Pam started crying, “I’ve given up everything.” She was sitting at the table when Dorn came in.
Pam said, “You took Jay away from me.”
I told her, “The way I see it, you were only together a week.”
Pam said, “I love him. He would have stayed with me if you had not come. You’re not real.”
I asked, “Pam, was that shield real?”
Pam’s head came up fast. “That little girl so helps me.”
“Pam, that little girl will kill you with no remorse. She is also my granddaughter, her mother, our queen, also my daughter.”
Pam said, “That’s what Tyler said.”
“I’m sorry Pam, with your attitude, you can’t come with us. Tyler has said if you come and don’t change, we will exile you to the Moon of Spores. We will not bring you back. It’s what we should have done to Phillip.”
I said, “Dorn, I’m sorry about Roberto.”
“I know Tyler, he was likable. Your place has always been with April. I saw this the first time you looked at her. I know she was very young at the time, so were you. I knew it had to be.”
Tyler said, “From this day forward if I live to get off this planet, my place will always be with her.” Dorn and I talked about things for over an hour.
Dorn said to me, “There is something you should know about your sister. I’m sure she will tell you herself.”
Tyler looked at me. “What is it?” I told Tyler a native has asked to do the change like Mi did. He wants to marry her.
I said, “She is young, Dorn.”
I said, “Tyler, she is eighteen. Even by Earth’s standard that’s old for a woman to be single, even on Boldlygo. He is captain of the ship in orbit. Marie said she loves him now. She will love him more once the change takes place just as Mi and Ellie, Leah and me. Mekon and Mea have come a long way with the DNA.”
Pam was taking all this in. She asked Henery, “Will you take me to Doctor Jones?” I told Dorn my mother doesn’t know what to expect. Surely, they will find something to do.
Dorn smiled. “I’m sure she will be fine, Tyler.”
I made more coffee. Dorn, like me, loved coffee. I told him Omega will love it once I tell him it’s a man’s drink.
Dorn asked, “Tyler, tell me about the crash.” I got up, poured more coffee, started talking about the crash and how I got shot down.
Dorn asked, “You weren’t in stealth?”
“Dorn, the wind was blowing so hard, I was in a sandstorm. I didn’t think we could be seen, I was wrong. I took a hit into the lower port side causing us to slam into the crater. Rocks were falling all around. I was lucky to get out. It was months before I went back.” A car drove into the drive, it was Henery.
“Dorn, you ask of him. I’m sorry there is just so much to tell you, it’s hard to start.” Henery walked into the house, poured a cup, sat down. Henery reached into his pocket, taking out the coin. Dorn looked at it.
Henery said, “My mother came here long ago, thirty-four years now. They were from Boldlygo. I was born here, she gave me this coin before she died.”
Dorn replied, “It is the coin of truth. It is a coin we no longer give. We have come a long way since then. Henery, you are a descendant of Ren is what Tyler told me.”
“Yes, that is what my mother said. Ren gave her the coin before she left,” I told him I never knew Ren had feeling for a human; strange. He told her to give the coin to her child; someday the child would know what to do with it. That day came when I met Tyler. I must admit I was skeptical at first. The more I talk to him, the more I learned. Then the fight with the Palatonians.
That was shortly after I met him. There was two of them at the store. I killed one of them, we let the other one go. Just last week with that weapon, Tyler killed the other one. He was out by Doctor Jones, Tyler killed him in the yard. Pouring more coffee, it was getting time for Mr. Sams. We talked a while longer, it was two thirty. Sams drove up. Mr. Sams exited the car, extended his hand to Dorn. I knew who he was as soon as he stepped from the car.
Mr. Sams said, “Dorn, I have regretted my mother and father ever coming back to Earth. My parents did take the stone; I didn’t know at the time it was prohibited to take them. I’ve built a strong empire. I do wish to go back talk to Kira and Omega.”
I told Mr. Sams, “You are welcome to come back with me, you can have your council with Omega and Kira. You must understand I cannot promise you a ride back. If you wish, you can stay here, I’ll talk for you. If Kira and Omega want a trade, they will send a ship.”
I can see how we could use some of the things the human produce such as the coffee; I love it with sugar. If you do come back, you must understand we are at war with the Palatonians and Centaurians as well as others.
Dorn talked to Mr. Sams. I sat with Henery. My thought went to April. I could not wait to take her in my arms, hold her, kiss her all over. I wish we were already there.
My sister Marie is in love also. I’m sure she knows what she is doing. I’ve known Zar for a long time, I know he’ll take care of her. He must love her deeply to take the change as we have come to call it.
Mr. Sams was calling to me brought me back. “Yes, yes.” I said. “I will bring more things tomorrow when I come.”
Mr. Sams said, “Dorn, if you wish, you could go back tonight. Carry the people so they may settle, come back tomorrow. Tyler, I’ll meet you at Doctor Jones’ tomorrow.” Mr. Sams told me he had decided to go. I’ll go talk to Kira and Omega. I have trusted people who can run my affairs. I will bring a truckload.
Henery and Tyler left for Doctor Jones. I went back to the shuttle. I could follow them once I got airborne. I found them west of the village, I saw them go into the driveway. I had cloaked the ship as I left the desert. Flying above the farm of Dr. Jones’ house, I found the place that Tyler was talking about. It was behind the barn beyond the trees. Landing the shuttle behind the barn, dust was flying up. People ran from the barn, screaming. Tyler was waving his hands, don’t scream.
“What is it?” One said,
“It’s the Palatonians.” I told them, “The man I’ve been telling you of, it’s him, he’s here.” Pam came from the house, keeping her distance from the girls. If looks could kill, they would be dead.
“Tyler,” Pam said, “You tell your little girlfriend to stop staring at me.”
Lori said, “Or what Pam? Pam, I’ve known you since high school. I can’t believe you, you’re a snobby whiny bitch.”
Tressa said, “There’s that word again.”
April smiled. “What word, Tressa?”
Tressa answered, “Bitch.” A voice called, “Tressa.”
Tressa replied, “Opa, where did you come from? It’s like you come from the air.”
“I did Tressa, I did.” Everyone gathered around.
I told them, “This is Dorn, leader of the human and natives of Boldlygo.”
One girl said, “Wow! Tyler, he is exactly as you said.”
I told every one of Dorn all alone. After the group left, Dorn asked me, “Did you bring that weapon?” I told him it was in Henery’s car.
I said to Tyler, “I picked up something on the scope as I come in. You gather all the people in the barn. The girls never left eye contact with Pam. I made eye contact with her, she was trouble, I could see. There was going to be a fight, a woman fight, that is the worst kind.”
Tressa was only sixteen, Pam would never stand a chance. April could crush her; it was Marie that worries me. She was like Leah, Candance, Ellie. It would be a fight to death as the tension builds. I tried, I really did to calm it down, but Pam just would not let it go. The red in her hair was burning, anyone with combat skills could see that.
Pam moved first. As she did, Tressa moved too. I never would believe she had it in her. Tressa hit her, she held back, you could see.
> Pam coughed. “That little bitch, no sixteen-year-old bitch is going to beat me.”
Lori stood as did April. “Pam, you can’t win, she is too powerful.”
Pam answered, “That’s the only way she can win.” Pam reached behind her, grabbed a pitchfork. April and Marie jumped out.
Tressa said, “Stop!” Raised her hands; a barrier surrounded then.
“Opa,” Tressa said, “I’ve never done this before.”
Lori screamed, “Pam, no!”
Pam ran screaming, “You little bitch, I’ll kill you.” I dropped my head, Tressa killed Pam. There before all that looked on.
A young man said, “Damn, did you see that? She just waved her hands and holy shit she was gone.”
The shield dropped around April and Marie. The girls ran to Tressa as she dropped to the ground. Tressa was shaking as if she was cold.
Lori walked to Tressa. Tressa said, “Lori, I’m truly sorry about your friend, I really am. Please, I was willing to let it go. She pushed. If you go home with us, you will find we are a peaceful race. We won’t be defeated so easily.”
Lori asked, “Where did she go?”
“I don’t know,” Tressa said to her. I walked to the center of the people.
“Well, now that the excitement is over, may I have your attention?”
I said to them, “If you want to go over here, if you have doubts over here, you must understand you will be going into a world you don’t understand. Women, you will need no luggage, no make-up, no weapons of any kind. Men, that means no knife, no weapons at all. If you are caught with a weapon, you will be put off on the first planet that is habitual to you. You will need nothing. You will be meeting strange being like myself.”
One guy asked, “What is strange about you?” I showed him; I shifted to my native body.
The guy said, “Damn, that scared the hell out of me.”
Old Lee said, “Damn it, boy, I didn’t know you could do that.”
Lori said, “Me either. Tyler did say something about people changing.” I talked to them for a while. Jay told me he still wanted to go.
“Dorn,” he said, “I’m sorry about Pam. She hit on me, that’s the one I wanted.” pointing to Lori. “I just kind of rolled with the flow.”
I asked Jay, “Have you told Lori how you feel?”
Replying, he said, “No, she would think bad of me.” I told Jay just tell her the truth.
Lee and Henery asked me, “Should we go back to the mobile?” I told them no, I want to load Tyler’s supplies on the shuttle.
I went to the back of the barn to move the shuttle closer. One hour later, we placed the last box in the back of the shuttle.
“Tyler,” I said, “Have your mother and father to come out, have Doctor Jones to come too.” Waiting by the shuttle, I was talking to some of the people.
Tyler’s dad said, “Yes, my good man.”
I asked them, “Are you ready to go? Doctor Jones kind of blew through his lips.
“Well, yes, I suppose now or never,” he said.
The Willards said yes. “We’ve been ready all our lives.” I told them to come aboard, we are going to the big ship.
Marie said to me, “Dorn, I’ll stay and help. Tell Zar I’ll be there soon.”
I asked Tressa, “You want to ride?”
She replied, “No, Opa.” She was looking toward the barn. I saw a young man that jumped in to help. I knew he was trying to show off in front of her.
“April,” I said. She looked at Tyler.
“I’ll stay with Tressa Dorn, to help with the others.”
I asked, “Henery, you want to come and meet someone?”
Henery said, “Dorn, it would be an honor.”
I told Henery to place all his weapons in his car. “You want to be needing them.”
I told Tyler I would be back at daybreak with the other shuttles. “Just remember I saw something on the scope, I would post a guard if I were you. Tell everyone to stay close. If they see lights, run for the barn. Tyler, you keep that weapon close. I’ll see you in the early morning.”
Closing the shuttle, leaving the Earth’s floor, my passengers were completely in “Ah,” as we went into orbit. Zar had taken the ship one light year away. I called to the ship. As it came from stealth, everyone could not believe the size of the ship.
One said, “Man, look at the size of that thing.” Docking with the George Washington, the unloading took place. Fax was the first to the shuttle.
I asked, “Your wound, Fax?”
Fax said, “It wasn’t as bad as expected.” I told Fax to have his captain to bring his shuttle to me. If you like, you can come back with me, it will be fine.” I let them see me in my native body. I told them there were others; they didn’t mind.
Fax replied, “I don’t understand.”
Once again, I told him, “They were a different kind of human, they have our DNA. Fax, they know somehow what to expect.”
“Ren,” I said, “Your son is here. He is on the hanger deck.”
Ren said, “Excuse me, I must go see for myself.” Ren left for the hanger deck. Ren stood in the shadows, looking upon his son. Ren came from the shadows. Henery saw him walking toward him.
Henery asked, “Are you my father?”
Ren told him, “I’ve waited for this moment for a very long time.” I stood watching this. I felt good about the meeting of Henery and Ren. I told the others to make ready the shuttle.
Walking onto the bridge, Zar waved me over. “Marie?” he asked.
I told him, “She is on the floor. She is fine. Will see you soon.” I asked him for a report.
Zar said, “There’s a ship on the scope, then two.” I could see one was the alien ship, smaller. The other one was a Centaurian ship. They fired on the alien ship, their shield held. They went to hyperspace, the Centaurians did not follow.
Zar said to me, “Dorn, I have a proposal.” I told him let me hear it.
Zar said, “There are two ships rotating around Earth. As you can see here, the one here is Centaurian, the one coming around is Palatonian. They know we’re out here. They have sent ships to and from Earth. They’ve sent ships when you were in England.”
I asked, “Any sign of Porta?”
Zar said, “No.”
“Zar, what is your proposal?” I asked.
Replying, Zar said, “Well, when this one is passing, we move closer to Earth, leave the fleet here. When this one is in our range, we come from cloak, destroy it, cloak go back to the fleet. We could do this without the other even knowing what had happened. The other ship can’t detect us, it will be on the back side of the planet. They’ll never know it’s gone.”
I told him it would work. “Let’s get everyone off Earth, then you can take them out. After all, Zar, you’ve earned it.” I told him to wait here, stay cloaked until we return. “The Xonian shuttle will return with the people, I’ll come later.”
I told the Xonian captain to stay stealth once he left the ship. He agreed. We made Earth as the sun come up over the desert. Tyler met me at the shuttle open. I told the Xonian captain to stay cloaked on the ground. I’ll let him know when to leave. I told him to come from the shuttle, have a look at Earth.
Tyler asked, “Did you have any problems?” I told him no.
Tyler said, “Two shuttles passed in the night with their beacons on. The air force was after them. They left like lightning strikes here then gone.”
I told Tyler, “If our luck holds, we may do this without being seen. I bought the Xonian shuttle, just the other side of the barn. It’s bigger, we can put all the people on it. The captain can leave back to our ship. When Mr. Sams arrives, we can load the supplies, then leave. I’m going to rest. Have someone to watch. If something happens, wake me.” I told Tyler as I walked to the shuttle, Henery is w
ith his father.
Tyler said, “He would be.”
I laid on the floor of the shuttle; it was very cool, so cool I fell asleep right away just to wake hours later from an explosion. I ran from the shuttle just in time to see the girls form a circle. They were trying to shield everyone.
I shouted, “No, April, no.” The girls looked at me. I told them they don’t know we’re here, all they can see is humans.
There was a ship hovering overhead. They must have been a thousand feet. Shooting into a haystack just to see what would happen. I looked for Tyler. He was in an up-stair window waiting for them to land. I told the girls if they had brought up their shield, they would have had us.
Somewhere behind us, a noise sounded: A loud horn. A big truck was coming up the drive. The driver was waving his hands. “Man, did you see that? What was it?”
Jay and Tyler said at the same time, “What do you think it was?”
The driver said, “It was one of the flying saucers everybody is talking about. I know it was. Wow, I really saw one. Damn, they ain’t going to believe this back in Roswell. Who is Tyler?” The driver asked.
I said, “That’s me.” I raised my hand.
“Where do you want the truck?” He asked.
I told him to take it to the barn. “Spin around, back up till I tell you to stop. That’s where we will unload, then you can go back to Roswell and tell your story.” Several people came from the barn.
“Tyler,” one asked, “You need some help?”
I asked the driver, “Where is Mr. Sams?”
He replied, “He will be here soon.” Several people started to unload the truck. There were a lot of different things I never asked for. If Kira and Omega agree to a trade, I could see it now, ships coming and going all the time. I know I would not be one of them. I wanted to marry April, have a child.
Tressa asked, “Opa, you have time to speak with me?”
Tressa said, “I haven’t had the time to talk to you. I’m sorry about that woman. She just would not let it go.” I told Tressa to come over here. By the edge of the field, we sat on an old truck that had seen its better days. I told Tressa she should not dwell on it.
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