by Michael Berg
“I have created enough memories for others to recall the most intimate of exchanges.”
“Then we need you to focus again and with me, we can make an impression on Bobby’s life...”
“We already have. See you are going soft on him. Why Valeena?”
“I don’t know Beth. He has upset everything for us, yet I still feel an attachment to him.”
“The seed! It meant much more to you than I Valeena. I know we were both equal in... I feel a distinct separation from it.”
“You did not nurture the life form entity Beth. Maybe it is such a thing separating us.”
“Perhaps, but you have to let him go. Think what he has done to us. If we don’t kill him then we may as well be outcasts from Vindor.”
“I am well aware of our position Beth. My compassion for self forms my connection with Bobby. We have lost our progeny. Doesn’t it affect you?”
“Of course, but obviously not like you. I don’t like him Valeena, and we need to act this out for our benefit. I thought you were the stronger of us.”
“My strength is unaffected...I...,” Valeena trailed off looking despondent for a few seconds
“I’m sorry sweetie,” Beth moved close to hug Valeena feeling compassion for her loss. She could not hold back tears for her dear friend who had given her so much, and secretly she chastised herself for showing anger in respect to Bobby. Both women felt a degree of conflict for the man they had loved together so passionately and who they were now destined to kill. Despite their sense of pride and requiem of self, they also felt the same burning desire to mate with Earth’s steward – a man they adored and hated at the same time. He had given them the promise of status within Vindor society they almost had within reach, and then he had taken away this avenue of accolade to present them with choices they would prefer to avoid.
“Here, let me dress your arm and then we can talk about what we do next.”
Valeena fixed them a meal and a pot of coffee as Beth sat trying to come up with a plan. She was distracted – her anger had subsided for a time, giving way to a relatively thoughtless and indeterminate state conflicted with emotion and how her future may unfold. She was certain on the strength of her bond with Valeena, yet there lingered the question of her own self determination after this time on Earth and how she could look forward to a life of pride driven experiences among her peers.
“I have such a need to see...”
“Beth, we cannot be needy with this or in the future. It will be your undoing. I have seen enough failure around neediness. Anyway, I know there is much more in store for you...for us.”
“I’m sorry,” Beth looked away feeling ashamed. Valeena sensed this immediately and moved closer to reassure her she was not feeling any scorn towards Beth even though she had spoken with strength and virility in her words.
Beth was struggling with her separation from the progeny and from the potential she had envisioned back on Vindor. Outwardly she conversed in a manner defying this deeper feeling, but Valeena was experienced enough to know how it was touching her heart and for this she offered her deepest condolences. The seed’s death had aroused anger within them both – Valeena was coping through expression of her emotion, whereas Beth was suppressing these feelings only now rising to the surface.
They finished eating the Vindor spice dish in silence, each keeping to their thoughts of Bobby and feelings of loss. Gradually their moods changed. Coffee helped to bring them out of their temporary foreboding and see ahead what they would need to do in order to send Bobby out of existence and thus eliminate a serious threat to Vindor success against Earth.
“We must go tonight Beth, and soon.”
“I am ready. Would you like me to gather arms?”
“No more than we can use...but enough for a plan I have. We will need twelve. One each for us, and ten others set up to fire automatically at the house.”
“More like a hut Valeena. You have a house.”
“Bobby is sure to know about typical Vindor methods of attack. He is even known at home for his stealth in deciphering our positional modes of offense.
We have to attack in a way entirely alien to him.”
“Valeena, I think you are...no, you tell me.”
“A time distortion field. He knows nothing of this even after his travel back to this time. It will temporarily disorientate them all and it is then we attack. They will not know we are coming.”
“How are we not affected?”
“These little spheres will protect us,” Valeena replied as she drew them out of her pocket. Both fitted in the palm of her hand – a hand holding so much destiny and potential, yet also the deepest loss and sense of nothingness now after recent events. She had held her child with motherly love and now only a ghost of those memories remained.
“We’ll get them Beth,” anger took over as she clenched her fist around the shiny silver spheres.
“Come on, we have time to be together. Our passion will add to our success.”
“Mm, lovely my love. Yes, we can be as one and then we will join as one again to take ourselves back to the Vindor circles of respect.”
Valeena reached out as Beth approached. At first touch they were scintillated and almost drew back from each other before realising the potential of their contact and embracing each other passionately in a kiss they could feel as deep as they had felt Bobby.
“Now Beth,” Valeena said as she pushed herself against Beth’s hand. Together they came fulfilling each other in the special ways they knew as Vindor women. It was erotic and evocative, sensing a notion of self hyperbolised by their personal acts of self approval.
When they both sensed their hunger wane, it was time. Valeena led the way as Beth carried the bag of weapons towards their transport. Within minutes they were situated nearby Jonathon Livingston’s home, without the knowledge of its occupants.
Bobby had pre-empted the two women’s return and had devised a plan of defence. He was the trusted Steward of Earth Defences and now he was showing why this trust was so well placed. He had arranged weapons similarly to what the women planned and he knew more about them than they had considered. Their un-orthodox plan of attack was a prediction Bobby had made accurately knowing the women would have little personnel power to mount an offensive.
“They will try to set up a number of weapons Mister Weston, in hope they create a volley of fire under which they can find their way in here.”
“And so we counteract by closely watching their weapons and counting to see if there is any pattern.”
“Precisely. I will need you to count as well Miss Candice so we are certain they are set at regular intervals of firing.”
“I am most available for this Mister Bobby.”
“Good. Mister Livingston and I will then set upon them once we determine their path of attack.”
The attack came beginning with sporadic fire around the perimeter of the property. No set pattern was obvious as Valeena had considered this premise, but it would become inevitable to Bobby and the others when they learned of the inaccuracy of the electrical bolts shot at the house. After about half an hour, Bobby had established a pattern based on his own observations and those of the other three.
Valeena and Beth had tried but now had failed. Bobby and the people he was with fended them off each time they tried to make inroads inside. Bobby was too good for them and there was no way they were going to kill him or any of the others. Even when they tried to use a time distortion to confuse those in the house, their efforts failed for the device was not sufficiently charged for another displacement and so the machine dies with barely a whimper.
Combat like situations were not their mission, and so it began to dawn upon them of their mission objective being over. Valeena and Beth would return to Vindor in disgrace to be seen publicly for their failures. There was nothing they could do and Froend could see this all unfolding through his direct link viewer.
“Return to the bordello, collect your
things and then take your transport to space. We will send you co-ordinates for a rendezvous with a Vindor transport. From there it will be directly to high command for your punishment.”
“We are very sorry...”
“Sorry means nothing Valeena. It will only apply to yourselves when you realise what you have lost.”
“What if we are sent back again and try to...?”
“Why would I return two failed operatives to a situation? Do as I command.”
Beth took Valeena by the hand as they walked back to their transport. Neither wanted any keepsakes from the bordello upon return, choosing only those very personal items to take with them. At the last when they were satisfied, Valeena hit a command button located in the wall of the house behind an old portrait. In the minute after they had exited, the inside of the bordello was transformed to appear as it did on its exterior – old and unkempt.
It was to become known as a mysterious house in which the Steward of Earth Defences had accustomed two women who had then tried to kill him in an effort to gain the upper hand in the Vindor war with Earth. No mention of time travel was ever made – Bobby had made the others swear an oath of secrecy when they realised the women were gone. The invention of time distortion technology was reserved to those who commanded the space pilots - Miss Candice, Mister Weston, and Jonathon Livingston through their knowledge were set to become operatives in such technology at the direction of Bobby’s superiors.
When the moon was high and they had exhausted themselves, Miss Candice and Mister Weston bade farewell before heading off to bed. Bobby and Jonathon remained outside a short while talking about the attack. Both men knew the veracity of their commitment and from here on they knew they would be friends until the end of their days. Before not too long, Bobby also took to bed. He knew there would be almost no time between now and when they would all travel to space command headquarters to become a flight team together. Eager to feel contentment in allowing himself to dream, he bade Jonathon good night, leaving his new friend to consider how his life had suddenly changed.
With clear stars and a crescent moon overhead, Jonathon stood alone for some time at the edge of the porch looking outwards over the sparse moonlit forest. His days alone in this part of the world were over and now he could relax and be his true self again founded in reason for living instead of being a recluse waiting to eventually meet Bobby.
An owl let forth a few hoots at the very moment he decided to retire himself.
“Wise owl I heed your wisdom,” he said deciding to stay longer and view the heavens using his telescope. As the owl flew within the lighted area of the porch drawing his attention to look into the night beyond, he saw a spacecraft as a pinpoint of moving light. It seemed to becoming closer, yet within the vastness outside the atmosphere, such proximity was indiscernible. Before going over to the telescope sitting against the wall, he thought for a moment of his pending journey to the stars with three new friends. Then his thoughts turned to Betsy and immediately he found it within himself to trust Mister and Missus Baker who lived five miles away, to take care of her in his absence.
