Why did Hans drop out of the voyage? He was totally committed to going when he received a phone call from none other than the President of The United States pleading with him to take over all projects related to the Apollo space program. "Hans, you are indispensable to our goal of getting to the moon. Hans, this country needs you," said the world's most powerful man.
Well, at last they've come to their senses and got the right man for the job, maybe there is hope for America after all, thought Hans as he agreed to fly to Washington the following week. As far as Jonathan and Leigh were concerned, with young Kurt going along with them, their secret was safe for the time being.
And it didn't take much for Kurt to convince Jonathan and Leigh that he should be on the trip. They had seen first-hand how he and Hans had worked together to solve the Zeon communications problem. He might have been all of 21 at the time but everyone in NASA could see that he was flat-out brilliant.
After they arrived on Zeon, Kurt used tactics his father had shared with him. He did more than anyone else to eradicate the killer mosquitos and get Zeon back on its feet again. Despite his heroic efforts, he soon discovered he was going to be killed by the rest once the plague was under control. Nobody's fool, he made up an excuse to go to the border on a scientific expedition and managed to escape to the Mountain Region.
Once across Zeon's Force Field, which separated them from the Mountain Region, he was a free man once again. Decleanus and Jonathan, though angry at their plans going awry, decided that rather than risk the embarrassment of admitting there could be a defector from the Shaper Elite, and that their media had labeled him an unselfish hero, he declared to the people that Mr. Roper had become unhinged in his new environment, was unstable and no real threat to the planet. Or, so it seemed at the time.
It also helped their image that they didn't resort to murdering their brave Earthling imports. Indeed, from their perspective, Kurt Roper's leaving Zeon proper for the Mountain Region was the perfect solution. In fact, the better he did in the Mountain Region, the more glory that would be reflected on Decleanus and Jonathan.
Being like-minded in many ways, Kurt Roper and Odurn had grown very close over the years and it was agreed that their tribe would provide sanctuary to Zorbane's friends.
Oddly enough, there were two passengers on that 1967 flight from Earth to Zeon who did not share Jonathan's disdain for rock 'n' roll music, Evangeline Daughtry and Kurt. Evangeline had ditched Jonathan to marry Parrimore, and Kurt had gone in his father's place to get away from NASA and Earth politics. He had, together with Odurn's family, managed to make the Mountain Region the most productive agricultural force in the known galaxy, even if they didn't become super rich as a result. However, their prowess and skill at crop management and planning, as well as Kurt's celebrity as a hero of Operation PEST, had kept them nearly immune from any Shaper mischief.
But there was another more practical reason Kurt was left alone by the Shapers.
Years ago, with the assistance of Odurn, he had created an elaborate system of explosives that were carefully installed inside the concrete housing of the Mountain Region’s many dams, which irrigated the vast agricultural lands that fed the entire planet. Kurt could set them off with the touch of his smart device. And, as a backup, if something were to "happen" to him, Odurn and his sons had access to the codes that would blow up the dams as well.
And, he allowed rumors to leak out that he had created a Doomsday apparatus to be slowly and strategically leaked to Zeon Intelligence.
This had the effect of putting the kibosh on any grandiose plans the Shapers may have conjured up to rid themselves of the troublesome Roper and his network of less than obsequious Mountain People.
Over the years, Kurt had married a Mountain girl, Krissa, and they had two strapping boys, the aforementioned Patton and Rommel, who worked with Odurn in the fields and the brewery. Yes, two sons named after WWII generals. That Kurt had a sense of humor.
Kurt Roper was living the life of a fairly prosperous Earthling farmer and was happy to be left alone. But the pending arrival of these Earthlings that Trax had so passionately vouched for had rekindled some of his rebellious spirit. His stature and business acumen had protected him from the Shapers his whole life, but harboring the rebellious Zorbane and these insurgent Earthlings might cause the Shapers to reconsider his virtual immunity.
He had longed for the chance one day to exact revenge on Jonathan, the insufferable Leigh, and the cunning Decleanus. Maybe these rambunctious rebels were the perfect vehicle to bring them to heel.
Why were these Earthlings and Zorbane so feared by the Shapers? He wondered. Zeon's Mountain patrols were more robust and frequent than any time he could remember. There was no coup-plotting or mischief afoot that he knew about from their people, and he was constantly informed on every aspect of Mountain life.
No, by the actions of the Zeonese authorities, this Zorbane and his comrades must pose a serious threat to Zeon, and for that fact alone he relished meeting with them. Fortunately for them, they would be safe for a while in one of the Mountain caves he had built over the years as insurance against the treachery of the Shapers. But sooner or later word would get out, and all he had worked for might well be at risk if the Shapers feared them more than the loss of their damns.
Ah yes, these Earthling outcasts has awakened his sense of purpose. Kurt Roper could feel the blood coursing through his body with more vigor than he had felt in years.
Chapter Fifty- Four
Anticipation
Happiness can exist only in acceptance.
–George Orwell
Back in Zeon's capital, Radiance, Decleanus watched his monitor intently, waiting for his security forces to converge upon the just-landed spacecraft and finish off the infidels and Earthlings.
On his split-screen he was conversing with Everna. "You look as fresh and delightful as ever," he said with a beaming smile.
"You seem particularly pleased today, Decleanus," she said.
He smiled and glanced at the other side of the monitor.
Everna could sense he was watching another image with real interest.
His now glowing eyes came back to meet hers. It was like he had discovered Earth's mythical Fountain of Youth. "Yes, I'm rather pleased with the crop outlook in the Mountain Region. I'm getting a live feed from their projections meeting with my staff for the next growing period. Looks like a bonanza of excellent news so far," he said with a wry smile.
Everna's fingers worked her com device furiously just under the screen camera as she spoke to him.
Suddenly his eyes showed some flicker of concern as he glanced over to the other side of his split-screen.
"We'll I'm sure your people will impress upon them the necessity of a glorious harvest as we all benefit from the Mountain's bounty in so many ways," she said with a wan smile.
But Decleanus didn't hear a word of her fatuous remarks. His eyes were now fully focused on the other side of his screen, which contained a live feed of events taking place far away.
Everna took note of this and typed even faster, if that was possible.
Chapter Fifty-Five
Lullaby on Zeon
The Shapers Security Force were lain out like sleeping sheep. They lay motionless, no longer on the prowl for Zorbane's craft. In their place, another set of troopers in camouflage moved stealthily toward the mouth of the cave.
Despite their excellent face paint and superb cammo, Decleanus could make out a face in the gloaming on his monitor. Yes, he recognized the gleaming white teeth and face of Soan as he led his men into the light.
Everna could see that the color was slowly draining from Decleanus' once happy face. Something must be happening in th
e Mountain Region that he was not at all pleased with. Events must not be unfolding exactly as the master strategist had planned.
She smiled and spoke to the now speechless High Lama. “Decleanus, is the briefing over? How did things go?”
He slowly turned to her and, for once, didn't even fake a smile.
Chapter Fifty-Six
Not Fade Away
If anyone asks you what kind of music you play, tell him “pop.” Don't tell him “rock 'n' roll” or they won't even let you in the hotel."
–Buddy Holly
Buddy Holly was twenty-two. Think of what he might have gone on to achieve. I mean if Beethoven had been killed in a plane crash at twenty-two, the history of music would have been very different. As would the history of aviation, of course.
–Tom Stoppard
Listen to any new release. Buddy will be in it somewhere. His stuff just works.
–Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, whose first killer riff was on the 1964 cover of Not Fade Away.
Zorbane was feeling the pressure of events when he sat down to read Haskell's notes on Buddy Holly.
The man known as Buddy Holly was born Charles Hardin Holley in Lubbock, Texas, September 7th, 1936. He went down in a plane crash with the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens outside of Clearlake, Iowa, February 3rd, 1959. That tragedy was later immortalized in the movie The Buddy Holly Story and the Don McClean song “American Pie.”
That song has played many times in Earth piano bars when alcohol is consumed to great extent," Zorbane continued.
A child of the Great Depression, Buddy's family was often forced to move around the Lubbock area. He was the fourth boy of the dirt-poor but musical Holly family.
All Music, which for Earthlings is considered a reliable source on music, defined Buddy as ‘the single most influential creative force in early rock and roll.’
Buddy was, above all, a pioneer. The lad from Lubbock introduced and popularized the now standard use of two guitars, bass, and drums by rock bands.
An innovator, he was the first to use double-tracking. That's where you can add sounds on top of sounds.
Developed along with his partner Norman Petty, Buddy introduced the use of orchestration, overdubbing and reverberation. R-e-v-e-r-b. Yeaaaaaa.
As you would expect, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included Holly among its first class in 1986.
And very importantly, he was probably the very first dude in Earth America who made wearing glasses and adopting a nerd persona cool.
So, no Buddy:
No four-piece rock 'n' roll bands (drummer, two guitars and a bass).
No Geek cool.
No Elton John glasses.
No Don McLean.
No Overdubbing.
No Reverb. No Echo.
No Beach Boy's Masterpiece Pet Sounds.
Probably no Paul McCartney.
No Gary Bussey. Crazy man. (Star of The Buddy Holly Story).”
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Forbidden Fruit
The big show was provided by Vancouver teenagers, transformed into writhing, frenzied idiots of delight by the savage jungle beat music.
–Review of an Elvis Presley concert in The Vancouver Sun, September 3, 1957
As Zorbane's spacecraft began to settle into cruising altitude, Jericho began to expound on what was on everyone's mind:
"How can Haskell, Jericho, Louise, Trax and Zorbane create a rock 'n' roll revolution in Zeon if they were too far down the road economically, and too far fuckin' evolved as Haskell likes to say."
Well, Jericho had a strategy.
"You see, lady and gents, as you surely know, what people don't naturally have, what is forbidden to them, or foreign to them, they soon will covet that sound or style or attitude. It gradually becomes cool to them, and to the others," said Jericho.
Haskell nodded his head.
"Going back some, this is why white kids like Elvis used to go listen to the black gospel singers, because it was exotic, somewhat forbidden," explained Jericho.
Zorbane, putting the spacecraft on auto pilot, turned in his chair to listen to the discussion.
Jericho took a sip from his water bottle and continued his dissertation. "They may block your broadcasts in Zeon, Zorbane, but their children creep on the stuff coming out of the Mountain Region cause it's dangerous, and therefore very cool. Their parents may look down their noses at the Mountain People, but the young have always wanted to experiment with the forbidden. James Dean, one of the biggest icons ever, because he was slightly dangerous. Ditto Brando."
Louise and Haskell laughed.
"What is Mick Jagger but a hard-living, randy Southern gambler in spandex? He's a faux rake who turns terribly British when he's off stage talking to the beautiful people or the media," said Jericho with a smile.
"'I met a gin soaked barroom-queen in Memphis,'" sang Haskell.
"So, you're thinking we can reach Zeon that way," said Zorbane.
"Yep, it’s gonna be our intergalactic Memphis, our Compton, straight outta the Mountain Region," exulted Jericho. He twirled his hand in the air. "Gangsta rap, hip hop, whatever your take on it, followed the same cultural trajectory as rock 'n' roll. The creators were from the other side of the tracks, and the cool kids just had to have a taste.”
Zorbane and Louise smiled. Jericho is one hell of a salesman, thought Haskell.
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Zorbane Can You Hear Me?
His spacecraft was preparing for descent into Zeon's atmosphere when a beautiful young woman with an impish smile appeared on Zorbane's screen. Her image was not crystal-clear and faded out a few times. He was plotting out coordinates and trying to dial in her image. After several futile attempts, he gave up.
He exhaled a long sigh and looked back forlornly at his passengers. His apparent exasperation turned their stares into looks of quiet desperation.
"Zorbane, are you up onto the tella stream? Please affirm," said the ghostly face.
Zorbane rapidly turned in his chair at the sound of the voice. "Everna," said a pleasantly surprised Zorbane. He flicked some dials and her image began to get clearer. He put his headset back on and her sound was cut off from the rest of the ship.
Haskell, Louise and Jericho all exchanged glances. They could see the image of the woman on the screen but couldn't hear what she was saying as Zorbane nodded while listening to her on his earphones.
Chapter Fifty-Nine
1967: A Space Odyssey
When one man, for whatever reason, has the opportunity to lead an extraordinary life, he has no right to keep it to himself.
–Jacques Cousteau
NECESSARY FLASHBACK
What are we to make of one of the great unsolved mysteries of American space travel?
I mean, no one outside of a handful of science nerds know of Operation PEST in 1967.
We now know the motivation for the journey. Jonathan and his colleagues were disappointed in both America and the space program. It had taken a "militaristic" turn in their view. So, when Leigh Redmond, his former M. I. T. classmate and astrophysicist had received an SOS at his listening post from Zeon a year or so after the faith-shattering electrification of Dylan at Newport, Jonathan felt that fate was beckoning him to a bold new phase. He had an opportunity of a lifetime; he could travel to outer space, and best of all, he could begin a new life on a planet that would appreciate both his intellect and artistic sensibilities. For him, this was a no-brainer.
Leigh had no intention of sharing his communication with the gov
ernment, who would only look to exploit or colonize Zeon for their mercenary purposes.
Jonathan and Leigh talked at great length about the opportunity that the Zeonese were offering them: full citizenship to a civilization that was about 40 years advanced from Earth. All he had to do was to manufacture DDT on Zeon and rid them of the malarial scourge that was killing off their planet.
What would his family think of him going off to space? Well, he was an only child, the son of two mathematical geniuses who worked for the RAND Corporation, which young Jonathan came to despise. His childhood, while full of academic accomplishment, was a relatively loveless one. The only saving grace was all the science around Livermore, California.
Poverty Rocks! (Rock n' Roll in Outer Space Book 1) Page 14