The Project

Chapter 46

The Project Chapter 46

Eventually Stapkas joined Alex and Fergus in the cargo hold tossing his flight bag down on the deck.

"So is your sister part of the "man haters" club up there?" Asked Alex. Stapkas shook his head,

"No, she's too level headed for any of that. Besides this seems to be strictly about the ceremony they have to perform on your planet." Then turning to Fergus who was sitting on a plastic crate looking totally lost.

"So what's your role in all this my friend?" Fergus shrugged,

"It may not look it, but I'm the court wizard and as such, I have the ability to detect the level of magicka if any still exists on your planet."

"What if there isn't any?" Asked Alex.

"Well it may very well be there are certain "pockets" of magicka that still exist. Your friend Kelly says she knows of a possible location somewhere in what she called the British Isles, wherever that might be. However she wasn't entirely certain of where the exact location is."

"Well that sounds like Kelly," mumbled Alex, "England, Scotland and Wales is a pretty big place, did she mention where this location was?"

"I wasn't paying a whole lot of attention," replied Stapkas, "However I suppose that is where we will go first. Which, by the way about this home world of yours I have a few questions."

"Ask me anything," said Alex,

"Well I understand that our first order of business is to get to where this ceremony needs to be performed, then I assume you want to see your home again which is all well and good, but what are the chances Tiag and I could introduce ourselves and make some sort of "official" contact with your people." Alex frowned then replied.

"What? You mean like some sort of "close encounter?"

"I'm not familiar with that term," replied Stapkas, "I was thinking more along the lines of meeting with your leader or leaders; it would certainly impress my parents and perhaps help in my career." Sensing trouble, Alex tried to be as diplomatic as he could.

"Well…Ah, maybe that wouldn't be such a good thing, Stapkas, I haven't told you everything about the people on earth, but maybe we could start small and work up. My dad plays golf with the mayor of my town so maybe you could talk to him first. But I see what you want to do, and I'll give you all the advice I can, and maybe my dad can help as well, we'll just have to see OK?"

"I'd like to ask you something else," said Stapkas.

"Shoot!" He replied.

"Well as you know, my sister and I have two yarns to pretty much do as we please, and that applies to just about everything. Obviously we can't go around starting wars, or killing people, but…Well, I think you know what I mean." Alex gave him a puzzled look, then replied.

"Are you asking me if earth girls are "easy"? Seems to me they made a movie by that name.

"Uh no that's not what I was referring to," replied Stapkas. "Maybe I'm not making myself clear. Both my sister and I view you and Kelly as a golden opportunity to behave in a manner that if done on any known worlds in our galaxy would quickly get back to our parents and cause them shame and loss of prestige, whereas "cutting loose" on your world would have no foreseeable repercussions." Suddenly Alex realized what Stapkas wanted to do.

"If I understand you correctly, Stapkas, you and Tiag want to come to earth so you can get drunk, get laid, and generally raise hell without your folks getting wind of your behavior?" Stapkas looked at him, a smile slowly forming on his face.

"Yes, but not only that, I just want to cut loose my chains even just for a little while." Alex grinned,

"Let me guess, a little "hot rodding" and tear-assing around earth might be on the agenda as well?"

Stapkas smiled,

"Now you're getting the picture."

"Well," replied Alex, there are a number of places on earth I would not recommend trying this over, we just might get our asses shot down. I don't know about your galaxy, but on earth there are a number of nasty thuggish countries that would make our lives very unpleasant were we to get shot down, or crash in those places."

"Well you will have to alert us to them; However I'm willing to bet the weaponry we carry would go a long way to discourage anyone trying to attack us."

"Well we certainly don't want to start a war with anyone and I couldn't think of any better way than that," he replied, "Honestly though I would suggest you confine your "hell raising" to the United States and Canada. Things are pretty edgy back on earth right now, but if you want to start up another wave of UFO sightings I'm OK with that. Don't worry Stapkas," he added, "I can think of a lot of ways we can have some fun."

At that point Tansy approached them speaking to Alex.

"I hope you don't think I'm being rude," she said, "We haven't really been introduced, I'm Tansy Moonchaser, and I don't know what you have heard about we fairies but I would like to be your friend." While she was speaking, Fergus had been glaring at her, an action she immediately caught. Snapping her head in his direction, she said.

"I don't care if you are the court wizard Fergus, we have a task ahead of us and I want to perform it well and right the first time."

"It's not my fault the queen wouldn't let you bring along a keg of your favorite beer, don't take it out on me." Alex then spoke up,

"Uh, I think Fergus here is just nervous about space flight." Tansy looked at him replying,

"Well I am too, I had never given it any thought, but while we are traveling in this void, I have no magical power whatsoever, which I suspect is also Fergus's problem." The Leprechaun sighed,

"I'm afraid you have revealed my secret lass. It's something I've never experienced before and it bothers me greatly."

"It does me as well,' she replied, "But we must be remain strong for our queen." Then Alex said,

"By the way you aren't buying any of that crap Kelly and Bria are feeding you about me?" Tansy glared at him,

"Whatever do you mean? They have made no derogatory remarks concerning you. As a matter of fact, our discussions have been concentrated on the ceremony, and where Kelly thinks it will be most effective. Since she has been blessed by we fairy folk, I have asked her to assist in the capacity of a citizen from the world of the Aos si. Your friend is truly a godsend, the fact that Kelly has been so helpful, and Stapkas and Tiag have consented to take us to this strange land we now believe the Aos si landed on is something we of the Tuath De take very seriously. It may be our only opportunity to join our three tribes. Kelly may seem aloof towards you right now only because she takes her duties very seriously, and is concentrating all her efforts towards this effort."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know," he replied, "She's been pretty moody lately, and quite honestly, I don't need the drama right now."

"Understood," replied Tansy. She then studied Fergus,

"Cheer up sir, Kelly assures me we are heading for a land that highly reveres the lepreehun, perhaps you will be able to draw out the old spirits. By the way, speaking of another kind, that metallic container contains a goodly portion of your favorite brew; never say that I don't look out for my teammates." Fergus suddenly perked up staring at the medium sized container.

"Don't drink it all at once, ration yourself and it should last the journey," she added. Tansy then stepped over to Stapkas,

"For what you and your sister have consented to assist us with, I name you

"lfwine" may Danu smile on you all your days." With that, the gently touched his forehead, bowing, as she did so.

Once she had left, the three of them set up their beds Fergus needing the least space. Using crates and a few buffering pads, Alex and Stapkas managed to set themselves up with a decent amount of privacy as well as comfort. Fergus broke into the supply of beer Tansy had snuck aboard, offering some to Alex and Stapkas. Alex wasn't sure he was going to like warm beer, but it turned out to not be half bad.

Stapkas even liked the brew, so as they sat in a group Alex said to the Ruddorian.

"You said something earlier about tear-assing around earth, interested in doing a little canyon flying?"

"Are there chasms on your planet deep enough to drop down into?" replied Stapkas.

Alex snickered,

"Oh definitely, as a matter of fact I have a very famous one in mind right now."

"Most excellent," he replied, "There are places on Ruddor and Amm Krye that extend for hundreds of kults the navy uses them for training. Ahh, but will we stir things up?" Alex gave him a puzzled look.

""Yeah, I'm pretty sure we'll do that, in fact I can guarantee it."

"Excellent," came the reply.

Gradually a routine developed aboard the ship. Tiag and Kelly took the first shift while Stapkas and Alex took the other. Since the ship was in hyper drive and on auto pilot, it was more a matter of monitoring their course and the engine indicators. Oftentimes Tiag and her brother would run "problems" in which Alex and Kelly had to quickly recognize and correct. Kelly was always worrying that the engines would either overheat, or break down due to the constant running. Tiag kept telling her not to worry.

"Those engines were built to stay running; it's actually the short stops and starts that are hard on them. As you can see from the indicator they are currently operating in the normal range they are also designed to self-cool." Fergus had also mellowed out and had finally adjusted to space travel, but mostly he was just bored. Used to an ever changing schedule of activities around the palace, he, and apparently Tansy weren't used to the same thing every "day" with the same people. Even though the trip took a little over a week and a half it seemed like forever.

With nothing better to do, Fergus and Bria spent a lot of time talking about their respective homeland, each telling the other how they used to sit and look up at the others home and wonder what people were doing there. Kelly and to a lesser extent, Alex also spent a lot of time talking to the two fairy folk about what they could expect once they got to earth. Kelly seemed to know quite a bit about Elvin folklore as it pertained to Irish and English mythology, a fact that greatly surprised him. Once when he and Stapkas were alone, he confessed his surprise at Kelly's knowledge.

"Honestly Stapkas, I always had her as being pretty dumb, after all she was into that whole Goth thing, you know with the overdone eye shadow, the streaky hair combat boots, that sort of thing. She did seem to know a lot about extra terrestrials which is you guys so I asked her along. For the most part she's held up pretty well getting tight with the fairy folk and all." He then chuckled,

"Christ! If I had brought my original girlfriend she would have totally freaked out by now or would be dead. I don't know, maybe I've been reading Kelly all wrong."

"I wish I could help you," replied Stapkas, "But I really don't know enough about you earth people to make an honest judgment. Hopefully by the time we leave I'll be able to make a better assessment."

"Well either that or you'll be ready to declare war on planet earth." Stapkas gave him a curious look but said no more.

Once they entered earth's galaxy Alex suggested they start monitoring earth radio frequencies which was easier said than done. Everybody out Ruddorian way operated off a totally different band width. They began to orbit Jupiter while Tiag cobbled up a transmittereceiver that could pick up earth frequencies.

"These are rather primitive communication frequencies your planet uses," commented Tiag, "I hope your planet isn't trying to contact us using them."

Alex shrugged,

"Naw I don't think they are, seems like I read something one time about using light spectrums or something but who knows." Once Tiag was sure her communicator would transmit and receive, it was off to the moon where they went into orbit while a plan was put together.

"I truly have to admit your home world is very beautiful," commented Stapkas. Fergus, Tansy and even Bria all agreed it's outward beauty was no doubt what drew the Aos si to earth.

"I think our first order of business is to take up an orbit above Ireland and England," announced Kelly, "It might give us a better idea of where we need to go. What I wouldn't give for the internet right now, we could pull up everything we need concerning Elvin mythology and maps to pinpoint where our best chances are of either finding someone or at least ruins where we could perform the ceremony."

"What about Stonehenge?" Asked Alex.

"I thought about that," She replied, "I think it dates back to Druid times, but I'm not sure the Aos si had anything to do with it."

Then Alex had an idea,

"Tiag, there are a number of communication satellites orbiting earth, maybe if we could hack into one we could pick up the internet, if nothing else I might be able to contact my folks."

"Well I would have to scan one first," she replied. "Study its schematic, obtain the proper codes, if your communications through them is as primitive as your radio transmissions it might not be so easy."

"Well we can certainly give it a try," he replied, "If it proves to be so primitive, I really don't see what the problem would be."

"It's because it is so primitive," replied Tiag. "I would have nothing to compare the raw data to."

"Well I still have my iPhone," said Kelly, "All we need to do is hack the system and we're in." Tiag frowned at her comments but thought it was their best chance.