Angelika Queen Of Mars

Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen A Singular Objective

The Falthians had been here a little more than a week, and it was one of the busiest I've ever spent. Most of my time was spent with Moreck and Tarsig, going over, and explaining every detail of the coffee business we were starting up. Combined with that was the involvement and training of Carman Walsh as office manager and agent while Dorie and I were gone, and the way things were shaping up we would be leaving within the next couple of days. Then there was the training program I and my fellow ex-marines were putting together. Captain Marpalik had brought along a fantastic 3-D graphic computer that allowed us to draw, and physically display the training village we were envisioning. Jeff and Gerry were invaluable with their help and suggestions towards putting together a small town really that once built would be able to give the Falthian marines valuable training in every aspect of urban fighting. We had built-in ranges tailored to the weapons systems the Falthians were using.

One afternoon, we had gone out to a secluded section of the property where Branak and lieutenant Fennra demonstrated their small arms, Omma rifles as they were called. The wapons were all rapid fire, shooting projectiles that weren't bullets, and they weren't straight laser, or plasma beams. All I know is they sure did a job on the targets we had set up. These things literally blasted holes in one inch steel plates, and set anything made of wood on fire. I even went to a junkyard and bought a junk car had it brought out to the farm and we just shot the hell out of it. My three friends and I were very impressed with the power of these weapons and speculated what we could have done with them in the 'Stan. As a result, we had to re-work some of the buildings as well as the materials they would be made of. We had done everything that could be done as far as setting up a training doctrine, and course objectives here on earth, now it was time to go to Falth and oversee the building of this place. Finally, I was able to get some leads on the human ancestors of Temmik Tergis, and Sardok Korthal, putting Carman on this project as well. Ethan Duke even came through by contacting his grandmother who got Carman linked up with the right family of Carter's.

The last two days were spent getting Carman authorized to draw money out of the account, and sign checks in my name. Jeff and I talked about her trustworthiness, with his complete confidence of her reliability.

"She's really good sir," he explained, "she got out because they were giving her a bunch of crap for other reasons, give her a chance sir, there's things I can't go into, but you'll see, I wish she was going with us, we could really use someone like her." While I was involved with the marine corps training program, Dori showed Sharla, Rek , and Traysla around, or explained TV to them which they spent a lot of time watching. Ethan seemed to take an interest in Sharla, drawn in by her exotic looks. Often times they would stand outside in the cold and talk, however I detected them growing closer. I spent the last day writing down anything I could think of in the way of instructions for Carman, including e-mail addresses, and how to contact the Blessing, Bickford and Draaka clans. One of Jeff's idea's turned out not to be so good, however it did lead to evenings of interesting and very enlightened discussion concerning everyone's perception of each other. We watched Dune, the Star Wars epic, Forbidden Planet, Alien, Earth versus the Flying Saucers, Day the Earth Stood Still, and some original Star Trek episodes.

Well, Alien, Earth versus the Flying saucers, and Day the Earth stood still offended our Falthian friends, however they all liked Dune, Forbidden Planet and even the Star Wars epic. The Star Trek episodes finally caused Sardok Korthal to remark,

"You Kagorians seem to spend all your energies in make believe traveling the stars in these movies as you call them we are actually doing it." Captain Marpalik opined,

"We don't mean to offend, especially not to you, however your impressions of life in the universe seems to be quite disturbed. In reality the universe is quite ordered, and I suppose compared to the stories these films portray very dull, but that's the way we like it. You can't conduct business, or improve lives constantly engaged in wars, or strife. Falth maintains a strong naval force for this very reason. Mr. Landecker asked me earlier about the Amulin military, yes they do have a good one, but they pretty much stay on their side of the galaxy while we cover everything else. We maintain numerous treaties and pacts with the Amulins these treaties have been in existence for several hundred dorns and they stay that way because things remain dull. As you Kagorians are so fond of saying, "In the real world." Well the real world would never tolerate someone like that emperor from ever getting a foothold on things. "

Adding to what the captain had said, Temmik Tergis replied,

"We like you Kagorians, we really do, you're interesting, certainly not stupid, much friendlier than the Amulins, but you just seem to be stuck for some reason. You've certainly progressed a long way from the una's when my Kagorian ancestor came to Falth." Sharla also added a chilling story in reference to the Alien movie.

"It's rather remarkable though, in the galaxy next to the one I'm from they had a planet where a lot of genetic research was being done. They "created" beings very similar to the one depicted in that movie with the idea of using them to clear several "Deathworlds" in the system for habitation. Somehow these creatures began to mutate their own intelligence, and got loose. Rather than run the risk of having them escape to populated worlds, a special bomb was detonated over the planet wiping out all life. It set research back generations, but it was better than having these creatures escape.

What she described sounded like a cross between the "Island of Doctor Moreau and Jurassic Park.

"What are these "Deathworlds" you speak of," I asked her.

"They are planets populated by noxious and deadly plant and animal life. Unfortunately they are rich in metals and make excellent agriculture planets. People planning on mining or settling on these places have to train for three alyt's before being allowed to go there, needles to say the attrition rate is very high." Another aspect of our discussion was that of the spacecraft depicted in these films. I had asked about flying saucers before, but I pointed it out again. No one had ever seen or knew of any ever being built. Rek and Traysla knew of Andarian designs, but nothing even remotely resembling craft looking like saucers. Lieutenant Fennra did offer a tibit that would be very prophetic later on.

"My father was part of the military group stationed at the Falthian embassy on Amula and he mentioned once that the Amulin's had some secret project building spacecraft but nothing ever seemed to come from it and it remained forgotten, perhaps they had something like these saucers as you call them."

What did catch everyone's eye though were some of the designs featured in Star Wars. The Millennium Falcon really caught Traysla's eye, and the Death Star caught everyone's intrest. Temmik was a mining engineer who told us there were mobile mining machines very similar to the junk haulers the Jawa's had.

Of course I was familiar with real life land speeders, but they were much different than what was featured in the first Star Wars film. All the military men thought the walkers attacking the rebels on Hoth were fanciful and quite impractical, there were just too many weapons that could make short work of them. The TIE fighters also caught Traysla's attention with both he and Rek determined to get pictures of these craft back to Andara for evaluation. In the end however, I stated to our friends,

"I'm sorry you were offended by some of those films, they are what they are, space is big, wide, and full of the unknown, that scares many people. I think these movie producers think that with the universe being such an unknown and fearful place there have to be monsters in it. Speaking for myself, I'm glad you're here, I also think most thinking and intelligent people would also welcome you. We want to be friends and good neighbors. by the looks of things, it certainly won't be in my lifetime that earth and Falth meet in an official "close encounter." However, that doesn't mean our peoples cant meet and interact in an "unofficial" capacity. What the government doesn't know won't hurt them, I, nor my friends here are trained ambassadors, but we're certainly going to do our damnedest to make you feel welcome, and help in any way we can, please consider my home as your home."

When the time came to draw out the training village captain Marpalik produced a device that was absolutely incredible. He could see us lusting after it and chuckled,

"Sorry I can't leave this, that would be violating the Prime Directive, but no one says I can't use it here." It was a 3D drawing device that combined a graphics computer with free-hand drawing in such a way that allowed for corrective changes immediately, and all in color. Figuring out the basic dimensions of the village, then the street grid, then placement of the different buildings was a snap. We had already drawn up the type of buildings we needed, creating them and placing them on the grid. When we had all the buildings placed we then took a virtual "tour." It was as if we were actually walking the streets. This allowed us to re-align windows and doors, add debris, change heights and add things. Everyone had input, there were a number of architectural differences between earth buildings and those on Falth. Again, those were easily corrected, we worked two full days on it and in the end all of us felt like we'd walked every inch of that town which Ethan christened "Altair," in honor of the planet in "Forbidden Planet." The Falthian marines were very impressed with our efforts and I think began a new respect for us poor humans.

When I wasn't working with my team, I was with Carman, Moreck and Tarsig working out the details of our coffee business. We were all at the office one morning when Carman asked Tarsig if she and Moreck were married. Both grinned, and Moreck replied.

"No we're not even though it must seem like it, and it's not because we're attracted to our own s*x. I gather that you Kagorians think that people in our position must either be joined, or at the very least romantically involved, this is not the case." Tarsig then added,

"Moreck and I met at the university, we had some of the same classes together, and one una got to talking and discovered we shared a lot of interests and circumstances. Both of us come from very wealthy families, in short, we don't need to work. Moreck's family makes their wealth from mining, mine from metal production. There are a lot of young people back on Falth just like us, who stand to inherit much wealth, but we have rejected the easy way and are seeking to make our own way in life. Moreck and I have chosen to take this route." Moreck then said,

"I have a good friend who operates a provisioning company, but has recently branched out into catering parties and private functions."

"This is where we come in," he continued. "Coffee and hopefully these peanuts are considered very exotic, business's and the wealthy are always looking for something to make their parties special, we stand to make a lot of credits with this, but whether we do or not it's ours. Right now there's a renewed interest in Kagor, There are a lot of people eager to visit here and do business." Tarsig giggled,

"We are the envy of our friends coming up with this idea, it doesn't violate the Prime Directive, it's been done before, and I think we can do really well at it."

"Are you on the "outs" with your families?" I asked.

"Not at all," replied Tarsig, "I think my parents are secretly proud of me, word has come back to me that my mother is always bragging about me. That's one reason I want to remain here with Carman, then it will be Moreck's turn, the more we know about your world the moor "doors" this will open for us later in life." I really had to had it to these kids, they knew what they wanted out of life and were going after it.

"Well kook you two," I said, "Even though a lot of my time is being taken up with this training business right now, I won't let you down. Just as you're choosing to remain here Tarsig, when Dori and I return to Falth we want to meet and learn the operation from your end, it can only help us do a better job here."

I rented a truck and hauled everything in the warehouse out to the farm where with everybody's help got it all loaded onto the Giuffrida. My folks as well as some of the Blessings who lived in the area came by to see us off. I left instructions with Carman concerning inquiries and contacts with the families concerning interested students traveling to Falth when Robarik returned. Everything I could think of was "nailed" down. Carman and Tarsig were staying, so before we left I spoke to her of the large responsibility she was entrusted with, which she thoroughly understood. We left around eleven at night, before long, we were passing out of earth's orbit into deep space.