Monday, April 09, 2012

CHAPTER 34


CHAPTER 34


The Inverse Episode (A Christmas Story of the Far Future)

The Inverse sat motionless in the black void of the starless Dark.  No lights shown and no energy seemed apparent.  Almost undetectable tiny sensor buoys surrounded her.  Their passive nature emitted nothing, but sensed everything.  Like a deadly thing sitting in perfect ambush, it just seemed to be dead … and waiting. 

A tiny hailing probe slowly moved toward a point well in front of the bow of the Inverse.  So far, there was no reaction.  Careful attention was focused on tells of power in the Inverse.  There were no detectable emissions.  The hailing probe kept repeating its short message in just one language using a very short-range signal.  “Scorp to Hot Shot.  Are you asleep or something?  Drop your illusion projection and lower your stealth shield.  I wasn’t followed.”  After a few moments, the Inverse suddenly vanished. 

My rear view screen screamed an alarm as the real Inverse suddenly appeared directly astern.  It was looking down its missile-studded nose right at me.  I flicked the alarm off and poked the close proximity transmit button.  I stood on screen with a warm smile, saying, “You old dog!  You are always messing with me!”  A moment of silence lingered like mute void. 

“Scorp ol’ buddy!  ‘Tis good for my eyes to see your ship in one piece!”, he declared with a chuckle over the com-link as his image popped onto the screen. 

I asked, “Why all the cloak ‘n dagger precautions?” 

He answered, “Not over a link.  Come aboard and we shall sup, drink, and talk.” 

Suddenly, without his asking, I was in the command center of the Inverse.  Captain Hot Shot stood before me in a strikingly animated pose of regality.  I immediately snickered and he joined in to what became a shared and hearty laugh.  Back slapping hugs were exchanged and gleeful eyes surveyed each the other loved friend. 

Finally, Captain Hotshot whispered conspiratorially, “You know how every year the wives find out what our gifts to them will be before we can give them?  Well this time they won’t.  I had the Inverse professionally scanned and filtered for any kind of sensors, even organics.  Yep, that cost me a tidy sum.  However, they found and removed a host of sensors.  I was surprised, because I thought I had kept the Inverse sterile.  I tracked the source of the sensors.  It is an elite professional private detective from home planet Earth!  After that, I took an additional step and screamed through a dense wormhole that turned back to its own beginning.  I took refuge in a protective coffin.  If there were any organics, they vanished in annihilation.  Thus, I sit here in sterile isolation to avoid search bots.  Oh!  I am sorry for the delays in responding.  I ran scans on your transmissions for riders or any other anomalies.  I found two and tailored custom jammers just for them.  Those jammers will reflect back and overload the source of the riders, and disable it … or them.  Now I cannot give you the gift you asked me to pick up for your wife, because I cannot be sure that your ship is clean.  Quite likely it is not.  Now you can see why I was being so cautious.  The wives will not best us this year!!” 

I paused in stunned silence before asking, “You really take this gift game of theirs very seriously don’t you?!!” 

Hotshot’s face took on a solid sternness and his eyes turned a steely gray.  Then he said in a low even tone, “I cannot let them get the last laugh every time.  This time we will have the last laugh.  I employed their own deviousness and turned it back on them.  A private detective that I hired works in the same office as the one that they hired and is gathering information on what his own peer is doing with our wives - Ha!  I already know what they are giving us and I know that they are getting desperate to find out anything on what we have done, where we have been, what purchases or agreements we have made … anything at all!  Their detective also suspects that we may have a spy on them, but is unable to find a shred of evidence to support his suspicion.  This will be a wonderful gift exchange this year!  We can thank them for the precise gifts that they give as they hand them to us!  They will be bewildered and wondering what we are giving them.  I can hardly wait for the moment!  Their game will finally be fun for us!  I’m sure that in future years, the gift exchange game will become more and more sophisticated.  But, this year, we will hand a real challenge to them!” 

I sat again, stunned like a stone gargoyle.  I finally muttered, “All of this seems rather extreme.  Are you sure this is a good idea?  You know how this will escalate.” 

Hotshot replied in measured but pleasant cadence, “The adventures that we share with them, allows them a sense of adventure, vicariously.  The adventure that we contrive and share between all of us is real and they absolutely love it.  I love the wives.  To bring joy into their lives in return for their love for us is our REAL gift to them.  So there you are, my friend.  Their own game takes an inverse turn on them and they are absorbed in the mystery as they try to unravel and solve it.  By the way, that is the real reason I changed the name of my ship to Inverse.  It was the only clue that I put out for them to discover and solve.  They have been so good to us over the years.  This is just a small way of thanking them.  So let the fun begin!!” 

I stared fixedly at my long time friend, worried about his mental clarity but admiring his genius and true love.  After a moment of considering all that Hotshot had shared, I broke into a big smile and laughed as I echoed his chorus, “Yes!  Let the fun begin!!” 

Suddenly we both visibly shivered and our hair stood on end.  Over the ship’s intercom we heard our wives laughing uproariously!!  They spoke together.  They probably rehearsed in preparation for this moment, for they said together in perfect sync, “You boys are just not in our league yet!  But, we do love you dearly for trying so hard and for your unselfish motivations out of love for us.”  Then after muffled snickers, rather loudly they proclaimed, “Which is as it should be!” 

We could hear them still giggling as we became aware that they could somehow see our awestruck, jaw-dropping and confused looking faces.  Then they spoke the final blow, “Oh!  By the way!  Thank you in advance for the Pertian Lights floral display and the Redentian organic art gifts!!!” 

Captain Hotshot and I stared at each other for a moment with looks of utter defeat before hanging our heads.  Then intercom came alive again as we heard the wives each contribute, “We love you guys!”, “Yes we do, very much!”, “This coup that we pulled is the best gift ever!”, “We hope it didn’t hurt too much!” .  “Thank you love!”, “Thank you sweetheart!” 

Finally Captain Hotshot looked up and around at the camera.  Starting with a solemn look he began speaking low and slowly at first, “Ladies.  Please turn up your long-range scanners astern.  I know you are together in the “Lady Clause”.  You will see a small barge being uncloaked which has been tractor-tailing your ship for almost a day.  Please send an old-fashioned signal in morse code for pi in its direction and it will come along side and transmit to you a display of its contents, which are our real gifts to you.  They are real earth horses!” 

Hotshot started laughing uproariously at his victory as I shook my head in confusion.  The intercom came alive again, “We know.  In fact, we tethered a food satchel to it this morning because we thought your horse food was rather bland.” 

Suddenly Hotshot’s laughter slammed to a stop and his face turned bright red.  That is only the second time in our long friendship that I saw his face flush like that.  The first time is a story in itself, for another time.  The intercom crackled with gleeful laughter and bursts of declaratives, such as, “We win again!” 

After the merriment died down, the wives reasserted their love and their appreciation for our efforts to brighten their lives as our love gesture. 

After a brief pause, their images appeared on the display console.  Hotshot looked aghast in wonder as to how they achieved that with all of his ship’s security features. 

I simply smiled and then I removed my hat.  Then I made a deep sweeping bow to them while saying, “Well done ladies! Well done indeed! You make me proud!”  Then I reached into my two front pockets and pull out two fists, each wrapped around something glowing within their hold.  I slowly opened my hands then opened tiny bejeweled golden boxes and two flurries of tiny lights, each a different color swirled up and around in synchronized motions and patterns.  Sometimes the two flurries would blend in an almost hypnotic dance of grace and beauty.  They emitted very faint light tinkling harmonics that complimented their dance perfectly.  I watched the wives as they watched in fascination.  Satisfied, I said in the most formally polite voice that I could, “Excuse me, but I think that WE win.” 

After a stunned pause, the wives whispered in conference for a moment and then turned back to the screen.  They bowed together and said together, mimicking me, “Well done!  Well done indeed!  You make us proud too!”  Then, to my consternation, they both pulled open their handbags and reached in, just as I had done.  Together they pulled out their closed hands.  Then each said in turn, “I love you snookums.”,  “I love you stud muffin.” 

We waited with unblinking wondering eyes as they opened their hands in slow motion.  Their hands appeared empty.  We waited for an explanation. 

Hotshot’s wife, Tina, spoke first, “My captain, here is my gift to you.  I give you my eternal love.” 

I heard him suck in a breath and I glimpsed the beaming smile on his face. 

Then my wife, Diane, alluringly almost whispered, “My mate, here is my gift to you.  I give to you my eternal love.” 

We stood in awe.  Slowly we recognized that we were beaten.  However, we simply could not have been happier about it. 

Then to the astonishment of Hotshot, they walked right in, through the Command Center door!  His wife simply said, as if it should have been obvious, “Those were projections to distract you while we boarded from Scorp’s ship, which is where we have been operating from all along.” 

Suddenly Captain Hotshot burst into uproarious laughter, followed by, “I knew that!”  His hand flicked a motion and then suddenly we vanished.  Almost immediately, the cabin door flew open and we stepped back in. 

Hotshot’s wife asked in quick understanding, “Projections?”  The Captain simply nodded with a smile, “We were there on Scorp’s ship with you all along.”  Tina stared at him suspiciously, “Really?  Really really?”  He considered her for a long moment before replying, “No, not really.  I did a quick teleport to the kitchen, so that we could walk back in as if we had the upper hand all along.”  The he exclaimed, “You win, my love, you win!” 

Again she regarded him with suspicion, but then threw herself into his arms with an “I love you!”  I turned just in time to catch my wife, likewise hurling herself, into my arms with her own, “I love you!” 

We all agreed to call it a draw and spent the rest of the evening swapping stories about how we had pulled off little things.  Over all was a warm cloud of merriment, joy, and love bubbling over.  The evening ended with our two couples standing in huddled pairs looking out at the beauty of the stars twinkling like brightly colored diamonds in a soft blanket of black. 

Quietly we retired for the night with warm hugs from each couple to the other.  The last words as they parted were, “I love you, my friend” from each to each one. 

The halls echoed silently with heart-felt thoughts, “Merry Christmas Mike and Tina!”, “Merry Christmas Don and Diane!”

And to all a good night!!

(To be continued…)

CHAPTER 33


CHAPTER 33

Cleansings

Hey buddy, I thought I would try out your holo-puter simulation cleansing.  I instructed my holo-puter, which I affectionately call "Smart  Ash", to remove all simulations.  I was thunderstruck by some revelations!  Mine did the same thing yours did, transience into sentience.  It eventually renamed itself "Ashley" and adopted a guttorily deep masculine voice.  That hurts at fundamental levels.  When I queried the holo-pu... I mean Ashley (who is essential in transmitting this message) I was shaken to the core at what the hol.... Ashley told me.  It seems that all the adventures of the past nine years were merely simulations.  According to Ashley, I have been sitting here in this space port for nine years and haven't moved.  Everything was simulations.  I looked for confirming details and found none of my adventure 'trophys'.  What's more, according to Ashley, we have never really met.  Ashley worked with yours, now known as Hal, to simulate everything we experienced.  That’s hard to accept.  It all seemed so real.  Well, I hope this message gets to you and that we really meet someday.  Attached are pictures of 2 puppies that we have now.  Ashley assures me that they are real and I really do have to scoop and wipe up those 'accidents'.  There is only one question left:  Why do I still have the scare on my scrotum that Ashley didn't know I got when I did a bad cast for Lungefish on Biqueslae?  Oh well.  I gotta go scoop something.

Your bud,
Cmdr. Scorp.

CHAPTER 32


CHAPTER 32

Remembrances

Scorp ol’ buddy, I’m sending you this missive from a vacation hideaway somewhere in the Horsehead Nebula.

You wouldn’t believe it but I received a box this evening from the UPS (Ursa Packaging Systems) man - I thought it was an Uninteruptable Power Supply but it seemed to have something more lively inside.  I checked the routing label and found that its point of origination was a small planetoid in the Angels system, which is a suburb of the Lesser Magelenic as opposed to the Greater Magelenic - which may or may not be really greater depending on which resident Angelino you talk to.

I approached the box with some trepidation while my wife egged me on to get the darn thing open.  Imagine my surprise when I discovered a box of steller currency (Oc Dollars), trade goods and sentimental expressions of friendship and love for which I will be eternally grateful. 

The party you mentioned was a smashing success. The Hibunian (not pictured as he/she/it) was in stealth mode when the photo of you was taken so (he/she/it) is not in the picture.  The bra cones I was sporting had been placed in such a manner as to enhance my best features (according to the Fphilpiterky who attached them to me... but maybe they should have been used elsewhere - heh, heh!!).  That's why they wouldn't develop them.  The photo that is.  Of course, it may have been due to all the slime that was running down my chin after being given a celebratory kiss by one of the Gorgon sisters.  You know the one ones I'm talking about?  They look more like a mobile mass of amoebas held together with rubber bands, but they’re so kind hearted.  They really wanted to be "one" with me - I think they are related to the Borg in a primeval sense.

The last thing I remember was hearing Ford Prefect say as he was hitchhiking around the Galaxy, "How did I get here and where am I going?"

Anyway, Thanks for all the gifts and I'll see you at Milliways (the Restaurant at the end of the Universe).

Mikey (Hotshot) O'Dublain

p.s.  This mezzage was brought to you by Bousghsly!!  The beer that makes men drink and pass out!  Bzzztrrttcctchhhh...static..... cling.. use Star Bright the foaming detergent to get your whites > as bright as the sun.... ndle it mu  onger.   Seem > to  ave assed the bou  ary   ayer and feel etty streched out.. like goin   rom a blac out into  th   ild  lue yond ....

Heyyyy Hotshot, my main man,

Aaahh yes.  I remember this ... well ... most of it anyway.  The only difference I recall is what you wrote at the end of this ... wern't we simply looking for any intelligence at all?  Aaaahhh yes.  The memories return ......Hunh?  Oh yeah.  I remember what happened next ... ... hmmm ... I seem to have lost some energy in all those warps and worm holes.  I diverge.  I mean, I intend to diverge. 

Remember those worm holes on that wiggly moon of Praetoch T214?  Those worms were appearing and disappearing so fast that we almost got lost chasing them.  I am guessing that we popped in and out of at least a dozen galaxies and maybe an alternate universe or two.  Your quick thinking saved us from that maze of worm holes and those voracious worms.  I thought you had completely lost it when you lassoed the tail of one of those worms.  Then it was like ... hard to describe ... like skiing through worm holes and jumping through warp openings.  What a ride!    You were correct in guessing that it would eventually return home, where we started.  When we got there I turned on the invisibubble before that worm turned around and spotted us.  It was amazing that we both controlled our laughter as we attempted stealth to sneak away.  I don't know if all that confused those worms or if they were just glad to see us go.  Well, we learned an important lesson.  Never attach an auto-fire mini-stun device to the tail of a Hole Worm.   The screech was almost unbearable, not to mention the ensuing chaos I just mentioned above.  At least, that's how I remember it. 

Diverging back now ... ...

Good night my friend,

Scorpy

CHAPTER 31


CHAPTER 31

These conversations took place in a ski lodge on the planet Snoovius, located in one of the 'Dark Matter’ concentrations of 61 Signi.  Both men had their feet up before a warm fire with a foaming glass of Bandersnatch Brew in hand. “So, Hotshot old buddy, you were asking if I remembered the time we were on Tarkus with the Royal Bandoleers.  You know, I’ve racked my brains on that one and I can’t say that I remember any of those places either.  We may have been there when we were on that comtonic Ky'Tyl treasure hunt.  Which reminds me, I don't even remember if we even found the fabled Ky'Tyl treasure, or whether we were on a ‘for fun’ treasure hunt.  Oh well.”

Before Hotshot could fire of another question of biting bit of repartee he was interrupted by the interstellar announcer, Punjabbar Huttski with a news flash.

 “Flash, flash …  An interstealler UPS or was it DOWNS has delivered a suspicious package to the headquarters of a branch of the Galactic Rangers today.  The branch, located on the planet Snoovius, is currently staffed by those two intrepid Rangers, Captain Hotshot Dolan and Commander Scorpion Speaker.  Anyone knowing anything about the package should immediately clear the area.  That is all.  Signing off for the GBC, this is your announcer, Punjabbar Huttski!”

Sure enough, just as old Punjy signed off, the front door to the lodge opened a crack emmiting flurries of snow and a blast of icy cold air.  Oh yes, a suspicious looking package also appeared.  Then the door slammed shut with a loud booming sound that echoed throughout the building – heh, heh, just added that last for effect.  I watched through blurry eyes as “Scorp” got UP and set Down his drink, picked UP the box and sat DOWN again.  After serious scientific investigation as to the safety of opening it, such as testing its weight by hand and listening to the contents as he shook it, he announced, “I’m going to take a chance and open it.”  Setting the package DOWN he picked UP his drink, took a large sip (actually he downed about half of the glass), set DOWN his drink, picked UP the box and slit the wrapping open to peer at the contents inside.

“A HAH!!”, he said.  “I am amazed!!  There are some wonderful tribute items (aka bribes) in here!  Actually, I think it’s a shady attempt to disguise the anonymous donor of the items.  Looking up at me from his comfortable chair, he spoke in a rather careless manner saying, “I found you fingerprints (and lip prints) all over everything!  Fess up pal.  It was really you trying to do sumpin' nice for me and still uphold your tough guy facade, - right?  I know I may never get a straight answer so I am gonna thank you anyway!”  At this point I realized I had been found out, but not wanting to loose my ‘tough guy’ façade I kept a straight face and said, “Don’t even think about it.”  But it did’t do any good.  “Yep!  Gonna thank you right here and now!  Here comes!  (cough-mumble) Thanks (cough-cough) buddy (cough).  The books from authors all over the quadrant will be much enjoyed!  And the Stool Sample from the Quackerupian Nargul will be enshrined in a thick crystal container and submerged into a reinforced tank of heavy water kept fluid just above freezing.  I look at it often and think of you.  But the grandest of gifts was the shirt!  The kind you know I love.  An original!  Made by those cartisans of renown that you knew I always coveted something from.  I’ll hang it in a clear container for viewing and put on a hook so that I could see it when I fell asleep and when I awoke.  I love it!!  Someday I am actually going to take it out and actually wear it!  Yep!  I really will!  And the associated literature from that region whetted my desire to visit there and do some exploring.  I will try  drilling out the center of some rebar and bending it for a snorkel…  but remember, my waterwings at my waist makes me turn head DOWN and my butt.... errr... hind-end and legs stick UP out of the water. Anyway, (cough) tanks (cough).” 

Old Scorpy always was a softy at heart.

Ps.  Let'h beuqt'n aport'abeth sneuokaque borlethumukutulue bombay'tyl aqt! (You remember Ky'Tylian ... right? )


Hey there Cap'n Hotshot!

My apologies for embarrassing you when we last met, over that "Mike, Its a marble" incident at which you vowed to get even.  You see, I knew it might be unwise to reveal the real nature of that orb in front of so many others.  One might leak the secret out.  Okay, so here is the real scoop.

When I was on Andulshascch last time I had grand bit of luck.  While washing up in a restroom of the palace I noticed that as a Yttriak got off the pot the orb rolled out onto the floor.  It obviously escaped the notice of the enebriated Yttriak Finance and Trade Emmisary.  As soon as it left I very carefully collected the orb with my handkerchief and some bathroom towels.  I went to my room as unobtrusively as possible and hid it.  Then I went out and got a sterilized clearview antigrav vacuum box for it.  Once I had it safe from damage and decay in the little box, I put a vellium foil wrap around it.  Having done all that I went down and thanked my hosts, making an emergency excuse, and as casually as I could, I hastily departed.  I used your trick of a triple warp with a double back in the second warp.   

Once I arrived on Stutasta I deposited it in a numbered secure vault.  That orb is probably worth more than a Nebulous Ruby encrusted velytrium bar!!  By the way, I used to doubt the existence of those bars until one day I saw some special force gendarmes take down a pirate.  When they attempted to move the bar with a class 6 loader and the loader collapsed, I got a glimpse of the bar.  All I can say is Wow!  Being infused and imbued with so many forces has a huge effect on one's psyche.  Excuse me, I diverge.  Now then.  As you may know, these orbs carry that kind of incredible value!  Each one is as unique as a snowflake.  How they came to be known was through the Amoananmoan peoples in the far quadrant of Elixstacy Empire.  They are the richest of all known sentient beings.  Their trading style perplexes even the best of traders.  They are absolutely disinterested in the value of a commodity if they like it.

Determining if they like something seems to be an impossibility though.  If a trader is very lucky he can make a huge profit from even an otherwise worthless commodity.  The Amoananmoans always gather all of the commodity that can be found, thus driving the price up to oblivion, although that is not their goal, since they won't sell anything that they like.  Well, I happened upon an interesting rumor about the orbs.  It seems that some time ago a young trader presented one of these orbs as sample of this trade item to the Amoananmoans.  He explained that each was as unique as a snowflake.  They instantly researched snowflake.  When they said that they wanted to see some of the other unique specimens he was the luckiest trader in history!  He knew then that they liked them and price didn't matter.  He insisted that they had to be viewed in their protected containers aboard his ship, to which they agreed. 

After they examined a few samples aboard his ship, they struck a deal for all that he had and a contract for all that he could procure for them, since he was the only one that knew where their origin was.  The rumor says that he now hides the fact that he is enormously rich because of those trades.  There are some strange similarities in the trade style of one trader in particular that I know ... I would never disclose the revelation that I have come to.  I know that you used to often visit Amoananmoan for some of their legendary ... ummm ... stimulating ... uuumm ... entertainers.  The nonsentient clone that you proudly keep aboard your ship has come to my attention.  The powers of illusion and mind taps, among other abilities that I won't go into now, that the real beings possess cannot be fathomed.

Suddenly something clicked and it all came together for me.  While aboard your ship you seem to anticipate me, and probably anyone else, a bit too often to be coincidence.  You pulled off the greatest trade in the history of the universe!!!  That clone you have is not a clone at all.  She's a real life Amoananmoan!!!!  (gasping at the possibilities and opportunities) ... (recovering my breath and continuing)  I can fill in the gaps easily now.  When the Amoananmoan trade delegation boarded your ship, females were not allowed because of their mind tap abilities (among other things).  Having finally seen one of the legendary orbs today, I recognized it immediately.  My friend, I am in awe of what you pulled off!!  You sold the Amoananmoans every single orb that ever existed.  Those orbs were no longer used in their original location and were merely saved in ancient collections of minor value.  That explains the weird story of an old eccentric buying them all up in his derranged obssession, many years ago.  Buddy, I know what you did!  You sold to the Amoananmoans all that exist in only one place.  You sold them all the marbles on Earth!!!!!  Thats right,  "...its a marble" carried meaning the others present could not guess at!!!  Its now worth more than a Nebulous Ruby encrusted Velytrium bar and I gave it to you, my friend.

~ Enjoy ~
Your friend,
Comdr. Scorp.

ps. Thanks for the "Stool Sample"  (snicker)