Authors: Marilyn Campbell
Topaz Dreams (18 page)
None
of this is real, Steve told herself. It's more of the dream, and I'll
wake up in a minute, and everything will be normal. And I will never
have hungered for love from an alien life form.
For the second time
in twelve hours, Falcon watched Steve walk away from him, without
knowing how to make things right. His chest felt as if a battle-ax was
lodged in it. Having feelings might have some positive aspects, but the
negatives were truly unbearable. Falcon had never been disturbed by his
mixed heritage, nor had he ever been a target of prejudice or
disapproval because of it. Suddenly, through Steve's eyes, he saw
himself as a freak of nature. "What are you?" she had said. He recalled
the explanations he had been given in his youth, and never thought to
question them.
For a thousand years the felan population on Emiron
consistently declined. They devoted their lives to developing and
improving their mental powers, particularly empathy. In doing so, they
gradually relinquished their physical strengths, and replaced their own
personal emotions with those they absorbed from others.
At first,
only sexual desire faded, then the ability to reproduce ceased
altogether. Although a felan might live for two hundred years or more,
the old ones began dying off, without newborns to replace them.
Experiments to create life outside the body failed. Before the race
became extinct, they came up with a plan to integrate stronger species
with their own. The result would be a mixed breed, but the offspring
would still carry felan genes. The hope was they would be strong enough
to interbreed themselves and perpetuate the race in that way.
Athletes,
dancers, and other performers from across the universe were invited to
Emiron to participate in a great fair. In this way, they were assured
of drawing strong, healthy members of many species. Of those who
attended there were several whose physical bodies were structurally
similar to the Emironians; the humans of Norona were one such group.
Sperm
samples were removed from the male visitors without their knowledge and
used to fertilize felan eggs. Using a hypnotic power, the Emironians
held the female guests after the males left, and their bodies were used
for the gestation period. After the births, the females returned to
their home planets with an artificial memory of the lost time supplied
to them by the Emironians.
Their actions would not be considered
honorable by many cultures, but the plan was moderately successful. A
generation of mixed breeds were produced who, although only half felan,
might be able to reproduce, thus preventing total extinction of their
people. Now that Falcon knew he was capable of the act required for
reproduction, while still maintaining his felan inheritance, he
believed the experiment had been worth it. Most of the children
remained on Emiron, as had been the hope. A few, like himself, chose to
relocate elsewhere in the universe. Intentionally, the only records
kept regarding the biological parents pertained to the father's race
and native planet.
Falcon matured in a loosely knit circle of
unemotional adults, all of whom accepted responsibility for his welfare
and education. During his stay on Norona, he acquired a great
appreciation for the human method of raising children in a small,
loving, family unit. He should have realized then just how human he
really was.
familiar sounds of a wide-awake household drifted into Steve's bedroom,
bringing her to consciousness. Surprisingly, she had managed to catch a
few hours sleep.
Falcon was out there. The memory propelled her from
her bed. What if he did not like children? What if he liked to eat them
for breakfast? Good grief! How could she think such a stupid thing? Too
many movies. A triumphant "Pow! I gotcha!" assured her that, not only
had Vince, Jr. not been devoured, the presence of a stranger in their
living room had not deterred him from his favorite activity. She should
have been up in time for introductions, especially for her mother.
Steve figured she would never hear the end of this one.
How was she
supposed to behave after what he told her last night? Hopefully, better
than she had at the time. As she dressed, she tried to put it into
perspective.
Falcon said he picked up on people's feelings, but not
their exact thoughts. The slump of his shoulders and the crestfallen
look on his face when she left him told her he had read her reaction to
his confession quite accurately. An alien had touched her intimately,
driven her crazy with longing. The realization had turned her stomach,
and he knew it. She would swear she had hurt his feelings. Had he
really never experienced human emotions until recently? Had he really
never.. .She didn't even want to think about that confession.
The
only thing to do was get out there and face the music. The scene she
encountered in the living room made her smile, in spite of her
reservations about the central character. Vince had hauled out every
truck, tank, jet, and miniature Army man in his vast collection and
engaged Falcon in a major battle. Sitting cross-legged on the floor,
opposite her son, Falcon had obviously been coerced into being the bad
guys against Vince's much larger battalion of good guys.
But Falcon
had a couple of recruits on his side of the floor. Mr. Spock lay
sprawled with his head resting on Falcon's thigh, obviously enjoying a
thorough petting. Fickle animal. On his other side, Mary Ann sat
chewing on the end of her long, dark ponytail, pretending to be
interested in the maneuvers, while taking frequent peaks at their
visitor. Fascination shined in her big, brown eyes.
Steve walked the rest of the way into the room and knelt down beside her son before she was noticed.
"Mommy!" Vince squealed as he threw himself at her, knocking her onto her back.
The next instant Mary Ann pushed him aside to get her hugs, and the both of them started wrestling on top of Steve.
"Get off!"
"I was here first!"
"But I missed her more!"
Steve
separated them, sat up, and put an arm around each one. When they were
both certain they had received an equal number of hugs and kisses, they
dove headfirst into an account of the adventures and problems they had
had in her absence.
Mary Ann was the first to remember their new
acquaintance. "Falcon said you were really tired and to let you sleep.
He said we could call him Falcon, okay?"
"Yeah. He's real cool, Mom," Vince added.
Steve
made herself look at him directly. She was not sure what she expected
to see this morning, but it was just Falcon, looking like he always
did. "Yes, Vince, he's real cool." She tried to force a smile, but her
mother appeared before she succeeded.
"Well! Sleepyhead finally got
out here. We all introduced ourselves long ago, as you can see." Ann
walked over and gave Steve a kiss on the forehead. "Welcome home,
honey. Breakfast is on the table everybody." She hustled into the
dining room, expecting them to follow her lead.
Mary Ann stood up and reached for Falcon's hand. "I'll show you where you can sit."
Not
to be outdone, Vince jumped up and grabbed his other hand. "Yeah! Next
to me." Mr. Spock barked once in agreement and followed on Falcon's
heels.
Before he was pulled into the dining room, Falcon twisted his
head back to Steve, who was getting up off the floor. The smile he had
worn with the children faded uncertainly.
"Welcome to the nuthouse," she said with a shrug, then followed them in to breakfast.
The
table was set elaborately with her mother's best china and silver. An
array of fancy platters overflowed with more food than ten people could
finish at one sitting.
"What's all this about?" she asked in shock.
Her mother's glare and reddening cheeks informed her she was supposed to act like they ate in this style all the time.
Enunciating
each word with a clenched jaw, Ann explained, "I thought it would be
nice for a change, Steve. After all, you've been away and we do have a
guest."
Steve smirked and raised one eyebrow at her. Who did she
think she was fooling? So, her mother had fallen under Falcon's spell
as easily as the rest of the family.
"Your table is beautiful, Ann,
and I am extremely hungry." Falcon held the back of her chair as she
sat down, then moved to do the same for Steve. Too stunned to do
anything else, Steve sat. Falcon caught Vince's eye, looked to Mary
Ann, then back. Vince's mouth dropped open in dismay as he figured out
the subtle order, but he held Mary Ann's chair for her anyway.
Steve
could not have gotten Vince to do that with anything less than a death
threat. When Falcon looked back at her, he winked. Steve was. certain
she would never have pancakes again without remembering this
extraordinary meal.
As soon as the children ate their fill, they
asked to go play, but Ann stopped them. "Don't you want to hear about
the money your mother won while she was away?
Steve was left with little choice but to relate the tale of their good fortune and listen to their ideas on how to spend it.
Ann
interrupted the children's excited chatter. "I've already decided how
we're going to spend part of it." Everyone stopped talking and looked
at her expectantly. Steve's mother was not usually the most decisive
person. "I spoke to your brother this morning. It's all settled." She
returned her attention to her coffee cup.
"Mother, you didn't finish what you were saying. You called John this morning? Or did he call you? Nothing's wrong, is there?"
"Oh,
my, no. But he's been asking when we were going to come for a visit, so
I called and told him to expect us tonight. You don't have to worry
about a thing. I already called the airlines."
Vince and Mary Ann both squealed at once. "We're going to see Uncle John!"
"Are we really going on an airplane?" he asked.
"Will we get to meet the president of the United States?" she wanted to know.
Ann
smiled happily. "Yes, we're going on a jet. And I don't know if the
president will have time for us this week, but I'm sure your Uncle John
will do his best. Your aunt and cousins are anxious to show you all the
other wonderful things Washington has to offer, though. Now, go play.
You can help me pack after I clean up the dishes."
When the children
were out of earshot, Steve voiced her exasperation. "Mother! How could
you do that? You know I'm in the middle of a case. I can't just take
off. And to bring up something like that in front of them! You know how
disappointed they'll be now if they don't get to go." Steve could not
understand how her mother could be so lacking in common sense.
"I
suppose I could take them myself," Ann offered, "especially if you're
still on this case. Why, you might have to go out of town again, and if
we're away having fun, the children would hardly notice."
Steve
considered the suggestion. She had wanted to take them to Washington
herself, but it probably would not make any difference who took them,
and her mother and sister-in-law would be there.
Ann rose and
started stacking dishes. At the kitchen door, she stopped and turned to
Steve. "Actually, dear, it's just as well that you're still on the
case. I only made plane reservations for the three of us." She slipped
into the kitchen before Steve could find her tongue.
Steve closed
her gaping mouth as she realized what her mother had done. No common
sense, eh? Having discovered that her daughter had brought home an
eligible man—and Steve had no doubt Ann requested his marital status
before his name—she immediately put on her matchmaker hat. She
purposely arranged a situation that would leave them alone in the house.
Gawd!
Mom was miles off base with this one. She should have asked Falcon's
species. How could she explain why she didn't want to be alone with
him? Of course, she could always refuse to let her mother take the
children today and promise to take them herself right after this case
was closed.
The clink of glasses broke into her thoughts. Falcon had
helped clear the table while she sat there like a dummy. She was being
foolish. Nothing was going to happen just because they were alone. It
was only one or two more days at most. She stood up and carried her
plate of uneaten toast to the kitchen.
Falcon was rinsing the dishes
and loading the dishwasher as her mother was storing leftovers.
Somehow, seeing them like that made her feel even more ridiculous. Mom
and the children would have a ball, and she and Falcon would be
perfectly fine without a proper chaperone.
For the next several
hours, Ann bustled back and forth, doing laundry and packing for their
impromptu vacation. Steve made a lengthy call to Lou, telling him they
were back in San Francisco and bringing him up to date without adding
anything he really would rather not know. Vince and Mary Ann vied for
Falcon's attention any way they could. Mr. Spock did not care which of
them got it as long as he remained within reach of Falcon's hand.
Steve
kept a surreptitious eye on all of them. Falcon's patience seemed
endless, as he played one game after another, ignored their petty
squabbles, and never once tried to touch their temples to calm them his
way. A quieter, group activity was finally agreed upon after Falcon
asked how Mr. Spock got such a formal name.
"You know, Mr. Spock. From the movie!" Vince used a tone that implied Falcon must be kidding to ask such a silly question.
"I do not believe I have seen that one. Is it one of your favorites?" Falcon hoped that was a proper response.
Mary Ann snorted. "He's only watched it about a zillion times!"
"You wanna watch it with me, huh, Falcon, huh?"
"That would be enjoyable."
"I guess I'll watch it, too." Mary Ann pouted, but promptly stationed herself next to Falcon.
"Mom?"
Vince's one-word question was his way of asking her to join them,
combined with a request to put the movie video into the VCR.
A fan
herself, Steve had several tapes that included dozens of episodes from
the television series, as well as every one of the Star Trek movies,
but Steve knew the fourth movie, The Voyage Home, was Vince's favorite,
and set it up for him.
A few minutes into the film, Vince tapped
Falcon's arm and shouted, "There. Him." He ran to the television and
pointed. "That's Mr. Spock."
"He looks different from the others of the crew," Falcon observed as Vince sat back down next to him.
Vince
laughed at this adult who did not know the simplest things. "Of course
he does. He's a Vulcan. He can do a whole bunch of neat stuff even
Captain Kirk can't do."
"A Vulcan? You mean he is not a human."
"Yeah, I guess that's what it means."
Mary
Ann was quick to show off her superior knowledge. "Spock's mother is
human. His father is Vulcan. Sometimes it mixes him up."
"I can imagine it would," Falcon said quietly. "Tell me, Vince. Is Mr. Spock a good guy or a bad guy?"
"Oh, he's a good guy. They killed him off once, but he came back to life so they could make another movie."
"I
see. In other words, it is not necessary for a man to be entirely human
to be a good guy." Falcon did not hear Vince's response. He had been
watching Steve as she followed the exchange. Her eyes were glassy with
moisture. Her mouth shaped three syllables. There was no sound, but he
heard her clearly. I'm sorry.
His nod told her he felt her sincere
regret, and when he touched his fingers to his lips as if to blow her a
kiss, she understood that he had forgiven her.
Throughout the rest
of the movie, supposedly for Falcon's benefit, Vince kept up a running
narrative, which required Mary Ann's constant corrections. The end
result was that Falcon couldn't possibly have followed the movie
itself, but he convinced the children it was the best movie he'd ever
seen. Steve couldn't help but wonder if it was the only movie he'd ever
seen.
The time soon came for Steve to drive her family to the
airport. Before leaving, Steve answered Falcon's questions about using
the telephone, as it was time for him to check in. With whom, she
almost asked, but did not.
As soon as they left the house, Falcon
picked up the receiver, and pressed the series of numbers he had been
given in Innerworld to reach his Outerworld contact. When the emissary
answered, Falcon used the push buttons to identify himself and the
ensuing dialogue was conducted numerically. Even if a determined
listener broke the code, they would need to know a particular Noronian
dialect to translate the conversation accurately.
"Falcon, here."
"Recording report. Proceed."
"Mission incomplete. Delays unavoidable. Progress anticipated within twenty-four hours."
"Report
cannot be passed on at this time. All communications jammed by unknown
source. Tensions running high. Man disintegrated upon entering
transmigrator unit.
"Do not—repeat—do not use ring as computer
extension even for Outerworld relocation. Do not return to Innerworld
until mission completed. Romulus and Aster send regards. Over."
"Thank
you. Over." Falcon was numb with shock. Another senseless death added
to Underwood's list of crimes. Yesterday, he had no way of knowing
their cross-country trip carried more risks than merely raising Steve's
suspicions. He had put her in grave danger. Being ordered not to return
to Innerworld was too ludicrous to consider. He had to succeed. There
was no place for him in this world of violent emotions and people with
human eyes.
Steve returned from her airport run, bearing several
small white-and-red cardboard boxes. "Chinese food for dinner okay? I
hate to cook, and I leave the fancy table settings to Mom. Well eat in
the kitchen." Falcon followed her wordlessly. I've never seen you eat
red meat. I opted for vegetable chow mein and fantail shrimp. I hope
that's okay." As she carried on a one-sided conversation, she set out
two plates, utensils, and napkins, opened up the boxes in the center of
the table, and sat down. "Dig in."
of this is real, Steve told herself. It's more of the dream, and I'll
wake up in a minute, and everything will be normal. And I will never
have hungered for love from an alien life form.
For the second time
in twelve hours, Falcon watched Steve walk away from him, without
knowing how to make things right. His chest felt as if a battle-ax was
lodged in it. Having feelings might have some positive aspects, but the
negatives were truly unbearable. Falcon had never been disturbed by his
mixed heritage, nor had he ever been a target of prejudice or
disapproval because of it. Suddenly, through Steve's eyes, he saw
himself as a freak of nature. "What are you?" she had said. He recalled
the explanations he had been given in his youth, and never thought to
question them.
For a thousand years the felan population on Emiron
consistently declined. They devoted their lives to developing and
improving their mental powers, particularly empathy. In doing so, they
gradually relinquished their physical strengths, and replaced their own
personal emotions with those they absorbed from others.
At first,
only sexual desire faded, then the ability to reproduce ceased
altogether. Although a felan might live for two hundred years or more,
the old ones began dying off, without newborns to replace them.
Experiments to create life outside the body failed. Before the race
became extinct, they came up with a plan to integrate stronger species
with their own. The result would be a mixed breed, but the offspring
would still carry felan genes. The hope was they would be strong enough
to interbreed themselves and perpetuate the race in that way.
Athletes,
dancers, and other performers from across the universe were invited to
Emiron to participate in a great fair. In this way, they were assured
of drawing strong, healthy members of many species. Of those who
attended there were several whose physical bodies were structurally
similar to the Emironians; the humans of Norona were one such group.
Sperm
samples were removed from the male visitors without their knowledge and
used to fertilize felan eggs. Using a hypnotic power, the Emironians
held the female guests after the males left, and their bodies were used
for the gestation period. After the births, the females returned to
their home planets with an artificial memory of the lost time supplied
to them by the Emironians.
Their actions would not be considered
honorable by many cultures, but the plan was moderately successful. A
generation of mixed breeds were produced who, although only half felan,
might be able to reproduce, thus preventing total extinction of their
people. Now that Falcon knew he was capable of the act required for
reproduction, while still maintaining his felan inheritance, he
believed the experiment had been worth it. Most of the children
remained on Emiron, as had been the hope. A few, like himself, chose to
relocate elsewhere in the universe. Intentionally, the only records
kept regarding the biological parents pertained to the father's race
and native planet.
Falcon matured in a loosely knit circle of
unemotional adults, all of whom accepted responsibility for his welfare
and education. During his stay on Norona, he acquired a great
appreciation for the human method of raising children in a small,
loving, family unit. He should have realized then just how human he
really was.
Chapter Twelve
Every human heart is human. —Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Thefamiliar sounds of a wide-awake household drifted into Steve's bedroom,
bringing her to consciousness. Surprisingly, she had managed to catch a
few hours sleep.
Falcon was out there. The memory propelled her from
her bed. What if he did not like children? What if he liked to eat them
for breakfast? Good grief! How could she think such a stupid thing? Too
many movies. A triumphant "Pow! I gotcha!" assured her that, not only
had Vince, Jr. not been devoured, the presence of a stranger in their
living room had not deterred him from his favorite activity. She should
have been up in time for introductions, especially for her mother.
Steve figured she would never hear the end of this one.
How was she
supposed to behave after what he told her last night? Hopefully, better
than she had at the time. As she dressed, she tried to put it into
perspective.
Falcon said he picked up on people's feelings, but not
their exact thoughts. The slump of his shoulders and the crestfallen
look on his face when she left him told her he had read her reaction to
his confession quite accurately. An alien had touched her intimately,
driven her crazy with longing. The realization had turned her stomach,
and he knew it. She would swear she had hurt his feelings. Had he
really never experienced human emotions until recently? Had he really
never.. .She didn't even want to think about that confession.
The
only thing to do was get out there and face the music. The scene she
encountered in the living room made her smile, in spite of her
reservations about the central character. Vince had hauled out every
truck, tank, jet, and miniature Army man in his vast collection and
engaged Falcon in a major battle. Sitting cross-legged on the floor,
opposite her son, Falcon had obviously been coerced into being the bad
guys against Vince's much larger battalion of good guys.
But Falcon
had a couple of recruits on his side of the floor. Mr. Spock lay
sprawled with his head resting on Falcon's thigh, obviously enjoying a
thorough petting. Fickle animal. On his other side, Mary Ann sat
chewing on the end of her long, dark ponytail, pretending to be
interested in the maneuvers, while taking frequent peaks at their
visitor. Fascination shined in her big, brown eyes.
Steve walked the rest of the way into the room and knelt down beside her son before she was noticed.
"Mommy!" Vince squealed as he threw himself at her, knocking her onto her back.
The next instant Mary Ann pushed him aside to get her hugs, and the both of them started wrestling on top of Steve.
"Get off!"
"I was here first!"
"But I missed her more!"
Steve
separated them, sat up, and put an arm around each one. When they were
both certain they had received an equal number of hugs and kisses, they
dove headfirst into an account of the adventures and problems they had
had in her absence.
Mary Ann was the first to remember their new
acquaintance. "Falcon said you were really tired and to let you sleep.
He said we could call him Falcon, okay?"
"Yeah. He's real cool, Mom," Vince added.
Steve
made herself look at him directly. She was not sure what she expected
to see this morning, but it was just Falcon, looking like he always
did. "Yes, Vince, he's real cool." She tried to force a smile, but her
mother appeared before she succeeded.
"Well! Sleepyhead finally got
out here. We all introduced ourselves long ago, as you can see." Ann
walked over and gave Steve a kiss on the forehead. "Welcome home,
honey. Breakfast is on the table everybody." She hustled into the
dining room, expecting them to follow her lead.
Mary Ann stood up and reached for Falcon's hand. "I'll show you where you can sit."
Not
to be outdone, Vince jumped up and grabbed his other hand. "Yeah! Next
to me." Mr. Spock barked once in agreement and followed on Falcon's
heels.
Before he was pulled into the dining room, Falcon twisted his
head back to Steve, who was getting up off the floor. The smile he had
worn with the children faded uncertainly.
"Welcome to the nuthouse," she said with a shrug, then followed them in to breakfast.
The
table was set elaborately with her mother's best china and silver. An
array of fancy platters overflowed with more food than ten people could
finish at one sitting.
"What's all this about?" she asked in shock.
Her mother's glare and reddening cheeks informed her she was supposed to act like they ate in this style all the time.
Enunciating
each word with a clenched jaw, Ann explained, "I thought it would be
nice for a change, Steve. After all, you've been away and we do have a
guest."
Steve smirked and raised one eyebrow at her. Who did she
think she was fooling? So, her mother had fallen under Falcon's spell
as easily as the rest of the family.
"Your table is beautiful, Ann,
and I am extremely hungry." Falcon held the back of her chair as she
sat down, then moved to do the same for Steve. Too stunned to do
anything else, Steve sat. Falcon caught Vince's eye, looked to Mary
Ann, then back. Vince's mouth dropped open in dismay as he figured out
the subtle order, but he held Mary Ann's chair for her anyway.
Steve
could not have gotten Vince to do that with anything less than a death
threat. When Falcon looked back at her, he winked. Steve was. certain
she would never have pancakes again without remembering this
extraordinary meal.
As soon as the children ate their fill, they
asked to go play, but Ann stopped them. "Don't you want to hear about
the money your mother won while she was away?
Steve was left with little choice but to relate the tale of their good fortune and listen to their ideas on how to spend it.
Ann
interrupted the children's excited chatter. "I've already decided how
we're going to spend part of it." Everyone stopped talking and looked
at her expectantly. Steve's mother was not usually the most decisive
person. "I spoke to your brother this morning. It's all settled." She
returned her attention to her coffee cup.
"Mother, you didn't finish what you were saying. You called John this morning? Or did he call you? Nothing's wrong, is there?"
"Oh,
my, no. But he's been asking when we were going to come for a visit, so
I called and told him to expect us tonight. You don't have to worry
about a thing. I already called the airlines."
Vince and Mary Ann both squealed at once. "We're going to see Uncle John!"
"Are we really going on an airplane?" he asked.
"Will we get to meet the president of the United States?" she wanted to know.
Ann
smiled happily. "Yes, we're going on a jet. And I don't know if the
president will have time for us this week, but I'm sure your Uncle John
will do his best. Your aunt and cousins are anxious to show you all the
other wonderful things Washington has to offer, though. Now, go play.
You can help me pack after I clean up the dishes."
When the children
were out of earshot, Steve voiced her exasperation. "Mother! How could
you do that? You know I'm in the middle of a case. I can't just take
off. And to bring up something like that in front of them! You know how
disappointed they'll be now if they don't get to go." Steve could not
understand how her mother could be so lacking in common sense.
"I
suppose I could take them myself," Ann offered, "especially if you're
still on this case. Why, you might have to go out of town again, and if
we're away having fun, the children would hardly notice."
Steve
considered the suggestion. She had wanted to take them to Washington
herself, but it probably would not make any difference who took them,
and her mother and sister-in-law would be there.
Ann rose and
started stacking dishes. At the kitchen door, she stopped and turned to
Steve. "Actually, dear, it's just as well that you're still on the
case. I only made plane reservations for the three of us." She slipped
into the kitchen before Steve could find her tongue.
Steve closed
her gaping mouth as she realized what her mother had done. No common
sense, eh? Having discovered that her daughter had brought home an
eligible man—and Steve had no doubt Ann requested his marital status
before his name—she immediately put on her matchmaker hat. She
purposely arranged a situation that would leave them alone in the house.
Gawd!
Mom was miles off base with this one. She should have asked Falcon's
species. How could she explain why she didn't want to be alone with
him? Of course, she could always refuse to let her mother take the
children today and promise to take them herself right after this case
was closed.
The clink of glasses broke into her thoughts. Falcon had
helped clear the table while she sat there like a dummy. She was being
foolish. Nothing was going to happen just because they were alone. It
was only one or two more days at most. She stood up and carried her
plate of uneaten toast to the kitchen.
Falcon was rinsing the dishes
and loading the dishwasher as her mother was storing leftovers.
Somehow, seeing them like that made her feel even more ridiculous. Mom
and the children would have a ball, and she and Falcon would be
perfectly fine without a proper chaperone.
For the next several
hours, Ann bustled back and forth, doing laundry and packing for their
impromptu vacation. Steve made a lengthy call to Lou, telling him they
were back in San Francisco and bringing him up to date without adding
anything he really would rather not know. Vince and Mary Ann vied for
Falcon's attention any way they could. Mr. Spock did not care which of
them got it as long as he remained within reach of Falcon's hand.
Steve
kept a surreptitious eye on all of them. Falcon's patience seemed
endless, as he played one game after another, ignored their petty
squabbles, and never once tried to touch their temples to calm them his
way. A quieter, group activity was finally agreed upon after Falcon
asked how Mr. Spock got such a formal name.
"You know, Mr. Spock. From the movie!" Vince used a tone that implied Falcon must be kidding to ask such a silly question.
"I do not believe I have seen that one. Is it one of your favorites?" Falcon hoped that was a proper response.
Mary Ann snorted. "He's only watched it about a zillion times!"
"You wanna watch it with me, huh, Falcon, huh?"
"That would be enjoyable."
"I guess I'll watch it, too." Mary Ann pouted, but promptly stationed herself next to Falcon.
"Mom?"
Vince's one-word question was his way of asking her to join them,
combined with a request to put the movie video into the VCR.
A fan
herself, Steve had several tapes that included dozens of episodes from
the television series, as well as every one of the Star Trek movies,
but Steve knew the fourth movie, The Voyage Home, was Vince's favorite,
and set it up for him.
A few minutes into the film, Vince tapped
Falcon's arm and shouted, "There. Him." He ran to the television and
pointed. "That's Mr. Spock."
"He looks different from the others of the crew," Falcon observed as Vince sat back down next to him.
Vince
laughed at this adult who did not know the simplest things. "Of course
he does. He's a Vulcan. He can do a whole bunch of neat stuff even
Captain Kirk can't do."
"A Vulcan? You mean he is not a human."
"Yeah, I guess that's what it means."
Mary
Ann was quick to show off her superior knowledge. "Spock's mother is
human. His father is Vulcan. Sometimes it mixes him up."
"I can imagine it would," Falcon said quietly. "Tell me, Vince. Is Mr. Spock a good guy or a bad guy?"
"Oh, he's a good guy. They killed him off once, but he came back to life so they could make another movie."
"I
see. In other words, it is not necessary for a man to be entirely human
to be a good guy." Falcon did not hear Vince's response. He had been
watching Steve as she followed the exchange. Her eyes were glassy with
moisture. Her mouth shaped three syllables. There was no sound, but he
heard her clearly. I'm sorry.
His nod told her he felt her sincere
regret, and when he touched his fingers to his lips as if to blow her a
kiss, she understood that he had forgiven her.
Throughout the rest
of the movie, supposedly for Falcon's benefit, Vince kept up a running
narrative, which required Mary Ann's constant corrections. The end
result was that Falcon couldn't possibly have followed the movie
itself, but he convinced the children it was the best movie he'd ever
seen. Steve couldn't help but wonder if it was the only movie he'd ever
seen.
The time soon came for Steve to drive her family to the
airport. Before leaving, Steve answered Falcon's questions about using
the telephone, as it was time for him to check in. With whom, she
almost asked, but did not.
As soon as they left the house, Falcon
picked up the receiver, and pressed the series of numbers he had been
given in Innerworld to reach his Outerworld contact. When the emissary
answered, Falcon used the push buttons to identify himself and the
ensuing dialogue was conducted numerically. Even if a determined
listener broke the code, they would need to know a particular Noronian
dialect to translate the conversation accurately.
"Falcon, here."
"Recording report. Proceed."
"Mission incomplete. Delays unavoidable. Progress anticipated within twenty-four hours."
"Report
cannot be passed on at this time. All communications jammed by unknown
source. Tensions running high. Man disintegrated upon entering
transmigrator unit.
"Do not—repeat—do not use ring as computer
extension even for Outerworld relocation. Do not return to Innerworld
until mission completed. Romulus and Aster send regards. Over."
"Thank
you. Over." Falcon was numb with shock. Another senseless death added
to Underwood's list of crimes. Yesterday, he had no way of knowing
their cross-country trip carried more risks than merely raising Steve's
suspicions. He had put her in grave danger. Being ordered not to return
to Innerworld was too ludicrous to consider. He had to succeed. There
was no place for him in this world of violent emotions and people with
human eyes.
Steve returned from her airport run, bearing several
small white-and-red cardboard boxes. "Chinese food for dinner okay? I
hate to cook, and I leave the fancy table settings to Mom. Well eat in
the kitchen." Falcon followed her wordlessly. I've never seen you eat
red meat. I opted for vegetable chow mein and fantail shrimp. I hope
that's okay." As she carried on a one-sided conversation, she set out
two plates, utensils, and napkins, opened up the boxes in the center of
the table, and sat down. "Dig in."
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