The Veranda - To Hide in Plain Sight

By Scott C. Anderson

Written for all ages. A desperate alien people known as the Florek have found a world that allows them the ability to rest and recuperate. A young man and his mother, a physician, a scientist, and a government official will assist these diminutive aliens in their search for a medical cure. Deciding to assist with a hospital resort off the coast of Santa Barbara, these earth humans will assist the Florek in their ability to use our "conditioned" atmosphere to their benefit. The cooperation between the two races will give us, the humans of earth, a powerful ally to ward off an invasion by a warring offworld race. Research will lead to discoveries of our distant past while our personal touch will give an offworld people the ability to live a better life. A young man will make the most difficult decision of his career while his mentor, a distinguished scientist, will accompany him on this journey of a lifetime.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: May 6, 2013
• ISBN: 9781304014528

Book preview

The Veranda - To Hide in Plain Sight

The Veranda – To Hide in Plain Sight

By Scott C. Anderson

This is a book of fiction. Characters, places, names, theories, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to persons, alive or dead, along with their events or locations is purely coincidental.

Disclaimer:  These stories are written in a conversational style.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher.

Second Edition

© 2013, 2015 by Scott C. Anderson. All rights reserved.

ISBN 978-1-304-01452-8

From a Distance

Angela Belmont sat on the broad veranda of her hospital and watched as the waves, birds, and boats glided by on the Pacific Ocean.  The summer day was crisp and clear, the breeze warm but slight, and the sun was just beginning to dip towards the horizon.  Today seemed like any other day, except that now she decided to count her blessings. 

It had been four years since she had signed on with Outland Services as a Registered Nurse.  She never regretted this decision.  Her current position as Hospital Administrator fit her well as she had the temperament to wear so many hats at once.  Steven, her second husband, had recently been discharged from the Marine Corps and was ready for the couple to settle down after years of travel.  Many men would have balked at the idea of life on an island, but the man she married stood by her.  He held the position of Director of Security and Inpatient Registration.  He loved her very simply, without complication, as if she were someone to lean on in the coming years.  In reality this was a good decision. 

As the last of the patients returned to their rooms or to the large reading area, Angela sat alone with her thoughts.  With an unhappy childhood and a failed first marriage, she felt that it was about time to sit back and enjoy life.  Her success and career, without the constant criticisms of her earlier childhood or the uncaring man she so easily walked away from, was now filled with love and support from her second husband.  Glancing into the main dayroom she noticed Steven helping one of the new patients into a comfortable chair for an evening of resting and reading. 

Amazingly, one of the most successful treatments turned out to be the simple act of reading.  The new offworld folks seemed to enjoy trudging through the English language.  In the main library, the variety of books, mainly classics, were found to be fascinating as they read from shelf to shelf.  Books were now a hot commodity and stories that Angela grew up with, and had taken for granted, were now the most sought after exercise by the new people.

The Veranda had been named solely due to its location.  Situated on the Santa Cruz Island off the coast of California, the lush, green and uninhabited stretch of land had been turned into a rest and rehabilitation resort for a people known as the Florek.  For the past three or four hundred years, the people of a far distant star system traveled to the third planet from our sun to rest and enjoy the benefits of this location and the effects our sun provided.  Gravity and filtered radiation, apparently the type that met their physical requirements, allowed a weak to near death Florek citizen the opportunity to rest and absorb the sun’s healing rays.  These treatments were so effective that, after a few months, the average patient could return to their distant planet and resume activities for another hundred years in near perfect health. 

Earlier attempts at temporary colonization had been disastrous to the slight Florek people.  Reasons were various but the Florek standard approach was to try to build or create a resort without notifying the location population.

This all changed at 2:30 a.m. on October 2, 2018.  On a very quiet Tuesday in San Diego, California, a small Florek craft descended near the University of California at San Diego.  Landing next to a construction site in the dead of night, the craft drew little attention, save for Tom Lender the lone security guard.  Looking more as a possible source of vandalism, Tom noticed that the small craft appeared to be something from a movie set.  Understanding that this had the possibilities of becoming his first alien encounter, Tom kept an open mind as he approached the egg shaped stainless-steel looking ship.  His mother had recently purchased the complete episodes of My Favorite Martian and Tom had fully expected to see Ray Walston step from the craft. 

The side pressure door opened in two sections.  The top part slid out and rolled up on massive hinges, as the lower door rolled down containing a built-in stairway.  Tom found these first images to be very similar to an old television show.  Dressed in light grey jumpsuits, the travelers appeared to be the same as any other human, only in a tighter more compact stature.  The two offworld travelers awkwardly talked with Tom and worked out the language barriers fairly quickly, as though this type of communication came easy to both human and alien.  A decision was made due to the nearby construction.  The area was empty now, but this part of the school would be covered with construction workers by morning.  The two Florek felt comfortable with Tom and re-entered the ship to change location.  Following Tom’s small car, the ship moved five miles away to Tom’s backyard.  Tom had a hard time seeing the craft, as it remained cloaked during the short trip. 

Since his recent discharge from the Navy, Tom decided to move in and live with his mother while waiting for his next set of classes to start.  He decided to work locally and prepare for the new school year. 

Claire Lender had been accustomed to her son bringing home guests from time to time, but this was something she could talk about for years to come.  She easily dismissed their introduction as alien until Tom walked her, pulling her hand all the way, to the backyard and the cloaked spacecraft.  It took a few minutes of touching, talking, and then final acceptance, but she eventually realized that she was now involved with her son’s alien encounter. 

Buying into the excitement, Claire was not the least bit tired.  Deciding to stay up until morning seemed appropriate and needed, so she introduced herself to their visitors and set out to make the couple as comfortable as possible.  The discussions took her by surprise as the pair seemed to easily understand and use English.  Claire had the same trouble pronouncing their names and referred to the male as Tappen and the female as Serrat.  Apparently the couple wanted to negotiate for a resort or hospital of sorts for the benefit of the Florek people. 

Tom felt that he was taking the discussions all too easily.  Later in the day, he and his mother would talk about how comfortable they had become, just conversing about the forthcoming negotiations between an unnamed representative from earth, and their polite and pleasant guests from another world. 

Serrat wanted to start their talks with someone in the scientific field, preferably associated with a center of learning.  The pair seemed to feel this type of human, who was also accepting of their intrusion, could start negotiations as soon as possible and be supportive of their needs.  Both Tom and Claire noticed that the attitude of the couple was neither aggressive nor demanding and soon grew relaxed at the straightforward way they presented their proposal. 

Claire had worked for almost fifteen years at a local bank branch that was very close to the university.  She knew many people in the science and engineering departments simply through banking contact over the years.  At 8:00 a.m., she called her bank manager and arranged for a personal day off.  While she had her boss on the phone, Claire asked for several contact numbers.  She thought to herself how calm and cool she was during the phone calls and conversations with her co-workers and friends. 

Tom had turned on the television and the two offworlders watched in fascination.  An old I Love Lucy episode was most of the way through the program when Ethel, who had been caught up in one of Lucy’s antics, said under her breath, I ought to be used to this sort of thing by now.  Standing near, Claire added with phone in hand, That’s the truth sister. 

Sitting in her office, Dr. Connie Rappa, Ph.D., slowly drew a blank piece of paper from the stack near the copy machine and made two lines to start a list.  On the left heading she wrote the word Stay and on the right side she wrote Go.   She drew a line down the middle separating the two columns.  It took almost a year and a half but Connie had finally divorced what she thought was the most worthless man in the world.  They had no children, so the breakup could and should have been amiable.  Unfortunately, Connie chose a man she could put through law school, assist and support through his first years of struggle, and then sit by and watch him find the woman he could spend the rest of his life. 

As a corporate attorney, Mike Rappa rose quickly through his firm and easily outpaced his first wife.  He nearly doubled her income after their 5th wedding anniversary.  As Connie read through a particularly difficult and complex student paper dealing with the optical wavelengths of proteins, which one of her students had asked her to proofread, the divorce papers arrived.  Served by a scrawny little weasel, Connie took the papers and even thanked the ugly little man, which at first took him by surprise.  The little weasel had witnessed almost every reaction through the years, and he took this as yet another relieved wife scraping a useless man of her shoe, or more appropriately, off her pump.  She scanned through the unimportant parts and got to the meat of things.  All she had to do was send him a check, through his attorney, for forty thousand dollars, half equity in their townhouse, and the house would be hers with no further contact from him.  She reached for her checkbook. 

The phone rang halfway through today’s stay or go list.  Claire Lender had been a good casual friend through the years and, being roughly the same age, spoke candidly to the banker about different financial decisions as they arose.  At first Connie didn’t believe what she was hearing, but Claire finally made the simple request to come to her home as soon as possible and that it would definitely be worth her while.  Intrigued and curious, Dr. Rappa reached for her purse, placed the list in her desk drawer, and walked out the door.  Passing one of her colleagues in the hall, Connie didn’t turn at their call; she calmly walked out the side door to the parking lot and never looked back. 

Both women sat on the living room couch and listened to Serrat intently.  Tappen sat nearby in a large comfortable chair and made comments to Tom while listening to the three women converse.  At first it was difficult to figure out who was in charge.  Connie’s questions answered this by finding out that, had the scientific representative been male, then Tappen would have taken the lead.  Apparently the Florek had developed a governmental system whereby any citizen could speak for the whole, as each citizen had only the best interest of their people in mind.  Gender, social position, or profession did not come into play when talking with, or contacting people outside of, Florek society.  This new and simple way of living intrigued Connie and she spent the better part of the first four hours of her visit talking and confirming that what she was hearing was actually what the Florek people wanted. 

Connie did ask for confirmation by more than two delegates from Florek, something Claire and Tom thought might be insulting to their guests.  Serrat, accustomed to politics and negotiation, took this simple request with ease.  She asked Tappen for the communication device and the man, appearing to be around 40 in earth years, left the room and walked to the ship in the backyard.  Tom dutifully walked with him in the event that the device had size or weight to it.  Tom stood by the cloaked stairway, waiting for Tappen to return. 

The Florek communicator, about the size of a standard laptop, surprised Tom at first.  Thinking the device to be a variation of an earth laptop, Tom walked behind Tappen as they re-entered the house.  Placing the device on the coffee table, Tappen opened the rectangular device long-ways.  A small dial pointed to a window to the left of Serrat.  Tappen removed a small quarter size piece of chrome colored metal and stepped toward the window.  Tapping on the glass in a fashion that amused Claire and Tom, Tappen placed the chrome disc on the window glass.  Instantly the communicator glowed with various colors, highlighting features of the machine.  Pressing three unmarked keys the screen section of the device came to life and words in the Florek language began scrolling down the screen.  Both Serrat and Tappen read the words, and then pressed two of the keys; which caused a picture, fuzzy at first, to appear and then sharpen.  A single Florek male spoke to the couple in their native language.  Serrat spoke to what must have been a directory assistant, who switched the call to the ruling council on Florek.  Apparently the call came in at what was considered after hours or the middle of the night on Florek.  Due to time distortions in travel, Tappen had been unaware of the correct time during their arrival on earth, and pressing another unmarked key, synchronized the time and distance section of the ship’s navigation. 

For whatever reason, Tom understood the simple actions Tappen had been performing, as if his interest in science fiction prepared him for the day’s events.  Tappen noticed the interest Tom had taken in the device, and began explaining his actions as he performed what he considered routine landing and communication calibration procedures. 

The secretary at the Florek council conversed with Serrat as Claire and Connie sat nearby and watched.  The council would be meeting in less than two hours’ time and Serrat would receive a call from the council when they were ready to speak with the earth representative.  After completing the call, Serrat spoke with the two women and translated the exchange.  Then a realization hit Connie and she took a deep breath.  In less than two hours she would be talking with the ruling body of a distant planet, negotiating for a settlement or colony on earth. 

Wait a second.  Connie said to Serrat as Claire turned in surprise.  I’m not sure if I’m qualified to speak for the people of earth.

You’re doing a good job so far.  Serrat returned with confidence. 

Yes, but I’m not associated with the government of the United States.

Do, or does the government of the United States own this planet?  Serrat knew she didn’t want to contact primitive politicians, but did want to talk to the right people. 

No.  You see the planet, I mean earth, isn’t owned by anyone.  But there are several governments that run various parts of earth.  The honest words sounded clumsy, even to Connie.  The country or section you are in right now is actually part of the United States.

Then we’ll ask you to work together when dealing with the representatives of this United States.  Tappen spoke as Serrat nodded her head in agreement.  Since it is obvious you are supportive of us and our needs.

Connie spoke quietly as Claire rested her hand on Connie’s arm in support.  But, I’m not a politician. 

It is our experience that political governments tend to work for, or against, peoples for temporary needs.  Serrat was trying to not sound judgmental and asked simply.  We would rather have you support and represent us to your people than have someone with alter…or different…with needs that might exploit or cause harm to either you or the representatives we contact.

Serrat knew she wasn’t making herself clear.  English, through language imagery, was not a particularly difficult language but then she wasn’t particularly good at it in the first place.  Knowing that the council could make the settlement offer with less difficulty, Serrat asked Claire and Connie to wait for the transmission.  Until then, Connie had several thousand questions for the couple, and both Tappen and Serrat found the conversation stimulating and interesting. 

Tom sat like a sponge, observing every word and idea.  Claire opened the drapes and let the sun in, made some ice water and coffee for Tom and Connie, and asked the travelers if they wanted to try foods or drinks from earth.  The couple said simply that they didn’t want to take any chances with earth food, for the moment.  The transmission would be coming through shortly and they didn’t want to have an adverse reaction. 

As the group waited, Connie proposed asking a colleague to join them.  Dr. Herschel Patel had been with the university for decades.  Through all of her interactions, she found him to be supportive of new ideas and a wonderful and respected mentor.  Her call to the doctor found him enthusiastic and eager to join, yet a bit skeptical.  Connie would feel more confident with a respected fellow scientist by her side, especially if she was representing the entire planet.  Dr. Patel arrived and walked up the cracked concrete path to Claire’s front door.  The scientist was over seventy years old and didn’t walk as quickly as he had in the past ten years.  But today’s activities put a youthful spring in his step.  He greeted the small group and sat with Connie and Claire on the couch. 

The mood of the room bordered on the casual as the small screen came to life.  Connie tried to quickly bring her mentor up to speed and Dr. Patel believed he understood what the Florek wanted.  He also felt that he understood what the Florek needed from their earth friends in return. 

Good morning.  Connie broke the awkward silence as she spoke to the screen.  My name is Doctor Connie Rappa of earth.  The group of seven Florek council members looked at the earth woman, then to their two representatives.  Senator Bittar spoke for the group and pointed their conversations toward Tappen and Serrat.  As the small group had discussed while waiting for the council, apparently the Florek did not read minds, but were able to pick up language images when close to someone with an entirely different dialect.  Therefore, Tappen and Serrat could see the word images forming from the group of humans, and with this, were able to use English words cross-referencing them with the Florek language.  Not everyone was as articulate as Tappen and Serrat, but using a communicator did not allow the close proximity of language imagery.  Therefore, the council had to rely solely on their representatives for conversation. 

Tappen spoke in response to Bittar’s rather long oratory.  Our government, the Florek people, would like to offer the people of earth an exchange for the use of their planet regarding our health recovery purposes. 

The words seemed clumsy and Dr. Patel fished for clarification.  Is the Florek government asking for a place or area that they can rest and medically recover?  Is this to be a sort of hospital for the Florek? 

Serrat spoke to all council members and repeated the offer, leaving out the exchange items, so the earth humans could clearly understand. 

The confirmation was translated by Tappen.  Yes Doctor Patel, we would like an uninhabited area to place a resort.  Somewhere our citizens could spend several months, earth time-configured months, and use the natural effects of your sun and atmosphere to clean and repair some of our people.  And for this we are willing to share medical and energy technology.  Technologies that would be brought in slowly, so your people could adapt easily.

Connie couldn’t help but continue the conversation.  Speaking from the scientific fields, we would be happy to accept your offers of medical help, along with any energy advances.  My main question is how would we build this facility and what are the needs of your people? 

A council member next to Bittar spoke for several seconds and then reached down and placed a small crystal blue circular disc on a platform molded into the arm of his chair.  Seconds later a similar blue disc glowed in the lower part of the communicator.  Tappen reached for the disc, held it in one hand and pressed the center.  As the disc glowed a cobalt blue, a screen area almost two feet by three feet rose and hovered over the disc.  The wording, all in Florek, was read by both Tappen and Serrat.  At the bottom of the page appeared what was later to be known as a translator key.  Pointing at the translator key, in midair, the wording scrambled and changed to English.  Not particularly good English, but English all the same. 

A description of the terrain and list of needs, such as temperature, humidity, radiological tolerances, etc., read like a shopping list.  Connie reviewed the list with Dr. Patel.  They both agreed that, at first appearance, this seemed to be a very doable list.  Connie then asked if she could have a copy of the presentation.  Serrat looked at the side of the cobalt blue disc and touched a small soft key.  Instantly the projection made a somewhat loud snap, then a copy of the page solidified instantly into a type of paper product.  Serrat reached for the paper and handed it to the stunned doctors.  The paper used particles in the atmosphere, solidified and shaping them into a form of rough paper, and then suspended the paper in midair for a few moments while Serrat picked the document.  The projection continued until Tappen again touched the center of the disc, ending the display. 

Connie thought it quite odd that the council continued the conversation for almost a full hour, thinking that they had other, more pressing planetary needs.  But then, if this alliance benefited the people of Florek, then the time spent with the humans on earth would have been well worth their time.  As the negotiations ended, Tappen gave Claire, Dr. Patel, Connie, and Tom, a small communication device.  At the first sign of need, any one of them could summon Tappen or Serrat with the touch of a button. 

The small group sat back in their chairs and couches as the communication screen dimmed and then closed.  Connie physically shook for a second or two, followed by Dr. Patel, and then they both looked at each other and quietly laughed.  Their nervous laughter passed easily and the old friends quieted down. 

Dr. Patel said quite honestly, I’m glad you called me in today Dr.  Rappa. 

I’m glad you came over Dr. Patel.  Connie was unable to mask her concern as the gravity set in. 

Tom, without saying anything, reached for the piece of Florek communication and placed in Claire’s copier, next to her computer.  Tom acted as though the document might disintegrate and he wanted a copy for future needs. 

Good thinking Tom.  Herschel also thought of the fragility of the document.

Oh it will last a long time.  Tappen said evenly.  Until you shake it really hard.  The group started to laugh.  This helped ease the tension and, for most, just because the entire meeting had been so serious.  Their discussion ended after Tappen explained that the hospital would be moved, en mass, from Florek and delivered as a building shell, complete except for furnishings. 

At any other time Dr. Patel would have been thoroughly amazed, but not today.  What did amaze the doctor was the thought that the Florek had given them a single page of requests and a communicator.  His next set of thoughts centered on the earth representative he should contact.  Lost in concentration for the moment, Tappen brought him back to the present.  I sense you are working on a problem?  The new offworld friend asked with a note of concern.

Yes.  You’re asking for a small favor, but getting this done may be complicated at our end.  Herschel was being honest, plain and simple. 

That is why we chose this area and you people.  Tappen’s words were awkward, something the earth doctor had now grown accustomed to. 

I was afraid you were going to say that.  Herschel smiled at his new friend and they both felt they had reached an understanding.  This would be a difficult job for a newly contacted planet.  The Florek had been through this before with new worlds, new people.  Earlier attempts at settlement, without meeting the local natives, proved to be plagued with problems while this attempt appeared to be the right contact with the right citizens. 

Claire and Connie walked Serrat to her ship and talked all the way.  They would make arrangements and call her in a Florek month, or twenty-seven days.  Around that time Serrat would have her personal communicator with her and would leave instructions with the central operator to transfer the call to her.  The excitement Connie was feeling had to be held in check for the moment.  The scientist wanted to express how she felt about the ease and simplicity of this meeting.  In a perfect world, she could only believe that the smooth and easy communication between two so completely different societies had to be the standard of the future.  From now on she could only see that this type of negotiation, where everyone expressed their needs, hopes, problems, and solutions would be the only type of communication she would accept. 

As Claire held Serrat’s hand, Claire thanked the woman for choosing her to work with and giving her the confidence to handle the coming negotiations.  Connie also expressed the same feelings toward their new friend and stood back as Serrat entered the now uncloaked ship. 

Tom had been taking pictures, with the permission of their new friends, and stood back to get a complete shot of the ship.  Dr. Patel continued his conversation with Tappen and said his good-byes.  Before Tappen stepped into the ship, Tom hurried over and shook Tappen’s hand.  The gesture had been simply explained to the offworlders and they both found the personal touch to be respectful and courteous.  Tappen then waved to Tom and activated the retraction of the pressure door. 

The stairs folded into the lower pressure door as the upper section swung down on its hinges.  Dr. Patel stepped forward and looked at the seamless area of the ship’s skin, noticing that there was no evidence of a door or portal, only smooth metal.  Remembering the earlier conversation to step back during lift off, the small party moved toward Claire’s back door.  The saucer hummed and then began to quietly lift with a slight vibration. 

Mr. and Mrs. Ferjoe, Claire’s retired next door neighbors, came