We Come In Peace

by Lillian Francken

  Once Bobby was confident that the two understood what he meant, he quickly left them to care for their own needs. He went downstairs to see if Elmer had any concerns about their visitors.

  CHAPTER 5

  Colonel Crimshaw drove down the long dusty road that seemed like it went on forever. The convoy of Jeeps left a dusty trail that hung heavy in the still desert air. As they approached a sign that read “No Trespassing, Miller’s Mine,” the Colonel turned to the Cammo dude sitting in the passenger seat.

  “Seems a bit out of the way.”

  “I told you way back. I thought this was in the wrong direction. Are you sure the boy said Miller’s Mine?”

  “You doubting me?”

  “No. However, looking at these coordinates. I’d say we’re twenty miles from where the craft should have landed.

  “Why didn’t you say something,” the Colonel snapped.

  “I did, but you wouldn’t listen.”

  The Colonel just gave the Cammo dude a look that told him not to argue the point. The Colonel may not have always been right, but he was never wrong. The kid said Miller’s Mine and that was where they would search for the alien craft.

  Once the Colonel’s Jeep stopped in front of the old mine shaft, he got out. Following his lead, all the Cammo dudes exited their vehicles and glanced around with puzzled looks on their faces. They all received the coordinates that the Cammo dude in the Colonel’s Jeep received, and one didn’t have to be a genius to know they were nowhere near where the craft should have landed. But no one dared question the Colonel and his decisions. Like all good soldiers, they followed their leader with blind adulation.

  The Colonel looked around angrily and then barked orders at the Cammo dude leader, “Have your men search the area!”

  “But...” the Cammo dude leader tried to argue the order, but it was useless.

  “Do as I say,” the Colonel snapped.

  The Cammo dude leader barked orders at his men. They reluctantly obeyed the command like good soldiers. One climbed up a ridge where he had a bird’s-eye view of the area. He looked around the area and once there, as all suspected, there was no indication that anything had landed. The pay was the same whether they saw anything or not, so they all did as they were told and no one questioned the orders given.

  * * *

  Bobby quickly descended the steps into the living room and sat with Elmer, keeping him company. It did not take long till he heard movement on the stairs. He glanced up in time to see Zolar and Jupel, who just stood at the top of the stairs. Jupel had on blue jeans with a Nevada State sweat-shirt and looked like an all-American kid with his blond hair and blue eyes. Zolar, on the other hand, appeared somber and not in the best of moods in an oversized housedress. Zolar nudged Jupel, who mimicked Bobby and bounced down the stairs. Zolar just shook her head and walked down the stairs reluctantly. Although the housedress hung loosely, one could see the well-formed body underneath the colorful print of the garment. It was hard for Bobby not to stare at her as she descended the stairs.

  Bobby stood up for a moment. He pointed to the couch and quickly said, “Sit.” Bobby did not know what else to do and knew that by giving them simple commands, they tended to understand and listen to him more.

  Jupel walked over to the couch followed by Zolar. They both promptly plopped down in unison. The two sat staunchly erect with hands on their knees as if they were at some sort of military attention.

  “If you are hungry, there’s candy,” Bobby pointed to the candy dish on the coffee table. “Help yourself.”

  Jupel looked at the dish and then reached over and took a piece of chocolate. He examined the colorful coating that covered the tiny piece of chocolate, turning it around in his fingers. Finally, he put it in his mouth. He turned to Zolar with a pleased smile and then grabbed a handful of the candies and stuffed them in his mouth.

  “Are you hungry?” Bobby asked, laughing at Jupel.

  With his mouth full, Jupel managed to get out, “This is good.”

  Zolar stared at Jupel. She took a piece of the candy and slowly put it in her mouth. She too had a look of pleasure on her face as she reached in and then grabbed a handful of the chocolates, and stuffed them into her mouth. They both sat with their mouths full of candy.

  Elmer just watched them with interest. He turned to Jupel and then Zolar, who had their mouths coated with chocolate. Elmer finally turned to Bobby with a curious look.

  “Your friends are hungry?” Elmer asked.

  Bobby turned to Zolar and Jupel as they both grabbed up another handful of candy. Neither seemed to have any control over their desire for more of the sweet delight. Bobby motioned to his tummy. Jupel shook his head no while Zolar turned to Jupel and then looked up with her the mouth stuffed and shook her head no also. She grabbed more candy and stuffed it in her mouth.

  Elmer turned to Bobby. “Have your friends been smoking some of that wild weed?”

  Bobby shrugged innocently. He did not know how to explain to Gramps his friends crashing into the desert in their flying saucer. Also, given his history of smoking weed, he did not think anyone would believe him at this point. Nevertheless, the fact remained that the two aliens had stepped out of that craft and they were sitting here on the couch. Once he brought the spacecraft to the ranch, he would either have proof that there was life beyond Earth or that the people coming to the convention were becoming more sophisticated in their travels.

  Bobby turned back to the two sitting staunchly on the couch with their hands on their knees, looking straight ahead, their mouths all covered with chocolate. The candy dish was empty and would remain that way for a while, as Bobby did not know how to control the two when it came to the chocolate delight or how he would explain the situation to Elmer, or Jenny for that matter once she got home from work.

  They sat in the living room for a good hour, no one speaking just sitting there staring at each other, Finally, it was the sound of the old beat-up station wagon of his Aunt Jenny pulling up to the ranch that caused Bobby to finally get up and look out the window. His biggest fear was now realized. His aunt had let him stay at the ranch to bring some normalcy to his life. However, as hard as she tried, he fought every attempt. Granted, he didn’t want to go back and live with his mother and her many boyfriends. Bobby just didn’t like the restrictions Aunt Jenny imposed on his life, no matter how well intended they were. He did not know how he would explain the two sitting on the couch with his straitlaced aunt, and time was running out fast. He took a deep breath and waited for what he knew would soon come.

  It did not take long for the front door to swing open. Jenny stormed in. Her face, crimson red, almost matched the ketchup stains on her uniform. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Bobby standing in front of the two visitors, still sitting staunchly on the couch with their hands on their knees and their faces covered in chocolate. Jenny, not wanting to embarrass Bobby in front of his friends, walked over to the kitchen door and motioned Bobby to follow her. Her jaw muscles tightened.

  Bobby knew that whatever it was that got her upset would not be good. Jenny was usually soft-spoken, but when her feathers were ruffled, she could tie into you with the best of them, and she always seemed to have a valid argument when it came to him and his schooling. It was just the school had become boring lately, and he just did not have it in him to sit through classes taught by teachers with no regard to passing on knowledge that made sense. But who was he to question their methods?

  By the time Bobby walked into the kitchen, Jenny was opening the refrigerator and grabbing the can of soda. She flipped the lid and then took a quick drink. When Bobby walked in, she slammed the can on the counter and stared at him for the longest time without speaking, which made him more uncomfortable.

  “The school called me today at work,” she snapped, looking at him for a sign of remorse.

  “Yeah,” Bobby said with indifference. As much as he liked his aunt, he was not going to let her rule his life. He did not want to be a
s defiant as he always was with his mother. For some reason, he always found it difficult to find a happy medium.

  “They wanted to know where you were.”

  “What did you tell them?”

  “Is that all you have to say?”

  “I care!”

  “Oh. Then why weren’t you in school?”

  Bobby hesitated a moment. “I was studying nature.” It was a lame excuse but the only one he could come up with on the fly. Truth be known, his teachers were lame excuses for educators. None of them cared about what they were teaching or that the students that they sent out into the world were unprepared for what was awaiting them. But then who was he to judge his elders? That was what caused him the most trouble.

  “Bullshit,” Jenny said angrily and then pointed to the living room. “And who are those two space cadets out there and what were you doing today?”

  “They aren’t space cadets,” Bobby snapped, and then walked closer to Jenny and whispered, “More like space travelers,” as if that would make her feel better about the company sitting in the living room.

  Jenny looked puzzled and then shook her head in disbelief. “Who are they?” she asked, shaking her head. Granted, Jenny was not Bobby’s mother, but she was, in fact, responsible for him and did not take that task lightly. She especially did not like him associating with strangers and, given the convention in Las Vegas, there were plenty of aliens running around the area.

  Bobby opened the fridge and pulled out a beer. Jenny quickly grabbed it out of his hand and then frowned. She put the beer back in the refrigerator and then turned and pointed at Bobby while laughing.

  “You are not old enough for that.”

  “But Mom,” he started to say. It was the wrong thing to bring up, and he regretted it now, but he knew once the words were spoken, it was too late.

  “You do know their names, don’t you?”

  “Yeah,” Bobby said and then hesitated a moment. “John and Jane Doe,” he said rolling his eyes, hoping Jenny was not watching him.

  “What?” Jenny said, not quite believing what Bobby had just said.

  “You heard of them?”

  Jenny grabbed the soda off the counter and then guzzled the rest of the contents. “Like I said, space cadets.”

  “They were in the desert walking because their vehicle broke down. They don’t have enough money to get it fixed.”

  “And you brought them home.”

  “What else was I to do?” Bobby said, raising his hands and shaking his head. “It seemed the only humane thing to do at the time.” Bobby knew his aunt was an old softy when it came to a sob story and only hoped she believed him.

  “You could have taken them into town and dropped them off at the Salvation Army.”

  “Why? We have plenty of room here on the ranch. Besides, it was closer than the town.”

  “How long are they going to stay here?”

  “Gramps said they were welcome to stay for as long as they needed.”

  Bobby knew if he brought Elmer into this, Jenny would not assert herself. It was his ranch, and they all stayed there because Elmer did not object. Even though Jenny was his daughter and was technically caring for him, it was Elmer’s decision who lived with him.

  “Dad met them?” Jenny asked with a surprised look on her face.

  “Yeah, when we first arrived. He likes them too.”

  “You know he’s not playing with a full deck, so that remark means nothing to me.”

  Jenny tossed the can into the garbage and then stormed out of the room, leaving Bobby sweating bullets. He knew Jenny was upset and now he had to think fast before she caught on who they were. The last thing he needed was the jerks from Area 51 coming and taking the two space travelers. Bobby quickly followed Jenny out of the room.

  Jenny stood in front of John and Jane sitting on the couch. Spot ran over and started barking at Jenny.

  “What the hell is going on in here?”

  John looked up. “We were welcomed,” he said as he looked up with his hands still on his knees.

  Jenny appeared frustrated. “I don’t doubt that. But who let the dog in?”

  “You mean Spot,” Bobby said quickly before either of the two aliens could speak.

  Jenny glanced at the dog, whose solid black fur did not have a trace of a spot on it. She turned to Bobby and just stared at him for an indication of what was behind calling the dog spot. She knew things were not adding up and the more Bobby talked, the bigger the hole was getting.

  “Spot?” she mocked with a puzzled look. “Leave it to Bobby to have friends like this,” Jenny said under her breath.

  Spot sat, while his tail wagged back and forth. Jenny shooed Spot away from her foot. The dog finally got up and walked over to the sofa. He lay down at John’s feet. Jenny stared at the two on the couch and then down at the dog. All she could do was shake her head. Making an issue of this with Bobby was useless. Once Elmer agreed to let them stay, she would have to just back off and let the situation play out, as she had done all her life.

  As frustrated as she was, Jenny finally just turned and hurried up the stairs. There would be time later to deal with their visitors. Right then she had a headache and needed some relief, and only distancing herself from the chaos would get her that relief.

  CHAPTER 6

  Jenny was at the stove, stirring the pot of spaghetti sauce. She opened the oven and glanced at the cookie sheet filled with meatballs. Quickly Jenny tested one. When she was sure it was fully cooked, she took the pan out of the oven and then spooned the meatballs into the sauce. Once the water on the other burner started boiling Jenny took the salt out of the cupboard, poured a little into the boiling water, and then tested the water to make sure it tasted like seawater. When she was confident the right amount of salt was added, she dumped in the small box of spaghetti noodles. Jenny stirred the water for a minute until all the noodles were submerged and she was sure they were not stuck together. She turned on the timer.

  While Jenny cooked, Bobby reluctantly set the table. He knew Jenny was upset with him, but he was not aware how to tell her he was sorry for skipping school. All his life Bobby would do things spontaneously and not worry about the results. He did not know what had gotten into him that morning when he woke up. School was the last thing he wanted to do, and before he knew it, he was driving out into the desert where, as fate would have it, he met the space travelers. For him, it was destiny that he was out there. If not for him, the Cammo dudes would surely have captured John and Jane and taken their spacecraft to their Area 51 facility, and no one would have been the wiser.

  Elmer walked in and sat at the head of the table. He said nothing for the longest time and just watched Jenny and Bobby busying themselves around the kitchen.

  Jenny turned to Bobby. “Dinner is almost ready,” she said and then motioned to the living room. “You better get your friends.”

  Bobby walked out of the room while Jenny turned to Elmer. “Why did you permit him to let them stay when you don’t know anything about those two?” she asked.

  Elmer just shook his head. “Sure, there’s juice. Check the fridge.”

  “No, I said those two,” Jenny snapped while pointing to the living room. “Do you know anything about them?”

  Bobby walked in with John and Jane just then. All three stopped for an instant and stared at Jenny. Jenny looked embarrassed, and just turned back to the stove and stirred the boiling pot.

  “I was curious,” is all she said in her defense.

  “Curious?” John asked.

  “She wanted to know where you came from,” Bobby said, trying to defend Jenny. He was aware that his aunt meant well. He found it odd that when he told the truth, people found it difficult to believe him.

  John spoke up. “We came from...”

  Jane hit John on the back of the head. She looked at him in a way that told him not to say more.

  Bobby quickly stepped forward. “They were on their way to the Star Tre
k Convention Center.”

  “They got one of those going on again?” Jenny asked. Things always got strange when they held one of those because funny people from all over the country flocked to the convention center and the surrounding areas.

  “Yeah, in Vegas. It’s been on all the stations.”

  “Widow Megas has been calling me again?”

  Bobby turned to Elmer and shook his head and wondered what that had to do with the Star Trek Convention in Vegas.

  “Widow Megas? You got the hots for her again, Gramps?” Bobby asked.

  Jenny looked at Elmer and then shouted. “We’re talking about Bobby’s friends,” as she pointed to Jane and John. “They are going to Vegas.”

  “Why is everyone yelling,” Elmer snapped while arranging his silverware on his placemat. He then looked up innocently.

  Jenny quickly turned to Bobby. “Did you get the batteries for his hearing aid?” Jenny asked.

  Bobby just squinted. He did not have to answer, as Jenny knew by his gesture that he had forgotten all about picking them up after school. Because actually, he never made it to school, so why would he remember the batteries.

  Jane turned to John quickly. “Translation,” is all she said.

  John just looked puzzled. “You want me to translate that.”

  Bobby motioned to Jane and John to sit down. He pointed to the table. “We’ll be eating soon,” he said motioning with his hand as if scooping food into his mouth.

  “Eating?” Jane asked with a curious look on her face.

  Bobby again motioned with his hand as if putting things in his mouth and could tell by the look on Jane’s face she now understood.

  “Ohhh. Supplying nutrients to the bodily function,” Jane said nodding her head in agreement. “That is acceptable.”

  Jane walked over to the table. She sat down and then put her hands on her knees as she had done in the living room. John looked at her a moment and then followed her lead. They both sat there and stared up at Jenny as if waiting for her to serve them.