Part 2B: Tuesday

Chapter 29: Tiffany

Monday, just after school

Jacob sat in the unfinished command seat with his usual annoying calm. "Check the screens."

I did. There were a bunch of cars boxing the ship in from all sides. I thought I saw something in common about most of the drivers. "System! Give me distance enhancement, ten feet."

"Acknowledged." The ever-obedient computer replied.

I could see the insides of those cars so clearly I thought I could reach out and slug those idiot drivers. But I could also see what the common factor was between all the drivers involved. They all were wearing football jackets.

Poor fools. Have they no idea what my boyfriend has put at my command?

I hit the speaker button. "Move your cars or else."

"No."

"No way."

"Not going to happen."

"Dream on."

"Even that thing cannot push all of our cars out of the way."

"We're going nowhere."

"Neither are you."

Then we heard an annoyingly familiar voice. "Give it up, bitch. The only way you are getting out of here is if you leave Jacob behind to be punished by the football team for having Kevin arrested. Your boyfriend is going to get what he deserves."

Jacob sounded disgusted. "Heather. This girl could not be crossing my path more if I were dating her."

"Fuck off," Heather shouted back. "That will never happen."

"Thank every god ever worshipped!" Jacob said with great feeling. "I can think of no more horrible a fate than to be tied to you. Hell, such an evil bitch as you, I would not even want to touch."

I said nothing. I just stared at the controls. I had every intention of getting us out of this little fix without asking Jacob for help.

Of course. The hoverjets. According to this screen, we are five feet off the ground. If I kick in a couple of the back up engines, then it should be easy to deal with these idiots. I got up, went over to the engineering area and activated engine numbers two and three. Then I watched the power indicators as the extra power started flowing through the systems. Then I moved the hoverjets' control settings to 6.5.

The crowd watching this clash now watched the hovercraft rise to 30 feet.

As we flew over the cars, I could not resist a squeal of triumphant laughter.

This is almost too easy.

Now all I have to do is get Jacob to care about moving in high school society as much as he cares about science. He even has a major part of what he needs to do already done. He just refuses to take it to the next level. I wonder why. What is he so afraid of that he refuses to let loose all of his abilities? He has things that would get him credit with the cool people if only he'd let them be used that way. His intelligence is off the scale...

I flew on, amazed at how easy the controls responded to my touch. I swear if I sneezed, there was a chance the air from that sneeze might be registered as a command.

Jacob picked up a sheaf of papers. He snorted and sank into thought.

"What interesting project do you have there?"

"This is a recruitment package from MIT. I sent a basic version of the ship's visual system as part of the packet I had to fill out for the guaranteed admissions program. Now they will not leave me alone." Jacob snorted even louder. "As if this is anything special."

Can he be that dense? 'As if this is anything special' he says. If he walked on water, he probably would complain if people noticed his shoes stayed dry. Is it possible the sheer miracle of his achievements escapes him? Does he think that anyone else in the school, hell, in the state can so easily do what he has done?

About ten minutes later I found myself passing the school bus with the team on it to our right.

I waved.

Hey, I may be in something the people who work at Area 51 might want to get their fingers on, but I'm still a teenager.

Why is nobody waving back?

Without even looking up from his papers, Jacob said "Windows."

How did he know?

Of course. The visual projections only go one way. I used the controls Jacob told me would open the windows and waved again.

Jacob gave his friends on the bus a brief wave of acknowledgement. Then he returned to the sheaf of papers he had been reading. "According to this, they still wish to admit me in January. But now they want to pay any expense I possibly incur while there, but as soon as I finish my degree, they want to offer me a position on the faculty if I produce a few more inventions like the one I submitted."

"That's great." I sounded really thrilled.

I heard the effort in Jacob's voice as he tried to share my enthusiasm. "But the cost of accepting this package is to lose all hope of having any sort of normal teenaged life. I will forever become the legend."

I have plans for that legend.

I squeezed the sponge ball a little harder. The ship sped up a bit.

Jacob's cell phone rang.

"Nearly every lesser function can be done by voice control." Jacob told me. "System. Put the incoming call on the loudspeakers."

"Jacob?"

"Yes Bob?"

"Could you follow the bus?"

"Why?"

"It would be better if we all arrived as a team."

"Would it? I'm not exactly the most popular fellow around, you know."

"Believe us, we know."

Jacob asks "Given the controversy and my recent actions, are you sure we should arrive together?"

It sounded to me like Bob held out his phone as he relayed the question.

"Hell yes." One player says.

"Of course."

"He's not the coolest, but he's a better person than a lot of people I know."

"He is a member of the team."

"I'm not worried about being seen with him."

"Heck, I'd be proud to be seen with him."

It sounded like Bob got his phone back. "Looks like they want you, Jacob."

Jacob wiped a few tears from his eyes. He was seriously touched. It is not only a game of high school politics. Some people actually gave a damn about Jacob, even if they do not truly know who he is.

I could not keep silent. "See, you have more people who like you than you thought."

"The cheerleaders are there to support our team. I do not want to put them in a bad mood."

Bob snapped back, "Jacob, will you stop being so fucking self sacrificial? You have a right to your own happiness. It is not your purpose in life to solve everyone else's problems, no matter how we act at times. Enjoy yourself, goddammit! Sorry coach."

A new voice came over the speakers. "Jacob, this is Carla. The cheerleaders here agree with Bob. Even Cindy."

Cindy's voice was heard in the background agreeing.

"Convinced?" Bob asks. "Some people actually like you."

"I'm glad." Jacob says, "I may have mastered being the outcast. That does not mean I am enjoying it."

Then Jacob broke down in tears. Unable to speak clearly, he signaled for the hovercraft to move behind the bus.

I shut the windows. I did not think Jacob wanted his tears exposed to the world.

Chapter 30: Jacob

Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, captain of the Flying Dutchman, 3:22pm October 27th 2006

I heard Coach Bromby's voice next. "Jacob, what about our team's practice soccer balls? They told me you had them."

I summoned my will power. Not a chance I was ready to let them know how much the proceeding conversation affected me. "I do. I figured you, or at least the players would have preferred the space free for the cheerleaders."

"Good guess."

"I have the record books and two ball bags in the Flying Dutchman."

"Okay. But I have just one more question."

"Go ahead."

"What are you doing in that thing?"

"Teaching Tiffany to drive. We'll follow you there."

I could not help crying just then. I was seriously touched by the fact that they felt that way. I was not alone anymore. I had a lover and I had support. High school might actually be enjoyable after all.

And I was proud of how skillfully Tiffany was piloting the Flying Dutchman. Outside of that parking lot incident, she did not trigger the automatic avoidance system once.

I might have to get one of these ships for her use.

Tiffany followed the bus to the St. James parking lot.

She didn't cut the power though.

I put the pile of MIT papers down. Prior to that cell phone conversation I was actually considering accepting MIT's offer. Outside of Tiffany I was starting to wonder if all the high school had to offer me were quixotic challenges.

"Do you trust me?" Tiffany asked.

Stupid question. She would not be in that seat, and most certainly she would not be my girlfriend if I did not trust her. I just responded "Of course."

"Then just get out of here, with the books, and trust me."

Ok. I waited for her to open the hatch and I got out. I took the team books with me. I met up with Bob, Megan and the others and we entered the stadium. I saw that they had set up a soccer field at one end.

As we were entering, coach Bromby came up beside me. "We're going to need the bags of soccer balls in a few minutes, you know."

"Tiffany has it covered."

We exited the little tunnel to the main field.

There were some gasps.

We heard some discussion about the Program and that this was the first time they saw a Program student naked at an after school event.

It seems that at St. James, Program students can dress as they usually would for after school events.

Then one of the St. James players shouted, "What the HELL is that?" He was pointing skyward.

The other players were looking up too. Some were in disbelief. Our players were just amused.

I had an idea what it was. Tiffany was showing off in the Flying Dutchman. Does she really think popularity can be bought with gimmicks and impressive gestures?

The Flying Dutchman cleared the stadium with the ease of the Goodyear blimp and flew around the field.

Carla said, "That gives me an idea for the homecoming game. A sign hanging from that ship would be impressive. Plus it would be good in the homecoming parade."

Cindy told her, "That would be a great idea if it were not for the fact that the ship belongs to Jacob. I've never seen him care about a sports game. Plus he definitely is not a fan of our football team at the moment."

Candy smiled. "But he loves Tiffany. Maybe she could convince him. Come to think of it, where is Tiffany anyway?"

The St. James coach came running over. "That's... that's... that's IMPOSSIBLE!!!" He stared at the ship as it completed its circuit of the field and headed towards an open area of the field.

Oh, am I going to spank the hell out her for this. It is entirely too early for everybody to start expecting things of the Flying Dutchman. Hell, the bloody thing is only half built!

I strode towards where she was landing the ship. My look could have punctured every soccer ball on the field. "Clear an area for her!! Keep those bloody gawkers out of there. She has had no practice with crowded landings. Oh, for the love of the Olympic soccer teams, keep them the hell out of there!"

I must have seemed positively Kirk like. Even these kids had to have heard of James T. Kirk. Completely ignoring the fact I was naked, I headed where I needed to go.

The St. James coach reached coach Bromby. "That's impossible. I should know. I'm the advanced placement science teacher."

Bromby was not even going to try to explain things. "Jacob!"

I practically ran over to where she landed, shoving people out of my way. By the time I got there, the hatch was opening.

Tiffany opened the hatch and stood there smiling. "Did we make a good impression?"

I glared at her. "Tiffany whatever the hell your middle name is French, I love you dearly, but if you ever do something like that again, I swear I'm going to spank your ass until it is redder then the cheerleader outfits your friends are wearing!"

She just kept that triumphant grin on her face.

"Now I've got to explain this to a bunch of people, the majority of which can't drive a car to begin with." I headed off towards the coaches. Then I briefly turned. "Absolutely no tours!" I yelled back.

The two coaches were itching with impatience.

Bromby looked at Jacob, then at the St. James coach. "I'm not even going to try to explain this. Jacob, you do it."

I sighed. "Bromby, you cannot explain it. And I cannot explain it in a way this other fellow will understand it. It's too complicated."

The other coach was not happy with that.

Tough. I did not come here to explain my science.

"Sir, it's not a matter of arrogance and disrespect. It's a matter of high science and invention. Best to accept that is a rather advanced hovercraft. We can get to the soccer game quicker. That's why we came after all. Besides, I want to observe my school's team trouncing yours."

The other coach glared at me for that response. "You may be a scientific genius, but we are the better soccer team." He blew his whistle hard.

The St. James players looked at their coach. Then back at the Flying Dutchman. They were torn between their interest in the game and fascination about the ship.

The coach blew his whistle twice, harder.

The St. James players reluctantly left the crowd around the ship and went to start practicing.

Tiffany brought the ball bags over to our team.

Before the coach started our pre - game practice, he told Tiffany "I want you to park the Flying Dutchman outside the stadium. It's too big a distraction. You and Jacob running around here naked will be enough of a distraction. Our team does not need distractions to beat these opponents."

Tiffany did as the coach asked.

Our team watched briefly, and then continued practicing.

St. James' team watched the ship's flight until it disappeared on the other side of the stadium. Their coach glared daggers at me during the whole time the ship was still visible.

The game went pretty well. Both teams were performing pretty well. Still, by half time our team was 3 points ahead. I was not going to complain. Although that foul kick that had a soccer ball nearly take off my left leg did not please me much. I could not get upset though. It was one of my teammates that made the mistake.

Tiffany joined the rest of the cheerleaders shouting their support from the stands. But she had problems of her own. Being the only naked girl on the field meant that nearly every male in the stadium was staring at her. Correction. Make that every male in the stadium was staring.

The crowds had been getting steadily bigger as the game proceeded.

At half time the St. James coach briefly stopped by our side to congratulate us on a game well played so far. "These are the biggest crowds I've ever seen for a regular game"

Tiffany giggled. "You could have crowds like this normally if your Program students had to be naked at after school events, too."

"I'm not sure we could take that type of distraction daily." The coach smiled as he went back to his team.

I got my snack and looked around for a quiet place to sit and think. As I was not a player, my presence is not really needed for this part. Besides I get the idea that Tiffany at least is getting too much attention. To keep our lead on the scoreboard, they should get an undisturbed half time to talk and plan.

I looked around. Perfect. Nice wooded area with a babbling brook. It even had a few ducks swimming. Soothing and relaxing.

Tiffany came up behind me. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that little spot in the woods would be perfect for a little picnic." I pointed out the spot.

"Looks like a place I've been at as part of a 4H trip. Let's go."

We went, wiped off a rock and sat down.

Tiffany put her arm around me.

I put my arm around her.

We cuddled.

Tiffany looked invitingly at me.

"You are too tempting," I replied, "but I doubt the host school is used to two happily fucking students so close to the stadium."

There was a noise behind me.

Looks like I chose right. Don't get me wrong, fucking Tiffany is something I'd happily do all afternoon. Witnesses however, I do not need.

I heard some more noise.

Sounds like more than one person. I waited for the students to get 10 feet behind us. "The group of four who are approaching from behind, who are you and what do you want?"

"Candy and Carla." Candy said.

"We have a couple of people we think you should talk to." Carla added.

"Indeed? Who?"

"Our boyfriends on the football team."

Every sense went on alert. I couldn't get up, dammit. I was trapped by that stupid legend into acting as though this encounter was no different then somebody in the hallway at school asking directions. I looked around for possible weapons and escape routes.

I should have expected trouble. Trouble follows me like a loyal sheepdog at school. Why should away games be any different?

But Tiffany did not have to stay. If trouble was brewing, I was not keeping her around here. "Tiffany, go."

"Why Jacob?"

"Because I do not want you at ground zero."

"Well, you have no choice in the matter. I'm staying."

Heaven save me from women who won't let me protect them.

"Don't worry," Carla said, "we are not here to cause trouble."

Candy added, "Our boyfriends just want to talk. You said you wanted to avoid more battles. Tiffany, remember coach Cane asking us all to try to keep things under control?"

"Yes." Tiffany replied

"Well, we are trying."

"Ok, I said, "introduce them, I'll listen." I turned around.

Tiffany did likewise.

Candy went first. "Jacob, meet Dave."

I nodded.

"Jacob, meet Mike." Carla said next.

"Oh good grief. Not another one. Exactly how many people named Mike are there at our school? You are the third one I've met this week."

Mike chuckled. "Eight I think."

"Nice one Mike," I laughed. "You have my attention."

Dave and Mike looked at each other.

"You seem to have put him in a good mood, Mike, you go first." Dave said.

"Ok. We're here to ask you to have pity on Kevin and save the football team.

"Kevin? Have pity on one of the guys that attacked Tiffany yesterday and tried to rape her? Not to mention his knifing me today. There is also the little detail of the football coach Koke nearly cracking a bat on me before 7th period."

I wanted them to realize that I was not the offending party, no matter how much my victories hurt them.

Mike said, "We are only trying to diffuse the feuding between you and the football team before it gets any worse."

"Gets worse?" Jacob asks.

"Just because we are football players does not make us dumb jocks. You can move a large enough segment of the school on us to cause us major trouble. Plus today we learned you will call on your connections outside the school." Dave interjected.

"So?"

"We also know from an uncle that your instructions are to hold him, but not charge him pending you stopping by the police station before the council meeting." Carla added.

"You guys are learning. Now, what can you offer me to make me consider not charging him?"

"How about a promise to keep him out of your hair."

"Not good enough. I can do that right now. Why is one hotheaded player so important to you anyway?"

"Because of a new state law. Any team with a member arrested for school violence must forfeit the rest of the season."

"Bit draconian, that law. Do you have a better offer?"

They talked among themselves.

"Kevin gets benched for the season." Dave suggests.

"Getting better. Try both Kevin and Fred are benched for the rest of the season, they must clean up after the Halloween dance this Friday without help, and coach Koke must formally apologize for his attacks on me, for not immediately punishing Fred and Kevin for their attack on Tiffany, and he must do this in front of the school at the school spirit assembly this Friday morning."

The football players were shocked at that.

Dave frowned hard. "You arrogant bastard."

I said, "Yes I am, but the battles you force me to fight make me so."

"When must you have your answer?"

"5:30 this evening. Agree to my terms and I'll have the police chief put him on youth probation. That will avoid his formal arrest and keep the team from being disqualified."

"Ok, we'll pass on your response."

Carla, Candy, Dave and Mike headed off. There were talking among themselves.

Tiffany didn't think they looked too happy. She had the idea that this conversation might not have been enough.

I watched them leave, too. The snippets of conversation I heard made me slightly worried. The situation we were all in forced me to ask a lot. Perhaps too much.

Trouble was not yet avoided.

Tiffany looked at me. "Can I ask a question?"

"Sure. Any time."

"Why are you even negotiating?"

"Because total victory is too much."

Chapter 31: Tiffany

Ok. I admit it. I was curious. Make that confused. Jacob had put himself in the dominant position. Of his top three enemies, the police was holding one, the other was lying low and the third was starting to watch his step. All Jacob needed to do now was cement his victory by taking out either Heather or Fred and the football vs. Stone battles would be effectively over.

Jacob watched the ducks swimming.

Finally I could not resist asking. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Since you went through all the effort to have him picked up, why would you even want to negotiate? Remember, Kevin did knife you."

Jacob moved his heavily bandaged fingers slightly. "Trust me, I had not forgotten."

"Then why???"

I received a curious look.

Jacob sighed and answered me. "The goal here was to get them to stop, not to destroy them. Things kept getting worse because they just kept upping the ante. Because of this the cost of their defeat kept increasing. Koke's humiliation is, I admit, a bit petty, but the coach did go out of his way to threaten me with a baseball bat in a place where there would be no witnesses. I also believe that he is the one that is teaching the players that they are above normal rules. His public embarrassment is to teach him that there are others who can play power games too. Some of us can play them better too." He grins at that. "Maybe it will even prevent others from following in his footsteps."

"Is that the best way? It sounds like overkill to destroy their egos like that."

"What, Tiffany, do you suggest I do about them?"

Well, if I must meddle in the affairs of titans, let's see how good I am at it.

"I'm suggesting you watch how far you are taking this revenge. You need to be careful that you only get your intended target. Do you really hate the entire football team over what has happened to us?"

"Not really. What I hate is the mentality that jocks are the elite, that they think they can do what they want and get away with more than everybody else. They are no different than the rest of us. We each have our areas of expertise. I cannot throw a football, but by god I can explain the physics and related science behind their actions, to explain how to know where to be to catch the football when it comes down. Hell, if I was in shape and had better hand eye coordination, I could be on that football team!"

"So you really don't want to destroy them. But the terms you offered to Carla and company sounded like you hated them all."

"What do you suggest?"

I was honored that he would ask me for advice.

"Am I correct in believing that the only thing keeping you from destroying the team completely is the fact that deep down, you do not think they are all horrible?"

"I hope not. I'd like to think that most of them are just being annoying out of some sort of group loyalty. But then, is it too much to ask that they try thinking for themselves, to ask themselves if the group actions underway are really good actions?"

"So do you really need such harsh settlement terms?"

"Hmmm, I see your point. Very well. You can tell them that my new terms are that Kevin and Fred need not do the cleaning detail after the dance. The season long benching they can get out of only if she can get those two to apologize to us convincingly. If so, I'll settle for those two just being benched for the homecoming game. As far Koke is concerned, I insist he suffer a bit. He must be broken of that attitude. Also you can tell them that I will not involve any football players in my vendetta against the coach. But if they put themselves in the middle of the Stone - Koke feud, all bets are off."

"That's it?" I asked

"Sure. I have a feeling anyway that they'd rather be benched for the entire season than apologize to me. You may know I'm not shit, my friends believe it, your friends are starting to accept it, but Kevin and Fred most certainly would rather puke for hours on end rather than admit I'm not shit."

I grinned. "Excuse me."

Jacob watched me head over to where the delegation was talking to Cindy and a few of her friends.

Carla turned as I approached. "Your boyfriend come up with more terms?"

"What now?" Cindy sounded upset.

As well she might be, given the previous terms.

"Actually, Cindy, you might want to stay for this. I'm pretty sure you'll find it interesting."

Candy suggested everybody but the cheerleaders, Dave and Mike give them some privacy.

"Ok. Before I tell you what I just got out of him, tell me the terms as you understand them."

Carla looked back at me with a 'you've got to be kidding look.'

"Humor me."

"Ok Tiffany. Jacob wants both Kevin and Fred to be benched the rest of the season. He also wants them to have to clean up the lunchroom after the Halloween dance this Friday without help."

Candy finished with, "And this is the hardest part. He wants coach Koke to formally apologize for his attacks on your boyfriend, and for not immediately punishing Fred and Kevin for their attack on you. Jacob wants this apology to be at the school spirit assembly Friday morning in front of the whole school."

"Correct" I said. "In exchange Jacob will pull a few strings and get Kevin into a warning form of probation. There would be no arrest record and the team can continue it's winning season."

"But without Kevin and Fred it won't be a winning season for long. In case you haven't being paying attention, those two are our star players. All our strategies depend on them."

"That's why I have good news for you guys. I have talked him into an alternative offer."

They looked shocked.

I understood why. The number of times anybody successfully changed Jacob's position in a discussion could be counted on one hand.

I smiled. With this, I would prove to the school that Jacob had reason to love me for more than my body.

Cindy couldn't take it any longer. "Spit it out for god's sake. You've been dating him two days and he's changed you."

"I'm happy about that too. But with luck, he will do some changing too. Anyway, this is the new offer. Fred and Kevin no longer have to do the cleaning after the dance. Jacob is also giving them an option for the season long benching. If those two apologize to us convincingly, I've talked him into only demanding their benching during the homecoming game. I must warn you that he thinks they would rather eat shit than make that apology."

Cindy sadly nodded her head. "Jacob may well be right about that."

"Anything else?" Carla asked.

"Yes. Concerning coach Koke, he is inflexible. What he said before goes. I did get him to promise not to target the football players though. I've managed to convince him that they are not all evil, that once he wins a visible victory against Kevin and Fred, things should quiet down."

"Will it?" Candy asked.

"I think deep down even he knows he's not going to get rid of the jock vs. geek mentality. But I think he's hoping that at least both sides will be more tolerant of each other."

"Maybe," Cindy said, "he will accomplish that much."

"For the next part, I'll be quoting him directly. 'Also you can tell them that I will not involve any football players in my vendetta against the coach. But if they put themselves in the middle of the Stone - Koke feud, for the interfering players, all bets are off.' "

"He no longer wants total surrender?"

"No. If I might presume to guess what is going though his head, I think he went overboard because of their abuse of me. When Jacob deeply cares about something, he'll go all out to do what he needs to do. My mother told me that from their political rivaly. Imagine how much effort we can expect from him when the endangered cause is his new girlfriend. Especially if that girl loves him and is not using him for his gear or brains."