SWE WE©

Strange
li ne
little Panc
Planetllt
“Walther 8 to Mission Command.”
“This is Mission Command. Go ahead.”
“I’ve entered the interior of the target System.
system. Planet Res
Eos 3 is in View.”
view.”
“Roger, Walther 8. Set landing coordinates
coordinates for landing
landing zone
zone Alpha. And,
And, Targa. . . ”
“Yes, Felik?”
“Please be careful. Remember, they have rudimentary sensor systems; primitive but dangerous Weapons,
weapons
systems; and are very paranoid. Especially about things
things they don’t understand.”
“I’ll be okay, once I get the ship hidden. You know our government
government spared no expense
expense; to make me look
like one
One of them.”
“We’ve discussed this, before, Targa.
Targa. I’m not convinced your disguise will fool the natives.”
disguise will
“Why not? It’s genetically engineered. Even their physicians shouldn’t bbee able
able to tell I’m not from their
their
planet. I must admit, I don’t particularly like the fur on my head. Other than that.
that...”
. .”
“All right. Like I say, be careful.
carefitl. Once you are in their atmosphere, we will be 'out
out,of Contact
contact for the
first sign of trouble, get out of there as fast as you can. Okay?”
duration. At the first
“Yes, Mother.”
mother!”
“I’m not your mother
! 1,

“No, like 1161:

“No, but you sound like Always worrying,
her. Always worrying. I’ll be. fine. Well, time
be fine. time to strap
strap in.
in. Wish me luck.”
luck.”
may the
Targa. .... and may
“Good luck, Targa. gods bbee with you.”
the: gods
:1:
* :1: =1: :1:
>1: >1: * *a:

I dove my ship into a large.

large. bay near an island that held a sprawling, mn—down
run-down building. Since it was
was
night, local time, and I used the radar cloak, and managed to land undetected in the deepest part of the bay. As
soon as everything was secure, I put on my teleporter bracelet, and ‘ported to the island. According to our
records, it was fairly uninhabited. I figured I could get my “planet legs”, so to speak, before heading to the
night-glasses.
nearby metropolis. In order to avoid using lights, I put on my night— see a couple who looked like
glasses. I did see
local security. But, they seemed preoccupied with some some sort of
of humorous broadcast on a small vid monitor. The
better days. Our people hadn’t really given it much thought, since it only
building complex had obviously seen better
curiosity for the natives - a few who came each day to tour it. It seemed to have been built
seemed to serve as a curiosity
seemed
as a fortress against wild beasts, or something. Most of the rooms had metal bars on the front, with large locks.
On closer examination, I realized the locks were on the outside of the doors. I began to think maybe it had been
zoo, or an a n i m a l research station. Much later, I w
a ZOO, o u l d learn that it had been what the natives call a “prison”.
would
That’s a place where they put people who break the rules (and they have a lo_tof rules). I could not imagine a
That’s
species keeping their own captive. It was also strange to think that this place had become a tourist attraction.
attraction.
After exploring a bit, I ‘ported back to the ship. I figured I should synchronize my sleep patterns to local
was ready to explore in earnest. At about 7 AM, local time (I’ll use native
time. The next morning, IIwas
There were already people everywhere. The roads
measurements, for convenience), I ‘ported to the metropolis. There
Were with oversized
packed with
were packed which spewed
conveyances which
oversized conveyances spewed noxious get over
noxious gases. I couldn’t get the waste.
over the Most o ff
waste. Most
yet.
the large vehicles (they’re called “cars”) were big enough to hold eight or nine people our size in comfort, yet
for awhile, until I started to get hungry. Most of
almost every one had just one native in it! I wandered around for
the food outlets were not yet open, but I found one with a large yellow “M” on it that looked promising.

Strange Blue Planet Page 11

Page
 Standing in line, it suddenly became
bacame clear
clear to me just how much taller natives were
taller the natives were than II. Most, anyway.
anyway.
There were a few my size, but not many. I deduced those who were had to be younglings. I finally reached the
front ooff the line.
The food server
server behind the tall counter looked over it at me, and asked, “how may I help you, little
little
boy?”
b0y?”
Ignoring her condescending tone, I said, in my best English (the local native tongue), “I would be
pleased to acquire one of those sandwiches of sausage which appears on the portrait above your
your head. And a
container of that orange beverage, as well.”
“You speak pretty good for your age,” she replied, punching some buttons on a machine. "‘That’ll
“That’ll be'two
dollars, forty-nine
dollars, forty—nine cents.”
I knew the natives put great value on gemstones,
gemstones, ssoo I’d brought avariety
a variety with me. I pulled one out ooff
my waist pouch,
my pouch, and
and handed
handed it to her.
her.
“That’s a very pretty rock,” she told me, “but I nneed
e e d real money for this.
this. Is
Is your mommy or daddy
here?”
Not knowing how to respond, I’ll admit I panicked, and hit my teleporter. It didn’t work. Inadvertently,
I’d wandered beyond the ten-mile
ten—mile range of my ship. Still in a panic, IIran
ran out of the place. My plan was to get
back to my ship, and figure out a way to exchange my stones for local currency. I didn’t get there, though.
thOugh. In
my blind rush,
rush, I ran right into what I assumed was a soldier.
“Whoa, there, little guy,” the man said, grabbing my arm, “where’re you yQu off’to
Off‘to in such a hurry?”
hurry.”
Thinking
Thinking fast, I replied, “I must return to my domicile. I...
I . . . forgot something.”
something.”
“Where
“Where are your folks?”
“I don’t understand your inquiry,” I said.
“You mother or father. Your family. Are you lost?”
I told him what I thought would get him to let go of me: “yes, I am'lost.”
I was wrong. He held on0n tighter.
“No problem, young man,” he said, with a smile, “we’ll get you home in no time. I’m Sure
sure your family
we Speak.
is looking for you as we speak. You didn’t run away, did you?”
Thinking hhee was referring to me leaving the food shop, I answered, “yes, because
because I needed two dollars
and forty-nine
forty—nine cents.”
“Your folks wouldn’t give you any money, huh? Well, that’s no reason to run away. Come with me.
We’ll contact your family and clear things up.”
The man (I later learned he was called a “policeman”) took me about three blocks - in the wrong
direction. He led me to a small, sparse room that held just a table and a couple chairs so tall my feet couldn’t
quite reach the floor. Then, he gave m e a cup of a White,
white, somewhat bland beverage and a round item with a hole
in it wasn’t
i t that he called a “doughnut”. I w a s n ’ t too fond o f the drink (“milk”), but the doughnut, delicious.
doughnut was delicious.
name?”
“Now,” the man said, “my name is Officer O’Connell. What’s your name?”
“It’s Targa,” I replied around my mouthful of doughnut.
“Targa,” he echoed, writing on a small notepad. “First, or last?”
“Targa,” last?”
“Huh?”
first name?”
your first
“Is that your
guess so. I’ve never
““II guess had a name before that one.”
never had
try again.
“Let me try
“Let What is your
again. What your whole name?”
whole name?”
“Targa.”
“Targa.”
Seemed frustrated, for some reason.
He seemed you. live?”
reason. Changing the subject, he asked, “where do you

Strange Blue Planet Page 2

 Without thinking, I answered, “‘Ariston‘el.”
answered, “‘Ariston ‘el.”
“‘Aristonel.
“Aristonel. . . road. . .street.. . drive?”
drive?”
“Huh?”
“Huh?”
““II said... never mind. What town do you live in? San Francisco?”
Francisco?”
“No, I. I . . ..”” I wasn’t sure what to say. He obviously didn’tknow
didn’t know where Aristonel
Aristonel was,
was, and I didn’t
didn’t Want.
Want to
be found out. I I figured
figured the best course
cullrse was to stop talking.
Officer O’Connell tried to get me to say more, then gave up, telling me, “wait right here. I’ll be back in
Officer
a minute.”
He lied. By the chronograph on the wall, he was gone gone far longer than a.
a minute. When he did come back,
he was accompanied by another flat, box-like
another man, holding a flat, box-like device. The man pointed the box in my direction
direction
and pushed a button. For a second, I thought it was some sort of weapon, and I braced myself. However, all that
happened was a little blue light flashed. He did that three times, then left the room.
“I’m
“I’m sure someone is worried about you,” the policeman said, “is
“is there,
there anything more you can tell
tell me?”
“I don’t believe so,” I responded, politely.
“All right,” he sighed, “Family Services
Services will be
b e here shortly. Meanwhile, do you want another
doughnut?”
doughnut.”
“Yes!” I replied, eagerly.
I ate three more doughnuts before a rotund, dark~skinned
dark—skinned female came in.in I could see
See she was carrying a
piece of
o f paper with my likeness on it She set the paper on the table as she reached out her hand to grab hold of
hold of
min ..pumping
p..umping it up and down like a lever. While she was
was making that strange gesture, I examined the paper.
In addition to my picture, it said, “Found: boy. Approximately 8 or 9 years
years old. Brown eyes and hair.
Caucasian, but appears to have some Asian
Asian ancestry. Wearing unusual, tight—fitting
tight-fitting maroon
maroon shirt and shorts
.(lycra—type
.(lyera—type material). No shoes. Goes by the name of “Targa”, and lives on
On a street
street he claims is ‘Aristonel’. If
you have any information, please contact Family and Child Services.”
I hadn’t realized my outfit was so unusual. Thinking of the people I’d met so far, I became aware that
most had been wearing very loose-fitting apparel which looked cumbersome and uncomfortable. I also realized
me. . . and had apparently been for some time.
the female was talking to me...
.get you settled in. I’m sure everything will work out,” she was saying.
“ . . .get
close‘to her body. I had no
If you can believe it, she actually wrapped her arms around me and held me close'to
idea what she was doing. She let go of o f me; grabbed hold of escorted me outside, to a square
o f my hand; and escorted square
vehicle with a sliding door on the side, and told me to “hop in."
vehicle. in.”
this society. They’d obviously
I was tempted to take off running. However, I was here to learn about this
their species (8 or 9 years old? I had grandchildren
mistaken me for a youngling of their
mistaken grandchildren older than The only
that!). The
than that!) only
problem I had was trying to figure out what she meant by “hop in.” I knew that “hop” meant to jump up and
And, I fathomed
down. And, she wanted
she o get into the vvehicle.
m e tto m y feet together and jumped, a i m i n g
e h i c l e . S o , I put my
toward the open door. I made it in, but banged my shin a bit, in the process. The
toward chuckled at my
The woman just chuckled
clumsiness. After sitting down on a seat, she wrapped me in a binding strap. Then shut the sliding door, and
Then she shut,
walked around
walked around ~- getting
getting into the
the front.
front. We
We then drove
drove for
for a few
few minutes»
minutes (stiH
(still away
away from
from my
my ship), and
and stopped
stopped
front of a large building made of rectangular red blocks. Inside were native younglings (“children”) of all
in frent
sizes.
sizes.
her head walked over
One, with long, curly yellow fur (sorry, “hair”) on her said, “hi, I’m Suzie.
over to me and Said,
What’s your name?”
What’s name?”
“My name is Targa,” I informed her.
“Hi, Targa. Are you gonna live with us?”
us?”

Strange Blue Planet Page 33

Page.
 “No. I need to get back to my shi.
“No, shi. . . er, home... soon.”
“Where
“Where do you live?”
live?”
“Ah, they have young
young interrogators,”
interrogators,” I thought to myself. wouldn’t be
myself. I wouldn’t be tricked
tricked that easily.
easily.
“I...
“I. . . don’t know.”
know.”
“Are ya lost?”
“Sort Of.”
“Sort of.”
“Oh. Wanna play Chutes and Ladders?”
“I don’t know what that is.”
“If you land on a chute, you slide
slide down. If you land on a ladder, you
you climb
climb up.”
up.”
“That sounds a little too strenuous
strenuous for
forme,
me, rightnow‘,”
rightnow,” I told her.
“What?”
“Maybe some other time.”
“Maybe
“’kay. . . ‘byel” she
she said, as she find someone else to play her
she, ran off to find her exercise game.
A male, taller than me, but shorter'than
shorter than most average adults,
adults, came over and told
told "me,
me, “I’m Justin. Mrs.
Mrs.
Chalifeaux tells me you are my new roomie. At least.for a day or 50.
so. Let me show you to our room. Do you
stuff?”
have any clothes or stuf
“No, just what I have on.”
“Well, we’ll find you something. You
Yen can’t go
go.around looking like a weird ballet dancer.”
On temporary quarters, Justin told me a bit «about
O n the way to my temporary was called a “gr0up
plane. It was
about the place. “grdup home”.
The children who were there were
were staying for a variety ooff reasons. Some had been abandoned or neglected.
,Some
Some had been
been abused (I didn’t know what that meant). Others were what they called “unknowns” - basically
runaways who refused to reveal where they came from, and hadn’t been claimed by anyone.
“Sorta like your story,” Justin commented.
“Probably not,” I murmured under my breath.
opportunity as any to study the natives,
this was as good an opportunity
As this natives, I went along
I Went I’d see
charade. I’d
along with the char-ado. see
were kept locked and were obviously guarded
how people lived, anyway. The fact that all the outer doors were
helped my decision.
wet 'thel‘be‘d,
left,” Justin told me. “Number 37. You don’t wet
“Here’s our room, on the left,” you?”
the bed, do you?“
“Why would I want liquid in my bed?” I asked, puzzledpuzzled.
“Right,” he said, giving me an odd look.
I was starting to get used to odd looks.
He Opened up the door and said, “here we are. You’re on the top, top bunk. That’s your dresser-desk over”
over
there. The left side of
there. right is yours.”
o f the closet is mine, and the right yours.”
was showing me around the room,
While Justin was r00m, the dark-skinned showed up with a bundle of
female showed
dark-skinned female of
clothing in
clothing her arms.
i n her arms.
“Well, boy,” she asked, “you getting along okay?”
Mrs. Chalifeaux,” my new
“So far, Mrs. roommate replied.
new Icemmate
“Good. Good.” Addressing me, she added, “I scrounged some clothes that looked about
Addressingme, your size.
about’your
you might want to change.”
Figured you change.”
“I don’t have that ability,” I informed her.
your pardon?"
“Beg your pardon?”
some
“I don’t have any skills in transmutation. I pretty much have to keep the same form. I know some
species can change. . .”
change...”
stopped my rambling.
Another odd look stepped

Strange.Blue Planet
Strange Page 4
 “You are a strange boy,” she said, with a good—natured
good-natured chuckle. “No, I mean change your clothing.”
I began to wonder if this species was
was more advanced than we thought. I had
had not imagined they could
could be
be
familiar with technology like cellular transmorgraphy.
transmorgraphy.
“Sure,
“Sure, I can
can change their color and pattern. But, I’ll need to plug into a transmorf
transmorf terminal.”
The lady (“Mrs
(“Mrs Chalifeaux”) said, “I have no earthly idea what you are talking about, dear. AllAll 11¢:a
I. know
is
is that you should remove that gaudy, almost obscene outfit you have on, and put on normal clothes.”
Oh - she meant to change
Oh change out of
of what I was
was wearing. Well,
Well, when on Eos
E03 3. I began to strip
strip off my
clothing. . .
clothing...
“Wait!” She shouted at me.
“Did I do something wrong?” I asked.
“No, my child. It’s just... fOr
for modesty’s sake, yOu
you should not undress when a female.
female is present.”
present.”
This planet was getting stranger all the time. Nonetheless, Iwaited
I waited until she had deposited
deposited the bundle
bundle ooff
began to “change”.
clothing on a chair and left the room, before I began
“What should I wear?” I asked Justin.
“You should start with undies. Do you prefer boxers or briefs?”
I mentally reviewed my apparently limited vocabulary. A “boxer” was either a fighter or a species of'
of
domestic canine. One meaning of the word “brief” was short.
“Uh... briefs, I guess.”
Justin handed me a pair o f soft white shorts
shorts with an oddly angled slit in the front ooff them. I pput
u t them on
and feund they were actually quite comfortable. He then gave me m e “another
another lower garment
garment which
Which I deduced was was
on. IIwould
to be layered over the ones I already had on. preferred to just wear the “briefs”, and told Justin so.
would have preferred
But, he advised that it wasn’t proper to only wear “undies” outside of the room. The “pants” were far too baggy
for my comfort. The top was worse. Not only did it not cling to my skin like a proper garment, it also hung
arted. ” on the front. I
tap it off, it was an ugly, dull green, and had the phrase, “whoof arted?”
down past my waist. To top
language that was, and was afraid to ask. I’d already revealed too much of my ignorance. It
didn’t know what language
was to get worse.
need some shoes. What size?”
“You need size?”
“Huh?”
your feet?”
“What size are yOur
size, I’d say.”
“Oh, about standard size,
Exasperated, he pushed me down onto the chair. Then he grabbed a sick with numbers written on it, it, and
foot. “Be right back,” he told me after that odd ritual.
held it next to my foot. ritual.
While he was gone, I decided to look around. There were a number of o f bound paper bundles I later
pelused the titles. There was
“books”. I perused
learned were called “books”. Frm
fantasy entitled Fun
was an amazing variety. I saw a fantasy
0 , 000
oceanographic treatise called 220,
with Mathematics; an oceanographic Leagues Under
0 0 0 Leagues the Sea; and a cookbook named
Green Eggs and Ham that made my mouth water.
Green water. I hadn’t had any green eggs for quite some time. However,
when I opened
when doggerel. And, the
opened the book, it didn’t make any sense. It seemed to b e nothing but rhyming doggere-l.
seen yet. I was trying
creatures it depicted were the strangest I’d seen “carrying
trying to decipher it when Justin came back, "carrying
what looked like two waist pOuches.
pouches.
asked.
“Do you like Dr. Seuss?” he asked.
“Huh?”
said, indicating the tome I was still holding in my hand.
“That book,” he Said,
I looked at the cover. Dr. Seuss was, apparently, the author.
sense to me,” I told him.
“It didn’t make much Sense

Strange Blue Planet 5

Page:.5
 “Can you read?”
read?”
“Of course.”
“What grade are you in?”
“Xenobiology, grade Q.”
“Ummm...
“Ummm. . . what?”
“You asked me what my grade was.”
These.should fit you.”
“You get odder by the minute. Anyway, sit back down. These you.”
"‘I
“I already have at a waist pouch,” I told him,
him, pointing to mine that I’d set on a table next to the chair.
“Just sit.”
I sat, and hhee did the unthinkable...
unthinkable. he grabbed
grabbed one ooff my
my feet!
“Back offl” I ordered.
ordered. if
“Excuse me?”
“You ddoo not know me well enough
enough to hold my foot as if you were my sponsel”
spouse!”
“I’m just trying
trying to help put your shoes on, weirdo. Whatever.
Whatever. Put them on, yourself.”
yourself.”
He tossed
tessed the items
items into my lap, and left the room again. I examined them and thought through the
scenario of what he had been doing. Another obvious misunderstanding. I finally reasoned these objects were
scenario
designed
designed to cover my feet. In retrospect, virtually everyone
everyone I had met had such coverings. I tried
tried them on. They
were very uncomfortable, and had long cords that hung from them... threatening to trip me at every step. I was
was
trying to learn to walk in them when Justin came back in.
still trying
“Lunch time,” he announced. “I hope you y0u can keep from being too
too weird for
fer a little While.”
I hoped
hoped so, too. As
As it
it. turned
turned out,
out, I couldn’t.
Justin sat me down again and tied the cords on my shoes,
After a still exasperated Justin
After down a hall
led me down
shoes, he led hall,
a large
to 'a large room with a long table in it. Each seat hadhad a circular ceramic dish on the table in front ooff where
where each
each
of us sat, along with a clear beverage container. Next to those were what I gathered were eating implements.
They looked
They was used to.
leokcd similar to what I was to.
Justin sat next to me and asked, “Do you like hot dogs?"
dogs?“
were domesticated animals, but wasn’t
I knew dogs were wasn’t sure what hhee was asking.
sure what asking. “I suppose they Shouldn’t
“I suppose shouldn’t
be allowed to get too hot. Or, do they prefer the heat?”
“Oh, brother,”
“Oh, without explaining.
brother,” he said, without explaining.
o f us was served cylindrical tubes of
Each of o f meat-like substance on a soft, white bread. I
sofi, elongated white.
watched as various younglings put assorted substances of many colors on their meat packages, and then eat. eat the
Combination. To follow suit, I put a little o f each substance on mine, after tasting a bit o f each one. I didn’t put
combination.
much of worried it might be spoiled. Anyway, the
o f one that was yellow on, as it had a bit of a tang to it, and I worried
“hot dogs” turned out to be quite appetizing. We were each given some of the “milk”, which was apparently a
young humans. When w e ’ d finished, we were. each given
staple for young fi‘ozen milk. I
looked l i k e bowls o f frozen
given what looked
as fond of milk as most ooff the others seemed to be.
near as
pushed mine away. I wasn’t near be.
“Don’t you like ice cream?” a child about my size asked me. me.
so.” I replied.
“No, I don’t think so.”
“Try it,” Justin ordered.
flown over 30 interstellar missions. Just
order me around. I had flown
It was a bit irritating to have this child Order:
the. older children
because he was one ooff the attract any more
children present. If he only k n e w . . . however, I didn’t want to attract
attention, so I complied. I dipped a finger
finger into the cold concoction and put it to my mouth. It was fantastic!
started shoveling the stuff
Mimicking the others, I grabbed the utensil with the small bowl attached, and rapidly started
into, my mouth.
into

Strange Blue Planet Page 56;

page
 “Slow down!” Justin warned.
It was too late to heed the warning. Suddenly, I deve10ped fi'ontal lobe I had ever
developed the worst pain in my frontal
felt.
Afraid, I asked, “will this
this kill
kill me?”
me?”
Everyone at the table began laughing. I surmised it must not be lethal.
Back in our room, Justin confronted
confronted me. “All right,” he demanded,
demanded, “spill
“spill it. Who are you, and
and where
where are
you from?”
from?”
“I told you. My name is Targa. II' still can’t tell you much beyond that.”
“You mean you won’t.
WOn’t. Okay, then, let me me tell you: first off, you
you are not the
the. age you
you look. You are,
are. older.
Maybe a lot older. Second, I don’t think you are even from this planet.”
Maybe
“Why would you say that?” II asked, feigning innocence.
“Look, you can stop B—S—ing
B-S—ing me.
me. I’m not going to rat on you. Just tell
tell me. Okay?”
Okay?”
I made a decision. It would be good to have an ally on the planet. “Okay,” I agreed, “my name really is
Targa. And
A n d yyou
o u are right
right on all
all counts. B
Byy your planet’s method ofealculation, years old. I come
o f calculation, I am about 5 2 years
from a planet approximately 90 light years years from here
here that 'we
we call ‘Aristonel’. And, I’m here to study the natives
of E05 3.”
'3.”
“E03 3? Do
“E05 D o you mean Earth?”
Earth?”
“Yes, I suppose that is your name for it. The nearest translation of our name for your sun is Eos.
Eds. This is
the third planet out. Thus, ‘Eos 3’.”
“Makes sense. Where’s your Spaceship?”
spaceship?”
Near that island.” I pointed out the window, where part of the island
“Under water. Near be seen in the
island could be
distance.
“You mean Alcatraz?”
“If that’s what you
that’s what then yes.”
that island, then
you call that yes.”
“How did you get to the city? Swim?”
“No, this bracelet on my arm allows me to teleport to and fiom
"No, ship.”
him my ship.”
“Cool! C a nnIl see your ship?”
“€001!
“I’m afraid we are too far away. It only works when I am closer.”
“I’m
“If we.
“If closer, could you show it to me then?”
we could get closer, then?”
“Sure I could. The trick is leaving here undetected.”
“Sure
“That’s the easy part. have any money?”
part. D o you have
have are various
“I don’t have any local currency. All I have stones.”
Various stones.”
“Let’s see.”
I showed him the stones I’d brought with me. Most, he discarded as worthless. A couple, though, he set
aside. I was
aside. surprised at
was surprised ones he’d-
the ones
at the selected, since
h e ’ d selected, were the
they were
since they most common
the most of'the'
common of stories. In fact,
the stones. almost
fact, I almost
hadn’t bothered to bring them.
penny for these, if they are real,” Justin said, excitedly.
“We should get a pretty penny excitedly.
“Those?” I asked, puzzled. “That one is just sunrock, and the other is
just a hunk of sunrock, crystal we? use to
is a crystal shape
to shape
stenes with, since it is s o hard.”
other stones hard.”
like gold, and
“That ‘sunrock’ looks like
“That other one
and the other like a diamond.
looks like
One looks those are very valuable,
diamond. Both ooff those
here.”
here.”
“If so, II wish I had brought more.”
“If
“You have more?”
“Some. Just twenty pounds or so.”
Just twenty

Strange Blue Planet Page7

 “Twenty. . . pounds?
“Twenty. pounds?””
“Approximat
“Approximateely.
ly. I don’t quite
quite understand local measurements
measurements.”
.”
“I know someone who will give us money for these. It won’t be.be what they are womb,
worth, but he doesn’t ask
any questions. Besides, we aren’t old enough to sell them any other way.“
way.”
“Speak for yourself.”
yourself.”
“YOu look a lot younger than me, and I am only fourteen. I don’t think you could convince anyone you
“You
are much older than eight.”
“You are probably right. So, you
you have someone who will exchange.
exchange these
these stones. How do we get out of
of
here without anyone noticing? I’ve observed they keep a close watch over the exits.”
“True... wouldn’t want a runaway running away, you know. Getting out is simple, though. I do it all the
Follow me.”
time. Follow
Justin led me through a rear
rear hallway to a door that appeared to havebeen
have been boarded shut. When he pulled
on a certain board, though, he was able to slide some other boards.
boards aside, revealing a three—by-three
three—by~three hole in the
bottom. We crawled through it, into a small yard overgrown with weeds. Climbing over a fence made o f metal metal
loops,
Imps, we wormd
wound up in a small alleyway. Then, we walked down the alley about abtmt a block to where there
there was an
old iron door. Justin knocked on the door. After two or three minutes, a small sliding
sliding window in the door
opened. I was too short to see
see in, but Justin was just the right height.
“Hey, Carlos,” my new friend said, “I brought you a customer.”
“That
“That runt?”
I think you’ll be glad he’s here.”
“Let us in. I
Was. ya followed?”
“It’d betta be good. Was
“Nope. Nobody’s around.”
The door opened, and we were were told to enter “quickly”. It was dark and
and Cluttered
cluttered inside. There were
There were
shelves
shelves full ooff electronics and other things.
things. I would have loved
loved to transport
transport the entire collection to my ship.
ship. It
would have made a great “museum of humankind”.
“So?” the man asked, gruffly. He was short for an adult male, ad quite bulky. He had fur...
“whiskers”. . . on his got, small fry?”
his face and upper lip. “Whatcha get,
his demeanor
II showed him the sunstone and the crystals, and his changed completely. Silently, he took
demeanor changed
them from me and motioned for us to follow him. He put a drop of sunstone, and
o f some chemical on the sunstone,
examined the crystals through various devices.
examined
know betta than ta ask ya where ya got
“I know these, boys,”
got these, they’s def’
boys,"’ he said, “but they def’1y don t cha
ly real. Why don’t
an’ grab some sodas from the ‘fridge. I’
two have a seat an have that kinda dough ‘round
I ll hafta make a call. Don’tthave
here.”
here.”
“How much are they worth?” Justin asked.
““I’m
I ’ m givin’ three hundred
ya three
givin’ ya thou;7 he
hundred thou,” as he
replied, as
he replied, hewalkcd
walked out o’fthc
out of morn.
the rbom.
“Is that a lot?” I asked the adolescent.
all you said you
exclaimed. “You could buy like... aa.house or something. With all
“You’re rich!” he exclaimed.
have... you could get a mansion... or a castle!”
“Will this man really deliver?”
“Oh, he can be trusted... but he is stealing from us - count on it.”
“He. can b e trusted... but he’s stealing from us?”
“He
probably giving
He’s probably
“He’s a businessman. He has to make money, too. He’s of what they
about a quarter of
giving us about
are worth. Like I said, we don’t have much choice.

Page
Page 3
Strange Blue Planet 3
 “I suppose that makes sense,” I said. “Our business operators 'don*t
don‘t place.
plaee Such
such an exorbitant mark-up on
their merchandise, though.”
Justin was searching through a white cabinet that had.
had a light
light inside it while he answered,
answered, “well... it’s
probably not going
going to be easy
easy to sell
sell gold
gold and diamonds that big. H e probably won’t
won’t get what they are worth,
either. You want Coke 0r root beer?”
“I don’t
don"t know what those are.”
are.”
“I like Coke,” he informed me.
“I’ll try one of those, then.”
My friend brought two cans cans over to the.
the, six-foot-long
six-foot—long chair
chair I was sitting on;
on; sat next to me; and handed
sat next handed
me one of
me, o f the cans. I tried to bite the top, but it wasn’t membrane,
membrane, like our lids Were.
were. It hurt my teeth. He just
just
looked at me
m e and shook his head fromside
from side to side.
“You open
open it like this,” he instructed, as he pushed ‘dOWn
down on an indented spot
spot on the lid. II was startled by
a snap, followed by a hissing sound. I
Alarmed, I asked,
Alarmed, asked, “Is there some
“ I s there creature living in there?”
some creature there?”
Justin laughed so hard he spilled a bit.
bit,of the liquid. It was a brownish
brownish color. “No, there’s no creature,”
finally said. “Just drink it.”
he finally
Gingerly, I opened the can as he’d shown me, and took a small sip. Sip. It wasn’t bad tasting... but quite odd.
wasn’t‘bad
was a sort of thin syrup which, for some inexplicable reason, someone had obviously pumped some type of
It Was
gas into. I was careful
gas. careful not to drink
drink too much, since I didn’t know
know if
i f the gas
gas was
was combustible or not. Even so,
some
some o f the gas
gas burst Out
out of
o f my mouth with a large noiSe.
noise...
. . causing my friend to laugh all the more at my 7
confused expression.
Confused
While waiting for the man to come back, Justin taught m e a few werds
words that might come in handy. Like:
“eouc ”, “refrigerator”, and “burp”. Eventually, the burly businessman came back. With him was a very large,
“couch”, large,
very dark-skinned man, who was carrying a thin rectangular box with a handle on one of the sides. He set the
box on a low, rectangular
rectangular table what was in front of the. ..
. . couch, and opened it. Inside were bundles of green
*- pieCes of
pieCes o f paper.
asked me.
“Look good?” Carlos asked
them?”
Not really knowing what was going on, I replied, “those are very pretty. Did you make them?”
Amazingly, the man became irate at my compliment. “You ‘cuse me o” tryin’ ta pass off counterfeitsf?
m e o’
How dare ya malign the name of Carlos Hernandez-Lopez Ferdinand Jesus Delgado?!”
I didn’t know why he was angry -~ or how I’d offended all those people. Fortunately, Justin came to my
rescue.
him,” my friend told him. “he was just admiring your
“He didn’t mean that, Carlos,” my friend said to him,”
business sense in being able to earn that kind of money.”
“ A h , ” the m a n s ai
man d , calming
a i d, “why dint the boy
calming down, “Why so? W
b o y say so? Well, o y s need
e ll , do y a bboys a escort?
need ‘a escort? That’s aa,
That’s
heap 0’ money ta be carryin’ ‘round the city.”
“We "11 be okay,” Justin told him. “Who’d think a couple
“We’ll filllof
boys would have a briefcase full
couple boys of dough?"
dough?”
“That’s true ‘nuff.
“That’strue ‘nuff. Can here drop
Wilson, here
Can Wilson, semewhere?”
yas- Somewhere?”
drop yas
“I’m not partial to being dropped,” I replied.
“As a matter ooff fact,” Justin interjected, primarily
“As cover up my
primarily to cover take us to
“can he take
my comment, “can
Fishman’s Wharf?”
really had no desire to go fishing, but didn’t say so to my friend. We went
I really'had front of the store (I
went,out the from
shop”), and got into the rear ooff a ridiculous
was called a “pawn shop”),
was told it was ridiculous vehicle. From the front, like
front, it looked like
From the side, though, it was more
one of the fancier cars. FrOm twice as long. Inside, it had seating all along
more than twice

Strange Blue Planet Page 9-

9
 one side and across
across the rear. On the opposite
Opposite side,
side, next to the door we
we had entered by, there was
was a cabinet
cabinet that
contained beverages and snacks.
snacks. II was offered
offered another gas—filled
gas-filled drink. No longer
longer fearing
fearing the “burps”, II got up
the courage to try again. This time, the beverage was a light green color, with a strange
strange citrus taste. It was quite
pleasant. I also tried something called “p—nuts”. They were small, crunchy vegetables. Not bad, but a bit salty.
We arrived at the wharf for fisherman, and exited the long car. car. I didn’t see anyone fishing, but there
were
were a lot of
o f people. Justin led me to the side ooff a building overlooking the Water.
Water. There was another strange
strange
sight: 3a large group (herd?) of silky, fat creatures lying on a number of platforms on the water. Justin told me
w0uld let out an alarming
“sea lions”. Every now and then, one of the shiny-skinned animals would
they were called “sea
“bark”. Walking around the building, it dawned on me why Justin had chosen this particular spot. We were
alone, and I could see we weren’t far from the island.
island near where my ship was Waiting.
waiting.
“Grab hold o f my hand,” I advised him.
scared?”
“Why? Are you scared?”
you to teleport
“No, but we have to bbee in contact for yOu teleport with me.”
“Oh. Okay, then.”
After a few seconds of the familiar
triggered the homing button on my bracelet. After
As he took my hand, I triggered familiar
tingling sensation, the two of us were.
were on my ship. I immediately changed out of the loose clothing into one of
my own, more comfortable
my comrtable outfits - and removed the unwieldy foot coverings ~ while Justin looked around.
“Wow!” he exclaimed, “this is cool. Not very big, though. I thought it’d be larger.”
“It doesn’t need to be very big adding, “it
person,” I said, adding,
one person,”
big for just one also takes a lot
“it also lot less fiiel when
less fuel
everything is miniaturized.”
“Like you?”
“Excuse me?”
like a little boy. That’s why
space traveler. I mean, you look like
“No offense, but you’re pretty small for a space
they brought you to the group home.”
“I have had extensive cosmetic and biological surgery in order to appear human. Our scientists chose my
order‘t‘o
average size for my people.
b e inconspicuous. I’m about average
look in order to be figured, since humans
people. We figured, humans come in
admit, it was,
just b e assumed to be a shorter adult. I’ll «admit,
different sizes, that I’d just I world
miscaleulation that '1
was. a miscalculation
appear so young.”
appear
before?”
“You didn’t look like that, before?”
“No, our people generally look that,” I said,
like that,” indicating a family portrait
said,_indicating brought with me.
I ’ d brought
portrait I’d me.
“You’re a21 Grey!” H e said, excitedly.
“A What?”
“A lot of people have reported seeing aliens. There’s like, two or three different kinds. The most.
e’ommon is what everyone calls a ‘Grey
eommon .
3”
‘Grey’.”
Alarmed,
Alarmed, I asked, “are you saying that humans u s . . .. and remembered
have seen us. remembered what W look like? I
wee look
was supposed to b e the first
was first to blend in and interact. Any humans who were studied were
were supposed to have had
their memory erased.”
o f the encounter erased.”
memory of
people don’t believe the ones
“Most people to ask something, though... do
ones who talk about the Greys. I have to,
you really abduct people?”
“You mean take them on board our ships? On occasion.”
“Why?”
“Why?”
course.”
“To learn about your race, of course."
tortured and stuff.”
o f people tell stories about being tortured
“A lot of
hurt anyone.”
wouldn'thun
“Those are vicious rumors. We are a gentle race. We wouldn’t
M
1'10
Planet
Blue Planet
Strange Blue Page 10
Page
 “What about the probes?”
“The What?”
what?”
“All the time, people say you put some sort of stick up people’s butts.”
“Up their... oh,
oh,: you mean the health monitors.”I walked
health monitors.” walked over to the medical
medical cabinet
cabinet and took one
one,out to
Show him. “We use these to make a record of a native’s physiology. Come over here.
here, and I’ll showyouhow
shOW’yO'tl11w it
works.”
“No way! l”I” he practically yelled.
Baffled, I relented. “Okay,” I said,
Baffled, said adding, “Our scientists should have made sure each133a m
person was
injouted with a substance
injected substance that causes them to,
to forget the events
extents of the study.
study. I don’t think they realized it wasn’t
wasn't
working.”
winking.”
“I think it works... most of the time,” Justin said, quickly calming down as he saw me put the health
as'he
monitor away. “Most stories
stories tell about time they can’t remember passing.”
“Still. I’d better make a note of this, so my people will be more careful.”
“So, What
“So, what do wewe do now?
now? We’ve been gonegone quite, awhile. They will
quite awhile. probably be
will probably he putting
putting out an Amber
Amber
Alert for us.”
Alert for
“A what?”
what?”
“An Amber Alert. When kids go missing,
missingg they put up notices everywhere... on TV;
TV, the internet, phones,
you name,
name it. They’ll even put ‘our pictures all
our pietu'res over the place. We probably should leave the Bay Area.
allover Area And,
maybe disguise ourselves, somehow.”
“That’s actually pretty simple. We’ve made contingencies for the eventuality.”
eventuality."
“Huh?”
“I have various disguises.” I opened a supply cabinet. “They are Only temporary. Not like the work I had
only temporary. had
done. Should suffice, though. One thing we should do is make you appear
appear older. I hadn’t realized
realiZed how much
attention my youngling appearance
appearance, would draw. If you looked like my guardian, it would probably avert the ..””
“That’s a good idea. I could be, like, your father, or something.”
“From what l’ve
I’ve observed, you are a bit diminutive for the average adult male. And your lack of facial
for, . . hair
fur. arouse.suspicion. It w0uld
hair could arouse would be best if you were to appear as mother.”
as my mother.”
“What... you want me to dress in drag?”
“We’ll have to
to, purchase appropriate clothing.
clothing, I don’t have
have anything Such
such as that. All the
the» garments I'have
them
actually reduce drag.”
“No, I notgoing.
I mean... I’m not as a woman, and that’s final!”
dress up as
going to dress
“Then,” I advised him, “I suppose you andl
"‘Th’en,”l and I should split up.”
split up.”
“But. . . why?”
“It’s obvious that two perceived ‘children’ alone would attract too much attention. It’s all right. I’ll
figure something out. Step on that can’t teleport you all the way back, but I
pads there. I can’t
round pad,
thatround I can get you
you fairly
olose. Maybe, if you get back soon, they won’t. .
close.
getting ready to put me .in'another
they’re getting
“Wait... look, Targa. . . they’re. fos'thr home. I can’t go through that
in another foster
again. I want to stay with you.”
“Will you be my mother, then?”
than?”
“I don’t
don’t like
like it,
it, but... II guess
but... guess 111
I’ll try.”
try.”
called a “teenager”)
I outfitted the young male (I later learned one that age is called prosthetic» set of:
“"teenagter”) with a prosthetic
female breasts and widened his hips slightly with some adhesive latex material.
material-
“What about my hair?” he asked.
“I have a fur piece that should work.”

Strange
Strange Blue Planet Page 11
Page11
 Felik had put into my supplies what I learned was called a “wig”. Mainly as a joke. I’d never planned en on
actually using it. On me, the brown fur would have flowed to my knees. On Justin, it came to the middle of his
back, and really helped the illusion. The only problem was the clothes he had didn’t look very feminine. We
figured on finding something better when we got to where we were going — wherever wherever that was.
“We should go quite a ways away from here,” Justin suggested. “Maybe Europe, (it Or China, or
something.”
something.”
“Do you Speak any other languages?” I I asked.
“A little Spanish. But, no... not really.”
really.”
“The only one I’m fluent in is the one we are conversing. in.”
conversingin‘.”
“English?”
“Yes, I suppose
suppose that is what
what it is called. But only this particular
particular dialect. Earth
Earth languages
languages are
are difficult to
to
learn.”
learn.”
“Dialect? You mean, like, American English?
“c, the language of the northwestern part of this continent.
“Yes, Continent. I would prefer to go somewhere wherewhere the
dialect is similar. Also, I’d prefer to go somewhere where I I could wear my normal clothes, and not have to
Cover my feet.”
cover
“I don’t know... wait. Do you have any ooff those shorts that are shorter than knee
knee length?”
length?”
“I
“I have a variety. I get
get bOred
bored with the same style all the time.”
“Perfect! I know a place we can go where we won’t attract attention... even if
“Perfect! if you are barefoot.”
barefoo .”
“Where’s
“Where’s that?”
“Hawaii. You can wear those,
these, and people will think you are wearing a swimsuit.
swimsuit. And, aa lot of people go
ofpeople
without shoes. And, I could
without Could wear a muumuu.”
muurnu-u.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s like a big dress.”
“You mean it has lots o f that ‘drag’ you referred to?”
“You to?”
For some reason,
reason, Justin laughed. “I guess you could say
say that.”
We implemented my friend’s
friend’s plan. He didn’t know exactly where Hawaii was, but knew it was
was
somewhere
somewhere.southwest in the ocean we were next to. So, I brought up my charts on the Vid screen. He pointed to
Chain of islands that had one large one, with progressively smaller ones.
a chain
“We can’t go to the big one,” I told him.
“Why not?”
“There is too much geothermal energy in the area
area. It might interfere
interfere with thy
thy antigravity
antigr-avity and propulsion
propulsion
systems.
systems. Some of the other islands seem
seem to have some activity, as well.”
size of the largest one.
“What about Oahu?” he asked, pointing to a squarish island about a third the size
“According sensors, that one looks
ttoo my sensors, looks pretty mild also appears
There also
mild.. There be a large
to be natiizepopulation.
nativepopulation.
We won’t be too conspicuous.”
We
“All right,” Justin Said,
said, “let’s go.”
yet.”
“Not yet."
“Why not?”
“We need to wait until most
most of
of the natives
natives in this
this region have gone to sleep. I can
region have can cloak
cloak my ship,
ship. from
item
How about letting me treat you to a meal from my world?”
radar, but not from human eyes. How
Indicating his “womanly” disguise, Justin said, “I guess
guess I’m willing to try anything, today.”
One of my hobbies is cooking. I pride myself in my culinary delights. I started us off with chilled
Rougin
tasted like something called “sherbet”. For the next course, I served Rougin
grindberry soup, which Justin said tasted

Strange Blue Planet

Strange Planet Page 12
Page.
 blackworrns with a light cercia sauce. Inexplicably,
blackworms Inexplicably, he enjoyed final
enjoyed it until I told him the ingredients. For the final
course, I served pokbread
p‘okbread with a sprinkling of keprict
kepriet —_ ground bark of one
one of our native trees.
“Cinnamon
“Cinnamo n toast!” my young guest exclaimed.
exclaimed .
“No. . . pokbread with keprict,” I corrected.
“It’s exactly like cinnamon toast. This... keprict?... looks and tastes like cinnamon.”
“Interesting. How is cinnamon made?”
“Not sure. It’s a Spice
spice that’s used in lots of things. Especially deserts.”
“One of the many things I’ll have to research while I’m here.”
“Why don’t you Google
Google it?”
“Do what?”
“Google it.
it. Look it up on the internet.”
internet."
“What is that?”
“You
“You are so advanced. You seem to know so much about us... but you don’t know what the internét is?”
“Apparently, our researchers missed that detail.”
“Don’t know how they could have - it’s everywhere.
everywhere. Anyway, do you have a computer?”
computer?”
“Many ooff them.”
“Can they tap into Wi-Fi?”
“What’s that?”
think it’s
“Umm.. I think radio frequency.”
it’s a radio frequency.”
“That’s
“That’s how we communicate. However, there are millions of frequencies. Which one in the ‘internet’
Which
on?”
“I don’t have a clue.”
“When we get to the island, we’ll ask a native.”
“Better
“Better yet, we’ll just buy a computer that has built-in Wi—Fi.”
Wi-Fi.”
“Great idea. I’ll
I’ll put you in charge o f the currency, and you can purchase whatever
whatever you
you thinkwe’ll need.
I trust you. You seem pretty intelligent for a youngling.”
That’s why
“I know. That’s Why I’m always.
always, getting into trouble.”
As he spoke, I observed that his energy seemed to be drained.
drained. It had been a long day,
day, and I, too, needed
some time to rest. At first, he was hesitant to climb into the narrow
narrow bed with me. But, since that was thethe, only
only
comfortable place to rest on the ship, he finally relented. He tried to avoid touching me though. It seemed he,
had an aversion to physical contact. So, I was mildly amused when, six hours later, he was
was nestled up against.
against
woke, up, quickly
me. I tried to get out of bed without disturbing him. But, he woke away, seemingly
Quickly moving away,
embarrassed.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“My
“ M y b i g brother taught me that i t ’ s wrong to get too close to someone. H e said you have
have? to b e tough to
survive. He should know, he’s doing life in prison for being too chummy with someone.”
I later learned that his brother had been convince to break various laws
laws by someone
someone he was.
was: in love
love with,
was locked
and was
and those human
one of those
locked in one the one
zoos like the
human zoos near.
were near.
one we were
* * ** * *

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, I launched my ship out of what I now know is the San
Francisco Bay, and headed to the chain o f Islands called Hawaii. We arrived later, and I
minutes later,
arrived about twenty minutes
set the ship into an underwater trench near a large mountain the natives called “Diamond Head.” As we had
What they call “midnight.”
gone in the opposite direction from the rising of the sun, it was even earlier... around what
main population center
The main awake. The outer range ooff my teleporter landed us
center (Honolulu) was still very much awake.

Strange Blue Planet Page 13

Page
 next to something called an “aquarium”. I thought it a rather odd place, since the island was surrounded by
water which housed the same aquatic life. The two of us walked toward the city, past
pastaa non-human
non—human zoo.
I’d put Justin in charge of the currency. He’d found a satchel in my luggage
luggage that he said looked like a
“purse” that women often carried, and put the green paper (“money”) in that. At the first major intersection we we
came to, we found a small marketplace that was open,
came Open, even at that late hour. They had a wide variety
variety of
garments. Justin found a bulky blue muumuu with yellow floWers,
flowers, and put it on over his clothing. As I looked
arOund, he did, indeed, look like a number of other females in the area.
area. He suggested I also buy a shirt, ssoo not to
attract too
too much attention.
attention. I hated the thought
thought of wearing
wearing one
one of those loose-fitting garments.
those loose—fitting Nevertheless, I
garments. Nevertheless,
relented, and he
h e bought a shirt that matched his muumuu.
“Now, we look more like mother and son,” he Whisperedto
whispered to me.
II was glad he’d become accustomed to his his role. We walkedover
walked over to who I assumed
assumed was
was the proprietor.
He was a youth who looked to be near Justin’s age, but was darker and heavier.
He. was
five,” the person told Justin.
“That’ll b e forty-two ninety five,”
had been
I had worried that
been worried that the natives might
t h e natives might have
have noticed our oddness
noticed our oddness when we came
when we came into
into the store.
the store-
However, he just seemed to be in a sort
sort of stupor —- like he’d seen everything before. Justin gave
gave him a piece
piece of
of
paper,
paper, and received a number of them back. More strangeness. We walked a couple of blocks to one of the: the very
tall “hotels”. We stepped up to a tall counter I couldn’t see over.
“We’d like a room for one week,
week, please,” he told the clerk.
clerk.
“My apologies, ma’am. We only have the Aloha Suite available
available for that length of time.”
“That will do,” my disguised friend said.
“Very well. The rate by the week
week iiss $7500. That does include a complimentary
complimentary breakfast each meming.”
morning.”
Justin took one of
o f the bundles out and removed some of the money.
money.
“We
“We will also need
need a credit card, or a $1000 deposit,” the man added.
Justin removed more o f the money, and handed it all to the.
the clerk.
“And... I’ll need some identification.”
I was afraid we had a problem. I hadn’t thought about identification.
Justin wasn’t shaken, though. He handed the man more ooff the money, and told him, “we hiding from
“we are hiding
my very abusive ex—husband. Please, take this -~ and don’t tell anyone we are here. . . please?”
err-husband. Please,
“Okay, ma’am. But, I will need names for the registry.”
registry.”
“Just put... Justina and Tommy... Starward.”
“Very good. Do you have any luggage?”
“It’ll be here later.”
“The man handed Justin a plastic card,
card, and told
told him
him to take something called an "elevator”
“elevator” to: twelfth
to. the tlfih
floor. We walked through a hallway to some sliding metal doors. Justin pushed a button on the wall, and an
floor.
upright arrow lit
upright arrow or s oo,, the
minute or
After a minute
lit u pp.. After opened, and
doors opened,
the doors the two
and the us walked
two o ff us walked iin.
n.
I Puzzled, I asked, “where’s the furniture? And... you gave awfully large amount of currency
gave the man an awfiilly
f0r such a small room. This
'fOr is even smaller than my ship!”
This is ,
Hee finally regained his composure and told me,
Justin nearly fell on the floor from laughing s o hard. H
“This is an elevator. It will take us
u s to our room.”
He pushed a button with the number “12" “12” on it. Suddenly, it felt as if the gravitational control
central system
G-forces began pressing down on me. Not so much as to be uncomfortable. Just enough to
had malfunctioned. G—forces
be ”diSCQn'certin
disconcerting. felt. something like this in a flight simulator when
g. I’d only felt turned off.
when the anti-grav had been turned
Alarmed, I asked, “what’s happening?”
h e said,
scared,” he
“Don’t b e scared,” going up.”
Said, laughing again, “we’re just going

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Strange Page.14
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 Before I made more of a fool of myself, I remembered that this culture didn’t have teleporters or anti-
grav. Apparently, they used these small rooms to transport themselves from floor to floor.flecr. On the twelfth floor,
floor,
we left the small room - elevator - and walked down a long hallway. At the end was a door with a placard which
read “Aloha Suite”. Justin inserted the plastic card into a slot in the door, and the door opened.
Opened. We
We went in and
looked around. Other than a lot of things made out of sunstone (sorry, gold) throughout, II thought it looked
rather like one of our standard guest rooms on our planet. The ceiling was higher. But, other than that, I almost
felt like I was
felt was home.
home. Justin, however,
however, seemed
seemed to be very impressed.
b e very impressed.
“Wow!” he
h e exclaimed, running from room
room to room, “this
“this is fantastic!” Suddenly,
Suddenly, frOm
from one of
o f the rooms,
he hollered, “Targa! Come here, quick!”
Frightened, I ran to the room to see what the danger was. When I I arrived, Justin
Justin. was pointing to a small,
small,
flat box on a desk.
flat
me.
“Look, a computer!” hhee told me.
I’d seen
seen many computers
computers in my day.
day. They were not all that exciting
exciting to me. “And?”
“And?”LII asked.
asked.
“Don’t you get it? You can now surf the internet!”
“I’d heard
“I’d heard pe0ple
people on the street talk about surfing. I I didn’t know it involved computers.”
computers.”
Without commenting, Justin flipped up the lid of o f the box to reveal
reveal a viewscreen. He typed
typed some
commands into the keyboard, and then showed me what it meant to Google. Geogle.
Three days later, II realized I’d been so engrossed, I’d forgotten about everything else. I
days later, I hadn’t rested
rested or
taken nourishment the whole time. My species can go for extended periods without food, but we we all need our
rest.
rest. I’d already amassed so s o much information from the internet, I I regretted
regretted having to pause. However, I I could
barely keep my eyes open. II resigned myself to lie down for just a bit. Twelve hours later, I I awoke to see
someone had put up a table with various foods in the main room, and I I began to eat. While eating, II looked
around the room, and noticed a bunch of boxes and bags. bags. II was thinking of examining
examining them, when
when Justin walked
walked
in, carrying more.
“Hi, Targa! Done surfing?”
“Not really. Just taking a break. The problem
problem is...
is. . . I have an excellent memory, but I’d leve
love to be able
able to
store all the information I’ve retrieved, somehow.”
Stere
“Can’t you hook into your ship’s computers?”
“I’m wouldn’t be compatible.”
“I’m afraid not. The systems wouldn’t
to‘. buy
“Good thing I bought this, then,” he said, pointing to one of the larger boxes. “I’ll just have to
another one for myself.”
“What is it?”
it.”
“It’s a state-of—the-art you want, and take it with you.”
state-of-the—art computer system. You can download all the info you
“Great idea,” I complimented enthusiastically, adding, “What’s all that other stuff?”
shopping while you
“ I ’ v e been shopping o t a bunch o f things to take with u s . ”
yen were busy. I ggot
where?”
“To take with us... where?”
“To
“Back off course.”
“Back to your planet, o
against
never kidnap someone against
My plans hadn’t included bringing back a specimen. O f course, we’d never
(permanently, anyway). However, I knew
their will (pemianently, difficult time on this world. Besides
knew the youth had had aa difficult
that, even though I’d only known him a short time, I already considered him a friend.
you know.”
frOm yours, you
“Are you sure you want to go back with me? Our culture is a lot different from know."
time
“It’s settled, then. Let’s see... we have this room for three more days. That should give us enough time
to fill up the computer with enough information to keep our scientists busy for awhile.”
Targa. . . ”
“Two things, Targa.

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Planet Page15
 “What they?"
“What are they?”
“First,
“First, I think
think you’ll
you’ll need more
more memory...”
memory...”
“I’m told my memory is excellent.”
“. . .to store the info. I’ll buy a bunch of memory cards. Second, how do we get get, everything
everything, to your ship?"
ship.”
“Simple. I have a number of ‘porter patchespatches on heard
board my ship.”
“’Porter patches?”
“Small...
“Small. . . stickers... that we use to teleport objects and guests aboard ship with"
with When we want.
want to
examine them.”
“You mean, you use them. them to abduct people.”
“Wee already had this conversation. We don’t
“W don’t abduct...”
abduct. . . ”
“Relax. I was just pulling your chain.”
“What chain is that?”
“I was just teasing.”
teasing,”
“Oh.”
“So,” Justin asked, “what about the
the. rest of the gold and diamonds you brought with you? You
You.said
they’re not worth much on Aristonel, but they are really valuable,
valuable, here.”
here."
“What do you suggest we use them for?” I asked.
“What about homeless children?”
“I don’t think we should buy any children. This
This ship wasn’t really built to accommodate. . .3*
“
“No, mean - we
“No, II mean we can give
give some
some money kids that
money to kids that don’t have much.”
d o n ’ t have much.”
“Ah, that makes sense. Sounds like a great idea. I know. While I . . . download? Yes,
Yes, download the
information. You can see that the rocks and crystals are sent to peOple
people who help children. Like Mrs.
Mrs. Chalifeaux.
It’d be easier than trying to sell the stones. And, they’ll probably get better prices than we
It*d he we. did.
“I’d love to see the headlines when those charities get packages of gold and diamonds,” Justin laughed.
*>1: *>1: :1:
* *a: *a:

The next three

three days were
were very busy. It took
took me a bit to set up what humans call a “spider” to roam the
internet
internet and download anything that might beb e relevant. I figured the information
infermation I gathered would keep our
We reserved the final day for some sight-seeing. Justin had us go see some
scientists busy for generations. We
things. The first place we went was to a long, white building in the water placed over the top of
unusual things. of a
sunken ship called the “Arizona”. I knew humans were still a hostile race, but the tales our tour guide told made
me shiver.. Then, we went to a place with large tubes and water troughs. Most of them involved a long, arduous
climb to the top, followed by a rapid slide in water to the bottom. We only did that once, as Justin’s muurnuu
muumuu
wasn’t built for that sort of thing, and got tangled around his head - to the amusement of the other people there.
garbed in plant fibers swayed slowly from side
Finally we had a sort o f picnic dinner while indigenous people garbed side
enjoyed:
to side. Then came a part I really enj some humans lit some
oyed: SOme fire and did an elaborate dance
sorne sticks on fire dance, while
forth.
tossing the sticks back and forth.
We arrived back at the hotel about eleven in the evening. After a three-hour
three-hour rest, Justin summoned
summoned what
called a “taxi” to take me back to the aquarium, sso
was called
was put
o I could transport to the ship. Justin stayed behind to put.
o f clothing and supplies for himself to take with us.
the ‘porter tags on everything, since he’d also bought a lot of
this is where
When we arrived at the aquarium, the driver asked, “are you sure this
When little boy?”
where you want out, little
“I’ll be fine,”
fine,” I replied,
replied, “my. . . family... is meeting me here.”
“Want me to stick around until they
“Want here? It’s pretty
they get here? Yen really shouldn’t be out here
late. You
pretty late. by
here all by
yourself, at your age.”

Blue Planet
Strange Blue
Strange Planet Page1616
Page
 I solved
solved the problem the
the'way
way Justin told me solved most problems: I gave the man one of
of the hundred
dollar bills and said, “keep the change.”
Forgetting about leaving me,
me.alone (as expected), he asked, “are you sure? The
The fare is
is. only six dollar‘s.”
dollars.”
“I’m sure,”
“I’m sure,” I replied, “have a good
replied, “have good night.”
night.”
““II sure
sure. will. Thanks!”
He got fights come on, and the car start to turn
got, into the taxi and started to drive away. II saw his brake lights
around. He’d either remembered
remembered he’d left a “little boy” on On a dark
dark.street,
street, or his conscious was bothering
bothering him
about
about taking so much money from that “little boy”. B
Byy the time
time he got
got turned around, however, I’d
I’d already
triggered the homing device oonn my bracelet and was .back
back on board my ship. There, I piloted the ship under
water to near Where
where our hotel was, and triggered the teleporter, transporting Justin and all the merchandise
merchandise on
board. Just as I finished, I saw something coming toward us in the the. water. It looked like. metallic fish
like a very large metallie
with one big, glowing eye in the front.
Justin, looking out the Viewport, cried, “get us out of here. .. quick!”
I didn’t stop to think. I simply sent the ship about twelve miles, straight up;
up.
“What was
was that?” I asked,
asked, “a dangerous creature?”
“No,” he
“No,” laughed, “it was
he laughed, was aa submarine.
submarine. I think
think it was one of flame
was one tourist kinds.
theme tourist kinds. I just didn’t: want the
didn’t want the
see us.”
people. oonn it to see us.”
“Oh,” I said, relaxing, “good thinking.”
As Justin changed out of his
his female disguise, I prepared the ship for the interstellar trip.
at:
* :1:
* =1: :1:
*=1: =l< Si:

“Mission Command,
Cemmand, thisthis is Walther 8'.
8:. Come in.”
“Go ahead, Walther 8‘.”
8.”
‘fiixploration 3, concluded. On our way home.”
“Exploration ooff E03 3 home.”
“Did you say ‘our’
"our” way home?”
home?”
“Affirmative.
“Affinnative. I’m bringing a guest. A young human male.”
“Targa, you know that’s prohibited. Erase his memory usual ,, and return him to his home.”
memory as usual,
“It’s okay, Felik. He has no family, and has requested asylum.”
“Asylum?” Justin asked. I’d been teaching him our language, and he picked up on the word.
“Turning to him, I explained, “we are forbidden to refuse any sentient ereature
Turning creature asylum request it.
asylum if they request
If anyone ever asks, just say you
you were mistreated and asked me for asylum.”
asylum.”
fiiend commented.
“Not far from the mark,” my young friend
Over the “Very well, Targa. Does he need anything special?”
the.con, Felik said, “very
physiology is quite similar
“Other than being taller than us, his physiology ours. He should be:
similar to ours. fine.”
be fine.”
“All right, Targa.
“All right, By the way,
Targa. By thought you’d
way, I thought be there
you’d be longer. Why
there a lot longer. leaving.so soon?“
you leaving
Why are you seen?”
““I’m bringing bback
I ’ m bringing enough information
a c k enough keep oour
information to keep u r scientists busy for some
busy for time to
some time replied:
Home,” I replied.
to. come,”
accomplish that?”
“In less than two weeks? How did you accomplishthajt?”
“Something called
“Something Google,” I replied.
called Google,”

—-——-—-—-—————- i m
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