Jack leaned against a rock. “This is the whole story,” he said. “All these years since the crash, Belief Keeper and the children had managed to survive on their own in Patagonia. This is a mountainous area at the southern tip of the South American continent and they stayed at the very highest altitudes and avoided contact. This is a very low density population region. But, as there were here, there were local rumors and legends about the mysterious creatures that scurried about in the night, but they were dismissed as superstition. In fact a few kind souls, shepherds mostly, had left treats for them. That’s how Harry met you, in fact. Apparently, someone figured out that minerals bearing copper, magnesium, and selenium were highly prized. Probably Belief Keeper left a note somewhere. Valuable tidbits were left in return, unusual gems, that sort of thing. It became quite the legend.
Then a biologist-physician, who was on sabbatical in the area, made contact.
Word got out in a nearby village. Unfortunately that village was the home base of a criminal organization and the doctor was recruited by a man named Diablo. This fellow was a powerful criminal boss who was running drugs in the region, and smelled an opportunity for diversification. When Diablo got control of his Little Ones, he tried with some success to make them produce technological information he could market. He was cruel, clumsy, and he ultimately failed. A good man named Carlos, one of the local shepherds, was hired by this Diablo to care for them. After this Diablo had Belief Keeper killed, Carlos was able to reach us and we sent a rescue team. Your fellow Little Ones are now on the way here.”
“Little Onessss?” Captain raised his eyestalks in mock outrage. “Little?” he said, stretching to his full height.
“Captain’s kidding you, Jack,” Harry said.
“I can tell.”
“Little? Well, I may not be exactly two meterssss tall like you two ssssoft-bodied, two legssss…”
“Is that what you call us?” Harry asked in mock alarm. Captain mimed an obscene gesture.
“Do you want to hear this story or not?”
“Ssssorry, Papa Jack,” Captain said. “I wassss ussssing humor assss a diverssssion. I am very dissssturbed by my cousin’ssss death. I am sssso afraid to assssk, but I musssst find out the detailssss of Belief Keeper’ssss murder.”
“Sorry. Under Belief Keeper’s leadership, his group was bargaining with Diablo for independence. For this criminal thug, that behavior was seen as treachery. So Diablo had Belief Keeper killed by one of his lackeys. It was a sharp blow to the head, cracking the skull, in front of its mates, as a lesson for non-cooperation.”
A short keening sound came from Captain. Jack paused…“Pleasssse go on,” the alien said.
“Carlos rescued the remaining Little Ones, Cherish, Funny, Joy, and Winsome, that same night by taking them up into the mountains. It was a good thing because Torque’s forces destroyed Diablo’s compound the next day. A few days after saving the Little Ones, he was able to reach one of us, Jay Robertson. With his help, Carlos and a priest got them out. There were problems too complicated to discuss but everyone except the priest is coming here together.”
“What issss a priesssst?” Captain asked.
“It’s a role, like…Dreamer’ssss, maybe.”
“A shaman,” Harry said. “Or soul fixer.”
“Aah…” Captain said. “Ssssomeone like that would help when ssshe realized we are like humanssss…”
“I think I need to know more about the Others,” Harry said. “What can you tell me about them?” Harry handed a water bottle to Jack.
Jack nodded solemnly. “Captain has not told you very much?” Harry shook his head. “Here’s the short version: The Little Ones have enemies. Another alien species, with a ruthless streak. They can’t move about on earth without full life-support. Most of them inhabit an orbiting spacecraft and are deeply entangled with Marius Torque who apparently worships them. Of course, Torque is an idiot…but a very dangerous idiot.”
“It makes more sense now.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you all I knew, Harry.”
“The other sssspeciessss, the Othersss…they followed ussss. They will kill ussss if we are found out and assss many of you assss they need to.”
“A miracle you lived,” Harry said.
“Yessss.” Then Captain stepped in front of Jack, and elevated his eyestalks to Jack’s face. “Share your other newssss, pleasssse.” It was delivered flatly, a statement of fact. “The bad newsssss.”
“How could you possibly know, Captain?” Jack was genuinely flummoxed.
“I can read you. Bad newssss tendssss to follow unhappy affect. Doessssn’t it, Papa Jack?”
Falstaff simply stood in place, his lined face a mix of humor and sadness, his eyes twinkling with admiration and amusement; then he became lost in some bleak place by turns. Eventually he spoke, his tone darkly matter–of-fact. “Yes. Some things have come to my attention. They are very disturbing. On the flight here, I gave the matter much thought. This morning, I decided there is no choice but to take action against the Others.” Jack paused.
It is such a strange moment, Harry thought. The tall Australian, the multi-limbed alien, Captain, staring at him at close range, and I accept this as a normal conversation!
“I believe that Torque and the Others now have information that places you and us in grave danger. I believe that they are planning a massive attack on every location where they suspect that you are. You are quite right, Captain. The Others don’t care how many of us they kill in order to get you. They have struck twice already.”
“How long will we be safe here?” Harry was genuinely alarmed.
“Harry…Captain…So far no one, not even my partner Finnegan Gael, knows of this particular location. Events may change that.” Falstaff paused and looked at the shifting sky for a moment. “In the meantime, Harry and I will be preparing an evacuation plan. We must assume that the Others will be launching an attack as soon as they have this location. And no, I do not have a time estimate. But, knowing our adversaries as I do, we can expect a massive attack. Indiscriminate destruction. Possibly on two fronts: attacks on our Australian facility and here. There we can stop most anything small, but I fear the worst…especially if they use thermonuclear weapons. I believe that the Others are lending Torque their military resources, and that Torque is supplying the atomic weapons.”
“Then they will desssstroy thissss entire island, if they have that capability. Five two-megaton thermonuclear bombssss, properly spacccced, would get ussss good.”
“You are impressively perceptive and well informed, Captain,” Jack said quietly.
“I have not ssssspent my sssspare time here watching Harry’ssss moviessss. How ssssoon will thissss happen?”
“Captain, I simply do not know, but I must assume the worst. When nukes are introduced, I’m gravely concerned that the Others will act on their own. Defender, you know these Other aliens. How likely is that scenario?”
“Very likely. They are capable of anything,” Defender said. “How much warning will we have before we musssst go back into hiding?”
“We can’t know. So, I am planning a preemptive action. A final decisive stroke against the Others, a direct attack on their ship.”
“You are worried you might not come back from thissss ‘final sssstroke’ you are planning?”
Jack nodded his head in agreement. There was no hiding one’s mood from these little buggers. What interrogators they would make. “Something like that.” There was another pause. A new thought had dawned.
“Well?” Captain finally asked.
“Captain, this will be a dangerous mission. I will need someone who can also operate the controls of my shuttle. A skilled translator, someone to help me communicate with the Others.
“Defender then.”
“But Defender is a female. Your species will need as many…”
“Not a conssssideration. Defender issss the besssst qualified.”
“Then, I respectfu
lly request a private meeting with Defender. And your blessings for her recruitment.”
“You have that.”
Robertson, Carlos and the four surviving Little Ones from South America arrived in a much larger helicopter at sunset. The immense beetle-shaped aircraft slowly dropped into meadow lined against a purple sky, shot through with under-lit pink clouds. Before the blades and fans had died, Jay poked his head outside the doorway. He grinned in surprise. He was looking at more toy people, more Little Ones. And they were doing cartwheels of joy in the grass. “Carlos, look at this! Falstaff’s been holding out on us. He has another set of these ET critters!” Before Carlos could control them, Winsome, Funny, Joy, and Cherish had climbed over their seats, pushing Jay gently but firmly to the side and squirmed out the door. Jay stared slack-jawed as they began cavorting and tumbling among their relatives. A smiling Jack Falstaff stood next to a large Maori man with a staff.
“Earth to Jay,” Carlos said. “You’re blocking the door. Let me see!”
That night in the compound’s main room, Jack Falstaff met with Harry, Jay and the entire group of Little Ones.
“You have all met Jay Robertson?”
“Yessss, Papa Jack.”
“I trust him fully. He is assigned to work out your patriation.”
“You mean live ssssomewhere else?” Fixer asked.
“That’s the idea. Eventually, each of you and your descendants can find a place in this world.”
“How?” Fixer asked.
“We’ll have help from Papa Jack’s organization,” Jay said. “But this takes time.”
“Papa Jack and his friends have to negotiate placements with a number of governments and private parties,” Harry explained. “Meantime you are free to stay here with me and the children.”
“Where would we go?” Captain asked. “Will we have a choicccce?”
“Everyone has a choice,” Jack said. “There are several other alpine environments where you can be comfortable outside. You have a tremendous advantage over the Others in that respect.”
“Which issss why they hate ussss,” Defender said.
“And you each have valuable, highly marketable skills,” Jack said. “You will be able to pay your own way…many times over. If you think about it, your independence is your best protection from exploitation.”
“I don’t feel exploited here,” Captain said.
“Thank you,” Falstaff said. “But there is more to life than this slice of heaven.”
“Can we vissssit? Where? Where?” Winsome asked.
“Rocky mountains USA. Alps in Europe. Himalayas in Nepal and India. Urals in Russia. Many other places but each has its own government or even more than one, overlapping authority,” Jack said. “So their patriation will be complicated politically. And yes, Jay will have the full help of our organization. But this may take many years.”
“Give me a minute with Mr. Falstaff, please.” Jack and Jay Robertson left the Little Ones chattering among themselves and stepped a few feet away.
“You’ll need years just to straighten out your differences with Finnegan,” Robertson muttered grimly. “You just don’t hold back things from him. I know the boss well.”
Jack just nodded with a wry smile. “That’s just the half of it, Jay.” He’d thought about the “betrayal” problem with his business partner and friend, and had decided to postpone the confrontation as long as possible.
While Falstaff was talking, the Little Ones crept up close to listen while “Papa Jack” continued.
“This is dicey on several levels because we don’t know who in the organization to trust any more.” Jack paused, thinking. “Jay, I kept Finnegan in the dark about these secret Little Ones and the looming threat posed by the Others for good reasons…well, reasons that seemed good enough…until now.” In an honor-based relationship like ours, there really will be hell to pay, he thought to himself. “Finnegan’s reaction is nothing compared to the public’s explosion” he said aloud. Better to let Robertson and Wu handle this… “Right now, for most of the world, the overwhelming part of it is that this problem doesn’t even exist.”
“That representssss an episssstemological puzzzzle,” Dreamer said. The laughter chirping and chatter followed.
“Did I hear a joke?” Jack asked turning around to see the Little Ones gathered behind him.
More chatter ensued. “Joke. Joke. Joke.”
“One ancient philossssopher of ourssss ssssaid it besssst,” Dreamer explained. “Quote: ‘Philossssophersss don’t know diddly.’” The room erupted in alien chirping. “But they are much better at explaining ignorancccce.” Several minutes of laughter and tumbling followed.
“They’re just upset,” Harry explained.
“Could have fooled me,” Jay said.
Late that night, Falstaff took Shaman Harry, Captain, and Robertson aside. “I’ll be leaving first thing in the morning. And I’m taking Defender with me on our special mission.”
“The time has come sssso ssssoon?” Captain asked.
“Yes.”
“Thissss issss Defender’ssss ssssacrificccce?”
“Perhaps.”
“Jack, may I ask what the hell is really going on?” Jay asked.
Jack took ten minutes to brief Jay on the entire situation. “Fine,” Jay said. “…if you would just turn me loose, Jack. It’s what I do. It’s why you hired me.”
“Not this time,” Falstaff said quietly. “Somebody I trust absolutely, somebody who can talk sense into Finnegan needs to stay behind. That is you, Jay. Later, I will need you to protect the Little Ones, to work with Don Wu to smooth things over with Finnegan, and to keep this whole thing going in case…in the event I don’t come back.”
“Christ,” Jay said. It should have been “Sure, Boss.” “You damn well better come back.”
“Captain?” Jack looked directly into the alien’s twin eyestalks. “I talked to Defender for a good while. She seemed very eager to help. She said it’s her calling. You need to understand that she most likely won’t come back from this mission.”
“There are alwayssss ‘miraclessss’,” Defender said.
They quote lines from the movies like holy writ, Harry thought. What have I done?
“If there was any other way…” Jack said.
“Sssshe will be long remembered…Assss will you.”
“Hey. I expect to come back.”
“Jusssst in casssse thissss one time, there issss no ‘miracle,’ Papa Jack, jusssst in casssse…know that you will be remembered…”
Falstaff turned to hide his face for a moment, then he got up and began pacing, cup of tea in one hand. After a time, he kneeled in front of Captain. “What will you do?”
“Papa Jack, becausssse we are all marooned here, my people, the Otherssss, becausssse no one can ever go home…I have…I am…I…I’m going to be a Maori.”
Falstaff glanced at Harry, who smiled. “It can be done,” Harry said.
“I love thissss placccce,” Captain said softly.
“Good thing, then,” Harry said. “Since you can’t go home.”
“You can’t leave either, Sssshaman Harry, exccccept in a boxxxx.”
“In a box? Captain, you’ve been watching old ‘30s crime movies again.”
Captain chirped and chattered.
“‘In a box?’ What kind of wisecrack was that?” Falstaff asked.
“Predator humor, Papa Jack,” Captain said.
“Too many movies. My fault,” Harry said.
Falstaff laughed. “You’ll do just fine, Captain.” He stood, looking down with mock seriousness. “But ‘30s crime movies? What a corker.” He looked at Dr. Tamati. “Harry, this is Maori fare?”
“No counting for taste,” Harry said.
With sudden tenderness, Captain reached up and stroked Jack Falstaff’s face. It was a gentle touch. “We do love you, Papa Jack…”
CHAPTER TWENTY - THE KIDNAPPING
In Orbit over Western Austra
lia - Several Days Later
Jack Falstaff had taken Defender with him back to Australia and transferred the little alien to special quarters in the Sparrow while avoiding direct contact with Finnegan. A mission specialist was covertly assigned to brief the Little One on the shuttle’s operations while the rocket was being readied for launch from the Lake Disappointment facility. Falstaff had accomplished all this with the assistance of Donald Wu, who managed to keep a tight lid on the presence of the Little One in the GFE pre-launch facility.
Also with Donald Wu’s covert help, Jack had arranged a private interview with Robertson’s pilot, Joe Dixon, who had been detained by GFE security in Florida, then flown to Australia under guard. But Jack had failed to tell Donald that the interview was not to be conducted within the jurisdiction of the Australian government…or any other.
A few hours later, the Sparrow was launched into a temporary geo-stationary orbit over Australia carrying an extra passenger. Dixon’s disappearance was concealed by the cover story that the detained pilot had been surrendered to the Australian police. The story had held together just long enough for the Sparrow’s launch to become an accomplished fact.
A good thing, Jack thought, because I kidnapped Joe Dixon.
Twenty hours later, the time for procrastination was over. From his window, Jack Falstaff could see the sunward side of the second shuttle. The Kiwi, having been launched earlier, was glinting against the nightside earth. It was a precaution against any attempt by Gael to have him followed. The two ships were temporarily connected by a single 200 meter docking tether. Both the Sparrow and the Kiwi bore the midnight blue and white logo of GFE. The third ship, Gael’s Snark, was currently safely stored in its underground silo in the GFE Lake Disappointment facility in Australia; it was un-fueled and could not be made flight-ready for at least 24 hours.
The fourth shuttle? Falstaff had decided to hide his latest purchase. No telling where I’ll need to go, if I live through the next few days. I may never live long enough to repair the breach with Finnegan. He’d named his ship the “Tachyon” after the ship in his dream. He was keeping it at a very remote orbit because there really was no one in the GFE organization he could fully trust at the moment other than Donald and Jay, and both of them needed to retain the trust of Finnegan Gael. There remained Finnegan, and of course dear Ruth, whom he fully trusted. Ironically Jack had betrayed them both.
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