The Staff of Ira

by Carl Sheffield

  “Never speak of this. You have no idea where I’ve gone. The only thing you can say is, you bought the bank from me. Phil, not a word, not even to Scotland Yard.”

  Replying, “Yes, sir. I understand.”

  Stepping into the street, I looked around. I saw no one. I started walking down the street. I spotted a man on the other side; you would think they would give up by now.

  Turning into a tea house, I watched. It was the skinny man. Standing beside a tall building smoking a cigar, he was watching carefully. I called the waitress over.

  “Please, is there a back way out?”

  She told me there was. “Why do you ask?”

  “Just show me, please.”

  Across the street, the skinny man waited. One, two hours had passed. Taking the cigar from his mouth, threw it to the ground, looked across the street to the tea house. Walking to the tea house inside, John Willard was nowhere to be seen.

  “Damn,” he whispered. “The old boy slipped through my hands again.”

  Running outside, looking all around, he could not see Mr. Willard anywhere. Mr. Willard had gone out the back, crossed to an alley to a horse-drawn carriage, gave the man two coins to carry him to his home in Cambridge.

  On the corner of sikes and author was the home of the Willards. Stepping out of the carriage, his car sat in the driveway. It was late April; such a lovely afternoon. Flowers had bloomed all over his yard. Along the fence was a bed of roses; it was the climbing rose. It had a smell so sweet. June Willard saw her husband step from the carriage and walked to the gate. She had been working in the garden.

  “Really, June? You know we’re leaving Monday,” I said to her.

  “John, I just want them to look nice when Phil takes over.”

  “Tell me, dear,” June asked, “How was your day?”

  I asked my wife of the car. She said it had passed several times today.

  “John,” she said, “I can’t believe we’re going after all this time. I feel I’ve lost my children forever.”

  “June, you will see them soon. You must not say a word to your friends. I’ve got everything in order.”

  “Tell me,” she said. I told her the plans. She said, “I can’t wait.” That afternoon, he told her to open the drapes.

  “Don’t stand, just open them. When you open them, just take a casual look around.” June did as I asked. “Tell me, what do you see, June?”

  Replying, “The car that keeps going by is parked on the street on the kitchen side.” I took a sip of my ale, I placed the glass on the table. I stood and walked out the back door. I took a big stick, went to the gate. He had counted on this; a Scotland yard stakeout. The inspector would be impressed when they returned to the yard den. I took the stick, hit the car across the trunk. I broke a window, before to constable jumped out.

  One said, “Man, are you bloody crazy. You bloody stupid.” I just kept on hitting the car. I paid them no mind.

  “Sir, you’re under arrest by Scotland Yard,” he shouted.

  I smiled at them, then I give them a smart remark. “You two constables can go back to your den. You tell the inspector the next time I find someone following me, staking out my home, and that damn detective or him, I’ll kill someone. Now, do you understand?” The two men jumped in their car, left in a heat, making their report to the inspector.

  The two said, “Let it rest, old boy.”

  The inspector thought, he will never get away with this. “You don’t assault the law. I’ll have him in custody by dark. The two constables looked at each other.

  “Sir, why do you harass this man?”

  “We have followed him for twelve years; we have nothing. Let’s leave him alone for a while. Two or three weeks, then see what happens. I mean, we know where he lives, we know where he works. For twelve years, he’s never gone anywhere.”

  “You see old boy,” the inspector said. “I feel he knows more about things than he is letting on.”

  “Well, maybe we will watch him in three weeks. We can ride by every now and then. No law against that.” The inspector still wasn’t satisfied. He wanted the Willards, wanted them bad. He knew this man was an alien that disguised himself as a human.

  He thought, “I don’t know how he does that thing he does, I only know he does. Sooner or later he’ll slip up; I’ll be there.”

  10

  Our encounter with the alien craft, passing on information. The captain continued toward Earth. He was well outside our stream, one light year to our left. Marie was watching him on the screen.

  Marie said, “Dorn, there is a ship following him. It appears to be Palatonian.”

  I told Marie, “Tell the other ships to continue.”

  “Zar, bring us around. Take us to the Valorian ship.” Walking to the scope, “Cloak us as soon as we come from hyperspace, you understand?” I said.

  Replying, Zar said, “Yes, at your request.”

  In seconds, we were cloaked. I have never seen so much travel before; ships are everywhere. Why was it that everyone wants to go to Earth?

  “Zar, stayed cloaked. Come in behind them,” I said. The alien ship passed the Palatonians on an open channel. I heard these words:

  “This is captain Porta of the Palatonian space force. Stop your ship. Prepare to be boarded.”

  “This is captain Mag. We will not let you board us. We are on a peaceful mission to Earth, the blue planet. We are from the Pegasus galaxy.”

  Porta said, “That makes you our enemy.”

  I told Zar to bring us from cloak. “Bring us out in front of them now, Zar.” I knew this Porta did not know me. I also knew he never saw the George Washington. He was the biggest and finest ship in the universe. When Zar came from cloak, we were in front of the Palatonian ship.

  I held them. “This is Dorm, high commander of Boldlygo Royal army. What is your intention of the smaller craft?”

  Porta demanded, “We want to board. The ship is in Palatonian airspace.”

  “You are wrong, Porta. This is no one’s space. Palatonian airspace is a hundred light years behind. Fire on that ship I’ll destroy you. Besides, there’s a bounty on you. Porta push me today I’ll collect that bounty.”

  Porta replied, “You will collect nothing sir, you will collect a cannon.” I told him to check his bow. He went to hyperspace.

  I asked Mag, “Are you ok?”

  Mag thanked me. “Dorn, may we continue with you?”

  I said, “Sure, let’s go.”

  The thing about space is it is cold and dark. Stars always seemed to sparkle like diamonds. We continued for the next month without an encounter with anyone. I thought of Leah, how I miss her. Then to the Cambridge clearing, how she stayed with me. I knew at that time she was for me.

  I tried to do as humans do. I tried to push her away, she would push back. I was somewhat skeptical. Humans and aliens together, well, I was half human. That was the part she loved about me. She always tells me I’m too uptight. I need to loosen up, whatever that means. I find myself missing her so much. If not for Ellie having a child, I would have sent Mi.

  Leah knew how long I’d be gone. I still missed her, I miss my son too. Leah said she would have a beautiful surprise when I return. I wondered what she had planned; with Leah, there was no telling.

  Ren adjusted well, yet it was not his first time in space. Ren was at one time a captain of Ira’s ship. I saw a gleam in his eyes when he thought we were going to fire on the Palatonians.

  Ren said, “It’s my first time off the planet in four hundred years.” He told me he and Ira would go on some wild journeys through the universe. Ren said he was with Ira when he brought Kayla back to Boldlygo. “He loved Kayla as much as you love Leah. When I see you and Leah, I see them all over again.”

  On a ship traveling in hyperspace, there’s not much to see. Everyone occ
upied themselves with something. April and Marie were in their studies of things that was beyond me.

  My mind went to Tyler. I’m sure the boy was fine. The alien ship flew beside us now. I really tried to keep things in order as we flew through the darkness of space. One thing I can say of Mag, he would fight if pushed.

  The Palatonians, I knew we had not seen the last of them. I was surprised we haven’t encountered the Centaurians. It was a shame, we could not keep our friendship. I hated destroying their ships, I hated destroying the friends I made. Carla, Tara, and Baltz, it makes me sick to think of it.

  I told Zar, “I was going to my quarters. Call me if trouble comes.”

  Zar replied, “I’ll call if I need you.” I thought as I lay on the bed, Leah would be at the palace; usually where she stayed when I was off world. Candance and Aries lived at the palace, Ellie and Mi would be at their place. I thought of Earth, what would I find this time? What mystery awaits me?

  April came to the door. “Dorn,” she called, opening the door. I looked at her. She had grown into a beautiful woman. She was not the pigtail little girl I rescued from Russia. “Yes, April?”

  April said, “The alien ship wanted to dock with us.” I told her to stop the fleet and have them docked. April walked away. I thought of all the humans that have been brought to my world. Winter was the one I could not forget. I wondered why humans don’t ascend as we do. This would be something I would ask Ira someday.

  Entering the bridge, Zar had the fleet stopped. The alien ship had docked, they had come aboard. Mag came to the center of the bridge.

  I asked, “Are you enjoying your trip?”

  Mag said, “Dorn, let me thank you again. The Palatonian would have fired just as you said. We want no trouble.”

  I told Mag, “If you run into them again, or the Centaurians, if they say prepare to be boarded, shoot then talk if there is anything left. This captain Porta if you can find him, take him to the Pegasus galaxy to the planet of Vernon. The king’s name is Ba, he would be most happy.”

  “Dorn, tell me about the humans,” Mag asked.

  “Mag, there’s not much to tell,” I said. “The technology they have is limited. They try to kill each other. They’re always fighting, stealing, and destroying what they don’t understand. Yet everyone goes there, even me. They have flying machines but not space worthy, maybe twenty thousand feet. Some are farmers, they do have promise if they don’t destroy themselves.” An hour later, Mag and his crew returned to their ship. I checked with the rest of the fleet, then all went to hyperspace.

  I went back to my quarters, started thinking of Leah. I was always thinking of her of all the years I spent in the stars. I never thought I would take a mate. Kira said the same in some ways my daughter was my life, as Zin was. Kira had accepted him as her brother. Sometimes Zin would go to the palace. He would run to Kira and sit on her lap. Omega would play games with him.

  Aries and Tressa were their only children. Aries was gone most of his childhood. That left Tressa for everyone to spoil. Tressa and Leah were very close; you would think they were sisters. Like Marie and April, I believe with Leah, Candance, and Ellie, they could be very destructive. I’m glad they’re my friends, Leah my wife.

  I jumped from the bed. Was I asleep, or was I dreaming? Was something wrong, or did I dream it? I called the bridge, there was no answer. I eased from my quarters, slowly walked down the corridor. There was no one around. I stopped by Ren’s room, tapped easily on the door.

  Ren opened the door. “Yes, Dorn, is there something wrong?”

  “Something is wrong Ren, I feel it.”

  Ren said, “I’m fine, Dorn.” Going back to the corridor, I went to April’s door; no answer. I went to Tressa’s quarters, tapped on the door.

  Tressa opened the door. “Opa, I feel strange.”

  I asked her, “How do you feel?”

  “I’m not certain, Opa,” she answered. April came up as Tressa was falling to the floor.

  “Opa, help me.” Then she went out light a candle in the wind.

  My emotions of some kind I never felt before was going through my body. I reached for Tressa as she fell to the floor. I caught her in my arms, picked her up, laid her on her bed.

  I asked April, “What is wrong with her?”

  April answered, “Dorn, remember when I was a little girl in Russia when you come to the compound, took me on the ship? Remember the closer we come to home, the stronger I got with powers. It’s my belief this is what is happing to Tressa.”

  “April, you mean she is going to have powers?” I asked.

  April said, “If she had stayed on the planet, she would have never known. It appears the closer we get to Earth, the stronger she will be. You know Dorn, I saw it in her. I just never said anything.” April told me with Kira being her mother, she will be powerful.

  April and I talked for a few minutes. I told her of the feeling I had. She told me she felt the same. “We are about to endure someone or something, Dorn.” April told me everything was good on the bridge. “I’ll sit with Tressa. You go to the bridge, Zar wanted to see you. I was on my way to you when I saw you here.”

  I told April as I left, “If she gets worst, call me.” Zar called me when I entered the bridge.

  “Dorn, I’ve got an uneasy feeling.” I didn’t know Zar as good as I did Mi. Zar was a good captain.

  I told Zar to call the other ships. “Call the alien ship also, tell them to be on alert.” I returned to Tressa’s room. April was still with her. Marie came in, wanted to know what was going on. She also said she had an uneasy feeling.

  Tressa raised up, “Opa, they’re coming.”

  I ran to the bridge. “Zar, tell all ships to come to stop, cloak.” Zar told everyone to be on full alert. I told Zar to take us out a way. “Tell the others to stay back, no contact. Marie, do you see anything on the scope?” She told me it was clear.

  “Dorn,” Marie asked, “Who’s coming?”

  I said to her, “I have no idea. Something is out there, I can feel it.” I started back to Tressa’s room. April screamed. Marie turned to leave. I told her to let April handle it.

  “I need you here.”

  Looking down the corridor she said, “I don’t think April can handle it, Dorn.” Tressa was walking down the corridor. I called to her, “Tressa, come here.”

  “Opa,” Tressa asked, “What is happening to me?”

  “Tressa, I need you to go back to your room.” April came from Tressa’s room.

  April said, “Dorn, I can’t hold her. She is too powerful, too strong.”

  I took her hand. “Tressa, you need to go lay down.”

  “Opa, they’re coming.” Tressa kept saying this.

  “Tressa,” April called with a stern voice. “You must come with me.”

  Tressa replied, “Yes, April, I must.”

  Tressa looked back at me, “They’re coming.” I looked at Marie, “There’s nothing, Dorn.”

  Zar asked the other ships moments later. “Dorn, we have nothing.” I knew April was strong with her powers, so where do I go from here? If April could not hold Tressa, trust me, I’ve seen her move a Palatonian ship. I would hate to know how powerful Tressa really is.

  I told Zar to tell the ships, let’s go back to hyperspace. I still could not believe what was going on. It was something to see Tressa doing this. I told Zar I would be back soon. I went to Tressa’s room. April was talking to her.

  April looked at me. “She is resting, Dorn. Don’t worry about her, you need to stay focused on what is happening. Dorn, you never know what we will run into. When we came here from Earth, there was not much traffic. Now it seems to be everywhere.

  Dorn, the next time we encounter the Palatonian or the Centaurians, we won’t be so lucky. Remember when you wanted to go to Earth and destroy the humans? Well, Leah wants to
do that to the Palatonian and the Centaurians. She wants to go to war with anyone that would threaten Boldlygo.” I told April Leah scares me sometimes.

  Marie came in. “If Leah scares you, you will really fear your granddaughter. I’m afraid you have not seen her full power yet. She alone will be more powerful than the three. Dorn, that’s not counting me and April. I’m not joking, Dorn. Tressa will be most powerful.” I told them our main concern is Tyler. We need to continue to Earth, find him, get him the hell off that rock.

  Tressa slept in a restless sleep. She was turning, talking to people. I heard her talk to my mother, I heard her call her name. Kayla, she would say. I know she has never heard me or anyone talk about Kayla. Kira or Omega has never told her. Ira has been gone for several years, yet Tressa did spend a lot of time with him. When she was a little girl, Ira would take her, place her on the stoop, cut Simons for her. Ira would say to her these are my favorite. I can’t believe what I was hearing.

  I took a rest in a chair by Tressa’s bed. Early morning, the girls came to Tressa’s room.

  April asked, “How is she?” I told them she was restless. I told them she talked to my mother.

  “Your mother,” Marie asked, “Dorn, did she know your mother?”

  I replied, “I never knew my mother.”

  “I’m sorry, Dorn,” Marie said.

  I told her, “Don’t be, she died a long time ago.” I’ve never told anyone of this. On the trip to the Marder-to-go, we saw her, Kayla and Ira. I’ve never spoken of her to Kira or Tressa; maybe Ira did, I’m not sure.

  “April, you know that feeling I had? Maybe this is it. Sit with her, I’m going to the bridge.”

  Walking to the bridge, Zar said, “Dorn, we’re getting several blimps on the scope, all at once.”

  I said, “Send messages to all ships, tell them to come out of hyperspace and cloak.

  The alien ship asked, “Is something wrong?”

  “Zar, tell them to do what I said.” Zar told them to go to impulse and wait here.

  “I’m waiting to see what is following us. How long before they catch us?” I asked.