To Look For A Star

By McKay

A galactic battle of good versus evil is about to happen and a massive hunt begins for the hero of the Great Tottahagan Change.

Unaware of the dark forces that conspire against him, Zebut, a young man in his prime, is about to begin his pursuit of his life-long dream of following his mother into service as a Planetary Councilor

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jane McKay
• Release date: Oct 17, 2023
• ISBN: 9781737942733

McKay

Jane McKay is a graduate of Ohio State University with a BA in Geography. She loves her field because it touches on all the other sciences and allows her imagination to soar with lots of 'what if' questions.

Book preview

Chapter One

Prisons haven’t changed much over the years, thought Kevitto. They are still stifling with all their rules and regulations. Sure, they are clean, brightly painted, and have comfortable furniture, but they still have a prison smell . He knew it was his imagination; it reminded him of Tottahagan. He didn’t think he would ever get that stink out of his mind. Also, the staff here smile a lot and it is just creepy , he thought as he tossed and turned on his bed. The beatings from his father and indifference of his mother were some of his earliest memories. He smiled as he remembered the fun of torturing the small animals he trapped. That followed with his first kill---his father. The blood bubbling out of his father’s throat as he died had fascinated him. It was too bad he didn’t have time to do the same to his mother, but he needed to run fast to escape the law. Then came thoughts of the last eight years. He slept on with thoughts of his growing anticipation of his crowning achievement.

The peace of the gleaming white façade of the prison surrounded by peaceful swaying trees was shattered suddenly by screams in the still of the silent night.

A large muscular man, Kevitto, formerly known as Alex, sweated on his prison cot. He raged silently as he relived the moment when he realized he would not get his delicious instant of triumph. I really hate those puny humans! he screamed in his mind as he stood next to his bed with fists clenched. He looked around in confusion at the cold grey and blue walls; he didn’t even remember jumping out of bed.

I even stink from all the sweating, he thought blurrily.

What’s going on? Oh, it’s you again. Get to bed. You have a full day of work in the morning, the guard shouted as he headed back down the grey corridor to his station. His screams elicited groans from the other prisoners. Shouts of shut up, will ya? came from all sides.

Kevitto lay back down, still shaking from the rage he was feeling. He must have screamed out loud again. I hate humans, I hate them ALL! I can’t kill all of them. He still wanted his moment of conquest. He just didn’t know who he wanted to attack more, Jack at Benton’s where he had worked or Zebut, who was the Prosecutor that put him in jail. It feels good to get rid of the pests who get in my way, but those two individuals demand special treatment. This will take some thinking. He closed his eyes and Jack’s face jumped into his thoughts. He didn’t think he would ever forget Jack’s accusing shout, What did you do? That shout had compelled him to explain what he was doing to the stupid humans. He realized they had stolen his time and he ended up failing to achieve his final revenge. It wasn’t fair. I had worked so hard to get that moment of time, only to have it snatched away. Drifting off, he had another thought that made him happier. I’ll get out of this prison one day, then I’ll make them pay.

He closed his eyes and tried to sleep. Tomorrow would be another day to trick the doctors and all the other watchers trying to catch him in an untruth. Working the system was the only way he had ever gotten ahead, so he would use it now to get out early from this dreary prison. Suddenly the morning klaxon sounded, announcing the start of another day. The guards ran their batons up and down the bars, adding even more noise. Groans came from all around him.

Time to face another day, stammered a nearby prisoner who shuffled by his cell.

Tanas, his current cellmate and fellow prisoner, was also serving a sentence for the attack on Earth, but he was in the group that worked in India getting the precious minerals the Tottahagans needed for planet destroying weapons. He also dreamed of when he would be free again, but Kevitto’s nightly nightmares and screams of rage made everyone bad tempered from interrupted sleep. Tanas felt he had to do something soon or he might strangle Kevitto in his sleep. Now there’s a pleasant thought, get out of prison only to go back in for murdering Kevitto.

Tanas thought about the problem all day. I don’t even like Kevitto. He’s mean and manipulative, he thought resentfully. The prison officials had suggested to Tanas to share a cell as a way to motivate a change in Kevitto. They insinuated it might be beneficial to Tanas to cooperate. How it would benefit him, he didn’t know. Later in the day as he worked in the kitchen, he noticed one of the prisoners being asked to run an errand for one of the cooks. Tanas was a new worker in the kitchen, so he didn’t know if it was normal or not. Only one way to find out, he thought.

Hey, Ter, he called when the man hurried past him.

What do you want? came the gruff reply.

How did you land the cushy job? Tanas looked carefully around to see if anyone was listening before he paused to speak. Other prisoners sometimes resented anyone wanting to move up the pecking order.

Why do YOU want to know? said Ter, stopping to hear what Tanas was saying. The kitchen was a very noisy place.

Well, just wondering. I’m getting tired of these boring jobs.

I’ll tell you. Get smart and try listening instead of causing fights, and you might land one too, came the terse reply as the man hurried on his way.

Tanas stared at Ter’s retreating back and started to mull over the new idea. He was still thinking about it when the kitchen crew started preparing dinner. This time he paid more attention to who got to do which jobs. He was so engrossed with his simple job of mopping the floor that he was surprised when he received a compliment. That felt good, he realized.

He thought about the compliment that night as he lay in his bunk. I need to test this new hypothesis during the next week. So, he watched and listened and worked harder at the jobs he was given. At his regular meeting with his adviser, he tried to answer honestly how he felt about what he had seen. It wasn’t long till he noticed the difference in how he was treated by both the guards and the other prisoners. The prison officials wanted him to do more to make the prisoner Kevitto change. Maybe this would work, if he’ll watch and learn, thought Tanas as he yawned. It was time for him to talk with Kevitto about what he had learned. Maybe he had found the secret for getting out of prison early. He wasn’t sure he wanted Kevitto to know about it, but he would appreciate Kevitto not screaming his head off every night. If I get out first, maybe I can get away from him. Or maybe my cellmate could get out first and leave me alone. The only way to test this theory is to see if what I say makes any difference to Kevitto. Somehow that thought made him smile.

Chapter Two

Colleen sat staring at several photos of paintings she had recently done, wondering which one to enter into a local art contest. Sighing, she gazed at her pictures. She had always painted things she loved like scenes of her town or people she loved and cared about, so picking the special ones to send was very hard. Her paintings were starting to take over the whole house, and she would need to make up her mind soon. Tom had encouraged her to try to enter some of the more prestigious art contests around the country. Initially, Colleen had been hesitant to try; she had spent so many years doing small art projects she sold online. Those were fun to do and did supply a nice side income for the family, but she had always wondered if she was good enough for the better shows. Well, now she would find out. She had high hopes for the show in Denver. That show would be a dream come true and validation of her as an artist.

Mom, shouted Jenny and Grace as they raced into the house.

Did you hear anything yet? Jenny asked.

I’m hungry! shouted Grace at the same time.

Colleen looked at her two miracles. Pretty blue-eyed Jenny with her miracle birth and Grace of big brown eyes that twinkled, and who fulfilled Tom and her dream of more children. She smiled in contentment. If she didn’t make it as an artist in the big leagues, she already had her achievements of a lifetime. Jenny was growing into such a lovely young lady and Grace was a typical vivacious youngster. Both looked to grow taller than her five feet five inches. Jenny, who was now fifteen years old, was already five feet seven inches tall. Grace, at seven, was already the tallest in her grade.

Mommy? wailed Grace.

Colleen jolted when she realized she had just been staring at the kids. Yes, honey, I just had something on my mind. You want a snack? It will be a while before dinner.

Yes, need a snack, shouted Grace enthusiastically as she danced around her mom. Can I play my game till dinner?

Sure, she said and looked at Jenny. Are you hungry too?

No thanks, Mom. I think I’ll go to my room. Jenny turned away and pulled her new phone out of her pocket.

Colleen watched her go and worried about the decision she and Tom had made to get her a phone of her own. At fifteen, she was one of the last of her friends to get one. Realization hit Colleen; this was the first time Jenny hadn’t asked about Pebble. She wondered if Jenny was starting to outgrow Pebble. It was something she would have to keep an eye on in the future. Pebble had become an intrinsic member of the family. At least today, Pebble was with Tom at work.

Mom, you promised me a snack, said Grace, pulling Colleen’s attention back to her dancing daughter. Can I have a candy bar?

You know my rule, Colleen pulled the half-full bucket of sweets out of the cabinet.

I know. I can have three small size, or two medium size, or one large size, Grace grabbed three small pieces. Thanks, Mom, she said as she ran out of the room.

Colleen had just turned back to her table with her photos of her work when she heard the doorbell ring.

I’ll get it, Mom, yelled Grace, causing Colleen to race her daughter to the door. She still had a fear of people unexpectedly showing up at the door. It had been eight years since that bit of excitement and danger, but still she wondered if she would ever get over it.

Grace, don’t open the door till I get there.

Oh, Mom, it’s just the mailman.

Maybe, but you don’t know for sure until you take time to check.

All right. Grace slowed down and stopped at the door to wait for Colleen to catch up. Together they looked out the window.

Colleen saw the delivery woman moving back to her truck at the same time as Grace yelled, We got a package, excitedly flinging open the door. She got a fleeting look at the small package plastered with FRAGILE stickers all over it just as Grace, in her haste, almost dropped it.

Slow down, yelped Colleen as she also made a grab. Her frantic movement caught the edge of the box, and it ricocheted up and over their heads where it landed squarely in Jenny’s hands. She yelped and fell backward where she abruptly sat down, still holding the package and her phone.

Colleen let out the breath she didn’t know she had been holding and stared at her daughters.

Hi, glad you joined us and good catch, she said faintly to Jenny. Who sent the package?

Jenny, who sent it? Let me see too. Grace raced to Jenny’s side.

Well, let’s see. Jenny looked at her little sister and a mischievous smile spread across her face. Not so fast now. She moved the box just out of Grace’s grabbing hands. Let’s test your reading skills.

Grace looked closely at the address Jenny was pointing to on the upper corner of the package.

The top line is the name of the person sending the package. Read the letters, Jenny told her.

Grace read: m, s, there is a space, a, n, n, e, t, t, e, and another space, then c, u, n, n, i, n g, h, a, m. That’s all of them. What does it say, Jenny? Mommy?

Can you sound it out?

Mis An net and then Con, in, ham?

Colleen watched them as they sat on the steps heads together.

Let’s put the sounds together. Say it with me, Grace. Ms just means miss and An net or the first name, Annette. Now Con, in, ham or the last name Cunningham. You did it. Great job, praised Jenny.

Mommy, I read. All by myself. Did you hear?

Yes, I did. Great job. Do you want to say thank you to your sister for helping you? At seven years of age, Grace knew a lot of words, and for her age, had a pretty good vocabulary, but she was having trouble with sounding out unfamiliar words.

Thanks, Grace said to Jenny with her mind already on the box. Can we open it up now, please?

Okay, okay, give me a minute, Colleen chanted to her eager daughters. Grace because it was a package and Jenny because it was a package from Annette. Annette had kept in touch with them after their adventure eight years ago when Annette and Pebble helped them defeat the aliens and also because her daughter and son-in-law lived next door. Colleen quickly opened the box and three sets of eyes eagerly peered inside.

What is it, what is it? Grace asked excitedly, trying to see past the bubble wrap.

Let Mom get it open, griped Jenny, who was also peering into the box.

Okay, girls, let’s go into the living room, just in case it’s breakable.

Colleen knelt in front of the couch; she patted a seat on both sides of her. Gently she removed the bubble wrap. Oh my, how beautiful. Look, there’s a note too. Here Jenny, you read it out loud.

It says: ‘Hi friends. I took up a new hobby and thought I would send you one of my attempts. I hope you like it. You can tell me what you think when I come to visit my daughter in a few weeks. See you soon.’ Jenny put down the note and sighed. I can’t wait to see you too. But, can we see what her new hobby is now?

Colleen slowly held up a glass plate about eight inches round with smaller round circles in multiple sizes and colors all over the surface. A small note fell off the plate. Jenny picked up the paper which read – HOLD IT UP TO THE LIGHT. Colleen held it up to the window and saw all the colors brighten and shine.

Look at the wall, cried Grace, dancing in front of the rainbow of bubbles that appeared behind them.

Just wait till your dad sees this, Colleen said as they all grinned.

Jenny spied an envelope laying against the wall on the floor as the family moved back into the hallway. What’s this? Mom, it’s addressed to you.

Colleen looked curiously at the envelope Jenny was holding out to her. Who is it from?

The return address says Aspen, Colorado.

Colorado? Colleen turned wide eyes on her daughter.

Mom, what’s wrong? Jenny demanded.

Colleen slowly took the envelope and turning she walked back into the living room to sit down. There, she stared at the envelope, half afraid to open it. It could be another rejection, she thought, or it could be an acceptance. That would be a first, she laughed at herself. Well, I will never know if I don’t open it. She tore it open and stopped reading after the first word.

Jenny reached over and gently took the letter out of her hands. She looked down at the first paragraph and the words jumped out at her. Congratulations met her eyes and she smiled as she looked up at her mom.

Colleen had watched Jenny smile and relaxed.