by Michael Berg
Time Escape
The Adventures of Space Commander Bobby Regal
Book One
A novel by Michael Berg
2016
Chapter 1
Earth’s involvement in the galactic war consuming the far flung reaches of the Solar System beyond Jupiter, had been raging for twenty four years since Bobby Regal was just a boy living on a farm amongst the back roads rarely travelled by most. Bobby had begun a simple life tending to the livestock and completing his daily chores as son to a rancher. At night he would often spend hours looking up at the stars, dreaming of travelling to space. He was eight years old when the war began, and he had come to realise his dream as a space commander two years ago at the age of thirty. He barely wanted anything other than to live his heart’s desire to be the protector of Earth, ensuring all were safe from the tyranny of their alien attackers.
Known as Vindors from the planet Vindor some twenty three light years away, they were mostly human in appearance and carried with them an air of superiority in both their place in the cosmos and in appreciation of their personal feelings of pride. They were an apparition of beauty to be admired living as regals amongst the stars so they thought.
Ten months of chasing Vindor space craft between planets, and cleaning up the mess after blowing them to smithereens, had taken its toll, and despite his relatively young age, Bobby needed a rest. A little shore leave suited him fine at this time – the sixties were just beginning and the times were of anticipation, vigour, and excitement. Planet Earth has taken to living life in fantasy among buildings featuring great spheres atop towers used to transfer energy, magical designs to inspire the imagination invoking the senses...including pleasure, and where provisions for all to prosper abounded allowing people to take to their creative traits exploring the virtues of expression.
War was there but all people including Bobby were confident his role as Steward of Earth Defences would see off the Vindors, relegating them to their rightful place on their home planet far away from affecting humanity. Not since the early days of the twenties where people could take flights of fancy to the Moon and beyond for extravagant space parties, had the Earth felt such an excitement. They were winning the wars of the Vindors and now they wanted to celebrate with their fair haired strong willed and confident steward as their mascot.
He knew he needed a decent rest and some recreation before he could once again return to his role as space commander for a large assault against the Vindors in the coming months. He had decided to take to a long drive along country roads in his Cadillac Eldorado Seville levitation car – a vehicle hovering above the roads upon which it travelled. Featuring classic style fin wings at the rear, a large bubble like cabin, and chrome grill appearing a little menacing, it was indeed a splendid machine. Bobby himself was not menacing, unless of course, he was required to act as his rank designated, and then those who opposed him, ended up experiencing a type of regret only Bobby could provide, such were his abilities to inflict decisiveness during battle. He was absolute in his competency as a space commander and Steward of Earth Defences – a trait his superiors admired especially through his tenacity in tracking down and assailing Vindors.
In his classic car in classic style, Bobby drove the classic country roads lined with brightly painted farm fences, dotted here and there with red and blue farm houses and barns. Some were green and others a mixture of colours where all reflected the mood of the times. It was the nineteen sixties and rebellion against oppression was well under way as the Vindors retreated to the reaches beyond Neptune and even Pluto.
New styles of almost everything were a consequence from this release of the Vindor stranglehold on Earth’s resources. People were finding time to adventure and play, and so too did Bobby on this holiday away from his personal electric rocket. Life inside his rocket ship was not difficult as it was the latest in comfort and weaponry ensuring pilots could make their best efforts in fighting off the Vindors, but cabin fever was cabin fever and time away from its’ confines was a must.
Life in space was nothing like the pioneers had envisioned back in the late eighteen hundreds with their failed steam driven star ship designs. The latest technology permitted voyages of significant distant and time, and so pilots required modern conveniences like space toasters with inbuilt gravity units to prevent cooked bread from floating away once done, anti gravity lounges, and hyper drive modules for quick transit times. In combination, Earth pilots had become lethal in their fight against the Vindors, with Bobby at the helm of command for the largest fleet of star ship rockets.
All this was behind him for a time now as he drove the dirt roads out back somewhere in Nebraska, or was it Utah. The great towering cities with their electricity conductors atop, the world of modern conveniences with space technology playing a part in everyday lives through the use of machines devised as a result of the defensive against Vindor, and the modalities of futuristic dress and behaviour so prevalent in this new world foreign to the last years of the previous century, were now fading into memory. Bobby did not know precisely where he was as he had turned off his location technology, and nor did he care. He had simply engaged drive on his car, preferring convertible mode with the bubble back, and had now taken to whatever road took him to wherever.
This day was fine and sunny with barely any clouds in the bright blue sky making the colours of the farms even more vivid than usual. It was spring so the temperature was just right – neither hot nor cold, and primed for anything unexpected to happen as he travelled the country miles. Then it did happen.
Around one corner and then another before he saw it, an old run down bordello looking as if it had not seen maintenance since the thirties, came into view. Tempered with flecked paint and a garish yet faded sign alluding to the temptation of virtue and lack of within, the facade of the building reminded Bobby of the houses of the night he had seen in those old fashioned three dimensional movies they used to show at the local theatre when he was a child. As in those movies, not a sign of the many sins occurring behind the walls could be seen through the curtained and shuttered windows. Bobby pulled up on the dusty road out front where it greeted the lone tree by the gate to the pathway leading towards the main door set amidst the otherwise dull old wood panelling.
To Bobby, this place immediately ignited his intrigue as he felt drawn to it in a peculiar way he could not describe, deciding this was his place of stay for the night. Here he could get some action, but not what most would expect from such an establishment. Bobby had no use for its’ services, rather he saw out of interest, a place he could experience society he was so excluded from during service as a space commander in the efficient systems of the military. The moment he pulled up and parked his car, was the time his life would change forever, and it all started with a kiss...of sorts.
She had spied him driving along the road for the past two miles. Mysterious energies were at play drawing him nearer. She could see him from the top most windows at the western end of the two story house – a view not so easily returned by one travelling upon the road. She had watched him slow as he contemplated this place he had arrived to, or actually stumbled upon. At the last, she was gladdened when Bobby had chosen to stop, especially upon seeing his tall athletic stature of just over six feet as he jumped out of the open convertible car.
He hesitated as he mounted the few stairs leading towards the ramshackle front door. There was something about this place up close stopping him in his steps. A strange yet familiar energy seemed to pervade the air about him giving a sense of
both gain and loss. Bobby had experienced these feelings many times in recent years as he fought against the ever persistent Vindors during space battles. It was all coming back to him at once now as he stood at the door. Intrigued by such an emotive notion, it drove him on as it did in battle, so he knocked three times causing paint flecks to stick to his knuckles.
Within a minute, she had made her way downstairs to greet him as he called out to come inside. A moment later as he stepped across the threshold after she had looked his way him somewhat sheepishly, Bobby realised the inside of the bordello – its facade was merely a decoy for within it held an almost lavish appointment, indulging in effects from various past periods.
“Bobby Regal, our most famous space commander, victor in numerous battles over the Vindors, and Steward of Earth Defences, welcome.”
“Who is speaking? Where are you?”
“I am right over here Bobby. Come closer so we can see each other.”
As he walked across the foyer style entrance immediately inside the bordello, Bobby cast a glance back to the woman who had opened the door for him. She was young in her early twenties, reasonably tall with dark straight hair, and an athletic vivacious body. Her look was sheepish and Bobby knew it was a deception.
“Just go,” was all she muttered.
There was nothing else he could do. Nothing would come from her and nothing was expected – this entire escapade was entirely from spontaneity and without assumption, for Bobby knew too well of the ills where expectation could steer one away from seeing the reality of any given situation. It was how he operated as a space commander, and how it was for him this time. He kept going, keen to explore and to determine who was calling.
“Keep walking. I am through the small door to your left Bobby. I have been waiting for you to come.”
Bobby followed the voice through the small door to find himself in a darkened room where he could just make out the figure of a woman sitting in a large winged back leather chair looking straight at him. Her face was barely visible in the low light coming through the drapes drawn across the windows to his right. He could make out her contour mostly - the mystery of her appearance being in part, lost to shadow. He figured she was not much older than him, though he knew looks can be deceptive, so he approached with caution.
“Bobby Regal, how good to see you. Please sit here beside me and we can talk.”
“Talk about what? Who are you anyway, and more to the point, how do you know me?
“Many people know about you Bobby space commander. I saw you leave your car and the moment I could see your face, I knew it was you.”
“Well, you have a point,” he replied thinking of how exposed to the media his career had taken him. Bobby had featured in many news articles covering battles against Vindor space ships, focusing on his success as Steward of Earth Defences – the most highly respected position of all space commander pilots.
“Why is it good to see me?”
“I am sure the answer to your question is most evident to you already Bobby.” It was. He thought of the many times people had stopped him in the street to say to him how good it was to see him as respect for his character and achievements ran far and wide around the planet.
“So now I have answered my own question, it is time to tell me your name.”
“Valeena.”
“Valeena? I have never heard of such a name.”
“There are many names in many places you have never heard of Bobby, so stop showing me your ignorance and allow us to talk.”
“I cannot think of anything we need to discuss.”
“You have come to the bordello yes?”
“Well, yes I suppose I have.”
“Then you must have stopped here for a reason. I am thinking I can help you with your reason.”
“Perhaps, though I am not really sure why I stopped here. Maybe it was just a bit of intrigue on my part seeing a place like this so remote from most other places...Valeena.”
“Maybe, but I think not Bobby. There are reasons for things happening all the time we are not so aware of where subtle energies are at play directing us without knowing and I think this is one of those things and times. Come sit, I have some fine whiskey.”
As he sat down in the smaller winged back chair to her left, Bobby could make out more of Valeena’s face and he was captivated. She was striking with long golden blond hair, a strong jaw line, a high forehead, and a determination in her eyes causing a pang of excitement when they met with his. Her affect on him was immediate and he subsequently relinquished most of his guard, though not from any sense of relaxation. She held him in a trance, yet he was not staring at her.
Valeena knew of her affect on people when she wanted their attention and when she worked it to her advantage, she experienced moments of control taking place - Bobby was already within her clutches. As she leaned in a little closer to look at his face, her loose fitting shawl of material fell away exposing her cleavage. She wanted him to see her lithe tall body and to be tantalised.
“You are handsome aren’t you Bobby. I can see your strength, your tenacity. It is all in your eyes.”
“And in my pulse throb ray gun,” he replied shifting his hand to its holster on his belt.
“I bet you like using your throb gun Bobby.”
“I sure do. When you fire, the throb sends a pulse ray strong enough to take out any Vindor.”
“Or person?”
“Any living thing. The ray attacks proteins.”
“It sounds gruesome Bobby.”
“It has to be for sake of protection against adversaries.”
“You’re not gruesome though are you?”
“Only when called upon as a space commander. Otherwise I am known as a reasonable decent person.”
“I would have thought Steward of Earth Defence would be a person of utmost in decency.”
“You might think so, and it is kind of true. I didn’t say I was indecent. I just don’t blow my own trumpet.”
“Perhaps I could blow it for you Bobby.”
“Blow as much as you like Valeena, but surely there is more than just pleasing my ego to this. I can see you as a woman of mystery and one who might look beyond the normal highway of life. Why, even your bordello is far from such a place.”
“It is true. I have travelled the roads less travelled by most and I have also taken highways to go places, but as you see now, it is beyond immediate space to distant...”
“As a space commander pilot, I am always looking beyond the obvious, beyond the normal...for ways to defeat Vindors and their weapons.”
“Then you are beginning to see why it is you are here and what it is I can help you with. Perhaps if we join together... We are here in this room, private and unobserved. We may do what we please, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Indeed, and so remote there are no others nearby. You could do anything.”
“Would you like it to be so Bobby? I can do anything for you. Your pleasure is mine and there is nothing more I love than pleasure.”
“I agree, but duty can call and so pleasure has to be put off for a while.”
“Do you really think such things when you are chasing Vindors around in your space craft? With realising self in such a role, there must be some sense of experiencing pleasure Bobby? After all, you worked so hard...so hard, and you are coming into realising your call. Surely this is pleasure?”
“I guess you are right. You can call it pleasure, but not as like you would expect to find here at this bordello.”
“What one expects is often mistaken when it becomes an outcome. Times can be hard and one has to stand tall to meet the calling and service the desire, the need, the pleasure. It is how we transcend this within is where we determine our ways ahead from there.”
“True for a space pilot. You can blow any job as commander, but to really be a steward, one has to know their personal strengths and weaknesses and then to harness your energies to last the distance and not reach
a premature climax for sake of longer term outcomes. You can let the most important one down...yourself. It is within the delivery where the true message lies.”
“I see you have distinct philosophies as a commander Bobby. They are your strengths and your weaknesses and it is these I am here to assist. You have come to me at a special time Bobby - only when it was possible due to the alignment of circumstances.”
“What do you mean? I had no idea I would even be here today.”
“Yet here you are, and here I am offering myself to you Bobby.”
“In what way Valeena?”
“Any way you would like. I am at your service.”
“How can you when I don’t know of anything you can do for me?”
“You may not know now but you will come to realise there is something very special I can do for you.”
“How hard can it be?”
“You are the master of how hard it is Bobby. Now, I have finished my whiskey and it is time for me to tend my house. Make yourself comfortable. You can stay here as long as you wish. Dinner is at eight – I expect to see you there.”
Valenna left Bobby alone to finish his drink. Over the next five minutes as he sat slowly sipping, Bobby admired both the tenacious Valeena and the malt of the whiskey. It was near five in the afternoon according to his space watch. He decided to take Valeena up on her offer and stay at least one night of intrigue.
Bobby was not sure what to do next. He had finished the whiskey and stood looking towards the small doorway thinking about the woman he had first met. She was not as mysterious as Valeena, yet she held a fascination for him and Bobby knew to trust his gut instincts. Deciding it was the only natural thing to do, Bobby went out through the small door to the foyer expecting to see her but she was nowhere in sight.
After a few seconds he heard her call, “Come. Up the stairs and to your right.”
Bobby followed her voice – she had remained out of sight adding to his intrigue. When he reached the landing on the first floor, she stood waiting for him half way along the hallway outside what was obviously to be his room for the night gauging by the bed linen she held. Her eyes met his the second they saw each other. Hers were deep blue and alluring as if she was flirting with him so Bobby thought, and his were responsive to her.