Chapter 34

"Hi, Junior, Connie ... is Company with you?"

"Hi, Mom," said Junior.

"Hello Mrs. Too," said Connie, "Yes ... she's with us."

"Lunch?" Too shouted it out the kitchen window.

"Yes please ... and Thank you."

"Toasted Cheese and a side of Mashed Potato and Cheese pancakes, too."

"Yum-yum! Thank you very much. Sounds great."

"Connie? The potatoes are in the big fridge ... the cheese is already grated. Would you fetch them?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Junior ... I'll need more bread ... time it to the store, please. Whole grain wheat. Money is on the counter."

Junior flashed out and in ... she had a bag of several loaves ... and salted Amish butter.

"While I mix up the potatoes, you girls start the sandwiches." Too checked, "Company? Are you really hungry?"

"Yes ma'am, nuclear waste is filling but it's not nummy."

The recipe was doubled.

Six cups of cold mashed potatoes, a cup and 2/3 of grated cheddar, a quarter cup of chopped green and white scallions, two lightly beaten eggs and 6 tablespoons of all-purpose flour were tossed in the blender. Too let that run while she heated up the flat grill. Smoking hot peanut oil and the grill was ready.

She dredged the pancakes in flour and slid them on the grill ... the smell was wonderful. One end of the grill was cooking toasted cheese and the other end was doing pancakes.

The twins were still in Pentwater but David came in from mowing and washed up. He set the table.

"Dear? Will you put sour cream in a bowl and slice up some more scallions?" asked Too.

The first sandwiches went out the window... "Mnnnn ... HOT!"

Company was in for a taste treat ... David slathered sour cream and sprinkled extra scallions on the first pancakes. Out the window.

"Oh Gods!! I've died and gone to a good place ... Mmmmmm"

There were no leftovers

"Thanks, Mom," cried a chorus of girlie voices.

They appeared on the Penny with satisfied smiles and full bellies.

Company said, "I always eat too much at your house ... but I can't help it ... it's Soooo good. Your mom is the best!"

Connie agreed, "I never got fed like that at home." And that was a bone of bitter contention. She had a crying jag and got loved on ... Even through her tears she smiled and said, "You are so good to me."

"How could we not be? You're a great young lady," Andrea said, "Your mom missed out on a good kid."

That evening there was a council of war, Junior, Connie and Company narrated the story of the Imperial Marines and their intentions.

Andrea said, "It won't do to just sink the ship, the Japs will come again ... we have to get the missionaries to safety. Junior? Check the records."

Junior disappeared.

The Gaffer gave a jerk, "How does she check the records? I mean, where does she go?"

"Junior isn't from this time. She was born in 2000 ... ten years in the future. It's 2014 or 15 where she is now. She's checking the internet."

"What is the internet?"

"Magic ... at least that's what we call something that's beyond our understanding. There is an online search engine called Google. They have hundreds of thousands of records stored on servers ... see? ... lost you already. Magic ... suffice it to say, she's looking in the online records stored on the internet. Junior?" She was back.

"The Japs never found any missionaries on the Sula chain ... something must have moved them," Junior said. "I have another place to look." She was gone again ... and back. "Wow ... the Vatican is really secretive. I had to go to the stacks." She groaned, and rubbed her back. "I've been all over Rome for weeks ... what a mess ... those chairs are Hard. Invisibility doesn't soften a boney butt." A second groan, "The Apostolic Vicariate of Manado, supported the island mission from 1937 until 1942 when the entire staff disappeared.

"They were later discovered in Perth, Australia, where they told a fantastic tale of a great white ship that wafted them to the heavens. They claim to have met the Virgin ... she has red hair ... who told them they must leave the islands because war was upon them. Somehow, they all went to sleep and woke up in Perth.

"After the war they were airlifted en masse to Italy. They claimed a miracle but the Church frowns on miracles not done under the auspices of the Pope. No amount of force or torture by the Vatican could make them recant. They were excommunicated and founded the short lived Church of the White Ship and the Virgin. They didn't have much of a congregation."

"Well," said Andrea... "Red headed Virgin," she was looking right at Junior when she said it. "I guess you're going to rescue them. You are still a virgin?"

"Do fingers count?"

After the general meeting, Junior discussed the Borneo Star and what she had found.