Chapter 10: Redondo Beach

“Is that everything?” asked Gary.

“Yes, I put everything I care about into this box truck,” answered Natalie. “I have to go back to toss whatever’s left and clean everything. I paid a giant deposit and I want it all back. That reminds me, what do you want from me for rent? I’m sure you have a huge mortgage on this sweet little house of yours.”

“Nope, it’s all mine free and clear. My grandma lived here and willed it to me. I’m an only child and my parents weren’t interested.”

“How lucky! Houses like this sell for more than a million bucks. But, be fair, I’m sure you have utilities and property taxes and shit. I need to pay you something.”

“Natalie, all you need to do is let me appreciate your wonderfulness. But I’ll take $200 a month from you, if you really want to contribute.”

“Only $200? That’s the greatest deal in Southern California history! Every time I write you that check, I’m going to take off my clothes and blow you.”

“Well, if you want to, I guess. Let’s get this truck emptied, and then you and I will have a nice shower afterwards.”

Ninety minutes later, they were done with the unloading. She came in for a hug, then stepped back.

“Gary, I love you, but you’re stinky. How about that shower?”

“You just need an excuse to get my clothes off. Unnecessary, you know. I’ll unbutton my shirt while you get my pants off, you slut.”

“Slutty for you only, sweetie. I’m still shy about my body.”

“I guess I can hold off on taking you to the nude resort, but, remember, in my eyes you are so beautiful.”

“Oh, pshaw, you’re blinded by love.”

“You’re complaining?”

“No, honey, I can’t resist your claims. I get wet just from that tone in your voice; look, you’re getting a chubby just thinking about me.”

“We need to get in that shower, Nat, I’m getting distracted. Shouldn’t you be naked, too?”

Three days later, all of the actors joined Nat and Gary in his small living room for an afternoon planning meeting. Sally would periodically rise from her chair to stand, because ordinary upright chairs felt a little bit low, uncomfortable for her height.

“Alright, so here’s the latest script revision. There’s hardly any new dialog, it’s adding some action beats. We’ve finished building the set on our assigned sound stage. It’s a throne room in the summit fortress for the queen. She’s now named the Imperatrix, that’s old Latin for an empress.

“The next pages of dialog are unchanged, Captain Santels (Gary) explains how the obliteration guns are needed to fight against the empire. She responds, in effect, ‘What’s in it for me?’

“Not liking what she hears, she orders her guards to seize the three of you. There’s some stunt work where Darlen (Sally) tosses around some of the guards before she is subdued. Lenk, that’s Dan, is taken to a wall, stripped, and fastened up in the shape of an ‘X’ with arms and legs spread wide. I’m going to leave him in a loincloth slung low so his curly blue pubic hairs are visible.

“The Captain is told he can take the guns, but she’s going to keep for herself her blue-haired prize. A cart is rolled out with a stack of weapons. He looks around nervously and then capitulates: ‘Imperatrix, I accept your terms.’”

Lenk yells, “WHAT?” and tries to wriggle out of his bonds. Then there is a crash and Kelton, that’s Brent, and Seleye, that’s Lila, come bursting in with guns blazing. Fleeing through a back door, the Imperatrix leaves the room.

“Seleye takes cover under a low bench, and then freezes. A grip pulls the bench away out of sight. We’ll use an optical effect to ‘dematerialize’ the bench and then she blasts the guard and takes his obliteration gun.

“Sally overpowers her guards and takes their weapons, forcing them to the floor. Now that they control the room, Lenk is freed and they push out the cart while watching behind them in case there are more guards.

“Questions?”

“How did we get up to the fortress to mount a rescue?” asked Brent.

“There will be dialogue aboard the ship afterwards where Kelton describes how he fooled the fortress sensors into thinking there were dozens of starships in a swarming attack. Far too many targets for the systems to react to.”

“So, I need you all there at 8:00 in the morning to figure out the blocking. Please allow for the traffic so we can get started on time.”

On the way out, Lila nudged Dan.

“Loincloth? How disappointing!”

“Lila, you don’t understand. If I was naked, there’s going to be 25 people around us, and while they’re watching I’m going to be embarrassed and microscopic. I don’t think you or anybody else is going to be impressed.

“When we’re back home together, you can see everything I have all up close and personal. OK?”

“I guess I can wait to ogle you privately.”