CH40
Rick returns a few minutes later carrying a medium sized silver case. Jim has seen similar cases in the past that were used to hold camera equipment with cutout and molded foam inside to hold each piece.
"What's in the case, Bro?" Javi is curious. Not big enough to hold large enough weapons to counter what the men that will be after them soon have access to.
"These are for you." Rick holds up the case. "One for each of you, Alexis and I already have ours. We just need to teach you how to use them properly." Rick tells them.
"You ready pumpkin?"
Alexis just nods her head enthusiastically.
"You know where we are going, right?"
"Dad!" Alexis reply's exasperated with her father.
"Ok, ok, just checking. Lead the way pumpkin."
Alexis raises her right arm and soon a blank wall shimmers quickly then all they see is white in its place.
Everyone has seen something like this before. It was how they all got here.
"Lead the way pumpkin."
Alexis steps up to the wall and turns to Kate. "Come on Kate. This is going to be WAY COOL!" She tells her. Then steps thru the wall and can still be seen. Just on what would have been the other side of the wall.
"Go ahead Kate. Take Lanie with you. It's alright. You will be perfectly safe. I swear!" making an X on his chest with his finger.
Lanie walks up to Kate. "Shall we?" and puts out her arm like a man would do for a women who he wants to escort.
"Sure." as Kate takes Lanie's arm and starts for the open wall.
Rick meanwhile has turned to Ryan and Jenny. "You want to go get your baby? We may be gone for a little while." He advises them.
"You sure it's safe Castle.?" Ryan asks worried about his own little girl.
"Positive!" Rick tells him. "You might want to bring the baby bag with you."
Ryan looks at his wife and nods that she should. And she wordlessly heads downstairs to get her own little girl. And comes back up a few minutes later with the baby in her arms and the baby bag strung over her shoulder.
Ryan intercepts her and takes the baby bag from her and walks towards the wall the others just went thru. Noticing as they get there that Javi has already gone thru. Leaving just them and Castle.
"I'll be right behind you." he tells them. And they walk thru.
"Hold down the fort Lucile." and steps thru.
After Rick steps thru and joins the others, Alexis raises her right arm again and the wall closes.
Everyone can see open space over their heads. There are also a number of small single story buildings that look unfinished. The ground is a mix of dirt, sand and rocks. There are also a number of Mannequins scattered about.
Kate is the first to talk. "It's a shooting course?" though she is pretty sure, it comes out more as a question.
"Correct. This is where we are going to teach you how to use these." meaning what is in the case he still holds.
"Castle, where are we?" seeing Lanie looking up and only seeing stars in a solid blackness.
"This is a small atmospheric dome we set up for training purposes. It is located near the equator area of one of the moons of Jupiter. You call it Ganymede." Rick explains to everyone.
Jenny is shocked! "We,... We're in, … in space?"
"Well technically we are on a moon that is in space. But yes, we are in space."
Rick lets everyone wonder around for a little time while staring up into space.
"And we got here by going thru that, Trans. thingy that you used to get us into your house earlier?" Jenny is asking?
"Ok, gather round everyone. We kinda need to get started. Since this is likely to take some time." Rick tells them.
Opening the case he takes out what looks like a cross between Wonder Woman and a medieval style bracer. Similar to the ones worn by Aragorn in the movie Lord of the Rings. Just without the laces to tie it into place. "Here pumpkin, take this over to Kate and explain how to put it on for me."
"Sure dad." As Alexis takes it from her dad and walks over to Kate.
He takes another one out of the case and walks over to Javi. "We'll start with you Espo."
"This thing usually goes on your off arm. Since your right handed can you hold out your left arm for me?"
"This isn't going to hurt will it bro?" Javi asks.
"Oh, just suck it up Javi and stick out your arm. Castle knows what he's doing." Lanie tells him. "I hope." she adds.
"Oh, funny chica, very funny." Javi kids her, but holds out his arm to Castle anyway.
"Ok, first. What languages do you speak besides English?" Rick asks.
"Spanish." Javi responds.
"Are you fluent? Can you speak it, write it and read it? Can you think in Spanish up here?" as Rick points to his own head.
"Yea, Spanish is the language I grew up with. English is my second language." he tells him.
"Good.," as Rick seems to be doing something to the object.
Rick then places it on Espo's arm and closes it around his arm with an audible click.
"The device automatically powers up once it is closed up around your arm. Do you feel anything?" Rick asks him.
"No, not really. I mean I can feel the weight of it on my arm. But it doesn't restrict my movement or hurt any."
"Good. One more thing for you." As Rick reaches back into the case and pulls out a small object about the size of a very small battery.
"Now this goes on just behind your ear. You may feel a little sting, but it will go away quickly." Rick tells him.
Rick steps to Espo's side and bends his ear out with one hand and places his finger with the object on the tip of his finger to his skin just behind his ear.
"OW." Javi chirps.
"You ok?" Rick asks him.
"Yea, just hurt a little. Kinda like getting stung with something. Or getting a paper cut." He tells Rick.
"Good. Now I want you to ask for Lucile." Rick tells him.
"Go ahead." Rick encourages.
Shrugging his shoulders, Espo asks. "Lucile?"
"Yes, detective?" Lucile responds.
"Did you hear that? She answered!" Javi asks no one in particular.
"We didn't hear anything Javi." Lanie tells him.
"But I heard her! I did!" Javi tries to convince her.
Suddenly he hears her voice again. "You can hear me detective because the item just placed behind your ear is a long range communication device. You can now talk to me and I can talk to you over long distances when ever either of us wishes."
"Tell me you heard that this time." looking at Lanie
While she shakes her head, he hears "I'm only talking to you detective. No one else can hear me, even though Richard and Alexis are wearing the same device."
"Wow, this is just too cool." Espo tells everyone. At which everyone can hear Alexis giggle.
"Pumpkin you want to do Kate next?" Rick asks her.
"Sure dad." Stepping over to Kate with the bracer her dad gave her.
"It's ok Kate. It's really pretty cool."
Kate holds out her arm, but Alexis asks her some questions first. "Do you speak any languages besides English Kate?"
Kate nods her head. "I can speak, read and write Russian." she tells her after hearing what Rick asked Javi.
Alexis seems to be doing something to the bracer just like her father did. And then proceeds to attach it to Kate's arm just past her wrist.
"You ok?" she asks. "Feel anything?"
She shakes her head. "No, it feels pretty much just like Javi said."
Rick pulls out the communication tag and hands it to Alexis. Kate sees it coming and kneels down to Alexis's level so she can put it in place just like Javi.
"OW." Kate squeaks.
"You ok, mom?" Alexis asks.
Everyone notices that Alexis called her "MOM" and not Kate.
"I'm fine sweetie. It was just a sharp pain. But it's gone now."
Alexis tells her "Call for Lucile."
Kate nods her head and speaks "Lucile?"
"Yes, detective?"
"It's kinda weird. I can hear her. But only in one ear." Kate tells everyone.
"What does this thing do?" Kate asks holding out her arm.
"We'll get to that as soon as we get everyone set up with one of their own." Rick tells her.
"Ryan you want to be next?" Rick asks.
Ryan goes next followed by Jenny, then Lanie with Jim bringing up the rear.
Each one has their communication tag tested by talking to Lucile.
"OK, everyone. I want you to spread out. Walk some distance away from everyone. Then I want you to contact each person in our group individually, including myself and Alexis. And we will do the same." Rick tells them.
After everyone has talked to everyone, Rick waves them all back in.
"Now we will start to go over the bracer each of you have." Rick tells them.
"First I want each of you to 'THINK' activate life sign motion detector. Don't say it. Think it. And you have to think it in the language that you selected when your bracer was attached. It's a security measure should anyone other than you gain access to it."
"Kate for you that would mean Russian. Javi and Lanie that would be Spanish. Now, think 'activate life sign detector." Rick tells them.
Soon everyone sees a screen light up on their arms with little colored dots on them. Including the ones on Rick's and Alexis's arms.
"Alexis, you want to help me check everyone?"
Alexis just nods and starts by looking at Kate's.
"Ok, everyone see the colored dots? The blue ones are good guys and the red ones are bad guys. You can see the red ones because the mannequins spread out all over are tagged as being bad guys." Rick tells them.
"Now, while keeping an eye on you bracer, everyone start walking around some and then come back here."
Everyone see's the blue dots moving while the red ones remain stationary. Then everyone is back to around Rick and Alexis.
"Ok, everyone see what happened?" After getting affirmative nods from everyone, he continues.
"Next, I want everyone to THINK, activate chameleon circuit. Like last time you have to think it, not speak it in the language you selected."
"Ready, think 'activate chameleon circuit." Rick tells everyone.
"Hey it's gone!" Almost everyone says at the same time.
"No, it is still there" Rick tells everyone. "It has simply matched the color and look of your skin." Rick tells them.
"Now, re-activate your 'life form detector." Rick asks.
"Remember, you have to think it, not say it."
"Wow, that is cool!" Javi tells him.
"Everyone good?" Rick asks.
Getting everyone to say yes, Rick moves on to the next item.
"Alexis, you ready to take out some mannequins?"
"This is soooo cool Kate. Watch this."
Alexis takes a couple of steps away from everyone, raises her right arm. And shortly there is a small blue dot that leaves her arm and strikes one of the mannequins. Which looks to be enveloped in a blue aura and promptly collapses.
Alexis quickly turns around and states, "Pretty cool, huh Kate?" Smiling and so proud of herself.
Kate however is not so impressed. "CASTLE!" she sounds concerned.
"Relax MOM. It was just stunned." Alexis tells her.
Rick twists in place to look at Kate, who only shrugs her shoulders. Rick promptly strides over to Kate and Kate is about ready to explain but Rick cuts her off by kissing her soundly.
"Eeww. DAD! Kids present!" Alexis tells him.
Turning to look at his daughter while still having his arms wrapped around Kate, "Sorry pumpkin. I couldn't resist." Turning back to Kate he leans in and whispers in her ear, "We will discuss this later. …. MOM!" And let's go of Kate, who for her part blushes a nice dark crimson color.
Kate takes a quick look at her Dad, who is only standing there with the biggest smile she has seen on him since before her mother died.
Kate then turns her head to look at Lanie who has just cleared her throat. And watches her raise up her hand and point two finger at her eyes and then point the same two fingers at Kate.
Kate just slumps her shoulders, knowing what is to come from Laine when she can corner her alone.
"Ok, Pumpkin, just a couple of more times." He tells Alexis.
Alexis grins wide and turns and hits three more mannequins in quick succession. Then turns back to everyone still wearing her wide grin.
Javi turns to Ryan, "Bro, who would have thought 'little Castle' was a sharp shooter?"
Jenny answers for her husband, "I'm still trying to wrap my mind around both of them. This, is just so … surreal." At this Javi just lifts his eyebrows as a ' Me too' look.
"Pumpkin, you want to show Kate? While I show Javi first." Rick asks his daughter.
"You bet dad. Come on Kate, it's easy."
"Javi, you're with me."
"I want you to point with your left hand, and when you're ready. I want you to 'Think' Fire Stunner."
"Ready? Just point and think 'fire stunner' when you are ready."
Javi nods his head. Raises his left arm and soon there is a small blue dot about the same time he sees another blue dot streak out and they both Javi and Kate hit a different mannequin. And both promptly fall.
"Good. Now try it again." Rick tells him.
Just like last time there are two blue dots reaching out and striking a mannequin.
"Good, very good. Now I want you to try multiple hits as fast as you can." Rick tells him.
Like last time everyone now sees multiple little blue dots streak out from Javi and Kate to strike several mannequins.
Alexis and Rick soon work their way teaching everyone how to use the stunner.
"Kate, you want to try the course that is set up?" Rick asks her.
Kate gives him an enthusiastic nodding of her head. "Hell yes!" She tells him.
"Go over to the first building and tell Lucile when you are ready to start." Rick tells her.
Soon everyone is watching as Kate as she ducks and runs all over while watching little blue dots shoot out striking multiple mannequins. After having finished the course she walks back over to everyone breathing heavily.
"Have fun?" Rick asks her.
Kate just grins wide and says "Hell, Yes!"
"Lucile, what was her score?" Rick asks
"She got a 92." everyone hears in their ear.
"WHAT?" Kate is dumbfounded. "92?"
"Sorry detective. Your accuracy is good, but your movement can use some work." Lucile tells everyone.
"You want to take a crack at it Javi?" Rick asks
"You bet. Just watch and be amazed." Javi responds.
"Just walk up to the first building like Kate did and tell Lucile when you are ready to start."
Just like Kate they all watch as Espo jukes, and bobs and rolls and fires little blue dots. When done he walks back to the others breathing heavy same as Kate was.
"Lucile, how did he do?" Rick asks.
"He got an 89." everyone hears in their ear.
"WHAT? An 89?" Javi is equally dumbfounded.
"Sorry detective. Your movement is better, but your accuracy is not as good." Lucile tells everyone.
"Ryan, your next." Rick tells him.
"Like the others, just step up to the building and tell Lucile when you are ready."
Just like Javi, they see Ryan run thru the course and return when done.
"What was his score Lucile?"
"He got an 89." Lucile replys.
Ryan just shrugs his shoulders. "It was just my first time. I'll get better."
"Lanie, Jenny, you want to give it a try?" Rick asks. They both decline.
"How about you Jim?"
"I'll stick to moving papers around. I know enough to help if it comes to it. But just as soon it didn't"
"Anyone want to see how it's done?" Rick asks.
"You're going to take a turn Castle? This I gotta see!" Kate tells watching him stumble around should be good for a laugh.
Ryan speaks up, "I got 10 on Castle."
"You're on!" Javi responds to the challenge.
"Oh, not me!" Rick tells everyone.
"What's the matter, Castle? Chicken? Can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen." Kate teases.
"Dad doesn't mean himself, Kate. He means me." Alexis explains.
To which Rick just arches his eyebrows a couple of times.
"Watch and learn guys. Watch …. and …. learn." Leaning into his daughter "Take no prisoners, pumpkin." Rick tells her.
Alexis walks out to the first building. And soon starts the course.
Everyone watches the little girl bob and weave. Jump and spin. And shoot mannequins multiple times, and drops everyone she shoots at. Soon she is done and comes back breathing heavy just like the others.
"What is she? Yoda's sister?" Javi asks bewildered.
"What was her score? Lucile?" Rick asks.
"Alexis got a 96!" reply's Lucile.
"Woo hoo!" Shouts Alexis. "Who's your daddy now? Huh. Who's your daddy now?" As Alexis does her victory dance.
