RoustWriter: Blog

This week with Arlene and Jeff:

...After a big gulp of coffee – Jeff could never understand how Whitworth could drink it that hot – the General locked eyes with the Prime. “Enough of that bullshit; now, what do you need?”

“My wives want you to assign Emma to Ship for the duration of our search for the race that built Ship’s brain. I checked with Jasmine, and she says that she could use an assistant. To refresh your memory, Emma is an anthropologist, but she only has a BS, while Jasmine received her doctorate in anthropology a few months back.”

“I’m not senile – yet,” Whitworth growled. “Hell, I even remember what I – uh, we – gave her. Well, what my wives told me to give her when she received her doctorate. Now tell me the real reason.”

Jeff held back a sigh and wished he had just come clean to begin with. “My wives are interested in Emma – for another wife for me. However, it seems that she is down on men in general because of the way her fiancé suddenly walked out on her without even giving an explanation.”

Whitworth chuckled as a smile touched his face. “Are you sure that you want to take a man-hater with you on a two-year trip?”...

Have a goodun;

Roust

This week with Arlene and Jeff:

...Both Helen and Kayla blushed as Jeff went on. “I’ve never even kissed her, and if I did, she would probably slap the shit out of me. You guys need to throttle back on this. There is always the possibility, though slight,” he said sarcastically, “that I might have some input of my own on the subject.”

“But, Husband,” Arlene said as she stepped closer and pulled his arm around her while making sure her breast pressed against his side, “if we wait and the General sends her on another expedition – which you know he will – chances are we won’t see her for years. Please, my darling Husband, if you make us back off now, she’ll be gone, and we know she’ll make a great wife for you. Not guess or assume, but know it. And, you very well know that another anthropologist should be of help to Jasmine. Had you rather have a male anthropologist go on the trip with us?

Jeff frowned, obviously not liking the idea.

“Before you say anything, I’ve talked to Jasmine, and she says she knows Emma and is looking forward to working with her,” Arlene argued.

Arlene, Ann and Kayla passed a glance before they all said, “Besides, we always consult with you.”

Funny, I don’t always remember it that way. But thinking about my wives, there aren’t any of them that I would swap for any woman I have ever seen...

Have a goodun;

Roust

This week with Arlene and Jeff:

...“How long can you continue this pace?” he asked Ship.

The huge battleship hesitated. “Practically forever, I suppose. My diversion fields are at maximum as well as both my screens. Should the first two fail, theoretically, the last screen will channel the energy – no matter how much – to another dimension, but I would not want that to happen. Better that we continue to swerve aside as we are doing now, rather than the possible destruction of a star and her system.”

“Destruction of a star,” Jeff didn’t know whether Ship was serious or not. After a moment, he said, “First Officer, I think that Ship has proven herself to everyone’s satisfaction. Drop us back to Warp 6.”

“Pilot, reduce our speed to Warp 6,” the First Officer tried to say casually.

The Pilot repeated the command and quickly complied.

“Human beings aren’t made to travel that fast,” Jeff told Ship, half in jest.

“Should we leave our galaxy for another, we will need that speed, maybe even all the way to Warp 10,” Ship returned.

“A hundred thousand million stars in our galaxy, according to scientists’ guesses, should be enough to keep us busy for a while without venturing to another galaxy no telling how many million light years away,” he commented...

Have a goodun;

Roust

This week with Arlene and Jeff:

...As soon as everyone had food in front of them, Jeff stood to say the blessing before going around the big table to speak to the two Security people who had been beaten.

“Sir, we let the Doctor and her people down,” the first Security Officer said.

“Sorry, Sir,” the other Officer added, “We did our best, but it wasn’t good enough.”

The Doctor told me that you two fought to protect her team until you were beaten totally unconscious. She says that she will write a letter recommending a commendation for both of you. You make us proud, Troopers. I’ll write a commendation for each of you after she writes her letter.”

“Sir,” both said as one, but the first Security Officer continued, “That isn’t necessary. We just got our asses kicked. I don’t know what they used –

I couldn’t see it or them – but, according to what Doctor Emerson told us, they pretty much split our heads open, broke one of my arms and both of Ted’s, not to mention the internal injuries. Sir, we really appreciate the thought, but if we get a commendation for getting our asses kicked, our buddies will never let us live it down.”

Jeff chuckled along with them. “I see your point. We’ll make sure the commendation doesn’t reflect your version of the happenings and sticks with the Doctor’s description of the events...

Have a goodun;

Roust

This week with Arlene and Jeff:

...Morales sighed, ignoring the men who seemed to be frozen in place. “I’ll have to ask Diana first, and I’m sure she will want to tell Security before you go outside the grounds – if she decides to let you go at all. If she says no, then that’s it. No begging. But remember… you cannot, under any circumstances, go near the driveway. The Matthews get deliveries, and the delivery people might see you. Remember, we told you to listen for vehicles coming up the driveway and to go inside or hide so no one will see you. There are none like you on this planet, and the Earth people will want to know where you came from. Bad things could happen.”

“But they are Earth people,” Lobo reasoned, his speech was now much clearer and his grammar also better as he looked first at Fischer, then Karl before focusing on Phillip, who swallowed hard.

“But they’re all part of us and already know our secrets. Besides, they are all good guys and won’t tell our secrets to anyone.”

Remembering his manners, the huge animal approached the nearest human, much to Phillip’s disgruntlement. “Hello. I am Lobo,” he said, sitting and offering a giant paw to the man.

“I, uh… I’m Phillip,” the human stumbled out as he wondered what he should say to a giant, talking beast while fighting back a sudden urge to go to the bathroom. As paw and hand met, he felt the giant paw squeeze a little before releasing just as a human would...

Have a goodun;

Roust