Angelika Queen Of Mars

Chapter 28

Chapter 28 Claims Of The Past

That night I kept waking up from strange dreams, not exactly nightmares, although I still got them from time to time but they were about my experiences in the war. These were undefined dreams however at some point Angelika and I were having fun in bed but in another the Falth were attacking earth. Dori was still sound asleep next to me the blankets pulled up over her head. For some reason she always slept that way making only a small opening for her mouth and nose, I studied the form lying next to me watching it move from her gentle breathing. My mind then settled on the fact that I had houseguests to take care of , most of them space aliens. I then tried to imagine how my situation would be portrayed in the movies, would they treat it as a comedy? Perhaps it would be straight science fiction, but in the end I was sure Hollywood would treat my situation as a horror story as they always do.

Suddenly, a knock at the bedroom door snapped me back to reality as well as waking Dori. It was Carman announcing that she was fixing breakfast, and coffee was on. I acknowledged the fact and began efforts to get out of bed until Dori threw off her covers. I've been married to her for a little over a year now but every time I see her completely naked as she was I always ask myself what I did to deserve her, the toughest part was the fact that she paid no attention to how terrific she looked. If it hadn't been for the fact that we had so much to do today a whole lot of love making would have been called for.

Skipping showers we quickly dressed and went out to meet the day. Breakfast was in full swing as everyone was sitting around the table chowing down on Carman's pancakes, bacon, eggs and hash browns. I noticed that Jarnak was standing next to Carman at the stove watching her cook breakfast she was giggling, he was laughing, a chemistry seemed to be building. Temmik wasn't having much luck finding what he needed on the internet so I promised to see what I could do to help although that effort was interrupted by the subsequent arrival of various family members.

David and Colin Blessing, Colin's wife Kate, their two kids Robert and Anna. My mom and dad, Dale and Belinda Jessup her daughter Kaitlan as well as Belinda's brothers Don and Allen their wives and kids. This was a real house full, and I wasn't making myself popular by confiscating phones regardless of the reasons. To make matters worse, Dona and Allen's wives along with Allen's son Erik had never received the Transnano treatment so we had people having to "wing it," as far as translation went. Introductions were made all around with Don's daughter Palmer and Kaitlan volunteering to help Temmik in his efforts to locate possible descendants. Robarik once again explained his offer to come to Falth to study, so far only Kaitlan and Robert were interested, but they were only sixteen and still a couple years away from graduating from high school. I called Terry Bickford who lived near Bedford Pennsylvania as well as Conner Bickford who lived in Pittsburgh. Both were divorced but had kids old enough to accept Robarik's offer.

"I can't come out there right now Jake," explained Terry , "How about you guys come to the old farm? Kelly has finally made up her mind to do this, and I think Conner's daughter Torry was interested as well."

"Well, Robarik's son is here as well, he certainly wants to see the old place, I told him about all the airport traffic, but he didn't seem too worried, so I guess we'll try and make it there," I replied.

"Well let either Conner or I know when you're coming," he replied,

"We'll be waiting for you." Things finally settled down to everyone just sitting around in two distinct groups chatting. The women all seemed drawn to Jarnak, Sharla and Dori, while we men talked with Kha'Mak, Robarik, Rek, and Temmik. I was mildly surprised to see that the other guys were quite versed on topics dealing with space, maybe it was simply because they had "relatives" from another planet. Kha'Mak fascinated everyone, as he had with me, the novelty of conversing with someone who wasn't human yet was awed everyone. Dale and Colin were both fans of a website dealing with space exploration and all related matters but here they were just having a great conversation with beings from another world.

As Colin later told me,

"I was here when that Draaka fellow and his friends came here the first time, but man, none of that sci-fi crap you see in the movies, just people like us sitting and talking. I really envy you Jake, you actually travel to their planet and all, what's it like?" I gave him a rough description then added,

"You know Colin, the possibility of you going along with Robert wouldn't be hard to arrange." He grimaced and frowned,

"Yeah I know, believe me, ever since Bob told me he's interested in going to school there I've been thinking about it. Katy and I have discussed it but with the economy like it is I can't take off like that, believe me I would in a heartbeat if I could." I patted him on his shoulder,

"Colin, you're not getting any younger, just think of it, you and Kate traveling to Falth, lying on the beach at Akdor looking up at the moons of Solis and Syria, did you know they still have dinosaurs on Falth?" Colin smiled and nodded,

"Dropcheg's, Keramat's, and Jemmatides, I read Holly's book, she mentioned falls that put Niagara to shame, oh yeah, the trip of a lifetime," he laughed, "While those dickheads in NASA are screwing around with space shuttles we'd actually be visiting another world."

Everyone got a tour of the Giuffrida marveling at the technology wishing that the United States had developed spacecraft like it. All understood why the Falthian's couldn't just give us the technology and grudgingly agreed, but it didn't make matters any better. Of the kids interested in actually going to Falth, Torry was the one who could go right away, she was seventeen, and due to graduate this coming spring, Kha'Mak let her sit in the pilot's seat as she explained to he and Robarik.

"I've read Holly's book three times and I just can't believe she was able to do what she did way back then, I want to walk in her footsteps, do all the things she did I want to actually fly one of these things." Jarmak was just about to say something, when Carman came bolting out of the house.

"Everybody get in here, it's on the news, Queen Angelika is doing something on one of Jupiter's moons, the UN is calling a special session and the president is going to say something."

When we came into the living room the women were all glued to the TV, the reporter was already into her reading, the picture that I took of Angelika and the store clerk out in Montana was up on the screen, however it had been cropped only showing Angelika.

"The self-styled "Queen of Mars has announced that she is terra forming the Jovian moon of Europa, and that her people will be living there once the terra forming is complete." A video image then appeared obviously taken through a high powered telescope showing the moon shrouded by what looked like a huge dust cloud.

"Now what's she up to?" Exclaimed Sharla, "What's this terra forming business anyway?

"Something is going on with Naval command as well as the government," replied Robarik, "I've only read about the theory of terra forming obviously someone's been keeping secrets, but I thought she was out on the far reaches of your galaxy on some sort of exploratory mission."

The news announcer was reporting that the UN was calling an emergency security council meeting and that the president would be making an announcement shortly.

Everyone immediately fell into a discussion of what was really going on Robarik and his son were puzzled as to what naval command was up to this bordered on violation of the prime directive,

"Did I hear her say that a colony was going to be established on this moon?" he asked. Sharla was equally confused,

"This doesn't sound like Angelika at all," she exclaimed, "But who are these people she said were going to be living on this planet, surly not Falthians?"

Both Robarik as well as Kha'Mak agreed,

"Something else is going on here," he wondered, "This just isn't Falthian policy, our whole effort has been to keep Kagor from knowing about us that's why they've had Angelika announce her presence and cover for us." All agreed that a trip to Hyach 3 or Mars was called for, Sharla was sure Angelika was there and could offer some answers.

The next evening around one in the morning, the Giuffrida left for Mars leaving just Carman and I as well as Temmick who, thanks to Kaitlan and Robert was finally able to make headway on obtaining leads to his ancestor.

"I'm waiting for two or three replies to my inquires," he told me, besides I've started taking walks around your property which I find refreshing."

In the meantime, Carman and I dealt with the shipments that were coming in especially three wrapped skids of unsalted peanuts in the shell. With all that as well as our coffee order, the Giuffrida was going to be fully loaded, but that was the deal. We continued to watch the news concerning what was going on in space and laugh at the ludicrous theories being expounded in the media by the so-called "experts" as to what was going on Europa. Many thought it wasn't good, some thought the moon was getting ready to explode, others thought Queen Angelika was preparing to invade us. That insane theory must have been on the pentagon's mind as well prompting the defense secretary to assure the country that we were safe, and could easily repel any invasions from space.

"These people can come and go at will without anyone being the wiser," observed Carman, "How could the military even hope to defeat someone like that?"

There were no more announcements from Angelika furthering the mystery, I was sure my friends would find out what was really going on and report back.

One day Carman and I arrived back home to find Temmik sitting at the kitchen table working on something with an old toothbrush.

"Whatcha got there Temmik?" Asked Carman. He looked at the object in his hands,

"I was out taking a walk along that brushy ditch this afternoon and spotted something sticking up out of the ground, this is what I found."

Holding it up I bent in closer to take a look, it appeared to be some sort of pistol.

There was no muzzle or barrel but the end was all crusted and corroded. The gun itself was dark with tarnish as well as green with patina,

"It looks like some sort of gun," I observed, "But none that I've ever seen before, I wonder how it got out there?" Temmik grinned,

"Don't you know? Have you ever read Holly Draaka's account?"

"Of course," I replied, "A couple times anyway, why?"

"I've re-read it several times gleaning it for every detail of my ancestor Weeko Brightwing. I'm not terribly familiar with antique weapons but I think this is what they call a "P.A.D., or particle agitation device. It wasn't lying on the ground, I had to dig it out with my hands it was buried pointing down, in Draaka's book she talks about Weeko sneaking up on your ancestor who was hiding under a fallen tree, he obviously buried his weapon rather than risk getting caught with it and there it lay buried all these dorns."

I remembered that part of her book nothing was mentioned of Moreck having any sort of weapon but obviously he must have, suddenly this artifact from the past took on new meaning, I asked Temmick if I could hold it.

"Be careful," he replied, "Don't' touch the trigger, I'm sure it's power source has long since dissipated but even after all these dorns there could still be a tiny spark of energy left inside, and with the discharge tabs as corroded as they are you could get an explosion. We'll let Rek and Robarik look at it, I'm sure they know more about it than I do."

Carefully examining the weapon, I noticed that except for the patina and corrosion at the nose of the gun it was surprisingly intact for being in the ground for one hundred and twenty-five years. Looking a little closer, I spotted what might be a serial number, as well as a symbol that looked somewhat like the Nike trademark. Showing it to Temmik he looked at it then suggested,

"I'm not sure, but I think that's the mark of the Kemmick company, I wasn't aware that they made weapons, but perhaps way back then they did."

As I continued to look the artifact over, I thought back to Holly Draaka's account. There was never any mention of Moreck being armed, I suppose that like everyone else, I just assumed that he dropped any weapon he might have been carrying when he fled from the barn. I then began to wonder if the deposition he made to the government agents sent to bring him back mention anything about a weapon, this was going to require some investigation on my part. I then imagined him fleeing in terror from the barn, people shooting at him, stumbling around in the dark on a strange planet, out of breath, trying to hide under a fallen tree. Trying to assess the situation, he decides that to be caught with a weapon might get him killed as well as terrified of being in a situation such as this, out of fear, he does the only thing he can think of and that is to bury his weapon, possibly seconds before Temmick's ancestor discovers him. Looking at the dirty and tarnished weapon I thought to myself,

"Oh the stories you could tell."