Zon shrugged and retorted, as she guessed he would, “I suppose that means you are not very happy with my efforts in creating what I think to be a pretty good place to live in!”
“Listen, honey, there is nothing wrong with your success in organizing this wonderful Planet. I believe you have done a magnificent job and nobody could criticize you in any way. I only answered your question in such a silly way because you asked me such a silly question!”
They both laughed then and hugged one another to make up for their cutting repartee.
“Seriously though, honey, what do you really believe would constitute a perfect place to live in, because I feel that, forgetting the environmental problems that both our planets have to endure, we both live in pretty good places as it is, in my opinion, anyway?”
Zon threw the question to Uvarna with a fairly serious, quizzical look on his face.
“Well I guess the first thing I would want in my ideal world, would be water, plenty of it, lakes in abundance, waterfalls, rivers, oceans, or at least some type of sea where fish and other amphibians could abound. And then there should be plenty of forests and woods for the birds and other wildlife to enjoy. You know there is a shortage of the basic things, like wood and fruit for our people to utilize, and I would dearly love such things to be plentiful in my ideal world. Also I would wish for beautiful perfumed flowers and exotic plants to color our mundane lives. It would be great if we could have perfect weather, just enough sunshine and rain and perhaps even a little snow and frost to keep a healthy balance in the atmosphere. Your Planet Zero is pretty near to perfection except for the major factor of the air pollution you are enduring. I definitely would love to live in a place where the air was fresh and clean and we could all walk and run outside without having to be protected all the time in underground bubbles and wear protective clothing. And, my darling Zon, above all, if I was ever able to catch a falling star and turn it into my paradise, I would want you there at my side to be with me in our own little heaven for ever!”
Uvarna smiled enticingly at Zon and knew that her last statement had scored her many points in her husband's opinion of her. He took her in his arms once more and, locked together in a fervent embrace, they expressed their love for one another.
Eventually, after many weeks of delightful indulgence, Uvarna reluctantly decided it was time for her to return to Planet Uno and she asked for her sister, Uvella to be called.
Zon tried to convince her that her sister Uvella was quite happy being entertained by his brother Zerek, but Uvarna, however, persisted in her wish. “Darling man, I must now return to my own people on Planet Uno and I request that Uvella be found so that the two of us can return to our own planet and people for the time being. I assure you, my sweet, that my absence will be short.”
Zon inwardly knew that she was right and finally agreed that they would have to separate for now. The original binding agreement between Planet Uno and Planet Zero had only allowed for the lovers to remain together for a sufficient length of time to ensure that there would be a good chance for Uvarna to conceive. Nobody had foreseen that the two people involved in this Contract would actually fall in love. Uvarna and Uvella were quite content to return to their own people, but Zon was pretty upset. He was jealous. He was aware that the men on Planet Uno, even though they were few in number, were exceedingly good lovers. He had developed a sense of panic that another male would be able to pursue and perhaps take Uvarna now that she was no longer a virgin. Zon would only finally agree to the departure of Uvarna from Planet Zero on condition that his youngest brother, Zeter, accompanied the two girls to Planet Uno and Zeter was to become Uvarna's bodyguard/chaperone whilst she was away from Zon.
Uvarna laughingly agreed. “Listen sugar, I do not wish to be with another man. I shall be back very shortly, as soon as I have seen to the requirements of my people on Planet Uno. Anyway, should you feel the desire for me, you know you are more than welcome to visit me on Uno!”
On her frequent visits, Uvarna would travel to Planet Zero, flying her own Space Vehicle, and would stay in Zon's private apartment. At first, she would remain with him for two or three days each month, and during these visits the whole of the USA would be on vacation to celebrate. However, Zon and Uvarna soon became so attracted to each other, they could not get enough of one another. Their meetings became more and more frequent and if Uvarna was not visiting Zon, then he was off to Planet Uno to join her there.
This meant, however, that during most of this honeymoon period, Planet Zero was in a state of complete wild, degenerate abandonment. No essential works were being carried out and everyone just partied, eating and drinking with great overindulgence. Planet Zero was becoming dirty and full of dumped rubbish. Nobody cared any more about such mundane things as cleanliness or tidiness—everyone just wanted to party and play!!
The couple were never apart for more than a week at a time and everyone was delighted when it was discovered that Uvarna was indeed pregnant. The celebrations were, once more, a repeat of the shenanigans that took place during the Unification Ceremony. ‘Partying’ taken to the utmost limits. Planet Zero soon turned into a pretty wild and crazy place.
Zon knew the Contract had been that, unless someone died on Planet Zero, the child born from his and Uvarna's Unification was to become an Uno citizen to replenish that planet's diminishing population. Zon, however, dismissing the fact that he had signed a contract with the Elders of Planet of Uno, made up his mind that the child was to remain on Planet Zero and would become a Zelite citizen.
To make this happen, Zon ruthlessly arranged for the convenient death of one of the Zelite males. He had to instruct his personal robot to arrange for an ‘accident’ to occur to one of the not so important Zelites. He knew this would have to be arranged before the birth of his child and, although deep down inside he really despised himself for his own evil selfishness, his longing to keep his own flesh and blood with him surpassed his ethics. This was the first really terrible thing that Zon had done in his life.
When the baby was born, it was a boy and was named Zarn. As already agreed, he automatically became a replacement Zelite. While the baby still needed its mother, Zarn could remain on Planet Uno until it was old enough to be weaned from her and then the baby was to be brought to Planet Zero to live with Zon.
Uvarna was not too concerned about this situation as she was just too delighted about having a lovely boy, and she put any qualms she had to one side and although she would have preferred to name her baby with a name chosen by herself, she told her elders, “I just love the name Zarn anyway and you know my husband, Zon, is a good man and he will never keep the baby away from me if ever I wish to have it with me”.
They all agreed with her and the disappointment about not having another Uno citizen to boost their population was soon forgotten.
CHAPTER 6
Zon had always been fanatical about sports, and in particular with the game of international football. This game had superseded the old baseball game that had once been the most popular sport in the Americas. One of his prime ambitions had been to create a team that would become champions of the universe. He himself became Captain of the Planet Zero ‘Prime Squad’ and he practiced as often as he possibly could with his team. They all admired and respected him as their Captain and they built up a pretty good rapport that made for a happy team.
Their team was nicknamed ‘The Hotspurs’, a name earned due to their ferocity when procuring the ball and then managing to retain possession by gripping the football between their ankles, as though they were wearing spurs, and in such a manner that the other side's players did not have a chance of stealing the ball from them. Of course, Zon had insisted that all players on Planet Zero must wear protective clothing, particularly around their weakest spots, such as the ankles and shoulders. This naturally gave the Hotspurs an advantage over some of the teams from other planets.
But Zon always pointed out that all teams, whether from Zero or other worlds,
were entitled to wear such protective clothing and therefore he had no guilty feelings if any players were injured in their vulnerable joints. Zon had insisted that each small town and every city on Planet Zero must have a football stadium. He also arranged for special coaching for anyone showing any interest and talent in the game. This had become one of his pet causes and he was quite proud of the success he was having in this field.
Of course, the players from Planet Zero really had quite an unfair advantage over many of the other worlds and planets due to the fact that the Zelites did not age and always, therefore, sustained their healthiest and fittest form compared with other worlds where the players did in fact still age.
Generally Zon took the No. 7 position of right wing, but just to prevent boredom setting in with his team, he would often move them around in their positions, and he himself quite often changed position to become No. 5, playing as center half. This tactic actually worked to their advantage because other teams would become confused due to these quick changes and would put their strongest players in the wrong positions.
To avoid the competition becoming stale, Zon decided to dedicate a Football Cup that was presented to the universal squad that won the highest number of matches in a year. This Cup competition was not open to any of Planet Zero's teams in recognition of the possible advantages that Zero teams had over other planets.
This competition was fiercely contested, but usually finalized with Planet Uno and Planet Duo playing against each other for victory. One year it would be Planet Uno's turn to win the Cup, and the next, it would be Planet Duo.
Zenith was not allowed to play with the crack team because he was not a pure Zelite but a manufactured genetically modified person, and the rules stated that players must be 100% pure-blooded to keep the players from aging. However, he always attended the games that Zon played and advised Zon on many of their team's tactics.
When Zenith realized that the Cup was always only being won by the same two top teams, he came up with another idea that might make the other planets feel they were still part of the competition and not just purely bystanders.
Zenith suggested that any team winning the cup twice consecutively should not be allowed to compete the following year.
This idea worked out well and added more zest and enthusiasm to the whole competition.
One day while playing in a friendly match against another team, Zon was playing the position of center forward for a change and as the ball had just been passed to him, he quickly took possession and headed towards the other team's goal area. Just as he was about to kick the football into the goal area, he was distracted by the appearance of some men in white surgical gowns standing by the goalposts and shouting to him, “Come on, Zon, come on, you can do it, come back to us”.
They disappeared as quickly as they had come, but it had been sufficient to distract Zon and allow one of the other team's footballers to tackle and take the ball away from him. Zon was mortified as he saw the look of disbelief on his team players’ faces. He signaled to the referee to allow him to go off and as he slipped dejectedly into the dressing room, he called out to Zenith to come and see him.
When his friend arrived, Zon asked him, “Zenith, my friend, did you see what happened? There was that group of distraction men in white coats trying to avert my attention from scoring a goal. That, in my opinion, is not good sportsmanship and I want you to find out who they are and bring them to me so that I can sort them out!”
As it so happened, Zenith had been perturbed at seeing Zon hesitate before kicking the ball into goal. He had definitely not seen any men in white coats and told Zon that he was sure that he had been seeing things and it must have been some kind of temporary aberration.
Zenith turned to Zon and told him, “My dear friend, I think you should go immediately to have a brain cleanse so as to clear out any of the defunct cells that are obviously giving you some problem.”
Zon did what Zenith advised him, but, from then on, Zon refused to be Captain and declined to participate as a player in any of their future games. He was still, of course, immensely interested in the game, but only went as a spectator and adviser after that incident.
Many people tried to persuade Zon to carry on as Captain, and Zenith told him how disappointed the Planet, as a whole, would be if Zon did not continue, but he was adamant that he would not trust himself again after the shock he had received at being distracted so stupidly at the friendly game. Zon's brother, Zeter, was chosen as the replacement skipper and, although not quite as good as Zon, he still managed to keep the Hotspurs in prime position at the top of all the league tables.
Very often, people would approach Zon pleading with him to return to the game, but to no avail. Eventually Zon agreed to do some coaching and he was quite content with his role here. This way, he was still able to enjoy the physical thrill of kicking and heading the ball and using up some of his latent energy, while at the same time he was able to do some good, by teaching other players some of the skills he had learnt over the years.
The Great Leader, although not admitting it to anyone else, was still convinced that he had seen those men in white coats, and he knew in his own mind that he had not imagined it, but to keep the peace he decided never to speak of it again.
CHAPTER 7
During the whole of his reign as High Leader of Planet Zero, Zon, apart from the one horrible thing that he did in arranging for the ‘disposal’ of a Zelite male to enable Zon to allow his firstborn son Zarn to become a Zelite, had always previously been a kind but strong person, setting a fine example to his people.
One good example of his astuteness was that, although he was perfectly aware that there had been a faction of the old world population who objected to the system of sterilization and eternal life, Zon still allowed them to maintain their traditional lifestyle and, diplomatically, he more or less closed his eyes to their existence.
These strange people still believed in an ancient religion called Christianity and they flatly refused to accept Zelite first names. They adopted strange-sounding names, such as Marco, Filippo and Maria, but Zon, kind though he was, still insisted that they all became registered at the main Registry. They could still use their old surnames, but their final name for each person had to be ‘Zelite’.
These people had decided not to live with the main Zelites and had become exiled to the mountainous region of the Italian Alps together with wolves, bears, and a tribe of mute snow people who had once been known as the ‘Abominable Snowmen’. As long as these people caused no disturbances to the rest of the planet, they were normally left in peace. These poor people had an extremely difficult time surviving. Most of their population growth was curtailed by death through avalanches, the freezing cold, and due to cancer through air pollution. They tried to build secure living compounds inside mountain caves to protect them from the ferocious, hungry wolves and wild bears that marauded through the harsh alpine ranges, and also from the polluted air that swept around Planet Zero since the ozone layer had been so badly damaged.
Zon had known that he did in fact have the choice to pick his mate from one of these wretched people, as they had not been sterilized, but decided against it after his visit to Planet Uno.
It would have been a poor choice in his opinion, because they did not have the gene for longevity, and this could have caused a major problem if he had taken a woman from this strange backward race. What would be the outcome if they had (and no doubt they would have) had children? It would have meant a complicated and difficult problem to sort out due to the beliefs of these people.
As it turned out, Zon was highly satisfied with his choice of a woman from Planet Uno instead of one from the outcasts.
He had sent these hidden people, whom he had named the Dropouts, many messages to give up their meager way of survival and return to the mainstream of life and become attached to and assisted by the Zelite society, but they always stubbornly refused. It had occurred to Zon that perhaps he could pers
uade this strange race of people to transfer to another planet, thereby using them as guinea pigs to see whether that planet was suitable for human habitation before an eventual transfer of the Zelites to such a planet, knowing, as he had for some time, that the Zelites would sooner or later have to evacuate Planet Zero.
If they found another habitable planet that by this means proved suitable for the Dropouts, then quite probably it would be safe for the Zelite population to live there also.
So far the Dropouts, after frequent hints to them from Zon, had not taken the bait and Zon had to more or less give up on his idea of using them as experimental frontrunners on other planets. However, it still remained an option for Zon to fall back on if everything else failed, and it was put on the list of possibilities along with the invasion of Planet Uno.
Zon did ask Zenith to keep a watchful eye on this strange race of people, and secretly he checked on all the reports and findings that Zenith had installed on his computer files. He did not want to admit to anyone that strange things secretly fascinated him, and he found this race extremely strange. He had only limited information about them and did not even know what they really looked like. Were they bodily like the Zelites or were they malformed in some way?
It was a subject that Zon was going to investigate more thoroughly one day, he kept thinking to himself. “Why did these people want to live such a precarious and difficult life when they could have all the comforts offered to them by the Zelites?” It was an enigma to him and he promised himself that he would get to the bottom of it.
He knew that these people really must need help, but until they asked for it he felt powerless to be of any assistance without interfering in their own beliefs. Eventually, after reading Zenith's latest detailed report on how they were coping, Zon decided that he would still keep sending them messages encouraging them to join up with the Zelites whenever they wanted. All they had to do was to get in touch with Zenith and the necessary arrangements would be made. He had gathered from the feedback that he got from Zenith that this clan still wanted to be left alone with no meddling from the Zelites.
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