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  “Not quite,” said Sam. “In these past four years, Mrs. Wilkes has helped us realize the dream of our Chairman to take our company back to its roots. He wanted to get back to providing wholesome and nurturing entertainment for all the people, not just the conglomeration of industries we have become. Mrs. Wilkes helped us see that people from around the galaxy want and need what we can offer. The Chairman has built on that and has revived the spirit of our organization. Now children look forward to what we give them, and parents trust us again. So, when we received a message from her husband, Michael Wilkes, asking our help in a little surprise for his wife, we saw an opportunity. The planet is celebrating its sixth year of freedom, and in particular Mrs. Wilkes is planning an outdoor open concert that highlights the music from our programs. Mr. Wilkes only asked for a special program to use our characters during their stage performance. But our Chairman would have none of it, and pulled out all the stops. We are now going in person as a sort of surprise. That’s why the Chairman came along himself.”

  “Your Chairman is with us?” Dickson asked a little startled. He had known that the company had its crew there, but he had not even dreamed that the chairman of the company was aboard. This merited special attention. “I would enjoy showing him around the ship,” he said.

  “Please Captain,” said Jim sincerely, taking the captain by the arm. “The Chairman wishes to remain secluded in his quarters. He is asking that he be allowed to stay in his quarters until we reach Thera and have things set up,” he said.

  “But surely he will want suitable quarters, we have a VIP suite...” Dickson interrupted.

  “Trust me, his quarters are fine, Captain,” Sam assured him. “You see, he is in constant communication with the company making plans and dreaming up new programming. He stays pretty much to himself even back home, so we leave him alone to keep things going. Even I don’t usually see him but once about every other day.”

  “Captain, the chairman doesn’t really like getting out in public – hasn’t for a long time,” Jim said. “Behind his back, we call him ‘Mister Reincarnation’ around the office. I really like the guy and he is totally behind what we do. He can be a taskmaster, but only where it counts. Most of us would do anything he wants, so we ask that you honor his privacy for now.”

  Dickson looked at the two men. He was not very happy about this latest surprise and could be open for criticism if their Chairman didn’t like the way he was treated. At the same time, he would not be happy if his wishes were not met. But he clearly didn’t like the situation. “Very well then, if that is what he desires. Please let him know that I am at his disposal if he needs me,” Dickson sighed.

  The two men watched the emotions in Dickson’s face and looked at each other. Both broke into a grin.

  “Why don’t you relay that to him yourself, Captain,” Sam said. “He may not want company, but he would enjoy making your acquaintance. As a matter of fact, he is expecting us any time now,” he said smiling.

  Captain Dickson visibly relaxed. This makes all the difference in the world, he thought. “Then we must not keep him waiting,” he said to the men.

  “You’ll see why we call him by his pet name too. Should be fun,” said Sam.

  They all three got up from the table and exited the door. Surprisingly, the Chairman of one of the oldest and largest entertainment industries in history was in the next stateroom. After a polite knock, a very familiar voice invited them to come in.

  Four hours later, Dickson returned to the bridge completely satisfied with the situation and pleased to have made such new friends.

  “How was your dinner, sir,” asked Commander James Thompson from his chair.

  “Very good, Number One, our guests were able to fill me in on a lot of things,” Dickson replied smiling. He strode to his center seat and sat down, straightening his more formal uniform. “It seems we are taking part in a little surprise for Jo and Mike Wilkes.”

  “A surprise?” Thompson asked giving a skeptical look. “Star Fleet pulled us away from our last assignment early for a surprise? Must be a big one,” he said.

  “It seems so, Number One. Our passengers have some big plans for the main celebration, especially Jo Wilkes’ outdoor concert. It is like a special present just for her,” Dickson said smiling.

  “It must be,” said Thompson. “We got another amplifying message from Alliance State with more schedules and what looks like music selections. I passed them along.”

  “Good. I will look over them later on,” Dickson said. “By the way, please make sure no one disturbs the man in cabin 24-D. He seems to have a lot of work to do before they arrive and has asked to remain secluded until we arrive. I have met the man and see no reason to deny his request. Can you pass that along?”

  That brought a raised eyebrow from Thompson. “Certainly, sir.”

  “If he does need anything, please let me know and I will take care of it.”

  Now that was definitely curious. The Captain himself would run errands? What kind of guy is this? Thompson wondered. “Yes sir,” was the only thing he could say.

  The communications watch interrupted them.

  “Sir, a signal coming in from the planet Thera,” he said. After a pause his face broke out into a big smile. “Mrs. Wilkes has given birth to Mary Shala Wilkes. They ask if we would pass the word to their parents.”

  “Now that’s all right!” Thompson exclaimed.

  “I agree, Number One,” Dickson said beaming. “And if you will excuse me, I will relay the news to the happy grandparents,” he said standing from his seat and heading toward the door. “Then I think I’ll turn in,” Dickson said. “It’s been a rather busy day.”

  Mike drove along the road to his home with the top down. He loved the feel of the open air blowing past him. The night was warm and after the long hours in delivery, he welcomed the feeling and the freedom. He eased back and pressed himself into the plush seat of his car. Inwardly he smiled at himself. Throughout his life on Thera, he had maintained that he would only be in public with things that were in the same technology level as the rest of the planet, even though he was a representative of the Alliance and entitled to maintain his own level of technology. Early on, it had been determined that the common technology level would be set at the year 1960 in Earth terms. Electronics, mechanical technology, engineering practices all went into the equation. So when it came time to get an automobile, he decided to show the Therans some style. That was why he was driving along in a 1961 Ford Thunderbird convertible. At first the replicators had some problems accessing and then manufacturing the parts, but when it was all done, the vehicle was a true work of art.

  The effect on the Therans had been electric. Everywhere he went, people stopped and stared. Teens would gather and almost literally drool over the fine lines, sleek look and especially the fins and the rocket exhaust taillights. The car seemed as if it would take off like a rocket. Within a year, the automakers had started coming out with new designs and new looks. That had been four years ago. Now all the makers were letting their imaginations fly. It had been fun to watch.

  Mike entered a long straight stretch of road. He wondered why no one on Earth made things like this any more. Everything seemed almost dull. With inertial dampers installed, you couldn’t feel anything while a vehicle was moving. To emphasize the point, he mashed down on the accelerator. The big V-8 engine roared to life and the car quickly increased speed. You never feel that on an Alliance vessel, he thought to himself.

  Within a few minutes he slowed and turned into the drive to his house. Mike had purposefully built it on the edge of the Alliance embassy grounds overlooking a lake. He drove up the drive and stopped the car in front of the house. It was a two-story Georgian style manor house with columns and a porch that ran most of the front of the house. The lights were on inside.

  Mike opened the door and was immediately tackled by a bundle of energy named Timothy.

  “There’s my man!” said Mike between hugs.


  “Did Mom have a baby?” Timothy asked, his eyes gleaming at his dad.

  “Yes she did,” said Mike. “You have a new sister.”

  “But I wanted a brother,” Timothy pouted. The twinkle in his eyes gave away the mock disappointment. Pretty soon Dad had found his tickle zone and both were squirming and giggling on the floor.

  “Isn’t this a sight,” said a woman standing by the entrance to the kitchen. She was drying a small platter.

  “Hi Jamla,” Mike said looking up. “Did he give you any troubles?”

  “Never does,” Jamla said grinning. She was soon joined by another man who walked up and put his arm around her.

  “You ready for a game of tennis or something,” Panor said with a stern look.

  “I’ll whip your butt anytime and anywhere,” Mike said getting up and pulling Timothy onto his shoulders.

  Panor walked over to his friend and gave him a reassuring poke on the arm. “Congratulations man,” he said.

  “Thanks Panor. And I appreciate your looking after Timothy.”

  “What are brothers for, Mike? Besides, Jamla and I are taking notes for when we have our first,” he said going back to his wife. “And what I see is a guy that is in desperate need of some sack time,” Panor said sternly.

  Mike threw up his hands in resignation. “I shall not debate you,” he said. Then he looked up at Timothy. The little boy’s eyes were not as bright as before. “And it’s well past your bedtime sport,” he said as he made his way up the stairs.

  “When can I see her?” Timothy asked sleepily.

  “Your sister? Maybe we can go visit tomorrow,” Mike said as they entered the boy’s room.

  Mike took his son to his bed and gently tucked him in. The little boy was asleep before he was finished. Mike looked down at his son and smiled. Timothy was a jewel in his life. They did everything he had never done with his own father. Mike always made time for him and took great pains to spend as much time with him as possible. They were always exploring the world together. He reached down and made one more tuck, then kissed him on the forehead. “Good night sport.”

  When he came back into the hall he heard the rustling in the kitchen. Mike made his way there to find Panor and Jamla in a passionate kiss.

  “Trying to make this baby right here?” he asked.

  They jerked apart as if shot with electricity. Then they turned a bright shade of red. Mike started laughing and went to the refrigerator and pulled out some bottled juice.

  “How is Jo?” Jamla asked.

  “Tired but fine,” Mike said in a tired voice. “When I left she had gone to sleep. The doctor wants her to rest. Little Mary just curled up and went to sleep herself. So there wasn’t much for me to do but come home,” he said.

  “You look like you have been hit by a truck,” Panor said. He was genuinely concerned for his friend and almost ached to help him.

  Mike grinned at him. Panor was his best friend and Rokka and Shala’s son. He had taught Mike a lot about Theran culture, including the language, and Mike had taught him a lot about the culture of the Alliance and particularly of Earth. Panor especially liked the way Mike phrased things. It was so different. Now they both thought a lot alike.

  “I feel like I’ve been hit too,” Mike said. He downed the drink quickly and set the glass down. “But I’m a little too keyed up right now. I may go down to the lake for a few minutes,” he said turning and going out the back door.

  Panor looked over at his wife. Whenever Mike felt “keyed up,” he would always head toward the boathouse on the lake. The smile between them was of a special knowledge they shared.

  Mike keyed the lock on the boathouse, stepped inside and closed the door again. Instinctively, he reached over and flipped on the overhead lights. There in the middle of the old wooden boathouse was the Spirit. The small plane he and Jo had built five years before sat on a pair of pontoons he had crafted for the little plane. She seemed to gleam. Her silver paint glowed under the lights. Only the letters N-X-211 marred the silver finish on the wings. On the nose, the word “Spirit” stood out behind the engine while on the tail the name RYAN linked the small ship with her namesake from so many centuries before. He dimmed the lights and pressed a button on the wall. The front of the shed slowly opened. Mike checked the gas tank to make sure there was plenty of fuel. He climbed aboard the plane and then, reaching above him, squeezed the bulb on the gas line and primed the engine. Then he set the choke and gave a sharp pull on the starting rope. The engine popped to life on the second pull. Mike sat himself in his seat and pulled the rope to cast off from the pier inside.

  The Spirit eased out of the boathouse and onto the lake. The full moon had come above the horizon and he double checked his mixture settings and slowly opened the throttle. The little engine rapidly increased its revolutions until the propeller was leaving contrails behind it. The Spirit quickly sped across the water and then lifted into the air. This was the most enjoyable thing Mike could imagine. He loved taking the Spirit up to feel the wind blow across his face. Up here he could relax and let himself unwind. He eased the throttle back and the Spirit responded by slowing slightly and leveling out just 300 meters over the calm water of the lake. Just ahead was the small island that Shala and Rokka called home. It had been there that they had nursed him back to health, where they had escaped the grip of his captors, and where he had fallen in love with Jo. He could see the lights shining from the windows. He banked the Spirit and circled the island hoping that Shala or Rokka would come out. But no one appeared. Mike turned back toward home when he noticed he was not alone. Another small plane had joined him in his night flight. It eased up from the lake and was soon flying almost wingtip to wingtip. Mike could see the smiling face of Josen, Panor’s brother, sitting in the pilot’s seat and grinning like a schoolboy. Josen had taken one look at the Spirit and heard what his father Rokka had said about the craft. Without anything but his initial look at the plane and Rokka’s recollections, he had built his own version. Josen had taken to flying as if he had been doing it for years. Only after he had perfected his skills did he let Mike and Jo see his efforts. That had been the beginning of the pact between them. They would become the lords of the night sky, when people couldn’t see them up there, often flying together and performing an intricate aerial ballet.

  Josen waived a greeting to his adopted brother and then lifted the plane up and over Mike to take up a position on his left side. For the next hour, they danced through the sky over the lake. Panor and Jamla watched from the front porch of the house.

  Mike trudged in and closed the front door looking tired but relaxed. Panor looked up from his book. “You finally tired of messing up my view of the lake?” he asked with a smile.

  “Yes, Papa,” Mike laughed as he headed to the stairs. “Josen came up tonight.”

  “I can’t imagine. If you ever let him fly that thing during the day, he’ll never come back down.”

  “I think you’re right,” Mike said with a yawn. “I guess I’m getting a little tired.”

  “Then get your fanny up to bed. I have put some things in your guest room. Panor and I will spend the night, if you don’t mind,” Jamla said.

  Mike smiled and lifted his hands in acquiescence. “Be my guest,” he said. “If I don’t wake up for two days, it’s yours,” he joked.

  Panor smiled and put Mike’s arm over his shoulder. “I’ll tuck you in. I don’t think you will make it up the stairs,” Panor said.

  Mike grinned at him and they both trudged out the door and up the stairs. Mike was asleep before Panor had left the room.

  Chapter 2

  The Troubles

  Deep in the jungle, in a small country in the southern hemisphere of Thera, things were starting to get busy. A huge man-made clearing had been cut into the forest and filled with buildings, runways and large hangar-like facilities. In the center was a large tower with an electromagnetic damping antenna on the top. Men were scurrying about in a flurry
of activity. In a few minutes, one of the large doors on one of the hangar bays opened and a small black shuttlecraft was wheeled out onto the concrete ramp. A squad of men entered the side hatch of the craft and closed it. The remaining personnel moved out of the way. Soon a glow appeared at the rear of the shuttle and it lifted from the ramp and moved out into the atmosphere. In a minute it was well out of sight.

  Inside a smaller building beside the hangar men were assembling and passing out what appeared to be laser weapons and other deadly looking equipment. The soldiers getting the equipment looked much like local natives put in a uniform and placed in a situation they did not understand. Once they got their weapons, they filed out of the issuing room not quite sure of what they were to do next. All they had been told was that they were not to touch anything until they were told to do so. Several of the men milled about in small groups talking among themselves. Several of the men actually sat down beside the building and pulled their hats down over their eyes to start a nap. After about thirty minutes another group marched up and entered the building. Then an officer began yelling at the group standing outside. They immediately jumped up and fell into a small formation. Barking an order, the officer marched the men off as the first of the next group came outside to start the process all over again.

  As the group marched past the largest of the hangar buildings, the huge doors began to pull open. Inside was nearly thirty of the same type of shuttlecraft, looking brand new and ready for use. Men could be seen placing ordnance on the sides of the craft in readiness for some mission. As the men marched by they wondered at what the small craft were. They had never seen anything like what they were witnessing in this jungle and most wondered what was in store for them.

  Another officer in front of the next building stopped the group. After giving new orders, the men were marched behind the building and positioned facing a bare wall. Another officer came out and calmly instructed the men on how to operate the rifle-like weapon each had been given. When satisfied that they each knew the operation, the officer nodded to the other who gave a signal. From out of a corner came three men. Two had weapons, but the third looked beaten and barely able to walk. His hands were tied behind his back and the men could see the bruised and bloated places on his face. There was a small hook on the wall in front of the men. The lone man was taken to that position and tied to it. The squad was then instructed to aim for the man’s chest.