CH 16
To Jackie's surprise, there was no other fallout from school about Jerry's essay on his opinion. His class even got another teacher. Maybe she was fired. One only hoped.
Things were going well up in Collinwood. Duncan was managing his money and made new investments. Jerry was doing well in school, and the household was running fine. The only trouble was Jackie knew it was tough on Duncan to fly her to Texas and back every day so she could do her part on the movie. First, she asked him, then Jerry if they minded if she just stayed in Texas for the movie production.
"I can ask Joan to fly me home for the weekends, so it won't be like I'll never be around," she offered.
Duncan agreed, "You'll be spending much less time flying, I know you're not comfortable in the air."
Jerry grinned, "Do it! I get to say my Mom's a movie star!"
Jackie chuckled. "Thanks, guys. I think it will be easier on everyone."
Duncan asked, "Why don't you see if Joan would mind staying the weekend with us while she's at it? That will be less trips for her as well."
Jackie nodded. "I like that idea. When you take me down tomorrow, I'll ask her. Actually, let me give her a call now." She pulled her phone out.
Jackie announced, "Is Queen Lisa there? … Yeah, it's Jackie. OK."
Jackie grinned at Duncan. "She's got 'Bob' problems again."
"Another woman?" he asked.
Jackie giggled. "She should kill him again just for GP."
"Hey Joan … he what? He spaced out and wrecked his truck? Think you hit him too hard the last time you were mad at him?" Jackie asked with a grin.
Jackie's eyes then widened, "He did? Who's were they? … You know that's not possible. So what if Malinara agrees, Hanna was cindered in place, burned right down to bone. How could he have her boobs? …" She then laughed. "OK, I have to know, what is he going to do with them, boobie pillows? … OK … So how did Bob get into outer space … You're telling me that Hanna is now an angel or something and can take him light years away? …"
"What?" Jerry asked, looking confused.
Jackie listened a bit then burst out laughing. "So just when you were sure the harem was reduced by one, she comes back! You're cursed with them, you know that. Oh! Hey, why I called. We've been talking and if you could fly me home on the weekend and maybe stay for the weekend, it will be easier on Duncan … Yeah, Ok, that's fine. But you know, if you take that cargo plane, you can bring a car with you … OK, your two seater's fine. You won't even need to use an airfield, you can park it at the beach near here … I doubt anyone will see it let alone mess with it … Yes, bring your tail! We can screw with more divers. The water should still be warm enough for a while yet." Jackie then giggled. "OK, go keep Bob out of trouble, see you later."
"Joan has a cargo plane?" Duncan asked.
Jackie was still grinning from her conversation with Joan. "It's not hers, but Mrs. Weaver lets her use it. She flew out to that island we were stranded on and brought Moahan to the lake so she could give birth there, then flew them home again with supplies. Joan is one of three pilots authorized to fly the thing."
"I thought Hanna was burnt down to a skeleton?" Duncan asked.
Jackie nodded. "She was. Apparently she's some kind of angel now. She badly wanted Bob to have her breasts when she died, and somehow she managed to give them to Bob. Or rather, copies of them."
"Ewww, that's gross," Jerry said with a wince. "How'd she get burned up?"
"Hanna was outside when the nuke hit us, she was fried down to bone," Jackie said. "One of hundreds who didn't make it."
"You were in a nuclear blast, and you lived?' Jerry asked, wide eyed.
Jackie said, "Me, Duncan and much of my immediate family survived. It was no picnic, I can tell you that. We were really knocked for a loop. Once we recovered, we made damn sure the ones who did it, will never do anything like that, ever again."
"Jerry, you can't tell anyone about that," Duncan said firmly. "Or anything Jackie just spoke about now."
Jerry nodded. "OK, but, wow. You guys really are very tough."
"We don't like to advertise it," Duncan told him in a serious tone.
Jerry had to ask, "So what's with Hanna's boobies being pillows now she's dead?"
Jackie winced. "I shouldn't have let you hear that. That's not really a story for kids, hon."
Duncan frown. Jerry had heard way too much.
Jerry looked off at nothing. He was learning stranger and stranger things he didn't want to know about.
.
In the morning, Joan flew to Austin to pick up Jackie. She got there only a few minutes before Duncan and Jackie arrived. They both stopped on the tarmac outside the terminal. Jackie kissed Duncan goodbye, grabbed her suitcase and hopped into Joan's plane. Joan then flew them back to the lake.
Although Bob's truck had hit a tree, it still worked. Joan with Jackie in the car followed him down to the new garage to see if they could fix his truck, then took him to the dealership to get another truck.
Jackie turned to Bob who was in the back seat. "So Bob, now you're collecting breasts?" she asked with a wide grin.
"I'm not collecting them," he said firmly. "Hanna insisted I have them."
"Wow, so if Joan here dies, you gonna lop her tits off and keep them?"
"No," Bob stated.
Joan cracked a mischievous grin. "Why not? You already told Malinara you were going to keep hers."
Jackie snorted out a laugh. She sang, "Bob's got a serious breast fetish."
"I DO NOT!" Bob cried as his face reddened.
Joan held up a hand. "Bob, just make sure I'm dead first, OK? If I'm knocked out and wake up flat chested, someone in this car is going to be in serious pain!"
"Joan, I won't do that," he stated firmly.
"Oh, so Hanna and Malinara's breasts are good enough to keep, but not mine?" Joan asked.
Bob grumbled, "I didn't mean it that way. What I mean is, they insist I keep their breasts."
"I get it!" Jackie said, grinning broadly, "Joan, he only keeps his slaves' breasts!"
"Looks like it," Joan agreed with a grin.
Bob wanted to say that wasn't true … But it was. He face planted with a groan.
Jackie patted Joan on the shoulder. "Don't worry Joan, I'll make sure he keeps yours too."
Joan nodded. "And Allie's, otherwise it would be breast-discrimination."
Jackie fell into a fit of laughter.
"Are we there yet?' Bob grumbled and looked out the window.
"Yup!" Joan chirped. "Now you can get a break from mammary mischief."
Bob was never so glad to get out of the car. He kissed Joan. Before he moved away from the car, Joan gave him a thumbs up and announced, "This boob's for you!"
Joan drove away, laughing with Jackie. Back on the road Joan headed for the movie making site.
Calming herself from her laughing fit, Jackie asked, "What is it with having Bob cut their breasts off?"
Joan shrugged. "It is something they both had insisted on. Supposedly, giving him their tits is a sign of total devotion, so after they die, an intimate part of them stays with him. Malinara explained in detail how to preserve them."
"That's kinda gross."
Joan nodded. "Yeah, it is. I can also see why they want to do that."
Jackie eyed her. "Don't even say you're thinking about it."
Joan shrugged. "Well, I'll be done with them."
"Joan, you're getting weird."
.
Getting to the production site outside of Driftwood, Cameron was having a few terminators building sets. Inside the Quonset hut where they were making and practicing scenes, they saw a rack of long swords. The handles were fairly ornate , the blades a full inch thick. The tips of the blades were blunted and capped.
"We've got practice swords in," Montgomery announced as he saw them come in.
"Sparing time?" Jackie asked.
Joan said, "I've never used those. Monty, show me how it's done?" She picked a sword off the rack and tossed it to him, then grabbed another one.
Jackie grinned and backed up. Her grin grew wider as Monty patiently showed Joan how to hold her sword, and explained, 'movie' hits by getting close but not touching her opponent on the opposite side of the camera.
Joan held her sword out at arm's length. She backed up a bit. "Ready."
"Bend your arm, right. Now try to parry my blade." Montgomery said and moved to strike.
In a fast motion Joan spun her blade around his and flicked it to the side, then movie stabbed him in the ribs, just missing him. All he saw was a blur of motion. "Like that?" she asked.
Jackie chuckled. "Monty, when we fence Joan usually beats me."
Montgomery sighed. He told Joan, "You tricked me. If you can beat Jackie, then no one stands a chance against you. Were you girls born with swords in your hands?"
Joan grinned. "Naw, we had to wait until first grade to start fencing against each other."
"Yeah, Allie and Joan got yelled at in kindergarten for doing that," Jackie added.
"No wonder you're so good," Monty said blankly.
"Runs in the family." Joan replied. "We used to watch Sonya and Delilah go at it. They can do the cliff scene of the Princess Bride perfectly. They even made up new moves."
"With heavy claymore swords," Jackie added.
Montgomery eyed Joan then Jackie. "You two are really hard core."
With a smirk, Jackie said, "We're bad to the bone."
Unfortunately, today they went over more script, there was no fun with swords. It was just everyone going over their lines as a large green screen was put up. They would start doing scenes when all the costumes arrived.
.
One thing Charlie was working on was the theme song for the movie. He listened to different songs and tried to picture which one would really fit the film.
Having more experience in music, Cameron decided to help him out. Sitting down by him, she asked, "What is the main these of this movie? I see it as a fast paced action with Jackie, rather Princess Lisa, being the main character."
"Yes, so we need a fast paced instrumental that that mirrors the action," he agreed.
"Something original," Cameron prodded. "Charlie, you have a good hook to draw people to come see this movie. It's made here in Driftwood. People will want to see it just for that reason. If you have an original song that can be played on the radio and marketed, that will be another draw."
"I don't know any song writers," he replied.
"We do," Cameron assured him. "Let me talk to Delilah about the theme song. If she comes up with something good, and Jackie and locals here can play it, that could be a music video as well."
Charlie brightened up. "Yes! That could work!"
Cameron nodded. "I'll go get started."
While Cameron went to talk to Delilah about making a theme song, Jackie and Montgomery were going over their pre-wedding sword duel script.
Princess Lisa : "I will accept your proposal under one condition. We duel, and you have to beat me."
Montgomery : "Princess, I'm not going to duel with you!"
Princess Lisa : "Then I guess we're not getting married."
Montgomery : "What kind of insane demand is that?"
Princess Lisa : "My kind. We duel, you get first blood and I'll marry you."
Montgomery : "Princess, please, I don't want to hurt you. Please don't ask me to do this!"
Princess Lisa : "What? If you're afraid to poke me with something long and hard, then I don't want you as a husband!"
Montgomery : forced back a grin. "That's not quite the same thing,"
Princess Lisa : "I need to now you can protect me. Come on, you're the best swordsman in the land. It can't be that hard to beat me. Are you afraid you'll lose?"
Montgomery : "No I'm not afraid of losing to you! I'm afraid of hurting you!"
Princess Lisa : "You're afraid a girl is going to show you up."
Montgomery : "I am not!"
Princess Lisa : "Are too. You're afraid I'm better than you are with a blade."
Montgomery : "All right, squire, two sword please!"
King Robert : "Lisa! Stop this! It's very unladylike to demand your future husband has a duel with you!"
Princess Lisa : "It's my marriage, Dad, I get to demand my suitor performs a task for me, is that not right? His task is to beat me in a sword fight!"
King Robert. "That is not reasonable task."
Princess Lisa : "That is the task. It's much safer for him then sending him out on some long quest, he doesn't even have to leave the castle!"
King Robert : "Lisa, he is worried about hurting YOU!"
Princess Lisa : pointing at Montgomery. "That is the my task to prove yourself to me!
Montgomery : "Fine, Princess. I apologize for what I'm about to do."
Princess Lisa. "Forgiven. Let's get to it."
That was far as they could go without the swords.
.
To control the fight at the coach scene, instead of riding and fighting on horseback, Charlie decided to have the horses tethered and the whole fight be done on foot.
Jackie thought this would be a little less exciting, but then again, no one would be kicked by horses who accidentally got stuck.
The only 'live' action they practiced was Marinara shooting fire over the heads of Montgomery and his men. Ready to 'practice' duck, they all ducked for real and covered their heads when she did shoot fire over them.
"Jesus!" one man cried. "She really shot fire right off her hand!"
Jackie laughed and clapped. The looks of shock on their faces was priceless.
.
Sonya had her octopus problem solved. At least she thought so. Her swimming pool was big, so she had a section at the deep end blocked off with concrete walls for what she was told would be ample room for her octopus, a ten foot by ten foot area. This section was drained and refilled with salt water. Then she had a couple big rocks lowered in then some smaller ones and a 'cave' like structure for him to hide in. It wasn't cluttered on the bottom but there were things on the bottom to get his attention. Of course, that section of the pool had to have it's own filter and aerator since it was a big aquarium.
Before she brought her growing eight armed friend out, she put her tail beside the pool and got her bikini on.
Officer Hanson had come to her house to assist in the transfer. By now, her octopus was all but filling the small aquarium. Officer Hanson brought the bucket of fish they were going to feed him with once the transfer was done.
Picking up the aquarium, Sonya asked her, "You think he'll take to his new environment?"
"They do like new things to explore," Hanson said. "And you being here and being in the water with him, I think he will really like it. The PH and temperature is perfect. I don't see a problem."
Sonya walked the aquarium with the now nearly basketball sized octopus in it out to the pool. She noted he was watching where they were going. When she set the aquarium down and got in her tail, she swore he was watching her do it.
Now came the tricky part. Putting him and the aquarium in the pool and not spilling it out. Sonya sat on the side of the pool, her legs in the water. She picked up the aquarium and set it on her lap, the lowered it down. Of course, the octopus sent a tentacle out to touch her tail. Those were getting long also. While Sonya Lowered the aquaruim part way into the pool, Officer Hanson knelt by her and used a temperature probe into the water, and the aquarium.
"Half a degree difference, that shouldn't bother him," she noted.
Sonya lowered the aquarium until water from the pool poured in over the top edge. She was thinking she'd have to dump him out. Her octopus send out more arms into the pool. With two now on her lap and the others on the aquarium edges, he slid himself out of the aquarium and into the water.
"That was easy," Sonya noted. She dumped the water out of the aquarium and pulled it out to set it to the side.
"You should name him," Hanson said with a grin.
Sonya frowned briefly, then said, "Hugh."
"Hugh?"
"Yes, I heard Hugh Hefner was quite the octopus with the ladies," Sonya said with a smirk.
Hanson laughed. "It fits!"
Sonya waited for Hugh to let go of her. He didn't. He turned to look down, but kept him grip on her. She reached into the bucket and got him a fish. He grabbed it with a tentacle and ate it still holding onto her. He also tugged on her some.
OK, he wanted her to get in too. Sonya slide down into the water with him, then swam out and down. Hugh finally let go and followed her. She went down to the cave and looked in. Hugh stayed by her and sent a couple tentacles into the cave. He then slipped inside and turned to look back out at her. Reaching out, he grabbed a small rock with a tentacle and puled it over to the entrance.
Sonya backed up to give him room. He came out to grab another small rock.
She got it, he was building a cover for his cave. Swimming over to grab rocks from the bottom, she helped Hugh cover up his entrance. When they used all the loose small rocks, he grabbed a fake plant to all but completely obscure the entrance to his cave.
The cave building done he came back out and put a tentacle on her hair and one on her wrist. He pulled in her wrist to guide it to the back of his head. He wanted his head rubbed.
Sonya shifted position to sit on the bottom and gently rub the back of his head for him. Hugh's tentacles all relaxed as he enjoyed the sensations.
A slap on the water got Sonya's attention. Hanson had her hand in the water, motioning up. Sonya swan up to see what she wanted. Coming up at the edge of the pool, Sonya said, "If you're going to feed me, I'm not hungry."
"No, I was wondering when you were coming up for air. You've been down there for a half hour."
Sonya felt a tentacle on her back. Hugh was beside her and squirted water at Hanson. He hit her in the eye. Sonya laughed. "I think he wants another fish."
Hanson wiped her face off and got another small fish from the bucket. Hugh took it and ate it, then went back down. Sonya got up and out. Looking down, she noticed that the cave entrance now was all but invisible. "Hugh is really smart."
"He build himself a safe place. Well, you helped. The fact he let you help shows he trusts you."
"Good thing, under water his tentacles are strong," Sonya noted.
"You know, he's going to want you to come visit him," Hanson told her.
Sonya nodded. "I will. He's going to be eating much more too, isn't he."
"He is. Remember, he's growing and he's going to get big. He's also going to want things to play with."
Sonya nodded absently. "I want to thank you for all the help you've been giving me with Hugh. You've been invaluable to me."
Hanson grinned. "Hey, it's my pleasure. It's not often I get to watch an octopus grow up. It's been fun." She then asked, "So tell me, how can you stay down under water for a half hour? Most people would be passed out after a few minutes."
Sonya shrugged. "I'm not human. I don't need to breathe air like humans do."
"Let me guess, you really are a mermaid?"
"No, I'm a terminator."
Officer Hanson stared at her. "Whoa, you?"
"Yeah. I don't advertise it, but I don't deny it either," Sonya told her. "Some people really don't like us."
Slowly, Hanson said, "I never would have guessed. Well, I think you're a good person, whatever you are. Any help you need with Hugh, don't ever be afraid to ask."
.
