James and Syra sat and watched the television and James avoid the news channels and she was glad.
It was time for bed and Syra excused herself, so she could return to her sleeper and program it for seven hours of restful sleep and wake at precisely 7 a.m.
James jumped in his shower and loved the feel of the water washing over him and wondered how he could ever accept that cleanser unit. Afterward, he went straight for his bed too.
His memory foam mattress was the best of its kind and he was glad to slip beneath his covers and was just about to fall asleep before his head even hit the pillow.
Then suddenly he felt a tiny little figure of a woman completely nude slipping beneath his covers and was fast asleep almost immediately.
James fell asleep that night with the thought that all was right in his world, at least tonight it was!
book one
chapter six
James slipped out from underneath his covers, put his robe on and house slippers and headed for the kitchen while being as quiet as he could.
One last look at Syra sleeping like a baby made his heart just fall in love even more. Her hair had already grown out and was strewn about all over her naked shoulders. All he could think about was pulling the covers over her but would not dare take a chance on waking her up.
Coffee was now ready, and James had started breakfast when he got concerned about Syra. She never gets up late. She is the most precise on time kinda gal he had ever known, he thought to himself!
When he tip-toed back into the bedroom she was yawning and just waking up. Something he had never seen her do before. Sleeping in was never an option for Syra. “Good morning my darling Syra,” James said softly.
“Oh my, have I slept in?” Syra asked.
“Yes, my dear you actually did, and I am amazed,” James replied.
Syra immediately started to dress but forgot which direction she should go in. That is when James reminded her, he had a robe in his closet she could put on until she figured out where she was.
Syra was dazed and confused and James noticed her becoming more human every day. But her next words just confirmed it even more when heard her speak.
“Where’s the coffee, I can’t seem to wake up this morning,” Syra asked.
James couldn’t help but laugh. She was starting to like coffee and he was wondering if it was such a good idea to get her hooked on the stuff. He smiled to himself as he led her to the kitchen and seated her at the table.
The rest of the morning was crazy for Syra. While trying to adjust to a whole new environment, she had to adjust to eating eggs too. It puzzled her that anyone would want to eat something so slimy and running all over the plate and when she caught the eggs, they spilled out yellow ooze.
Syra was beginning to look confused about human food consumption when James started to keep her busy and that seemed to help a lot. With no time to really think about things, she seemed to stop analyzing every little thing, and how it should be done.
But If anyone had ever seen chaos before, this day would be the one to top it all.
Obviously, Ohtron had done a great job on securing the perimeter, but the cabins would never work as they were. With minor adjustments to secure the area that part of the work was done. But the cabins were going to have to be zapped up from one of Syra’s machines, thought James.
Syra inspected Ohtrons work and decided the cabins Ohtron erected had to go and they were gone. New cabins were in their place in no time at all because James had helped her pick out what type of cabin they would need, and the replicator went to work right away.
Meanwhile, the council contacted Syra and she rushed to her bedroom where she had her com systems installed and with James in tow, sat and listened.
It had been reported that morning that the duplicate Jeep Ohtron had created and left in the bushes hidden next to the old rusted one not far from where the Zhian Sphere had been for over a year now, was discovered.
But when Zhian Sphere lifted off it immediately zapped the Jeep as they left. The only remembrance of it was a badly taken photograph from one of the local farmers who was out hunting that morning. The only thing Zhian Sphere left behind was the tire marks and an indentation in the brush.
No sooner than Syra was on the com to the Zhian Council she had to continue her conversation from her portable com placed around her tiny little wrist.
Both James and Syra ran outside and Ohtron made an opening in the shields and you could feel the wind and you knew something was there but there were no visuals to confirm it.
It would be sometime before anyone would disembark the Zhian Sphere and since it had landed in the clearing picked by Ohtron, all agreed it was perfect.
The shield around the sphere could not have been seen but if you tried to cross the shields perimeter, you would have fallen flat on your butt as James quickly learned.
With laughter at James expense, Syra quickly stated, “We’ve even!” She was laughing all the way back to the ranch.
Back inside the com in her bedroom, she and council began discussing the best way to exit the sphere and when.
The citizens would be monitoring all the progress and they were very excited to step foot on Earth’s soil again and on the Caldiron Ranch!
Everyone aboard the Zhian Sphere was thrilled that Syra had met James Caldiron and he would be a true Earth friend. Without him, they all knew they would have had to leave the Earth a lot sooner than they wanted.
The one thing the citizens of Zhian Sphere had learned so far was that most of the humans had little trust in something they did not understand.
The Zhians had come in peace with much to offer Earth. But they had observed that the zones or different Country’s around Earth seemed more like enemies to each other rather than friends.
James Caldiron would become by default, their ambassador.
A few days later and once the cabins were complete and accommodating for the Zhian Sphere citizens, the big day had finally come.
It was decided that one couple would exit the sphere and land in front of their cabin chosen for them. Then the next and the next until all of them had made their transition.
The cabin was a mixture of a typical cabin in the country but on the inside much like Syra’s bedroom, it was a com center and many of the essentials the Zhians would need as they made their adjustment to the lifestyle of Earthlings.
When the first cabin was complete, the second followed until all 24 were done with last-minute adjustments of course. They were finally ready for the Zhians to move in.
As each couple boarded their shared pod, they exited the sphere and landed in front of their assigned cabin. This continued all day until all 24 cabins were then occupied.
James was amazed at how these pods came out of thin air, invisible. And it wasn’t until when they touched down that they appeared as they really were.
Zee10 had been assisting the move for each couple while running the sphere and took as much work off Syra as he could.
Once all inhabitants were on the ground their pods were stripped of their personal items, their pods lifted and just as quickly returned to the Zhian Sphere. Everyone was waiting on Syra to walk by and do her inspections before they could move into their new homes. Not until then would they finally be formally introduced to the Earthman that was their first contact with humans.
Each couple stood there in silence and they had never felt their hearts race the way they did that day. The Zhianites knew this new world was not theirs but would do everything possible to fit in and win the Earthlings over.
After all, with all the technological advances the Zhians had, they hoped to share them with Earth when the time was right. It was their desire that Earth would advance for the betterment of its people, and they could show their appreciation for being accepted.
It was now time for the introductions to be followed by the big move-in.
The first group of names were called and were as follows:
&n
bsp; Jayeden and Celethe plus one baby born on Earth
Carelson and Daniyela plus one baby on born on Earth
Desmon and Alaysia plus one baby born on Earth
Maxtn and Izbella
Drick and Adrana
Edard and Baeleigh expecting a baby
Jazon and Jaelyn
Jariden and Deabora
Arlan and Cayetlin
Graesen and Alestrandra expecting a baby
Clarx and Mikcalya
Emerton and Maecy
The second wave would take place and so on. Today was going to be a busy day no doubt thought James.
As James and Syra passed by each couple, there was the usual and expected nod of approval and Syra and James repeatedly said, “Welcome to Earth.”
As orderly as it could ever be, each couple walked inside their new home on Earth and was not seen for several days as they settled in.
The next wave of settlers moved in and began settling into their new cabins and adjusting to the new life they would now start living.
For the next few weeks, James and Syra used their time to watch the world news and James spent much of his time trying to explain world events to Syra.
The main thing James had to say in his lessons to Syra was not to let the political games influence anything and to keep an open mind. That those in this world called Earth are good human beings and yes, there are some that are not so good. But Earth was worth the chance the Zhianites had given them.
Syra realized that day that there would never be a good day to contact Earth officially. But if she and her people could coexist that would be fine with her.
James was quickly realizing that Syra’s world was so far advanced, it had risen above all the pettiness, angry, disagreements and drawing lines of boundaries. The Zhians and their world was a world of peace. Weapons were forbidden except to protect the planet and in all their history no threats had ever come in too as much as firing their systems up other than to test them.
It was not until then, that James felt a sense that he and Earthlings were archaic compared to the advancement of Syra’s people.
The plan so far was that the Zhianites merge into the culture of the humans on Earth and become one.
They longed to contribute in positive ways and to the betterment of mankind. They would bring gifts to help make corrections Earthlings needed. To provide resolutions to issues such as poverty, war, language barriers, sickness and unite the people of Earth. They longed to be thought of as human too.
While watching the news Syra and James heard all the commotion about the Jeep and folks were just not letting up on it.
Once they found evidence that a vehicle was next to an old one but identical to it, many started saying it was cloned. But what they could not figure out was what on Earth made it disappear in front of the farmer's eyes!
Because this was a new anomaly, it caused more and more attention. With a photograph as evidence, the farmer insisted there must be more to this story than meets the human eye.
Then there was that huge indentation on the Earth of something very large sitting above the small hills and that small valley between it. It had three large triangular shaped imprints which appeared to hold it just above the surface. This had been discovered not too far from where the Jeep was found. Evidence showed that it too had recently left.
Once an aerial inspection was done of the area, it became apparent that something had rested slightly above the ground for some time. Even though it could not be seen, evidence suggested something spherical and very large and not of this Earth did, in fact, spend some time there.
No doubt many believed an invasion was underway and demanded the government and all officials investigate this and not let up until the case was solved.
Some officials had already collected videos and photos of the strange anomalies and this alone concerned James more than he could ever say to Syra and her people.
It was no time at all until government officials stated they had a man on it. Then, the alien and UFO investigators got involved just like they did when Ohtron was stuck in the white oak tree on the north lawn at the White House.
Then it was the time Zee10 made his vehicle switch from end to end in the same spot. Then, if that wasn’t bad enough, Zee10 and Syra had their RV virtually pop out of existence behind a locked gate.
But the Zhian Sphere really caused the biggest stir, bigger than crop designs, kidnapping and cattle mutilations and James had heard of and read about.
There were some that believed they had a case and the United States was under an invasion.
James was doing everything he could to keep the tabloids away from Syra, Zee10 and especially the council! Ohtron being so intelligent, James wondered just how far that thing would go if it felt the Zhians were under attack.
It wasn’t until then that James began to wonder if he could be a good ambassador. But the one thing James knew for sure was that he was madly in love with Syra and he would do whatever he could to save her and her people from those who would mean them harm.
At the next council meeting, James was asked to speak. The council valued his opinion and when he had his opportunity, he reminded them that they were safe on his property.
James was as stern as he could be when he said, “As long as Zhians did not venture out beyond his property lines, at some point they would be forgotten about by the masses.” And he added, “Please stop using your Zhian technologies unless you absolutely have to!”
It was agreed that day, that they would live as humans and no one would use their advanced technologies. They would learn and learn fast because their very lives were at stake here.
As time went on, Syra settled in and loved life at James’ ranch. It was everything James could do not to mention to Syra what the tabloids were saying. She would not have understood.
James began spending his time teaching Syra and her people how to be human. How to fit in and not be noticed.
James could not help but wonder why the Zhians chose not to land on the White House lawn and make contact right up front.
Why try so hard to just slip in and innocently make contact? Expecting a world so perfect that one day, Earth would just simply embrace them? James could not understand at this point in his relationship with the Zhians how they could be so naive yet be from such an advanced world. They had a choice, they could have forced themselves on us but somehow thought they would be accepted for who they were. Humans had never accepted anyone that was different than them and it was that way all around the world too.
It was James’ opinion that the Zhians were so well advanced that it somehow made them naive. He knew one thing for certain, there was no right way or wrong way to introduce yourself if you are from another world. That was the first conclusion he had come to realize.
Either way, it was best that they did exactly as they did. It was just how they went about it that caused all the negativity they were receiving. This was going to make it very difficult for James to figure out a way to eventually make them known to the world while keeping them safe.
James decided it was time Syra learn life on the ranch and teach the Zhianites how to survive off the land.
Syra’s people had never felt nor touched dirt until they reached earth because theirs had become unusable. Showers were no longer necessary, and equipment was designed to remove oil from their hair and dead skin cells from their bodies. It was a much more efficient use of resources for the Zhianites.
Zhianites had once used something similar to hydroponics to grow food, but even that became a problem over time and a food replicator was designed with samples recorded. Water had become a precious commodity that had to be mined from beneath the surface and was as precious as the crystals they mined for their survival.
The Zhianites no longer enjoyed meals by the smell, texture or looks, and thus called it nutritional charge. That was simply the way it was for them and they had all accepted that as a fact of life.
Bu
t here on Earth, each day the citizens dug into the dirt. They planted seeds and watched them grow to fruitfulness. This was the one thing on Zhian, no Zhianite every thought they would be able to do. Doing so in the Holocom Chamber was not the same and all of them knew that.
They enjoyed their sun-time, and many had noticed their bodies were slowly changing. They would sit and watch their gardens grow and needed nothing more than that.
Their children were just babies, but they would lay them in the dirt and let them play and bask in it and the sun. A fence was installed around the three cabins that had children born on Earth, so they would not crawl off and could be watched closely. The parents were learning from their children to enjoy no coverings on their feet, so they could feel the blades of grass between their toes.
Syra had not been ready for an actual water shower but this day would be her first. She had spent the day with her people planting and working with their gardens and had the time of her life doing it.
With dirt and mud all over Syra, she was as giddy as a child. James took her indoors that evening and said undress by the doorway, we can’t have all this dirt tracked everywhere.
When she got undressed, he reached her a robe.
James no longer turned his head away from her out of embarrassment and respect. He now understood that her body was the vessel of which she lived in and there was no shame in it. None of the Zhianites thought anything of walking around in their own skin exposed to others and that was just part of their culture.
To Syra, nudity was simply your first layer of skin. The second skin was a layer that protected the wearer. There was no modesty in Syra nor her body. She was who she was.
Soiled from head to toe, she made it to James’ bathroom and stepped into the shower. She was afraid she would clog up the Cleanser since it was not programmed to remove mud and dirt!
She stood there for a while commanding the options she wanted, and then nothing happened. That was when James realized he would need to step into the shower and demonstrate how it works.
The Chronicles of Syra Omnibus Page 8
