Kidnapped: Three Become One Part 2

By Thom Nichols

Three will become one and the one will confront the Dragon
Construction is underway on the new space resort but it doesn't look like K-bar is going to live long enough to see its completion. When the Nine reunite, the countdown to the dragon's escape begins. Helping with the kidnapping, K-bar is pulled in every direction as he prepares for his death and the battle ahead of him.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thom Nichols
• Release date: Dec 1, 2010
• ISBN: 9781452320700

Thom Nichols

Thom L. Nichols was born under a mountain in Mt. Shasta California. He grew up in Arizona, but has lived all over the United States. Starting out in the Marine Corps, he has had a multitude of jobs ranging from overnight security guard to UNIX Senior Specialist and everything in between. He married his wife of nineteen years (So far) two weeks after meeting her. He has three children and one granddaughter (So far). He has been writing since he was born, but always for fun. He wanted to get his degree in English so that he could become a writer, but with a family he decided to go the safe way and went into computers. Now that the kids are pretty much grown and moving out, he decided to follow his dream.

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Kidnapped – Three become One part II

Thom Nichols

Published by Thom Nichols at Smashwords

Copyright 2010 Thom Nichols

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Excerpt of the Book of Prophecy:

Excerpt from the chapter of the Wizard Nogar:

Nothing can contain the dragon indefinitely.

Upon his escape from the wasteland ‘Three will become one’.

The one will battle Nogar in single combat.

Quote from the lips of one of the victorious wizards at the end of the Great Wizard War:

K-bar, we must leave this world. Your wizard is trapped in the desert, but he will not remain incarcerated forever. When he is released, you are tasked to confront him. Live your life well until then, because you are the first of the three.

Excerpt of the Book of Prophecy:

Excerpt from the chapter of Prophecy:

(The only mention of the Nine)

Time begins creation and destruction when Nine reunite. Time counts down to One.

Part I

01. Kidnap

The New Lake was a magical place. Ly and Lord Duke spent the last nine months lying on its beaches and making love in the water. At times, they wished they would never have to leave. The temperature at the lake was always in the seventies. The water was crystal blue, cool, and never cold. The sand was smooth and golden brown. There weren’t any stones or litter or sea shells along the beach. It was paradise.

With a reluctant look back, Ly and Lord Duke gathered their children together. Lord Duke had rented a wagon at the bazaar. It was lucky the wagon dealer was there. So caught up in the excitement of having a baby, he didn’t prepare for the litter of children resulting from their stay at the lake. It was their reason for coming. It was the reason most people visited. Still, the joy and exhilaration of becoming a father was overwhelming. Somehow, the details just became lost along the way.

The magic of the New Lake was absolute. It was designed eons ago to help couples conceive and bear children. The magic began as soon as a couple stepped onto the sands of its shore. A single person could walk on the beach and swim in the water without anything happening. A couple, however, would begin transforming as soon as they stepped on the sand.

No matter their individual races, the lake would transform them into a nymph and a satyr. The nymph and satyr bodies made the act of conception physically possible for beings of races that would not otherwise be compatible. If a female fairy and a male unicorn fell in love and wanted a child, the act of conception wouldn’t be physically possible without the lake’s help. The fairy mother’s body also wouldn’t be able to carry the unborn child to term. The child could conceivably be larger than her womb or even her whole body.

The lake’s transformation factor also worked on the unborn baby. While in the womb, it took on the form of either a nymph or a satyr. When the new family left the lake after the birth, the child and parents were returned to their natural states. It was the magic that made cross species marriages possible.

The magic of the New Lake extended out into the forest, beyond the lake’s shores. But, its magic wasn’t constant. The fluctuating magic would extend out a mile into the west one day only to pull back all the way to the shoreline the next. This forced all expectant mothers to remain on the beach for the entire nine months of their pregnancies.

It was the husband’s responsibility to provide food and necessities for their wives during that time. The bazaar at the top of the hill was the best place to acquire food if you had the money. If not, the husbands were forced to travel out into the forest to hunt. Many an expectant father had died and became another’s dinner. Thus leaving the expectant mother to beg for food or risk entering the forest and exiting the lake’s magical influence.

Fortunately Lord Duke was able to survive the nine months of pregnancy, and provide for his wife. Ly gave birth to a litter of eight children and was eager to leave. Waiting a day for Ly to recover, Lord Duke took the time to visit the bazaar. Over the last few months, he had considered purchasing or renting a wagon to help them return to their village. It was obvious after a while that they were going to have multiple children. And, that meant that she would be weak after the birth. They would need something to help carry the children.

The proprietor of the wagon stand was a large minotaur. He had rough dark tan skin and long curled horns. He was very muscular and wore a long sword at his hip. Whenever he moved, it was constantly banging against his tuft ended tail. As Lord Duke approached, the minotaur was cajoling prospective customers like a circus barker.

How much to rent that one? Lord Duke asked. The magic of the New Lake allowed him to speak in the satyr form. It was hard to get used to, but it was much more convenient when Ly wasn’t around.

Turning away from the small crowd of satyrs he was trying to entice, the minotaur’s eyes landed on Lord Duke. He was pointing toward a simple covered wagon. For a second, Lord Duke thought he saw a flicker of magic in the salesman’s eyes. Lord Duke had heard of disreputable merchants using magic to try to mesmerize their customers into purchasing more than they actually needed.

However, he didn’t feel as if he were enchanted. He knew the merchant would try to upgrade his sale and he was not going to allow that to happen. Lord Duke looked into the minotaur’s eyes and held his ground firmly. Smiling widely, the merchant blinked and gazed toward the covered wagon. That is a fine piece of workmanship. The Minotaur said jumping down from the little stage and walked over to the wagon.

Slapping it on one of its four foot wheels, he continued. If you are looking to own a new vehicle that is sturdy and will last, this would be it. But, I can tell, your wife has just given birth to more than one, hasn’t she? You don’t want to bring her home in something like this. You want to show her that you appreciate all the work she’s just gone through. Wouldn’t your young wife really appreciate the two of you riding home in style? Don’t you think she’s worth something like that? He gestured to the other side of his tent where there were three other carriages. The first one looked like a nineteenth century hansom. The one behind it could have come directly out of a Cinderella movie. The carriage was round and the wheels were six feet tall. Lord Duke couldn’t see the third very well from where he was standing. It was partially behind the others, but he could see that it was huge.

I prefer the simple covered wagon. Lord Duke insisted. He turned away from the more expensive carriages and walked behind the wagon, sliding his hand down the rail.

Of course. The minotaur said following him. And, this model is one of our best sellers, especially if you are going to employ it after your journey home. It is a workhorse that can carry a payload of up to five hundred pounds.

I’m only looking to rent. Lord Duke said quickly.

Of course you are. The minotaur said smiling. There was something about his smile or his mannerisms that put Lord Duke on edge. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but he felt he had to be very careful. As the minotaur began listing the features of the wagon, Duke nearly decided against renting. It did sound like a good deal. He and Ly had just arrived from the regular world and he didn’t have a profession yet. Owning a wagon might not be a bad idea. If you’re sure you don’t want to upgrade, The minotaur continued holding out his hand. He could see the tempted look in Lord Duke’s eye. We can seal the deal. He said trying not to sound overanxious. He wanted Lord Duke to suggest the up sell.

Before we agree, Lord Duke wavered. He looked over the wagon once more. Running his hand over the railing again, he suddenly realized that once he transformed back to his natural form, he wouldn’t be able to drive a wagon. Maybe the minotaur had enchanted him. He felt he should walk away, but he also didn’t want Ly to have to exert herself getting back home. He needed a wagon. He found himself stalling. Then, he realized that he could still rent. He hadn’t said anything about buying yet. How will the rental work? After I arrive home, how long will I have before I have to return the wagon?

Surprised at the turnaround, the minotaur quickly recovered. That’s the best part. You don’t have to return it. Included in the rental price are a driver and a footman. After you return to your home, they will drive the wagon back. It is a service we provide so that you can begin your new life as a family man without having the burden of a wagon hanging over your head.

Lord Duke was impressed. All of his misgivings about the minotaur drifted out of his mind. That is quite a bargain. He expressed. But, wouldn’t it be more cost effective to only provide a driver. I mean we really don’t need a footman.

We provide both so they can alternate driving. The minotaur explained. The faster we get the wagon back, the faster we can re-rent or sell it.

Agreeing on the price the minotaur quoted, Lord Duke shook hands to seal the deal. The Minotaur called over and introduced Lord Duke to the driver and footman. The driver was a large centaur. The footman was an equally large griffin. Their names were Flot and Sig respectively. Not only were they going to drive the wagon, they was going to pull it.

After hooking Flot to the hitch, the minotaur made a commotion as they drove away. And there goes another satisfied customer. He barked loudly. Lord Duke was slightly embarrassed as everyone turned to watch him riding away. He absently glanced over at the minotaur. He was back on the small stage watching them exit. It could have been the light, but it looked like he was glaring at them darkly.

Anxious to get underway, Ly woke early in the morning. There were nymphs and satyrs everywhere on the beach, so they had to be extremely careful as they loaded the children. Lord Duke took care of that and helped his wife up. Settling her on a cushion, he arranged the children around her. He couldn’t help beaming. For a moment he wished he was back with Eddie. He would have taken a picture of them. Even without a camera, it was one of the proudest moments of his life. He would never forget it.

Although Ly rested with the sleeping children, she and her husband were watching them very carefully as the long ride began. They couldn’t wait until the wagon passed the field of magical influence. No matter how the children turned out, they would love them. But, it was still exciting imagining what they were going to look like. Suddenly, they could feel it happening. Lord Duke was on his feet. He held out his hand in front of him. The long fingers began to shrink. They became stubby and furry. The nails turned into claws. Quickly, he got down on all fours.

There was no pain or even any discomfort. As Lord Duke continued to change, he turned toward his wife and children. Ly’s transformation was just finishing. He caught one last smile before her nymph face vanished. What replaced it could not be called beautiful or even pretty. Three quarters of her head was covered by her real eyes. Her small mouth was tubular and stuck out in front of her. The hair on her face and head was short and thick and course.

As the large multicolored wings sprouted from Ly’s back, Lord Duke found his eyes rotating from one child to the other. They all shrank in size. The first two looked exactly like their mother. They were matchbook size butterflies with incredibly intricately designed wings. The next two were Duke’s doppelgangers. Both were reddish brown puppies with their eyes still closed and their furry skin wrinkled in folds.

The next two were a strange combination of both parents. They had the bodies and legs of their mother, but the heads and tails of their father. The seventh baby had the body of his father and the head of his mother. The last child had the head, body, and tail of her father and the huge gossamer wings of her mother.

Turning back to his wife, Lord Duke moved toward her. As he approached, she began to grow. As he reached her, she was twice his size. He snuggled up to her, rubbing his head against hers. Returned to his natural form of a Germen Sheppard, he was no longer able to talk, but Ly was proficient at the magic of telepathy. She could read his thoughts and emotions. She could tell he was beaming with pride. He loved her and she loved him.

After a moment of togetherness, Lord Duke looked toward the back of the wagon. Sig, the griffin was looking in. He nodded to them and jumped into the air. Curious, Lord Duke padded to the back and looked out through the opening in the tight white tarp covering. He saw the griffin flying high up into the sky. It looked like he was headed back to the New Lake, but he was sure that he was just circling them for security reasons.

Turning back to his wife, he nodded and then jumped out. It was a beautiful spring morning and the sun was shining brightly. Lord Duke sniffed the air and looked around. They were still in a portion of the forest that surrounded the New Lake, but they were headed north and would soon exit it. Lord Duke liked the forest, but he and his wife settled in a city on the plains. He much preferred the great open spaces.

Running up to the front of the wagon, he began pacing the centaur. Barking, he caught the centaur’s attention. A voice echoed through his head. It was Ly’s. She was translating his thoughts and projecting them into the centaur’s head. Where did Sig go? He asked. It looks like he is flying back to the New Lake.

He is guarding our rear. The centaur growled in common language. His voice was deep and horse. It sounded like he wasn’t in the habit of using it. Sometimes the satyrs attack families as they are leaving the New Lake. They usually make easy marks because they are so focused on their new children.

It made sense, but Lord Duke was very aware that the centaur Flot didn’t turn to look at him as he spoke. He kept his eyes focused straight ahead. It might be the paranoia of being a new father, but everything seemed a little suspicious. He was sure that he was just being overprotective. His concerns reached his wife and she told him that everything would be alright when they got home. Sighing, he trotted back to the rear of the wagon so that he could see them through the covering. The centaur’s answer did make sense, and he was glad that there was someone watching out for them even if the griffin was out of sight and flying. He didn’t even consider being attacked by the other satyrs. In fact, he had made quite a few friends while on the beach. Everyone was excited about becoming parents.

Jumping back into the wagon, he spent the rest of the day with his family. It was early evening when the centaur stopped for the night. Sig the griffin had returned during the day and patrolled the skies when he wasn’t walking beside them or perched on the back.

The centaur made a fire while Sig hunted. Lord Duke offered to assist him, but they told him to stay with his wife. Duke was grateful. Ly didn’t want to exit the wagon. Even though she slept most of the day, she was still very tired. He felt better not leaving her alone.

The dinner was very good. Even though the meat was just rotating over the fire, the centaur turned out to be a very good cook. He found some type of spice to put on it, and kept it over the fire the perfect amount of time to lock in the flavor. Lord Duke ate heartily and took a portion to Ly. She was asleep, so he left it with her for later.

Returning to the fire, Duke decided he should spend a little time with the escorts. After all, they were not only keeping them safe, they even provided dinner. If Lord Duke ever got back to the New Lake, he would have to compliment the minotaur on providing such a splendid operation.

Since Lord Duke couldn’t speak the common language, his vocal cords couldn’t make the proper sounds, he was forced to listen. Flot and Sig seemed to have worked together for a number of years. They were very comfortable amongst themselves and joked around playfully. They tried to include him in a game of chance, but Duke refused. He did watch them play for nearly an hour as they traded small amounts of gold back and forth.

Suddenly, there was a loud snapping sound in the field behind them. All three turned quickly around and stopped all noise. Lord Duke sniffed the air. There was nothing on the faint breeze. His eyes scanned the area. He didn’t see anything. Slowly, Sig lifted himself to his feet. He towered over Duke, but nodded for him to sweep around the right side while he investigated to the left.

Leaving the centaur on his belly, it would have been too hard for him to get up silently, Lord Duke made his way to the right. Keeping Sig in view, he made a wide arc around the area where the noise came from. Focusing all of his senses toward the field, Duke scanned the area again. There didn’t seem to be anyone there. He looked up. It was a clear night and they had left the forest far behind. He could see for miles. There wasn’t anything flying or creeping. Slowly, cautiously, Duke continued around until he met up with Sig.

Pointing with his beak toward the center of the small area of the field, he motioned for Lord Duke to advance. With the hackles of his neck bristling, Duke lowered himself to the ground and began to move stealthily forward. Whatever was out there wasn’t going to get past him. Constantly sniffing the air, Duke looked from side to side. There was a slight shifting of the tall grass coming from his right. Freezing, Lord Duke stared at the spot. There was something wrong.

Finally, it hit him. The breeze, as slight as it was, was coming from behind him. He turned to see Sig standing there. He had his wings spread as if he were about to jump into the air and pounce. He was looking at the same spot where the grass shifted. But, there was no scent. Duke couldn’t smell him anymore.

With wide eyes, Duke realized what was happening. Jumping backward at him, Lord Duke ran through the griffin that wasn’t really there. It was an illusion. Turning again, he bounded through the field toward the centaur. It only took him seconds. When he reached the half man half horse, he pounced.

Instead of ripping into centaur flesh, Lord Duke passed through the centaur’s body as if it wasn’t even there. One of the two of them was an illusionist. He was casting an illusion of them so that they could occupy Duke’s attention. Lord Duke assumed that it was the centaur when he passed through the griffin. Cursing himself, Duke bounded toward the wagon. He should have headed there first.

A scream of pain ripped through Lord Duke’s head. Falling from the lapse in equilibrium the scream created, Duke nearly passed out from the intensity of the stabbing pain. Trying to cover his head with his paws, Duke forced himself to his feet. He bounded forward as he tried to focus on and push away the cries from his hysterical wife. He shouted in his head for her to calm down. Her anguish was ripping his skull apart. He tried to get her to focus on what was happening so that he could help her.

An image of the griffin snatching all of their children from her appeared inside his head. Rage filled his whole body. He could see blood dripping down from Sig’s claws. Lord Duke’s magic forced itself to the surface. It outlined his body like an oversized exoskeleton made of magical light. It lifted him into the air so that the magical exoskeleton feet could touch the ground. Amplifying his natural strength, the magic propelled Duke forward twice as fast as he normally could run.

Rounding the corner of the wagon, he saw Ly struggling inside a series of thin ropes. She was tangling herself further as she tried to grow and shrink her body, frantic to escape. Lord Duke made an attempt to jump into the wagon to free her, but the voice in his mind stopped him. Ly was too frantic to speak intelligibly, but she managed to project an image of the griffin. He was in the air, trying to escape with the children.

Rounding on the direction Ly’s vision indicated, Lord Duke could only see the open sky. Opening his mouth, Duke uttered a single bark. His exoskeleton magic caught up the bark and amplified it a thousand fold. Like a sonic blast, the sound waves rippled through the air. Duke couldn’t see it, but he knew the griffin was knocked from the sky.

Forgetting about his eyes and using his other senses, Lord Duke bounded forward. The centaur might have enshrouded him in an illusion of invisibility, but he didn’t need his eyes to see. He could smell the griffin and could hear the thump as he fell into a small grassy patch. He could also see the trampled grass where he fell. Inside his head, he could still hear Ly screaming. She was desperate for the babies. It was all he could do to keep track of what he was doing. Pushing her emotions to the side, and focusing on his magic, Duke jumped up into the air.

The huge exoskeleton of magical light around him grew. Holding him up in the air, it mimicked his actions. As he moved his legs, the magical light moved with him. With its much larger size and power, Lord Duke was propelled through the air in seconds. He was instantly on top of Sig. The jaws of his magical exoskeleton, clamped down on the griffin. There was a horrible scream as the magical teeth sank deep into his body.

Ripping his head back and forth in the air, Lord Duke could see splatters of blood spraying back and forth as the magic mimicked his motions. Suddenly, all eight of the children were visible on the ground. He could also see the griffin. Not that it mattered at the moment, but he now assumed that Sig must have been the illusionist. Since he was unconscious, the magic faded. Breathing in deeply, Duke could tell that the children were really there and ok. Throwing the body of the griffin over his head, Duke canceled his magic and fell gently to the ground.

Collecting the little ones with his mouth, Lord Duke moved them into a small circle that he could defend. He didn’t know where the centaur was but there was no way that he was going to let them near his pups. Suddenly, he began to cough. He couldn’t seem to catch his breath. He tried to move, but his body was wracked in pain. It wasn’t pain like an attack. He couldn’t feel someone punching or kicking him. It was pain from inside. It felt like his stomach was flipping over and twisting inside out. He opened his mouth to vomit, but nothing came out. It was the meat he ate for dinner. One of them poisoned it. The adrenalin from the battle must have enhanced the poison. He could feel his legs tightening. His skin seemed to shrink around his ribs and he fell over next to the nest of his children.

Help me! Sig cried with a squawking voice. Lord Duke was barely conscious, but he focused on the words. He could barely understand them, but the hatred he was feeling toward the voice’s owner kept him conscious. Flot, hurry. I’m hurt bad!

All illusions were gone. Duke could see the griffin. He wasn’t invisible. The centaur crept carefully from behind the wagon. He could hear Ly struggling inside. She didn’t eat. Flot whispered. She’s still trying to escape. I’ll get the kids and that one. I’ll send someone back to get you.

No! Sig screeched. She’s one of the Nine. She’ll kill me if she escapes. She’s still trapped. You can do it, take her out and you can bring me inside the wagon.

Shaking his head, Flot crept along the side of the wagon. Stopping at the rear, he took a deep breath. He could still hear the butterfly struggling inside. She was thrashing from side to side trying to escape from the bindings. They were lucky they had picked up the magical rope before they headed out. Flot was concerned enough about going up against a telepath. Cavalier assured them that she wouldn’t be up to full strength because of the birthing.

As quietly as he could, the centaur eased his head around the corner. Taking a deep breath, he peered into the back of the covered wagon. Ly was tangled. One of her wings had squeezed between the ropes and was flapping violently. The other was trapped against her side. Every time she grew or shrank, the rope would constrict or expand with her. But, they wouldn’t loosen. They also wouldn’t stretch beyond a certain point. Ly couldn’t grow big enough to break free of them. Every time she tried, they became as hard as steel.

Smiling, the centaur reached into his saddlebag. It looked more like a fanny pack than a saddlebag, but it did have two pouches on either side. Pulling out a dagger sheathed to the side of the left bag, Flot moved from the side to the back. With her squirming around like that, she wouldn’t know what hit her.

Pulling back the knife, the centaur aimed and threw. The dagger was right on target. It flipped head over heel once until the blade was pointed directly at Ly’s head. Suddenly, she stopped struggling. She was still trapped, but she wasn’t panicking anymore. Calling up all of her magical energy, she telekinetically stopped the knife in midair. It was only inches from her hairy face.

An expression of surprise flashed across the centaur’s face. In that split second, he knew that she planned this. She knew that Lord Duke had saved her kids from Sig. They had some type of magical rapport between them. He might have even been guiding her struggles until he was close enough for her to attack him. It didn’t matter if she was trapped in the ropes. When her husband recovered from the drug, he would rescue her. Flot suddenly realized that he was now the only obstacle in her way. With wide eyes, he tried to jump back.

Like a rocket, the dagger was flung back the way it came. In a panic to get away, Flot tried to turn his body. The only way to do that was to rear back onto his hind legs and twist. The dagger caught him in the lower equine part of his body just behind the left foreleg. The pain was incredible. Falling backward, the centaur rolled completely over like a dog to get out of the butterfly’s view.

Trying to focus on his magic, Flot grabbed his leg. He tried to pull the dagger out, but it hurt too much to even touch the hilt. He wasn’t the illusionist Sig was, but he was learning. He created a feeble illusion of himself galloping away. Ly wasn’t fooled. She could hear his thoughts. She began projecting images inside his head. The images were violent acts of revenge she and her husband were going to visit upon him. Flot began to scream.

Struggling to his feet, the centaur was desperate. He grabbed the dagger and pulled. Splattering blood, he screamed again. The griffin Sig could see that his eyes were unfocused and he was about to flee. The griffin had begun dragging himself toward the centaur, but he stopped. If Flot ran, he would die. If his wounds didn’t kill him, the two members of the Nine would. He didn’t know how much longer the drug would hold Lord Duke down, but even if it were hours, he couldn’t crawl away far enough to escape.

Desperately, he squawked. If we don’t bring him something, Cavalier will kill us! Whatever the butterfly was doing to Flot, Sig was hoping that his fear of Cavalier would shock him out of his panic. It worked. The centaur looked down at him. I have one of the children. The griffin lied. It was getting harder and harder for him to speak. He was losing a lot of blood. But, he forced himself to continue. His life depended on it. Pick me up and we’ll escape together. We can bring him one of them.

There was no conscious decision on Flot’s part. His eyes were wide and his pupils as small as a pinhead. Sig was sure that he couldn’t even feel the pain from his wound anymore. He began galloping toward the crippled griffin. With one arm, Flot reached down. It took all of Sig’s reserve to raise one of his legs. Flot grasped it, mid stride and flung him over his shoulder onto his back. To Sig’s amazement, he was galloping directly down the path toward the nest Lord Duke made for his litter.

Sig was using all of his strength to hang on. He didn’t want to do it, but the opportunity was right there. If he missed, they would deal with the consequences. At least he would be alive. But, if he made it, Cavalier might even magically heal him. He couldn’t spare any of his paws, so he cupped his wing. Extending it down, Sig scooped at the nest. There was a small weight as he pulled it up.

Looking down, he saw one of the puppies. It was the one that looked like a dog with the butterfly wings. It was cradled in the cusp of his wing. Pulling it carefully toward his body, Sig tucked it under him. He couldn’t let it fall now. Closing his eyes, and keeping his chin over the puppy, he let unconsciousness overtake him.

02. P.I.N.S.

Living at the White House was amazing, and a little bit funny. During the first week of his Presidency, K-bar was forced to invite the press into his new home. Since he wasn’t married to Melody, he had to provide her with her own room. The President of the United States couldn’t live with a woman in the White House out of wedlock. They made a point to use the bedrooms at different sides of the residential area.

The press hounded them to set a date for their pending nuptials. But, there really wasn’t much time to think about marriage. K-bar and Vice President Brown were six months into the construction of the space resort and Melody had gone back to school to finish her law degree. She couldn’t continue to attend the University of San Diego. There was just no way she was going to fly across country every day to attend school on the west coast. So, she transferred her credits to Georgetown. She received full scholarships from dozens of schools and she was tempted to go to Harvard, but Georgetown was so close.

Lying on her bed upside-down, Melody was reading a book that was thicker than it was tall. Her head was hanging off the bed and the book was propped against the floor. Many textbooks were available on wireless reading devices like Kindle and IPad, but law texts still hadn’t managed to catch up to progress. She was wearing a pair of red shorts and a Denver Bronco’s jersey. She had fiery red long curly hair, long legs, and glassy light blue eyes. Melody had just entered her twenties.

The President of the United States was required to be at least thirty five years old. Neither K-bar nor Melody was twenty five yet, so they had to pretend to be older. K-bar wore a salt and pepper wig and makeup to advance his age. Melody refused flat out to try making herself look older. If anyone would ask how she looked so young, she would gush and thank them for their kindness. They agreed to tell everyone that she was twenty eight. A seven year difference wasn’t that unusual for a couple and it didn’t make K-bar look like he was robbing the cradle.

Pulling herself up, Melody placed the open book on her pillow and closed her eyes. In whispered voices, she repeated what she had read, trying to memorize the dry text. I am sorry to disturb you. A deep voice said from the window side of the room.

Startled, Melody jumped up. Refraining from screaming, she pulled the huge textbook over her head and threatened to throw it at the tall man standing only feet from her. The Secret Service agents assigned to her weren’t allowed into her private residence after she settled in, but they were stationed outside of the door. If she had screamed, they would have rushed inside to protect her. She had learned early on not to react to unexpected things like people appearing in her room. Melody and K-bar led an interesting, but irregular life, even for a President and a First Lady Presumptive. She couldn’t afford to have the Secret Service learn their secrets. K-bar was sure that they would keep the secrets, but it was better not to take any chances. Too many people already knew about them.

Luckily, Melody recognized the intruder, or actually intruders. The man was a fiftyish Native American. He was dressed in jeans and a long sleeve white shirt that was open at the top. He had a shaved head and a strong grim looking face. His eyes were brown and narrowed into a permanent squint. He had a square jaw and his mouth looked like it forgot how to smile. Sighing and clutching her chest, Melody lowered the book. It was so thick that she didn’t think she could have heaved it at him with any accuracy anyway. Jake, She smiled. You startled me. How are you?

Stepping down from the bed, Melody closed the distance between them. She dropped the textbook on the bed as she opened her arms for a hug. Tanta expresses her greetings. Jake said as he squeezed her tightly.

Looking up over Jake’s head, Melody smiled and said. Hi Tanta, I hope you’re well. How is it living out in space? Are you getting enough sunlight? She reached up and touched one of Tanta’s leaves. As if in response to Melody’s voice, the flower growing out of Jake’s head burst into flames. Melody knew that it wasn’t her voice. Tanta’s natural state was to be engulfed in fire. But, for a reason no one has been able to explain to her, whenever Jake teleported her flames were snuffed out.

Tanta was a rose. Her bud and pedals were blood red in color and she had two bright green leaves on her stem. Her roots looked like they were just under Jake’s skin. Melody could see the bulging outlines that looked like veins under his tanned scalp. But, she knew that they extended all the way into his brain. Jake and Tanta were one of those married couples that were an unlikely match. They hadn’t tried going to the New Lake yet, but one day they would like to have children.

She says that it is quite a different world out there and it is hard to get used to. Jake translated for his wife. But, she is thriving. We make a point to return to Earth as frequently as we can so that she can store up sunlight.

That’s great. Melody smiled. She ushered him toward a chair and sat down on the corner of her bed. I guess you’re here to see K-bar. He’s in a meeting with the Russian President right now. Do you think I need to interrupt him?

There are a few pressing problems I would like to talk over with him. Jake said tilting his head to the side slightly. But, they aren’t urgent. I can wait until he is free.

Well, can I get you something? Melody offered. Are you hungry, thirsty?

Actually, I think we should get back. Jake said standing back up. I just wanted to know if you would relay a message to K-bar. If you could ask him to meet us on the platform, I would appreciate it.

Oh, ok. Melody said standing with him. Are you sure you can’t stay?

Yes. Jake said. His facial expression hadn’t changed since he arrived. I was only able to slip away for a few minutes. I have to get back to work. Taking a few backwards steps, Jake lifted his hand as if to wave goodbye. Before Melody could articulate her farewell, Jake disappeared. It was like blinking. One second he was there and the next he was gone. Melody let slip a tiny gasp and then shook her head. Jake was a nice enough person. But, she equated talking to him as to talking to a mannequin. Still, he was K-bar’s friend. Actually, he was more like an uncle to K-bar. He was older and someone K-bar looked up to. While in high school, Mr. Jake Smith was his English teacher. With the exception of Troy or the guys, Jake was probably K-bar’s closest confidant. He always gave K-bar sound advice on whatever subject was bothering him.

Speaking of the guys. Melody said as the door opened without a knock. Two Marines entered. They shouldn’t have been able to get into her apartment much less the bedroom, but neither of them had ever had problems slipping past the Secret Service. She was sure that they bribed them somehow.

Crap! Robin shouted. She’s not naked. He walked over to her bed and flopped down. How many times do I have to tell you that you are supposed to be just getting out of the shower when we come to visit? Both Marines were wearing their class A uniforms. Robin kicked off his dress shoes and pulled the pillow up under his head.

Tacho, a dark swarthy handsome Marine, went straight to the desk by the window. He was Jake’s complete opposite as facial expressions went. Whereas Jake was solemn, Tacho was always smiling. Placing three glasses down, he began pouring from a bottle he was carrying. Looking over his shoulder, he asked. Who were you speaking to about us?

No one. Melody said. She picked up the textbook from her bed and dropped it on Robin who had closed his eyes and pulled her comforter up over him.

Hey! Robin cried as the heavy book slammed into his stomach. He threw his legs off of the bed and noticed Tacho pouring drinks. Now that’s the idea. He said jumping up and sliding over in his socks.

What do you guys want? Melody said shaking her head. I need to get some studying done. I have a test at the end of the week.

We’re very upset. Robin said lifting his drink. We were down in the gym talking to Julie and Brown, and they told us that you fixed Penguin up with one of your college girlfriends.

Taking two of the glasses, Tacho handed one to Melody and he made his way out of the bedroom. Grabbing Robin by the shoulders, Melody nearly made him spill his drink as she pushed him after his cohort. As she closed the bedroom door behind her, Melody took a sip of her drink and joined Tacho in the sitting area. Robin was already rummaging through the cabinets in the kitchenette. I introduced Penguin to my friend Sonya because he’s a nice guy.

We’re not nice? Tacho said pretending to be insulted.

You’re practically engaged. Melody narrowed her eyes at him.

I’m not. Robin shouted from the kitchenette. I broke up with Sylvia two days ago.

Yes, Melody said shaking her head. But, you go through girls like candy.

I haven’t gone through Candy yet. Robin said through a mouthful of potato chips. He leaned up against the sofa. Is she one of your girlfriends from school?

Rolling her eyes, Melody threw back the rest of her drink and held the glass out to Tacho. Before he could fill it, there was a quick nock on the door. No one had a chance to say anything when the door opened. A Secret Service agent held the door open and K-bar walked in. He was followed by his Chief of Staff and a retinue of nearly ten people.

Turning around in the doorway, K-bar held up a hand stopping them all from entering. I’ll need a few minutes. He said. Before any of them could object, K-bar glanced at the Secret Service agent. He pulled the door closed. Sighing and letting his head fall back, K-bar took a few seconds before he turned around. Tough day at the office, hon? Robin said mockingly. Growling deep in his throat, K-bar glared at his friend and then strode forward. He took the drink from Melody and took a healthy sip. I told you that you shouldn’t have become President. He said shaking his head and throwing more chips into his mouth.

Yeah, Tacho said. We haven’t been to the beach in like six months. Well, at least you haven’t gone with us to the beach.

Loosening his tie, K-bar sighed. He leaned up against the sofa and Melody turned around onto her knees so that she could wrap her arms around him. Who would have thought that being the President was going to be this much work? She said. Maybe we could take a few days off this weekend and do something?

I might have to fly over to Russia. K-bar said as he nuzzled up to her cheek. Their President has been struggling with their economy and our plans to move away from oil have the rest of the world terrified that the OPEC nations will double the price per barrel as soon as we stop buying completely. The Russians can’t afford for that to happen. They’re demanding the technological advancements we’ll be implementing later on this year.

Why don’t you just give it to them? Melody asked. You’re planning on doing it eventually.

I don’t want to talk about politics. K-bar stepped away from his girlfriend and turned around so that he could see her. What were you saying about going away for the weekend?

Before we make any plans, Melody half smiled. Jake stopped by.

What did carrot head want? Robin laughed.

He just wanted you to contact him when you get a chance. Melody shook her head and tuned back to K-bar.

There hasn’t been another accident, has there? K-bar asked quickly.

No. Melody shook her head. He didn’t say anything like that.

Swearing, K-bar turned away from Melody. P.I.N.S. He said to the air.

Immediately, a holographic woman appeared. She had her dark hair pulled up in a knot at the back of her head and she was wearing glasses. She had on a dark blue business suite with a skirt that just covered her knees. She was carrying a legal pad in one hand and a pen in the other. Yes Mr. President. What can I do for you Mr. President?

To start with, you can stop calling me that. K-bar growled. I need you to pick me up. I need to go to the resort.

Would you like me to arrange for a duplicate? The holographic woman, P.I.N.S. said.

Oh no! Robin spat out a mouthful of chips. I’m not pretending to be the President again.

Sorry bud. K-bar smiled. This could be important. K-bar nodded to the hologram.

As P.I.N.S. folded her arms across her chest, her clothing changed. The legal pad and pen disappeared and the knot on her head began to grow. The blue business suit changed from a dark blue to a multitude of bright colors as it became an exact replica of the costume Barbara Eden wore in the 1965 ‘I Dream of Jeannie’ television show. Her dark hair turned blonde and the knot turned into a long ponytail. Smiling, she blinked her eyes and nodded her head.

A new hologram appeared. It was an exact replica of K-bar and it was covering Robin. Come on! Robin complained. Why can’t Tacho be the President this time? I hate being the President.

I won’t be too long. K-bar laughed.

What about the Russian President? Melody asked.

I’ll postpone the afternoon meeting. K-bar said. He turned to Robin. Just go to my room and spend the afternoon there. I’ll tell everyone that I ate something that didn’t agree with me.

I’ll meet you at the usual place. P.I.N.S. said as she disappeared.

Robin, take off your clothes. K-bar said as he took the bag of chips from his buddy.

What? Robin gasped.

Come on, I need your uniform. K-bar explained as he pulled off his tie. We have to get you to my residence and I need to sneak out with Tacho.

This sucks. Robin said, but he began taking off his tie. He turned to Melody. Excuse me.

What’s wrong? Melody smiled. You’re not getting bashful are you?

Turning right toward her, Robin started unbuttoning his Class A uniform shirt. When he opened it, no one could see because the hologram was still covering him. It moved in relation to his every movement so it looked like he was wearing the same suit K-bar was taking off.

After changing clothing, Robin held his stomach and pretended he was sick as they left Melody’s rooms. They all walked Robin to K-bar’s section before anyone could begin talking to him or asking him questions. K-bar made a quick call to his Chief of Staff and then he called Julie. It took her three minutes to arrive. Julie was one of the Marines in K-bar’s old platoon. He had all of them reassigned to the White House when he took office. Their official position was embassy duty guards even though they weren’t stationed at an embassy. They didn’t report to the Secret Service or the small army of troops stationed at the White House. They reported directly to K-bar and they had unrestricted access to Sixteen Hundred Pennsylvania Avenue.

As soon as Julie entered K-bar’s rooms, a hologram dropped down on her making her look exactly like Melody. Robin tried to make the clothes exchange more interesting by telling Julie she didn’t have to put on Melody’s clothing. The hologram covered her up. But, she thought a gut check was much more appropriate.

With their covers pulled low over their foreheads, K-bar and Melody made their way out the door. Tacho exited right after them to distract any Secret Service agents that looked too closely at the disguises. The couple made their way through the White House to the exit. They had avoided the valet and snuck off on foot. They couldn’t leave the property without going through several checkpoints, so K-bar prearranged a meeting place for P.I.N.S. to always pick them up.

There was no noise as P.I.N.S. landed. K-bar and Melody wouldn’t know that she had arrived if the signal on K-bar’s watch didn’t beep at them. P.I.N.S. was perfectly cloaked so that she appeared completely invisible. There were cameras all over the White House property. As K-bar and Melody reached their hands out so that they could feel their way, P.I.N.S. remotely placed the cameras on a continuous loop so that their picture didn’t show up.

Finding the door, K-bar opened it. Like a rip in the fabric of space, the inside of P.I.N.S. became visible. It seemed very bright at first. They could see what looked like a regular steering wheel and a van seat. K-bar offered his hand to Melody. She took it and he helped her up into the driver’s side. She scooted over so that he could enter.

As K-bar climbed aboard and shut the door, they both herd the familiar hissing sound of the door becoming hermetically sealed. Melody stood up and passed between the seats. Following her, K-bar passed through a doorway and entered a huge hallway. The hologram of P.I.N.S. was waiting for them. She was now dressed in an astronaut’s spacesuit. We will arrive in seven minutes. She said. K-bar looked behind him. Through the doorway, he could see the windshield. The ground was already falling away as they took to the air.

The P.I.N.S. ship looked like a van from the outside. The inside was built with pocket dimensions which made it seem much bigger. A pocket dimension was a contained piece of space located outside of the P.I.N.S. vehicle that was only accessible using doorways located inside the vehicle. K-bar hid these pockets of space inside a hollowed out section of the moon.

Does Jake know that we’re on our way? K-bar asked as they started moving again. The hallway was the main artery that ran through the ship. Nearly all of the rooms branched off from it. It was decorated very sparsely. The walls and ceiling were a dull chalk white. The floors were tiled with grey and black alternating segments. Between every doorway was a small table with a square glass display case sitting on it. Inside the displays were carved images. Each depicted a being from a different race. K-bar had P.I.N.S. make one after meeting someone from a different planet. There weren’t any other decorations along the hallway, not even windows. The entire vessel was designed to look more like a house than a space ship. All of the doors and windows had frames and none of the walls looked like they were made of steel.

I signaled him as soon as we took off. The hologram P.I.N.S. said.

Great. K-bar said. He took Melody’s hand and led her to their stateroom. It was enormous. There was a bed in the very center. A nightstand and then a large walk in closet were positioned on each side of it, one for each of them. Before Melody took charge in decorating it, there was only a chest of drawers a dresser and a TV. Now there were mirrors and a vanity and a sitting room set and a trunk at the foot of the bed and pillows and even a window. The bathroom wasn’t equally as big, but it was huge.

Stepping up to the nightstand on her side of the bed, Melody picked up a pair of white elbow length gloves. Before she could turn around, P.I.N.S. appeared beside her. Melody, hi, I didn’t know you were here.

Placing the gloves on, Melody began moving her fingers as they would relate to a keyboard. She typed out the words. Hi P.I.N.S. It’s nice to see you.

It would be nice to see you too. P.I.N.S. sighed. Unless Melody was wearing the gloves, P.I.N.S. couldn’t tell that she was there. At a young age, Melody was introduced to a type of magic that prevented her from being detected by anything mechanical. Her image couldn’t be captured in a picture. Her voice couldn’t be recorded. A scale wouldn’t pick up her weight. And, P.I.N.S. couldn’t see her with any of her sensors.

To overcome Melody’s mechanical problem, K-bar had P.I.N.S. create a pair of gloves. The gloves were constantly under surveillance by P.I.N.S. Since they were cloth and not mechanical, P.I.N.S. could detect when they were moved and where they were at all times. In order for Melody to communicate with P.I.N.S. she has to pretend that she was at a keyboard and type her messages. P.I.N.S. read the movement of the glove fingers to ‘hear’ her.

It was a difficult and strained relationship between Melody and P.I.N.S. at the best of times, but it helped her save K-bar’s life a few months back. Melody had been working on a countering type of magic, but it wasn’t as powerful. Since the original magic was working on her for years, it was much more powerful than the counteracting magic. She had only been able to halt the original magic for a few minutes at a time. When K-bar became President, it was necessary for her to be photographed with him. So, P.I.N.S. had to create a hologram of Melody to wrap around her whenever she went out in public so that the cameras would work.

Come on and get dressed. K-bar said. We’re almost there. He disappeared into the closet on his side of the bed and came out a minute later wearing what looked like a racecar jumpsuit. It was white with a streak of silver and blue running up one arm and down one leg. It had gloves and boots built into it. Melody came out of her closet a few seconds later. Her jumpsuit was nearly the same except hers was backless. Whereas K-bar zipped his all the way up to the neckline, Melody only zipped hers three quarters of the way up.

As Melody was wrinkling up a small piece of paper that was in the shape of a bumper sticker, K-bar said. I don’t think we’re staying very long. He pointed behind Melody. There was a set of huge white wings extending out of her back. She stretched them out and the wingspan was larger than the length of the large bed. She looked over her shoulder as she flapped them several times.

I know. Melody said turning back to him. But, I think I’m going to stay aboard P.I.N.S. for a little while. I can’t concentrate back at the White House. I’m going to do a little studying, and I might as well be comfortable. In order to make Melody look more normal, K-bar designed a small pocket dimension. It was only the size of a wall locker and it was located onboard P.I.N.S. The doorway to the pocket was designed in the shape of the bumper sticker to fit on top of her back so that her wings fit comfortably inside.

Taking her hand, K-bar led Melody back out into the hallway. They had to go down a flight of stairs to get to the docking bay. The banister on the staircase was also a carved piece of wood. It was much larger than the average sized handrail. It varied between thirty to fifty inches in width depending on what was carved all the way down.

Inside the docking bay were rows and rows of shuttles and one-man fighter ships. There were thousands. There were so many, it looked like an invasion fleet. Past the smaller ships were rows of much larger ships and beyond them were millions and millions of parts. Between the ships were small robots. They were performing tune-ups and repairs. Turning away from the ships, K-bar looked at the docking door. It was a wall sized entrance that seemed to open up into empty space. Hurrying down the stairs, the two of them approached the massive void. They could see the resort through it.

The resort was already enormous. It was the reason K-bar was elected President of the United States. He campaigned that the government shouldn’t extort taxes from its citizens. It should be responsible for generating the money needed to keep the government and the country running. To accomplish this, he invoked the Declaration of Independence. It stated that if the reigning government wasn’t working for the people, they could throw it out and rewrite it. K-bar proposed to keep most of it, but to add a section so that a new branch could be added. Instead of just having the Judicial, legislative and executive branches, a financial branch would be included. The government itself would be allowed to own a business and that business would provide for the country.

There was only one business that could possibly generate that much cash flow to take the place of taxation and it was entertainment. By selling the naming rights to each building, golf course, hotel, nightclub, park, etc… K-bar had major corporations pay for the construction of the space resort. Charging patrons a million dollars for a week’s stay, K-bar sold out the twenty thousand room occupancy for the first three years.

Scheduled for completion in two years, the resort would have two sides. The main platform would be one mile wide and three miles in length. The top would be for guests. Everything from a space themed rollercoaster park to casinos to event stadium to a zoo would be available. The bottom would be for workers. There would be apartments, supermarkets, schools, and department stores to draw families that would be willing to commit to long employment periods. The platform would rotate to simulate gravity so both sides would have equal views of the Earth and outer space. Using force field technology, the whole thing would be encased against the rigors of space.

After six months of round the clock construction, the base platform was nearly completed. The only structure on the platform was the worker’s barracks. It housed six hundred construction workers that signed on for two month tours. They worked seven day weeks on eight hour shifts. After the two months of straight working, they would be rotated back to Earth where they would spend a month off with pay before either rotating back or ending their employment.

As they watched the platform come closer and closer, they could see people walking on the surface with space suits. Most of the two hundred construction workers on this shift were inside completing the platform. The ones on the outside were probably foremen or engineers going over the blueprints. They were scheduled to