Chapter 27: CLOSETED EVICTION

Lost only in the massiveness of the command chair she’s sunk in, is our missing and feared lost forever, darling Ninell!

“NINELL?” Stunned, I hardly believe my eyes. Ninell, Oh, Ninell, my darling. She grins at me. What the fuck is there to grin at? She nearly worried us all sick!

I feel I should spank her pert little bottom. If I had access now, I would.

Ninell’s bottom is perfectly safe while she remains securely belted in, shoulder harness straps too, in that fortress of a chair. It’s facing the wrong way.

“If Ninell is steering, doesn’t she need to be facing forward and paying attention?”

Ninell looks worried she’s guilty of shirking an important duty. Laura strokes her shining hair to sooth her. Looks at me pitying, as you might at someone you like and respect, who thoughtlessly, and embarrassingly, just uttered a public Faux Pas.

“The autopilot is a simple and robust system, that keeps our heading within a third of a degree of set course. Needs monitoring by a helmsman, but not constantly.”

“Can someone else mind the helm now? Ninell needs to rejoin her very distraught mother. Tony believes, fears Ninell has been kidnapped. Only holding Ninell in her arms again, will cure that agony ache in her heart.”

Laura nods understandingly, and a single pushbutton releases the complicated webbing restraining Ninell in her seat. I lift Ninell up in my arms and hug her crushingly close. Mine. You’re mine. Damned Randy cannot have YOU! I swear silently to myself. Calming my racing heart slowly by degrees, with the aid of Ninell serving as a compression bandage, I press her firmly against my heart.

I shared Antonia’s grief, and now her need. A need to feel Ninell safe in my arms.

Carefully and tenderly, I descend the myriad flights of steps between bridge and lab, cradling my precious girl/wife in a death’s grip embrace. Almost wife. Damn. Years drag so slowly, my precious obsession, prior your becoming my possession.

Our grandiose entrance, greeted by a cheering throng awaiting us in the lab, can’t compare to Antonia’s reunion with Ninell. Not a dry eye anywhere among us.

I sidled over between Mom and Gidget, both intent on emptying a box of tissues, helped myself to a few, and embraced both with an arm about their waists.

The crisis may be over for Tony and Ninell, but not for me. Randy absconded with one of our girls. Whom? Call the roll? Not a very productive exercise, considering the facts of the case. What facts, you ask?

Randy was seen, observed, by women whose eyes and honesty I trust, Bebe and Flor. Luz too, but slightly less. Luz hasn’t exactly established credentials with me. Yet. Ninell was also seen disappearing with Randy, yet, here she is, being smothered in Antonia’s mother love. Antonia loves Ninell fiercely, obvious for anyone watching. Moving to watch.

Back to the quandary, of two identical Ninells.

A shape-shifter’s imitation? Is any other explanation possible? Mama Jan is here, and my wife Gina, was last seen navigating on the bridge. Still there, I’d wager.

The Goblins? Sybil and Sylvia are here. At least two Goblin combat engineers are on watch in the engine-room, at all times, 24/7. Three Goblins unaccounted for. Looking over the crowd, I see them, three gathered in a knot, to one side toward the rear and near the engine-room access door. The watch, goofing off and sneaking out for a peek, maybe? Sybil will know. Moving to Sybil’s side, I inquire. The Goblins are interconnected into a racial telepathic network. The two on watch, are at their assigned posts, insuring we don’t vaporize into a radioactive cloud. Thank them, all the engineers, from me, for that.

Joining her, I put an affectionate arm around Jan. Give her an affectionate squeeze, too. She snuggles in. Snuggles up. Wants to plaay.

“How soon can we resume where we were so rudely interrupted?” Jan asks.

“Not very soon, I fear.” And explain my problem with a missing and mysterious Ninell look alike.

A missing Randy concerns me little, as long as he remains missing, stays away and long, long, overdue. Best for him, and all involved.

All the Wee are accounted for, insists Jan. Seems obvious to me, that’s an inaccurate statement. We have, had, a sleeper mole, Wee person among us.

At least one. How many others? Is there any test, or method of flushing them out?

Wee are well practiced at hiding, blending in, being unnoticeable, from necessity.

No unmasking trick is known to Jan. None she’ll admit, I think, caution myself. There is a battle waging. The Wee revolution. We human members of EROS crew, declared in a show of hands, we are not faithful allies of the revolutionary forces.

Trust between humans and Wee is a fragile, tenuous web, the strands of only mutual friendship and affection. Blood and family, clan, are stronger ties. Be wary.

Jan Ube-Wary, Clan Grand Dragon is aptly named, and caution wisely applies.

The Wee here and now are the minority, unlike in the recent cabinet meeting. Shall I be so crass, as to capitalize on this emotional joyous reunion of mother and daughter, for a political advantage? Call for a re-vote on support for the Wee revolution? It would destroy us as a crew and a community. I’m not THAT stupid!

Antonia must of sent messengers throughout the ranch, including to the mansion. Julia and Helena aren’t here, but then I wouldn’t expect them to be.

My cowgirl girlfriends are here, the camp cooks, the dairy maids too, as is Nana with Bebe and Flor in a group hug of course. The brides, now grass widows, clinging tearfully together, are enjoying the rapture of the moment, with their handmaidens too. There’s Xotl and Nenetti, in a group hug with their friend and maid Chela. Carmen and her maid Oracle are a hot huggy couple, as always.

Carla, poor Carla was murdered by that forever hated bitch, Tess. We all miss her. All accounted for. The nuns in town, apparently weren’t informed, or didn’t care, or had no transportation. Can’t expect pregnant women, in their ninth month, to walk all the way from town out to the ranch. They’re absence is forgiven.

Fukumi. Hey Fukumi! I wave above the heads of the surrounding crowd, to attract her attention. I didn’t expect her visit with Julia to be over this abrupt.

She has four of Julia’s childish attendants in tow, hand in hand. Good. Fukumi has seen me. She is working her way through the throng towards me, acolytes still in her train.

Messenger’s plea must have been eloquent, to inspire Julia to curtail the meeting with Fukumi and to release her young assistants to help. I must remember to express my gratitude, next time Julia sneaks into my bed. Extra pussy worship!

Fukumi approaches and is waving for someone else to join us. Luz sheepishly leaves Bebe, Flor, and Nana, moving in our direction too. Odd, I overlooked Luz.

I’m overlooking someone else I’d expect to be here, Hmmm. Someone normally with Luz. Poor murdered Carla is on my mind. Can’t think. No, it’s her namesake Carlita, that’s dredging up these sad recollections. Carlita is missing. Doesn’t explain Ninell’s double though. No. Does it? Not unless? Is Carlita the sleeper?

What the hell? Why is Fukumi and her kindergarten class, prostrating themselves on the floor in front of us? Kowtowing. Here’s just arrived Luz, making obeisance also. What in the world is all this slave shit about?

“Who are these persons? Why do the kowtow to you, Phil?” Jan wants to know.

“It’s to you, Sōjōbō, of the tengu ni naru, we make obeisance. We were unaware this is your fief, and beg your forgiveness for trespassing without prior permission. Only your psychic summons to all Wee alerted us to your presence, Empress.”

“And exactly then who are you, who claim to be of the Wee. I know nothing of you. Obviously, you are Japanese, but the little girls? Look Mexican.” Jan says.