NGS
Chapter 24 'Snake Songs' or 'Return of the Fellowship'
DISCLAIMER: Before we go any further, I have been asked to read the disclaimer for Mr Boss Man and his friend, Story Teller Guy who is sometimes known as 'The Literary Agent'. Here we go. We want to thank Mr Takachiho and all the rest of the creators whose creations we have used, are still using or may use in future reports and/or missions. We own none of their stuff, but we do own a lot of our own original stuff. Anyone else is welcome to use our stuff so long as we are given proper thanks and recognitions.
My name is Harold George Wells aka H G Wells and many centuries ago, I wrote books of science fiction. Imagine my surprise, pray tell, when I recently found myself in the 23rd Century and upon another world! Imagine further my astonishment when I discovered that not only was time travel possible, but that it was considered old hat in this time era!
OK. When last we left you fine folks, four strangers had arrived on 'Workoh' where we had just landed aboard the 'Nova Hellsing', a 3WA star cruiser ship. Now, as you probably recall, my fellow 'brain trustees' were hustled aboard the 'little fellow's (Doctor #2) TARDIS with Santa Claus.
We first delivered Mr Claus, complete with sleigh, reindeer and magic toy bag, to his domicile at the Terran North Pole. Then the Doctor and his companion, the lovely Vickie from planet Pluto and myself began our long trek to 'Gallifrey', home of time lords and ladies, to drop off the first few of our charges.
Since I am obviously no longer on 'Workoh' where the four strangers were being questioned by Miss Seras's crew and a great voice had just boomed out 'Where the HELL did YOU get a Galactic Compendium?', I'm turning the reins of this narrative over to Seras's exec, Lord Alucard. Take it away, Al!
Greetings, dear friends and readers. Alucard here and no cracks about my name spelled backwards being Dracula, please! Suffice it to say that I am the Vampires' King and my own 'turned child' is Seras Victoria and now my temporary boss. To me, she will always be my own little 'Police Girl'. Now, I know you're just itching to know the identity of that booming voice's speaker so-
"We found it during our archaeological expeditions on Earth in the 19th Century. If that's any of your business, that is." said Reverend Digby's 'sextant', Tom Collins.
"It most certainly IS my business, sir! Those index books are prepared on 'Gallifrey' and their distribution is carefully regulated. None were ever given to anyone on Terra, um, your Earth. Therefore, that book of yours is stolen property, sir. You also do not have clearance to go jetting around the Universes, especially when you have illegally traveled 400+ years into your own futures!" roared the voice again and this time, it had a sinister tone to it!
"Please, sir? We meant no harm. If you want the old book back, take it. Your pardon I beg, sir. My name is Miranda Lovejoy. My father is an antiquarian, an antiques dealer. We are members of the 'Fellowship of the Moon' and we landed here quite by accident, Mister-Mister-" explained the green-haired beauty, curtseying as low as she could which must have been quite difficult to accomplish in her skin-tight spacesuit.
"I say! Cannot you at least have the common decency to show yourself, sir?" snapped the older platinum blonde woman.
Suddenly, a familiar floating bearded head materialized in front of the saucy lady! However, he was not scowling. Lord Rassilon was smiling at the four newcomers. Of course, the voice belonged to the founder of the Time Lords & Ladies Order. Like yours truly, Rassie had died many eons ago, but that sure as Hades didn't stop him from showing up from time to time!
He introduced himself and the ladies relaxed a bit as did Tom Collins. However, their leader, the Reverend (Ugh! How I hate that word!) Arthur Digby continued to grovel before the floating head! I have heard of these religious freaks, but this was frigging ridiculous! These four unfortunates had accidentally blundered into the trap we had set to catch Lord Orochimaru, Lord Kabbukka and his nephew, young Yakimaru! My 'Police Girl' to the rescue.
"I think that this discussion had best be continued in a warmer climate. Please come aboard. No, just stand there. Seras speaking. Please lock onto these co-ordinates and beam up everything within a 200 square metres radius. Hold tight, my friends." said our Commander. Gad! How I hate calling her that! After all, I'm her Master, she certainly is not mine!
As soon as we had all beamed aboard the 'Nova H', Digby kissed the floor! A real weird-o, man! Then he tendered his pole or sceptre or whatever weapon he had to me!
"Please accept this, sir, as a gesture of our goodwill. Come, my children. Surrender your weapons. (He whispered into my ear) Of course, that young woman is not the real Commander. From your bearing and your proud visage, sir, that honour must belong to you. Who is the girl really? A bit of crumpet on the side, sir. Someone the wife don't know about, eh? Wink wink. Nod nod. We are both men of the worlds, sir, ain't we?" chuckled this odious vermin whose blood I was dying to taste!
"Suba Alucard? Anything to report from our scans?" demanded my 'child' and I grinned.
"Nothing on the scopes, mum. No sign of you know who, mum." I reported after I had snapped to attention, clicked my heels together and given Seras a galactic salute- right fist placed against my left breast.
"Good. Continue scanning, Suba. Thank you." replied my 'Police Girl'. Poor Arthur Digby was all befuddled. She turned to the preacher.
"What are you doing here on 'Workoh' in the year of AD 2259, Your Reverence, sir?" she asked him matter-of-factly. Then she waved our guests to chairs which had been hastily repped up by Walter. When they were all seated, Rukia and her boyfriend, Ichigo, served hot java and scones.
"I am waiting for your answer, Mr Digby, sir." said my 'child' and he launched into a long, drawn out explanation which was nothing but lies and taradiddles. We Vampires can always tell when someone is not telling the truth, you know?
"And that's the whole story, Madam Commander, ma'am." said the older gentleman. I walked over and faced him. I pointed my cigar at him.
"Fine. Now, will someone tell us the truth? Why are you here?" I growled, using my best impersonation of a villain. It worked. The Reverend Mr Digby dropped to his knees and begged me for my forgiveness. Begged ME, a Vampire King, for MY forgiveness! I almost dropped my unopened 'blood bag' I was laughing so hard inside!
"That, sir, is our business, not yours or old whiskerpuss here." said the platinum blonde.
"You, uh, do know that this is a patrol star cruiser and that these ladies and gentlemen aboard her are the law in these parts, don't you, Madam?" interjected 'Goddy' Northman who was himself a Terran Sheriff from Texas.
"We haven't broken any laws, Sheriff! We are just looking around the cosmos for a new spot to set up our headquarters for the Fellowship is all we're doing, sir." said Tom Collins, taking a sip from his namesake alcoholic beverage. Well, 'synthaholic', but he didn't know that.
"On the contrary, young man. You have failed to file a space flight plan with Alderaan HQ. You have failed to file a time travel voucher with the 'High Council of Time Lords' at their 'Gallifreyan' HQ. You have no interplanetary visas nor, I wager, do any of you possess intergalactic passports! The 3WA could arrest the four of ya here and now! Now, tell us the real reason for your visit or I will prefer charges against ya!" snapped Rassie angrily and Miranda Lovejoy burst into tears.
"Now see what ye ha'e done! The poor lamb's nae had a tetch o' sleep nor food in two whole days! None o' us ha'e! This be cruel and inhumane treatment, that's what it be, sirs and madams!" howled the older woman.
"There, there, my love. Have another cup o' tae, Lovey. My wife, dear brothers and sisters, is not well. Is there a place for her to have a brief rest?" said the Reverend. "There, there, Stella. She gets like this when she forgets to take her blood pressure pills. Oh dearie me! We ran oot o' them last week." he added and I used my com link pen to call 'Old Scarfy' (Doctor #4) who was the closest thing we had aboard to a medical man or woman.
"Let's get this straight, Rev. This lady is your wife, Stella and this lad's your 'sextant', Tom Collins. Is Miss Lovejoy your child?" I asked. The young girl in question had unzipped her flightsuit and was now removing it to reveal a shocking pink bikini swimsuit or underthings beneath it!
"I hope that you're all satisfied! Poor Auntie Stella! Yes, I am their niece and Tom's my cousin. You want to know why we are here on your precious planet? We were blown offcourse during a snow storm last week! We were damned lucky ('Language, my dear!' scolded Uncle Arthur.) to find this place! Otherwise, otherwise, other-" sobbed Miranda. Her 'cousin' wrapped an Elfin cloak around his cousin's shoulders when Rukia handed it to him.
"Otherwise, we would have been burned to a cinder when our warp drive overloaded and exploded in another day or so. If you intend to detain us, the least you could do is feed us and give us a decent place to crash. We're bushed, man!" said Tom, signaling the 'server 'droid' for a refill of his Tom Collins.
"Of course! Where are my manners? Rukia, put Miss Lovejoy and Mrs Digby in with you and Kaggie. Ichigo, put Mr Collins and Reverend Digby in with you and the other guys. See that they get a good dinner too. That goes for the ladies as well, Rukia. We will discuss this further in the morning. Alucard? Please re-cloak the ship, my Master." ordered Seras Victoria.
"Aha! I knew you were the real Commander, sir! She called you Master, didn't she? Admit it, sir. You are the real leader here. Well, sir?" said the pompous over-stuffed shirt. I was about to answer him when-
"The Commander called him her Master because he is, sir. You see, they are both vampires. She is Lord Alucard's acolyte and he, sir, is the Vamprire King. However, she is the ship Commander and he is her executive officer. For that matter, I too am a Vampire, Mr Digby." explained Sheriff Godric Northman.
"I remember a Texas Sheriff named Godric Northman. Could you possibly be him, sir?" asked an astounded Tom Collins and Goddy nodded. The newbies wasted no more time in quitting the bridge. Take over for me, Godric.
You see, the 'Fellowship of the Moon' and we Vampires of Earth are bitter enemies! However, my own 'child', Eric and his part human, part Fae fairy and part Vampiress wife, Sookie and myself were sworn not to do any 'feeding' without the 3WA's approval! Damn! I'd love to get a taste of that old carpetbagger's blood! But, we had given our words and that is something no Vampire or Vampiress would ever break!
It was late afternoon of the following day before the right ones 'sprung our trap'. So astonished were Lord Orochimaru, Lord Kabbukka and poor little Yakimaru when they 'landed' and deshipped from their shuttlecraft that they were easily captured by the demons and Saiyaans! They were all three 'beamed' abaord with their captors and taken to the ready room where they were interrogated by the Commander's own 'Master', Lord Alucard and myself.
"You two will be held in the brig until we can have you transported to Gallifrey where you'll stand trial before the High Council of Time Lords for crimes against time displacement and terrorism. Young Yakimaru will be placed in the custody of the Hokage's emissary, Lord Kakashi. The Lady Tsunade will determine his fate.
"We have located the ship that you have borrowed from the 3WA and from it, we have extracted 'Foucault's Pendulum' and Mr Peabody's 'Way Back Machine'. The latter will be returned to its owner and the former will be replaced in the museum from which it was stolen.
"Your time era displaced 'brain trust' are being returned to their respective time eras and domiciles as I speak. Do you three have anything to say? Under Galatic Law, you have certain rights. However, I must warn you that anything that you say will be recorded and may be used in evidence against you. Well?" said Seras gravely.
"I refuse to say anything on the grounds that it may tend to incriminate me, mum. I plead the 5th Amendment." announced Yakimaru and Alucard laughed. There is no 'Bill of Rights' in Galactic Law.
"Take the brat back to your quarters and keep him there, Dog Boy. He is your responsibility. Should he escape, you and Kouga, Goku, Bulma and Vegeta will answer to me." said the Vampire King and I heard his fangs drop! He too was thirsting for human blood.
"I won't say a word without my attorney present." snarled Lord Orochimaru.
"That goes for me as well, sir." snapped Lord Kabbukka. I handed each of them a vidcellphone.
"Then call him or her, you megalomaniacs." I said angrily.
"Force beam cuffs and shackles for the pair of 'em and take 'em to the brig. Level 15 force beam barriers and triple the guard on them. Have Mr Mason and Mr Matlock, Mr Drake, Miss Street and Mr Q informed and be sure that they will all be at the Academy by the time that we return home. If there is nothing further, you are dismissed. Sheriff? (I looked up. Me? What could I possibly have to do with this mess?) Please remain here with my Master. I wish to speak with you after I have reported our success to Mr Garner." said our svelte slim Commander.
"Sheriff. My Master. I have been ordered to return these two Akatsuke (Ahh-Cott-Skee) fools to 3WA HQ in Furool (Foo-Lon) City back home immediately. However, I have also received orders from Mr Garner to take the 'Nova Hellsing' to the aid of one of our own 3WA deep cover operatives, a Miss Molly Eastwood and return her to 3WA HQ. She has important information to impart to our superiors." explained Seras when she returned to her ready room where her Master, Lord Alucard and myself were dutifully waiting as ordered. I had been waiting patiently while Al had been pacing the floor and chain-smoking like a chimney.
"And where do we come into your little charade, 'Police Girl'?" snapped Lord Alucard. She answered him coolly.
"You, my Master and Sheriff Northman will take Lts Allster (Fflay) and Athna (Cagalli) and a guard contingent and convey Lords Orochimaru and Kabbukka home to Mr Garner immediately." she replied.
"How can we do that, my Child? You'll be using this cruiser, won't you?" snarled her Master.
"You will use the 'Dark Avenger' for the voyage. Take the two demons and two of the 'soul reapers' as guards. I suggest that big guy- Captain Kenny and his pink-headed lieutenant. Anything else, gentlemen?" she asked with a yawn.
"Um, pardon my stupidity, Madam Commander, but none of those, uh, creatures that you have mentioned can pilot a shuttlecraft. I do not know about Lord Alucard, however, I am unskilled at piloting anything but one of those flying sled things." I said as tactfully as I could manage.
"Not to worry, Sheriff. I will be your pilot and young Angela Cahill Walker will be my co-pilot." said a voice from the shadows that I knew only too well and he scared me more than our two prisoners did!
The shadows merged together into the familiar tall angular form garbed entirely in black as 'Shadow Daddy' materialized before me!
"And how can that Ranger's brat be your co-pilot? We left her back at the Academy with her Mommy while Daddy went gallivantin' around the cosmoses with that whining shrimp time jockey and his blonde trollope." growled Al.
"But she is already here, my friends. Come out and say hi to our new bosses, Sweetie." replied 'Shadow Daddy', unfurling the folds of his voluminous cloak to reveal a lovely girl with flaming orange hair in a most revolting 'Emo-Punk' hairstyle. The poor young lady was wearing a daring negligee and she was in the act of pulling on a flimsy yellow dressing gown. Her feet were quite bare and she appeared to have just awakened from her slumbers!
"Say hi to our new bosses? What new- Ye gods! Where the Hell am I? I got up to use the little girl's room and- Hey! Oh, it's you, 'S Daddy'! I mighta known, dammit! You could at least have let me grab some clothes, for Kami's sake! Brrr! Tell 'em to turn up the bloody 'eat, mate! Me tootsies is freezin' and so's me bum!" screeched the girl.
Al was disgusted and he merely sucked on his 20th 'blood bag'. I averted my eyes and coughed discreetly. Poor Seras looked as embarrassed as Hell. 'Shadow Daddy' merely asked to see the 'Dark Avenger' and asked if it had been prepped yet. Finally, I whipped off my jacket and wrapped it around the poor shivering child. This was a very strange era indeed!
Angie Walker smiled her gratitude and asked us why she was here.
"Legato said that you needed some space flight experience and I needed a co-pilot, Love. So, I simply transported you here with me. OK, Madam Victoria. When do we leave? Chuckie Boy (Garner) said that it was important that I fly you toffs home right away. Oh, stop blubbering, girl! Madam Commander? Could you perhaps get that brat of mine kitted out and-" said LaMont Cranston aka 'The Shadow' aka 'Shadow Daddy' and our trim cute Commander had had enough of this blowhard!
"You male Chauvinist pig! This poor lamb is not going anywhere until she's had a good night's sleep followed by a good healthy breakfast and has been properly attired! Come with me, my little Angel, dear. The 'Avenger' is being prepped for flight. You leave in the morning at first light. I advise you to get some rest, gentlemen. I have already had 'Artok' advise the rest of your crew. They will rendezvous with you downstairs tomorrow at 0600 (6 AM) hours. Come along, dear. You need a good night's sleep. Good night, my Master, Mr Northman, Mr Cranston." said Seras Victoria and she left us alone in her ready room, open-mouthed and staring.
"You know, sir, you could have made sure that the child was dressed warmly before you whisked her off to-" I scolded and Cranston merely laughed.
"Mr Northman, you are a newcomer to the 3WA. In time, you will learn that when 'She Who WILL Be Obeyed' gives an order, no matter how 'kooky' it might sound to you, you had damned well better carry it out, that is, if you know what's good for you, Sheriff." yawned the spectre. "Good night, gentlemen. See you at six." he added and he was gone.
"Wanna split this last 'blood bag' with me, Viking? It's B Positive." invited Alucard and I was so befuddled that I broke a cardinal rule and had some blood before midnight with him. And it was bloody good too, if you will pardon the pun. Then I walked Al back to his 'coffin bed' and I sought my own bunk. I hoped that poor Angela was not sharing a casket with Vickie!
"Hi, Daddy. Please don't be frightened, but your little Angie Poo has the gift of telepathy just like Sookie, Uncle Legato, Auntie Deanna and my new boss, Mr Cranston! I am 'mind sending' to you because I have been whisked halfway across the Universes to the 'Nova Hellsing'. Tomorrow, I'll be co-piloting the 'Dark Avenger' with 'Shadow Daddy'. Sorry, but I cannot tell even you where we are going nor why. I hope to be home in time to celebrate my first Christmas with you and Mummy.
"However, up here, anything can happen, man! I seem to have developed a Texas twang mixed with a Cockney accent! You can tell Mummy, Uncle Jimmy, Uncle CD and the others back home that I'm OK. I am also 'mind speaking' to Mummy, Uncle CD, Uncle Jimmy and some of my other friends back home at the same time. Please don't worry and please tell everyone that I am over my 'Arianna' period. From now on, I'm Angela Cahill Walker and damned proud of it too!
"So- call me Angie, but Pop? Please don't call me Angie Poo anymore, OK? Oopsy! That's the chromo alarm. Time for me to get ready for breakfast. It's 0530 hours (5:30 AM) and we'll be lifting off at six, Daddy. I love you all and please don't worry. Bye bye, everyone."
I was flabbergasted as Mr Matlock would say! Oh, it's Cordell Walker here again. We just left 'Gallifrey' and now we are starting to use Mr Peabody's 'Way Back Machine' (It was beamed to our TARDIS as soon as it was reclaimed from Lord Orochimaru's stolen ship but that's another story!) to transport members of the 'brain trust' back to their various time eras and places on Earth.
Anyway, my daughter has just finished 'mind speaking' to me, scaring the dad gum stuffin' outta me! She's telepathic and now she sounds even more mature, like a young woman in her early thirties! Will I ever get used to this dad gummed place?
"Sure you will, Mr Walker, sir. You are just not used to telepaths yet. You know that everyone has a little telepathic ability, even you and your wife, Jimmy and Mr Parker too. Your daughter has more than you though because she was born offworld in deep space. I was born on Pluto and it just runs in our clan, sir." explained Vickie, the Doctor's companion. However, she too scared the bejesus outta me when she also 'mind spoke' to me!
"Victoria! How many times have I told you that it is not polite to eavesdrop on someone's private thoughts? I must apologize for my young ward's behaviour, Cordell. Now say you are sorry to the Ranger, Vickie and promise that you will not do that anymore. And make sure you 'say' it to him aloud, not in his mind. Oh dear! The 'Cloister' bell is ringing! Whatever can Lord Barusa want this close to the holidays? Excuse me, children." said Doctor #2 vexedly and off he trotted to answer the 'summons' from his Acting Lord President on Gallifrey.
"I apologize, sir. It was very rude of me to intrude upon your private thoughts and I swear that I will never do it again without your permission, sir. Cross my heart and hope to die. Is that the correct way to promise on Terra, sir?" said the shorter blonde girl and I smiled and patted her forearm.
"No harm done, Honey. It's just a bit unsettling when I hear you or someone else inside my own head! What's this 'Cloister Bell' thing all about?" I asked her and she explained that it was a 'summons' from Lord Barusa.
"Oh no! We aren't going back to 'Time Jockeys World' now, are we? I promised Alex and Angela and the guys that I'd be back for Christmas! Alex'll have a royal fit! I'll be sleepin' on the couch for a month!" I replied and she laughed.
"Not to worry, Uncle Cordy! The Doctor can manipulate his TARDIS so that we can return home at whatever time we want. Speaking of time, my tummy says it's dinnertime. Come and help me set the table, please. I do wish Mrs Walker had stayed aboard with us. The Curies are cooking and they always burn everything! Yuck! I hate French cooking! Hmmn, he's awfully long-winded tonight. I do hope that everything is OK back at Gallifrey. You start setting out the plates and crockery and I'll be in directly to put on the cutlery and silverware. I must see what is keeping the Doctor." said Vickie, running towards the sound of the 'Cloister Bell' which was even louder than the Dallas City Hall clock in the big tower across the street from Ranger HQ.
"Have you seen Dr and Mrs Hawking, Cordell? Harry Wells has just returned with the 'Way Back Machine' and it's time to send them home." said the Doctor who had just returned to the control room.
"Probably watching the stars from that back room of yours, Doc. Hey! Vickie went to find you. I'm elected to set the table." I chortled and the Doctor laughed. "I sent her to speak to Barusa. He wants to know what to get the Casterlein for Christmas. He's a good substitute President for me but otherwise-" chuckled the little time lord. I had to agree. The fellow seemed a bit pompous and overbearing to me but Alex said he had a kind heart.
"Angela? Is that you, Honey? I seem to hear you but I cannot see you, dear. Is everything OK? Why can't I see you, Lambie? You seem to be speaking to me inside my mind! Very unnerving, young lady! Where are you?" I demanded and yes, this is Alex again. I was beamed home to the Academy and this time, pouting did me no good. Funny, it usually works with Walker. Not with that 'little fellow' time jockey though! His ward, that cute blonde (Vickie) had 'mind spoke' to me while I was in that heavenly bubble bath pool that they called a bathtub on the TARDIS thingy.
At least they had the decency to wait until I had toweled off and dressed before they had transported me back home! According to Angie, she had not been as lucky, although she'd been beamed to that Vampire star ship in her jammies! If she gets pneumonia, the flu or even a cold, I'll have some harsh words for Mr Garner!
Why was I beamed back home so fast? Why, to organize the Christmas Eve party, of course. Now, being a country gal, I'm used to big trees. However, by big, I mean ten or eleven feet tall. The tree I was decorating stood a full ten metres or 30+ feet in height!
"Hiya Alley Cat. Damn it! Looks like the other dorm building got the big tree! Last year's tree was twice as big as this puny little thing! OK. Better get the rest of 'em to start reppin' up the doodads and lights and junk for it. Heard that Angie Poo got sent out on a mission with the blood-suckers. Bummer!" said InuYasha, the big hanyou dog demon thing. I had had just about enough of this 'mind reading' crap!
"OK! How the Hell'd you know that? Don't tell me that demons are telepaths too?" I yelled. He grinned back at me.
"Nope. Kagome told me and that mangy wolf. She's a 'miko' (high priestess), ya know? She was the last one in the bedroom when Angie got swooped off to Uncle Al's (Lord Alucard) star cruiser and she 'read' your kid's thoughts, Alley Ca-, I mean, Alex." replied the big guy and I smiled. After all, he's harmless, right?
I turned to him to apologize and he was gone! I found out later that he, Kouga the wolf demon thing, the two Saiyaans (Goku and Vegeta) and Mrs Vegeta (Bulma Brief), that big 'soul reaper' guy and his pink-haired 'kid', Fflaysie, Caggie, Kagome and Legato Bluesummers had also gone missing.
"Where is everyone, Mr Poe?" I demanded when he wandered in to help with the decorating.
"The demons, Saiyaans and two of our soul reapers are with your Angela aboard the 'Nova Hellsing'. In a few more hours, they'll take the 'Dark Avenger', one of the shuttles, and transport Lord Orochimaru and Lord Kabbukka back here to Mr Garner at HQ and they'll drop off Yakimaru, a Ninja lad, here. He has a meeting with the Hokage, Miss Tsunade tomorrow afternoon. Your child will be co-piloting the shuttle for 'Shadow Daddy'. You do know that Colonel Bluesummers has already enrolled Angela in piloting class, don't you? (I didn't!) She'll start her first semester in JanFeb, right after the big game- Super Bowl 247, I believe it is, right, Blue?" answered Mr Poe. Blue nodded and handed me several boxes of decorations for the tree.
"Here, Alexandra. I'll go round up some help for ya. Jimmy! CD! Gage! Siddy! Kids! Auntie Alexandra needs some help, dammit! Blast! Where are those lazy bastards tonight?" growled Blue. I pointed towards the hallway.
"Nine'll get ya ten that you'll find CD in the kitchen with the Grannies. Yup! I can smell the chili already! Hmmn! Smells divine!" I said and Mr Poe made a wry face. Blue chuckled and then started tossing tinfoil icicles on the tree. Mr Poe was sorting out the lights when Doctor #6 (The 'Mad Hatter') wandered in and began playing with the trains which encircled the tree and then ran in and out of the tree branches. How they ever got that accomplished is beyond me!
"Hatter! Stop playing with those toys and get over here! Start helping Alexandra with those ornaments and don't drop any like you did last year!" growled Kome Sawaguchi who was stringing popcorn.
"I said the green ones are out, Poe!" yelled Blue.
No! The greens are fine, man! It's the reds that are out! You're colourblind, Blue!" howled Mr Poe.
"The Hell I am, Poe! You're colourblind!" growled Blue angrily. I walked over and calmly plugged in the green and red lines of lights into the outlet. Both red and green lights blazed forth in all of their glory!
"Looky! I do have some magic left, guys! Just like that White Warlock guy!" said the pompous 'Hatter', taking credit for my work!
"Magic Schmagic! All that had to be done was plug the damned things into the power source! How about a little village for under the tree, guys? Kagome! Sango!" I yelled.
"Kag's with Angela and Sango and Miroku are shopping on Kagura. Doc? You had a nice Alpine village last year. Still got it in that windmill you've been gallivantin' all over the Universes in?" called Mr Poe and the 'Hatter' spilled tea on my pants!
"Tea's on you this evening, my dear." chortled the Red, Blue and Yellow 'Kang' Amazon girls who were hanging bowls of some icky red jam or preserves that had illuminated candles floating in them while 'Winnie' and 'Gertie', the two 'oldies' were placing strawberry tarts beside each jam candle on the tree!
"Don't blame me, my dear child! It was the 'Leprechaun' (Doctor #7) who brought those delinquents and their elders from 'Paradise Towers' back here, not me. Aha! I believe that village set is in Miss Peterson's bedroom on the TARDIS! Back in a bit." said the 'Hatter'.
"Miss Peterson?" I asked.
"Yes. Miss Cassandra Peterson. Oh, everyone knows her, my dear!" he replied.
"Well, I don't." I said and he grinned like a Cheshire Cat. Darn it! I hated that crap eatin' grin and he knew it too!
"Of course you do. On Terra, you know her as Elvira, the Mis-" he began before I broke in.
"-tress of the Night. How absurdly simple!" I yipped.
"Hullo there, everyone. That's my line, my dear girl." said an affable Dr Johnny Watson.
"And mine, John. Good evening, folks." added Dr Lyndon Parker.
"Where are your mentors this evening, Doctors?" asked Mr Poe.
"Holmes is doing another experiment. This one involves a sprig of parsley and a pound of butter." answered John.
"Pons is, um, measuring the building. He is convinced that there are hidden passages and secret rooms in this edifice." explained 'Lynney' Parker.
"I say, what goes on top, d'ye know? Ain't got no clue, don't ya know, what? Eh, Bunter?" said the tall and angular pipe-smoking gentleman.
"My Lord, I believe that the top spear ornament is being made by Miss Cooke, Mr Parker, Mr Gage and Mr Trivette for Mr Walker. Mrs Walker insists that Mr Walker will be back in time to place it atop the tree, sir." said the very correct butler in black livery who had just entered with his master, Lord Peter Wyndham Wimsey, the real one this time, not that tow-headed nerdy girl hacker who had been so helpful back in Dallas when we went up against the Chairman.
Bunter insisted on pouring drinks for everyone and he magically produced an anti-gravitational trundle trolley complete with drinks, ice, fruit, etc. I asked for a lemon squash when I heard Dr Parker order one. Dunno what's in 'em but three of 'em knocked me for a loop-de-loop! Bunter unobtrusively handed me a cup of hot black java- bless him!
"Hi there! That tree reminds me of that Christmas when Dad and I were snowbound in Wrightsville in upper New York state back on Earth. It was sometime in the forties or was it the thirties, Dad. Just whiskey, Mr Bunter for Dad and me- neat for me. Dad likes his on the rocks with lots of ice cubes. Thanks." said young Ellery Queen, the amateur detective.
"Had to be the forties, son. You were still a nipper in knickerbockers in the thirties, boy. Thank you, Bunter. Well, down the hatch, folks." said the older and more distinguished looking Commissioner Richard Queen of the New York City Police Department.
"I still say that I made a better commissioner than that Scottish laddie with the dispstick wife, son. Mac or Mc something. Millan, that was it. Stewart MacMillan and his wife, Sally. Lovely girl. Had some witch of a housekeeper named- Mildred. Never could stand her although the woman could cook and no mistake either, boy! Another one, please?" said the commissioner.
"If it weren't for that wife of his, he'd have never kept that commisioner's job. Her and Captain Enwright. They solved the cases, not Mac! Oho! Now I rememebr the name of the case, Dad! It was the one with all the prezzies, a different one for each day of the 12 days of Christmas. Remember, Pop?" said the studious looking young man with horn-rimmed spectacles.
"Of course I remember it! You didn't really solve it for twenty years. Some time in the sixties, wasn't it, boy?" replied Richard. "You catalogued it as 'The Finishing Stroke'. Then those two college chums of yours wrote a book about the case." he added, accepting another bumper of Irish whiskey from Bunter.
"It did not take me 20 years to solve it, Dad! It took me 20 years to prove that I had been right all along! Another Jameson's if you please, my good man. Here's to crime and our solvings of them therewith!" said a slightly inebriated Ellery Queen.
Yes, you can get drunk a Helluva lot quicker on this world, especially when you're up on Level 1700 and something or other!
"Can we have Uncle James tell us our favourite Christmas story, Auntie Lady Attorney?" asked Rinny, the precocious 8 year old girl who was Dog Boy's brother's (Sesshomaru) ward. She looked darling in her cute 'white bunny rabbit' PJs and matching bunny slippers and bathrobe. That is, until she stuck her hand into one of the 'jam candles' and wiped her icky hand on herself!
"Don't do that, Honey. Don't wipe your hand on yourself." I cooed so she wiped her hand on my white slacks instead!
"Rinmaru Toshugowa! You march right back to your room and change those jammies and robe! Sorry about that, Miz Walker. Bad news, guys! James and Jessie Rockett are amongst the missing and I just got a 'mind send' from Kagome. They are both aboard the Vampire ship. So, my brother being absent as well, I will read the kids Reverend Moore's epic poem this evening. I've been to the library and all of the copies have been borrowed. Could someone do me a favour and rep up a copy for me to use? Please?" said the tall and fair-haired youkai dog demon, Lord Sesshomaru.
"Will this one do, Sess? I pinched it from the old man's (Doctor #1) TARDIS last year. Bet he doesn't even know it's missing." said the 'Mad Hatter', handing the demon a small dog-eared volume.
"Thanks! Wow! It's even got pictures for the small fry! Any chance I could have a mug of that eggnog and some sugar cookies, Miz Walker?" replied InuYasha's elder brother and I offered him the cookie tray while Bunter ladled out a steaming mug of hot nog.
"Once upon a time-" coaxed Yuri Donovan helpfully.
"That ain't how it goes, Vacuumhead! It begins 'When in the course of human events'-" corrected Kei O'Halloran.
"Nah! I got an A in my English Lit classes, man! It goes 'Fourscore and seven years ago, our forefathers'-" recorrected Lily incorrectly.
"How can a kid have four fathers?" demanded Shippou, the fox kitsune youkai demon boy.
"Maybe they had more money than Daddy and Uncle Dog Boy and they bought three extra, Stupid!" said Rinny very saucily indeed!
"Don't call your cousin 'Stupid', Rinmaru. As it so happens, Mr Lincoln was referring to our fore, f-o-r-e, fathers or those founding fathers of his country who had lived before his time of AD 1863. Now as to the way you have been butchering poor Reverend Clement Clark Moore's fine epic poem- 'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the building', I mean, 'house'-" said our own resident 'schoolmarm', Angela Theresa deRoncesvalles who had been my stand-in matron of honour at our wedding. She wanted to be the real McCoy, but Siddy would have hat a catfit if she couldn't have served as my wedding crutch!
"Would you like to recite or read it to the kiddies, Angie? I'm bushed and I still haven't plucked the 'turkeyolus' bird for Christmas Eve's dinner yet. I'd really appreciate it, Honey." whispered Lord Sesshomaru and Angie smiled back at him.
"Go ahead, Sess. I know. Just as soon as the jolly old bearded gent in red and white says 'Happy Christmas' and 'Good Night', I'll be sure that Shippou and Rinny get up to bed. 'Night." replied Angie who was supposedly the last human descendant of the 'Order of the Knights Templar'. I didn't believe a word of that tall tale! Not even CD could have told a whopper like that one!
"OK, settle down kids. Ahem. 'Twas the night before Christmas when all-" began Angela. This seems like a good time to allow Angela to take up the tale from the 'Nova Hellsing'. Are you there, dear? OK. This is your Mother signing off.
"Oh my! What a ratty lookin' uniform! This 3WA ain't got no style, man! Magenta and black? Yucksville! And I am NOT wearing that mini-mini-miniskirt either! I ain't showin' my fanny to nobody, buster! Yo! Auntie Angie! Gimme a pair o' pants, dammit!" I yelled angrily.
Hullo there! This is Ranger Cordell and Assistant DA Alex Walker's daughter. Hi, call me Angie, but please don't call me Angie Poo! I hate that nickname! In a few more minutes, I get my first 'baptism in blood' when I co-pilot for the first time. 'Shadow Daddy' will be piloting the 'Dark Avenger' shuttle that we're usin' to take Lord Orangeade and Lord Cabbage Patch (Orochimaru and Kabbukka) back home to Uncle Chuckie Garner. At the same time, we'll be takin' this Ninja kid Yaksalot (Yakimaru is Kabbukka's nephew) back to Grandma Tidal Wave (Tsunade), the Ninja Hooker Lady (Hokage) of the Hide the Leaves (Hidden Leaf) Village.
"Wow! Real genuine leather pants! Uh, they don't come in yellow, I suppose? Black's so drab, man! Oh, OK! Ya don't hafta yell, do ya, Auntie Angie? Fine. Huh? Alright already! Hold yer horses, Daddy Shadow! Lemme get some clothes on, man!" I yelled. Between Angie and SD, I am goin' baka nutsy!
"Yo! Shut the damned door, somebody! I ain't givin' out no free peeks like 'you know who' done on that desert island!" I cried and Mr Poe slid the portal shut from the outside. I dressed quickly and ran up the gantryway steps (Six flights no less! I found out later that they had an elevator! Dumb me, huh?) to the flight deck that they call the bridge. SD, Angie, the demon animals, the Say it again (Saiyaan) twins and their keeper (Goku, Vegeta and Mrs Brief) were already impatiently waiting for me!
"About time you got here, kid. Let's go. The 'Avenger's belowdecks. Follow me, kiddies." said Uncle Legato Bluesummers.
"Wow! It barely fits, SD! Darn it! I forgot my phone, man!" I grumbled and Kagome Higurashi laughed.
"Won't work anyway, Hon. Miss Donovan's got an 'energy damper' installed aboard. It blocks any signals except for ship's business. You look nice in your new uniform, Subby." said Warrant Officer First Class Kagome H. I saluted the way I'd seen in the movies and Lt Allster (Fflaysie) shook her head. Then she took my right hand, made it into a fist and then placed it across my left chest.
"That's the 'galactic salute', dear. Now, forget about it! In fact, you need not salute anyone. Most of us just ignore military manners anyhow. 'Whitey'! Get off of Angie's chair! Sit down, Sweetie. Right beside Lamont. I'll be right over here. I'm a gunner and so's Caggie." explained Fflaysie Allster.
"Huh? I thought Kagome was weapons officer?" I asked and I was all confused now.
"She is, Subby. I'm Caggie. Cagalli Yula Athna, that is. You'll get used to us. She spells her Kaggie with a 'K' and I spell mine with a 'C'. Port blasters need ammo, Kagome! Starboard side's OK." said 1st Lt Athna. Her partner, Fflaysie Allster was a 2nd looey.
"Dog Boy! Take Wolfie belowdecks and load up the port blasters. Now, InuYasha!" snapped WO1 Higurashi.
A huge hulking 8 feet tall giant, a long broadsword clutched in his fist approached me and knelt down at my feet! Did he think I was royalty maybe? I patted his head like I would a pet. Then I saw his 'passenger', a short pink-haired kid hop off his shoulders and he grunted and stood up again.
"Don't be rude to the poor child, Kenny! Hi, I'm Lt Yashiru Kusajishi but you can call me Yashi. This is Captain Kenpachi Zaraki and you can call him Cutiepie." giggled the four year old girl dressed in a black 'gi'. So was 'Man Mountain Dean'. It looked like they were wearing black jammies!
"If she does, I'll kill her, Yashi. Name's Ken. We are your bodyguards for this mission, Miss Walker. Pleased to meet ya." he growled and then he sheathed his 'zampakutou' sword which he carried on his back.
"C'mon Kenny! I'm hungry! See ya later, Angie Poo. Blue said you liked that nickname, child." giggled Yashi.
"We just ate breakfast, Yashi! You'll get fat again!" grumbled Kenny. The young girl stood up and she looked very angry.
"What d'ya mean- again? I have never ever been fat, Kenpachi Zaraki! Just pleasingly plump! Let's go. Mush!" she yelled, leaping astride her 'steed' and giving him a kick in the ribs! What a bunch o' nutcases!
"Oh, we're 'soul reapers', dear and we are both a lot older than we look. Same's true of you- only you are a lot younger than you look. Hmmn! I smell strawberry banana French toast with warm gooey blueberry maple syrup! Hurry up, slowpoke or Renji, Rukia and Ichigo will get it all! Bye." yelled Yashi and sighing deeply, Kenny stomped off towards the 'lifts'. Hey! I dunno why they call an 'elevator' a 'lift', man! Do you?
"Wherever you are, please find a seat and strap yourself in securely. We lift off in ten." announced the tallish redhead who was clearly in command, not SD! Angela deRoncesvalles snapped a belt across my middle and then she assumed the big chair behind us and did likewise.
"What's the rush? You said we don't lift off for ten whole minutes, Auntie." I complained. Belatedly, I realized that I had a package of chokky 'Ding Dong' cakes in my back pocket! Now they were all squished and I sure hoped the stains would come out or Mommy will have a fit!
"Seconds, Poppet. Ten seconds to liftoff. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and- Thrusters to full. Air locks open. Here we go! Hang onto yer yellow and blue undies, Honey!" chortled 'Shadow Daddy' and we were off! My face got very red indeed!
"How long's this trip gonna take, SD?" I asked our pilot. SD pointed to the closed portal to my right.
"That's the 'nav room' door. Go ask our 'navvie', kiddo. Commander? Ya can tell everyone to unstrap now. We've cleared our 'window' and I've put us on 'George'. Any chance of some hot java and maybe a nice Boston Cream Pie? I'd rather not leave my console until we get through the 'Adonis Arch'." said SD and our Knights Templar girl nodded to me.
"Before you go visiting, Angela, please ask Granny Rockabelle if there's any Boston Cream Pie left and have her make up a big jug of java for us. And this time, use an 'anti-grav' trolley. Last time you tried to juggle everything on a tray and dumped the works on poor Yuri! A good thing you didn't dump it on the Boss Lady (Kei O'Halloran) or we'd all have been in the soup! Hurry now because I have a surprise for you after lunch." said Commander deRoncesvalles and I unstrapped myself from my seat and started running for the elevators.
"Don't run, Angela. I don't feel like setting any more broken limbs on this voyage." she called after me and I began to walk sedately down the hallway. Buzzy Murdoch held up the cast covering his left arm.
"I slipped on that oil slick while I was running a diagnostics check with Todd. 'Someone' forgot to clean up the oil that he spilled." he explained with a wink. Mr Stiles frowned at him.
"OK, so I didn't get all of the mess up when I dropped that lubing hose, Buzz! I said i was sorry, didn't I? Better tell the 'Shadow Man' that 'Adonis' is dead ahead about a thousand kilometres. If we miss that, we won't reach home for another week at least. Be careful, Miss Walker. In space, these floors get as slippery as ice." replied Todd Stiles.
"Attention all hands! Find a seat and secure yourself at once! We are entering the 'Arch' (some kind of space shortcut) in thirty seconds. Angela, that means you as well. deRoncesvalles out." boomed out my god-mother's voice over the loudspeakers. I sat down in an empty chair and strapped in. The rest of our voyage is gonna get real boring so Mom, how about bringing us up to date on how the party preps are coming along back home? Sub-Ensign Walker signing off now.
"Yuck! This eggnog is so gross, man! How come it don't taste like that nog we had on 'ThanksForGiving Day', man?" yelped our newest pest, a sword-swinging brat named Akame. Don't ask me where she came from. She's got some moony-eyed boy who follows her around like a lapdog. I asked 'em who they were really and the boy whispered that they were 'Night Raiders'! Sounds like they're some kind of burglars! But, the 3WA takes in all kinds of strays or so it seems to me.
"That's because Mrs Northman made the eggnog amd punch last month, Miss Akame. I made the nog this time." said Neji, the Ninja boy with those funny far-seeing eyes.
"Well, it tastes like pigswill to me, man! Yo! Stackhouse! Northman! Sookie! Suuu-EEEE! Here pig! Here piggy!" shouted Akame at the top of her lungs! I had had enough! I grabbed the girl in the black sailor suit schoolgirl's uniform and shook her roughly and smacked her across the jaw several times until she started to sob and cry like a baby!
"For Kami's sake, Miz Walker! Cut it out! Phew! No wonder she went off the deep end! OK! Who spiked the eggnog?" yelled Hinata Hyuuga, Neji's 'Byakugan Eyes' half sister. She's the one that's sweet on Naruto.
"Hey! All we put in that stuff was a couple of bottles of water, Alley Cat! Right, Kouga?" growled InuYasha and the wolf youkai demon nodded while he was draining the other eggnog bowl!
"Yo! Who filched that case of 'Irish Poteen' firewater from the bar?" demanded Mark Gordon. He and 'Angel' Jonathan Smith were tending bar this afternoon.
"That box of water bottles? We did, Mark. Why?" asked the big hanyou. Akame had passed out, muttering something about 'high jinks in the capitol'. Kakashi, the big Ninja guy who always covered his face with a black bandana, took a small glassful of eggnog and then spat it out.
Just as the Ninja 'Hokage', Lady Tsunade, was about to drink from her glass of nog, Kakashi knocked it to the floor.
"Hey! Whassa big idea, you shadowed fruitcake!" she snarled angrily.
"Ya want all o' those months in the drying out colony to go to waste, Suzie? Those two chuckleheads spiked the stuff with booze, 200 proof booze! Someone please get Milady Hokage an iced strawberry latte. Wolfie! Stop drinking that stuff! Somebody send for Doc Parker." ordered Kakashi Sensei.
"Here I am, Kashi. What d'ya need, boy?" asked Ranger CD Parker.
"Not you, CD. The other Parker, Lyndon, the doctor! Ah, here he comes now. Miss Akame has passed out." said Kakashi. Dr Parker took a whiff of her breath and wrinkled his nose.
"Passed out? No wonder! She's as drunk as a skunk! Get some coffee! Black and hot and hurry! Pons! Mix up a 'Prairie Oyster' for the poor child! You should all be ashamed of yourselves! Who-" howled the good doctor angrily.
"Just an accident, old boy! See the spilled drink there on the floor? Obviously, someone has spiked the eggnog, Parker." explained his friend, the second greatest detective in Victorian London, Solar Pons.
"Well, I've given her some black coffee, a 'Prairie Oyster' and administered a sedative. She'll be fine in a few hours. What the young child needs right now is rest. Will two of you ladies please accompany me to her room? You two- Mr Kouga, Mr Dog Boy. Carry her up to her room. Coming, Pons?" called Dr Parker, but his friend shook his head and strolled out onto the terrace and began to smoke a cheroot. Hinata and I followed the little party to the lifts.
When I returned to the great room again a few minutes later with Hinata, I saw that we had two new visitors.
"Good evening, Mrs Walker. I trust that we are not intruding? However, I sensed that someone was thinking of me and that you needed my assistance so I grabbed Eric and we flew over here from 'Splattertown'. Our downstairs neighbours went out bar-hopping with 'Snowy' (Yuri Donovan)." said the cute Sookie Stackhouse Northman who looked fetching in her cheery yellow snowsuit.
"So what's all the hoo-ha about then, dammit? Boring as Hell when Daddy's not around, man. And Sook wasn't interested in givin' me any tonight either." sulked Eric Northman, the vampire. His wife, the 'turned' vampiress/Fae fairy princess/human girl blushed a deep crimson. Then she smiled and unzipped her snowsuit and shrugged it off.
Eric reached across and unzipped her jumpsuit. She started to slide out of it before she remembered that all she had on underneath were her shocking pink undies and she quickly zipped herself up again and slapped Eric's fingers- hard.
"Not until we're alone, Lover!" she seethed under her breath. Eric nodded and sighed. Unlike his chilly wife, Eric was wearing a light tee shirt, sandals and jeans. Don't vampires feel the elements?
"No, they don't, Mrs Walker, but 'turned' vampires and vampiresses like me do indeed feel the cold!" explained the little telepath from inside of my own mind.
"Well? What d'ya want my wife to do for ya, dammit? The sooner we kin get back home, the sooner I kin get me some lov-" said Eric before Sookie demurely slapped her hand across his mouth. Then they both sat there expectantly.
"Could you please whip us up a few bowls of that delicious eggnog that you made on 'ThanksForGiving', Sookie?" I asked and she smiled and trotted off to the kitchens. She was back in jig time, wearing a smart blue and yellow apron and carrying a bowl of white eggnog. Following her were Akame's moon-struck boy (Tatsumi), Faye Valentine, Dr Unohana of the 'soul reapers' and Grandfather Casterlein who was mentor to both Allison Poe and Romana Prydonia Caldy.
All of them were carrying more bowls brimming with the yummy smelling white egg nog. Kashi had 'repped up' several small tables and onto these they placed the bowls of nog. Sookie came over to me and slipped a small paper into my hand.
"The secret Stackhouse recipe with an extra special ingredient, Alexandra. Handed down for generations. I'd better get Eric home before he makes a scene again like he did last month. Remember? (I certainly did! After all, seeing a lustful vampire 'doing it' to his wife atop the kitchen table is not something that one soon forgets!) 'Night, Hon. See you tomorrow. Hear anything more from Angela? (I shook my head) Well, don't worry. As soon as she 'mind sends' again, I'll be sure and contact you. (She raised her voice) OK, I'm coming, dearest! Stop that, Eric! You'll drop 'Artemis' (Our white nekomata cat demon thing) into the bowl. Besides she prefers a glass anyway. Don't you, Arty, dear? (She purred and I placed her on a chair) 'Night, everyone." said Sookie and then she dragged her hubby out the door to their waiting skysleigh. Then they were gone.
"Hmmn. Tastes pretty good to me. What do you think, Ten Ten?" asked Kakashi, handing a glassful of Sookie's eggnog to the smaller Ninja girl. She took a cautious sip and then nodded her approval.
"Yummy! Ino! Sakura! Hinata! Neji! Gaara! Come taste this stuff, man! It's really cool tasting! Milady Hokage! Try some. This batch ain't been spiked, Lady Tsunade." called Ten Ten. She held out a glassful for the Lady Hokage and Naruto grabbed it and downed it in one gulp!
"Great! Yo, Grandma! It's swell! Even for an old lady like you! I mean- uh-" yelled Naruto and Sakura boxed his ears.
"Don't you ever think before you put your foot in your big mouth, Naruto?" giggled the blonde Ino.
"One must always respect one's elders, Naruto. That is what it says in this book of proper manners. You are- an 'uncouth youth' who- 'never thinks before he speaks' and-" explained Sai, the dark-haired Ninja boy.
"And if you mention that darn ratty ol' book again, it's gonna get shoved up yer a-" shouted Naruto.
"Naruto! I don't want to hear that kind of language from any of my Chunins!" snapped Lady Tsunade angrily.
"Careful there, Naruto or Milady T will bust ya back down to Genin!" chuckled Sasuke Uchiya until Hinata kicked him in the shins.
"That is not very nice, Sasuke. It is not Naruto's fault that he is so stupid." said Hinata Hyuuga. "Oopsy! That did not come out right, did it?" ahe added ashamedly.
"Whoa there! Save some of that stuff for the party, guys. I hope Walker makes it back here soon. It's starting to snow again." I said, wrapping up another present for our child.
"Kin we open our gifts tonight, Mrs Walker? We'll probably be on a mission on Christmas. Right, Kakashi Sensei? Grandma?" pleaded Naruto but I shook my head- 'No'.
"Perhaps you should vidcall the weather bureau about this storm, Alexa. Do you want me to come over there again? Eric's sound asleep and snoring the house down." said Sookie's voice inside of my mind. I was getting better at not being so jumpy when my thoughts were invaded.
"Oh, you have a 'sky sleigh', don't you, dear? Well, if it's not too much of an inconvenience- I would like to visit the 'FC' spaceport tower downtown. Maybe they have heard from the Doctor or Mr Cranston. You've not heard from Angela or Cordell, have you, Sook?" I replied inside of my mind.
"No, sorry. OK, let me throw on some clothes and I'll be right over to get you. Meet me on the roof of your building in ten minutes. Dress as warmly as you can, Alexa. It just began sleeting and hailing out there and the winds are terrific!" said Sookie's voice and I involuntarily nodded. Then I hunted up Jimmy, Gage, Siddy and CD and explained what I was going to do.
"The Hell you are, Honey! Oh, alright! Jimmy? You and Frank go with her. I'll stay here in case Cordell calls in or Mr Cranston." grumbled CD.
"Let's motor!" said Siddy Cooke, our lady Texas Ranger, tugging on her fur parka. The guys all stared at her.
"Oh, alright. Better take Siddy along with us just in case you need hot food and drinks 'repped up'." said Gage and she scowled at him.
"Alex! Go and get ready! We'll be up on the roof. Hurry up, girl!" called Jimmy Trivette. I dashed into our bedroom to change into winter gear. Then I ran up several flights of stairs to the roof. Sook's 'sky sleigh' had just set down and the top popped open.
"Climb aboard, guys. 'Tank's coming with us because none of us are allowed inside the tower without an escort. His brother-in-law works in the spaceport and he'll let us inside the tower. Strap yourselves in. Hands and feet all inside? I'm snapping the dome shut. Here we go!" said Sookie who was wearing a lovely red/white/blue snowsuit.
"Olympics?" I asked, pointing to her colourful attire.
"Huh? Oh, this? That Templar girl (Angie deRoncesvalles) loaned it to me. It's got her favourite football team's colours and logo- the New England Patriots. That parka looks new- and expensive too! Walker really splurged on ya, Alexa." replied Sookie with a grin.
"Walker? He has no taste in clothes. Siddy helped me to pick this out. Oh and it was on sale at the 'H Mall'- 60% off. It's a New Orleans Saints warm-up jacket in black and gold. Walker bought me a blue/grey Dallas Cowboys jacket but it sorta got a little dirty." I said.
Yeah, especially when 'Big Dog' spilled chili sauce all over it!" chuckled Jimmy.
"OK, OK. I said I was sorry, didn't I? Alex, if the 'cleaner 'droids' can't get those stains out, I'll replace the coat. When are you gonna learn to keep your big mouth shut, boyo? I'll be in enough hot water when Cordell finds out!" growled CD Parker.
"When I find out what, CD?" crackled the vidspeaker which was showing us a fuzzy vidscreen image of my husband.
END OF Chapter 24.
Had a bit of a mix-up, folks! Had to cut a chapter into thirds so the original Chapter 24 has been broken up into Chapters 24, 25 & 26. R/R/S away and thanks for your patience and understanding!- Story Teller Guy.