Chapter 35
Aloohula
This Day

They sit in the room behind the counter speaking quietly even though the door to the room is closed. His eyes stare at the door, Aloohula must take care of what he says as there are still customers that could come in and they may accidentally overhear something that they shouldn't.

Javier is leaning over the small table across from him with a look of glee on his face. "So you really believe there are pyramids in Antarctica? I mean seriously, just like the ones in Egypt?"

His breathing has been quick with all of the excitement of the conversation. Javier he truly believes is beginning to believe in what he does. That yes, aliens could have come to their two home worlds and guided them to the people they are today, but that perhaps another alien race came to visit leaving messages for them. This second people were their people from the future. "I believe so and they have left messages for us and they worked with those that guided the creation of our two peoples."

The human licks his lips as he nods his head for a moment. "I still believe in god and that he was the creator of our universe. However, the idea that maybe another people came to our two worlds isn't so hard for me to gasp. What I like is that our people came from the future to save our two worlds or at least our people from the evil that is coming."

"It could be the Banteen, they kill those whose technology is advanced enough for them to take what they want." The next comes out in a harsh rasp, "Then they slaughter all except for those they choose as slaves. What we know of them they are far more evil than either of our people."

With a gasp Javier says, "Sounds like your people were lucky."

"I don't think we were on their list until we put our stupid selves out in space when we were not really prepared. We were lucky, but still naive."

Javier sits back in his chair, "So this Anyx has got to be found."

Aloohula nods his head, but he knows part of the Anyx is already back home and likely in the Leaders hands. All he can do is wonder what the Great One will do if he discovers that he and Jason likely have an essential part of the Anyx. It bothers him a great deal for what would the SSG do to him and others if they found out. The ship is not a safe place to store this and he wonders if he could truly trust Javier to hide it here at Beautiful Smoke.

"You said you were only dropping off that little bit of equipment for that weird computer that Kelly is using and had to get back right away." Javier gives him an intense stare, "I get the feeling something is going on." Then he points up to the ceiling.

"When is something not going on up there," Aloohula then speaks in a harsh rasp. "Intrigue and secrets are non-stop. Even my own father." Then he frowns, "I think he is up to something."

Javier gives him a slight chuckle, "Come on your dad. Trust me he's not a Diana, Steven, SSG or even some secret resistance guy."

Aloohula begins to rub his hands together. There is something going on and he has no idea, what is his father not telling him. "My father wants me to return to the ship at a certain time and not be anywhere near the Security building we have here. I mean he was like all weird about it. I think he doesn't want me there. Kind of like when I was not to be assigned to duty the day of the hospital event."

"But he's not a resistance person and from what you said before he's not a ranking officer."

There is a feeling of anxiety that seems to be shadowing him and he can't figure out why. Something was wrong with the way his father was behaving towards him. "Don't know. So much going on this week and Beytlo is still in our infirmary."

"How is he doing by the way?"

"Better, but he will be in the infirmary for awhile." Then he gives Javier a troubled gaze, "I am getting a bit nervous. Brian is always about and sometimes it is just him with some of the Visitor Friends like that Daniel person. If he gets into trouble, but can't contact the ship because someone up there has found out he's Doing Our Own Thing. Sorry can't put this all in words, my English is not always good." Then he stands as he knows he must be leaving, but one thought won't leave him. "Do you know from what little time Zelda was in the resistance group if there are troopers like me working with them?"

"I don't know and I don't think Zelda knows." Javier shrugs. "Who is this Daniel person, never heard you talk about him."

"He's a human like you. He is in the Visitor Friends and Brian's second, but I don't trust him. I think Brian thinks he is his friend, but. . ." Aloohula stops speaking and shakes his head, "Anyway, worried about Brian we count on him being there and the other leaders of this movement. You know the ones who have to do all that think and organize thing and don't mind taking the heat as you say for making unpopular decisions." He takes a couple of steps towards the door and looks down at Javier wondering if he should apologize for all of his confused ranting.

"I understand," Javier stops for a moment and takes a deep breath before speaking again. "Look Nick and I have talked about this. . ." Then he stands and walks to the sliding door and opens it. "Can you come in for a moment Nick?"

"What's up?" Nick asks.

Grimly, Javier replies. "Time to do the pay phone thing."

There is a long silence as he and Nick just look at each other and then Nick walks back into the shop and there is a sound of a drawer closing. When he walks back into the room he nods, "I agree with Javier. Sounds like it is time." Then he places three small folded papers onto the small table. "One is for you, one for George and one for Brian."

Aloohula picks up one and gives them a confused stare. "I don't understand." Then he watches as Javier opens up one of the folded papers.

"See this," Javier holds up what Aloohula knows is a coin and then holds up a paper with writing on it. "This is a phone number to the shop. We're gonna show you how to use the pay phone and you're gonna dial the number to this shop. We'll come get you if you need to get out of some situation either to hide from your people or escape from some humans. You mentioned you can't bring your device anymore, so this appears to be good timing on our part."

Nick tilts his head and with a precise tone, "Let's just say it's part of Doing Our Own Thing."

There is no way that Zelda will be happy with this if it involves Brian. She has been very stern about her feelings for the Youth Leader and what he has done to a human. Before he can say that Zelda will not allow them to help Brian, Javier holds up a hand. "Zelda and I have spoken. It's okay and he better if it is needed, we all can get into trouble. However, we are human and have more ways to escape if only because we know places or people. No offense, but your an alien and if your real face is revealed you can be in big trouble."

"No, offense. Trust me most humans seeing what I truly look like. . .well they would likely kill me." What can he say to humans he is going to look like an evil lizard who they would not or couldn't identify with.

"Sadly, yes." Nick has given Aloohula a solemn look. "In fact, we have a place for Brian to go if he finally does agree that he do the die and disappear thing that you all want him to do." Then he holds his hand up and walks over to the door to verify that no one is entering the shop. "It's a little farm, but you all can fix it up so everything works without him being found and still communicate as needed. If you can continue to use that weird shuttle that can be made to look invisible, then you can still have face to face meetings. It may be time for him to die, not really die just made to look like it and disappear as you all say."

"You remember Fred don't you?" Javier asks. "It's his farm."

"Yes, I do remember him. Didn't really know him." This Aloohula says with a nod. "I wish we could get Brian to do that, but he won't. You know how he can be. . .stubborn. He should leave the ship, he's getting real tired of things he has to do for his assignments for Steven." He worries about putting Brian into the hands of any human who may have had a loved one killed and decides that the death of a Visitor any Visitor will be a good thing. Fred may be okay, but who else could suddenly appear on this farm who may seek vengeance. "Just with the human he killed, I don't want you all to suddenly feel you or someone else may have a way to fulfill some revenge thing."

"We didn't like what he did, but I kind of understand why he did it. I believe it had more to do with grief or as you keep saying revenge. Zelda struggles with what he has done. However, Javier and I have listened to this and decided we will ignore it, sometimes things are done and must be ignored. Hopefully, as time goes on she will forgive him. Javier and I had to decide what was more important to us and believe that we would have likely done the same. We don't know as we haven't been in that situation. Besides it was an order and if he disregarded the command things may have turned out badly for all of us." Nick's stance becomes stiff and there is a slight harshness to his tone. "However, he's gotta get a handle on his emotions if he is really going to be one of the leaders of DO. Not just me and Javier, but Zelda as well have noticed that not just Brian, but George and Shy have this sensitive side that they seem to hide, but it's there. Let's just say we have noticed that in some ways there is this odd immaturity about them and I have a feeling it is the same with all the other Youth Leaders. I guess it has to do with all of their training, but we are all counting on them to be just what they are suppose to be." Javier walks up behind him and is nodding as Nick finishes. "Leaders, and we can't wait for them to finish growing up."

"I agree." Aloohula feels the same, it seems as the Youth Leaders involved with Doing Our Own Thing as of late appear be somewhat emotional. However, their maturity level has always been a quiet joke among the crew and this is how he and Brian really got to know each other. He had called Brian a child, but those in Youth Corp all seem to be lacking some maturity that someone of their age should have already. However, he can't blame them for trying to sort out their emotions on what has been done to them, but they must take control of getting them out of the Regime. Somehow they must learn to deal with their pent up anger and confusion. Yet, they must be mindful because they aren't the only ones dealing with their emotions. There is a lot of unhappiness and anger on the ships, most want to get the water and leave and don't understand why they still haven't even procured the water. There are also the deaths of so many because of the growing human resistance and deaths at home from the lack of water. On top of that, ranking officers with their own agenda and who knows what his own father is up too. Too much to deal with at one time, but they must. Yes, the Youth Leaders better get their act together as the humans say. Suddenly he realizes that he has gone off into his own thoughts and finds that the two humans are giving him a concerned look.

Javier looks first to Nick and then to Aloohula as he asks, "Has he been asked to execute another human?"

"No, something else." His talk with Brian before coming down had been more intense then he had anticipated. The Youth Leader advised him on what he should be doing at Beautiful Smoke today as he was the only one going to the safe zone. There were two Youth Corp members who were part of their movement that would be on the small shuttle with him, but they were not yet introduced to the humans at Beautiful Smoke. Brian seemed stressed as he said that he had a long list of things that needed to be done at the request of ranking officers as well as Doing Our Thing, all of which was piling up. He reminded Brian that was why they needed him to leave the ship permanently and go into hiding to concentrate on not only what was important for Doing Our Thing, but himself as well. As Shy would say a good way to work through his emotional baggage. This Brian shrugged off saying there was no reason for him to do so.

For himself leaving to Avena is very important, especially leaving as soon as possible. What he wants to do before doing so is to find a way to tell his father and have him agree to leave for Avena with him or he would drug his father and force him to go with them. His father surely cannot be supportive of the Regime just from small comments he has made before leaving home. With his mother gone from this life there is no reason for his father to go back.

However, the human boy that Brian is looking for is very much on the Youth Leaders mind when they spoke. It bothers him that this is so important to Brian for it seems he sees it as a personal goal to get this child. With a sigh and a shrug Aloohula confesses. "He's been asked to find some human boy and he's getting kinda weird about it and it is taking up too much of his time in my opinion."

"What do you mean find and getting weird?" Javier asks with a grim stare that shows his concern that the one they are depending on for their part of Doing Our Thing is letting some emotional distraction get in the way of what is important to them.

"Well, he got this visual of this boy being held in one of the pods. Humm, I guess you call that a photo. Anyway he was looking for the boy. . .I don't know, how do I explain this." Aloohula says the rest with a thick voice and knows he sounds uncertain, but he isn't sure how this will sound without making Brian sound like he's having an emotional breakdown. "He's been having these bad dreams for some time...of being killed and. . . .as he is dying . . .this little boy comes up and says weird things. Brian thinks this boy is important as finding him means the dream will. . ." Then he shrugs, "Stop."

"Eh!" Both Javier and Nick say this with shocked looks and then both appear to be forcing a chuckle. It is easy to see they are not sure how to interpret what was said.

"Ah, doesn't matter." Aloohula shrugs and finds himself shaking. How would he interpret what was said and truthfully he never should have said anything. Now he is caught in trying to have to explain what he said and try to overlook how important this boy is to the Youth Leader. "Just that the more he was looking for the child the more he looked like the boy from his dream. Anyway, he's found him and now Steven is making him talk to Diana about him. Neither of us have any idea who the boy is as Brian could only find his image and pod number. He didn't have access for more information and as I said Steven is forcing him to work with her."

They both laugh and then Nick shakes his head, "Seems from what I heard that is the last thing he wants to do is be around the wicked witch."

Aloohula shakes his head. "Nope, he sure doesn't if I understand the wicked witch comment. She ordered him get a new uniform and Kelly told me he was forced to take new boots and he's got these crazy feet. Diana was punishing him for something and knew about his feet for some reason. Anyway he has real narrow feet with a high," Aloohula points to the bottom of his own foot.

"Arch, has a high arch." Nick says as he looks into the shop to once again ensure there are no customers.

"She can be a piece of work when she wants to make you regret even the dumbest things. Even ranking officers fear her my father has said." The discussion of Brian leaving the ship and having it appear like he was killed is one that more and more in the movement want. The Youth Leader's attention to what is important to them and to the Regime is a real issue. Aloohula finds he is rubbing his chin as he remembers another story Brian had told him today. "I like having him be sent somewhere out of sight of our officers; we all do. He had a meeting today with someone who came from another ship about Doing Our Thing and they had to go hide where the pipes are really loud. For some reason this individual was to stay on that floor for training and they couldn't go to one of the rooms Brian feels safe in. The other one thought that he heard someone come down the stairs and they had to stop talking about our little not resisting, and just leaving project. Made them both uneasy and these conversations are essential as Brian is one of our leaders who needs to coordinate with others on the other ships. There are going to be other meetings that have to be a face to face meetings, this will not be the first or last."

"He's gonna find that not only will he be safer, but all of you as well if he comes down here." Javier says stiffly and then suddenly his tone changes and he laughs. "Especially, if he really can do that weird telepathic communication thing when the others with that weird thing are free to converse shall we say. Hells bells, I never thought anyone really could do that." Shaking his head, he looks to Nick. "You actually said you went to this weird world."

Nick winces for a moment before responding. "Yeah, I remember that day he had one of those conversations here and wanted one of us to try and do the dream communication thing with him. Gordon said that he had done a test to validate that it was true and I should not be fearful. Gordon said it even surprised him, but now you and I guess we all depend on these conversations." Then he visibly shivers, "To think that it was happening on a ship stationed above a city in China when I did it with him. Brian had me take his hand and then there I was talking to this guy from China doing some coordinating. The guy from China had one of us humans as well, who looked like he was going to lose it. Better yet he said I spoke his language really well and I said no I thought he was speaking English. Wish we could do it again, but you know Zelda and the Brian. . ." Nick just shrugs.

Javier grins widely, "You did make Zelda jealous that day. You if I remember was still trying to figure out if it really happened or if you were dreaming. Man, the one person who is a believer is Zelda." He chuckles as he looks to Aloohula, "Strange stuff you all can do. All that psychie stuff. Wow!"

"Just Brian and one I guess on each of the ships. Brian said it's temporary and will go away." Aloohula is still amazed at what Brian and apparently someone on each of the ships can do. Those that were selected, trained and then were trained to block it out of their memory until they were ready to use if it for leaving the Regime. The ones who selected and trained what were young children at the time had a very long range goal in mind. Then again it used to be that some of these gifts were common place. With the Great One dictating everything that he can, this number of individuals are very few. If there are those back home who have any gifts they are hiding them. He has heard rumors that those with gifts were taken away and never came back. Most it was said were Whipelli. When he looks up both Nick and Javier are looking at him to say something, although he's not sure what they think he should say. "I guess you are wondering about the. . .what did you call it Javier. Yeah, psychie stuff. We have people on my world who can do some strange things, but those numbers are decreasing. Not all of it is for you know. . .have conversations out in space," He shrugs and then continues, "We have people called the Ibrea they can make this arch of light in the summer as they stand in a circle. Some of Brian's people the mountain people can do something called Death Sleep if they get caught out in their cold mountains and other stuff." He doesn't feel comfortable telling them that it has to do with an organ in their bodies that keeps them warm. When Doing Our Own Thing leaves this world, then they can be told all of this information to give to their resistance groups.

"Ibrea?" Javier puts a hand on Aloohula's shoulder and gives him a questioning stare. "You said your people were, Depol and Dahax and of course like Brian and George, Whipelli. I don't remember Ibrea." Again he rubs his chin for a moment with a perplexed look on his face. "Or I don't remember."

"I don't remember if we did or didn't tell you when we gave you the information and showed you visuals." He looks first to Javier and then to Nick, "Look we really didn't know if you would even accept a Whipelli who looks more human than the rest of us. Remember your shock when seeing what a green Brian looked like and basically he kind of looks just like a green human with different eyes. Now think of what I really look like, the real me. Most of your people will see only a monster."

Both shrug and Nick finally says, "I know. It was hard, Zelda was told you were lizards when she was with the resistance for a short time. No, offense, but you look like lizards." Then he holds up a hand, "I know. Aliens, aliens not lizards, birds and blah, blah, blah."

Aloohula shrugs, "Anyway no Ibrea on the ship. Those guys are very thin." Then his eyes look to the ceiling, "Seven feet to nine feet tall might be hard on you all to accept and besides they never, never kill. Well except insects, which they eat. They believe in peace in the biggest way possible, I don't know if there are humans like them that are all about peace and love. I think not from what I have seen of humans so far."

They laugh and finally Nick says, "Sound like Ibrea are our version of hippies. Look, I might have another customer soon. Why don't you take him out to the pay phone and I'll answer so he knows he did it right."

"Sure and if you will just give me enough coins so he can do it a few times," Javier says with a smile as they follow Nick out of the room.

"Sure," Nick says and they walk to the counter and he gives them the change. "Aloohula, you actually look good dressed in jeans. I mean really," Then he gives him a wink and laughs.

Javier smiles, "Is he flirting with you Aloohula?"

Aloohula can only give them a puzzled look until it finally dawns on him what they are talking about and he gives Javier a playful punch.

It takes a few times at the pay phone and Aloohula feels like he will have no issue in training Brian and George to use what is called the pay phone. As for hiding the coin and paper they can hide the folded paper with coin in their belt buckles, it is a place that the Youth Corp has used as a way to smuggle small items. Very small items, but it works and apparently security staff could care less.

With this they wish each other a good day and go their separate ways. For Aloohula his thoughts return to his father. His father is trying to protect him once again, of this he has no doubt. Something is going to happen tonight and his father doesn't want him to be part of it. It couldn't have anything to do with LaMar having been killed who disguised himself to look like that human Mike Donovan. What could his father be up too. Funny how you know when you're replicating Brian's infamous smirk and for a moment he finds himself silently laughing. He's going to be so much more attentive of his fathers activities, as his father he now believes knows far more of human resistance than he should. One should always protect your family and besides his plan is his father is going to be taken to Avena if he likes it or not.

Aloohula's hand goes to his pouch, he misses his device. However, before coming down today he was told that they are no longer going to be allowed to bring them to Earth. This will be made official tomorrow morning, but for some reason security was telling them to hand them over or go to their rooms and put their devices away. It was good that he was taking the special shuttle as he was able to go to his room and leave it there. Others were not so lucky and had to turn them over, the others being troopers and staff. Officers were not having to do so, but it sounds like tomorrow they will also have to turn them in or leave their communication device in their room. However, he actually understands as it would not be good to have humans get hold of their technology. They may not read their language now, but they can learn. Still it would be good to somehow smuggle one down to each of the safe zones so that if their human compatriots needed to escape they could rescue them. The Youth Corp makes everyone into family as they grow close to someone. He is now part of the family and now he worries for his Beautiful Smoke family.

Then his eyes turn to the buildings, how easy it would be for a sniper to aim a weapon at him and kill him. He pulls the hat that Javier keeps calling a cowboy hat down so that the wide brim covers what he knows is the place his crests will show. He is Dahax and a Dahax means large crests that are not easy to hide, which is why they are always in their helmets on Earth. Humans pass him and the discomfort of not having his device is really bothering him. There is no way to call for assistance if needed. All he can do is say is; take a breath and get back to the shuttle that is hiding in plain sight.

However, the one thought does not leave him. His father knows something about human resistance and he is going to find out. For now he returns to the ship to meet four young men and from what he has heard they are very young troopers.