"Life in the Stars"
"First Star I See Tonight..."
Chapter 34
XXXIV
Onboard the new granilith, the guests were enjoying their dinner, their last, most likely, before setting off for home. The "Earth Antarians," or "Antarians Too," as the protectors had come to be called onboard, a play on an Antarian speech expression and the title of a beloved Antarian children's storybook, were still onboard for this last dinner and would be dropped off at their homes before leaving for Antar. Tess and Rayylar had already been dropped off in the desert near their hidden ship and were probably already on their way back to Antar.
Liz kept looking at Maya, who did not appear to be well... but this was almost impossible, since almost all illness had been eradicated on Antar many years in the past. Perhaps she picked up something on earth, Liz thought. But that, too, was unlikely... their immune systems were enhanced by inoculations and special food supplements on Antar, all but eliminating that possibility. Maybe it was Earth's atmosphere... It was toxic to some Antarians... but Maya had not shown any evidence of having a problem with the atmosphere, nor had the other girls.
"Maya, Dear, you haven't eaten any of your grelliats. Is there something wrong?"
"No, Mom. I'm just not hungry."
Liz raised her eyebrows and looked at Max, who smiled and raised his eyebrows, too. Maya, not hungry? That was a first. In fact, all three of the girls were frequently teased about being "hollow" inside, because they could put so much food away and never show it.
"May I be excused?" asked Maya. "I'm finished, and I'd like to go to my room. I'm... tired."
Max seemed concerned but agreed. Maya left the table without saying anything to anyone. Liz excused herself and followed Maya to her room.
"Are you sure you're okay, Honey?" Liz asked, closing the door behind them.
"Sure. Why wouldn't I be? I'm just tired... I told you."
Liz wasn't so sure. Something nagged at her. But it didn't make any sense that Maya should be ill. It just wasn't heard of anymore where they lived. So Liz gave up and returned to the galley after covering Maya up and leaving her to rest. But that nagging feeling persisted.
At the table, the Antarians, the new Antarians, and the Antarians Too were all talking about the things they had seen on this trip. It seemed that everyone had something to tell. Varec was most impressed by the simple, mechanical things on Earth. He had been so impressed by an old-style cash register that he had bought it from the storeowner.
"Do you realize," Varec said, "that that thing is one hundred percent mechanical? It doesn't depend on any electronics or neuronics at all! Something like that has not existed on Antar in over... fifteen thousand years, I believe. I'm sure that there isn't even one in our museum in CoruzAntar!"
The "Antarians Too" were amused by Varec's seeming infatuation with mechanical things, so common on Earth.
"You know, Varec," said Trude, smiling, "you remind me of another 'alien' we have on cable TV late night reruns."
"I do?" Varec seemed interested... "Who?"
"ALF."
All the Antarians Too laughed.
"Well, I don't mean that badly," said Trude. "We all love ALF! But on his planet, what was it... Melmac or something like that... lint was more valuable than gold."
Varec shook his head, "I must find this planet! I have lot's of lint that I can trade them!"
Everyone laughed. Max explained that ALF was a fictional character on earth TV. Zorel was grinning from ear to ear. He had seen ALF a couple of time while watching earth cable back at home, but he was not going to say anything, preferring instead to enjoy the conversation the way it was going.
Diane Casey was the center of attention through much of the meal. As the newest new-Antarian-to-be, she was of interest to everyone. Everyone asked her about her life, her work, her likes and dislikes. Diane was a bit shy about being the absolute center of so much attention, but she quickly understood that she was being made welcome and a part of the group.
The Antarians Too also were quite involved in the discussions. They wanted to know about Antar, and the Antarians wanted to know about them. Dinner was very animated, and everyone enjoyed the food. Diane was especially interested in the different foods, and she was as infatuated with the little droid as Varec was with his cash register.
Max had been thinking about something for some time, and before the meal, he had pulled Michael, Liz, Maria, and Varec aside to discuss it with them. He had made a decision on the matter now and decided to break it to the group.
"Folks... I have a... well, an offer to make, I guess. Those of you who accompanied us on this vacation have been called the 'Antarians Too,' well... because you really are 'Antarians, too!' Michael, Liz, Maria, Varec, and I have discussed this and have decided that, if any of you would like to, you are welcome to come with us to Antar for ten days as our guests in return. This would allow you to see the place that you... that someone in your past... came from. Varec has offered to bring you back at the end of ten days..."
"There's just one thing," Kyle said, wiping his lips with his napkin "You have to watch a video and take a one-hour tour of the CoruzAntar Time Share Resort..."
Everyone laughed, even Varec, who wasn't sure what a "time share" was, but understood that Kyle was joking and that the earthlings understood the joke quite well.
"Does anyone want to go?" Max asked.
There was a lot of enthusiastic nodding in the group. To a person, everyone wanted to see another planet... and not just any other planet... but Antar, seven galaxies away, the birthplace of their ancestors.
"Excellent," said Max. "Then we will not need to return to earth and can set out immediately for Antar."
"Starlight, star bright..." said Roselle, looking toward the sky.
Diane Casey added, "First star I see tonight..."
Michael smiled, "It's too far away to see tonight, but you'll see it soon! And you'll never forget it! It looks like a jewel hanging in space... a piece of gold. It's beautiful!"
The new granilith rotated away from the backside of the moon and aimed for space... in the direction of Antar. One second it was there, the next it was thousands of miles away as it went to star speed.
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In a bunker under Area 51, a small girl felt everyone she loved getting further away. She tried to use her powers of telecommunication to communicate with someone... anyone... but she was too groggy. She couldn't even speak her own name, much less use her powers. She knew the young blonde woman lying on the gurney, but in her drugged condition, she couldn't remember her name.
The men in black suits discussed with each other what they should do. It was obvious that Klein did not know the two aliens that they had captured. Whether or not he knew anything else of use to them was uncertain. They decided to let him live long enough to find out if he knew anything worth their attention or not.
"What do we do with these?" the second agent asked, indicating the young blonde woman and the girl.
The first agent stared at them for a few moments...
"Take them apart... See if you can find any source for any of those powers that idiot Zwolinski was always talking about."
Something inside Klein snapped, and he lunged into the four agents in the room like a locomotive, carrying the seat he was handcuffed to with him. All four men in black suits were bowled over, but it was to little avail. In no time, they had subdued the still-struggling Klein, who now had many more cuts and bruises on his face and body than before.
The men in black suits left the room, leaving Klein handcuffed to his chair, which now sat beside the young blonde woman…
"I'm sorry," Klein said to the woman and the girl... "I tried, but I don't think any of us is going to leave here alive... Who are you? Are you really an alien? Do you know Diane Casey?"
The young woman whispered to Klein, "Tess."
"Is that your name?" Klein asked.
She tried to nod but found it too painful... "Yes," she whispered.
"Can I do anything to help?" Klein asked after a moment.
Tess struggled to speak, "Keep... keep them from giving shot... drug... Maya."
"The girl?" Klein asked. "Yeah, I can see that they drugged her pretty good."
"Keep... keep from..." Tess tried to say.
"I don't know if I can," said Klein "but if that'll help, I'll do everything I can to try. Okay?"
Tess smiled slightly then lapsed into unconsciousness again.
"Damned filthy pigs," Klein said to himself... "Even their filthy skin shed all over me."
-----------------------End of Chapter 34