Roswell Fanatics

I corrected the last chapter to read #70. I never said I could count!

Disclaimer: Dialog in italics is verbatim from the Roswell episodes upon which this is based, especially "Interruptus #307". Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent (Kavar). No infringement is intended.

I was reading a thread on fic songs yesterday and most posters agreed that no one reads the songs included. Does anyone like them?

Janetfl wrote:Oh now I can't wait for your next update! I'm looking forward to seeing how he is going to react when she pushes him away. JAN

Hi Jan! You know I usually feel like a snail because this story moves so slow. You won't see all of his reaction until coming chapters. I just can't write that fast! And I usually have to analyze everything to death. That expository writing class I took in High School is coming back to haunt me.




71 - Abort Mission. The entire planet is crazy!

(From the last chapter) Then he opens the wormhole with the device Serena supplied. Victory is within his grasp.

Unfortunately, her puny human toad has the nerve to show his face at the most inopportune time!

While he is distracted by the prospect of success and trying to make up his mind if he should really risk returning without the granolith, Jesse shows up and knocks him on his ass.

‘Zamn this weakling human skin! Where did HE come from?’

He is temporarily knocked for a loop as his head spins. His attention was on Zan and Rath knocked out cold just on the other side of that tree. Maybe if he had gotten a wink of sleep last night he would have noticed the turd bumbling toward him out of nowhere!

The clueless pest sees the wormhole and asks Vilandra what it is, then he grabs onto her and begins to plead his case. Vilandra smartly uses her powers to make a tree branch fall on the stupid worm.

‘That will teach the moron to touch MY woman!’

Then Vilandra says “If we are going, we have to go now” and she grabs his hand and helps him up from where he is sprawled on the ground next to the human toad. She pulls him towards the wormhole.

+ + + + +


Jesse: Get your hands off my wife! What is this?
Isabel: You have to go.
Jesse: What's wrong with your eyes? Did he do something to you? Isabel... Tell me what happened. Please talk to me. Isabel, I love you. Please talk to me.
Isabel: I'm sorry, Jesse.

[Isabel uses her power to pull down a tree branch which knocks Jesse out]

Isabel: If we're gonna go, we have to go now.

Max: Isabel, nooooo!



He and Vilandra stop next to the whirling vortex, as he takes a moment to savor his victory. The fates have turned! Vilandra has chosen HIM. He sees victory in his sights once more, when suddenly she turns on him. As her brother screams in agony, the luster leaves her eyes and she tells him angrily “You come back... I'll kill you myself” and then she does something he could never have expected in a million solar cycles.

She had the nerve to PUSH HIM into the vortex.


Is everybody going crazy?
Is anybody gonna save me?
Can anybody tell me what’s going on?
Tell me what’s going on
If you open your eyes
You’ll see that something, something is wrong!


He is temporarily off balance as he is forcibly separated from the human host. It all happens so fast that he doesn’t even have time to think! Then the excruciating pain fills his being again. He is tumbled and tossed through the endless spinning current as it propels him towards home. As he is rudely expelled into the recapitulation chamber, he tries to master his senses enough to stop the spinning sensation from causing him to lose the tasteless cardboard that passes for breakfast food on that unholy planet.

. . . Is everybody going crazy?
Is anybody gonna save me?
Can anybody tell me what’s going on?
Tell me what’s going on
If you open your eyes
You’ll see that something, something is wrong.

Is everybody going crazy?
Is everybody going crazy?

He is so angry that he could spit nails. The entire Universe is conspiring against him!

The fracking wormhole was only good for one excursion before it broke down. Serena doesn’t think it can be fixed for many Antarian lunar cycles. She has to replace parts that broke down and reconfigure the drives to prevent the problem from recurring. Can’t that womyn do anything right?

To make matters worse, his Empress has lost her mind.

She rejected him.

She REJECTED him.

She rejected HIM ! ! !

And he still has no FRACKING CLUE where the Granolith is located.

He is right back where he started.


. . . Is everybody going crazy?
Is anybody gonna save me?
Can anybody tell me what’s going on?
Tell me what’s going on
If you open your eyes
You’ll see that something, something is wrong.

Excerpts from Crazy by Simple Plan

Welcome back to Antar!

ken_r wrote:I told them that you were defining Khivar pretty well. Now we really know what happened at the honey moon.
ken r

Awwwwww Ken! You’re so sweet! The one thing I have to keep remembering while I write this story is that Khivar insists that EVERYTHING be about him. It’s hard to break away from that line of thinking.


Now Jan wanted to see his reaction, so here it is.



72 - Something Isn’t Right.

As he lies alone in the dark contemplating his folly, he feels like a fool. An educated fool.

With an education that came at a great price. His dignity.

The trip to Terran was an experience that he will never forget. It’s always fun to travel and see new things. Learn new ideas. Meet new people. Get your ass kicked by a dead ex-girlfriend.

What’s not to like, right?


Winter's day in a deep and dark December, I am alone.
Gazing from my window to the streets below
On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow.
I am a rock, I am an island.


When something like this happens, it changes you in profound ways. You see the Universe differently.

It causes you to look inside yourself for the source of your problems. To dig deep. To analyze minutia until something . . . anything . . . starts to make sense.

The entire planet seems tipped on its axis. Well, it probably is, at this point, so that may be a bad example. But the Universe has been fundamentally altered in no small manner.

His love has REJECTED him.

Pummeled him.

Annihilated him.

And nothing will ever be the same again.

‘What is it all for?’

‘Is it worth it?’

‘Why am I me?’

He is suffering an acute sense of loss. And it’s crippling him. He can barely stand the thought of getting up off of this bed. He wants to hibernate for the next hundred years or so. Let someone else handle things for awhile. He just wants to ‘sleep it off’. Maybe the trip was too much for him. The re-entry was extremely painful after all. He felt like he’d been strained through a sieve! Every atom was throbbing in pain when he was reintegrated with his Antarian body. He’s never felt so awful in his life.

He feels so EMPTY.

Maybe he’s caught some terrible Terran disease.

Maybe he is dying.

If he’s lucky.


I've built walls.
A fortress deep and mighty.
That none may penetrate.
I have no need of friendship
Friendship causes pain.
Its laughter and its loving I disdain.
I am a rock, I am an island.


He doesn’t want to see anyone. He doesn’t want to even talk to anyone. He told Tove that HE should continue to run things just as if he hadn’t yet returned. The man wasn’t happy when he heard that, but he was a good sport about it. He even looked concerned.

‘Maybe I am dying?’

“Who Cares?”

He lost his way when he thought he would regain his beloved Vilandra. He lost his perspective.

The excitement of entering the wormhole and experiencing all the wonders of life on another planet has caused him to lose his focus. Or maybe he just lost his mind?

Now that he is back in his own digs, he contemplates the various factors that went against him in his quest.

Bumbling Incompetent Underlings.

Clones.

Human Toad Husbands.

Zan.

It’s a short list, but he is having trouble concentrating right now.


I am a rock, I am an island.
And a rock feels no pain, and an island never cries.

I am a rock. I am an Island.
And a rock feels no pain. And an island never cries.


Could it all have been a trick somehow?

Maybe the wily Zan is way more powerful and devious than he originally thought.

Could his perceived communion with the soul behind those amazing eyes have been a fabrication that Zan implanted to befuddle him and divert him from his REAL goal?

He reaches up and brushes the condensation from above his brow.

‘Could it be?’

‘COULD he have been . . . (choke) . . . WRONG about something so important?’




“IMPOSSIBLE!!!”

73– Life Goes On


As the red sun glows brighter each day, the temperature continues its slow steady climb. Because of the time dilation in this part of the universe, Kavar had been gone only thirty-one and a half hours, even though from his perspective, he remained on Terran for an entire 7 days.

In that time, Serena has managed to think of a way to utilize the former prime agricultural acreage that has been scoured down by the flooding and high winds to uncovered bedrock as housing locations and materials. They can take advantage of the hollowed out space to form the base of the new structures and build up around it, converting worthless emaciated farmland around major cities to much needed additional housing.

In her haste to get things rolling, she had forged Kavar’s authorization to assemble construction crews who will use their powers to shape the large ztones that are unearthed using her second powerful new drill. She was absolutely sure he would approve it as soon as he returned but now, instead of bringing it to his attention, she is biding her time.

He has many other important matters on his mind right now! The trip to Terran really did a number on him and he seems kind of preoccupied with other things. She will probably confess her crime the next time he invites her to have a quiet dinner with him.

‘Yeah, right! Like THAT will ever happen again.’

No one has questioned it and everything is still in chaos right now anyway. It will probably never even come up. Kavar had stated in one of the many planning meetings which she attended that housing was an “immediate concern” and that was a kind of an authorization, wasn’t it?

She’d instituted major hydroponic garden projects in every large population center months ago. Some people are complaining about the “rabbit food” offerings but when they suddenly find themselves at the end of the line, they begin to appreciate the “sprouts” a lot more. They’re nutritious and grow quickly to useable form. She is experimenting with different natural flavor additives and even started a drying facility to produce capsules for use on the long trip to Terran.

Khivar has been back for a week and he has ordered the evacuation to be stepped up. Apparently he wasn’t able to locate the granolith, but he really hasn’t explained what happened to anyone that she knows of. Not even Tove, who is extremely befuddled by the way her brother has been acting since he returned. He’s been a real gauth!

‘Maybe he’s caught a bug? I’ll have to ask if he wants me to run some tests.’

‘He wants the wormhole repaired and ready for a MASS transport. Has he lost his mind? She doesn’t know what he is thinking, but she feels he may have left his reasoning skills back on Terran. It was hard enough to transport ONE PERSON in that thing. It barely held together for the two transports! Now he wants to bring his army with him? He’s nutz!’

‘When he isn’t cloistered in his quarters, then he is rampaging around the palace ordering everyone to speed things along. He really has a bug up his ass! I wonder if I should go investigate what is happening at the Wabe right now to get me out of Capital City?’

Serena knows that thought is only a pipedream. Cleanup continues from the various natural disasters that rocked the planet after the demise of Fubar. Everyone is worried about the Ice Season approaching. Will things get worse, or will they get better? She has her people working on new heating systems which use the new black ice technology and innovative new protective clothing that insulates from both heat and cold in case things get real bad.

She thought her teams would be a self-activating force, but it seems they are always in need of her expertise for one predicament or another. She is on so many committees now; she can’t remember all their names!

A Scientist’s work is never done.

Welcome to the pity party!

Janetfl wrote:OMG Paper I am so sorry that I missed three updates. I've been making a fanfic video to go with I'm Lost Without You and it took me a couple of days ... so I apologise for missing your regular updates.
Okay now that's over with .....

The trip to Terran was an experience that he will never forget. It’s always fun to travel and see new things. Learn new ideas. Meet new people. Get your ass kicked by a dead ex-girlfriend.

OMG poor Khivar is in a right state isn't he?
I can't help feeling a little sorry for him though. He thought those beautiful eyes were Vilandra's but ... of course we know differently. I am very interested in finding out how long it will take Khivar to get over this and what he is planning on doing next. It sounds like he wants to go to earth and attack!!! I love this paper!!! Another three excellent updates. Can't wait for more!!!
JAN

Jan, It looks like great minds think alike. Should I be worried that you can read Khivar like a book?
Thanks for your sweet feedback! I can’t wait to see your video!



74 - The Revelation

I open my eyes
I try to see but I’m blinded by the white light
I can’t remember how, I can’t remember why
I’m lying here tonight

And I can’t stand the pain
And I can’t make it go away
No, I can’t stand the pain

How could this happen to me? I’ve made my mistakes.
Got nowhere to run.
The night goes on as I’m fading away.
I’m sick of this life.
I just wanna scream: How could this happen to me?


He senses that something was amiss. Something got by his acute power of observation. He had been so intent on impressing Vilandra that he completely missed a supremely important factor in his quest to find the Granolith.

‘I am a fool. A blasted . . . fracking . . . FOOL!’

‘Nothing was the same. Nothing was as expected.’

‘I’ve been sitting here all week going over everything in my mind again and again. And nothing adds up. Nothing makes any sense. Nothing is right.’

As he ponders his unhappy experience with love, his bewildered brain continues to question why Vilandra seemed so vastly different from the enthralling vision that has haunted him unceasingly since the original mind-link with his hated archenemy, Zan. Her hair. Her reticence. But especially her eyes.

‘At first I thought it was because she was a clone now. Maybe the cloning process has damaged her like Serena said it would. But that doesn’t seem right. I had her. And it wasn’t what I expected at all. It wasn’t what I wanted. It wasn’t what I needed.’

It is believed by those annoying Priestesses of Zofya that the eyes are the window to the soul. What did Vilandra see when she looked into HIS eyes? Did she see love? A love so strong it can alter the entire Universe?

‘Do I love her? Really?’

‘I was so focused on getting out of there with my prize that I didn’t see what was right in front of me.’

‘Vilandra. Vilandra isn’t the ONE.’

The superlative connection he felt to that incredible beguiling creature from the mind-link was mind-BLOWING.

He’s never felt that way before! Maybe it isn’t just the cloning process that altered the link between them?

While the Vilandra clone certainly had lovely eyes, they were not the incredible haunting orbs that caused him so much consternation before his trek to Terran.

That still haunt his dreams.

Everybody’s screaming.
I try to make a sound but no one hears me.
I’m slipping off the edge. I’m hanging by a thread
I wanna start this over again

So I try to hold onto a time when nothing mattered.
And I can’t explain what happened.
And I can’t erase the things that I’ve done
No I can’t


Her kisses were pretty good, but something felt “wrong”. Terribly, terribly wrong.

He thought that it was the human skin that filtered his reactions to her. Dulled his senses. Clouded his mind.

He realizes now that the eyes that have haunted him CANNOT belong to Vilandra. In the first place, they were the wrong shade of brown. The goddess in his vision had eyes like liquid pools of dark chocolate. He wanted to dive in and never come up for air.

And when Vilandra took over and pushed the Isabel persona to the back, her eyes glowed blue. Blue like his. Not the beautiful deep brown of his mystery woman.

She was his first love and he will always have a soft spot for her in his heart, no matter what she’s done. No matter how much she hurt him by choosing some Neanderzal above HIM.

But she is not “the ONE”.

His one and only.

The one that is meant for him and him alone. The one who completes him. The other side of his soul.

But who can SHE be?

Did Zan really pull one over on him? Zan didn’t seem smart enough to pull off a ploy as complicated as this.

Is she real? Is she still on Terran? Does she belong to the boy-king? That would be TOO cruel!

The only way he can determine her identity once and for all, would be to return to Terran and hunt down his foe. When Zan is in his clutches, Nicholas can do a mind-walk and get all the information he needs. Vilandra has lost all her luster in his eyes. He will not stoop to settle for second best.

‘I have to admit it, if only to myself.’

‘I made a mistake.’

How could this happen to me? I’ve made my mistakes.
Got nowhere to run.
The night goes on as I’m fading away.
I’m sick of this life.
I just wanna scream. How could this happen to me?

I’ve made my mistakes.
Got nowhere to run.
The night goes on as I’m fading away.
I’m sick of this life.
I just wanna scream. How could this happen to me?
How could this happen to me?
How could this happen to me?


‘I connected with Zan. He was thinking of the womyn with those haunting eyes. I felt the “love” he held for his . . . queen? He . . . loves her, too. I might as well admit it. The proof was right there in front of me the entire time. But I will meet her. I will win her. She won’t settle for Zan when she gets to know ME.

The Universe is a funny place. The best laid plans of gyre and gimble oft go astray.

There is someone else out there for me. Someone is waiting out there for me to find her. Someone wonderful. Someone kind and loving. And I almost lost her. Without ever realizing it.

The fates are still with me. What I saw as a failure is really a blessing in disguise.

If I had brought Vilandra back with me, I may have never realized what was missing. I may have never known why I was still unhappy in love. She isn’t my soul mate at all.

My soulmate is still waiting for me back on Terran. She was there all the while. Maybe she was even at the wedding with Zan. No. He wouldn’t allow me to get that close to her.

Good thing I finally realized what is going on!


It was NOT Vilandra! I’ve been tricked! Zan tricked me!

That evil snake will pay for what he has done! I’ll tear him in two. I’ll crush him. I’ll kill everyone he loves.

He decides to get even with the whole planet while he is at it.

‘Terran?’

‘They will change the planet’s name to “Terror” by the time I am done with them!’

The next time the wormhole is ready, he will once again venture to the outskirts of civilization and this time he will prevail. He will find out who has bewitched him.

And since the planet is rapidly deteriorating still, he doesn’t intend to return to Antar again. He will take his second, General Tove, a large contingent of guards and his best Seers with him. He will leave this dying galaxy to Larek, Sero and Kathana.

He studies the plans to build the wormhole and commits them to memory. It never hurts to be prepared. They may come in useful once more if those foolish humans decide to destroy their planet as a last resort.

“There is much to do.”




How Could This Happen to Me? By Simple Plan

Welcome Readers!

Janetfl wrote:Hi Paper, OMG I LOVED THIS UPDATE!!!! Ohhhhh so Khivar is now going to try and find Liz. Well that's if his wormhole machine starts to work. I feel sorry for poor Liz if Khivar has got his eyes on her!! This just gets more and more exciting by the minute. Can't wait for another update. JAN

This one is for you, Jan! Your trailer for “I'm Lost Without You” was absolutely fabulous!


75 - Tess Tells All


The smell of your skin lingers on me now
You’re probably on you flight back to your home town
I need some shelter of my own protection, baby
To be with myself and center
Clarity, peace, serenity

I hope you know, I hope you know
That this has nothing to do with you
It’s personal, myself and I
We’ve got some straightening’ out to do

My name is Tess Harding. I’ve been running all over the United States, trying to get a lead on where my duplicate has been hiding. You would think that with all the Bhrillig Troops I have at my disposal, I would have made some progress, but it’s like she’s disappeared into another dimension or something! I just can’t find her. Nah uh!

Nicholas isn’t happy with me. Not at all.

He was quite pleased when I first showed up at his rebuilt headquarters in Copper Summit and offered my services in exchange for room, board and expenses. We had quite a fling going for a while there. But I felt kind of like a pervert when I was with him. A child molester. He does look like a 14 year old kid after all. The whole thing lost its allure right away.

The guy I really wanted to be with was Max. Max Evans, my husband. Well, King Zan, actually. He was this great King on our home world. He chose me over all the other royal princesses fawning over him. But unfortunately, his protectors weren’t worth their titles. We all got killed by this jerk named Khivar. Kavar Khivar.

What a stupid name! How his mama came up with that one, no one knows.

Yes, I slept with him a few times, but that was before I was married. It was just a fling. Maybe if I’d tied my sail to his boat, I wouldn’t have gone through half the things I did. He’s an Emperor now. And a murderer. He killed me.

And I’m gonna miss you like a child misses their blanket
But I’ve got to get a move on with my life
It’s time to be a big girl now
And big girls don’t cry
Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry


I was reincarnated into this human body. My DNA was mixed with human DNA as orchestrated by the Queen Mother and the four of us, Zan, Vilandra, Rath and Avaria, that’s me, were all sent to Earth. So that we could one day return and save the planet from the evil Khivar.

OK. I made that last part up. She just wanted to give her children a new start in a new place. She thought they’d want to find a nice human and settle down. I changed the Queen’s message around a little to suit my purposes. Wouldn’t you?

My husband was making time with a human hussy and completely ignoring me. So I made them all think that we were supposed to go home and make things right. I think we should. Kavar killed us all. I want revenge!

And I want my palace back. And my planet.

Well, actually, I’m from Zinder, but I was feeling at home on Antar. It was a lot cooler and richer and there were cool things to do. Zinder was a hot dry dust planet. Kind of like Roswell. Ironic, isn’t it? We had to import our food in exchange for the abundant minerals that our planet had in excess.

I’m not cut out to be a miner. Or a mining princess.

I wanted refinement. I got it with Zan. He wasn’t the most attentive guy, but I had Nicholas, Khivar and a few others on the side, so I didn’t really care that much.

But I don’t like to be ignored. And that is what Max did to me. For HER. Liz.

I’d like to pull her hair out by the hand-full or set it on fire and burn it to a crisp. Max always loved her hair.

I’m a beautiful blonde. She’s a plain brunette. Why would he go for her?

I’m a voluptuous curvy sexpot. She’s a stick. Why would he choose her over me?

But he did.

I had a hard time mindwarping him at first. And I was vain enough to want him to choose me on his own when I arrived in Roswell. He didn’t. So a girl’s got to do what she’s got to do.

The path that I’m walking, I must go alone
I must take the baby steps till I’m full grown, full grown
Fairy tales don’t always have a happy ending, do they?
And I foresee the dark ahead if I stay

I hope you know, I hope you know
That this has nothing to do with you
It’s personal, myself and I
We’ve got some straightening’ out to do


I was raised by my protector, Nasedo, who went by the name Ed Harding. He was a changzling. A shape-shifter. And the only human emotions he had were hate and greed. He always kept me under his thumb and ordered me around, but when we got to Roswell I saw my opportunity to get rid of him.

The changzlings were mentally coded in their DNA to follow Zan’s orders. Another reason I needed Max on my side. To gain power over Nasedo. Yeah, I pretended that he meant something to me, but he was really only a thing. A thing who thought he could tell me what to do. I needed Max to get him to take MY orders.

But Max wasn’t cooperative at all. All he could think about was Liz, Liz, and Liz.

So I made a deal with Nicholas. I would scratch his back. He’d scratch mine.

Nasedo and I have known about Nicholas and his crew of misfits for years. Nicholas told the changzling that he could return to Antar only if he found the clone and helped to bring him in chains to Khivar. We traveled all over the country looking for them for years! We finally got a lead when Michael and Isabel sent us a sign. Nasedo photographed their every move in an attempt to verify that it was really them. He couldn’t believe his luck at first and he thought maybe Nicholas was pulling a prank. Nasedo was one of their original protectors but he was separated from them.

He was on the ship that brought us here but he was captured by the government. By the time he escaped, I was the only one left in the pods. He thought the other protector came back for the others and took them home but he couldn’t confirm it. We knew there was a set in New York but they were supposed to be the bait set, not the ones with the seal. He couldn’t believe his luck when we finally found them.

But Max was a big disappointment to him. He couldn’t get Max to go along with anything he wanted. And I couldn’t get either of them to do what I wanted. So I made my own deal with Nicholas. I got Nicholas to kill Nasedo. In exchange for worming my way into the group and learning where they’d hidden the granolith. Too bad they didn’t know where it was in the first place. Neither did we. Isabel stumbled upon it when she was checking out her pod. I was let in on the secret because I was part of the group by then. Now it’s my ace in the hole.

I had to be careful when we were all in Copper Summit for Congresswoman Whitaker’s funeral. I had to interrupt a little “getting to know you” session Nicholas had going with Isabel in the bedroom. I didn’t want her to upset the apple cart. By that time, I had done too much to let it slip away from me. General Greer almost finished me off with the rest when we got to the funeral hall. I was there with Max and prissy Liz. It gave me a great chance to show Max that I would be a much more valuable ally than the prima donna.

I let Nicholas and his goons escape the school and made it look like they all died in my “wall of flames.” Then I finished off Rath and Lonnie after they tried to kill Zan. What good would it do me if I let them kill my gravy ticket? Now I just need to dispose of Ava, but it’s hard work trying to locate her!

After the failed summit, I helped to save the planet by getting rid of the ganderium. This planet owes me big!

I started getting into Max’s brain with my “memory retrieval” techniques. He fell for those, hook, line and sinker! But his brain was too strong for me. So Nicholas gave me some chemicals to slip into his soda. Those made him much more amenable to anything I suggested. I got him to think that Liz was betraying us Antarians and that she wanted to turn us all in to the FBI. It worked like a charm. He hated her!

He still went to prom with her. It made me so mad, I decided to get even. So I made him think that Liz blew him off and that he wanted to make out with me in the hall. Liz came by and saw us. She left in a huff. It was my finest hour!

After that, I felt almost as if Max was my boyfriend. But I could tell that he still thought about Liz all the time.

So I made him think he slept with me.

And I’m gonna miss you like a child misses their blanket
But I’ve got to get a move on with my life
It’s time to be a big girl now
And big girls don’t cry


Not that he did. I managed to get him to the observatory after it closed and we got inside. I pretty much turned him into a zombie automaton that would do whatever I said. “Take off your clothes. Lay down on the floor. Hold me.”

The problem was that he was as limp as yesterday’s soggy leftover noodles. No matter what I did, nothing seemed to help. At one point, I got so desperate, I mindwarped him to think I was a naked Liz lying there with him. Still nothing!

Then I remembered Nicholas joking about enjoying him while I could before the drugs took full effect. He should have warned me that would be one of the side-effects! I bet he was laughing his ass off!

I’ll have the last laugh though. Nicholas thinks I don’t know where the granolith is. I pretended Max got me pregnant that night. I mindwarped him to remember a one-hour climax. As if! Men are such fools. They will believe anything you tell them if it inflates their ego!

Then I told him that the baby was dying and we all had to go back to Antar so it would live. He was ready to stay with me and our child. Until that witch showed up and ruined everything. She got Kyle to remember that I killed Alex. It was an accident! I didn’t know his puny brain couldn’t take the multiple mindwarps. I’m not a doctor!

He died and I had Kyle help carry him to the car. Then I staged an accident with my powers and a little help from Nicholas’s crew. I mindwarped Kyle to think he was carrying luggage. How she got him to remember, I’ll never know. I thought I reinforced them enough to last a few months at least.

The prissy nerd ran in just as the granolith timer was counting down and spoiled everything. Max was madder than hell. But I told him that if he killed me he would be killing our child. So he told me to go to Antar without him.

There was only one problem.

He had the seal. The damn thing doesn’t work unless you have it. And I don’t. Because we’d never actually slept together. Khivar had us killed before we could consummate.

So I shut the thing off by pulling out the crystal and I mindwarped the jerks outside to think the earth was rumbling and the mountain was melting and made them see a ship leave for the cosmos. Then I waited for them to leave and I made my way to Nicholas.

He gave me a job on his payroll. And a spot in his bed. I came up with the plan to find Ava. OK. So I’m not looking all that hard. It gets me away from Nicholas. Some of the other Bhrillig aren’t half bad. I’ve had quite a few.

I wasn’t happy when I found out that Khivar came all the way here to Earth & I never even got the chance to see him. Nicholas mentioned it after he’d already gone back! Apparently, he came to retrieve Isabel. He did have a thing for her back on Antar. I suppose she’s pretty enough. Khivar tried to stop her wedding to some Latino guy who works with her Father. They’re all a lot of losers! If only Max would have cooperated. We could have been together and living in the lap of luxury on Antar. I could be Queen of an entire galaxy. We could have gone back and killed Khivar and had everything we ever wanted. Max would have forgotten everything about this wretched planet with a little help from me.

I could have had what was supposed to be mine. Liz ruined it all.

Like the little school mate in the school yard
We’ll play jacks and Uno cards
I’ll be your best friend and you’ll be mine
Valentine


Khivar wants me to return to the gang with Max’s baby. I’m just supposed to choose a kid that looks like him and steal it. They’ve been training me to fly one of their fight-kroozers from the ancient ship that brought them here in 1950. I’m supposed to pretend I flew it back from Antar to escape Khivar, who rejected Max’s heir because he is completely human. No problem getting them to believe that part. But will they let me back in the fold after I killed Alex? Max is a sucker. I’ll tell him that the child can’t live without its mother. Michael may be a problem. He never liked me. I think I can win over Isabel.

Better pick out a cute baby. That’ll help.

Yes, you can hold my hand if you want to
‘Cause I want to hold yours too
We’ll be playmates and lovers
And share our secret worlds

But it’s time for m to go home
It’s getting late, dark outside
I need to be with myself, and center
Clarity, peace, serenity


Nicholas and Khivar want me to learn the whereabouts of the granolith.

Yes. It’s still in the same place it always was. I jammed the door so the others can’t get in. But I doubt they would even try. The place holds too many bad memories for all of them and they think it’s empty now. The fools probably never even wondered why no FBI showed up when a spaceship supposedly took off from there. Ever hear of radar? Did no one “see” it leave besides them? How did the mountain suddenly reform itself? None of them are playing with a full deck. Maybe people only see what they WANT to see. I guess I did them all a favor. Now that the granolith is supposedly gone, they must think they can live their lives in peace. We can’t have that, now can we?

I took Nicholas to the cave Nasedo stayed in when he first came to Earth. It’s on the Mescalero Indian Reservation. I showed him the pretty map on the wall, but there wasn’t much else there.

I’m getting to be an expert at playing Nicholas. He’s never tried to mind-walk me. The fool. He thinks I may be in love with him. Why else would I play on his side? Why else, indeed.

If I can get Max to take me back and get rid of Liz, then we can use the granolith to go back and take over.

My time is near. If I can just find a stupid baby somewhere.


I hope you know, I hope you know
That this has nothing to do with you
It’s personal, myself and I
We’ve got some straightening’ out to do

And I’m gonna miss you like a child misses their blanket
But I’ve got to get a move on with my life
It’s time to be a big girl now
And big girls don’t cry
Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry

Big Girls Don’t Cry by Fergie

Should I rename this the Antarian Chronicles? Tess and Serena keep horning in on Khivar's time.

Janetfl wrote:Paper, Thank you for all of the lovely compliments that you have given me!!! Especially about the video!! You are very kind and thanks for doing this chapter JUST for me!!
Now onto your story .... Oh my, I really dislike this Tess even more and I didn't think that was possible!! I can't believe that she is still up to her scheming slutty ways. I can wait to see what happens next because we are getting close to the part where she shows up with the baby!!!!

The problem was that he was as limp as yesterday’s soggy leftover noodles. No matter what I did, nothing seemed to help. At one point, I got so desperate, I mindwarped him to think I was a naked Liz lying there with him. Still nothing!

OMG Paper you're a SCREAM!!!! That was just soooo freakin' funny!!
Excellently written as usual. I can't wait for the next update!! Jan

Hi Jan! Sorry to disappoint. But since we can watch the show to see exactly what happened when Tess returned from "Antar", I won't be covering that. We will see her later on in the story though. Thanks for your feedback! I finally had a chance to read today and caught up on a few stories. Yours, especially! I love them!

No story post tommorrow. I'll be spending my birthday shoveling snow if it doesn't stop soon!
Since I usually post at midnight, I guess that would be Monday's read for sensible people.



76 - The Heat is On

Disclaimer: Title and song are “The Heat is on” by Glenn Frey

The heat is on, on the street
Inside your head, on every beat
And the beat’s so loud, deep inside
The pressure’s high, just to stay alive
‘Cause the heat is on


Conditions on the planet have steadily grown worse. It’s been 8 lunar cycles since the entire galaxy went berserk. Serena is still doing everything she can to hold things together, but her bumbling brother doesn’t seem to be any help. He’s never recovered from his trip to Terran. He acts as if he doesn’t care about anything anymore. The only thing he wants to hear about is her progress with the wormhole and he has Tove call for updates. He still insists that she will have to transport an entire army and various Seers and Advisors in one fell swoop. He doesn’t understand that it just won’t work properly with such a massive payload.

Serena has asked for more authority to take care of the current problems that continue to plague the planet. The last time she saw him, she shored up her courage and after he finished berating her for not making more progress on the wormhole, she discretely mentioned that if she had more help with some of her other problems, she could get more done.

“Whatever” was his terse reply.

After that, she sent some papers to him, granting her the authority to increase her budget and hire more work crews. He actually signed the thing. Well, Tove did. Tove seems to be at the Palace a lot these days.

In fact, he's always there!

Come to think of it, Kavar didn’t look that good last time she saw him. He never did consent to a physical or testing for Terran contaminants in his blood. She wonders what is going on with him.

It was never like him to ignore what is going on around him. The problems Antar is experiencing are horrendous. She has done everything she can, but new problems just keep cropping up. More immigrants are flowing to Antar as Zinderians find they can no longer survive the Sun’s hotter emissions. Zachtarians have already swelled into every inhabitable city and town on the planet. Antar is truly becoming multi-cultural. Now if only everybody could just get along. It’s like they all hate each other!

The entire social structure of the planet is beginning to break down. Something has to be done soon, but what?

Other planets suffer their own tragic fates.

Zhatchar has turned into a ball of ice and frozen vapors. Officially, King Larek is missing and unaccounted for.

Zinder has been all but abandoned as even King Sero has taken up residence in Capital City, Antar.

Cerule is the only planet that has remained relatively unscathed although they are still not accepting immigrants.

The shadows are on the darker side
Behind those doors, it’s a wilder ride
You can make a break, you can win or lose
That’s a chance you take when the heat’s on you
When the heat is on

+ + + + +

Now that he is aware of what is out there, it makes him even more discontented with his lot. He’s tried again and again to get back on an even keel but he keeps slipping back into the realm of depression whenever he thinks about his life as it is now. He’s spent endless days and nights lamenting what might have been and yearning for what could be. And it’s gotten him nowhere fast.

But he’s let Tove run things long enough. He decides the pity party is over for good and that he has to get his act together. He has to start living again.

If he ever hopes to find HER, then he has much to accomplish. If he could just get everyone OFF HIS BACK!

Tove has been a goddess-send, but the others! Even his sister had the nerve to ask for more money and authority. And an overworked Tove gave it to her without consulting him! He wants to go over to the Jabber Science Complex and give her “what for” but his adjutant just informed him that he has uninvited company.

He’s aware that Larek is missing and is probably dead. His two remaining neighboring Rulers once more are demanding an audience with the Emperor. He figures he might as well get it over with. It will feel good to get back in the game. He has them escorted to the main conference room.

“Why has no progress been made? What do you intend to do to solve this crises?” His one-time lover demands. She has a lot of nerve and he is thinking of frying her on the spot but it would take too much energy and he already feels drained from his lack of movement since he’s been back, so he lets it go.

“We leave.”

Sero can’t believe his ears. “WHAT? You can’t be serious!” He’s already moved once. Tove has granted Sero the right to live on Antar temporarily. He wants Khivar to fix this mess so he can go back home.

“Leave. Or stay here and fry.”

“We can’t just up and leave the galaxy! Where would we go?” Kathana screams out in fright.

“Terran.”

“You’re out of your mind! We could never build enough ships to move our entire population to Terran!” Sero complains.

“That’s your problem. Take only those most worthy. Draw lots. I don’t care! This conference is OVER.”

+ + + + +


Tell me can you feel it?

The heat is on
The heat is on
The heat is on

Welcome readers! This is a long chapter, and instead of breaking it up, its going to have to tide you over for 2 days so I have time to write some more!

Janetfl wrote:HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR TODAY PAPER!!!!
Another fantastic update and I'm glad to see that Khivar is finally getting back to his old self. So he's thinking of moving to earth then. I can't wait to see what happens next.
I really hope you enjoyed your day today. JAN

Jake17 wrote:Just a quick note to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAPER!!!!!! your doing an awesome job with this fic!!! Carrie

Awww. Thanks Jan & Carrie! You ladies are super sweet! I’m so happy you are enjoying this!

Disclaimer: As I have never seen a UFO, the idea for the ship’s shape came from various shows about UFO’s on the History Channel and news reports on sightings of triangle shaped UFOs in CA, IL, TX, FL and Australia in 2004.

Kavar is conspicuously absent today because the girls decided to take over and have some fun.



77 - Ship Shape


The nerve! Kavar came all the way to the Jabber Science Complex to chew her out over the additional funding she asked for! First he thinks he can ignore the problems around him for 8 lunar cycles, then when she tries to help him fix things, he yells and screams like a banshee. She didn’t even know he could string that many words together.
Or talk that loud.

But she was already mad enough, and then her emotions just skyrocketed from all the constant stress she’s been under and suddenly she just erupted into a fit of tears. She was a bawling mess!

He was so shocked he just stared at her in horror with his mouth open. He’d never seen his sister act this way before.

When she could finally pull herself together enough to speak, she admitted that she has been so concerned about him that she’s been worrying herself sick and it doesn’t help when he won’t speak to her directly and he lets Tove act as a go-between. Although still sniffling and shaking, she could see him relent as he studied her.

“Very well” he intoned and then he turned around and left without another word. He’s always been a man of few words, but she saw it in his eyes. He cares about her.

At least enough to not cut her funding. She got a call from the budget office that everything she asked for was approved this afternoon. She called Joovee right away and told her to come over so they could celebrate. Small victories must be thoroughly welcomed when they are the only ones on the horizon.

They’ve been spending the evening relaxing in her apartment and sharing a pitcher of icy drinks. Joovee isn’t a Scientist, but she always seems interested and Serena likes talking about her work with someone she can trust.

+ + + + +


“I have to use the KISS method whenever I explain anything to Kavar.”

“You kiss him to transfer images? Isn’t that dangerous?” Joovee is horrified at the prospect.

“No. It’s an acronym. Keep It Simple, Stupid. “

“That explains a lot. For I minute there, I was really grossed out!”

“Sorry!” Serena shakes her head as she laughs and reaches for the pitcher to pour them each another glass.

“I had to explain the difference in time passage on Antar as opposed to Terran time.”

“It’s different?” Joovee is well-versed in time-dodging but she’s only done it on Antar and has no experience in other areas of the Universe.

“Yeah. I’ve been extrapolating the time variances from discrepancies reported from Kavar’s agent on Terran. It took 5.6 years for our first ship to reach Terran. That’s 30 years Terran time. The ships arrived on Terran in their year 1950. We know that because Nicholas contacted Kavar upon arrival. We know the Summit was held 15 solar cycles after the original ships left. Kavar says the date there was 2000. That’s 50 years after the ships arrived in 1950. On Antar, only 9.38 solar cycles passed between those events.”

“What causes the discrepancy?”

“Time dilation causes most of it. Our solar cycles aren’t exactly the same as a Terran year, but the fact that we are closer to the original “big bang” that formed the galaxy means that time moves slower here. It speeds up as you move farther away from the source.”

“Seems like it should slow down, not speed up.” Joovee scrunches up her face as she tries to imagine the possibility.

“I know. It has something to do with drag on temporal forces. It’s hard to explain. While it SEEMS to pass equally in both places, the timeline is elongated . . . stretched out . . . here and thusly, it moves faster as you get farther away. It works out to a factor of .1875. If you multiply a Terran year by .1875, you get 2.25 Antarian lunar cycles.”

“Gah! I think I have brain freeze from your explanation! Let’s talk about something else!”

“It could be from these drinks! OK. OK. What do you want to talk about?” Serena sees that her friend is uncomfortable and she waits quietly while Joovee shores up her composure.

“Your brother had his turn at me.”

“Oh, Goddess! I’m so sorry, Joovee! I hope it wasn’t too horrible for you.”

Joovee shuffles her feet as she looks around uncomfortably. “It was that night I called you for moral support. Remember? I said I was on a date and asked to be excused. I slipped into the wymyn’s room and called you.”

“You poor thing! You didn’t tell me who you were with!”

“He always came into the bar I worked at in Kavaria. It had to happen sooner or later. At least I don’t have to worry and wonder about it anymore.”

Serena looks down at the floor and changes the subject to put her friend at ease. “How is the Queen?”

"It’s still going on.”

“Huh?”

“Kavar. He asked me out again. I went to dinner at the palace.”

“Oh.” Serena ‘s seen the way her brother goes through wymyn. Her friend is lucky to be alive.

“Yeah. He’s actually added me to his harem. I’ve moved into the west wing.”

“OH MY GODDESS!!!!”

“Wait! Don’t look like that. This isn’t so bad! It’s not the end of the world. Well, not yet anyway. He treats me well. I knew I would have to make sacrifices when I signed up. I didn’t even have to sleep with him this time. And anyway, he has so many concubines. You know how he is. Once he OWNS them he loses interest. This is probably the safest place to be if I want to get off his list! They have a pecking order. I’m at the end of the line now. I can do what I want and I have the run of the palace! Is it safe to live there now?”

“Yeah. Completely reinforced. And the ground tremors are subsiding now because once the tectonic plates have re-adjusted the planet becomes more stable automatically.”

“And all those secret tunnels and entrances you had the rebels originally build in? I’m in the gravy now.” Joovee sees that Serena is now the uncomfortable one so SHE quickly changes the subject.

“Oh, and the Queen Mother? She sends her love. She is doing ok at the Monastery, but I’m sure she’ll feel much better once she is safely ensconced in a tube on the way to Terran with King Larek at her side. Will the new ships look like the ones originally sent to Terran fifteen years ago?”

“Yes. The mother ship is round but the smaller vessels for use on Terran are triangular ships with an open center.”

“Why don’t you make them round also, to hold more?”

“No. Round ships would not generate the aerodynamics needed to float through different atmospheres so easily. The triangle shape was more conducive to our needs, with inverted curves on the trailing edge between the lead supports. Each vertex contains an anti-gravity drive for multi-directional propulsion and easy maneuverability.”

“Is that what those three glowing lights are on each corner?”

“Yes,” Serena confirmed.

“The leading engine is angled slightly downward and can rotate on its base for directional control. The triangular ship is open in the center for aerodynamic wind channeling which makes it lightweight and highly maneuverable. They appear to float along noiselessly in most atmospheres. Any weapons fire would be aimed at the center of a target to insure a hit, but this design heightens its safety as most projectiles and lazer blasts pass harmlessly through the middle of the craft. The shield generators take care of protecting the side channels.”

“The triangular ships are all fighter-kroozers. They are docked on the mother ship for the main part of the voyage and are employed once the destination is reached. The old ships had dorms for passengers, but today’s mother ships will be lined with stasis pods to hold as many people as we can manage.

“The humans aren’t ready for us, Serena.”

“I know. The deluded humans think they are the only ones in the Universe.”

“We have an intensive campaign to acclimate them to the idea of other inhabitants, but we have to overcome their prejudices, government misinformation campaigns, their general feeling of superiority and fear of the unknown.

Some of our people on Terran have managed to abscond with a number of the original fighter-kroozers that General Nicholas took along when he went to Terran. They’ve been using them over the solar cycles to joyride around the blue planet at various times to let Terrans see them and get used to the idea that someone new is in the neighborhood.

But the cover-ups by their leaders have really put a damper on all our efforts. They have a large staff that does nothing all day but try to squelch any news of “UFOs” or unidentified flying objects as our ships are referred to there. These things have to be well planned and thought out. Our people are really careful when they perform these exhibitions. It wouldn’t do to get caught by Nicholas’s goons. As it is, he just thinks there are a few rogue Bhrillig that slipped through the cracks and absconded in his ships. He has no clue what is really going on. And you know, the Terrans don’t either. Most of them are afraid of their own shadow.”

Serena nods in agreement as she licks the gooey icy drink crystals off her straw.

“They always look to someone else to save them. Supernatural heroes. Batman. Superman. Spiderman. The fantastic four. Religious figures. Anything to keep them from feeling small and alone. They glorify sports heroes and rock singers. If they only knew what is coming. They’d all be hiding under their beds. There is only so much we can do when they are so resistant to the very idea that they aren’t the only game in town.

We Bhrillig may be smart, but we aren’t miracle workers!”

“There’s nothing else we can do. We’ve been preparing for this eventuality for a long time. I just hope we can overcome their fear of the unknown and locate Zan and the other Royals before my greedy brother takes over the entire planet. He wants to bring an army with him when he goes through the wormhole. Will Zan be able to defend Terran against that?”

“He’s not alone. He’ll have the loyalty of the entire Order of Zofya and all their descendants born both on Terran and here on Antar. And he has the granolith. You and the Queen Mother saw to that, Serena. This move to Terran was foreseen and verified by numerous time-dodgers many centons ago and our people have been planning and preparing for this exodus ever since. We have infiltrated every sector of Terran and although our numbers are small, we can only hope it will help.

The great battle between good and evil is destined to take place on Terran and there is nothing anyone can do to stop it.”

“You’re right Joovee. We can only hope that we’ve done enough to swing it in the right direction.”

Janetfl wrote:OMG Paper YOU are the QUEEN!! Wow I love this!! It's getting even more interesting now. I can't wait to see what happens! Come back again soon. JAN

ken_r wrote:Now you are into real Science Fiction. It was sounding like Project Blue Book which was working to debunk UFOs when i was young. Wish us good luck when Khivar comes through. ken r

Hi Jan & Ken! Thanks so much! I gotta post and run to bed because there’s a huge ice storm on its way tomorrow. I hope it isn’t as bad as what I’ve posted here!
My boss says I can’t stay home, no matter what!



78 - The Ice Season Cometh

It was unexpected. And unwelcome. But there it is.

Ice Season has come early to Kavar’s realm. And it has arrived with a vengeance.

A brutal ice storm surprised the inhabitants of Capital City earlier this week. It barreled its way into the area wreaking havoc upon everything in its path and then it refused to leave. Huge balls of ice hailed down upon them, damaging structures and transports, causing injuries and killing vegetation. After the initial bombardment, the skies opened up and let loose in torrents of freezing rain which coated the landscape with up to 5 inches of heavy thick sparkling ice. Tree limbs and fences collapsed under the immense weight of the frozen coatings. Transmission towers toppled. Transports fell from the skies.

When the heavy rain quickly turned to sleet, the temperature dropped even more and conditions became treacherous. The slippery walkways caused all kinds of injuries and even the economy has come to a standstill under the weight of the punishing ice. That’s when the snow started falling and they thought they’d gotten a reprieve, but it didn’t last long and soon the icy sleet started up again.

Serena is at her wits end.

She has a million things to do. Problems are piling up everywhere she looks and people are coming out of the woodwork to complain. She barely has the time to give the wormhole situation the attention it needs. But is she doing anything constructive now?

No.

She’s just standing here, looking out the window and waiting for the transport. And worrying. The beauty in front of her is stunning. Everything glitters like diamonds, even without the red sunlight, but the blanket of ice that covers everything is more than enough cause for worry. People shouldn’t go out in weather like this. But when you are summoned by the Emperor you do what you are told. Even if he is your creepy brother!

The cold temperatures and icy winds should not have begun for at least another month. The punishing storm came without warning. Usually, storms of this nature lasted no more than a few hours. That would have caused enough problems. But the icy revenge falling from the sky has lasted for more than 3 days. People cannot leave their homes due to the treacherous conditions. The heavy ice coats everything. One cannot walk even a few feet without the benefit of spiked footwear. Even then, you are taking your life in your hands.

As she stands there, staring at the gloomy conditions outside her apartment window at Jabbers, she’s suddenly startled as a huge crashing sound assaults her ears. Another massive limb has been lost in the centons old Tum-Tum tree in the courtyard. She loves that tree. That makes four major branches that it’s lost so far from this storm. A few more and it may never recover. Her beautiful tree isn’t the only plant life she has on her mind this week.

The storm surprised area growers who still had precious crops maturing in their fields. Crops that they can’t afford to lose. Crops that have now been lost. Serena’s hydroponic food plants will be even more essential now that they’ve lost the last precious harvest to this malicious storm.

Her Housing Committee has been up in arms for days. The storm put a real kink in their efforts to finally get everyone settled properly. Power generators are working overtime to heat and ventilate most housing structures. Some of the newer housing in the area had not had the generators installed yet and public shelters have been re-opened for those caught without heat. If they can only get to them.

The freezing rain, which had turned to snow by mid-week, has added crushing weight to the already heavy ice load in the vicinity and it’s causing even more problems for area plantings, including extensive damage to the precious Wabe Nature Preserve. Massive evergreen trees that were already weighted down by the ice now have a huge layer of snow piled on top of that. Many have simply toppled to the ground under the strain. As the roof creaks loudly over her head, Serena looks up and wonders if IT will hold under the strain. Many have not.

Kavar has his troops working overtime to do what they can to clear out some of the debris from toppled structures and trees in the metropolitan areas. The search for victims is ongoing. The continued sleet and strong winds are hampering rescue efforts.

Serena’s VidScreen starts flashing that her transport has arrived and she rushes to the docking station and warily climbs into the small-ice coated vehicle. Unfortunately, the driver is unable to manage a take-off. He can’t get it back off the ground with the massive coating of ice. He gets out and uses his powers to melt the coating and tries to take off once more. Success! But they don’t get far before the small ship simply gives up the ghost and they find themselves on the ground once more, weighted down by the heavy ice-coated shell. But this time, they are some distance away from the Jabbers and they can’t walk through the sleet. It would be too dangerous.

They wait an hour in the small ship for a more powerful transport to be dispatched to pick them up.

‘This is taking FOREVER! We’ll never get there! Hasn’t my dumb brother ever heard of Vid-Screen Converencing? Why does he have to talk to me in person? I could be working on the worm-hole!’

“I thought THAT was first priority!”

The driver looks at her funny and asks her what she just said. “Sorry. I’m just talking to myself.” She feels like she is going to explode under the stress and stain she is under. If she doesn’t watch out, he’ll think she’s lost it. This has got to be one of the worst days of her life!

Just as Serena starts to feel like she will spend the entire day trapped in this transport, the larger ship finally arrives. As Serena gets out, she swipes her hand over the bottom of both her boots and changes the flat soles to a sharp-pointed spike field. The driver does the same. This will help them walk over to the new transport, but it still feels precarious. She tries to hang on to the new ship as she falls forward, but her hand slips on the icy-cold surface and her knees hit the ground with massive force. She’s going to have a large bruise on both knees from this.

‘Thanks brother! I’m lucky I didn’t hit my head!’

When she finally manages to lumber into the new ship and get settled, they take off once more. They are about half way to Palace when the ice storm takes them down again.

‘Grrrrrrrr. Are we EVER going to get there?’

The outer coating of ice is just too heavy and it’s blocking the intake valves too. She stops to think for a minute and figures out what to do. Luckily there are now four of them. Serena, two drivers and an additional guard, who looks very powerful and forbidding. Serena instructs the guard and extra driver to hold their hands against the side of the ship and asks them to apply a small amount of power. She does the same, after sending a blast of electrons through the engine block to melt the intake valves. It seems to be working. The ice coating falls away under the heat being generated and they take off once more. They keep feeding the heat to the vehicle shell and soon they arrive at the palace docking station without further incident.

She’s not going out in that again! She’ll stay here at the palace and catch up with Joovee until the storm ends.

Serena stomps over to the Court Chamber where her brother is conversing with some of his advisors. When he sees her, he motions to the door to his private office. She takes the hint and goes inside to wait. And wait. And wait. Finally, Kavar appears and sits behind his desk. He takes a minute to study her, before he speaks.

“I just wanted to get an update on how far along you are with the wormhole repairs.”

As the urge to kill him rears its ugly head, she quickly squelches it down just before she has a chance to leap across his desk and wrap her hands around his throat. Instead, she smiles sweetly and maintains her rigid composure. She’s had enough practice at this over the years. And this is a good opportunity to further her own agenda by planting the seeds of suggestion in his mind for her idea on how to smuggle more people off the planet, right under his nose.

Maybe this is a good day after all.

Welcome readers. I hope everyone enjoyed the picture of the grass in my backyard with yesterday’s post. No? Well, how about this one of the trees I get to look at every day? The white part at the bottom is really my roof! The trees off to the left side are in the front yard and they aren’t as close to the house as this pic makes them look.

Unfortunately, this part brings us as far as I have written and no time to continue.
I expect to have some time on Saturday, if things go well. That means no post tomorrow night. Sorry!

On the bright side, the ice storm completely skipped us and all we got was a lot of rain. Now we have to hope nothing floods out. No worries. It’s supposed to snow again tomorrow!

Janetfl wrote:Oh I can't wait to see what Serena has come up with. I LOVE Khivar. I can't believe he got his sister to go all that way just to ask her for an update! Another great chapter Paper. JAN

Thanks Jan! Flattery will get you everywhere! Here is her plan.



79 – Let It Snow

The wormhole needed major reconstruction after the initial unproductive trip to Terran. It worked OK for its first endeavor but Kavar still insists it has to support larger group transports so he can get his troops and supplies through on his next trip. Serena is working her fingers to the bone, trying to reconfigure the equipment to allow for the greater load and still allow everyone to arrive safely, but she feels he is asking for the impossible!

Initial tests have NOT been successful.

Serena’s relieved about one thing though. She’s convinced Kavar at their last meeting that he wants black ice stores to be sent thru the wormhole to be used at his convenience on Earth. The strata on Earth may not react in the same manner as the dirt on Antar, and the energy storehouses may not form when the energy beams hit the dirt there.

If he doesn’t want to be stuck with primitive Terran technology, he will have to bring his power source with him.

She’s convinced him that she can begin testing the wormhole with small batches of the inanimate material and build up the weight gradually. Since it’s not alive, the black ice can be sent through safely and the loads can be increased in size with each batch to test the limits of the wormhole to see how it reacts to the greater load before any Antarians are put at risk in a mass transport.

She scans the information coming through on the communication waves, looking for places that are relatively hidden on Terran to incorporate the black ice, such as deep water plateaus or areas that already have similar appearing characteristics such as volcanic structures and lava flow remnants.

She feels she can hide the essential material innocuously amongst these related structures in various locations around the globe, right in plain sight. Multiple deposits over a sustained period will ensure an adequate supply. Unfortunately for her brother, the maps she is producing to locate the deposits are just a little off. Hopefully, he won’t find out until everyone is safely on Terran and she is able to locate Zan. Her sources say that he is on the move.

The rebels initially found him by following Kavar. Kavar isn’t the only one with spies. The Bhrillig rebels knew almost immediately after Kavar arrived that he was there. They watched from afar so as not to alert Nicholas’s forces. That may have been a mistake. Because just as his education institution was holding a ceremony, men with rifles showed up. Zan took center stage and gave a speech while his team escaped. Then Rath performed a daring rescue on a two-wheeled vehicle and the entire group disappeared into the night. The Bhrillig Rebels are still trying to relocate them. There has been no success thus far.

So Serena has her own reasons for moving the energy supply to Terran, but her self-absorbed brother doesn’t need to know what they are. She knows there is a war coming. A war to end all wars. Her galaxy may have been destroyed, but maybe it was fate. She is determined not to lose again.

Kavar has no reason to doubt her veracity. He feels that she doesn’t have enough street smarts to make up a believable lie.

Kavar: "Begin immediately!"

+ + + + +

He shuts off the Vid-Screen with a scowl on his face. After that horrible ice storm a month ago, Khivar thought the economy would never recover. His ships had fallen out of the sky. What could be worse than that?

He will grudgingly admit that he has his sister to thank for the solution. She rigged the ships with some sort of device that when turned on, will automatically heat the outer shell. It keeps the ice from building up and the ships remain in the air. Sounds great, doesn’t it?

But now he has a new problem. It won’t stop snowing. The stuff is piling up everywhere. There was so much damage from the ice; he didn’t think they could be in a worse predicament. If it doesn’t stop soon, it will bury every building they have. Good thing Crystal Palace is built on the side of the mountain. At least he can see what is happening below him. Although, there isn’t much left to see.

Everything is covered by 6 feet of snow!

It feels like Judgment day.

‘I did this.’

He is starting to feel some remorse for his hasty actions against Fubar. ‘If only his Seers had done their jobs and warned him . . . oh. Yeah. They did.’

“Well, they should have been more insistent!”

Why is he even thinking about this? He doesn’t want to think about it. He has more important things to worry about now. 'What is done is done!’

He has to prepare for the future. On Terran. He and Tove have been going over the types and amounts of weapons they will have to bring along. First they will have to take care of Zan and his crew. If Nicholas can find him again! The twit lost him. He doesn’t want to think about THAT either! Then they will have to subdue the Terrans. That should be no problem.

It won’t be anything to the way his people are reacting here.

Fear is rampant.

The news reporters are hawking the latest dire predictions. You would think people would have settled down by now. The sun hasn’t blown up. The planet is still whirling through the Whirligig Galaxy pretty close to its original orbit. They’ve survived ground quakes, tidal waves, mud slides, drought, ice storms, and now this unrelenting snow. At least they don’t have it as bad as the planet Zatchtar, which has moved out of its normal orbit and is now a frozen wasteland. They can recover from this.

Antarians are strong people. They will be all the better for enduring this adversity.

He will take the best and the brightest with him through the wormhole. That is, if his lazy sister ever gets it fixed.

‘I wonder if there are any scientists on Terran that could be useful. I must check that internet transmission once more.’

He’s been trying to figure out how to placate the masses that seem to be showing up in Court every day. The general mood of the people is angry pessimism right now. They are all stuck indoors and have nothing to do but talk about Antar’s problems.

He needs a diversion.

Welcome to Winter! It seems to last forever, doesn't it?
Sorry if my chapter numbering caught anyone off guard. I do have a list of chapters, but it is forever changing! It’s all fixed now.
No post Sunday. Family problems will keep me out of commission.

A ruler's diversion. They used to make lat night show jokes that every time then, president Clinton got in trouble some little brush war would be heated up to create a diversion. It is true that the tail does wag the dog. what will Khivar need to hold his attention. ken r

I remember that, Ken! Khivar and Tove have done enough tail-wagging in their time, I’m sure! Thanks for your feedback!
Before Khivar can employ his little diversion, I’m afraid he will be diverted by a diversion he doesn’t expect first.

Janetfl wrote:Oh dear Khivar is in a lot of trouble at the moment isn't he. I am really looking forward to seeing where you go with this story now. I can't wait for your next update. JAN

Thanks Jan! Khivar is always in trouble. What fun would it be otherwise?
Let’s see. What can I put him through next?
It almost appears that Mother Nature has it in for him, doesn’t it?
Let It Snow was created by lyricist Sammy Cahn and the composer Jule Styne in 1945.




80 - Food For Thought

The weather outside is frightful
But the fire is so delightful
And since we've no place to go
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

The cold cruel weather continues to punish the planet under the guise of a fluffy pink blanket.

It’s a lesson in irony. That something so beautiful can be so cruel and deadly. The color pink is supposed to be comforting.
That’s what Serena is always trying to tell him. Khivar doesn’t think many people would agree with her this winter.

The Seers are all predicting more terrible calamities to come. He’s stopped listening to them altogether.

Everything has come to a standstill. People without heat in their units are still stuck in public shelters. Their mood is ugly. Tove has his troops on high alert because they are constantly being called in to maintain the peace and help with civil emergencies, but they are all snowed in, also. There are some posted at the shelters, but it’s one of the worst posts in his Military and no one wants to do it. The shelters are rank!

There is no way to finish off more housing units with this incessant snow and even if there were, there are no more heating elements to be had. The entire economy is in gridlock. Manufacturing plants can’t make more because the raw materials have been used up. And fuel is at an all-time low. The treacherous black ice can’t be harvested in these conditions. The snow has bottled up everything.

Some people aren’t letting a little missing heating element put them in a public shelter however. Those who have the ability are using large stones that they heat themselves with their personal energies to radiate heat throughout their dwellings. It isn’t the best solution. The heat is minimal. It’s zamn inconvenient and draining, but it’s better than being stuck in an auditorium trying to sleep with a horde of crying kiddies fighting 4 feet away or waiting in long lines to use the bathroom. Not everyone has that much capability though. This option is workable for only a few.

‘Too bad! At least they have a roof over their heads!’

‘If they were still on their own planet, that wouldn’t be the case. They should be thankful to me.’

‘Instead, all they do is complain.’

Massive housing projects had been thrown up almost overnight after the rapid influx of refugees from Zatchar and Zinder. He has to hand it to Serena. She really knows how to organize the right people to make things happen. She took barren farmland and made multiple-unit housing. Her water reclamation and storm clean-up efforts were staffed by volunteers who worked for food and housing vouchers. Everyone benefited because without these efforts, no one would have had safe water or adequate housing after the summer floods and groundquakes and wind-storms.

Without the precious voucher coupons no one would have been able to afford the necessities because prices had sky-rocketed. Serena’s various work-teams have employed a lot of people in the clean-up projects all over the planet. Her job postings were a popular item and people lined up to take them.

Her hydroponics gardens weren’t an instant hit, but the sprouts tasted OK and people got used to supplementing their diets with the nutritious item. But now, the public food stores are rapidly diminishing. If a new source isn’t found soon his people will be eating their shoe leather.

It’s not as funny as it sounds. It can be done. One can change anything into something new by changing the molecular structure.
But getting it to taste like something? Or carry the same nutrition as the duplicated source?

In a word? No.

Antarians aren’t gods or goddesses.

‘Even though my people must sometimes think I am.’

‘They look to me to solve their problems. An Emperor’s job is never done. I am the one who has to authorize everything!

That’s hard work!

I have to see that Serena doesn’t spend ALL my KAVAR-BACKS foolishly! She’s always whining that she needs a bigger budget or she can’t accomplish this or that. Spendthrift! Money flows through her fingers as if it’s still made of paper. She’s the one that set up the new electronic systems. If I could have convinced her, I bet she could have found a way to skim some off the top of every transaction. Then I’d have enough to give her a bigger budget!

She is too honest for her own good.

Although paper money is a thing of the past, we still have coins. There will always be a need for the occasional anonymous transaction. Heh, heh. Not everyone is as honest as Serena.

Hmmmmn. I wonder why everyone calls our coins Kavar-backs, anyway. My picture is on BOTH sides. Quite a handsome likeness if I do say so myself. The old money had Zan’s lineage staring back at you. Vilandra got all the looks in that family. And those ears!

Anyway, my people aren’t starving. It’s an impossibility to please everyone.’

Some people are so desperate that they have been caught on the lake at the Wabe where they had drilled holes in the ice to catch the uffish. It’s illegal to fish there. The whole place is protected! And if they fell through the ice into the water, the piranzha would have THEM for a meal.

‘Uffish ARE rather tasty though. Especially if they are prepared with a layer of crusted potahtoes on top!’

At least HE doesn’t have to worry about the food shortages. Khivar has enough secret stores of food to keep himself and his army well satisfied until spring. ‘Sprouts, indeed!’ As long as those pesky rebels don’t find out where it’s hidden! He still hasn’t figured out how they got into his weapons armory or got away with so many of his scientific staff.

‘Maybe I better double the guard!’