Mark McGinnis - The Simpleton

“That’s Brian,” Jackie said.

Cuddy looked from the fast-approaching convertible over to Jackie, who seemed highly agitated. He heard her cursing under her breath. “Why’s he coming here?” he asked.

Jackie shrugged, keeping her eyes on the car as it skidded to a stop behind her VW bug. Cuddy could see that Brian was older than the rest of them— maybe in his thirties —though he wasn’t all that good at guessing ages. He had curly black hair—probably longish—and it was bound up in some kind of a bun near the crown of his head. Wearing sunglasses, he sported a perfectly trimmed goatee. He exited his car, never taking his eyes off the spacecraft that loomed above them.

“What are you doing here?” Jackie asked. “You can’t be here, Brian…”

He continued to stare at the ship in awe, then said, “I had to see you… find you.”

“Well, you’ve found me. But you have to go. Now!”

Cuddy, deciding to introduce himself, held a hand out for Brian to shake, but he either didn’t see it or chose to ignore it. Cuddy wasn’t sure which one.

“This is the spaceship the military think exploded on entering the atmosphere. Why is it here… What have you done?” Brian asked in an accusatory tone.

“You mean beyond saving the planet, along with your sorry ass?” Tony threw in.

For the first time, Cuddy watched Brian acknowledge Jackie, looking her over, from head to toe. Cuddy had silently been admiring the same spectacular vision. Wearing a yellow and black plaid shirt, and faded blue jeans that seemed to be painted onto her long slender legs, she wore only the slightest hint of makeup. Highlights in her long, straw-colored hair shimmered in the light as she moved. Cuddy was totally mesmerized by the sight of her, ever since walking down the ramp. He again questioned himself: Why hadn’t he truly appreciated her beauty long before now?

“So what’s this guy to you anyway, Jackie? Is he like a boyfriend or something?” Kyle asked.

Suddenly flustered, she snapped back, “What does it matter to you?” But her worried eyes defied her feigned anger. She glanced toward Cuddy, who only now was processing the deeper implications of her relationship with Brian.

Could Jackie belong to someone else? Cuddy wondered. That hadn’t been something he’d considered before, but now it made complete sense. What had he ever been to her, but a pathetic man-boy? A simpleton—one who’d never leave the safety of his Momma’s ranch.

The orb, which Cuddy had noticed was good at going undetected, if it chose to, was now rising higher into the air and hovering in place. “There are other vehicles approaching. We should hurry, Cuddy.”

As much as the spaceship, then Jackie, captivated Brian’s attention, the orb’s sudden appearance did more so. “What… is… that?”

Cuddy ignored him. “What other vehicles are coming, orb?”

The orb, rising higher, reported after several moments, “Military vehicles… three… approaching fast.”

Jackie spun on Brian, shouting, “What have you done?”

“I did what was necessary… what was right. With much reluctance, your mother told me what happened here. About the spaceship, and the battle with the aliens. I thought you might come back here.”

“So… what… you called out the Army?”

He nodded. “I thought you were in danger. Your little gang of misfits is in way over your heads. You have to know that, Jackie. You do have an education beyond the third grade. But these guys…”

“Bite me, boy bun,” Tony said.

Cuddy could now see the three olive-green Army trucks en-route to their location. One truck had a soldier seated up high behind a weapon.

“Run!” Cuddy said. “Everyone get to the Evermore !” While they all rushed, including Brian, down the Perkins’s driveway, Cuddy suddenly halted, noticing the orb was unmoving where it hovered.

“Cuddy, I must pilot the Revenge . The Evermore will be incapable of fending off the Howsh in space.”

“Who will pilot the…”

“You will, Cuddy. I will assist you,” the orb replied. “Now go… get to the Evermore ’s cockpit.”

Cuddy ran down the drive, Rufus loping along at his side. By the time he reached the barn, he heard the Revenge ’s remaining drive power up and then its thrusters engage. Cuddy glanced back just in time to see the Howsh ship steadily rising into the air. He also noted the three military vehicles were maneuvering around the red sports car and also the VW bug. They were turning down the driveway as he sprinted into the barn.

Gasping for breath, Cuddy ran out of the woods and into the open clearing. The others were waiting for him next to the Evermore . He stared frantically at the closed hatchway and wondered how they would get inside ?

I am here with you, Cuddy. I will instruct you in how to open the hatchway, as well as accomplish other functions, simply through the employment of your mind.

Cuddy was instantly relieved, feeling the orb’s presence within his consciousness. He mentally spotted the controls, situated right inside the hatchway on the bulkhead.

“Use the Pashier part of your mind, Cuddy. Open the hatch now and extend the gangway.”

The others stood by, staring up at him, waiting for him to do something. He mentally envisioned activating the controls and the Evermore ’s hatch began to slide open and the gangway to descend. Tony Bone was the first to run up the ramp and into the ship, with Kyle quickly following on his heels.

Jackie gestured for Cuddy to go past her, saying, “Go on… I need to talk to Brian for a minute.”

Cuddy said, “Okay, but we have to leave… immediately.” Brian gave him a less than friendly look as he ran past them and up the gangway. Inside, Kyle and Tony were nervously waiting for him.

“What’s happening with Jackie? Is she coming or not?” Tony asked.

“Not sure. I need to get to the bridge.” Cuddy hurried forward, feeling strange being inside without Tow, or even the orb—almost like trespassing. Reaching the bridge, he took a seat at the forward console. The displays around him came alive and he caught the unique outline of the Revenge nearby—hovering just above the treetops.

You must start the propulsion system, Cuddy. The two drives can be initialized via the controls, located on the far right of the panel.

Cuddy’s eyes scanned the myriad of touch controls—all the strange symbols—and he felt an overwhelming urge to flee. Get off the ship and run as fast as his feet could take him—he was incapable of doing what the orb now told him to do.

Then his worried gaze settled on the two elongated levers. But what was even stranger, he could now read the series of exotic symbols printed beneath them:

Cuddy flipped the levers and immediately felt the vibration of the big drives coming up beneath his feet.

Very good; now you need to secure the ship, Cuddy.

Cuddy then remembered the hatch was open to the outside and the gangway still extended. Lifting off his console seat, he peered out the bridge starboard-side window. Jackie and Brian were still in the clearing, engaged in a heated discussion.

You need to get the Evermore into space, Cuddy. Look at the Viewscape display… as you can see, the military forces—twelve humans, holding automatic weapons… have entered the woods and are headed your way. It is time to leave.

Tony and Kyle entered the bridge, sitting nosily down in open seats.

“What the hell are we waiting for?” Tony asked, his eyes locked onto the Viewscape display. “Are those soldiers the ones the orb mentioned?”