The Staff of Ira

by Carl Sheffield

  Jay asked, “Where you are going?”

  Lee said, “Hell, we’re going to blow something up.” Then we laughed out. I told Jay to wait at my place.

  I smiled at Lee. “Well Lee, seems you are having fun.”

  Lee said, “Hell, monkeys eating bananas don’t have this much fun.”

  Driving along the road, Lee said, “Stop here Tyler, just over the ridge.”.

  Henery said, “The field road will take us to the ridge.” I took the weapon from Lee. he started coughing badly.

  Lee said, “I’ll stay here with the car, go ahead.” Henery and I started up the rise.

  Topping out, Henery said, “There Tyler, under the trees.” If you weren’t looking for a ship, you would not see it. “Why here, in this place, Tyler?” I told Henery that’s why they’re here: no one to see them, there’s nothing around.

  Henery mentioned, “Maybe we should wait till dark. There’s a lot of open fields to cover before we could get close. That weapon, what is the range?” I told him I wasn’t sure. We could go to the desert, find a cactus. Henery drove the car back to the road. Taking a left, we headed to the desert. Henery drove passed the crater where my shuttle crashed. Henery made a right turn on an old desert road. I looked in the back seat, old Lee was smiling as big as the sky. Henery stopped at a place I could see had been used by many.

  Lee said, “Let me shoot it, Tyler.” I pointed to a big juniper tree by a cactus. “Damn it, boy,” Lee said, “That’s a long way.”

  I said, “Maybe twenty-five hundred feet.”

  Lee said, “Hell, it looks five miles to me.” Lee’s shot fell short.

  “Lee, remember, elevation,” I said. Lee just looked at me. “Henery, you want a shot?” I asked.

  Henery said, “Sure, I’ll give it a try.”

  “Remember,” I told him, “elevation.” Henery placed the weapon on his shoulder.

  “Wait,” I said.

  Henery asked, “For what?”

  “Well Henery, it will be dark. Let’s put a blindfold on,” I said.

  “Bullshit,” they both said at the same time.

  “Just try it, Henery,” I said. “Henery, think of the cactus, where it’s at, then shoot it. Henery did as I told him: think of, it squeezed the trigger. Henery took out the juniper tree.

  Taking off his blindfold, Henery said, “Well, Tyler, not bad. Now Tyler, it’s your turn. Let’s see if you can do as good.” I took the weapon, tied the blindfold.

  Henery said, “Ok, do it.” I faced the cactus. I pictured it in my mind, I squeezed the trigger, blew the hell out of the cactus.

  Henery said, “Well, hell you fire that thing tonight.”

  Lee looked at me. “You’re just showing off, smart ass. I’ve heard of people like you, damn asshole.” Going back to my place, everyone was waiting.

  My dad said, “Son, someone is in the barn that I don’t like. I don’t believe he is who he said he is.” I told my dad Henery and I will check it out.

  Jay asked, “What has he done?”

  My dad said, “He is mean, just mean. I don’t believe he is one of us. He’s opening the boxes, throwing candy everywhere. I asked him not to do that. He said nothing; just bloody looked at me.”

  “Henery,” I said, “We got to go.” Driving to Doctor Jones’ house, turning into the drive, I spotted him right away.

  Henery asked, “Have you seen him before, Tyler?” I told him at Mac’s. Henery told me to get out of the car and just kill him. Henery stopped the car. I stood by the car. He knew who I was.

  I looked at him, “Do you remember what I told him?” He stopped, looked at me, then to the ridge. “I told you what would happen the next time I saw you. We gave you the chance to leave.” I killed him in front of the others. Some of the people ran from the barn, others looked on.

  “Tyler, who was he?” I told them he was a Palatonian.

  I asked everyone, “Help me pick up the candy, please, before it melts. I need to get it back in the shade of the barn.”

  It took thirty minutes to pick up the candy. The man had opened and threw twenty boxes in the yard. He would not make that mistake again.

  I asked for everyone’s attention. “Do you have one of these?” Holding up the coin so everyone could see. Seven people held up the coin, others were family members. “I promise you just a little while longer. We must be careful. Between now and then, there could be more.”

  I asked, “Did anyone see this person leave or go off by himself?”

  A young man answered, “Yes, I did. I saw him go over the ridge. He wasn’t gone long.”

  I asked him, “Can you show me?” Henery and I followed the tracks on the ridge. We found where he had stopped. Henery looked under a limb that had been broken off. There was a device.

  Henery said, “Tyler, it looks like a kind of a communication device.” I told Henery we might not need to go to the desert tonight. They might come here.

  Henery asked, “What if they do, then what?”

  I smiled at Henery. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you.” We went back to my place, told everyone what had happened.

  Jay said, “Tyler, you can count on me.”

  Lee said, “Hell boy, if we’re going to blow something up. I’m in.” I told everyone to go home. I told my mom and dad to stay here at my place.

  The sun went down. Henery and I went back to Doctor Jones. There was a man that came from the barn.

  “Tyler, two men were behind the barn by that old tractors.”

  Henery asked, “You want to shoot them with that, or my forty-five?”

  I said, “Hell, that forty-five is too loud.”

  I saw a movement. “Henery, there coming around the barn.” I told Henery to take care of the one behind the barn. I’ll take care of the other one. Henery walked to the back of the barn. I went to the front, there were two loud booms. It was over. I must show Mekon this weapon, I thought.

  We said goodnight to everyone. Henery said, “What is next?” I told him just wait on Dorn.

  “I wish he was here now,” Henery said.

  Chapter. 21

  I was holding Ellie’s hand, “Oh, Leah,” she cried, “I can’t.”

  Mea said, “Oh yes, you can.”

  I could hear Mi asking, “Why is she screaming? Does it hurt that bad?”

  Kira touched Mi on the arm. “She will be fine, I’ll be back.” Kira came in. “Leah, move back.”

  Mea said, “Here, you sure.”

  I asked, “What is going on?” Kira made a circle motion with her arm. In my twelve years here, I’ve never seen Kira use any kind of power. I didn’t know she had powers. It was finished. I looked at Kira, she smiled.

  “Well Leah, we all have our little secrets.” Ellie calmed down. Moments later, a baby cried. Mi was presented his long-awaited son.

  Mea said, “Mi, he’s a healthy eight-pound boy. Do you have a name for your son?”

  Mi said, “On my many journeys with Dorn, I met this man in England. I want my son to have an Earth name. I want to call him Charlie. I told Dorn if I someday have a son, I would call him Charlie.”

  I asked, “Mi, if you had a girl?”

  Mi said, “Casey”.

  “Leah, what will you call your baby?” Omega asked.

  I replied, “I don’t know, Dorn named Zin. I have another week. It will come to me. Candance has seven months; she will be a mother.”

  Aries said, “I’m ready to be a father. I hope I’m as good of a father as my father was to me.” Omega embraced his son.

  Ellie was sleeping. Mea was taking care of the baby. We cleaned him up, made a fuss over him, then placed him beside his mother. The baby found his way to her full breast. Pulling at her breast, the child went to sleep lying beside his mother. Ellie slept very well.

 
My thought went to my husband. Dorn should be on Earth by now. I miss him so much. Kira and I left the lab to the palace. The suns had come up over the eastern mountains. It was a beautiful day on our world. Morning on this planet was so much more than you can explain.

  My thought went to Earth. Where would I be if Dorn had not come along? I have never thought of going there to live again. I was now a native of Boldlygo, forever. I’ve never thought of anyone I may have left behind. I was told after I arrived here I was the last of the bloodline. I wondered, was I or was there others?

  There was talk coming from the great room. Aries and Omega was talking. They had left the lab earlier. Kira and I entered. Kira went to him; they had loved each other for many years. I hope Dorn and I will have a love like that. In my heart, I know we will. I truly love him.

  Omega asked Kira, “What has happened to our world? Outsiders are coming here, trying to destroy us.”

  Kira answered, “Not much longer. My father will be here soon. We will go to Earth no more. The attention the girls brought to us. I think we should listen to them more.”

  Kira said, “Yes, my love. Leah is strong-minded as my father.”

  I told Kira it was a beautiful day. “Let’s go to the city for a while.” smiling at her.

  “Yes, Leah, why not.”

  Kira and I started to the city. Candance asked, “May I come along?”

  I told her, “Sure, this would be nice for the three of us.” Walking around for several hours, we walked by the writing on the wall. Still could not fully understand what was written on the wall. Stopping for tea, Soy came to the shop.

  Soy said, “Well, you come here often, my Queen.”

  Kira told Soy, “I took your advice.”

  Kira stated, “Maybe you should come to the palace, Soy.”

  Soy said, “I came to the palace during a council not long ago. It was the first time since Kayla was Queen.” We spent the day with Soy. Kira told her of Ellie’s baby. Spending the day in the city had been a great day.

  Kira said, “Leah, I would like to go back to the palace.” Walking back, she told us how tired she felt. I must say carrying my baby, I was tired too. I would sleep well tonight.

  Kira slept well, all wrapped in Omegas arms. She had a dream or was it? She dreamed of a beautiful woman riding on Unicorn. Kayla came to her. Kira told me later.

  “Kira, my beautiful granddaughter, my son’s life. Has he ever told you he loves you?”

  Kira was afraid. She asked, “Who are you? Why have you come to me?”

  “Kira, I am Kayla, you fathers’ mother.”

  Kira fell on her knees. “Kayla, my Queen. I have thought of you often.”

  “I know Kira, I have watched you for so many years. Ira sends his love.”

  “Ira,” Kira said.

  “Yes Kira, Ira has Dorn told you he loves you.”

  Kira replied, “Not in words, in action. By saving us so many times.”

  “Trust me, Kira, Dorn loves you, so does Ira and I.”

  Kira asked, “Kayla, why have you come to me?”

  Kayla answered, “You are worried about your daughter.”

  Falling to my knees, “Kayla, is she hurt?” I asked.

  Replying, Kayla said, “She is fine. She is growing up. She will be different when she returns to Kira. Going to Earth, she got powers. This was not foreseen by the Busies. The powers come from Mya; she is powerful. She will meet a man, she will bring him here. This doesn’t matter, Kira. Tressa will be with Zin. It has been written, so shall it be.”

  It must be like this to fulfill what is to come, you will see. You can keep this to yourself; that is up to you. Kira, I see what you think. Let it be Royal Blood, should stay Royal Blood.”

  I asked Kayla, “Will Leah and Dorn accept it?”

  Kayla said, “The man she comes with will rebel from the beginning. Maoke foresaw this as he foreseen you as Queen. A male from childhood will come from the city of the ancient, with a female by his side, will move us to a different place. You will see, Kira. Zin and Tressa will move us. I can’t tell you more. You and Omega, as Dorn and Leah, have done good for our people. Someday, we will meet again.” Suddenly, I was awake. Omega was holding me.

  “Kira, what is wrong? You’re shaking,” Omega asked.

  Kira said, “I had a dream.”

  Omega said, “You were talking to Kayla.”

  I said again, “It was a dream.”

  Omega said, “I can tell you what you said of Tressa.” Kira stood by her bed, put on her robe, came to my room.

  Knocking on my door, “Leah! Leah! are you asleep?”

  I told her, “No, come in.” Kira sat on the bed for a moment. “Something I can do for you? Kira, I see you’re troubled.”

  Kira said, “Leah, I hear you talk about Kayla. You’ve never described her. She is beautiful, Leah.” I told Kira she is very beautiful.

  I asked Kira, “Did she come to you?”

  “Yes Leah, she told me Tressa was a woman now. Kayla told me Tressa is fine, she has powers.” I told Kira Dorn told me she saved a ship by herself.

  Kira said to me, “I never thought my daughter would have powers.”

  I smiled at Kira. “Well, miss Queen, I didn’t know you had powers.”

  Kira said, “It’s nothing to what Kayla said Tressa will have.”

  “What else did Kayla say, Kira?” I asked.

  She said, “A male child would rise with a female by his side; they would save us.”

  “Kira, it stands to reason,” I said.

  “What’s that?” Kira asked.

  I mentioned to her, “Remember the writing on the wall? Zin and Tressa will move us, the Keeper of the staff.”

  Kira asked, “Leah, do you think others will come?”.

  “Kira, before Dorn comes home, others will come. Maybe someday we will move as Kayla said. When Zin returns, he will be strong with power. Omega will confide in him, you will see.”

  Kira said, “Maybe he will want the throne.”

  I said to her, “Kira, you won’t need to worry about that. My son will be a leader, not a King.” I told her to wait until she sees him. I’ve said he will be strong with power. He will not want the throne. Besides, you’re his sister, I know he loves you. You know how he was with Tressa.”

  Kira said, “Well Leah, he has grown.”

  I said, “He has grown over a foot.

  Kira asked, “You think he is the Keeper of the staff?”

  “I have no doubt, Kira. My son is the Keeper of the staff. There may be some that might come to challenge us; they won’t stand to Zin and Tressa.”

  Kira stood from the bed. “Well, I suppose I should let you get some sleep. Thanks, Leah.” I told her, anytime. I thought as I left Leah’s room, I will wait to tell her the rest some other time.

  I fell into a peaceful sleep, just to wake up with a kick in the stomach. I thought yes, I know, I want you out little girl. Midafternoon I walked to the lab. Candance and Aries were taking turns with Charlie. Walking over to them, I looked at Charlie. “Hello Charlie,” I said. He had those alien eyes, I saw that right off. Ellie was lying on her side.

  I asked, “How are you?”.

  She replied, “I’m fine, Leah. Leah, he is so beautiful.”

  “Well, Ellie, look who he has for a mother,” I said.

  “Father too,” Ellie said. “Your next Leah, then Candance.”

  Candance said, “I wish it was now. I want this more than anything.” Candance told us she was going for a nap.

  I said to them, “The way I see it, I have maybe one week. Candance has seven months.” There was talk from the outside. The natives came to the lab.

  They asked, “Could we see the baby of Mi and Ellie?” Mi was standing by the door.

  “Please come in,”
He said. Mi’s father was telling him how proud he was of him. Mi’s father was chief justice, yet no one gives him the recognition he deserved.

  He told Mi, “I hope the difference in our appearance won’t scare him when he’s older.”

  I said to him, “Why would it? My son was not afraid, we’re all family. One thing to remember, don’t be afraid to let your children play with the human children. You treat them no different than you would your children. How many native children are in the city?”

  The chief said, “Maybe one hundred.” I told him to let’s all meet at the falls in the city center. I’ll send a sentry to all humans, then we will see.

  There were thirty human’s children in Kira Village. There were a few in the city. Bon and Vail had a child, so did Wil and his wife. It wasn’t as if we had the only human’s children.

  Ellie said, “I want to go too.” Rising from the bed, I knew she was fine. I was glad, I loved Ellie. Her and Candance were as sisters to me.

  I asked Ellie, “Should I wake Candance?”

  She replied, “No, let the bitch sleep.” Then laughed.

  Walking to the park, the children were standing together. The children begin to play; everyone loved us here. I know we have saved them several times. It was my husband that brought the Centaurians here. It was a big mistake for him.

  I jumped. “Wow, my baby sure can kick. She is telling me, it’s time to come out, mother.” I sat thinking of several things Kayla had told me. I couldn’t tell Kira all of it. Kira was a smart woman. I still can’t believe she has powers.

  Ellie said, “It was a shock to me too.”

  I said, “Here, we thought we were the three, little did we know our Queen could do what she did.” What else could she do? I thought of that also.

  I kept moving. Ellie asked, “What is with you, Leah?” I told her the baby is kicking me hard. Entering the park, we were here several hours. Late afternoon, the sun had started to set.

  Ellie said, “I need to go back to the palace.”

  I said to them, “Let the children play together, it will make us stronger.”

  Entering the palace, Ellie laid on the bed. I sat with Charlie talking to him. He was only a few days old, yet he stared at me with those alien eyes. Playing with him, he dozed off.