Mark McGinnis - The Simpleton

Cuddy, by now, was only half-listening to the general. His mind was still on the band of Howsh ships headed for Primara. That they intended to destroy that planet he had little doubt. He needed to quickly get back to Woodbury—back to the Evermore.

“Is everything I’ve said clearly understood, Mr. Perkins? Do you have any questions?” General Hastings asked.

The orb turned its attention toward Cuddy.

Cuddy said, “No, General… no questions. We understand and thank you for helping us. Um, we’re ready for those reentry coordinates when you are… sir.”

As much as the general’s directives made perfect sense, Cuddy was becoming more and more impatient. He was reminded once again that his emotional evolution hadn’t progressed yet to the same level as his cognitive side. He really wanted to move things along. Jeez … waiting another full hour would be like waiting an eternity.

The orb then took over, having a back-and-forth conversation with the general, getting more landing specifics ironed out.

Tony, keeping his voice low, asked. “If the orb’s got the stealth thing working again, why don’t we just blow him off and leave now? Why are we even waiting to be escorted to… where the hell was it? Arizona?”

“Nevada,” Cuddy said, noting the orb had disconnected from General Hastings. Cuddy continued, “The orb has the stealth functionality working, Tony, but not the shields… remember? If, by chance, we’re spotted… like a line-of-sight-type thing… we can be locked on to. Isn’t that right, orb?”

“Correct, but there is only a small chance of that.”

“So what’s the plan?” Kyle asked.

“I’ve been thinking about that. Orb, if we wait until the designated time, when the U.S. military, and probably other world militaries too, are tracking that specified reentry location, what if it’s not us entering the atmosphere? What if, instead, it’s what’s left of the other Howsh ship?”

“You’re talking about having a distraction,” Kyle said.

“Genius! Our village idiot is a total friggin’ genius,” Tony exclaimed, impressed.

The orb said, “I believe I can trigger the other Howsh ship to explode soon after entering the atmosphere. Would that be of benefit?”

“That would be a huge benefit,” Cuddy said. “They’d think all three Howsh ships were destroyed and they’d no longer be looking for us.”

“Um, not to be a total downer here…” Tony said, “but that other Howsh ship, I saw what you did to it. It’s pretty much toast. How do we get what’s left of it to enter the atmosphere?” He looked over at the orb and asked, “Does this ship have some kind of tractor beam… like in the movies?”

“No,” the orb answered. Then, continuing in a matter-of-fact tone, said, “Cuddy will have to manage that aspect. He has already demonstrated he has, at least to some degree, the same mental kinetic capabilities as the Pashier.”

Cuddy, still not fully recovered from his last use of those newly acquired abilities, unconsciously placed a hand on his unsettled stomach. He thought about the plan and liked it. With that said, once in Woodbury, landing back at the ranch, they’d have to move fast. The Revenge still might be spotted—perhaps overheard by the military. By a jet or even a satellite.

“Okay… I guess we have a plan,” Cuddy said. He looked over to Tony. “When we land, it will take us some time to get the Evermore back up into space. Can you hold off contacting your father—”

“Wait! You think I’m going back home? Seriously?”

Cuddy shrugged, not knowing what to think.

“No… I’m going with you guys. I’m on your team.”

Cuddy and Kyle stared at each other. They hadn’t had time to discuss whether Kyle even wanted to go. Events were happening too fast.

“I don’t know, Cuddy. I mean… who would take care of Momma? Plus, I just got released from a two-year stint inside a prison cell…”

“I get it, more confined spaces. That’s okay, Kyle,” Cuddy said.

Tony looked disappointed at Kyle’s decision. “Hey, then it’s you and me, Cuddy… we’ll take on the Howsh. We’ll kick their furry asses.”

Cuddy honestly didn’t know if Tony would be of help, or be a hindrance—but he appreciated the support, just the same. He asked, “Orb, how soon before we’re supposed to reenter the atmosphere?”

“Fifty-three minutes.”

“How will I know what to do?”

“I will assist you, like I have done on two previous occasions. It should be less taxing. Moving an object in space is far easier than making an object disintegrate.”

Slowly the orb navigated the Revenge , bringing it close to the other Howsh ship. Cuddy watched through the forward observation window as they came right beside it—approaching from its stern. At this close distance, he got a good look at the damage he’d inflicted, using only mind projection. The whole tail end of the spacecraft was scorched black, and he could see several breached open patches where it was possible to actually see into the ship. It was then that it struck him—the loss of life he’d caused.

“How many were on board?” Cuddy quietly asked the AI orb.

“Crew of twenty-seven Howsh.”

Cuddy knew any sadness he felt was unjustified. They would have destroyed the Revenge , and everyone aboard, without a second thought. He well understood that, on an analytical level, but he wasn’t feeling analytical right then—simply guilty.

Kyle broke the silence. “So what now? How do we work this?”

Cuddy said, “We need the Revenge to disappear from view. Orb… can you turn on that stealth mode?”

“They’re not stupid… aren’t they going to see… detect… that there were two ships up here, then, all of a sudden there’s just one?” Kyle asked.

“They may not fully understand it, but they’ll continue tracking the one ship that they do see. We’re only looking to buy ourselves a little extra time.”

Jackie had hung around the house just long enough to start feeling uncomfortable. Her father was obviously convalescing, but the sparks going off between Mrs. Perkins and her old man—well, it was embarrassing to be around them. She’d heard that high-stress situations can bring people together, and this—what was going on—most certainly, qualified as a high-stress situation.

It was Jackie’s suggestion that she drive back to the Perkins’ ranch and see to Ellie. To get her into her stall within the barn. Speeding along the country roads, Rufus, there beside her on the passenger seat, was good company—content just hanging his head out the side passenger window—and letting his ears flap in the wind. Halfway there, she remembered all the dead Howsh bodies, lying on the property. Shit . There must be ten of the weird aliens—piled up, one atop another, like big, hairy cords of wood. She’d just have to deal with it. After all, she was pre-med… not like she’d never been around dead bodies before.

She was startled from her reverie as the local CBS station was blaring out news over the car radio:

“…this really is an amazing turn of events, Simon. Inside sources tell us the interchange can take place at any time now. Obviously, exact coordinates and timeframes are classified, but I’ve been told the alien craft, which has been designated the Revenge by its present human crew, is currently on the move.”

Jackie had followed the ongoing events occurring in space back at her dad’s house. She’d learned that Kyle, Tony, and Cuddy were now acclaimed heroes—the men of the hour—hell, of the century! But instead of being grateful they were alive—that the world had been saved from certain destruction—she was angry. Just hearing of their actions in space made her blood boil. She should have been up there with them. Cuddy had no right to tell her not to come. Once again, being a female meant being short-changed in life. Screw him… screw them all . She had her own life to lead; important things of her own to accomplish.