by V R Tapscott
“To quote a famous poet, life is what happens when you’re making other plans.”
“I thought that was John Lennon.”
“You don’t think John was a poet?”
“Oh. Well, yeah, I guess so. But you’re distracting me. And I’m not making other plans. But it’s still disquieting.”
“Oh, Olive. Welcome to being human.”
“Does it always hurt like this?”
“No, sometimes it’s much worse.”
“Oh, something to look forward to, eh?
“Uh huh.”
Her voice grew diffident. “I’m in power save mode right now, recharging at my fullest extent. It took - well - enough energy to drain Lake Roosevelt, to manifest those hands.
“I saw your little twinkle and thought it might be something like that. How long before you’re back to yourself again.”
“Not long, really. I bounce back pretty fast. But I did want you to know it was a desperation ploy and that it’s not something I’m able to do on a whim.”
“It’s all right, Olive. And for that matter, I think it’s amazing. I hereby authorize you to expand your capacity with the idea of being able to manifest more fully.”
“I - you’re sure, Jane Bond? That’s a lot of power.”
“I have faith in you, Olive. I know you’ll use your powers for good.” I had to snicker at the last part, and she laughed with me.
“Now, can I go back to sleep?”
“Yes, you can now. And can you see me rolling my eyes at you?”
“I can now. Can you see me sticking my tongue out at you?”
“I can now. G’night, Jane.”
“G’night, Olive.”
Chapter Thirteen
“Fell off a wall”
Morning dawned as per usual. Only most of us had no idea what we might be facing. After the night we’d had, everyone had gone back to sleep, or at least had pretended to sleep.
Laney appeared to be back to her old surly self, although I think we were at least hung over to some extent. Myself, I had a nasty headache, and everything was too bright and clear. And loud. Olive had “gone to town early” according to a note left on the table. Cai Shun had yet to make his appearance. Bailey looked her usual perfect self, but I could see signs of wear about the eyes and corners of her mouth. She was hurting. Why DO we do these things to ourselves?
We all sat around the table, drank orange juice and ate Eggos. Nasty things, for the most part, but it was what there was, and I wasn’t about to make omelettes, feeling the way I felt.
After a half hour or so, Cai Shun came into the kitchen looking way too chipper for his age and the amount I’d seen him drink last night. “Morning, ladies!”
“What are YOU so happy about?” This from Bailey.
“Me? Happy? Why do you ask?”
Laney snarled, “Because you said, ‘morning, ladies’ and that’s enough for a hanging right there.”
He looked at the two of them. “My goodness, looks like someone has gotten up on the wrong side of the bed.”
I smirked. “Yeah, or wrong side of the floor. “
They both grumped at me. I suggested to Cai that we head out for breakfast. An hour of seeing other people in misery had greatly improved my hangover. He agreed, and we headed out to where the cars are, then up to the barn when we realized Olive had taken the smartcar and I hadn’t stolen Bailey’s keys again.
“I think I need to buy a Jeep.”
“Why? I thought you were in love with your van?”
“Oh, I am. But sometimes it’s just nice to have another vehicle, and I’m enamored of Jeeps right now.”
He shrugged. “You could buy one while we’re at breakfast.”
“Well, not AT breakfast, since I’d be really distracted. But after, maybe.”
We wound our way down off the hill, headed for a decent breakfast. I decided to take a look at Tsillan Cellars restaurant. They advertised a very nice brunch, and that seemed like a good idea. It’s out of town a ways and Cai and I rode along in companionable silence. The mood persisted through the brunch. I was driving, so left the wine to Cai, and he seemed to accept that with gusto. After eating, I felt a lot more like living, so we headed down to the lake. We got a couple of folding chairs out of Threepio and sat watching the early arrivals appear. It was fairly cool in the morning but tended to get much hotter as the day wore on.
Cai glanced over at me. “So, I feel like a fool today.”
“Why’s that?”
“You know why, Jane.”
“Well, yes, I do. But I like to hear myself being vindicated out loud.”
He crowed to the heavens, “She was right ... she was riiiight!”
It was exhilarating - also I felt stupid.
“Ok, ok, that’s enough.”
“I was just getting started.”
“That’s what I was worried about.”
We stared off across the lake and watched the bathers arrive. The dock started getting busy as the teens filtered in, still waking up.
I took a breath. “No, she’s not real.”
He glanced at me, then at the lake again. “I know.”
I glared at him. “What do you mean, you know? You just admitted I was right!”
“Well, you are right. About her being a real person. But I know she’s not inhabiting a real body.”
“You’re splitting hairs, my dear.”
He grinned. “I know.”
I shook my head. “You’re an enigma, Cai Shun.”
“I have to be, I’m Asian.”
“Sounds kind of racist.”
“Not if I’m talking about myself.”
“Jury’s out on that one.”
He frowned at me. “Do you know why I know her body isn’t real?”
“No. I was actually wondering why you’re so sure.”
“You were distracted by her actions - but I was watching all of her. When she kissed Laney’s forehead, most of her feet and legs dissolved into thin air. It was like watching a pair of legs that ended at the calves.”
“Oh, really. I’ll have something to definitely razz her about, then.”
He looked doubtful. “I suppose. Are you sure it’s safe? She must be very powerful.”
“It’s safe. Although I did see a family who has a full-grown tiger living with them. Assuring the internet it’s all safe, that the tiger is just one of the family. So, yes, it’s safe. Until it’s not.” I grinned at him. “I love taking chances.”
“I know.”
“Wanna go back to the house and meet Olive for real? And see her ... house?”
“It’s what I’ve been hoping you’d say ever since I handed over that bit of glass to you. Free and clear, I must point out. But I think you owe me anyhow.”
Soberly, “Yes. We do. More than you have any idea of. Let’s head back. It’s getting hot and crowded now, anyway.”
We made our way back up to Threepio, tossed the chairs in and set off home. We wound up the hill to the house, and I was pleased to see the smartcar there.
We got out of the van and I patted the smartcar. “This is a spaceship.”
Cai looked it over. “A million miles to the gallon?”
“Something like that. I must say you seem to take everything in stride.”
“I’m reeling in my mind, I’m just hiding it from you.”
Olive came out and stood in the drive not far from us. “So it’s that way, is it? I thought he was onta me. I could feel ‘im spike last night when he looked in my direction. And I can verify that he’s reelin’. He does an excellent job of fakin’ it, though.” She walked over to him. “Are you ok, sweetie? I’m not dangerous, I promise. And I’d kiss you, but I’m not really up to it yet.”
Cai’s composure finally broke, but he handled it well, smiling at her and saying “A life without danger is no life at all. I’m very pleased to meet you for ... real ... Olive.”
She glanced at me. “Has he got a strong stomach,
ya think?”
“Probably. He’s pretty well controlled. He won’t let himself barf all over.”
She smiled at Cai. “Want a ride in my car?”
He took a long shuddering breath, but said simply, “Yes, please.”
“Olive, let me know when you’re back. I’ll meet you downstairs.”
“Yassuh, boss.”
I smirked at her and stuck out my tongue. “Good thing I like you.” Then to Cai, “Be ready, she’ll try to make you toss your cookies. Just remember, you can always close your eyes and think of England. Or Lhasa, perhaps.”
He nodded. For some reason that few words of assurance made him look worse, but he marched over and got in the car.
“Olive? Make sure you play it straight until you can get away clean. I really feel like Mother is watching.”
She nodded, then opened the door of the car and slid in. It backed sedately out of the driveway. I watched as they drove away, the tires crackling on the gravel. I wonder how she does it all. I never really thought to ask, but maybe I’ll have to get a crash course on “how stuff works.”
I yelled inside that I was back, then I pulled out a lounger and lay down on the front lawn to relax. After a bit, Bailey came outside and saw me and pulled one up next to me. Finally, Laney came out, still looking grumpy, and did the same. We all lay there in the afternoon sun, browning and drowsing and hardly saying a word. After a couple hours, Olive and Kai came back. Olive came over and pulled out a chair and lay down next to Laney’s lounge. Cai picked his way back up the walkway and past us, hardly seeming to see us.
Olive grinned at me. “I know we were gonna meet downstairs, but Cai seemed to be in need of some rest after our ride.”
“Uh huh. I figured that when I saw him. Tomorrow’s soon enough for a tour of the facilities. And Laney looks like she’s more interested in relaxing than showing off her computer systems.”
Laney gave me a drowsy nod and closed her eyes again. Olive winked at me. Life is good. All that relaxing tired us out, and after a while, the crowd began to dwindle. Laney and Bailey went to Bailey’s house, Olive went inside to do Olive things. I have no idea what she does, but probably study technical manuals and Kit’s copious notes. Just about sunset, Cai came back out of the house, looking considerably more relaxed and refreshed than he was earlier. He pulled one of the chairs over and sat beside me.
“Looks like you passed the test again, Miss Bond.”
“Mm, that’s nice. What did I win?”
“Just more work, I’m afraid. I brought you a gift from the museum, though.”
I put the lounger upright and sat back. “A gift? I tend to like gifts. Mostly.”
Cai picked up a small package from the ground and handed it to me. It was actually gift wrapped, and looked like a man had done it. No offense, men, but most of you suck at gift wrapping. My advice? Use a pretty bag and maybe some tissue. Save yourself some grief and a few yards of scotch tape.
I unwrapped the item. It was a bit larger than a CD case, and about twice as thick. It wound up being a framed photograph of what looked like a moonscape. “It’s very nice, Cai. Thank you.”
“Oh, you are so polite, Miss Bond. Look closer at the picture.”
I did so, looking pretty hard and finally I saw it. Just a glimmer, but once I focused on it, it was undeniably another bit of the same alien metal Kit and I spent a summer hunting.
“Interesting. And this is on the moon?”
“Yes. The dark side. I’m sure you know that China has an expedition there.”
“I’ve seen some reports, but it’s not getting a lot of coverage in the US news.”
“I doubt this would get into the news. For one thing, I’m not sure anyone but myself has really taken note of it. I suppose the only reason I happened to see it was my sensitivity to the look and feel of that particular material. I thought you would be interested in seeing it, if you had indeed made use of the item I provided you.”
I leaned back in my chair again and considered it. Olive asked me if she should come out and join us, and I asked her to wait, we’d be in shortly.
“Mister Shun, would you like to follow me?”
“My heart knows no bounds of the joy it would find in doing so.”
I snorted. “Oh, I bet that one wins all the lady’s hearts.”
A smirk on the face of a man of Cai Shun’s age and composure is completely undignified.
Cai followed me into the house, down the stairs and I showed him around the conference room. Then I showed him Bailey’s office. Then I showed him my office. I got a little more reaction out of him with each one, especially my office. It was currently showing the same scene we had just left, but it was obviously daytime, 89 degrees and the sounds of birds and children laughing was fully audible. He looked over the hill and down to the now-familiar lake scene and shook his head.
“Amazing.”
“Oh, this is just the opening show, Cai.”
We went back to the main room and through the invisible door, the platform 9¾ door that isn’t really there and can’t be. We came out into the garage under the field, with its seeming acres of perfectly white, perfectly clean space. Olive got up from one of the comfortable chairs arrayed in various spaces. She came over and greeted us, then bowed to Cai.
“I guess y’all know what I am, now?”
“I believe I do, Miss Olive.”
“Well, that’s nice. I was gettin’ tired of pretendin with you.”
“You were doing a fine job of pretending, Miss Olive.”
“Oh, cut the crap and call me Olive. You’re too much a part of the family to call me anything else.”
Cai bowed and said, “Of course, Olive. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“The pleasure is all mine, Cai. I just wish I could kiss them fingers of yours or something, you’re one sexy male.”
Cai actually blushed. A 70-year-old man, and he blushed. “I am unable to find a response, Olive. Thank you.”
She laughed delightedly. “He’s a treasure, ain’t he, Jane?”
“He is indeed.”
“Should we show him what the part he gave us does?”
“I think that’s a perfect idea, Olive.”
“Cai, you got any special heroes in your life? People with talent or great warriors, or sexy women?”
Cai went still a bit, then said, “A windhorse symbolizes the human soul and when used as a flag, blesses all who come near.”
Olive nodded, appeared to think a moment, then said, “Hold out your hands in front of you. Be prepared for something quite heavy.”
Cai looked puzzled, but held out his hands as instructed. A dense fog seemed to flow in around his hands, then slowly it coalesced into a small bronze horse, with wings and a cargo of some sort of perhaps feathers riding on the saddle.
From his expression and the way his arms moved, it appeared to weigh several pounds. I said, “You can put it down on the counter there, Cai, if you wish.”
Slightly dazed, he complied, putting its base on the counter where he stood looking at it. “It’s beautiful, Olive. But how did you ... you made it just now?”
“I searched the internet to find the most representative sample of the ‘wind horse’ that you spoke of. Then I simply made it happen. Cai, everything you see in this room was the direct result of the part you gave Jane. It was the missing piece of the puzzle and allowed me and my predecessor to create everything else that followed.”
Cai nodded slowly, sinking into an available chair. “I had no idea. I just knew it belonged to Jane.”
Olive sank into the chair across from him, and I sat next to him.
“It’s a lot to take in, Cai. Can I get you tea?”
“That would be wonderful.”
“Olive, can you provide us with tea set that might be appropriate for this meeting? It’s entirely possible that Cai may want to keep it as a souvenir.”
Olive grinned. “I sure can.” And she did - a complete silver
tea set slowly appeared on the counter next to the wind horse.
I picked up the set and brought it over to where Cai was sitting, placing it on the coffee table in between the chairs. I poured tea for Cai, and we all sat and had tea and the excellent tea cakes that Olive “made”. Oh, and while Olive had hers plain, Cai and I both put a large amount of cream and sugar in ours.
After sitting for a while and staring at the tea set, I remembered the picture. I went back upstairs and got it, brought it back down and handed it to Olive. She glared at me as it fell through her to the chair.
“Y’all crazy, woman?”
I laughed and nodded. “I guess I am. It’s hard to believe sometimes that your body isn’t what it appears. I guess it’s lucky we haven’t done that sort of thing before.
She smirked and said, “Let me show you something.” And with that, she reached down through her legs and carefully picked up the picture and raised it to her eyes. “I’ve been working out. I can’t do much yet, but it doesn’t exhaust my resources to do it now like it did yesterday.”
“Wow, that’s great, Olive!”
Cai just looked on in amazement, he wasn’t fully up on Olive to realize what a breakthrough this was.
Olive was looking intently at the photograph. “I can see from the patterns and the lighting where this is, so I can take us to it without much issue. Very little has changed on the moon even over the time since my data samples, so unless there was a meteor strike or the like, it should not be an issue. However, it puzzles me where it would have come from. Kit blew the ship up over Montana, there should be no way that a part of the ship could have arrived in that area of the moon. I suppose it’s theoretically possible for a part of have been launched so hard that it could have gone into a slow orbit around the moon until caught and dragged in by the moon’s gravitational field. However, this is so much a long shot as to be almost impossible. We’ll have to get it and bring it back for thorough analysis.”
She dropped back into dialect, “If y’all think that’s a good idea.”
Cai looked a little at sea. “Who is Kit?”
“Oh honey, keep up. Kit was the AI who mos’ killed Jane here with his ‘speriments. He’s gone and I done took over.”