Chapter 95B

My family and Carl's went to the pub in style after we took our time looking at the area close to the shore. We used a small cutter to give us a more intimate view of the city. In a few more minutes, we landed in the parking lot of the pub. I pushed open the large doors and found nobody around. From the back room I heard John talk about all the inconsiderate people that left his business to see a foolish ship. His mind told me that his employees had deserted with the customers.

Behind the bar I found the large coat that I had given him. It was all under glass and the label saying it was given personally to him for all his fine work in defending the Alliance from all attackers. Carl and Doris saw this too and started to laugh out loud. The rest of the family came into the pub and this meant that we had to move further into the bar area or be trampled.

Dog and his family along with twenty three Donai that entered with us. All of them sniffed the air. I could smell the old food and especially the stale beer odour that permeated the air. Carl talked to one of the adult Donai and sent her into the back room to let John know that he had some customers.

That is what brought John's attention to us. First there was a blood curdling scream and a large number of falling objects. The Donai came out and I could almost see her smile in her mind.

We all took seats and I called out, "What do we have to do to get some service out here."

We heard some frantic mental screams from the back and a voice much like a woman's saying, "There is a monster in the building. Get the police."

"Since when did you want the police to visit your premises, you old crook?"

"Is that you? Henry m' lad." John talked in an incredulous voice.

"Yes it is. Bring out that swill you call an ale."

We heard some angry muttering and John came around the corner very carefully with a baseball bat ready to protect himself. When he saw me then the rest his face changed into a smile and he started to put the bat down till he saw the adult Donai staring at him. He quickly picked the bat back up. The dogs didn't bother him nor did the cute Masa.

Doris tauntingly said, "Bring the beer and the girls and I will protect you John."

John just swallowed and then slowly put the bat down. He watched the Donai all the time and even dropped one of the bottles. He brought them over to our table but stayed away from the Donai even though only a few were adult sized. He set our bottles down and then his thick glass mugs.

He didn't even ask but quickly went back to serve the rest of us the same drink. When he came back he was amazed to see the children taking the bottles and drinking the potent beverage. His mind was waring about what was going on but didn't stop till everyone had on of his specialty ales before them.

Roger was beside me and in a moment he shifted over to sit in my lap. I said after I shifted over, "John, have a seat."

He looked at Roger and was not afraid because of all the television shows Mom had made, explaining about the Tandra and other races. He did sit gingerly and finally said, "It is nice to see you back Henry. You could have been a bit more considerate about my heart though."

I smiled at him and replied, "This is the first time you mentioned it. I thought you had lost your heart years ago."

"You hurt me to the quick, Henry. I was the one that saved you many times."

I had to smile again and said, "I think you have been listening to your own tales a bit too much. Now let me introduce you to my family." The adult wives down to Amy were introduced as wives and didn't mention the rest as either children or wives. Mom had been subtly slipping information into her talks about me and it eventually came out that I had embraced the Tandra norm and joined a female family as the head. This she stated was not normal but seemed to be the way things would be because the Humans were usually built to take the lead in most cases.

Dola was kissed too but there was no way for John to know that this wife was a male. The children presently numbered sixty eight were from Carl, Duc or my family. When introduced, I said a bit about each of them. Duc and Lam introduced some of theirs and Duc had a very proprietary air, the same as Carl and I had. The children that we had rescued from Earth numbered almost half but they now looked a bit Tandra and not distinguishable to any people that may have known them before.

"Now tell me about the city. How has it changed for you?" I said to John as I put my hand on his shoulder like old times.

John started to talk and as usual the more he said the more eloquent he became. There were a lot of new people in the city and most of the original population figured them for spies or the military trying to find out what they could. John groused that he had been questioned six times. All of the questions had to do with the people presently in the room.

Carl listened after finishing his brew and then helped himself to more of the drink. Doris got a different beverage and the children drank more of the Theakston's Old Peculiar. The alcohol would be burned up in the children's systems without any detrimental effects. The same thing was happening to ours too but the taste was still what I was after along with a quiet talk.

The children were polite and mindspoke quietly among themselves or listened to what was said especially how John was twisting the facts out of recognition sometimes.

When John had brought us up to the present time with his rendition of the truth I said, "Why didn't you just lock up and go see the ship?" I had made sure that he knew that Kitten was known not only as my wife but the nominal captain.

"That ship is scarey. We saw what it can do many times on television. Even the smallest ship could take out all of the world's militaries with ease."

Carl said with a very serious look in his eye, "You know that I am taking care of Epsilon Eridani for Henry. The planet is hot and much of it is dry but not a desert. We could use somebody with your abilities to entertain the troops or serve them beer. Are you interested in changing jobs?"

John looked like someone hit him. "You want me to go to that Masis of yours?"

"Sure. It is a beautiful planet and now it is quite safe."

"I... I... can't. I have the pub to take care of."

Carl smiled and said, "You sell the pub and immigrate. You have to join the military but that also means that you get to live quite a bit longer. You will have centuries to enjoy your retirement. Not everybody gets asked and this time we will overlook some of your more fundamental flaws."

John sat up straight and said, "I beg your pardon. I am a very respected person in this city and country."

Carl spoke low to him, "We read minds John. We know all about you but still want you. When I signed up for Vietnam, I had a poster of Uncle Sam pointing a finger at me. You have something much better." John paused for a moment without saying anything aloud. Carl continued, "Let's lock up here and go for a tour of the ship John."

John got up uncertainly but we all knew he was probably hooked. Carl reached into his pocket and took out a two ounce gold coin and put it on the table in payment.

After locking up a young man from the Academy came down by way of a tractor and escorted John up into the ship only a few hundred metres overhead.

Carl's family and mine started to walk through some of the streets. I got to hold Faith while the mothers and children carried the youngest. This was no chore because their bodies were very fit and strong. The children were the same way but not up to what had been done to the adults yet.

The few people not in the ship stared at us and at the four legged friends we had with us. An empty park was nearby and we went in. Carl had no children that were born yet but had adopted a few for his part in taking care of all the children that needed parents. I knew that he thought of them as his now in every way possible. We both sat on the swings and with a baby in our arms we were pushed by the wives. It was a little bit of turnabout but it was still fun. The children got on the other swings and they got to ride the odd device.

Moesha, Kimberly, Clarice and Michelle were from Earth and knew all about swings and played with the younger children including Sofia. Carl had played father to all five girls and only Clarice and Michelle were considered his before. Now they all were the same as they were all mine and my wives too.

We basically spent the day seeing the city with new eyes. Some of the children enjoyed the trip because it was the first trip to Earth. From time to time, Human children would run out to see us but stop short at the sight of the Donai. I could see the calculations in their minds. They knew all about them and the Tandra too. Usually one brave child would come then the rest. Our children had a fun time showing the Humans how to pet a Donai or hold a Maca.

It was really amazing how the Donai didn't inspire much fear in Dog or his family or in the Mecas. Even the Softay and the T'aut were not too concerned. The Dolson became accustomed to the little predator when they got to play with a young cub still in need of its mother's milk.

A vendor selling hotdogs made a killing when we came over. This was strange and exciting food to the family while the Earth girls tried to show the rest how to eat the food. I hid what I knew of the way the meat was made so as to not spoil the fun. The vendor was just a young man and hesitant about taking gold but readily accepted some of the paper money I had with me.

We walked up Main till we got to Ferguson then stopped by to visit 'Bay Variety and Groceries'. It had not changed names and was now quite famous. Tran Van Bao and his wife Tran Thi Anh greeted Duc and Lam as royalty even though they talked once a week on the phone. Bao had become the defacto community leader of the Vietnamese section by his having such famous relatives.

The children had just eaten but raided the shelves when they saw the familiar dried fish. Their mothers let them have what they wanted but retained the bags so their cost could be tabulated.

All this time, Duc and Lam introduced the Tandra children that had Vietnamese names. Bao and Anh had seen the children many times but not held the youngest of them. The young lunar males stayed by their father to be dutiful as both their parents thought they should be. When the preliminaries were done they were excused to find any fish if there was any left.

Carl and I were introduced later when there was enough room to get in. The shear number of individuals made navigating in the store very difficult. Susan was with me as well as the other wives and Susan was pleased to see that her relatives now thought a great deal of her. Susan's fellow wives and children were introduced. I could see that the poor shop keepers would not be able to keep many of the names straight.

Duc and Lam convinced their younger relatives to close the store and visit the ship. They had not been to the moon before thinking it was too dangerous and far. The ship though was close, in fact it was right overhead.

Duc and his family soon disappeared into the ship and I could feel the poor relatives apprehension but knew it would not last long.

The rest of us continued our walk. We visited the various bakeries and two of the three owners even refused payment. They were able to hold the babies though and this was worth much more than mere money.

Bank of Montréal now had a few million dollars of mine after Mom transferred a bit of my sizable fortune into this bank. We walked into the almost deserted bank and I explained to the children a bit about money. The manager and Vicky came from behind the counter to meet the family. They too had heard about the Donai and were not very afraid. So far Mom had never lied to them and this was good that they trusted her so much.

I said to Susan, "Should we invite Vicky over some night? She is a wild woman."

"I will scratch her eyes out Mr Buchanan."

I smiled at her and said, "I have all that I need now Honey."

Bassinda looked at the woman and said, "I can see some possibilities."

I moved away to let the two women work out what was going to happen. I was quite sure it was just a joke anyway.

I asked Vicky, "Why aren't you out visiting the ship?"

She smiled and looked down coyly and said, "I am the assistant manager now. We are the only two that stayed." In an afterthought she continued, "Mainly it was because we had to."

"As one of your more important customers, I demand that you lock the doors and then your bank. You should inspect the ship overhead."

I got a smile from each of them and they looked at each other for confirmation then the manager said, "I agree. Perhaps we can investigate the possibilities of setting up a branch in the ship."

We all knew this was impossible because Tandra and now the Alliance had little use for money and the troops could get whatever they needed. Usually Tandra made articles were much better but art was an exception. Music had fascinated the Tandra especially vocals. If music were made at all it was done on the computer and used to soothe the people listening to it. Many of the Human recruits now sang because their brain now could handle all the details that usually separated a professional performer from a person singing in the shower.

Human art now graced many walls or copies were stored in memory so that almost anything could be viewed on command. All the major art galleries on Earth and most of the minor ones had been extensively copied. This took in both paintings and sculpture of all kinds. Music in all its forms and been similarly mimicked. Early television had been studied and both the good and the bad saved for posterity. Plays and most forms of the written word had been analysed but the Tandra had long experience in this art form as well as dance. Most now viewed recordings of these art forms. Very few bothered to even act out a story told literally for millions of years.

Early Tandra society had all these forms and more when their minds grew in power and dexterity. It was only the predisposition to taking the easy path that had lead to the verbal languages falling into disuse then the reliance on computers to produce whatever article of beauty was required. It was this path which led to a stagnation and it was only recently that some Tandra felt compelled to present their culture to the Humans that would surely swallow them even with their small numbers.

The two humans soon were escorted to the ship and began a journey that would not end for centuries to come.

I watched the two raise into the air with no exclamation even though both wanted to scream badly. Inside they met many others in a boat bay checking out some of the now very famous fighters. Following their thoughts it was easy. I could see how they felt. I was sure they now considered themselves in wonderland.

It was easy to assume we would have visitors and they came into town very quickly from the two airports. They were dressed as civilians but they were all distinctly military. On scanning I knew that they were not here to take over but to infiltrate and learn what they could. The ones to come close took note of us but would rather gain access to the ship hovering over our heads. The Donai they just ignored if that were possible. The people from the Academy read each of them and even allowed the ones without hidden equipment to enter the ship. The ones with concealed cameras and other devices had to stay behind. We had to laugh that all the carefully concealed equipment was removed and handed to one individual before they were allowed to enter.

We continued our excursion through the nearly deserted city. We made quite a procession with very beautiful women, children and animals. The Donai and Dog walked ahead to sniff out danger and to protect their pack. The animals were intelligent enough to know that this was not quite right but close enough for now.

There were quite a few sporting goods stores and one happened to be open. Dog and his family stayed outside with the Donai. The rest walked into the store and the proprietor was too amazed to help us. Ingrid with her halo was the first to tip him off. He then saw the rest of us and he quickly matched our faces to the images in his mind from the news.

I handed equipment to the girls to see what they liked. Much of the equipment was cheap but there were some good rods, reels and other tackle. My memory dutifully told me all of my equipment at home. It would be much better to have Mom make the equipment I needed but this was fun for the family.

The children started to run about the store looking at all the colourful regalia used in this area and then running back to me to see if it were useful for our expedition. Most was for other purposes but some like duck calls would be nice for them to play with. The firearms were ignored even when the children wanted to try them.

Bassinda asked verbally because that was our intention this trip, "Henry, what is this for?"

She had picked out a deer rifle with a large scope mounted on the top. "It is a weapon for killing animals at close range. The projectile will go a few kilometres. It is not able to be influenced after it leaves the weapon and it rapidly falls due to gravity. It is more in line with what the children use when practising their stalking skills."

"I thought they may have been dangerous."

"Only if you are not wearing a suit. This is the kind of weapon Human soldiers have been using for the last few centuries to kill each other. They are not very effective and that is one of the reasons that most of them were able to survive."

When our pile of equipment was quite high a went over to the owner that was still quite content to just watch us. "We are ready to pay for our purchases now. Will you assist us?"

The man slowly walked to the cash register and kept looking at one person to another. Before the man actually started his tabulations I said, "I am not from Canada or Ontario anymore. I will pay the full retail price you demand but I will not pay the provincial sales tax or the Goods and Services Tax. Consider this purchase as one being exported out of the country."

This was difficult for the man to comprehend. The government went to a lot of effort to make sure they got their pound of flesh and the blood that was in it at the time of sale. I looked into the man's mind and saw that he would rather give me a discount and then pay the tax himself rather than get into trouble.