Chapter 15

“Mom! I’m going out for a while.” June actually had no intention of going further than her neighbor’s yard, but her mom didn’t need to know that. She had Madonna playing in her Sony Walkman and before she could hear her mother’s reply she had put the headphones on and was out the door.

“…Living in a material world and I am a material girl.” With the headphones on June was certain she sounded exactly like Madonna. She didn’t turn to the right to go immediately to her destination. Instead she turned to the left and went next door to her friend’s house. Tonight they were going to find out for sure what happened.

Her friend Jennifer Gomez bounded out the door even before June could take a step up the walkway. She was dressed in a puffy mini skirt in black with a hot pink top with torn off sleeves. Her hair was teased and hair sprayed so high June wanted to warn her to stay away from any matches.

“Like, this is going to be so totally cool. I love that little jacket. It must have been murder to get those sleeves rolled up like that.” Jennifer had recently seen the movie Valley Girl and was using every phrase possible from the movie as well as the style.

June wasn’t going to be distracted by talk of clothes even though she was proud to have finally rolled up the sleeves on her dad’s hound’s-tooth checked blazer. “Jen, can you believe it. I actually saw where she kept the keys. I think I can snag it if you can distract her.”

“Really? Like, no way. That is like so totally awesome.”

They walked down the block away from their target. June wanted to approach the house on the side opposite their own houses.

“So do you think there’s like bodies and stuff in the garage?”

“I don’t know, but I’ve got my dad’s Polaroid in my purse and if there is, we’ll get pictures of it.”

“I’m, like, so totally excited.”

June put her headphones on. The Valley Girl talk was already getting old. She was able to tune out the inane babble of her friend only until she heard her say…

“So, like, June, do you totally think that she, like killed them?”

June took off her headphones. “That’s what my parents say. They’ve been living on this block all my life. They say the husband disappeared first. Then, a few years later, the son. The police investigated, but never found any bodies or anything so both cases were eventually dropped. They say she refused to let anyone into the garage and the police, seeing how grief stricken she was, didn’t push for a search warrant. They searched the house and everything, but never found a trace of violence.

“Dang. So like twenty years ago she killed her husband and ten years ago she killed her son?” Math was never one of Jennifer’s strong suits.

“Close enough.”

“Aren’t those bodies going to be, like, all dead and nasty and stuff?”

“We just need one picture. That’s it. Then we can go to the police and finally everyone will know the truth.”

“So you’re going to have the little old lady arrested?”

“She’s not that old and if she’s a killer, I don’t want to live next door to her another day.”

June had enough of all the rumors at school. Even though she was seventeen now she was still teased about living next door to a killer like it was some sort of disease that would rub off on her. Boys never asked her out on dates. Other girls, except Jen, had shunned her at school. Enough was enough. She was going to get proof one way or the other that Old Woman Elsa was or was not a killer.

The two had gone all the way around the block. They were approaching the house. The killer’s house. The house where one woman lived alone with the memory of what happened to her husband and son. The woman who would be found guilty or absolved before the night was over.

“You remember what to do?” June asked Jennifer.

“Like so totally. I give you time to get to the back door, then I ring the front door bell. You grab the key and I run around the back.”

“She moves really slowly, so give her lots of time.”

“So, like, do you think she hurt herself killing them or something?”

“Jen, just get ready. I’m going.”

Jen brightened up. It really bothered June that her best friend had gone from acting so smart to acting like a total ditz after seeing one movie. She was never going to be like that. No way.

The back of the house was dark. The only light came from the kitchen. There, just as June had suspected, was Old Woman Elsa. Just like she was every night she was sitting at the small table sipping tea.

Elsa’s head popped up as if she was surprised. June hadn’t heard it, but Jen must’ve rung the door bell. Slowly Elsa got up and started walking toward the front room. This was the chance June had been waiting for.

She rushed toward the back door. Night after night from her bedroom window she’d watched Elsa come to the back door and grab a key. June’s heart raced as she touched the door knob. This was just a little old lady. Surely she couldn’t kill her or her friend. Right? She was old and slow. She kept telling herself this over and over as she turned the knob and pushed the door ever so slightly open. She paused just long enough to listen.

Nothing.

June pushed the door open and saw next to the back door hanging on the wall a wooden box. June opened it. It was full of keys. Dozens. Which one was the right one? She didn’t have time for this. The old woman was sure to be at the front door by now and possibly heading back. June liked having a head and all she could think about was Elsa cutting it off and hiding the body in the garage.

“You’re it!” The keys each had a sliver of tape over a smaller sliver of paper with letters. One said garage. She swiped the key, closed the box, slipped out the back door and closed it quietly behind her.

Jen startled her as both pushed in behind the same bush in the back yard.

“How’d it go?”

“I got it.”

“That totally rocks. Now what do we do?”

“We’ve got to wait for her to go to bed. Then we can go into the garage.”

“Look, there’s, like, no way I’m going in that garage.”

“That’s fine. I can do it myself. Look, she’s back. We need to keep our voices down.”

Jennifer lowered her voice to a whisper. “I’m going to go back home. Just being in her yard is giving me the creeps.”

“Jen, you can’t leave me here.”

“I so totally can. You only wanted me to help you get that key. You got it. I’m sorry, but I’m not going to sit here in a bush all night in my new outfit waiting for Old Woman Elsa to realize you took it and come out here and kill us. I’m sorry.”

“But…but.”

Jen got up and left. June was crestfallen. Her best friend had bailed on her at the worst possible time. Just up and left leaving her high and dry. That was so uncool.

There was no way June was going to leave though. She was here for one reason and she was determined even if her friend wasn’t. Jen had been teased some, but being so much prettier and bubblier she had been able to shrug most of it off. June wasn’t so lucky and this was her only hope of salvation from the torment.

Elsa was at the sink. She must be washing the dishes.- Elsa was washing the dishes and soon she would be getting ready for bed. Weeks of watching and planning and it was all coming to this moment.

The lights in the kitchen went out. June took long deep breaths. Her heart raced. She counted to twenty knowing that that was about how long it would take her to shuffle across the kitchen and out of sight. She could almost taste it. June pulled her father’s Polaroid camera from her purse. Her plan was to snap a few quick pictures and run. That was the plan. It was so simple.

Am I counting too fast? Too slow? No, I’ll wait just another moment longer. Oh please just get out of the kitchen.

June had lost count. After one more deep breath she rushed over to the garage door. The key wiggled in her hand, or was it her hand that was wiggling? It took several tries before she was finally able to put the key into the lock.

What if she came outside right now? Don’t think about it. Just get the door open and get inside the garage. That’s all you have to do. Just get it open.

The key turned and June opened the door.

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Chapter 14

Joey allowed himself to be led down the hallway. The cockpit where Argmon sat must be the front of the ship. As quickly as Vic had gotten to him in the passageway Joey must have arrived somewhere in this passage. Vic stopped at the end.

“This here is the kitchen where June put you until things were safer.”

Vic pointed to the kitchen. Joey didn’t even want to think about food right now. He was too nervous. The way Vic had been responding to questions just wasn’t right. It wasn’t the way a normal person would have responded.

“And on the other side is one of the bunk rooms. This one is usually mine, but people can sleep where ever they want. I’m not big on the whole ‘this is my space’ so if you want this room, take it.”

“Aren’t there any door?”

“Only on the bathroom. Why? You got a thing for doors?”

“No reason. Just asking. Thought it was a little strange that there were no doors.”

“Would you want to be stuck on this ship behind a locked door? Doors are for emergencies only!”

That did make sense. “I guess not.”

“Now watch your step on these stairs. They’re steeper than the look.”

Vic took hold of the rails with his hands and slid down the staircase. It was closer to being a ladder than a staircase, but it appeared to be permanently attached so they must be stairs. Joey took a tentative step down. The slope was steep and the steps were small. He decided to turn around and go down like he was on a ladder. It was tight also. Joey wondered if he was claustrophobic. He didn’t panic and kept breathing. When he got to the bottom he had to assume that he wasn’t.

The bottom passage continued straight ahead. Vic was already walking, his boots clanging on the deck.

“Here’s more rooms. They’re smaller down here. I think this ship was built with a captain and crew in mind. Just pick a bed and sleep in it. You may want to make sure Joop-Nop wasn’t sleeping in one before you crawl in. I sure hope he changes to something less messy the next time he eats.

“On the other side here is where you’ll probably end up spending most of your spare time. It’s the lounge.”

The room was large and had several seats that looked quite comfortable. A machine that looked suspiciously like a vending machine sat against the far wall. No one was in the room. Joey looked all around the room. Video screens displayed different programs. One looked like news being read by a blue man with large orange sores on his face.

“If you’re looking for the bathroom, it’s on the other side with all the bunks. It’s not big and nothing special, but when you got to go, it’s there for you.”

“Where’s everyone else? I thought you said there was a crew.”

“The rest are probably down in the cargo area.”

“Who else is there on the crew?”

“Let’s see, there’s Dexter. He’s short but don’t under estimate him. He doesn’t talk a lot either. Actually, I’ve never heard him really talk.”

“Hey Vic.” June came up a set of stairs. Joey didn’t notice where they went, he only noticed June. Now that his brain was finally his own, he could finally talk to her coherently. She frowned when she saw him. “Hello, Joey.”

“Hi.”

“Still stuck on that one word response, eh? I thought you’d be over that by now.”

Vic laughed and slapped Joey on the back. “The kid is over it. I think he’s just a little shy.”

“I’m not shy.”

June smiled. “So you can talk. I’m glad to know it.”

“Hey June, you got a minute? Joey and I need to talk with you. I thought if you shared your story with him, the rest wouldn’t come as such a blow.”

“Are you kidding me? You told me your story and still thought I was going to go insane.”

Joey tuned out of the conversation for a moment. Vic had said something about not being able to go home. June was talking about going insane when she found out about what was going on. Vic didn’t seem bothered by any of it. What was going to come as a blow?

“Hey,” Joey interrupted. “I need to know what’s going on and I need to know now.”

Vic and June both looked at Joey. Vic motioned for them all to go into the lounge. “Take a seat, kid. You’re going to want to be sitting down for this.”

Joey sat in a large couch that instantly conformed to his body. It was possibly the most comfortable thing he’d ever sat in. It was like being in a bean bag, the one back in his room, but somehow more comfortable. Vic and June sat in chairs across from him.

“June, you remember Joey? I think you should tell him how you got here first. Then I can explain everything else. You want a beer before we get started, kid?”

A beer? Not even his own father had invited him to drink a beer. Joey hadn’t even thought of drinking one.

“Um, I’m only eighteen.”

“Old enough to vote, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Old enough to serve in the army, right?”

“Well, yes.”

“Then you’re old enough to drink a beer.”

Vic got up quickly and went to what Joey thought of as the vending machine and hit one of the buttons three times. He handed beers all around and then sat back down.

“Let’s hear it, babe.”

June rolled her eyes. “Alright.” She adjusted herself slightly. “I grew up next door to Old Woman Elsa. That’s what we all called her.”

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Chapter 12

It was as if the entire galaxy unrolled at his feet. The lights in the passage went out and the wall blinked from its dull gray to black. At first Joey thought he might have gone blind, but his eyes started to focus further and further away. Stars! Billions upon billions of stars.

It wasn’t only the wall that had gone transparent but the entire passageway. The ceiling, the floor beneath the metal grating, it was all a window now. Everything was so clear. No light pollution to block even the dimmest stars. Everything was here.

Joey looked around to try to find a familiar star, but everything was out of place.

“Don’t try, kid. We’re not even on the same arm of the galaxy as Earth. We’re about seventy-thousand lights years from home right now.”

Joey thought about this. “You mean you know where home is?”

Vic pointed through a dense smattering of stars. “See that? That’s Galactic Central Point. About a million stars orbiting a super-massive black hole. Those star systems make up about ninety percent of the galaxy’s population. The rest, like Earth, are so underdeveloped that no one even goes out there. Sure there’s been visits, but no one hangs around for long.”

“But if you wanted to, you could go home, right?”

Vic took a deep breath and shook his head. “I don’t want to go into it right now. Just enjoy the view. I’ll introduce you to the crew, then you and I and June can all sit down and we’ll tell you all about what’s going on. Sound like a plan?”

“Sure.” Joey returned to staring at the stars. He was in outer space. He was really away from home and further than he’d ever imagined he’d be. He had hoped that one day he might get to go to the moon, but here he was, thousands of light years away from home. Carlos was never going to believe this one.

Vic pressed the button and the walls went opaque again. “Come on, I’ll introduce you to Argmon. His bark is worse than his bite.”

“Bark?”

“Hey Argmon! Meet the latest addition to the SS Acid Rat crew.”

There was a chuffing growling noise from the passageway. Vic led Joey into a small room with an outside view. Hundreds of lights and dials blinked in confusing patterns. Two left arms covered in yellowish hair reached around, one on the arm of the chair, the other in a handshake greeting.

The four-armed monster that stood up from the chair was about seven feet tall, Joey was too panic stricken to notice an exact height, and had the face of a dog. It curled back its lips to reveal a set of fangs and Joey was sure he was about to be eaten. Again.

“Argmon, stop that. I told you when June got here that people get scared when you smile.”

Scared wasn’t the word for it. Joey felt all the blood drain from his face and the food he’d eaten threatening to come back up. The monster lowered its lips and looked downward as if it’d just been scolded. Well, it had been, hadn’t it? Vic had scolded this monster. Joey, after catching his breath, struggled to speak and only a faint squeak came out.

“Now look what you did! You done scared the kid. Just sit back down and keep an eye on things while I show him around.”

Argmon shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. When he turned and sat back down, Joey whispered, “Nice to meet you.” Argmon waved two left hands and remained quiet.

“Sorry about that. I should have given you more warning. He can be quite a surprise when you first meet him, but he’s a teddy bear inside.”

Vic’s tone was reassuring, but Joey wasn’t reassured. “I’m sure.”

With an arm around Joey’s neck, Vic led him down the passage.

“This isn’t a big ship. I hope you’re not disappointed. June was big into Star Trek and she had expected that it’d be huge with hundreds of people on board. We’re just a small, private shipping vessel.”

“So what are you shipping?”

“We’re currently bringing a load of tonindrium to a small planet just on the outskirts of GCP called Planchar. They haven’t been able to get a good shipment in ten years, so they hired us to bring it to them. That’s what we do. We bring select shipments to select clientele.”

Joey twisted his face. “You pointed toward Galactic whatsitcalled and we’re not heading in that direction.”

Vic stopped. “You see kid, there’s something you’ll have to learn. I’ve had to teach this to everyone on the crew. Each planet has its own set of laws. Those laws don’t extend beyond that star’s sphere of influence.”

“Sphere of influence?”

“The point where the star’s gravity no longer has any measurable effect. Once we’re out of that realm of influence, we’re in the clear.”

“Wait a minute, you mean you break the law?” Joey ducked his head under Vic’s arm and backed away.

“It’s not that cut and dry. You see, like this shipment we’ve got here. Tonindrium is only found on one planet in the galaxy, Bamda. Those people have a monopoly and hold on tight to what they’ve got and only sell so much to specific distributors. My clients need some. So they hired me to exchange their money for the proper currency and I went down to the Bamda and bought it with the correct currency. Now there’s a law on Bamda that only licensed vessels can haul tonindrium away from the planet, but that’s a local law not a GCP law. Follow?”

“No.”

“Since we’re not in their star’s sphere of influence anymore, we’re not breaking any laws.”

“But you broke the law in that system.”

“You’re looking at this from the wrong angle. We’re doing what’s right so the people on Planchar can have a shipment of tonindrium.”

“Are you trying to tell me that you’re out here breaking local laws like Robin Hood?”

“See, now you get it.”

Once again Vic put his arm around Joey’s shoulders and pulled him along. If Vic was Robin Hood, what did that make the rest of the crew? His Merry Men? And was June his Maid Marion? This was crazy? Joey pulled free of Vic. He had to put an end to this. This wasn’t where he belonged and certainly wasn’t what he was supposed to be doing. He was supposed to be on Earth.

“Vic, do you know your mother is at home waiting for you and your father to return? I talked to her and she misses you desperately.”

Vic deflated and he shook his head. “Look, kid. Do you want the truth now or do you want to wait until we talk with June?”

“I think I’d like it now.”

“You’re not going to like it.”

“I don’t care. I don’t belong here. I belong back on Earth. I’m supposed to be home right now doing my homework and getting ready for school tomorrow. I shouldn’t even be here. If I hadn’t crashed my bike and gotten all banged up I would never have met your mom and I wouldn’t be here.”

Joey cupped his hands over his face and cried. He felt like such an idiot.

“Joey, if I could have gone home, don’t you think I’d be there right now? Don’t you think I miss my mom? Don’t you think June misses her parents?”

Actually, Joey hadn’t thought of that. There were a lot of things Joey hadn’t thought about and now that his mind was clearer…

“Why are you so young?”

Vic’s eyes lit up. “Now you’re asking the right questions. Let’s go find June and she can tell you her story and then we’ll talk about what’s going on. All this will make a lot more sense then.”

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Chapter 13

“Junior! Where’s that hamburger?” The Police Cruiser Apprehension had just come out of light speed and once again there was no ship. They hadn’t sent their coordinates back to Bamda so no one would know where they were. Worst case scenario they’d think he was on silent patrol. The GCP Central Office review was going to take far too long. Those criminals would be long gone.

Junior huffed and puffed as he stopped with the glass wobbling in his hands. This was his forth trip. Four would be enough. B.T. Justice took his seat in the center of the bridge for the first time since this chase began. He placed the glass in a holder on the arm rest.

“Sir, remotes are returning to the ship. We’re processing the data now.”

“Fine.”

He knew what it would reveal. They’d come to a point where seven different ship signatures went in seven different directions. This was a crafty one he was, but he’d landed on Bamda with a valid ship number. Sheriff Justice was ready for the news.

“Sir, all remotes report that all trails end with no trace of the ship. In fact, all end in the middle of space with no stars anywhere in sight.”

This was a crafty captain indeed.

“Did they use radar at the end of each trail?”

“Yes sir. Radar detected nothing and no further sign of any ships jumping to light speed. I’m think we’ve lost them.”

“What did I tell you about thinking?”

“Sorry, sir.” The dejected officer turned his chair around to face his console.

“I want the home port coordinates of each ship signature we’ve been following. I want descriptions of each ship and its present whereabouts.”

The clattering of fingers on keyboards filled the bridge. That’s what he wanted. His crew working frantically to solve the problem he already knew the answer to. He knew it was the first ship’s signature they were following. The SS Acid Rat. What a pathetic name for a ship. No longer did he want to just sit by and see the crew in shackles and the computer’s memory wiped. No. Now he wanted to see that ship blown out of the sky.

But he wasn’t going to do that. If he blasted the ship it would also set off the highly unstable shipment of tonindrium. There was a reason that only select ships carried the cargo off Bamda. It was a safety precaution. The load of tonindrium they were carrying, nearly seventy-five thousand tons, was enough to blow a star apart. As Sheriff he wasn’t about to let that happen. He was going to find that ship and demand that the GCP Central Office adjust its standards to allow him to pursue anyone taking tonindrium off planet in an unauthorized ship.

He just had to catch the ship first.

“Sir, the only valid ship number is designation 694-alpha-eplison-92-zeta. The ship is the SS Acid Rat and is home ported out of Munchkada System.” The officer paused in his report. “Sir, isn’t that dangerously close to the…”

B.T. Justice stood and turned around quickly. “Yes it’s dangerously close to the black hole. To the Eye of God as so many like to call it. That is precisely why a ship like the SS Acid Rat would choose it as a home port. No one in their right mind would dare go near it in fear of losing their ship. That is exactly why we are going to go there.”

“Sir?”

“Daddy?”

He let Junior get away with that one. There was more he had to say. “Gentlemen. We are going to lay a trap for this culprit. As soon as he gets home, we’ll be there. Waiting for him. Set course for the Munchkada!”

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Chapter 11

There had been several more stops and starts. June had shoved something into Joey’s mouth and he ate it, but he wasn’t quite certain what it had been. Tasted like chicken and steadied his head. The details were foggy, but his clothes were gone and he was wearing coveralls. He’d checked the new pockets and he still had his wallet and pocket knife. He was finally dry at least.

The kitchen, now that he could have a better look around, had two picnic-type tables with benches. All were attached to the floor and had multiple seat belts. Cupboards lined one wall and refrigerators the other. The refrigerators had clear doors so the contents, most of which looked to be terrestrial such as apples, slabs of meat, and cartons of liquid, could be seen. There were also things that looked like tree branches that moved slowly like a wooden octopus.

June, now that Joey could see her clearly, was beautiful. She had long, blonde hair that framed her round face. She had eyes of an emerald green that almost looked too deep-green to be real. In his current state he couldn’t keep his eyes on her face and they kept drifting down to her shapely body garbed in a tight-fitting, black outfit that was trimmed in hot pink.

“Keep your eyes up here, bud. You’re in no shape to go getting any ideas like that.”

“Sorry.”

“So what’s your name?”

“Joey.”

“Joey what?”

“Provoski”

“Where are you from?”

“Earth.”

“I know you’re from Earth. I kind of figured that one out on my own. I mean are you from San Diego too?”

“Too?”

“Don’t worry, your one word vocabulary is normal. I went through it when I got here.”

“You?”

“You’re in no condition to hear how I got here I can assure you of that, bud. I mean, I know exactly what you’re going through. The disorientation will pass and then you’ll really be in for a shock.”

“Shock?”

“Look, this nearly monosyllabic conversation is getting really dull. I’m going to go back to work. You stay here with that belt on and don’t touch anything. Do you understand?”

Joey nodded. His brain was semi-functional and that was a blessing, but he still didn’t have full control over his body. His head dipped once again to June’s chest and she snorted in disgust and stomped out of the room.

At least now he’d have a chance to think. So he was aboard a spaceship. Somehow that just didn’t sink in. He doubted it ever would. How could that machine back in Elsa’s garage have transported him to a spaceship? There wasn’t technology like that. He must have passed out and this was all some strange dream. He’d flipped over his handlebars on his bike and she gave him some kind of drug. That had to be it! He was hallucinating. He was still on earth.

But why the strange lurching feelings? He had wet himself so perhaps that was just his body getting sick and trying to get the drugs out of his system. That had to be it. June was probably just Elsa trying to take care of him.

So why the strange questions? She wasn’t reacting like Elsa had. June was snippy and short with him, yet gentle at other times. She was a girl, that’s why. That’s what girls did, wasn’t it? Even ones in space? Well, she had asked if he was from San Diego so she must be too.

Joey tried to stand up but was restrained by the belt. He wanted to get up and get away. Even though he could focus on things there was nothing he wanted to focus on. There had to be a way out of here. A way to get back home. He didn’t want to be here.

Something oozed in through the doorway. It was iridescent green and flowed like a thick slime. God it’s coming right at me!

The slime made sucking noises as it moved across the floor and was nearing Joey’s foot. Joey was still trying to figure out how to undo the belt. Now would be a good time to be free. What was the other person’s name?

“Vic!”

“Hey kid. Hope everything is going alright down there.”

“Green slime!”

“I’m coming down kid. Sit tight.”

“Fast!”

“Keep your pants on. I’m coming.”

Joey held his feet straight out, but the slime, after not discovering the feet where they should have been, extended upwards. It was agonizingly slow and Joey didn’t have enough strength to hold his legs up for long.

“Joop-Nop. Leave him alone. He’s new on the ship.”

The man who’d said it was the face Joey had seen. The same brown hair and brown caterpillar moustache. He was wearing a cream-colored shirt under a black vest and black pants that matched his black boots. His voice was deep and commanding.

The green slime made a burping farting noise.

“I don’t care if you’re hungry and want to be human shaped. He’s a guest right now and you’re not going to eat him.”

It made a depressed gasping sound and oozed back out the door. Joey started breathing again.

“Sorry about that kid. How you doing?”

“Good. What was that?”

“I see you’re making a little more sense now. That was Joop-Nop.”

“What’s a Joop-Nop?” The encounter had done something to get Joey’s metabolism up and his mind was actually clearer. His brain no longer felt like that slime thing looked.

“Joop-Nop is its name. It’s a being that we found on the planet Escaonth a couple years ago. He’s a good addition to the crew. He can change into whatever he eats. Like the old saying goes, you are what you eat, but with Joop-Nop it’s more literal than that.”

“So it was going to eat me?”

“Oh he doesn’t eat much. Mostly harmless.”

Joey shook his head. Whatever that thing was it brought reality to bear.

“I want to look outside.”

“What for? It’s just a lot of black out there kid. I don’t know about you, but I’m much more into colors myself. Black is just so depressing.”

“I don’t care. I want to see outside.”

Looking outside was going to make this whole thing real. Maybe by looking outside he’d be able to come to grips with what had happened and try to figure a way out of it.

“Look, kid, my name’s Vic. Vic Gallegos.” Vic extended his hand. Joey shook it.

“I’m Joey. Provoski.”

“Well Joey, let’s get that belt off you.” Vic pressed his thumb to the buckle and it detached. “I’ll have to get your thumbprint so we can encode you into Tootsie’s systems.”

“Tootsie?”

“Tootsie is the ship’s computer. She’s really nice, but she can be temperamental.”

“I heard that, Vic.” The voice came from an overhead speaker.

“You know I love you.”

“Masher.”

“Be nice to her and she’ll be nice to you. Just keep that in mind, kid. Come on. Let’s get you that look outside and I’ll introduce you to the rest of the crew.”

“How many are there.”

“Heck, I don’t know. I lost count.”

Vic started to walk out of the kitchen.

“Vic, where are we?”

He stopped. “Kid, I’ll let you make up your mind about that.”

Joey, now no longer restrained by the seat belt, got up and wobbled for a moment. The floor didn’t feel entirely stable at first, but he got both feet on the ground, took a deep breath, and was able to follow Vic.

The floor was indeed a steel grating and made clanging noises as they walked, but the walls were something altogether different. They didn’t feel like steel, but didn’t have the appearance of fabric or drywall. Joey stopped and rubbed his hand over a section of wall.

“What is this?”

“Kid, that’s a special material used only in spaceships. It’s called dura-plasti. It’s a light-weight plastic material that can resist puncture. If you punch a hole in this stuff, say with some space debris or a blaster it’ll heal itself.”

“Blaster? Heal itself?”

“Kid, you’re not in California anymore. In fact, you’re not even close.”

Vic put his arm around Joey’s shoulder and it was then that Joey realized how tall Vic was. And thin. Despite being thin Vic was strong and he pulled Joey along.

“I’ve been out here for a while now and I’ve got to tell you, it’s unlike anything you’ll ever see or do back on Earth.”

“You are Victor?”

Vic laughed. “I haven’t heard that name for years. My mom was the only one to call me that.”

“Your mother Elsa?”

“Yeah, that’s her. I thought you may have known her. June knew her, but never talked to her. Her story is a trip. You’ll dig it, kid. But first, let’s take a gander outside.”

Vic stopped in front of a wall panel. “Last chance. It’s a lot of black out there.” He reached for a button.

“Do it.”

Vic pressed the button and Joey’s life was never the same again.

---

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Chapter 10

“Sheriff Justice, this is Counselor Pitrine from Galactic Central Point Central Office. We will convene in two days to discuss your request to continue pursuit beyond your system’s sphere of influence.”

“Two days! Two days. Are you serious? I can’t sit here and wait two days while the criminal flees. Do you realize how far away he’ll be in two days?”

“Sheriff Justice, this is not our problem. If you had apprehended the suspect prior to his leaving your system or planned for this contingency then perhaps…”

B.T. Justice cut him off. “How do you plan for someone to come in and take a load of tonindrium?”

“Again, that is not our problem. Your system is the provider of this product and it is your own local law that prevents people from taking without proper approval. Inter-galactic laws do not prevent independent shipments from being transferred.”

“They should!” The sheriff nearly bit through his cigar as he ground his teeth.

“You can forward the name of the individual and the name of the suspect’s ship to GCP Central Office. We will review the person’s record and add his name to your system’s wanted list. That’s the best I can do right now. As for your request to continu pursuit beyond your own system’s boundaries, that will have to wait for two days.”

Justice slammed his meaty fist down on the console controls and the visual display turned off. “Junior!”

“Yes, daddy sir?”

“I swear I’m going to pound you the next time you call me that.”

“Sorry, sir.”

“Junior, I need a hamburger.”

“I’ll get right on that.”

This was intolerable. Twice now he had the SS Acid Rat within his grasp and twice they had escaped. Sensors had indicated that it stopped about four light years out and made a course change as well as a serial number change. Not only had the crew broken the law by taking an unauthorized shipment of tonindrium off the planet, the ship’s computer had now broken the law by changing the ship’s serial number. Aiding and abetting. He wanted to be there personally when they wiped that computer’s memory banks.

The crew was silent. His outburst must have been overheard, not that it was much of a concern. His crew needed to be on their toes and they were always on their toes when his dander was up.

“What’s their latest course?”

A junior office turned in his chair. “Sir, they are currently headed toward Galactic Central Point. I think they’re heading for the capital.”

“You think?” B.T. Justice clasped his hands behind his back. “Did I tell you to think, boy?”

“Sir?”

“If I wanted you to think I would have told you to think. Perhaps you think you can take this hat off my head and do my job.” The Sheriff cocked the hat back on his head and leaned down to look the younger office in the eye.

“Sir, no sir.”

“I’m the one that does the thinking here. Is that clear?”

“Yes sir.”

“This is my ship and if anyone is going to do any thinking on this it’ll be me. If I want your opinion I’ll give it to you.”

Junior ran up holding a plate with a hamburger on it. “Here’s your hamburger, dad…sir.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s a hamburger.”

“Junior, come here.”

B.T Justice dragged Justice Junior across the bridge by the ear. Pulling the young man’s head close, he asked through clenched teeth, “Did I say I was hungry?”

“No.”

“Did I say bring me something to eat?”

“You said to bring you a hamburger.”

“If I wanted something to eat, I would have said bring me something to eat. Since when have I ever said I wanted a hamburger.”

“Just now.”

“Son, when I say bring me a hamburger, I mean bring me a drink. Preferably as strong as possible.”

“Why would you say you want a hamburger?”

“Do you think I want the entire crew to know that I want a drink? Do you think I want them to see me as having a moment of weakness? Do you think I’d ask for a drink in front of the crew?”

“You just told us all not to think.”

“Boy if your momma wasn’t dead I’d clobber you. It’s my own fault you grew up so stupid. Now go get me a hamburger.”

Junior looked down at the plate with the hamburger and his eyes widened.

“Go!”

Why couldn’t he have brought that drink the first time? Now I’m going to need something for this headache.

“Sir, we’re still in the Kuiper belt. Did GCP Central Office give you permission to continue pursuit?”

They hadn’t had they. But they didn’t say specifically that he had to stay put. Not in those specific terms. And if he got out there now and was able to capture the criminals then he could return them to his system before actually pronouncing them under arrest. No one had to know. It could work. It had to work. He couldn’t go back to the planet embarrassed for having the largest shipment of tonindrium leave the planet on an unauthorized vessel.

“Follow their course.”

“Sir?”

“Did I tell you to think about it or to punch in their last know coordinates and follow them?”

“Yes sir. Setting controls now.”

“Here’s you hamburger.” Junior said hamburger in a coughing sound as he handed the drink to Sheriff Justice. He took the drink and downed it in one swallow and handed the glass back to Junior.

“I need another. This one’s empty. And hurry, we’re about to make the jump to hyperspace.”

---

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Chapter 9

The door to the machine closed so smoothly and rapidly that Joey didn’t even have time to react. It was surprising that it didn’t go dark despite the lack of a visible light source. Even more intriguing was that it frightened him.

“Elsa?” He didn’t want her to worry even though he didn’t know how he was going to get out. His voice didn’t seem to make any sound other than inside his own head. There was no echo like there should be inside a metallic cylinder.

He banged on the side with his fist. That also made no noise. It was like being trapped in a vacuum except he could breathe. The button he’d pushed wasn’t there any more. Now he grew concerned.

“Elsa!”

Joey pounded against the wall with no sound from either side of the machine’s wall. It had to be made of some sound-dampening material, but what?

The sounds of rustling leaves stirred all around him. Even a mild breeze started. The sound and the breeze both increased in intensity. Now was a fine time to panic!

Slamming against the door did no good. In fact it just plain hurt. Tendrils of white shot up from the floor and wrapped up his feet then his legs. He tried to tear them off with no success. Breath came in short gasps.

This can’t be happening. This is a machine! What is it doing to me? Why is it doing this? It shouldn’t even be working it’s so old. God what’s happening!

The white tendrils wrapped his arms to his body snugly, but not uncomfortable. Joey tried to take a deep breath before his face was covered over, but wasn’t successful as it spun its cocoon over his head. He was, however, still able to breathe. He relaxed slightly, but was afraid he might have wet himself. What would it matter? Maybe this was a death machine and Elsa was just waiting outside for him to be dead.

There was a sensation of the floor falling away and everything went dark. By the warm feeling between his legs, Joey was now certain of what he’d done.

The darkness was bitterly cold; almost unbearably cold. He shivered and his teeth chattered slightly. Was this what it felt like to die? You wet yourself and then everything goes dark? But that couldn’t be right. Elsa said that her husband and son disappeared inside the machine. Where did they end up? Was he suddenly going to end up on the moon or something? That would be pretty bad. He’d last for about ten seconds before the freezing cold stiffened his body to nearly absolute zero.

What a way to go. What a stupid thing to do. Pushing that button was not a smart thing to do. What was I thinking?

Light crashed into him brutally. This sure wasn’t the near death experience he’d heard about. Those were supposed to be gentle and serene. This was intense and painful. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be at all. If he was dying, why was he in pain?

The white tendrils that had wrapped him like a mummy were gone now. The floor was a metal grate with a fine, mesh pattern on it. Why am I looking at the floor? Joey tried to lift his head, but it felt as if it were full of water and he bobbed from side to side each time he tried to move. What a horrible feeling.

If he hadn’t just crashed his bike this might not feel so awful, but deep down, he knew it would. Yes. It would hurt.

A pair of black boots stood on the grating in front of him.

“June, get up here. Now!”

The voice was strong and commanding. Was it coming from the person wearing the boots? The person in the boots leaned down. His face was blurry. It had brown hair and a brown caterpillar moustache. If anything, the smile reassured Joey.

“It’s going to be okay, kid. I’ve dealt with this before. Only once before, but before. We’ll take care of you.”

A female voice came from nowhere. “Vic, I’m busy and I’m strapped in. What do you need?”

“It’s important.”

“But Vic.”

“June, get up here. We’ve got someone on the ship.”

“What do you mean ‘someone’?”

“You know what I mean now get up here and help me out.”

There was a long silence. The man, his name must be Vic, helped Joey to his feet.

“June is on her way. Everything’s going to be alright, kid. Well, I guess that depends on your version of alright, but it’s the best I can do for you at the moment.”

It was difficult getting to his feet. It was rather like being a half-inflated blow-up toy. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t keep his feet firmly planted.

“Vic, I’m busy. What do you mean…”

The female voice was closer than the speaker but still fuzzy. Joey turned his head and looked down a narrow passageway. Everything was steel gray and dull in appearance. Everything that was except that soft shape in the middle of the passageway.

“Put him on ice until we have a chance to deal with him.”

“Who is he?”

“Like I know that?”

“Well what am I supposed to do with him?”

“I figured you’d be the best one to deal with him as you’ve been through this too.”

“So what?”

“June, we’re in the middle of an emergency here. I don’t have time to argue with you. Just please take him downstairs and give him something.”

June grunted and put her arm around Joey’s waist. Vic put Joey’s arm around June’s shoulders.

“June’s going to take care of you kid. I think you two might even have a few things to talk about while you’re down there. Might make the transition easier.”

Joey managed to open his mouth and squeak a couple words out. “What transition?”

“I don’t have time, kid. June will have to answer that.”

And Vic disappeared. The sudden loss of Vic meant he had to put all his weight on June. She was softer than Vic and Joey didn’t like being a burden on her. It took away all his masculinity. He tried to stand up.

“Don’t even try it, bud. I tried to be all tough when I got here too. It’s not going to get you anywhere. Just let me lead you down to where you can lie down until this feeling passes.”

“How long?”

“It took me a few hours.”

“Where?”

“You don’t want to know right now, bud. Trust me on that one.”

Joey fought with his brain. He did want to know. He had to know. He obviously wasn’t in Elsa’s garage anymore. That machine still worked. It had transported him somewhere and two people were here at least, Vic and June. Could Vic be Victor, Elsa’s son? That wasn’t possible. Vic would be in his fifties at least. This man’s face, although blurry and hard to make out, couldn’t have been more than twenty five or thirty.

“I’m not going to tell you anything and I don’t think you should try to talk. I’m going to ask you some simple questions and you can just nod or shake your head. Do you understand?”

Joey nodded.

“Have you eaten recently?”

Had he? He’d had tea with Elsa and he’d left home before he’d had dinner. Suddenly he realized how hungry he was. He shook his head.

“We’ll have to get something into your stomach. It’ll help this feeling go away faster. I’m going to take you to the kitchen. When was the last time you went to the bathroom?” June looked down at Joey’s pants. “Aw that sucks. Look, I’ll help you get some food, but you’re changing that yourself. I’ll get you some overalls or something but I’m not playing nurse. That’s not my job.”

Joey would have blushed if he had control over his body but he didn’t. He could still feel the cold wetness in his pants.

“So you look all tore up, what happened? No, on second thought, tell me later. At least it looks like someone bound you up before you came here. I guess we know that the machine is still working.”

“What is it?”

“I told you I’ll tell you later. You need to get better first. Here’s the kitchen. Watch your head.”

The doorway into the kitchen was low and Joey lolled his head forward, it wanted to loll to the side, and accidentally nuzzled June’s neck. Her hair was strawberry-blonde and felt nice on his face. She smelled good, but something reminded Joey of his mother.

“Hey! I’m here to help you out, not be your boy toy.”

“Sorry.”

“And you should be.”

She dumped him into a seat. His body tensed in pain and his eyes came back into focus for a moment then blurred again. With his focused vision he got a brief glimpse of the kitchen. It looked like two long picnic tables constructed of the same metal as the walls but with some padding. There were lines along one wall that Joey thought might be cabinets and when June opened one, he was proud of himself for figuring that out.

“June!”

“Look, Vic, I can only do one thing at a time you know.”

“June! Belt in! We need to stop and make another jump. Should be quick this time. Make sure the kid is belted in too.”

June sighed, slammed the cabinet closed, and sat down next to Joey.

“Okay, bud. You’re going to get your first experience with hyperspace.” She pulled a seatbelt-looking device from under the bench seat and buckled herself in. She then pushed a button on the buckle. “This is like a seat belt in a car, but will place a dampening field around you. You’re already sick and this will probably make it worse.” She did the same for Joey and he could do nothing to resist. “Now just try to take deep breaths and relax. We’re going to be doing this a few times I guess. Just go with it. I’ll try to feed you when we’re not making jumps.”

“June!”

“He’s buckled.”

Dampening field? Hyperspace? Those things weren’t real yet she spoke as if they were reality. Why did he push that button?

Joey felt his insides turn outside. If he had eaten anything it would have surely come up. There was a brief sensation of no movement and weightlessness before the lurching sensation happened again.

“Welcome to the Spaceship Acid Rat, bud.”

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Chapter 8

“Argmon! What is taking so long?”

They had been sitting for far too long. Surely that police cruiser was going to be on them at any moment. Vic had thought they’d at least have enough charge in the engines to get them out of the solar system. Sitting in the Kuiper belt they were sitting ducks. At least outside of the system they were in galactic territory and away from the local authorities. They weren’t moving nearly fast enough to get out before they were caught.

“Argmon!”

Argmon snarled and growled.

“I don’t care if you’re doing the best you can. What’s everyone else doing?”

Argmon barked and snorted.

God I hate my crew.-

Vic had been trying to convince Tootsie, the ship’s computer, to let him in to change the ship’s codes.

“Now, Vic, you know I can’t let you do that.”

“Tootsie, do you realize that they’ll arrest you too?”

“I’m a computer. They can’t do anything to me.”

“They can shut you down.”

“I’ve got backup batteries, besides, I didn’t break any laws. I can’t. . .”

“You allowed your codes to be changed once, they’ll know that. Plus, they can remove your backup batteries.”

“Vic, do you really think they’d allow me to be deactivated. I’m a valuable asset.”

Leave it to me to get the only computer in the galaxy with a moral code.

“Please?”

“You’re so sweet, Vic, but no.”

Vic banged his hands on the wall of the ship. “Now look here Tootsie, I don’t have much time. I need you to let me change those codes or I’ll let Mike get in there and we’ll see what he can do.”

Mike was the ship’s engineer and prone to fits of sudden randomness.

There was a long pause from Tootsie. Now he was making some headway.

“Vic, you wouldn’t.”

“Mike!”

“Alright, alright. I’ll change the codes. I don’t feel good about doing it, but I’ll do it.”

“Thanks babe, I owe you one.”

“One what?”

“I don’t know, maybe I’ll hook you up with a computer dating service computer.”

“Vic!” Tootsie’s electronic voice sounded as if she was actually embarrassed.

Vic landed in his seat and it instantly reformed to his body shape. The view screen still showed the same blank area of space. At least they weren’t spinning anymore. That had gotten old fast.

“So please tell me we’re almost ready to go.”

A speaker crackled overhead with a scratchy voice. “We’re almost ready to go.”

“Great, Mike. How much longer?”

“Five, maybe ten minutes.”

“Mike!”

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding. We’ll be ready to go in one minute.”

“Great. Tootsie, get me on the general con. And how’s it going with changing out numbers?”

“Almost done with the change. You didn’t tell me, but I assumed you wanted me to change them after we jumped.”

“Right, general con please.”

“SS ACID RAT!” the voice over the speakers was loud. Far too loud. It had to be the police. No! It couldn’t be the police. They were so close to getting away. What they’d taken wasn’t even worth that much anyway. At least not on the Bamda planet it wasn’t. Why were these local officers going out of their way to catch him?

“SS ACID RAT! You will cease the charging of your engines. We are en route to your position and we will be arresting you momentarily. If you attempt to flee, we have been given permission from GCP Central Office to give chase. You will not get away.”

Permission from GCP Central Office? That was the Galactic patrol. They never gave any local system permission to leave their own solar system. It had to be a bluff.

“Mike?”

“Almost there, boss. Thirty seconds.”

“We may not have thirty seconds.”

And they didn’t. The police cruiser grew larger in the rear monitor. The ship looked nice with all its blue and gold. Too bad they were being pursued by it and Vic spent little time admiring.

“Mike! Get us out of here. I need what ever we got and I need it now.”

“Boss, if we don’t charge the engines fully, and they aren’t lying about chasing us, we’ll never get away. They’ve got enough power charged to follow us and we wouldn’t be able to change course enough times to get away. Fifteen seconds.”

The port for the tractor beam opened on the police cruiser. This was going to be too close. Vic wanted to shout, but his jaw was locked tight. Argmon had two hands on the wheel and his other two hands ready to hit the buttons at Mike’s word that the engines were fully charged. Vic leaned back into his seat.

It couldn’t have been two seconds before Argmon hit the button when a vaguely familiar sound of rustling leaves followed by charged air wafted to his nose.

“Not again.”

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Chapter 7

Joey’s mind reeled in disbelief. Had this woman, Elsa, just confessed to helping the two people closest to her kill themselves or to their murders? Could it be that she was insane and trying to cleanse her conscious before she died herself? Joey couldn’t do anything except sit with his mouth agape, dumbfounded.

“I’m not sure why I’m telling you all this, but it does feel good to tell someone.”

Joey shook his head. She narrowed her eyes and a thin-lipped smile crossed her face. Her voice quieted to a whisper.

“You don’t believe me. You think I killed them.”

Joey, who’d just taken a sip of his tea, gagged on the hot liquid. He shakily put the cup down.

“Ma’am, I’m not sure…”

“Oh I couldn’t have killed either one of them if I tried.” She sat back with her cup and took a long whiff of the steam. “This was my husband’s favorite.”

“Ma’am.”

“Please, call me Elsa. I already feel old enough without you calling me ‘Ma’am’.”

Joey eyed Elsa and waited. She smiled and it would have been a pretty smile had she teeth in her head. She seemed to be trying to win his trust for some reason.

“I don’t know what to make of this. It’s all quite strange.”

“Do you want to see it?”

“See what?”

“Why, the machine, of course.”

“Wait a minute. You mean there’s really a machine?”

“Certainly. It’s out in the garage. It’s been there just sitting, waiting, ever since Victor used it last.”

She couldn’t be serious. She just couldn’t. A machine to send people into space. Where did these people end up? If you didn’t go into space with at least something like a space suit you’re be sure to end up dead. Elsa, as dear and kind as she seemed, had to be insane.

“I think I should be going.” Joey stood.

Elsa’s shoulders slumped and it looked to be an effort to put her cup back on its saucer. She sniffled and used the handkerchief to dry her eyes again. Why’d she have to do that? Why couldn’t he just leave? All he wanted to do right now was to go home and sleep until his body didn’t hurt anymore.

“Where are you going to go?”

“Home.”

“And after that where will you go?”

“To school like I always do.”

“And is that really what you want out of your life?”

“What else is there?”

“There’s the machine.”

Elsa had stopped crying and fixed Joey with a cold stare. Joey got a chill. She was offering him something. He was sure that’s what she was doing. She was offering the only thing she had. But to what end? Joey would have to wait because if there really was a machine and he could just have a chance to look at it perhaps everything would be different. He could come here instead of to school and study the machine. Wouldn’t that be the best? He could reverse engineer the machine to see how it worked. He could get the machine into the hands of NASA and maybe even get a job working there. He could revolutionize the space industry. He could be a hero.

“Yes!” He swallowed hard. Had he sounded too eager? What if she really was just a crazy old woman who was trying to lure him into the garage so she could kill him? Why would she have bandaged him then? This was a once in a lifetime opportunity. He had to go for it. He just had to.

“Let me find my keys and we’ll go have a look see.”

Elsa got up slowly. Joey also got up. He wanted to help her but his body was still not responding as quickly as he would have liked and even when it did pain would rocket through his limbs albeit not as intensely since she’d given him that minty liquid.

She shuffled across the kitchen and fetched the keys from a wooden box that hung on the wall by the back door. Although the key looked brand new there was something about its style that hinted it was significantly older than it appeared.

Joey opened the back door from the kitchen and held Elsa’s arm as they went down the back steps. They both took the steps gingerly and one at a time. As soon as they were down, a light on the garage came on. Joey was momentarily startled as he hadn’t suspected there would be any light in the back yard.

Much like the inside of the house the back yard was in meticulous condition with a trimmed hedge dividing the yard from the driveway and rows of flowers in the flowerbed. It was something that Joey suspected would have been on one of those old shows his parents would have watched like Father Knows Best or Leave it to Beaver.

“I try to get out here every day and do a little something. Makes me feel like I’m still worth my salt.”

Joey politely chuckled.

Elsa’s aged hand had a little trouble getting the key into the lock. Joey wanted to help her, but didn’t. He tried to show some restraint. He tried to imagine what the machine was going to look like. He tried to picture all the wires and tubes and hoses. Did it have a launch pad or a pod or large computer console? Why couldn’t she just get the door open? Why didn’t she hurry up?

At long last the key slid in and she started to turn it in the lock and stopped. She let out a long breath.

“I don’t think I can go in there.”

“What? Why?”

She didn’t turn and look at him. “I just can’t do this. I lost my only son and my husband to this machine.”

“You don’t know, maybe they’re lost? Maybe there’s something about this machine that we can figure out together. Something to bring them back.”

“I’m sorry, this wasn’t a good idea.”

Elsa turned the key back but before she could pull it free Joey put his hand on hers to stop her.

“We have to at least try, don’t we?”

Elsa turned and looked up at Joey. “Yes. I think we do have to try.”

She unlocked the door and opened it. The hinges squeaked loudly as she pushed it open. Before she stepped into the room she reached in and flipped on the lights. Joey’s imagination exploded when he saw everything covered with white sheets and dust; everything that was, save one piece of equipment.

The one piece that wasn’t covered was a tall cylinder with a mirror-like finish. It reflected the light in every direction. There was a hair-thin line that made the outline of an oval on the front of the machine.

“There it is.”

“Yes, there it is.” Joey’s eyes were wide with wonder as he looked at it. Because everything else was presently covered he didn’t want to ask permission to remove anything, not just yet anyway.

He followed her into the garage. There was only a walkway up to the machine and it looked as though the rest of the room was filled with this machine. It could have just been a trick of all the sheets draped over everything. There was a single set of faint footprints that led up to the machine. Elsa didn’t appear to notice these. Joey assumed they belonged to Victor.

“Joey, I have to ask you something. Please don’t think me a crazy old woman.”

That was asking for a lot at this point, but Joey still had to give her the benefit of the doubt as the machine was here. “Ask.”

“If you should ever decide to, well, to use this machine, and if by the off chance you ever see my Victor or my Hector, could you ask them to come home, even if only for a short time.”

Okay, Joey was now certain that she was completely insane. There was no way that he was going to be using this machine ever. Not until he could figure out what it did and how it worked. He could spend years here studying all the equipment hidden under those sheets, calling to him to lift their shrouds and discover them, to reveal them to the world. That’s what he wanted. But he had to humor Elsa or he’d never get the chance.

“Yes, Elsa, I will.”

They stopped in front of the machine. On the side of the oval door was the silhouette of a button. Joey pushed it. With a gasp of escaping air the door popped out and slid to the side. It didn’t appear to have any hinges and wasn’t attached to anything. It just floated to the side.

“Must be magnetic.”

Cautiously Joey poked his head inside. It was white. Pure white and smelled faintly of a woman’s perfume. It smelled like his mother’s perfume. Joey wrinkled his nose.

“What do you think of it?”

“I think it’s wonderful.” Joey took a step inside. The inside, just like the outside, was perfectly smooth. No seams, no creases, not even a tool mark to show that it was machined.

Joey stepped fully inside and felt the walls. They were warm to the touch. He had thought that being metal and being outside they’d be cold. He turned all the way around and looked out the doorway at Elsa. She was smiling.

“You look so much like Victor did the day…” She trailed off and again dabbed at her eyes with the handkerchief. Joey gave her an encouraging smile. He was too enamored with the new toy to do anything else or even to say anything.

There was a button on the inside of the door just like the one on the outside. Joey’s finger hovered over it for a moment. Did he dare? What would happen? It had been thirty years since this machine had been used. Could it possibly still work? Joey doubted it. Though there was that fleeting moment of doubt as he remembered that the door had opened.

Joey pushed the button.

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Chapter 6

Aboard the Police Cruiser Apprehension stood a stocky man dressed in a clean-pressed uniform. His chest bore several medals and a large, gold badge. Atop his head was a broad-brimmed hat. His eyes were covered with mirrored sunglasses and he held an unlit cigar in his mouth.

Sheriff B.T. Justice watched as the SS Acid Rat disappeared off the view port. It had stretched out into the distance and vanished. He gnawed on the end of his cigar for a moment. They’d gotten away. They’d left his jurisdiction.

“I hope someone has gotten their trajectory.”

Three officers snapped their mouths closed and turned back to their consoles and typed furiously. Sheriff Justice wasn’t one to joke and he was more dangerous when he didn’t scream.

He tapped a riding crop against his leg. Even though he’d never ridden a horse in his life was no reason for him not to have a riding crop. It made a great tool for discipline of his crew.

“Junior!”

A portly lad who looked to be a twin of B.T. Justice ,minus the hat, medals, sunglasses, cigar and about thirty year, sprang from a nearby chair and saluted the Sheriff.

“Yes, Dad?”

“Junior, I want you to get on the con, better yet, I want you to get someone else to get on the con and contact the GCP Central Office. I need to travel outside my jurisdiction.”

“But, you can’t do that.”

“Don’t tell me what I can and cannot do. I am your father and I am your superior. Do we have an understanding?”

“Yes sir.”

That’s what the sheriff wanted; order. Even if he had to raise his voice to get it, he was going to get cooperation.

A young, bright faced officer turned around. “I’ve got them?”

How rude. “You’ve got them what?”

The officer swallowed and eyed the riding crop. “I’ve got them, sir.”

“Much better. Where are they?”

“They’re sitting just outside our solar system. If we can get close enough, we can use the tractor beam and not leave our jurisdiction.”

“Now how close is close? We are the law and we’re not going to be breaking any galatic laws just to catch one criminal.”

The officer turned back to his console and studied the screen for several second.

“Come on, boy! We don’t have all day. I’m sure they’re not just sitting there and waiting for us to get over there and catch them. I need numbers.”

“Yes sir. It looks like they’re still inside the Kuiper belt. They haven’t officially left our jurisdiction yet.”

“Junior!”

The portly officer returned.

“Yes dad.”

“Do you have anyone on the con yet?”

“Office Branfurd is on the con. He’s getting in touch with the GCP office.”

The GCP was the Galactic Central Point office. They were the central of all authority in the galaxy. No one did anything without first consulting the GCP office. Even B.T. Justice wasn’t about to go against their rulings. He ground his teeth into his cigar and narrowed his eyes as if that would help him see the SS Acid Rat sitting just on the edge of his system.

“Let’s get out there. I want to see if we can catch him before he takes off. If we can’t, I want the GCP officer in command on the line to issue a pursuit warrant for the entire crew of the SS Acid Rat.”

Sheriff Justice strode along the walkway between the consoles where officers scanned screens and typed on keyboards in preparation with another confrontation with the criminals. He would smile, but he didn’t want to appear overly confident. He wasn’t even sure who piloted the ship. He only knew the person must be crafty. Crafty enough to slip his grasp. He wasn’t going to let it happen twice.

“Daddy!”

“Junior, how many times have I told you not to call me that?”

“Sorry daddy, sir. Sir We’ve got GCP on the con.”

“Keep them on hold. Let’s go catch those lawbreakers.”

“Yes sir.”

“Pilot, why aren’t we out there yet?”

“The light speed engines are still charging.”

“We’re not making a jump that far. I want us in the Kuiper belt and I want us there now.”

Justice swatted the man on the shoulder with the riding crop. There was more than one way to motivate this crew and physical violence was one.

The view screen blurred and the Police Ship Apprehension, B.T. Justice’s pride and joy, jumped to the Kuiper belt.

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Chapter 5

Elsa finished working on Joey’s wounds and even wrapped his wrist with an ace bandage. She’d been right about it being sprained. After two more sticks soaked in the mint-flavored liquid Joey felt good as new; until he stood up.

His body felt a little stiff, but the pain was muted enough for him to function. Elsa closed up the medical kit, picked up her stool and scooted back down the hallway. Joey peeked around the corner, but with little light it was difficult to see where she’d gone. He assumed the kitchen wasn’t that way and didn’t want to offend the nice lady after the attention she’d given him.

After a short bit she came shuffling back into the room and smiled at him.

“Let’s go into the kitchen and make some tea.”

She shuffled her way across the room and through the open doorway. Joey thought he passed through a time warp and into his grandmother’s kitchen straight from the fifties. All the appliances were olive green and looked brand new, the floor was covered in a yellow, flower-patterned linoleum, and the counters were tiled in pink. It was an offensive clash of colors.

Elsa picked up a white tea pot from the stove, it had fighting chickens or roosters on the side, and went to the sink to fill it. Once it was full she returned to the stove, lit a match and got a fire going under the tea pot. She fetched a ceramic tea set from a cabinet. Joey noticed it was the only thing inside that particular cabinet as if it had been waiting there all along for her to come in and use it.

“Please, sit down.”

Joey sat at the small table that was positioned in one corner of the kitchen. Its window was covered with the same heavy drapery and lace curtains. She set one cup in front of him and one on the opposite side of the table.

“Do you take cream with your tea?”

Joey had never had tea in his life. Should he say yes? Would she get offended if he didn’t? What was the right answer?

“Uh…sure.”

“I don’t have heavy cream, so would you prefer milk or half and half?” Her serene smile and the way she folded her hands to her chest made Joey think of a doting old lady waiting on a grandchild.

“Milk is fine.” Joey looked down at the empty tea cup and then back up at Elsa and remembered his manners. “Please.”

“Very well.”

By the time she made it to the refrigerator and back the teapot started to whistle. As it sat on the stove and hollered for her to retrieve it she placed several tea bags into a small white pot and left the lid off. She emptied the contents of the kettle into the pot and placed the lid on it. She finally sat down once the kettle was returned back to the stove.

“You’ve got a strong face.”

“Huh?” Joey had been entranced by the steam rising from the spout of the tea pot.

“I said ‘you’ve got a strong face.’ You remind me a lot of my son, Victor.”

“So why don’t you talk to him anymore?”

Elsa poured tea and sighed. There was a deep rattle in her chest as she spoke. Joey hadn’t heard it before.

“As I told you, it’s really my fault. He was such a headstrong boy. I tried to keep him out of trouble as much as I just wanted to raise him right, can you understand that?”

“Sure.”

“You see, he always wanted to go places. He never wanted to be a good boy and just stay home. I’ve seen you ride by on your bike before and with your scraggly hair and all.” She waved a finger at him. “I can’t help but feel like you two are a lot alike. Are you like that?”

“Headstrong you mean? I guess I never really thought of it before. I mean I get it into my head I want to do something and I just do it. Is that what you mean?”

“Do you always listen to your parents? Do what they say when they say? I suspect you’re a good boy, but you’ve got your own ideas.”

“Well, yes.”

“Do you ever get that feeling like no one understands you?”

“Well, my friend Carlos does.”

“So one person in the great big world understands what you’re all about.”

Joey had to think had about that. Sure he and Carlos were friends, but Carlos, along with the excessive record collection, also collected comics, books, movies, darned near anything he could get his hands on. His parents had converted their basement for him and had told him he could live there as long as he wanted to. Joey’s parents wouldn’t even get him a used car so he could get around easier and they expected him to know what he wanted to do once he graduated high school.

“No. I guess he really doesn’t understand me either.”

“My Victor was the same way. He only had one friend and though they did everything together, Victor was happier with his dog down in the park playing fetch and day dreaming. He also spent a lot of time down at the Astronaut Academy when it was downtown. He dreamed of going into space, but the men there would always tell him he wasn’t fit enough or he was too small.”

“That must’ve been tough. When was that Academy there?”

Elsa’s eyes misted over. “Around the same time Victor left.”

“But where did he go?”

“I knew he wanted to go into space so badly. Oh, I shouldn’t tell you these things.”

But she was telling him. This woman looked as though she hadn’t changed anything in her house since sometime in that late fifties or sixties. How long ago could it have been? It just occurred to Joey that there was no radio or television in the house or at least not one that he could see.

“Elsa?”

She wiped a tear from her eye. “I’m sorry, Joey. It’s been so long. It was back in sixty-four. Victor’s father, Hector, had built a machine. Hector worked at the academy. He brought work home with him all the time. It was a promise he made to Victor. One day Hector disappeared, but his dreadful machine was still there.”

“A machine? You’re confusing me.”

“He built a machine to send himself into space. He built it for Victor, but he tested it on himself.”

“He built a rocket?”

“Heaven’s no. This was much different.” Tears were streaming down Elsa’s face. “He called it a transporter. I have no idea where it transported him to, but obviously he never found his way back.”

“Hector transported himself into space? How did he know where he was going to end up?”

“I don’t think he ever knew that. All I know is that every day since the day Hector left I’ve gone out to that garage to see where Hector is and why he hasn’t returned. It’s been such a difficult life, but being that Hector worked for the government, I’ve been able to manage on his pension and life insurance. I’ve never told anyone that he had that awful machine in the garage for fear that’d take that part of him from me.”

“But, Elsa.” Joey leaned in closer. All thought of his pain had gone. He had to know. “What happened to Victor?”

Elsa pulled a handkerchief from the pocket of her house dress and dabbed at the corners of her eyes.

“In seventy-two, I showed him where his father went.”

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