We Come In Peace

by Lillian Francken

  “For one thing, you have to have a willing participant.”

  “Any you have not found a willing participant to bond with you, to experience this pleasure?”

  “You have to love someone enough to want to do it with.”

  “Do what?” Jane asked, not giving up on what Bobby was saying.

  “Have sex. I mean, make love.”

  “You are confusing me. Our elders decided frutons ago that it was unnatural for the bonding process to take place. If we are to work and cohabitate, we must not bond.”

  “I think your elders took the fun out of life,” Bobby argued.

  “Fun?” Jane asked. The more they talked, the more confused she was becoming.

  “You don’t know what that is, either?

  John walked out onto the porch. He watched Bobby and Jane walking toward him. Jane accidentally tripped, and the blanket dropped to the ground. John just stared at Jane and became somewhat aroused. It didn’t go unnoticed by Bobby.

  Bobby laughed and turned to Jane. “I think John has some human in him.”

  Jane picked up the blanket and wrapped it around herself again. She turned to Bobby. “Explain.”

  Bobby just shook his head as he walked past John, who was staring at Jane as if seeing her for the first time.

  “I’ve got to get your spacecraft before the Army finds it.”

  Bobby hurried into the house, leaving John staring with his mouth open at Jane as she followed Bobby inside. Jane just purposely ignored him.

  CHAPTER 8

  Bobby had three hours before school started to get the spacecraft and make it back to the first period. Luckily he had been able to pick up the tow truck last evening after Chet’s gas station closed for the night. It made leaving early that morning much easier. And after his conversation with Jane that morning he could hardly wait to be away from her, for fear she would ask more questions about the pleasures of sex and his lack of experience in that field.

  Getting the spacecraft was going to be an easy task. The hard part was concealing it from view while transporting it. The tarps Bobby brought did the trick, somewhat. The one factor in his favor and he was thankful for it was that the Star Trek Convention had everyone’s minds on people arriving for the convention. And with that, there was an assortment of weird-looking individuals and objects in the area. He only hoped anyone who saw him would think he was transporting a prop for the Convention Center.

  As Bobby drove down Highway 375 listening to hard rock, his heart sank seeing the convoy of white Jeeps coming in his direction. He almost choked, thinking they were finally traveling in the right direction but too late to find the craft he was towing. Bobby glanced at the clock on the dash. There was an hour and fifteen minutes to get the spacecraft to the ranch and make it to school for the first period. It was cutting it close, but after yesterday, he knew Jenny would not accept another excuse for him missing or even being tardy today. Least of all picking up a marooned spacecraft from the desert as a pretext. That was almost as bad as the excuse of Spot eating his homework!

  Bobby slunk down in the seat as the convoy lead by Colonel Crimshaw drove past him without event.

  The Cammo dude next to the Colonel stared at the tow truck as it passed. He turned to the Colonel with a puzzled look on his face.

  “Isn’t that the kid from yesterday?”

  “Don’t be silly. He was driving a convertible,” the Colonel snapped in a way that belittled the man sitting next to him.

  “I know what he was driving yesterday. But it looked like the same kid.”

  The Colonel turned to the Cammo dude and shook his head. He was tired of the way this little punk always reminded him of things and felt the need to call him on it. Besides, what difference did it make if it was the same kid?

  Unseen by the Colonel in the rearview mirror was that one of the pieces of canvas tarp had flown off the craft, revealing it for all to see.

  Bobby quickly pulled into the ranch. He maneuvered the truck in front of the machine shed, then got out and opened the machine-shed doors. Jenny walked out of the house just then, but the alien craft behind the large tow truck was out of her view. Jenny waved to Bobby.

  “Don’t forget school,” she said, pointing her finger at Bobby.

  Bobby waved back. “I won’t.”

  Bobby quickly got in the tow truck and backed the alien craft into the machine shed. As he unhooked the craft from the truck, a helicopter flew overhead. Bobby rushed to the door and looked up. The men hanging out of the chopper were not even looking in his direction. Instead, they were searching the backyard for another glimpse of Jane.

  * * *

  Colonel Crimshaw glanced at his map and then pulled off to the side of the road. He was a couple of hundred yards off the highway when he looked at the GPS in his hand and stopped near the rock that Bobby was sitting by the day earlier.

  In the distance, the imprint of where the alien craft slid along the desert floor could be seen. There was a large crater of twenty feet in front of the rock that the Colonel stood looking at. The Colonel walked down the long path and saw the feeble attempt at hiding it with sage bushes that were scattered about. He just shook his head, wondering where it could have gone. He angrily kicked at the desert dirt when one of the Cammo dudes hurried over to where he was standing.

  “We found tracks in the sand.”

  “So,” the Colonel snapped.

  “Someone tried to hide the fact it was anywhere near that hole, but we’re certain it was a large truck.”

  The young Cammo dude who shared the Colonel’s Jeep stepped forward with a snide look on his face.

  “Like maybe a tow truck,” he said, watching the Colonel to see his reaction.

  “Well, yeah, I guess.”

  The Colonel stomped past both men without saying a word. He jumped in the Jeep and sped off without waiting for the Cammo dude to get into the passenger seat. The Cammo dude turned to his comrade and snickered snidely as his friend asked,

  “What’s the matter with him?”

  “He doesn’t like being told, ‘I told you so,’” the young Cammo dude mocked.

  Both men turned and looked down the long path the spacecraft had taken before landing in the crater in front of the rock they were standing near. The young Cammo dude looked down and saw a discarded joint. He just shook his head and laughed.

  * * *

  Bobby drove his convertible into the school parking lot. Other students were standing around in groups. Bobby quickly got out of his car and then reached in for the books lying in the back seat. As Bobby turned Matthew Bradley, one of the school jocks, bumped into Bobby, sending his books flying in all directions. Matthew’s friends looked at Bobby and then broke out laughing.

  “Airhead klutz,” Matthew said with a smirk. He glanced at Bobby in a way that indicated his unfounded superiority over his classmate.

  Bobby just turned around and held up his hands. “Hey, dude. It was an accident.”

  Shelby Mall walked past the group of boys. Bobby’s face turned crimson with embarrassment.

  “Like you,” Matthew snapped.

  Matthew’s friends snickered while Shelby turned to Bobby. She tried to defuse the situation, knowing how Matthew used his athletic status to bully the other students. It had been like that since middle school. If you did not go along with his antics, then life was made difficult for you in ways that made school almost unbearable, with endless daily taunts from Matthew and his jock friends.

  “Haven’t seen you in school lately,” she said and then smiled at Bobby.

  Bobby quickly picked up the books. Prior to picking up the last book, he looked up at Shelby. Before he could speak, someone bumped Bobby, knocking him back to the ground and scattering his books once more. Bobby was embarrassed as he turned away from Shelby and looked up at Matthew.

  “Dude, that was no accident,” Bobby snapped as his fists clenched.

  Matthew laughed mockingly. “Duh! He’s a genius too.”r />
  Bobby mumbled under his breath, “Yeah if you want to look like a winner all you have to do is hang out with losers!”

  Matthew turned to Bobby, “What did you say?”

  Shelby stepped between the two boys. “Leave him alone.”

  Matthew stared at Shelby and then just snapped, “Hum!” He stomped off with his friends and their inflated egos.

  Shelby bent down and helped Bobby pick up his books. She turned to him. “Why do you egg him on?”

  “It doesn’t take much, and I like to see just how stupid he is.”

  “In the few months you’ve been here, you have alienated most of the kids who just wanted to be your friends.”

  Bobby did not have a comeback at that moment. He was not prepared for what she had just said. Bobby just looked up into Shelby’s eyes and for the first time realized that he had a friend in her.

  * * *

  Bobby was sitting in his Calculus class daydreaming while watching a bird build a nest in the tree outside the window. Charles Hill, the teacher, was at the whiteboard explaining an equation. He turned and glanced around the room at the students who were all in various stages of boredom. Charlie rested his eyes on Bobby and saw his indifference as Bobby watched the bird outside the window building a nest.

  “I’m sorry if I’m boring you, Mr. Drews,” he snapped causing the class to turn to Bobby suddenly.

  Bobby slowly turned to Mr. Hill. “You’re not,” was all Bobby managed to say and then yawned with indifference.

  “Maybe you would like to finish this equation.”

  Bobby just shrugged. He slowly turned to the whiteboard and then with great effort got up. “Sure, dude,” he said as he turned to Mr. Hill. “Your concept is wrong, though.”

  Charles turned his attention to the equation on the white board. He studied it a moment as Bobby strolled up to the board and picked up the marker, while the class all snickered at Bobby and his cocky attitude. Bobby used the side of his hand to erase the part of the equation that was incorrect. He then quickly put in the correct numbers and finished the equation. He turned and slowly handed the marker back to Mr. Hill.

  “Works for me now,” was all Bobby said as he glanced around the classroom at the students, who just stared at him now.

  Mr. Hill studied what Bobby had written while the students watched in eager anticipation to see if indeed Bobby was right. Finally, Mr. Hill cleared his throat.

  “You are right,” he said with a puzzled look. “Why didn’t I see that?” he quickly added hardly above a whisper.

  Bobby turned back to him. “I don’t know. You’re doing the teaching.”

  The class broke out in laughter as the buzzer sounded. Bobby quickly hurried back to his desk and grabbed his books. He turned to follow the other students out of the room.

  Mr. Hill quickly stepped in front of Bobby before he could exit the classroom. “I want to talk to you after school.”

  Bobby just looked up at him. “Hey, I got a life.”

  “What I have to say won’t take long.”

  Bobby just shrugged his shoulders, not giving the teacher a confirmation that he would be there. Mr. Hill turned back to the equation in puzzlement while Bobby hurried out of the classroom.

  CHAPTER 9

  The spacecraft took up the whole inside of the large shed, barely giving room to maneuver around the shed. John slowly walked across the driveway with Spot at his side. He had watched Bobby earlier back up the tow truck and wondered how he managed it with such antique equipment.

  John quickly glanced around to see if anyone was watching and then opened the side door and walked in. He was awestruck at what he saw. Slowly he walked over to the workbench and picked up the screwdriver that was lying on the table. He turns it over in his hand, looked at the metal shaft with the flat edge, and then set it back down. His eyes widened when he saw the hammer with the claw-like end. He stepped back as if in fear of what he was seeing. Slowly he shook his head as he viewed all of Elmer’s antique tools neatly hanging on the wall.

  John turned and walked over to the spacecraft. He pressed his wristband, and suddenly the door to the craft disappears up into the ship, and steps descended quickly. John slowly walked up the few steps and then looked in at the debris scattered about. Spot quickly rushed up to the steps and was about to follow John inside the craft, but John turned and pointed a finger.

  “Stay,” John commanded.

  Spot promptly sat down and just stared up at John, who turned and continued into the craft.

  The medical cylinders that Jane used to inject John and herself yesterday were lying scattered about with liquid seeping from them. John bent down and picked up the medical box. He picked up the damaged syringe along with all the cylinders. It was a messy job, but a job that had to be done. He put all the cylinders back in the box even though they seemed to be damaged beyond repair. It was important to him to put everything back in its proper place. This was going to be a long, tedious job, but given his position, it was up to him to clean up the mess.

  * * *

  Meanwhile, in town at the Little A’Le’Inn, Jenny was busy waiting tables, serving the breakfast crowd that consisted of her regular customers mixed with truckers, a few elderly couples, and groups of aliens in their costumes for the Star Wars convention.

  Jenny grabbed the pot of coffee and walked over to various tables topping off cups before stopping and taking an order from one of her regulars.

  She looked at the elderly man. “Felix, you want your usual sunrise special?”

  “You know me all too well, Jenny.”

  Jenny turns to Felix’s wife. “And what will it be for you this morning?”

  “I’ll just have the Number 2 special.”

  “Over easy?”

  “That’s the way I like them,” she said.

  Jenny quickly wrote up the order and walked over behind the counter and pinned it to the wheel between the counter and kitchen in back where Clyde A’Leinn, the owner, and cook, was busy with Jenny’s last order.

  “Are you almost done with table three’s order?” she asked.

  “It will be done when it’s done,” Clyde replied.

  “I’m only asking,” Jenny snapped.

  It had been a busy morning, and once again she was waiting on tables alone, which made it even more hectic given the fact the café was big enough that two people should be covering tables.

  “I have the ‘help wanted’ sign out there, but no one wants to work hard anymore.”

  Jenny thought a moment, “I have someone in mind, can I bring her in tomorrow?”

  “Yeah, but she has to be willing to work.”

  Jenny rolled her eyes. Clyde was someone who always had to have the last word. The door opened, and two ugly aliens walked in and sat at the end of the counter. Jenny remembered them from yesterday and knew it would not be an easy order. There were some customers you never forgot, and these two were regulars from other conventions through the years.

  Slowly Jenny walked over to where they sat. “Do you know what you want,” she asked, knowing it would be the same as previous times.

  “Two breakfast steak sandwiches, medium rare with hash browns on the side. The toast should be slightly toasted with a dab of butter on the one side. Make it light on the salt and heavy on the pepper. And make it snappy.”

  Jenny quickly wrote up the order and put it on the wheel. She knew that if their meal were not served in five minutes, they would be complaining about it for everyone to hear. As usual, Jenny glanced up at the clock to mentally time herself, to make sure their meal was served within their allotted time span. She was not worried about a tip because these two aliens never left one in all the years she served them.

  In the meantime, while she waited she made a coffee run picking up the two pots and walked around the café topping off everyone’s cup. She might not get a tip from those two, but other customers were happy with the service she offered. It was then the door opened. Sheriff Mal
l walked in and took the stool at the other end of the counter. Jenny turned and grabbed a cup and saucer off the back counter and set it in front of the Sheriff. She quickly poured the coffee and handed him the creamer. It was a ritual they had. Jenny could count on him being there for his morning break. It was better than a doughnut, which most people thought were indicative of a cop’s first meal of the day.

  “Usual,” Jenny asked.

  “Hold the onions,” was his reply.

  Jenny quickly wrote up the order, clipped it to the wheel, and sent it to Clyde in back, who was busy with the steak sandwiches. Jenny glanced up at the clock. There was two minutes left before the complaints would start. She was glad for Sheriff Mall’s presence, hoping the insults from the two aliens would not escalate as they did last year.

  Jenny turned to Sheriff Mall. “Busy day?” she asked.

  “Whenever there’s a Star Trek convention in town, they come out of the cracks,” he whispered as he looked around the café.

  “I noticed.” Jenny grinned while acknowledging his remark.

  Quickly she took the order of the man who came in after the Sheriff. Once she passed it on to Clyde, she sat down next to Sheriff Mall. But there was no time to talk as the two plates with the steak sandwiches on them was ready. Jenny quickly got up and took the plates, quickly turned, and placed them in front of the two aliens, not before glancing at the clock. Just in time, she thought to herself.

  Jenny looked at Sheriff Mall. “I haven’t seen you around lately.”

  “A lot is going on. Did you know they are on alert over at the base?

  “They are always on alert,” Jenny snapped.

  Clyde glanced through the opening between the kitchen and counter. Nothing went on in the café that Clyde was not aware of, especially when it came to Area 51. It had been a subject that was often discussed at the café. Especially seeing the Cammo dudes frequented it often.

  Clyde quickly piped into the conversation. “I was driving near the base yesterday, and those war mongrels stopped me and searched my vehicle.”