Chapter 19: “Six Months Before”

On Funston!

“Lord Heat.” John ran to his friend.

“I am so very happy to see you, John, why are you here today.”

“Lord Heat, this is my friend President Keven Humphrey. Keven, my friend Lord Heat. I want you two to become friends.”

“President of what?” Heaty asked.

“Of Lockheed.” John was showing Keven how to do a hi-five with Heaty.

“I want to build a Manufacturing plant for the 336s spaceships for you on Funston,” Keven said.

“How many Cadets do you have Lord Heat?” John asked.

“It is growing every day. I think we have forty-five thousand, but we only have ships for fifteen thousand.”

“President Humphreys has brought you one thousand 336s today,” John said pointing up to two hundred 885-Es.

“Lord Heat, these are plans from one of my manufacturing plants. These are the drawings I gift to you.”

“How many 336s can this plant build in one day?”

Keven turned to John. “You said, he would ask. 3 ten-hour shifts per day plant should build thirty. When 336s are no longer needed, you can build 775s, or 995s four per day, or 885s three per day.”

“Lord Heat, when this plant was built, my man had to build housing for his men and the plant far away from supplies. When John suggested this, I knew this man was the right man. Can I bring him in to meet you?” Keven asked.

“Sure!” Lord Heat said.

When Keven opened the door, Heat’s four-year-old son came in dragging a man, “Dada, this man is going to make a big house to make a ship.”

“What’s his name, Johnny?” Heat asked his son.

“Rascal?” Johnny wasn’t so sure.

“Rascal Devine.” Keven showed Roscal how to do a hi-five, really it was a low five.

The boy turned to John, “UNCLE JOHN!”

“Oh my. You are growing up so very big. Wonderful.” John was doing all he could to hold onto this four-year-old little man that weighed fifty or sixty pounds, “Are you helping your mom and dad?”

“Yes, need ships!” Johnny said.

John pulled out of his satchel, a Lago model of a 336 and another one of a 556, “For you and your sister?”

He was going to protest, then he looked at John’s smile, let out his breath, and said, “Okay Uncle, thanks.”

The crew got a pocket full of gold if they had it built in sixty days. At sixty days the engineers were assisting the new airplane mechanics in rolling off the assembly line three brand new 336 ships.

The carpenters were building two dozen other small plants for fabricating much of what was needed. One of the plants was ten miles away making five-pound rounds of anti-mater. They could produce 1,000 in a 30-hour day. Thirty thousand in a Funston Month. Another plant that was next door to the assembly plant was the finishing area. In front of the two plants was ten square miles of a concrete pad. They made the three thousand quotas, they exceeded it by six hundred before the first spider showed up. Keven and John were true to their words, another thousand 336s were delivered along with a thousand 556s. They also had delivered another five hundred of the 885s.

Funston was ready. The forty-eight thousand Cadets were trained with their heavies pulling out of the sky many 100,000s of gallons of frozen water every week. One Thursday in West Seattle Ceca came running in from her second-round trip to Funston for the day screaming. Lord Heat and his family all got to experience rain for about thirty minutes today. All worked stop as people looked on in wonder.

Forward to two months ago:

Carlos was the captain and pilot in one of the many new F-336s. It was made at the factory on Funston. It took a bit to get all the bugs out of all the ships. Boeing had sent their problem-solving crew headed up by Mr. James Yellow Hair. He rode with his daughter to Funston with a 336 in the back so he could get him and his crew around. They had a block of new apartments that the twelve crew members moved into.

They even brought a psychic to use her intuition to help solve what they were banging their heads on. It took a dinner, but they found it. A part was being made on Funston without a pointer in the right direction and so it was 50% of the time being put in upside down. Half the ships didn’t work right.

“Dad, what do you think of Funston?” Ceca asked at dinner the first night. She had stayed over as her ship and crew went back to Earth.

“If I was not Chief of the tribes, I would think about moving here when I retire.” Jim Yellow Hair said.

“Wow, I don’t think I believe what I just heard.” Ceca looked hard at her father, “You mean that. In twenty years, Jimmy will be twenty-nine. Have him take over. You spend ten years planning what you want. Then another ten years preparing the plan. On Wednesday, I’ll bring mom and Jimmy and take you to John’s Cabin near the golf course.” They have added water to a dried-up old lakebed near it.”

“Where is this cabin and golf course?”

“Draw a line from Funston to the Cadet Center and Spaceship Plant then go that much further. The plant is halfway exactly in between the Cabin and the Capitol Building.”

Four Cadets brought two large chairs. They set them at Ceca’s table then went to bring five high chairs to the table. They placed the chairs at the table near them, “Ceca, what is going on?”

Ceca giggled, “Lord Heat and Lady Ada are joining us this evening. Is that okay father?”

The four-year-old Johnny came forward carrying a two-year-old sister on his shoulders, “Hi General Ceca.”

Behind Johnny was the four-year-old Jenny walking holding onto the hands of another two-year-old, “Hi General Ceca.”

“Hi, kids. Pretty soon I’m going to have to look up to you.”

“We’ll just have Johnny pick you up.” Not so little Jenny said, she too was within an inch of her brother. If we were looking at an Earth ten-year-old female, we would think she was about right only she was a four-year-old.

Ceca reach down and picked up the two-year-old girl. The little boy Atlas climbs into his daddy’s chair. Heaty simply reached down and put his two-year-old son on his hip. The boy smiled.

Ceca stood up holding onto Terra. Ceca’s father also stood up.

Ada came to the table holding a little one. Her helpers all had child carriers and along with the little one’s two brothers. Ada was laughing at the show going on.

“Father, I am pleased to introduce Lord Heat and his Lady Ada.” Ceca was tickling Terra, who was laughing, “Lord Heat, and Lady Ada, My Father the Chief of Chiefs for Seattle area Natives and the State of Washington. As I grow older, I love him more every day. Jim Yellow Hair.”

“Here, here. Now that I am one, I appreciate mine very much.” Heaty said.

Lord Heat and Lady Ada, I am unprepared to be here, but my heart is full of love and joy to be in the presence of you and your family.” Jim Yellow Hair had heard of the low five and was prepared when Heaty held his hand out palm up. The two men laughed.

“Please be seated.” Lord Heat suggested then said, “Did she tell you why I wanted to see you?”

“I believe we had not gotten to that point yet,” Jim said.

“The history of this land tells of a population with red skin. The first Galactic Emperor was called Chief when properly translated. Is it possible that the Natives from North America came from here?”

“Lady Ada said quietly “We need Hand wipes!”

“My Lady, what happened?” Ceca said.

“We arrive at the door and junior decides he is going to fill up his diaper with...” Ada scrunched up her face and tightly closed her eyes.

“Father, you want me to marry and have some of these, are you going to be on call...” Ceca giggled.

“The reason for grandchildren is to satisfy the karmic debt the Grandparents carry from their children.” Jim laughed.

“Bad?” Heaty asked.

“Horrible,” Ada said.

Heaty looked over at the table where all the helpers sat looking innocent, “What did they feed him?”

“We’re still investigating,” Ada said.

“Lord Heat...”

“Call me Heaty.”

“And please call me Jim.”

“Yes, Heaty, it is quite possible that the red man came from this place long ago. The Archeology Record on Earth does not make a whole lot of sense yet. When learned men make theories to fit the records, they all seem to have holes in them.”

“We know of two occasions people were wiped off the planet.”

“How many Cadets do you have?” Jim asked.

“Almost fifty thousand,” Heaty said.

“Enough to fill ten thousand ships.”

“Enough to feel safe from outsiders,” Ada said. “Everyone is aware of our Space Force. The boys and girls are so very excited to fly. They do not want to leave. Parents go back to Earth and their children stay.”

“We have three thousand ships. Do you think you will figure out why some do not work well?” Heaty asked.

Jim started with, “Today we listed on the whiteboard...” His mind filled with the direction to go in. They had produced about 100 of the parts for the 336 on Funston rather than go to Earth. He got a visual, “Does everybody know what a flute is?” “I’m pretty sure the only thing wrong is a part is in backward. If you blow on the correct end of a flute, you can get pretty music.”

“I know about that,” Johnny said.

“You don’t make any kind of pretty music,” Jenny said.

“Kids, what happens if you blow on the wrong end,” Jim asked.

“Awful!” Jenny said.

“Don’t work,” Johnny said.

“We have something backward. We had 100 parts made here on Funston for the 336. I bet one of those parts is in backward. He went to reach for his phone. He left it in his bag because it didn’t work on Funston.

“What do you need dad?” Ceca asked.

“After we eat, mind taking me to the Plant.” Jim grabbed his pen and drew a picture, “This is what it looks like. We had that part made on Earth with an arrow pointing to the motor. We have three motors on your 336s so there are three of these on each ship.”

“General Ceca, I’m paying for dinner.” Lord Heat giggled.

The older kids got a fruit salad. The 2 two-year-olds got a small pudding, chocolate, or banana cream. The new babies got a single container of Banana Cream and Ada was asked if she wanted more.

There was a specials sheet with Buffalo Steak on the menu.

The two families and volunteers had a great time. Yes, the problem was solved at dinner of why half of the new 336s didn’t fly.

It was midnight on the West side of control in Amarillo, Texas:

Rowland and the ships had left heading for convoy #1.

General Delaney and Teresa were sitting chatting about things.

The duty NCO comes walking into control on Stan with a young man of Mexican Heritage with hat and tie colors of the Funston Cadets, “What can I do for you Duty?”

“Sir, this is Carlos Santana from Funston. I think you need to hear this Sir.”

“What’s the message? The spiders are consolidating their numbers about five thousand light-years from Earth. At this time, there are over 200,000 ships with more showing up all the time. Sir it has taken us a long day and a half to get here Sir.”

Carlos handed a note from Father John.

Bob Delaney read the note and stood up. Get your rounds at least 100 of them then bring your crew in here and get something to eat and drink. I’ll be in Control.” Bob turned to his grandchildren, “Lieutenants, bring all ships inventory of Anti-mater rounds up to at least 100 while I am in Control.”

“Yes, Sir!” Almost all of Bob’s crew followed him out along with Carlos.

Bob entered control acknowledging the duty lieutenant “How can I get a message out to the world?

“Sir, we have many ways. Type it up and I will e-mail it to all our partners. I will also read it to Watchers who will send it out also around the world. I will also send it to our Radio Chief in Houston. Also, the state Department has its communications and the Defense Department. Sir if I suggest making it simple and to the point. Use that computer monitor.” The man pointed to another desk nearby with “Duty Assistant” on it.

Bob sat down, took a deep breath, asked God for help, opened Word, and began.

“Father John needs our help. He and thousands of our fellow Cadets are up against possibly 300,000 ships belonging to the spiders and their friends the Blue People. I am leading a task force to help, plan on leaving within an hour. The battle that is raging is going on 5,000 light-years from Earth. If you come, load up your ship with at least 100 anti-mater rounds. I will be leaving from the Watcher Division Headquarters located at Amarillo, Texas, USA.

May God Bless all that read and join in. Love from Lieutenant General Robert Delaney of the US Space Cadets. ***

He handed the message to the Lieutenant. The Lieutenant read the message, “Holy Cow!” he said as he turned and jumped on the computer Bob had used. With a few clicks, he turned to Bob, “E-mail is away sir. He looked up, “Outside line Hal!” To the Watchers, please send out: He paused for a count of ten then started reading slowly Bob’s message.

“Hal, call the State Department and the Department of Defense. When they both answered, Sirs I have Lieutenant General Robert Delaney here to read a message he has put together a message he is going to read to you.”

“Gentlemen this is General Robert Delaney”

Bob read everything he had written. There was a pause.

“How can we help General?” Bob heard from two sources.

“Call in every IOU you have and get me ships, Gentlemen. I would also suggest every ship have at least 100 rounds of anti-mater rounds. We have sent out an alert for every one of our connections. Please grease the wheels for this to happen.” Bob got assurances and promises. He said goodbyes and closed the line.

“Sir I have an open line to all the Commands within Space Cadets.” The Lieutenant said pointing up.

Bob started with “Space Cadets everywhere. Let me read you my message: Bob did that and at the end send us an e-mail if you are coming to 4th Division headquarters in Amarillo, Texas. Robert Delaney out.”

“Emails are coming in Sir. The top one is 3rd Reg. Watchers. It says Hell, Yes Sir!”

“Ships are ready. We’ve been on Standby. We will take all the rounds we have here. Brien Tripp, Third Division.”

“Mexico, Canada China, Russia, India, and many others. Sir you may have over forty thousand ships responding.”

Sergeant Foley came to the top of the stairs, “What no challenge tonight.”