aesil. As they walked in Jimi Hendrix's "All along the watchtower," was playing over the bar's sound system. Josh suddenly stopped.
"Is that who I think it is?" He exclaimed pointing towards the ceiling.
"It is," replied Matt with a chuckle, "Besides the liquor, for some reason earth music is popular out here. On our last trip, Patricia Clark rounded up a whole bunch of music. You're liable to hear everything from the 50's on up to current stuff. C'mon, let's go meet the owner." Clath was talking to Brand showing him the manifest so Matt waited until Clath went back to supervise the unloading.
"Welcome home Matt," greeted Brand, from what Clath and Rekton have told me you had a little excitement on the way home."
"Raiders," said Matt, "but I have a hunch you already knew that." Brand chuckled,
"Well let's just say I and the others were expecting it, you've got to admit, a whole freighter loaded with liquor is a pretty tempting target. As you discovered, we had things covered. Did you get to meet Rixx and Lamena?"
"We did," replied Matt, "You certainly have some interesting friends. Lamena seems rather the quiet type; she didn't have much to say.'
"Well she's Rixx's wife," replied Brand, "But don't go repeating that. There's nothing wrong between them, they prefer to keep it that way. I'm not sure why, but even though Rixx explained it to me, I'm still not sure why."
Matt then introduced everyone, saving Emma for the last.
"Brand, Aesil, I'd like you to meet Emma Dunmar. Emma's a very talented artist, Emma; show them your sketch pad." Both Brand and his wife were fascinated by the sketches,
"I don't believe I've ever seen this kind of artistry before," said Aesil, "You humans must have a real talent for it." Just then, Owl City came over the system singing "Always a good time."
"Whattya song," laughed Kevin, "Nothing against you Mr. Ti'Korvo, but if I never hear that one again it will be too soon." Despite his protest, the other kids were nodding their heads in time to the music.
"Don't worry about it Brand," chuckled Matt, "We human's have a wide variety of musical tastes. Anyway, Emma's interested in sketching people."
"That's right Mr. Ti'Korvo," said Emma, "I've also had some bartending experience, so if you could use another bartender it would give me an opportunity to be around a lot of people."
Matt noticed him looking at her translator,
"It's top of the line Brand, so it will be able to pick up all the voice nuances, I was thinking ahead." Brand grinned, then replied,
"Well as soon as you get settled in your new home you come back here and we'll give you a try. Either way, you're welcome to sketch the patrons provided they don't mind."
Chapter 152
Titan Stand Chapter 152
Matt was glad to see that everybody was having a good time and enjoying themselves at the bar, at one point, Josh and Micki got up and danced to "Return of the Mack." Emma sketched Brand who then asked her to do a larger one in color, with the promise of a very nice payment. Since it was going to take quite awhile to unload all the booze off the ship, Matt called back to New Coryville requesting a shuttle. Masaki showed up flying the shuttle.
"So how do you like flying this thing?" Matt asked,
"Oh I love it," replied Masaki, "I've been down to Dinocki a couple times, and actually just returned from Xandrus with Amber and Gandric."
"What did you go there for?"
We picked up something called a wave transfer generator Gandric said was needed for that flying saucer he's building. Steve Haines who was also involved in the project overheard the conversation asked,
"Have you guys gotten any farther on it?"
"Well that transfer generator was a major component," replied Masaki,
"Right now there's a lot of circuitry that needs to be sorted out which I guess is your department. As for the outer shell, we have to locate the right metal for it. However I was talking to a captain who's transport was being worked on up at the repair facility who was telling me about a regular salvage yard he knew of that might be able to help us out, so at some point
we'll have to look into that."
It was good to be home, although Matt knew he would be leaving again for his hot date with Queen Breca on Denedra. Right now, it was time to celebrate being home, as well as find housing for the newcomers.
They landed on the pad reserved for the shuttle just on the edge of town, and as the four newcomers stepped out of the shuttle, Matt announced,
"Welcome to Endor, all out for New Coryville Most people were out working, although Holliqua, and Ilmi, along with the Dyson's were there to greet them. Justin Saylor then rode up as well.
"Sorry there aren't more to greet you," said Mr. Dyson but everyone else is out working or off somewhere." Matt introduced those who were there but Justin already knew Emma.
"I see you snagged another classmate," said Justin.
"I wish I had got more but Emma and the other three were going to Fort Lewis which is where we started from. Justin then volunteered to show everyone around as Matt and Liam went to get a status report from the Dyson's.
Well as you can hear by the noise, we've got a lot of construction going on."
"That tree cutting company dropped off a considerable amount of lumber which will let the construction guys to finish up the rest of the houses but the club and community center. There were some folks here from the Oxnian Trading Company looking us over, not sure what they wanted, but they said they would return. Well everyone seems to have gone down to Dinocki," he added. "That would be Doctors Danner, Captain Black and her young assistant Ellen Macy. Falkner and all his people are all down there as well. Other than that, it's
been rather quiet around here."
"NASA sent along a whole bunch of medical supplies and equipment," said Matt, when the K'Sha lands here tomorrow, we'll get it all off."
"One more thing Matt, there were some rather "scruffy" types here last week looking for you. Jezang actually talked to them and they all left after that, so I don't really know what they wanted so you might want to talk to her about it."
"What race were they?" Asked Matt.
"I'm still trying to remember the names of all the various races," replied the doctor, "However I think they were Vaeon's, light green skin, pointed ears, oh there was a fellow who looked like Holliqua there."
Matt turned to her but she just shrugged,
"Could be anyone Matt, we do get around."
"Beats me who they could be," he wondered aloud,
"Well let's go find Jezang," said Holliqua, "And find out who they were."
They found her along with Amber and Clath's female friend Ircisa Wruma up at the newly built community where Ircisa was painting one of the walls, a sort of light turquoise.
"What's all this?" Announced Matt,
"You're back exclaimed Amber, "How was the trip?"
"We got attacked by raiders," said Liam, "But Brand's buddies beat them off." Then Ircisa asked,
"Uh Matt you weren't here to ask, and as you can see, I've already started, but would you let me do a little decorating in here? I spoke to Brad Cummings about doing the interior and he told me to "knock myself out," whatever that means."
"It means go to it," replied Matt, "I take it you like to do this sort of thing?"
Ircisa smiled, "I used to do it professionally, but it's been a long time." Matt then said, Later, I'll introduce you to Miki Hemming, maybe the two of you can work out some sort of theme for the buildings going up around here."
"That would be wonderful," she replied, then he had another thought,
"I'd kind of like something from where we have come from combined with the world we've come to, kind of a mix."
"I think I know what you mean Matt," replied Ircisa, I'll see what I can come up with."
Turning to Amber and Jezang, Matt asked,
"Doctor Dyson said there were some Vaeon's looking for me."
"That's right," said Jezang, "They came here to see if you would allow them to live here."
"They're not crooks or on the run from the law or anything like that are they?" He asked.
Jezang made a laughing noise,
"No Matt, I've already checked them out. Apparently, they work for the Trading Company moving goods around. Endor is a lot closer to their work than Vaeon. They'd like to build homes here out of convenience's sake… Apparently Skart Grexie told them about Endor."
"Fine with me," replied Matt, "Did they say when they'd be back?"
"Possibly a centon or two," said Jezang, "If you agree, they'd like to look over some places to build."
"Maybe I should have brought someone with real estate experience," observed Matt half in jest. He then alerted Amber to the fact that in a couple days they would be leaving for Denedra and that he was taking a number of people to meet the queen.
Later that day the K'Sha arrived, with the bulldozer, fuel, oil, and the rest of Matt's supplies being unloaded. Another party was held that evening in the community center. Among the supplies brought from earth were frozen hamburger patties in a portable freezer. The NASA people also shipped a walk-in freezer that came in sections, which Charles Tucker and Steve Haines put together in a little over an hour. As a result, Holliqua, Ilmi, Orlak, Rekton, Clath, and the crew of the K'Sha were introduced to burgers on the grill potato chips, baked beans (canned) and cold slaw. Everyone seemed to enjoy the food even though the alien races were not big meat eaters. As Matt and Holliqua sat together, He noticed with a smile that little by little, the population was growing. However, this was tempered with the realization that the next big project was moving from a barter society to one with a rudimentary monetary system so that people could start getting paid for their efforts. Earlier, the Oxnian people had offered to help him with this after the population had grown, and more businesses had sprouted up.
When Orlak and the K'Sha left, Kevin went with him, and even though Orlak told Matt that Kevin might be gone for a considerable length of time, Matt put him down as an official citizen of Endor.
"Seems like as fast as you get new citizen's you loose them," observed Holliqua.
"Yeah, well I'm certainly not going to stand in anyone's way who has other opportunities awaiting them. Thing is Holliqua, Orlak told me he was thinking about me as someone to kind of follow in his footsteps, you know, kind of a protégé. Now I'm stuck trying to get this crummy place up and running."
She gave him a long hard look,
"What's the matter with you Matt? You have the opportunity of a lifetime, very few get to do what you're doing. You have a golden opportunity to create something truly unique here. I cannot tell you the number of people who ask me about not only this place, but you as well. People are very curious about you. Shaking his head, Matt took a deep sigh,
"I know, I know, but lately I've been starting to feel like George Bailey stuck running the Bailey savings and loan while everyone else goes off to fame and fortune."
"Who's George Bailey?" She asked.
"Just a guy in a movie," he replied. "Not to change the subject or anything," he added, "But I've been meaning to ask you about that incident in the bar back on Fort Kamata, you know, when you and Cath almost got into it."
"He's a hothead," she replied, "However I've known him for quite awhile now. Cath is…Cath, we've worked on a few projects together, it's not something I look forward to. You don't dare question his experience that's for sure. That reminds me, we are having a large family get-together in two senth's time. Now I know my family makes you nervous, but they would like to see you." He gave her a little hug,
"It's no problem Holliqua, of course, I'd be glad to come." She looked at him once more.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, yes, of course," he replied. "Couple months?" She nodded.
"Well I've got a lot of things coming up, just keep reminding me okay?
By the way, is your folks place made of stone, and is it by any chance on a big lake?"
"What are you talking about Matt," exclaimed Holliqua, "You've been there before. You know it's made of stone but there's n
o lake." Matt chuckled,
"Just teasing, don't worry about it. So how long are you and Ilmi sticking around here?"
"Couple more centon's I suppose," she replied. Ilmi has to get back and I do too."
"Off on another secret mission?" Snickered Matt.
"What? No," she exclaimed, "But if you must know, I've got some medical training classes to finish up."