Beyond Galactic Marshal
by
Hilltopper

CHAPTER 2

I heard a noise outside and looked out a window. A ship was lowering what I assumed to be the gate. I guess that I was expecting something like those star gates in an old movie I remembered. This was nothing like that. In fact, it had a strange resemblance to a certain device I had been in 3 years ago although about ten times larger. I guess this confirms where the technology came from: the ruins. That was why Mary and I are here. It seems the ruins were built by an ancient civilization that for some reason I have a similar genetic makeup to. This allowed me to operate the devices found in the ruins and no one else, at least so far. Looking at the gate, I had a bad feeling.

Mary looked out beside me.

“Well, you were right.”

“Yeah, I wish I wasn’t. It was bad enough going through all those gadgets at the ruins. This thing brings back memories I would just as soon forget.”

Mary frowned.

“I don’t think I want you to fool with that thing.”

I nodded.

“As long as I stay outside, it should be safe. Let’s wait and see what Tinker wants me to do.”

I exited our house and walked over to Tinker and Bell who were watching the gate being lowered. Tinker looked over at me.

“It will take our scientists a day or two to setup the gate. I thought we would take a tour of the ruins to see if everything is the same as we left it.”

“Sounds good to me, lead on.”

As we entered the ruins, I thought back to the day I first came here in the alien device three years ago. Actually, I went back in time 3 years and was put in suspended animation to catch back up to myself. The memory is not a pleasant one. It has occurred to me that I probably went to an alternate universe but I have not seen anything different from what I remember. This time travel thing is not comfortable to contemplate. We entered what I call the hanger. It is a very large room. I have no idea what it was used for but it is now empty. Off to the side is a room full of various gadgets. They are why I am here.

“Our scientists have cataloged all these devices and have put them in the order they would like to investigate. Unfortunately, we have not determined what most of them are used for. That is, of course, where you will come in.”

I nodded and we continued our tour going into some areas I had not seen before. Nothing really stood out, however.

“Well, everything looks Ok. Do you see anything that has changed?”

“No, other than the emptiness of the hanger room and the fact that the devices in the side room have all been moved around.”

Tinker nodded.

“Let’s go back to your house then.”

“Sure, I’m starved.”

When we reached my home, Tinker begged off going inside.

“I need to talk with the crew setting up the gate. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Tinker walked away and I went inside. Mary looked at Tinker’s back fading away and then warily to me. I spoke up.

“It looks the same inside the ruins. I have to admit, it does bring back some unpleasant memories.”

Mary hugged me and we stood together silently for a few minutes. Finally, I looked down to her.

“How about some lunch?”

Mary smiled.

“You’re not fooling me but, OK, let’s eat.”

I decided to try a hamburger. Within a minute, it stood under the dome. The burger tasted great. I really don’t know how they do it. Tinker is not very forth coming about their technology. It is understandable considering their past with our Planetopolis. That caused me to think about the attack on us yesterday. Could it be our government behind it? There is no doubt that the alien technology is high on the minds of our leaders. I’m sure the fact I’m working with the aliens is a sore point. Still, I would hate to think that my government would come after me. I just hope they don’t find out where we are now. After eating, Mary and I settled onto our new couch. I related my thoughts to her.

“That is not something I considered. Thinking about it, I guess what we are doing could be considered going against our government.”

I shook my head.

“All we are doing is a job. It is not our fault that they have such a bad relationship with the aliens. Besides, what other job was available?”

Mary sighed.

“I just wish I knew where this is headed. I don’t like you fooling with that ancient technology. Our aliens don’t even know what all the consequences will be.”

“Yeah, I’ll be careful.”

We spent the afternoon relaxing, talking, cuddling, etc. About supper time, we received a call from Karen.

“I’m getting worried about the lack of knowledge as to what is going on with those agents we sent packing. I talked with some contacts on Broadskye and they don’t know a thing. It does not appear as if your sex change is common knowledge either.”

I related my thinking about our government. Karen looked pensive a minute.

“You know, you may be right. I’m going to go to Fledora and do some inquiring. I’ll be in touch.”

“OK, just stay safe.”

I turned to Mary.

“Well, it looks like this is bigger than it first appeared.”

Mary stood up.

“I think you should talk with Tinker.”

“I don’t want to start a war.”

“Still, we are caught in the middle. We need to know what they know.”

“OK, I’ll talk with Tinker.”

I put in a call. Bell agreed to come over. When Bell arrived, I put forth our concerns.

“Not to worry, your government can not find us here. We have no desire to have a conflict with them.”

“Still, I don’t want to be the cause of a war.”

Bell stood up.

“You won’t be.”

With that, Bell left. Mary turned to me.

“I’m not sure that was very comforting.”

“I think Bell was being truthful. No one would be a winner in any conflict.”

“I just hope the Planetopolis feels the same way.”

We soon went to bed. I expected an early start tomorrow. At least I would be doing something again. I thought back to our conversation about our government. Could I be a traitor by working for the aliens? I didn’t see it that way but who knows what the Planetopolis felt about it. The fact that they were looking for me did not bode well for the future. We were well outside Planetopolis territory but I knew from my experience as a marshal that distance and lack of jurisdiction did not stop the long arm of the law when the powers that be wanted someone bad enough. The fact that I had been located even though I was now a woman proved that whoever was looking for me had a lot of resources. I finally went to sleep and morning came early as I expected. I was awakened to the voice of Tinker.

“Please meet me outside in 30 minutes.”

This was repeated 5 times. It seems we have an intercom system in our new home. Great!

“Well, Mary, it begins.”

She laughed.

“So it does.”

We ate and I got dressed. I didn’t know for sure what I’d be doing so I wore shorts and a top. I opted for comfortable flats. Being a woman was a lot harder than it looked. It was about 40 minutes after waking up that I went outside. Tinker did not look happy.

“You are late. We need to hurry.”

“What’s the big rush?”

Tinker did not answer. For a little fellow, Tinker moves fast. I hurried along behind. The gate was set up inside the hanger room. To put it mildly, it is awesome and a bit scary. A technician came up to me and pointed at a suit near by. I frowned.

“Hey, that looks like a space suit.”

Tinker nodded.

“It is just a precaution.”

“A precaution for what?”

“We think this gate will transport back to our planet but we could be wrong.”

I frowned harder.

“I thought you only needed me to turn this thing on.”

“No, we have been able to power it up and do lots of testing. However, we have been unable to actually operate it.”

“You mean send something, right?”

“Yes and that is why we need you.”

“What about all those gadgets in the next room?”

Tinker shrugged.

“Unimportant for now. The gate is our primary concern. What we plan to do is send an inanimate object through. We have a team waiting on our planet to receive it.”

“OK, so why the suit?”

“Uh, you must go inside the gate to operate it.”

“Yeah but wouldn’t that send me then?”

Tinker hesitated.

“We don’t think so. The object will be put in the center. You should be able to send it alone.”

“You’re assuming I know how to operate that thing which I don’t!”

“It seems to be pretty straight forward. There should be no problem.”

“I say again, why the suit?”

“As I said, it is just a precaution.”

“Hmm, OK but let’s take things slowly.”

“We won’t do anything until you are ready but our people are standing by.”

I walked over to the suit. With the techs help, I put it on. I have worn many space suits in my time with the marshal service but this one was a beauty. It hardly hampered my movements at all and was very light weight. Tinker came over with a display screen.

“This is a picture of the control center inside the gate.”

I looked at it. To say it looked foreign was an under statement. There were no switches or knobs just strange symbols and depressed areas.

“By applying current in various places, we have been able to power up the control center and work through what some of the depressions control. We can not translate the symbols, however. Without the gate becoming operational, we could not determine a check list to send anything. So, what we want you to do is use this guide and operate each control to see the effects. Once you are comfortable with the operation, we will send the test object to our planet.”

I looked hard at Tinker.

“I’m not comfortable with any of this.”

Tinker just nodded and pointed to the gate. I sighed heavily and put the suit helmet in place. The tech checked all the gauges and gave me the go ahead. Hesitantly, I walked into the gate proper. As soon as I entered, it powered up. Tinker spoke up.

“This proves our theory. We never got it to power up so quickly or completely.”

I looked toward the center and a three foot cube was setting there.

“I take it that this is what you are sending.”

“Yes, we wanted to keep it simple but have the density of a person.”

I shook my head and walked over to the control panel. I could feel a tingling inside my head. It was as if the device was mentally trying to communicate with me. I went through the list of controls that Tinkers pad indicated I should try out. I got a picture in my head of what was happening with each one. It was an eye opening experience and very disconcerting.

“Tinker, I think I should come back out so we can discuss what I have learned.”

Tinker talked with several scientists while I stood in place.

“They want to know if you can send the cube.”

“I think so but there is a lot to this that I am not sure of. It would help if we could read these symbols. I’m getting feelings in my head as to how to do things as if the gate is in communication with my brain but it is hard to know whether I’m doing anything right.”

“That is why we want to send something simple at first.”

“OK, I agree but I still think we should go over what I have experienced before we do that.”

I really had a bad feeling about this. Mary will kill me if I die in here. The scientists huddled and then Tinker gave me the dreaded command.

“Just send the cube and get out. We will take whatever time is needed to confirm the results before we take things to the next step.”

I could feel what I needed to do to send the cube but I had no idea about the other information that was bombarding my brain. With a final sigh, I placed my hand into the depression I felt was the send button so to speak. A huge whine built up and I could feel a lot of power. Before I could turn toward Tinker, everything went black.

Beyond Galactic Marshal
by
Hilltopper

CHAPTER 3

I did not pass out. There just was no light at all or else I was blind. I called out to Tinker but received no answer. I stood still for a few minutes trying to figure things out. It could just be a power outage. With my suit on, I would not be able to hear anything and, with no power, no one could contact me by radio. I eased out of the gate. As soon as I crossed the threshold, light popped on. I got the shock of my life.

It was obvious that I was no longer in the hanger room. What was most disturbing were the three bodies lying in horizontal tubes against the wall to my right. They looked human. This stupid gate had sent me no telling where. I looked back inside. The cube was gone. I guess it made it to the alien planet but why not me.

“This is ridiculous!”

I went back inside to see if I could send myself back. As I entered, the gate did not power up like it did before. I walked over to the control center. It was completely dead.

“Great!”

I pushed every depression and even gave it a couple of swats. Nothing! I went out of the gate and looked at it. The gate looked the same but it was smaller. I sighed.

“Well, what now?”

My space suit had a couple of hours of oxygen but, since I could not get the gate working, it did not matter. I had no idea where I was and, therefore, did not know what the atmosphere in this place was made up of. I decided to crack my helmet.

“Here goes nothing!”

There was breathable air! It smelled stale but not thin. I shucked the suit and got my second huge shock. I was male again!”

“Shit!”

I guess this explains why the gate did not power up. Some how in the transference I was changed back to my old form. I didn’t know how these gate things worked but this was a hard pill to swallow. My very female clothes were stretched pretty tight and, of course, my bra was now empty. Naturally, these were the only clothes I had. With no other choice, I started exploring.

The structure I was in was smaller by far than the hanger room at the ruins but the construction was similar. I think it was built by the same people. The big question is “Where is it?” The gravity on Prowhiness is pretty light and the gravity here seemed similar to Earth. Therefore, I had left the planet which was not good news. Even though I am desperate to get back home, my immediate needs are food, water and clothing.

I avoided for now the area where the bodies were. Walking around the rest of the room was not helping much. There were several desk-like things but I could not get them to power up. Unlike the ruins, everything here did not seem old. I got the feeling that this was not a structure where people permanently stayed. Making a full circuit brought me back to the bodies. They were pale which probably meant that they had been in those tubes for a while. The best I could tell they were human. If they were the ones that built this place and the ruins, we humans could very well be relatives. Of course, that didn’t help me any. I didn’t know how much time had passed back on Prowhiness since I left. I hated to think what Mary was thinking. I know one thing, I wouldn’t want to be Tinker right now. Plopping down against the wall, I was really feeling low. I had failed Mary and put myself in a desperate situation just to please the aliens. She told me not to operate that gate. Now I was lost to her not to mention under going another sex change. After beating myself up for a while, I stood up.

“There has to be a way out of here.”

But was there? For all I knew I could be in orbit. It did not feel like it however. I decided to carefully go around the walls. On the other side of the room, I spotted an anomaly. Looking closer revealed a kind of hatch like in an air lock. There was a manual bar. I turned it and the hatch opened. Going inside there appeared to be a lift. Naturally, it was dead. There were rungs mounted on a rock wall. Wait a minute: rock wall! That was good news.

I had to be on a planet of some kind. Looking up, I could see another hatch about 30 feet above me. The thought occurred to me that, if this was an air lock, the other side of the hatch might not be a hospitable environment. Maybe I should put my space suit back on. That would just delay my fate so I started the climb up. The hatch was like the one below. I held my breathe and opened the hatch. Sticking my head up, I was amazed. The air smelled so clean! Looking about, I saw rolling hills and some small mountains. Everything was green as could be. I had never seen any thing like it. Where ever this planet was, it sure was a paradise. The temperature was even moderate which was a good thing considering my clothing.

OK, now I had a big decision to make. It was obvious that there was nothing close by except maybe water. This meant a possible long trek away from this structure. If someone was able to come to my rescue, they may not find me. Of course, if I stayed here and no one came, I would die. I decided to hike a ways keeping the hatch in sight. Maybe something would turn up.

I climbed out and stood beside the hatch. To my surprise, it looked like a rock out cropping from the outside.

“Wow, this thing is meant to be hidden!”

This was way different from the ruins on Prowhiness. They were just out in the open. It is almost as if this place was an observation post. The question was what were they observing? I could tell that I was about half way up a steep rocky hill. There looked like there might be a stream at the bottom. I decided to leave the hatch open. I sure didn’t want to be trapped outside if I couldn’t get it back open. I started down the hill. My sandals were definitely not made for this type of walking. As I neared the bottom, I heard water running. There was a five meter drop to the creek. About 100 meters further down stream, I found a cut that lead down to the water. I scrambled down to the creek. Stooping down, my reflection looked back at me.

“What the -------!”

This is definitely my day for shocks. John Harper’s face was not in the water. Neither was Jonnie’s. I fell back away from the creek. Since I arrived here from the gate as male, I had assumed the gate had changed me back to what I was before the aliens had made me female in order to be able to operate it and the other ancient devices.

“What the hell did that gate do to me?”

I hesitantly looked back into the water and stared at my reflection. On harder examination, my face did sort of look like my old one but much, I don’t know, softer maybe. I had no beard and no scars. As a teenager acne was a big problem with me. I carried many scars because of that plus some acquired during my time as a marshal. My face now looked smooth as could be. I would almost pass as a teenager; well a very muscular one. How could this have happened? I drank deeply and then took off my clothes. That bra was digging in to me. I eased into the water. It was cold but felt good. After washing off, I got back out. It was then I noticed that my testicles had retreated back inside of me. This brought back a distant memory. The same thing used to happen when I was young. Then it hit me.

“Holy crap! I was intersexed at birth.”

That crazy gate had put me back to my condition at birth. But wait a minute! I knew I had some corrective surgery at an early age but that would not account for my change in appearance. It must have been those vitamins that I started taking when I entered puberty. I shook my head.

“Vitamins wouldn’t do that!”

I had been told once that I had been on hormones but I hadn’t believed it. I had a horrid thought. Maybe they weren’t vitamins after all. I remember my dad was very keen on me taking them. He used to say ‘it will make a man of you’. Of course, that was exactly what I wanted to become for him. Could it be that they, what ever they were, overrode my basic programming in order to make me more masculine? I had never questioned it before. This was a nightmare!

“I guess I now know what I should have looked like.”

I laughed and my testicles popped back out. They were smaller than they should be or the way I remember them anyway. I realized that I was not muscle bound like I was when I had fully grown. Sure, I was still muscular but more lithe I guess. I put my clothes back on minus the bra. Looking around, I noticed fish in the creek and a squirrel running up a tree.

“Holy shit! This has to be Earth.”

But certainly not my Earth. The air is just too clean and I don’t think there is anyplace as tranquil and beautiful as this. That can only mean one thing; I have gone back in time again. The question is; how far? Hmm, well pollution became a big factor in the late 1900’s so it has to be before then. This was not good news. No one can come and rescue me except via that gate.

“Double turds!”

I am thoroughly screwed. Looking up, I realized the sun would set in an hour or less. I certainly did not want to remain out here after dark so I headed back up hill. Upon reaching the hatch, I climbed in and closed it. At the bottom again, I started to enter the lower hatch when I noticed a door I had not seen. It opened easily and I walked into what looked like a store room. I was elated to see lots of supplies including clothes. It occurred to me that, if this was an observation post, all of these items were kept out here to avoid any contamination to the main room. So, these items were used when people ventured outside. That must mean there were people nearby or at least something that the gate people visited. Going through the items, it became obvious that these were things one would have in what was colorfully dubbed ‘the old west days’ in the Americas. I found some jeans, a flannel shirt, and boots that fit me pretty well. This certainly takes care of my clothing problem. Deeper in the room, I found some dried meat of some kind. At least I wouldn’t starve to death. I exited the store room and went into the main room. Everything was still dead. It was sobering to know that basically I was trapped here ----- maybe forever! This room was not a comfortable place to be especially with those bodies present. Which reminds me, what did they die of? Maybe they were abandoned here for some reason. I decided to make a place to sleep back in the store room. I found some blankets and made a pallet. I was dead tired but my situation was ever on my mind. I also missed Mary dearly and worried how she was taking this. Not well, I’m sure. I laid down and was asleep almost immediately.

Beyond Galactic Marshal
by
Hilltopper

CHAPTER 4

“What do you mean Jonnie’s gone?”

Tinker cringed.

“The cube arrived but Jonnie disappeared.”

“What are you talking about? You didn’t have Jonnie try operating that gate did you?”

“It was just a simple test. Jonnie sent a cube to our home planet via the gate and it was successful.”

I was really getting mad now.

“OK, so where is Jonnie?”

“Look, Mary, we are still reviewing the experiment data. We don’t yet know what happened.”

I frowned big time.

“Are you saying that you have lost my partner?”

“As I said, Jonnie is no longer in the gate and did not appear at our planet with the cube test object.”

With that, Tinker hurried out. I sat down hard on the couch. I told Jonnie to not go inside that thing. I guess I lost it. After a long cry session, I went to the kitchen and ordered a large glass of wine. I was on my second one when the vid went off. It was Karen. I started not to answer it but I knew she needed to know.

“Hi, Mary, what’s wrong?”

“Oh Karen, Jonnie has disappeared in that gate thingy.”

“What! Why was she in there?”

“I don’t know. Tinker probably tricked her. It was supposed to be a simple test or something.”

Karen didn’t answer for a few seconds.

“OK, just keep calm. I’ll be back in a couple of days. Hopefully, Jonnie will be found by then. If not, we will confront the aliens together.”

Karen hesitated.

“You know, that might not be a bad idea.”

“What?”

“Oh, I was just thinking. Maybe a call to Sam, Jonnie’s old boss, might help.”

“I don’t see how.”

“Well, according to my sources, there are some in the Planetopolis that are rather miffed about the alien situation and want to blame Jonnie. If Tinker has been using Jonnie, it would be useful for Sam and the Marshal Service to know about it. They did change Jonnie’s sex without asking. Besides, I think Sam is a good guy and a friend of Jonnie’s. We may need all the help we can get.”

I sighed.

“Alright, I’ll try to be reasonable and contact Sam. But something better happen quickly!”

Karen agreed and signed off. I called Sam and explained the situation. He smiled.

“I knew John is a victim here. He was too good a marshal to turn traitor. There is not much we can do at the moment but I will inform the right people about this. Keep me informed.”

“I will and thank you.”

We ended the conversation. I felt a little better but, after picking up Raylan, I broke down again.

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When I awoke, I thought I had been dreaming. That is until I saw where I was.

“Shit!”

Yep, still here. I got up and went back into the main room. Everything was still the same. I sat down to think. There was no point in just staying here. It would accomplish nothing. The best thing to do was to go down to that stream I had found. It was bound to lead to a town or something. The thought occurred to me that I should leave a note in case anyone managed to get that gate working. There was no way to do that in here since none of the screens worked. I went back to the store room to find something to write with. I found a piece of something that looked like chalk. I wrote on one of the screens: ‘have gone down stream, John’. I deliberately signed it John. I hoped that if Mary or Karen saw it, they would know what had happened.

The store room proved to have everything I might need. There were several holsters with single shot revolvers. Things here seemed to be to help one blend in. I had worked hard on a quick draw while I was a teenager back in Kentucky and had gotten quite good. I strapped on one of the holsters. It felt good. Looking further in the store room, I found a funny looking suit of underwear. It looked like one from the 1800’s but felt different. On closer examination, I realized it was a protective suit of some kind. Nothing would penetrate it. Wearing this, I would be bullet proof except for my head of course. I donned the suit and put on another pair of jeans and a shirt. I found a backpack and filled it full of everything I thought I might need. Strapping my six gun back on, my boots, and a hat I found that fit, I headed up to the hatch.

Upon reaching the stream, I started the trek following the water course. The going wasn’t too bad but I took my time. After hiking for about three hours, I had seen nothing but lots of brush and a few animals. I paused to eat some bar things I had found in the store room. They were pretty good. After resting for an hour or so, I started out again. I came to a partial clearing and discovered the remains of a camp fire.

“Hallelujah!”

At least now I knew there were people about. The campfire was fairly old but it was there. I decided that this would be a good place to stop for the night. I rebuilt the campfire and heated up some food I took from my backpack. After eating, I made a bed of leaves and put a blanket over it. This reminded me of camping trips with my dad when I was growing up. Those memories were a little tarnished by knowing what had happened to me after puberty.

“Oh, well!”

The night sounds soon lulled me to sleep. I awoke to the sound of distant gun shots. They seemed to be coming from down stream. There was no way to know how far. I quickly packed everything, put my boots and gun belt on, and headed toward the sound. About 30 minutes later, I happened upon three men. Two were holding guns on a third who was sitting on the ground. One of the men saw me and quickly fired a shot at me. By instinct, I drew and shot him in the chest. He fell backwards and the other man dropped his gun and ran. It was then I noticed that the shot fired at me had in deed been accurate striking me near my heart. I had barely felt it and no damage was done. I thanked the ancients for these underwear. As I walked up to the man on the ground, he looked up with a big smile.

“Man, am I glad to see you.”

I helped him up.

“What was that all about?”

At least he was speaking English although with a slang. He looked at me funny.

“You’re not from these parts, are you?”

Uh oh, I decided to tell a half truth.

“No, I’m from Kentucky.”

Of course, I had no idea where I was now but it certainly wasn’t Kentucky.

“Oh yeah, heard of it. I live down Spring Creek here in Hilltown. Those jaspers are henchmen of our illustrious Marshal Slago. I’m surprised the one you shot missed you. He is --- or was a dead shot.”

I flinched.

“Just lucky, I guess.”

He looked at me funny again.

“Yeah, well, you won’t be so lucky when Marshal Slago finds out you killed his right hand man. You’re really fast by the way.”

I just shrugged.

“Why were they after you?”

“They want to know the location of my silver mine. That Marshal Slago is taking over every claim he can get his hands on; legal or otherwise. We wrote for a U.S. Marshal but we haven’t heard back.”

He looked at me hard.

“You wouldn’t be him, would ya?”

I shook my head.

“Sorry.”

“Hmm, well, you probably wouldn’t tell me if you were. I’m Rosco Jones by the way.”

I held out my hand.

“John Harper”

“Glad to know you. Come on to my place and I’ll fix you supper. It’s the least I can do for you for saving my life.”

“Sure, that sounds good.”

We took off about the way I had come. At the foot of the hill I had come out of and around to the left, was an old shack. I guess this was home. Once inside, he got to work fixing ‘vittles’ as he called it. What ever it was, it tasted great. I decided not to ask the ingredients. As we settled in front of the fire, Rosco turned to me.

“Ah, this feels better. It was a cold one today. Come to think of it, you got no coat. Weren’t you freezing?”

This came as a shock. I hadn’t noticed the temperature at all. Maybe this protective suit does more than just keep me safe from bullets.

“It gets hot down Kentucky way. This actually felt good.”

He laughed.

“Well, it’s damn cold here in the Dakotas.”

OK, I was getting a better picture of where I am; Hilltown on Spring Creek in Dakota Territory some time in the late 1800’s I would guess.

“You know, you might as well spend the night here especially since you got no coat. Besides, I’ve got to go to town in the morning for supplies. You’re pretty handy to have around. Would you mind going with me? I don’t trust that Slago.”

“Sure”

We bedded down. The morning looked to be interesting.

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Nothing happened until evening. Tinker came over looking excited.

“We have determined that Jonnie went to Earth.”

I brightened.

“Great! Let’s go get her.”

Tinker just looked at me a minute.

“We always assumed that these ruins and artifacts were left by an ancient civilization possibly ancestors of your race. It turns out that they are related to your people but not as ancestors; rather your descendants.”

“What?”

“That gate is much more than just a transportation system. It is a time portal as well. Jonnie is on Earth alright but some where in the past.”

“Shit! How far back?”

Tinker shrugged.

“Without being able to fully power up the gate, we can not determine that. It is strange, however. Jonnie should have been able to come back to us. There is one possibility that would prevent her from doing so.”

“What’s that?”

Tinker thought a minute.

“The gate doesn’t physically send anything but the pattern of how to reproduce it. In other words, when that cube reached our planet, it was a reproduction of the cube not the original one. The same thing happens when a person is sent through. The device relies heavily on the DNA of the individual in recreating the person at the other end.”

I looked horrified.

“You mean Jonnie is not Jonnie anymore?”

“Of course she is just every molecule is new. There is one big difference, however, that could account for Jonnie’s inability to return to us.”

“OK, I’m listening.”

Tinker sighed.

“Even though we converted Jonnie to a functioning female, we did not actually alter her DNA significantly. It is complicated. We think that the gate used her DNA to remake her. In which case, she would end up an intersexed male on the other end.”

“Oh, poor Jonnie; converted again. So, if Jonnie can’t operate the gate from her end and you can’t power the gate up, how do we retrieve her?”

“That is going to be a problem. We think the answer lies with Karen. Her DNA is very similar to Jonnie’s. Hopefully, with her help, we can figure something out.”

“Well, I hope she gets here quickly!”

Beyond Galactic Marshal
by
Hilltopper

Chapter 5

The smell of bacon frying woke me up. I hadn’t had that in a long time. I stood up and Rosco eyed me.

“Ol’ Pasco used to wear a pair of underwear just like those years ago.”

This piqued my interest.

“Who was that?”

“Oh, he was an old prospector that was around about many years ago. I haven’t seen him in a very long time.”

Hmm, maybe he was one of those bodies I found.

“Sit your self down. I’ll have breakfast in a minute.’

We ate and dressed. Once outside, I was surprised to see a wagon. Rosco saw me looking.

“Yeah, I need it to haul things up here from town but the road, such as it is, takes one a long way around. Nothing for it, of course. Hop on!”

He was right. Not only was the ‘road’ awful but it took us 4 hours to reach Hilltown. It wasn’t much to brag about. I guess it was a typical mining town of the old west. There seemed to be more saloons than any thing else. We stopped in front of a general store. I stepped down from the wagon. I had no idea what to do. Rosco headed into the store so I followed.

“Hey Mort, this here’s John Harper.”

Mort looked me over and just nodded. Rosco handed him a list.

“Well, if it isn’t Rosco Jones.”

I turned to see a tall, pudgy man wearing a badge.

“I just heard a tale about you. Seems one of my deputies is missing.”

“Listen, Slago, I had nothin’ to do with that.”

His eyes narrowed.

“That’s Marshal Slago to you.”

He noticed me for the first time.

“Is this the feller that shot my deputy?”

I gave him my marshal glare. I have been told that it is intimidating. It seemed to be having an effect. He looked away.

“Well, Willie never was much good. You watch yourself around here.”

He turned and walked out.

“Well, I’ll be damned. I thought sure he was going to arrest you.”

“It seems he already knows what happened.”

Rosco laughed.

“Yeah, I’m sure Billy boy told him how fast you are. I think things are going to get interesting around here. You never did tell me why you are here. I still think you’re our U.S. Marshal.”

Mort stood up with a jerk. I held up my hands.

“No, I’m not him. Driftin’ is all.”

Mort shook his head.

“You’re no drifter.”

I ignored him and turned to Rosco.

“Is there a hotel around here?”

“Sure, across the street.”

“OK, thanks for every thing. I’m sure I’ll see you again.”

I walked out and saw a sign on a building across the street that said ‘Rooms’. I had a bag of gold nuggets that I’d found in the store room. I figured that is what was used for money around here. I went into the hotel and up to a desk. A grungy man was sitting behind it.

“I’d like a room.”

He looked up.

“That’ll be two bits in advance.”

I had no idea what 2 bits was so I placed a nugget on the desk top.

“Will this do?”

He lifted it and held it a few seconds.

“Man, you can stay a month on this thing.”

“Fine”

He handed me a key.

“Up stairs, second door on the right.”

I nodded and went up to the room. It had a bed, a chair, and a dresser with a pitcher and bowl on top. The bed did look fairly clean. I plopped down.

“OK, now what?”

I guess I must have fallen asleep because I was startled by pounding on my door.

“John, are ya in there?”

I got up and opened the door.

“Are you nuts? Why did you pay for your room with that nugget?”

Uh oh, messed up again.

“Just as soon as you went up to your room that scum bag of a clerk high tailed it over to Marshal Slago. He’s gonna be after you for sure now and he won’t be coming at you from the front.”

Oh, boy!

“OK, so what should I have done?”

Rosco eyed me warily.

“You sure got a lot to learn. Take your nuggets to any saloon. They’ll weigh it up and pay you in cash but don’t give them any more than you have to. I’m going back to my place. It probably would be a good idea for you to go back with me.”

“No, I guess I’ll hang around here.”

Rosco stared at me a minute and then shook his head.

“OK, it was good knowing you.”

He turned and walked out. Maybe I should just go back to the gate room. I’m screwing up here big time. No, that won’t help. I’ve just got to be more careful. I strapped on my gun and went out to find a saloon. Of course, that wasn’t hard. I went into the first one I came to. It was called The Golden Nugget. That sounded like just what I needed. Upon walking in, I spotted the cashier. I decided to go slow and handed him just two nuggets. After weighing, he smiled.

“These are nice ones. You must have a good mine.”

He handed me $165. It didn’t seem like much but prices were really low around here so it should be enough. I walked over to the bar.

“You got any Kentucky whiskey?”

“Sure thing but it’s expensive.”

“Give me a bottle and a glass. Have you got anything to eat here?”

“We got some stew cooking.”

“OK, bring me a plate.”

I went to a table towards the back and poured myself a drink. It wasn’t half bad. As much as I wanted to tie one on, I didn’t think it was a good idea what with Marshal Slago on my case. I was about to take my second drink when I spotted one of the girls staring at me. I nodded and she came over to my table. Placing both arms on the table top, she screamed at me.

“I’m not going back with you!”

She stood and ran out the back door.

“What on earth was that about.”

My stew arrived and I dug in. The meat was definitely not beef but it was pretty good. After eating, I relaxed with a couple more drinks then headed outside. It had gotten dark. I was just passing an alley when I heard two shots and something hit me in the back.

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The next evening, Karen called to say she was at the resort.

“Thank goodness you’re back. Tinker says you are the key to getting Jonnie home.”

“Me?”

“Yeah, uh, your genes that is.”

“Hmm, we’ll see. Can you have Tinker pick me up?”

“Yep, I’ll call him. See you in a little bit.”

I called Tinker.

“Our shuttle should be there by now.”

“How did you know Karen was back? Never mind!”

“We’ll bring her to your home and we will get started in the morning.”

Tinker signed off. He’s never one for a lot of talk. About an hour later, Karen was at my door. I gave her a big hug.

“Well, this is different.”

I blushed.

“I’m glad to see you.”

She smiled.

“Anything more on Jonnie?”

I lost it then.

“Oh, Karen, she’s gone; maybe forever! I don’t know what to do. Tinker says she’s on Earth some time in the past; and as a male.”

Karen raised her eyebrows.

“Not again! I thought she was through with this changing back and forth.”

I explained what Tinker had told me. Karen nodded.

“Yeah, that makes sense. So, Tinker thinks I may be able to operate the gate.”

“I hope so. Otherwise, we’re sunk.”

Karen looked thoughtful.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea. It appears they do not know much about the thing. I could end up anywhere.”

I teared up.

“What else can we do?”

“Well, we’ll figure things out in the morning. I’m beat. I have been on the go for four days.”

“What did you find out?”

“Not much. Jonnie is definitely wanted by the Planetopolis but mainly for her information I think.”

We went off to bed. Tinker arrived bright and early the next morning. Karen reluctantly went to the gate but I was not allowed. I sat with Raylan and was miserable.

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I was shocked at the size of the gate. It was so much larger that I imagined. Tinker pointed at it.

“We have partially powered the gate up but not enough to operate it. What we would like you to do first is to walk into it a few feet. It should power up all the way if your DNA is compatible. When it does, turn around and walk back out.”

“OK, that sounds harmless enough.”

I did as instructed and the gate did seem to gain in intensity. Upon exiting, Tinker was smiling big.

“This is great! I am going to show you a video of what Jonnie did inside the gate.”

I watched it concentrating on what she did at the panel. There was a flash and then Jonnie was gone.

“We would like you to duplicate that. We sent Jonnie through wearing a space suit just in case. The gate should transport you to Earth so breathing should not be an issue. However, we feel you should wear it anyway. If you get it to transport you, don’t leave it. Look outside and take an air sample but under no circumstances should you walk out of it. If you see Jonnie, get her to come to you. If she is not in sight, come straight back here so we can analyze the situation.”

I looked hard at Tinker.

“Don’t you think you are rushing things a little.”

“No, time is at a premium here.”

I sighed and put on the suit with a tech’s help. Inside the gate, I followed the sequence Jonnie had performed. There was a bright flash and then I was looking at a large room with many computer desks. The lights in the room were on but the screens were not lit up. To the left side of the room, a space suit was laying on the floor.

“That has to be Jonnie’s!”

I called her name over and over. It was all I could do to keep myself from running into the room. There was no Jonnie. Looking harder at the room, I noticed something written on one of the screens. I smiled and took the air sample.

“I sure hope this thing goes back!”

With a sigh, I placed my hand into the depression. An instant later, Tinker was standing before me. I smiled.

“I saw Jonnie’s suit and a note from here.”

“OK! Come on out.”

When I exited the gate, a tech helped me off with the suit and took the air sample. Tinker handed me an electronic tablet.

“Please write up every thing you did and saw.”

It took me about 30 minutes to do so. Tinker read it and nodded.

“This looks good. The gate went back to the same place. Of course, we don’t know the time element yet. It will take us a while to analyze the data. Go on back to Mary’s and, when we are ready to go again, I’ll come for you.”

“Alright”

I went back to Mary and gave her the good news.

“Thank god! Did Tinker say when you will be going back?”

“No, but I hope it’s soon. Based on the note, there is no telling where Jonnie may be or how long she has been gone.”

Mary gave me a sad look.

“I guess we better say ‘he’ now.”

“Yeah, sorry.”

We ate lunch and waited. About mid afternoon, Tinker came over.

“We think you were within a few days of Jonnie’s passage. The note indicated she left the room. Since we don’t know how far she has gone or what she may have encountered, we will have supplies ready for you to take. You will have to go alone. We can not go with you.”

“Why not send an avatar with me?”

“No, they must be controlled by one of us and that can not be managed through the gate.”

Mary stepped forward.

“I’m going with Karen!”

Tinker started to say no but the look on Mary’s face stopped that. With a slight nod, Tinker smiled.

“I guess there’s no point in arguing.”

I looked into Mary’s eyes.

“Are you sure?”

“I can’t not go. Can you get one of your people to watch Raylan?”

“Sure”

Tinker sighed.

“OK, you leave tonight.”

Beyond Galactic Marshal
by
Hilltopper

CHAPTER 6

I turned to see Marshal Slago standing about 5 meters down the alley holding a smoking gun. I looked at him a few seconds and then smiled.

“Well, hello marshal. Can I help you?”

He got a shocked then horrified look on his face.

“Who are you?”

I took a step toward him. He turned and ran down the alley. It was then I realized that it was two .45 slugs that had hit me dead center on my back. Like last time, I had hardly felt them. I was about to leave when I saw movement at the end of the alley. Figuring it was Slago, I walked toward it. When I got to the end, a woman stepped out of the shadows. It was the same one that screamed at me in the saloon.

“Hello again.”

She stared at me shaking her head.

“No, you’re not one of us. Who are you?”

“I seem to be getting that question a lot lately.”

She made a squeaking sound, turned, and ran away. I tried to follow her but it was just too dark. Since I was feeling my drinks some, I decided to go to the hotel and lie down. Once in bed, I reflected on my day.

The underwear had now saved my life twice. On the down side, there were at least three people who suspected I was not what I appeared to be. This could cause major problems. The marshal had the power to come after me but I didn’t think he would. I had definitely scared him but he had the look of a bully; that is a coward. The mystery woman was a different story. Oh she was afraid of me but for very different reasons it seemed. Could she be one of the people that came through the gate? I had to question her further. Then there was Rosco. I had a feeling he knew more than he was telling but I did not think he was one of the ancients. With my mind in turmoil and missing Mary terribly, sleep came hard.

Upon waking and dressing, I went in search of some breakfast. Down the street a ways, a café looked like the place. I sat down but no one came over to take my order. Finally, I went up to the person at the counter.

“I would like some breakfast.”

The man looked at me and then turned around without saying anything. Then it dawned on me. Slago must be behind this. I went to the only other restaurant with the same results. I decided enough was enough and went to the marshal’s office. It was locked up tight.

“Just great!”

I went back to the café and walked into the kitchen.

“Either some one here serves me some breakfast or I’ll get it my self.”

I was angry enough to spit nails and I guess it showed. The cook spooned up eggs, bacon, and fried potatoes onto a plate and handed it to me.

“Just don’t say where you got it.”

I walked back into the dining room and sat down to eat. The counter man, owner I guess, just glared at me while I ate. When I finished, I went up to pay and he turned his back on me again. With a shrug, I walked out. It looked like I was persona non grata. I went back to the hotel. As soon as I entered the lobby, the clerk went into a back room. I got my key out of the slot and climbed the stairs to my room. The only thing I could see to do now was find that girl. The problem was I did not know where she lived. Hell, I didn’t even know her name. The only thing I did know was she worked at The Golden Nugget. I just lounged around in the room until mid afternoon. I couldn’t stand it any longer so I got up. After leaving the hotel, I went to see if Slago’s office was open.

“Shit!”

Yep, still locked up tight. I walked over to The Golden Nugget saloon and entered. All eyes turned to me and it went deathly quiet. I strolled up to the bar and glared at the bartender. Without a word, he set a bottle of Kentucky whiskey and a glass on the counter. I sat down at the same table as last night and poured a drink. Most of the customers left. About two hours later, the girl came into the saloon via the back door. She looked at the bartender.

“This place is dead tonight.”

He pointed at me. She saw me for the first time and bolted for the door. I was faster.

“We need to talk.”

She sagged and I followed her out the door. We walked down a back street in silence. She turned into an alley and walked up to a small house. She opened the door and we entered. The place was plain but neat. She sat down at a table and I did too.

“You want something to drink?”

I shook my head.

“I want answers!”

She sighed.

“When I first saw you, I knew you were a woman in disguise. Therefore, I thought you were one of my people coming to take me back. But after watching you a while, I realized that was not the case. So, who are you?”

This startled me.

“What do you mean ‘woman in disguise’?”

She stared at me with a puzzled expression. I sighed.

“OK, let’s start over. Are you one of the people who built the gate in the observation center?”

She stood up quickly.

“You did come through the gate!”

She shook her head.

“This makes no sense.”

“I did use the gate to get here but it was an accident. I was helping aliens who found a gate on Prowhiness in some ruins. We all thought it was left by an ancient race. When I tried to send an object to the alien’s planet, I ended up in the observation room.”

She nodded.

“So you are a woman!”

I sighed.

“Well, I sort of was but, once through the gate, I was like this.”

“Hmm, only one of us can use the gate. As I said, this makes no sense.”

Suddenly, we heard a commotion outside. Looking out a window, I saw Slago and several deputies surrounding the house.

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Mary and I packed some clothes and toiletries into a case. After her baby sitter arrived, I bade Raylan a tearful good bye. Then we headed for the gate room. Tinker greeted us.

“We have placed all the supplies we thought you might need into a crate. It is awaiting you in the gate. I see no need for space suits this time.”

Karen spoke up.

“Here are our clothes and things.”

Tinker nodded and had them placed into the gate.

“I really don’t know what to say except find Jonnie as quickly as you can and get back here safe.”

I nodded.

“Don’t worry, that is our main goal.”

We entered the gate and it powered up. Karen held my hand while she operated the controls. There was a brief flash and we were looking at a very bright room. I was feeling real good until Karen shook her head.

“This is not the same place!”

“What!”

Just then two women walked into the room. One turned to us and spoke in an unfamiliar language. It kind of sounded like English but I could not make since of any of the words.

“I’m sorry but I don’t understand you.”

The other woman smiled and nodded to the first one. She faced us.

“Welcome! My name is Isham. Please come with us.”

I looked at Karen. She frowned and started pushing on the control center.

“I’m afraid it is quite dead. Please!”

She motioned us out of the gate. With nothing else to do, we complied. We followed them into an adjacent room. Several comfortable looking chairs sat about. She motioned us into them.

“I know you are surprised to be here. Please let me explain. We were alerted to the operation of a gate. After reviewing the data, we realized some one had used an old gate to go to an abandoned observation site. This seemed quite impossible so we arranged for the transportation to be sent here if it was used again.”

I was stunned. We had to be in the future.

“So these are your gates?”

“Yes and we are very interested in finding out how you have accomplished this. You see, only one of us can operate the gates.”

I gave them the story about the aliens, the ruins, and Jonnie helping them.

“When Jonnie disappeared, we went in search of her.”

The two talked to each other a minute.

“Karen, we would like to run some tests on you. This is very surprising. We need to get to the bottom of this.”

I stood up.

“What about Jonnie?”

“We will discuss that and answer all your questions after the tests.”

They stood and left the room. Karen turned to me.

“We are in big trouble.”

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My name is George Bret. I am a Galactic Marshal in district three. I have been summoned to headquarters on an urgent matter. As I approached my boss’s office, he called out to me.

“Come on in, George.”

“Hey Sam, what’s up?”

“That’s what I want to know. You’re aware that former marshal Harper is working on a project with the aliens.”

I nodded. This was an understatement. In fact, there really was no more John Harper. He had been turned into a female in order to help save the alien’s planet. Now, due to extreme prejudice on many levels, he or she is forced to work with the aliens. Since he was my best friend, I am a little bitter. Sam went on.

“A few days ago, I received a call from Mary Brown. She said that they were at some ruins on Prowhiness and that John was helping the aliens test a gate of some kind when he disappeared. She seemed to think that the aliens had tricked John somehow.”

“I can believe that. They are a sly bunch.”

“Yeah, anyway, she said she would get back to me but has not. The kicker came this morning. We got a call from a woman who stated that she worked for Karen Singleton and was baby sitting with Raylan, John’s son, while Mary and Karen went to rescue John using that gate with the aliens help. She said she has not heard from them and now, suddenly, all of the aliens have left the planet without a word. She is stuck at the ruins by herself with Raylan.”

“Shit, this gets worse all the time.”

Sam nodded.

“The Planetopolis leaders look at this as a golden opportunity to find out what the aliens are up to. You and Linda are both very familiar with the alien situation. I’d like you two to take the ship John used and go to Prowhiness.”

“Man, that place is well outside the Planetopolis.”

“I know. You will have no jurisdiction but we have got to know what is going on. Plus, on a personal level, I am very worried about John. Get there as fast as you can and report back. The Planetopolis will have a military detachment standing by to go in and occupy the site when you give the all clear. This is a priority one mission.”

I sat back stunned. Finally, I stood up.

“John is my best friend and saved my life. Of course I will go!”

Beyond Galactic Marshal
by
Hilltopper

CHAPTER 7

“All right Harper or what ever you are, come on out or we’ll burn the house down!”

I turned to the woman (I don’t even know her name).

“It’s Slago! I guess I’ll give myself up. I’m not going to get you involved.”

She looked thoughtful.

“We’ll just get rid of your disguise and walk out together.”

“Huh!”

“Marshal, this is Lilly. I’m here with one of the girls. Can we come out?”

“Sure, go out the back door. But, if Harper comes out with you, we’ll mow all of you down.”

“OK, give us a little time.”

I looked at her puzzled.

“Who else is here?”

She laughed.

“You ninny, just us. You are now one of the girls.”

She went into a back room and returned with some clothes.

“Put these on and come on back.”

I shook my head. This is not going to work. I put on the clothes and walked into the room. She had make-up and a wig ready.

“Sit down, we haven’t much time.”

She got to work and a few minutes later, to my surprise, a pretty woman looked back at me in the mirror.

“You look much better as a woman. Let’s go!”

I guess I was in shock. My change back to male should have made this effort useless. Without a word, we went out the back door. One of the deputies waved us on. Lilly led us to a stable, hitched up a buggy, and we rode it out of town. Once a few kilometers outside of Hilltown, she stopped.

“Well, I reckon we better figure out what to do next.”

I was still stunned.

“I can’t believe that worked!”

“Why not, you really are a woman, right?”

I sighed.

“I’m sorry for getting you into this.”

“I got myself into this by staying here too long. I knew someone would eventually come through the gate. It was security, I guess, being close to the observation site. I always had a place to run to. Maybe we should go there?”

“Well, there is a cabin I know about close to the site.”

She nodded.

“You mean Rosco’s place.”

“You know him?”

She laughed.

“He guards the site for us.”

“I knew there was more to him that met the eye.”

“Yeah, he was mining around there when we first came through. It was a stroke of good luck when we met him. Once he’d seen the real us, it was either bring him on board or ---- well, we couldn’t let him tell on us.”

“That reminds me, when I came into the observation room, there were three bodies lying in tubes.”

She nodded sadly.

“They are the rest of our team but they are not dead. A few years ago, our leader went back to our base and found that it had been attacked, no one was there, and the gate was powered down. In other words, we were stuck here. We checked back regularly for over a year but no one came back to the base and the gate was not useable by us. We were under orders to put ourselves into suspended animation if we were cut off. That is what the ones that you saw have done. I could not do it so I went back to Hilltown to live as one of the natives. It is against all our rules. That is why I was so concerned about you.”

I realized what might be the problem.

“That could cause future time concerns.”

“Yes, I know I did wrong but --------.”

“Who attacked your base?”

“I don’t know for sure. Let’s get to Rosco’s and I’ll fill you in on why we are here in the first place. I’m also very interested in how you managed to get here.”

It was a very bouncy ride to Rosco’s and we rode in silence. He heard us coming and was waiting on the porch. He smiled at Lilly and then looked at me. With a puzzled look, he stepped up to the buggy. Suddenly, he broke into a smile.

“Ha, I knew you were one of them but the fact that you didn’t know me is what threw me.”

I gave him a hard look.

“What makes you think I’m one of them?”

He laughed.

“Only women come through that thing. When we first met, you were already disguised as a man. I can see now that you are indeed a woman.”

I shook my head and muttered to myself.

“If it wasn’t for Fledora, I’d be insulted big time.”

Lilly heard me and whipped her head around.

“What did you say?”

“Oh, this woman thing could try a man’s soul.”

“No, you mentioned Fledora.”

“Yeah, I’m from there. Have you heard of it?”

She seemed in shock.

“Heard of it! That is our legendary home planet.”

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A few minutes later, a woman came in with a strange instrument. She stopped in front of Karen. There was a depression a little larger than a hand in the machine. She placed Karen’s hand into it. Nothing seemed to be happening but, after a minute, she removed Karen’s hand. She nodded and left. Karen looked at me.

“What do you make of that?”

I shrugged.

“The tests I guess.”

Just then the woman who had talked to us came back in and sat down in a chair. She looked a little pale.

“Did the tests go OK?”

She leaned back and stared at Karen.

“Are you from this planet you call Prowhiness?”

Karen shook her head.

“No, that’s just where the ruins are located. We are from Fledora.”

Isham jumped up.

“It’s not possible!”

She ran out of the room. Karen turned to me.

“What did I say?”

“The name Fledora struck a chord. Maybe that’s where we are.”

“No, I get the feeling the tests and the mention of Fledora has thrown them for a loop. Why, I don’t know.”

A while later, someone entered with a cart of food and drinks. She nodded and left. I grinned.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”

Karen laughed.

“Yeah, it looks like we aren’t on bread and water; yet.

We dug in. The food was great although I couldn’t tell you what it was. After eating, we sat back.

“I wonder if they are watching us.”

Karen nodded.

“Almost a certainty.”

“How far in the future do you think we are?”

“No way to know but I have a feeling it is a long way.”

“Yeah”

It was an hour or so before anyone came back. The first two women that met us walked in looking very upset. Isham spoke.

“We may have a big problem. Your tests caused us a great concern. Your mention of Fledora confirmed it. You see, records indicate that our race originated over a thousand of your Earth years ago from a planet called Fledora. Karen’s DNA shows a great resemblance to our own. In fact, it indicates that we are direct descendants from your race. Time travel is a very delicate proposition. The least little interference in the past can cause great effects in the future. Bringing you here could have serious time effects. There is also the matter of your person that went through the gate to Earth. She could have an even bigger effect.”

I frowned.

“Why were you on Earth in the distant past if it’s so dangerous?”

Isham grimaced and spoke to the other woman. With a sigh, she nodded.

“OK, since you are from Fledora, part of the story is known to you. Basically, we evolved away from two genders. The male gender became extinct about 400 years ago or, at least, that is what we thought. About 20 years ago, we detected a planet with males. It apparently is a long lost colony from Earth. Since we have no direct knowledge about the male gender, we decided we needed more information. The colony seemed somewhat primitive so we selected a period of time on Earth similar to establish an observation post. We were very careful to blend in and not cause any time effects.”

“So where do the ruins come in?”

“We first established a base on an uninhabited planet. From there, we went back and forth to the observation site on Earth. That base was attacked several months after we set it up. We don’t know by whom. Therefore, the site was abandoned. Our team on Earth had orders to put themselves into hibernation if cut off. We presume that was done.”

I was stunned. Karen spoke up first.

“You mean you just left them there!”

“We had no choice. The only way there was through the gate at the base. We dared not go back there!”

“So what are you doing about the planet with males?”

She sighed.

“We are still debating the problem.”

I was in disbelief.

“Then send us to the base so we can go after Jonnie. We can check on your team at the same time.”

She shook her head.

“We must be careful.”

I glared at her.

“I know, you must debate the problem.”

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When I got back to my apartment on the station, my wife, Linda, was beside herself.

“What did Sam want? Are Jonnie and Karen OK?”

I shook my head.

“It’s a mess. As you know, John is helping the aliens. It seems that they tricked him into testing one of their devices and he has disappeared.”

“Oh no!”

“It gets worse. Karen and Mary went after him on a rescue mission and they are now missing. Plus, the aliens have departed suddenly leaving Raylan at the ruins in the care of one of Karen’s employees.”

“Shit! George, we have to go get him!”

I nodded.

“That’s the only good part. We have been assigned to go to Prowhiness and figure out what’s going on.”

“I feel a catch here.”

I sighed.

“The Planetopolis will have a force ready to go in as soon as I report back that the aliens are definitely gone.”

“Well, it figures. They have wanted in on this all along. I just hope this doesn’t end up in a war. My only concern here is Jonnie, Karen, and Raylan.”

Linda glared at me.

“Do you understand?”

“Now calm down. I agree with you. We just must walk a fine line or they will opt us out. I think we have some time. We get to use the same ship John had.”

“OK, I’ll go pack.”

Two hours later, we entered the ship.

“Good morning, Marshal Bret.”

“We need to go to Prowhiness post haste. A woman there is going to radio us when we arrive. We will need to home in on her signal.”

“That agrees with my orders. We should be there in 8 hours, 14 minutes.”

Our ship departed and we went to the galley.

“Linda, are you OK with this?”

She smiled.

“It’s a little late to ask me now. I want to find Jonnie and Karen safe and sound as much as you; maybe more. So, yes, I’m with you all the way.”

I frowned.

“I notice you always say Jonnie and haven’t mentioned Mary.”

Linda looked thoughtful.

“I met her when she was undercover as Gina and we became close friends. Later, as Jonnie, she saved my life. I know she is really a he but it is hard for me to see it. As far as Mary is concerned, well, she and Jonnie are married. I can’t warm up to her but I will be a friend. OK?”

I sat back and smiled.

“We certainly have had some interesting times with them. Some of which I’d like to forget.”

Linda looked at me slyly.

“I don’t know, I thought you made a great woman.”

“Hush, let’s keep that to ourselves.”

Linda laughed.

“Sure, macho man.”

I shook my head.

“We might as well doze some or at least lie down.”

I gave Linda a smirk.

“OK, lover boy, come on.”

The 8 hours passed quickly.

Beyond Galactic Marshal
by
Hilltopper

CHAPTER 8

We went into Rosco’s cabin and sat down. Lilly turned to me and spoke in an intense voice.

“OK, what’s really going on here?”

I put up my hands.

“The truth is I am here totally by accident. I was testing a device at some ruins on Prowhiness and, the next thing I knew, I was here.”

Lilly shook her head.

“No, that does not add up. The gate at our base, which is the ruins you talk about I guess, is powered down and only one of us can operate it.”

Rosco raised his eyebrows.

“You mean you’re not one of them?”

Lilly pounded her chair.

“That’s the problem! Who are you?”

I sighed and gave the highlights of my life story. After I finished, Lilly stood up.

“Wow! This is unbelievable. You could be my distant ancestor.”

She then frowned.

“I’m now worried even more about the time travel consequences.”

I nodded.

“The aliens I worked for were very concerned about it. I imagine your people picked this place because it is out of the way.”

“That was certainly one reason. You think your wife and sister will try to come here, right?”

“Absolutely!”

She shook her head.

“They won’t make it. Our people will almost certainly intercept them. The big question is ‘what will happen next’. I imagine, when they find out about you, they will be in a quandary. I must warn you though, we don’t rush into things. We just might be totally on our own here.”

“Can’t you use the gate to get us back?”

“Back to our base probably but not into the future. Since our base has no power and no one is there, what’s the point? Also, some one attacked it so going there would be dangerous. We must live here the best we can until my people send someone for us, if they do.”

I was shocked.

“You mean, you don’t think they will?”

She looked sadly at me.

“If they were going to, they should already be here. They would want to limit the time exposure as much as possible. So, I’m not optimistic.”

“But what about your people in hibernation?”

She just shook her head.

“Why do you think I didn’t want to go in there! Of course, I have to admit, I kind of like having males around.”

I nodded.

“Yeah, I guess your planet is like Fledora in that no males are allowed.”

She got a serious look on her face.

“It’s worse than that. In our time, males are extinct and have been for a very long time.”

Rosco choked on his tobacco.

“Does that mean what I think it means?”

She nodded.

“Holy shit!”

I patted Rosco on the back.

“So, I guess that’s why you’re here observing.”

“Yes, our leaders thought we could gain some knowledge. I don’t know the real reason.”

“Yeah, there must be more to it than that. The question for us is ‘what do we do now’. You don’t expect help, we can’t leave, and Slago has probably burnt your house by now. Not to mention the fact that what ever we do could screw up the future. Life was so much easier when I was a marshal.”

“I think we should go to the observation room until we figure things out. Of course, we could always join my team in hibernation.”

I shook my head.

“Been there, done that! OK, let’s go up the hill. At least I can get out of these confounded clothes.”

She laughed.

“I must admit these long dresses and corsets are not my idea of proper fashion.”

We bade Rosco good bye and headed to the observation room. Once down the ladder, I went into the storage room. I gathered up a flannel shirt, some jeans, and a pair of boots. Lilly looked surprised.

“Don’t tell me you’re going back to your male disguise?”

“Yes, I think it best.”

She sighed.

“OK, I’m going inside.”

I changed clothes and washed my face. I was pulling my boots on when I heard Lilly cry out.

“Oh my god!”

I rushed into the room. She had powered up the computers and an alarm was flashing. A picture I recognized as their base showed several very strange and scary aliens.

“Uh oh!”

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Isham turned bright red. I didn’t know if she was embarrassed or angry; maybe both. She made a half turn.

“We have a room ready for you. Please follow me.”

She led us down several hallways and finally stopped at a door.

“We have programmed it for your English. If you need anything, just ask it.”

With that, Isham walked away. I looked over at Karen.

“I guess I hurt her feelings.”

Karen made a sound like hmmpf.

“These people are impossible.”

I was about to knock on the door when it slid open.

“Welcome Mary and Karen. Please make yourselves at home.”

I chuckled.

“This reminds me of Jonnie’s ship.”

We walked into a dream. I don’t know how they did it but the place was straight out of Jonnie’s Kentucky home. Well, it wasn’t the same stuff but it sure was of a similar type. Karen looked around and sighed.

“Home sweet home!”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m afraid of. I get the feeling we are prisoners rather than guests.”

Karen looked at the door.

“Only one way to find out.”

She walked over to the door. It did not open.

“Please open the door.”

The same voice that welcomed us spoke up.

“It is not permitted.”

Karen turned back to me.

“There you go!”

I nodded.

“I guess we are at their mercy.”

Everything hit me at once. I missed Jonnie terribly and worried what might have happened. Now, we were trapped in the distant future. Plus, Raylan was still at the ruins. I felt completely overwhelmed. A crying fit is never pleasant especially with Karen present. To her credit, she held me until I calmed down.

“Feel better?”

I nodded.

“OK, let’s check this place out.”

It turned out that this was like a two bedroom hotel suite or maybe the inside of a small 20th century house on Earth. There was a sitting room area, a small eating area, and two bedrooms with bathrooms. I shook my head.

“I still don’t understand this. We have to be a thousand or more years in the future. How would they know anything about this stuff?”

“Beats me. Do you see any communication devices around?”

“Come to think of it, no. House, we would like to speak to one of your people.”

“Someone will contact you tomorrow.”

I tried several times insisting to speak to someone but our house did not answer. Karen frowned.

“So much for that!”

We found food in the eating area and ate. There was nothing much to do so, after discussing things a while, we went to bed. I couldn’t help but wonder what Jonnie was doing. I also missed little Raylan but I know he was being well cared for. I must have been more tired than I thought because I went to sleep quite quickly. I was awakened by the house.

“Please get ready. You will be contacted shortly.”

I walked out to find Karen sitting in a chair. She looked up and smiled.

“Sleep well?”

“Surprisingly so.”

“Yep, home sweet home.”

Since we didn’t have any extra clothes, dressing was not an issue. I sat down beside Karen.

“Do you think they will let us go today?”

“Hmmpf, I wouldn’t bet on it. Another night in here and I’ll be ready to kill something.”

A few minutes later, our door opened. In walked the two women that had first met us. Isham addressed us.

“We are sending you back to your time. This is the best way to avoid any time effects.”

I jumped up.

“That won’t work. We still need to rescue Jonnie.”

“I’m sorry but that is not possible.”

“Why not?”

She looked over at the other woman and sighed.

“We have lost our connection to the base. Without it, we can not go back to a specific time.”

I was shocked.

“What caused the problem?”

“We don’t know. It is as if the base is no longer there.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I guess I must have drifted off because I was startled when the ship announced that we were in orbit around Prowhiness. We walked into the command center.

“Any word from the woman that is to contact us?”

“No, George.”

“OK, keep trying to make contact.”

I looked at Linda.

“If we can’t contact her, maybe we can reach one of Karen’s people at the resort.”

She nodded.

“That makes sense. I know several of them.”

We tried all morning with no results. Linda called a person she knew at the resort. The person had a fix on a position sent to her by Karen’s sitter at the ruins. I gave the info to the ship’s computer.

“Please over fly this site.”

“Yes, George.”

We were soon over the position. There was nothing there except a strange device and a flattened building.

“This doesn’t look good. We better take the shuttle down.”

Linda and I dropped down to the surface and landed beside the ruined house. Linda was in a panic.

“I hope Raylan wasn’t in there.”

We went to the rubble. It looked like it had been in an explosion. I heard a sound and headed for it. Under part of the roof was a woman. When I turned her over, I was surprised to find Raylan wrapped in a blanket. Linda rushed over and picked him up. He started crying,

“Thank god!”

“Yeah, that woman gave her life to protect him.”

We took him back to the shuttle and went up to the ship. He was pretty hungry and thirsty but, otherwise, seemed in good health. Linda put Raylan to bed and we sat down in the galley.

“Did John ever describe those ruins?”

Linda nodded.

“Yes, a little. That is what is bothering me. There is nothing there like she described. The ruins appear to have vanished without a trace.”

“Kind of like the aliens. I am supposed to report back if they are not here.”

“I wish you would wait until tomorrow.”

“I suppose I could, not that it will make any difference.”

We ate and pondered what might have happened there. The house was flattened directly away from the device setting on the plain. It was as if a wave of energy had come out of it. But where did the ruins go? I was about to go check on Raylan when our ship sounded an alarm.

“George, there is an anomaly at the site.”

“What kind of anomaly?”

“It appears to be two people.”

“What! Where did they come from?”

“No data on that.”

“Linda, I’ve got to go check this out. Do you mind staying here with Raylan?”

“OK, but please be careful.”

I rushed to the shuttle and headed down to the surface. As I approached the ruins site, I could see two women looking at the former house. I sat the shuttle down and they ran over. It was Karen and Mary!

“Where did you come from?”

Karen pointed back to the device. Mary was very distraught.

“It’s OK, we’ve got Raylan on our ship and he’s fine.”

“That’s a relief. When we saw the destruction of the house, I was beside myself.”

“Did you find John?”

“No, we were intercepted. What happened here?”

“Got me! This is what we found when we arrived. We found Raylan in the house.”

I looked at Karen.

“Your sitter had protected him. I’m sorry but she’s dead.”

Karen nodded.

“Let’s go to your ship. Mary needs to see Raylan and we have a lot to discuss.”

We returned to the ship in silence. Once docked, Mary rushed in and picked up Raylan.

“Thank god you’re safe.”

We settled in the galley. Karen related their adventure.

“Wow! That is amazing. What are they going to do about John?”

Karen sighed.

“They say there is nothing they can do. I think they believe she is dead.”

Mary slapped the table.

“No, she’s not! I would know.”

“OK, so what do we do now? Can you operate that device?”

Karen shook her head.

“I tried after we were sent through. It is dead.”

“So John’s trapped in time!”

Mary started crying. Karen sighed.

“I’m afraid so.”

Beyond Galactic Marshal
by
Hilltopper

Chapter 9

“We have to get out of here, now!

“You think they’ll come here?”

“The alarm indicated that we’ve lost connection to the base. Those pictures were recorded yesterday. I think the base is gone and we’re next!”

“Shit!”

We grabbed all the supplies we could carry and headed downhill. When we reached Rosco’s cabin, Lilly rushed inside and I followed. Rosco looked up startled.

“I thought you two were going to stay at your home up yonder?”

“You need to hitch the wagon and fill it with as much as you can. We may have some visitors and they aren’t friendly.”

“You mean Marshal Slago? I ain’t afraid of him.”

She had printed off a picture of the aliens and gave it to Rosco.

“Holy shit! What the hell are those?”

“Just do as I say. We haven’t much time.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Rosco hitched the wagon and we started carrying supplies to it. When it was about full, Rosco leaned against the side.

“We better stop. Them mules can’t pull much more. John, saddle up my roan. You ride it and Lilly can sit in the wagon beside me.”

“OK”

I hadn’t ridden a horse since on the moon of Broadskye. It is not my favorite mode of transportation. We started down the two track. Rosco was pale as a ghost. We had gone maybe 5 kilometers when there was a bright light and then a loud boom. I looked back at the hill. There was a large cloud of black smoke rising from it. I sighed.

“Well, I guess we’re really on our own now.”

Lilly shook her head.

“Not quite but, right now, we need to get back to Hilltown.”

I stared at her.

“Are you crazy? We just barely got away from there last time.”

Rosco was really scared.

“Are those things coming after us?”

Lilly put her hand on his arm.

“No, we’re safe. They just annihilated our observation site from orbit. I’m real sorry about your cabin.”

“Yeah, well, it wasn’t much of one and I’ve still got all my things that matter.”

He grinned.

“Including my silver and gold.”

I was beside myself.

“Stop the wagon! We need to talk now!”

Lilly flashed a hard look at me.

“Nobody’s making you stay. Ride on if you want.”

Rosco spoke up.

“But not with my horse.”

“Look, I’m not running out on anyone. I just want to know what the plan is. Going into Slago’s clutches doesn’t sound good to me. Besides, your house is probably gone.”

“No, I don’t think so.”

She pulled a small device from around her neck.

“This would have informed me if that had happened. We’ll slip back in after dark.”

I look closely at the pendant.

“What’s that thing?”

She smiled.

“My protection.”

Rosco perked up.

“Oh, like John’s underwear?”

Lilly laughed.

“Not quite but it will let us know if it senses danger.”

We made camp under a stand of trees and fixed some stew. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was. After eating, I pinned Lilly down.

“OK, what is so important about going to Hilltown?”

“I need some things hidden in my house. My people hid a ship just in case. The only problem is I don’t know exactly where it is.”

“Oh, that’s just great!”

She shot me a look.

“Don’t get on your high horse. I have a map of sorts at the house. I believe we can locate the ship.”

“That’s assuming the house is still there.”

She just glared saying nothing. I don’t know why I was being so obstinate. After all, she was offering a possible way out of here. I guess the destruction of the observation site had caused me to almost give up. It meant that Mary and Karen could not now come to my rescue via the gate. I was totally on my own and very lonely. I sat brooding for a while. Rosco came over and squatted down in front of me.

“I know how you feel but don’t give up. I’ve seen these women do some amazing things.”

I nodded.

“Yeah, I guess I’m just a little down and feeling sorry for myself. This all has been quite a shock and I miss my wife and child terribly.”

Lilly walked over.

“We might as well go. It should be dark when we get to town.”

She looked down at me.

“Are you going to be a help or a hindrance?”

I sighed.

“I’m sorry for before. Everything has hit me hard.”

She smiled.

“Me too but at least there is some hope.”

“OK, lead on I’m with you.”

Rosco jumped up.

“OK!”

It was dark when we approached Hilltown. We went in a back way and drove up to the rear of Lilly’s house which was still there. No one seemed to be around. Lilly opened the back door and we walked in. I was a bit hesitant. Marshal Slago might still be watching the place.

“Don’t put on a light.”

“I won’t need one.”

Lilly went to her bedroom, flipped up a rug, and pried up some floor boards. She removed a case about half a meter square.

“OK, let’s get out of here.”

We went back outside. Rosco had stayed with the wagon. Lilly placed the case in the back and climbed on. I was about to mount my horse when I heard a distinctive clicking sound. I dove to the side as a shot rang out. The wagon took off and I scrambled behind some trees. I heard Slago’s voice.

“What’s going on?”

One of his deputies walked behind the house.

“I think I saw that Harper fellow. He might be hit.”

Slago snorted.

“Not likely.”

“Anyway, he crawled over to those trees.”

This wasn’t good. I continued into the trees as quietly as I could. The marshal didn’t seem too anxious to follow me. It was pitch black and I had no idea where I was heading. The one thing I did know, as soon as it was daylight, Slago would be trying to find me. After going about 100 meters into the woods, I came to an old stream bed. It was several hours until the moon would appear so I decided to sit here and wait. Rosco had headed the wagon back the way we had come. My only choice was to go that way as soon as I could see anything. I lay back against the bank and tried to dose a little without much success. I must have drifted off because I was awakened by something licking my face. The moon had come up and I could see a mangy dog panting beside me.

“Well hello there. Are you as lost as I am?”

I stood up. The stream bed seemed to be going in the right direction so I walked on up it. The dog happily followed along. After hiking for a few hours, I thought I saw a light off to my right and up the hill.

“That can’t be a campfire. It’s too white.”

The dog agreed. It could only be Lilly and Rosco. I headed up the hill and quietly peered into the opening containing the light. Lilly and Rosco were sleeping next to the wagon. A lantern of some kind was putting out a soft white glow. My companion, seeing Lilly and Rosco, bounded in and promptly started licking Rosco’s face. It seemed to be a habit. I walked on into the camp.

“Thanks for waiting.”

“Get this stupid mutt off me!”

Lilly sat up.

“We thought you were a goner. This is an old logging road I know. The only thing we could think to do was camp here until morning.”

She laughed.

“Of course, we had no idea what we would do then.”

“Well, Slago will be hot on my trail as soon as he can. He can travel a lot faster than this wagon. We can either wait her and confront them or try to sneak out if you know a way.”

Rosco spoke up.

“There’s an old Indian trail I know about that I’m sure Slago don’t. The only problem is this wagon can’t make it.”

“How far away is it?”

“It’s just over that hill yonder. We can follow the old creek bed to a rocky area and then climb up to the trail. No one could follow us.”

“OK, where does it lead?”

“To Wyoming Territory.”

Lilly raised her eyebrows.

“Aren’t there a lot of Indians there?”

“Yeah, there’s Crow and Northern Cheyenne. We could run into trouble with them.”

I nodded.

“Well, it can’t be worse than we already have. OK, I’m for it.”

Lilly was fiddling with a device she had pulled from her case. I looked over her shoulder.

“What’s that?”

“It’s a tracker to find our ship. I believe it is west of here but I don’t know yet how far.”

“OK, we better get together what we can carry and start out. I’d like to be at that trail by daylight.”

Deciding what to take with us was tough. Rosco, of course, wanted to take his gold. Lilly needed her case of toys. That left me to carry the essentials. We let the mules loose and hid the wagon the best we could. Myself, Lilly, Rosco, and the dog headed toward the old Indian trail.

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George called Sam and let him know the situation. The future women were a shocker. He said that he would pass on the info. I imagine we will have military company very soon. I looked at George.

“What do you think the Planetopolis will do?”

“I don’t know, Mary. This is not part of their territory but nobody really claims it. I guess they can do whatever they want.”

“I was thinking more in terms of what they will do with us; meaning Karen and I.”

George looked thoughtful.

“I hadn’t thought about that. You two are the only ones that have met those future women. Plus, you both are well acquainted with the aliens that left here. This could be bad.”

“The military will certainly want to talk with us.”

George sighed.

“They will do more than that. Karen, if I dropped you two at the resort, can you hide from them?”

Karen grinned.

“Not a problem.”

“Good, let’s get to the shuttle.”

George took us to the resort and went back up to his ship. We went to Karen’s apartment.

“How long do you think we’ve got?”

Karen thought a minute.

“Probably a day or so but I don’t want to risk it. Freshen up and we will go to my ‘office’.”

I had some of my things and Raylan’s here at the apartment. We packed up what we needed and left the rest. We didn’t want to look as if we had run off. Karen took Raylan and me to a part of the resort I had never seen. We faced a building that looked like a private club. However, once inside, we took an elevator down several levels.

“This is my operation center. We do a lot of, uh, traffic control from here.”

I laughed.

“Don’t tell me more. Technically, I’m still a cop.”

“Yeah, well, we will be safe here. Plus, I can monitor all radio signals close by.”

I nodded.

“Thanks, Karen. I hope George and Linda don’t get in any trouble over this.”

“No, I don’t think they will. All George did was take us to the resort to freshen up. It’s not his fault that we disappeared.”

“Is that gate the only way to Jonnie?”

“I believe so unless those future people somehow contact us. It bothers me that the ruins have disappeared but the gate is still there. I’ve got a pretty good physicist on my staff here. Let me go talk to her.”

Karen left and I sat down with Raylan.

“Well, little fellow, you sure have had an interesting start to life. I’ll get Jonnie back if it’s the last thing I do.”

Beyond Galactic Marshal
by
Hilltopper

Chapter 10

It was just daylight when we intersected the Indian trail. Rosco was a little too happy and relieved. I got the feeling that he wasn’t as sure of it as he let on. It was heading down out of the Black Hills and into Wyoming Territory. There were pretty good sized mountains off in the distance. I was having a little abdominal pain. I figured it was Rosco’s cooking. After about mid morning, we came to an opening that had been used for a large encampment in the past.

“Rosco, do you think it’s safe to use this trail? This place looks well used.”

He shrugged.

“It really doesn’t matter at this point. There are Indians around no matter how we head across. At least the going is tolerable using the trail.”

Lilly was fiddling with her tracker again. Suddenly, she yelled out.

“I’ve got it!”

“Great! How far?”

“About 830 kilometers just south of west.”

I thought about my geography.

“Hmm, that would put it about in the Grand Tetons.”

She looked pensive.

“Is that good or bad?”

“Well, it’s beautiful country but rugged. Plus, we have two mountain ranges to cross to get there.”

Rosco nodded.

“Yeah, the Big Horns are crawling with Indians.”

“Why on Earth would your people hide the ship so far away?”

Lilly hesitated.

“Uh, we were performing science observations at something called the Yellowstone Basin. Three flew the ship close to there and hid it. They were supposed to come back after a couple of months. The last we heard from them was just before they left the ship. That was years ago before we lost contact at our base.”

I shook my head.

“I guess we can write them off then. Couldn’t you contact the ship?”

“No, they powered it down to prevent it being detected.”

I raised my eyebrows.

“Detected by whom?”

She shrugged.

“No body told me. I assume it was the ones who attacked the base.”

“This just keeps getting better and better. You know, 800 kilometers is a long way to walk especially over mountains. As much as I hate the idea, we need horses.”

Rosco nodded.

“Yeah or mules. I almost regret now turning my mules loose but they couldn’t have made it. Beside, I didn’t want to take them away from their home area. There are a few homesteads on the grassland west of us if they haven’t been burnt out by the Indians. We should be there in a few days.”

“OK, at least that’s a plan.”

We hiked on until an hour before sunset. Rosco was a good hunter, so we had stew again. I’ll say one thing, when the sunset here, it really gets dark. The sky is amazing and the weather has been good though it does get a little cold at night. My special underwear helped there. About three days later, we spotted a house and corral. To my excitement, there were horses and at least one mule that I could see. Rosco and I went up to the door. Lilly stayed hidden. The man was very glad to see us. Seems he was expecting other company.

“Would you be interested in selling some of your horses?”

He laughed.

“I’ll sell you the whole damn place for all the good it will do you. If I knew which way to go, I’d already be gone.”

I gave him several nuggets and pointed the way we had come.

“We haven’t seen any Indians on our way here.”

He snorted.

“That don’t mean nothing but it’s better than staying here.”

He loaded up a mule, saddled a horse, and looked sadly at us.

“I’ll sorta miss this place but I’d miss my scalp more. Good luck to you.”

With that, he wheeled around and galloped away. Lilly saw him leave and walked on in.

“I see you got us some horses.”

Rosco laughed.

“We got us a whole homestead.”

“Wow, why don’t we stay here a while then?”

“Well, it’s getting late so we should bed down here tonight but I’d feel better getting as far away from here as we can tomorrow. That fellow was convinced that an Indian attack is imminent.”

“I haven’t seen any Indians.”

I just shrugged and walked into the house. It was two rooms and was a mess. Our former tenant was obviously a slob. I turned around and walked back out.

“It’s all yours. I’m sleeping in that lean-to.”

Lilly huffed.

“It can’t be that bad.”

She went in, stayed a few seconds, and came out.

“I’ll join you.”

Rosco walked up, shook his head, and entered the cabin. It was quiet for a few minutes. He stuck his head out the door with a smile.

“Good night.”

He disappeared back inside. I went to the lean-to, unrolled my blankets, and lay down. I guess Lilly came in but I was asleep as soon as my head hit the ground. I awoke to the smell of smoke. I jumped up and looked out. Rosco was frying something over a campfire. I put my boots and holster on and walked up to him.

“Do I want to know what that is?”

“Probably not. Let’s just call it breakfast.”

It wasn’t bad. Lilly came up, looked at it, and left. I smiled and stood up.

“Let’s load up one of the horses with supplies then get out of here. My neck hairs are standing up.”

We salvaged what we could from the cabin, saddled three horses, loaded another with supplies, and rode out. We hadn’t gone more than a half hour away when we saw smoke behind us. Lilly rode up beside me.

“I guess they were watching.”

“Yeah, I wonder why they let us leave?”

Rosco shook his head.

“What makes you think they did?”

He pointed up ahead. About 20 Indians were blocking our path. I sighed.

“Great! What now?”

“Just keep moving forward. There is no point in running.”

As we approached, they parted. We rode through like they weren’t there. When we had left them behind, I turned to Rosco.

“I don’t get it.”

Rosco nodded.

“They are either playing with us or want to know what we are up to. You have to admit, we are an unlikely group to be here.”

“Why so?”

“Lilly for one. No pretty woman would ride into Northern Cheyenne Territory. I think they are also interested in you.”

This surprised me.

“There’s nothing special about me.”

Rosco laughed.

“Everything about you is different. They sense it.”

I scoffed.

“I doubt that.”

“We’ll see.”

We didn’t stop for lunch. By late afternoon, we had reached another dwelling. It was obviously abandoned but would provide shelter and safety. Fortunately, it was not a pig sty like the last one. It appeared that a couple had lived here. I wondered what had happened to them. There was a good fireplace and Rosco soon had a cook fire going. You guessed it, stew again. We were all tired and sacked out soon after eating. I awoke to a commotion outside. Looking around, I was alone. I jumped up and went outside in just my underwear. Rosco and Lilly were being held by several Indians. What looked like a chief was facing me. He made a statement and backed away.

“Rosco, do you speak their language?”

“Some. He seems to think that you have been sent by their gods. A shaman has told him that you are between genders and have great magic.”

This was not good. How did they know I was intersexed.

“Tell him I am just a common man.”

Rosco spoke haltingly at the chief. He said something sharply to Rosco. I don’t think he believed me. He stared a minute and, suddenly, grabbed an arrow from his quiver. He placed it in his bow and shot me in the middle of my chest. Of course, the arrow bounced off harmlessly. He pulled his knife and threw it at me. It also bounced off. I just stood there dumbfounded. My underwear seems to repel anything. The chief yelled something. The braves threw Rosco and Lilly to the ground. The whole bunch ran to their mounts and skedaddled. Rosco was looking at me with his mouth open. Lilly knew what had happened. Rosco walked over to me and fingered my chest.

“Shit! You are magic!”

I smiled.

“No, I just have a very good pair of underwear.”

Lilly laughed.

“Yeah, we wore them when we were scouting about. They are pretty awesome, aren’t they?”

Rosco shook his head.

“No shit!”

“We had better load up and hit the trail before they come back.”

The dog had stayed hidden under the porch so was safe. It didn’t take long to get going. We did not see any signs of the Indians throughout the day. The mountains in the distance were getting closer. As we sat around the campfire in the evening, we discussed the morning’s events. Rosco poked the fire and looked up at me.

“You sure scared the living daylights out of that chief.”

“I don’t know, I think he was sort of expecting it. He just didn’t know what to do when it really happened. The big question is what now.”

“Oh, they’ll dance around and consult their shaman. They definitely think you are heap big medicine. Maybe they will just leave us alone.”

“I get the feeling that you don’t like Indians.”

We bedded down and morning came fast. After breakfast, we headed out again. Once more there were no Indian signs. The Big Horns were getting close. We were considering stopping for the day when we topped a rise and got a big surprise. Before us was a beautiful river valley that was filled with teepees.

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Late in the evening, Karen returned.

“What I learned is both hard to believe and even harder to understand. Apparently, when the gate was used to travel through time, it more or less became outside of normal space and time. So, that is why it is still on the plain even through the original ruins are not. The question is what happened to the ruins and what effect does the disappearance have concerning Jonnie?”

I frowned.

“I thought Jonnie went straight to Earth?”

“True, but I think the room on Earth that Jonnie and I went to was a satellite site.”

I was getting a bad feeling.

“Hmm, if the ruins are gone then that site may be gone as well. If so, how will we get to Jonnie?”

Karen shook her head.

“I don’t think we can. The future women said that, without a gate in place, they cannot precisely pinpoint a place and time. So, if the gate at Earth is gone, there is no way.”

“Maybe it’s still there like the one here?”

Karen sighed.

“My physicist does not think so. She believes only the initiating gate would survive.”

“This is crazy!”

Our vid chimed then. It was George.

“Hey George, are you OK?”

“Oh, I’m fine but we have lots of company here. The Planetopolis military has taken over. They are very interested in talking with Karen but they don’t seem to be looking for you.”

“Are they coming here?”

“They will certainly send some agents but I don’t think the Planetopolis wants to be seen as interfering with the resort. There are a lot of heavy hitters involved with it. To tell you the truth, their presence here probably won’t last long. After all, the only thing here now is the gate and it is dead. Even Karen could not power it up as you said. So, unless the aliens come back, there is nothing here to do.”

“I agree and there is really no reason for the aliens to be here either. Their interest was the ruins and it’s gone. My concern is Jonnie. I fear she is lost to us. My only hope is in the future bunch but they don’t seem too concerned. That does not surprise me because of the threat of time effects. In fact, the disappearance of the ruins seems to confirm that threat.”

“Yeah, there is a scientist here with the military who is saying the same thing. But, without an active gate, we are helpless.”

George signed off. Karen sighed.

“Well, we better stay here at least until the military leaves. They can not find this place. We need to decide what to do then.”

I nodded and got up. I went to the room I was staying in to check on Raylan. He was still asleep and I just stood looking at him. I felt totally lost and my hope was rapidly diminishing.

Beyond Galactic Marshal
by
Hilltopper

Chapter 11

Indians were sitting on ponies on both sides of us. Once again, there was no point in running. We looked at each other and just started down the trail toward the village. I turned to Rosco.

“What do you think is going to happen when we get there?”

“I wish I knew!”

Just before we reached the first of the teepees, two braves and a pretty Indian woman rode up to us. Rosco and Lilly were led away by the braves. I started to follow but was stopped by the woman. She said something and motioned for me to follow her. I looked over at Rosco. He just shrugged. With no other choice, I followed her into the village. Everyone was looking at me and smiling. Well, at least I seemed to be welcome. The dog was welcome also. We stopped at a large teepee near the center of the village. A tall Indian came out and waved the woman away. She rode off and he approached my horse.

“Welcome traveler. Your coming was for told to me after the god bird flew over our village many seasons ago.”

Well, he obviously spoke English. The god bird must be Lilly’s ship.

“What about my companions?”

He looked at me seriously.

“If you will help us, they can go on their way unharmed.”

“Help you how?”

He smiled.

“As a child of god, you will know. It is your special nature that is needed.”

“Can I talk with my friends?”

He frowned.

“It is not permitted.”

I could see no other option. I nodded.

“I will help as I can.”

Suddenly, a brave rode up in a cloud of dust and jumped down off his horse. He spoke sharply to the tall Indian and then came at me. I acted without thinking using a technique taught to me by Mary. He was now on the ground with my knee on his chest. I looked up.

“Tell him I’ll let him up if he has cooled off.”

I realized I was treading on dangerous ground here but I dared not show fear. The first Indian spoke something to the brave under me and he nodded. I stood up and he got up rubbing his shoulder. I knew from experience that it would be tender for a while. The brave gave me a hard look then turned and walked away leading his horse.

“You are indeed special.”

“What was that about?”

He shook his head.

“He is in line to be the next chief and does not believe my vision. Your presence is resented by some. I am Danra and what you would call a shaman.”

“I take it the vision involves me.”

Danra nodded.

“All will be explained. Please come with me.”

I figured that we would go into the large teepee but we walked around it and headed toward a smaller one that set kind of by its self. It was decorated with lots of strange images. He saw me looking them over.

“These were all in my vision.”

We entered the teepee. The Indian woman that had led me into the village was inside.

“This is Tiana. She will be your guide.”

With that, he left.

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We were led to the other side of the village. One of the braves pointed at a campfire that was ablaze. Rosco looked at me.

“I think we are to sit by the fire and wait.”

“Wait for what?”

Rosco sighed.

“Our future.”

We dismounted and sat down. Two women came over carrying what looked like fry bread and some kind of meat. One of the braves spoke. Rosco interpreted.

“Well, at least we are being given a last meal.”

I grimaced.

“Is it that bad?”

“I don’t know. It seems they are waiting to hear from their chief about John. I’m not sure what it is they want from him.”

I saw someone approaching after we had eaten. It was the same chief we saw yesterday. He stopped and talked with the braves that were holding us then turned to Rosco. I didn’t like the look on Rosco’s face.

“It seems we are free to go as long as its west.”

“What about John?”

Rosco shook his head.

“Well, we won’t go then!”

He sighed.

“I’m afraid that is not an option. I think, if we refuse, we will be killed.”

“Does that mean that John is to be killed?”

“No, for some reason, they look to him as a chosen one.”

I nodded.

“I guess we have no choice. We will continue on to find my ship then we will come back.”

I smiled.

“That should shake them up!”

We were given back our supplies and horses. Our escorts rode with us until we were out of site of the village. They pointed toward the mountains and waited while we headed on.

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I awoke the next morning to a pounding on my door. Groggily, I got up. Raylan seemed oblivious. I opened the door to an energized Karen.

“Get dressed. We have received a message from Tinker.”

“What!”

She nodded.

“I don’t know what they want but we have set up a meeting at the spaceport.”

“What about the military?”

“I don’t think they have any one here yet. Hurry!”

“OK, OK, give me 30 minutes.”

I took a quick shower, dressed and fed Raylan. We were just about ready when Karen came back.

“Let’s go. I have a vehicle waiting.”

We were soon at the spaceport. I did not see any alien ship. As we waited for a landing, a man drove up and stuck his head out. I did a double take. It was an avatar!

“Hey beautiful, get in and I’ll take you for a ride.”

Karen rolled her eyes. We got in and were driven way into the desert. Finally, he stopped.

“All out for a fun time.”

We got out and he drove off. I huffed.

“Well, this is just great!”

Karen laughed.

“I never did get used to their avatars. They used the men at the resort for models. It leaves a lot to be desired.”

“Yeah, but now what?”

She shrugged.

“What else, we wait.”

We stood around for almost an hour before a shuttle suddenly appeared behind us. I don’t know how they do it but it always surprises me. We walked over to it and the hatch opened. Once inside, the hatch closed and it took off.

“It looks like the aliens are in stealth mode.”

Karen laughed.

“I imagine so. I’m sure they don’t want to be seen by the Planetopolis military.”

The flight up to their ship took about 20 minutes. It was the ship we always associated with Tinker. We docked and entered the ship. Tinker and Bell were waiting for us.

“Welcome, we need to talk.”

I was a little sore.

“You bet we do! Have you any idea of the mess you have caused?”

“We are sorry but it was necessary.”

I was getting really mad now.

“Are you saying that you did that to Jonnie on purpose?”

“No, that was not foreseen. We believed that the builders of the gate would notice its activation and make some kind of contact.”

“So you actually did not think Jonnie would disappear?”

“Certainly not!”

“Then why did all of you leave without warning?”

“We were called home. You two had not come back yet so there was no one to tell.”

I guess that made some sense but I was not satisfied.

“Did you know we would not get to where Jonnie went?”

Tinker and Bell exchanged looks.

“We suspected it might happen.”

Tinker handed Karen and I tablets.

“Please write up every thing that happened then we will make our plans.”

I eyed Tinker.

“Those plans better include rescuing Jonnie!”

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I looked at Tiana. She smiled and said something.

“I’m sorry but I don’t speak your language.”

She frowned and said something else. I just shrugged and shook my head. I couldn’t figure out why she was my guide if we could not understand each other. She seemed to be reaching the same conclusion because I saw frustration on her face. Looking around the teepee, there wasn’t much here. A pile of skins was at the back. I thought they were for sleeping. There was the remains of a fire in the center. A flap at the top opened to let the smoke out but it was closed now. Pots and some items I did not recognize were along the sides. I looked back at Tiana. She appeared to be studying me. I smiled and pointed at a skin beside the fire pit.

“Mind if I sit down?”

She just stared so I sat. Finally, she shook her head, said something sharply, and left.

“Well dog, looks like we’re off to a great start.”

I wondered about Lilly and Rosco. Hopefully, the Indians were keeping their word and had let them go. I figured they would head toward the ship. That might take a couple of weeks assuming they can find it at all. It was starting to get dark and I was very hungry. I looked in the pots and found some dried meat and fry bread. Another pot held water with a dipper made from a gourd. This at least satisfied my stomach. No one had come back so I went over to the pile of skins. Lying on them, I realized that they were actually pretty comfortable. I took my holster and boots off but decided to stay fully clothed. I wasn’t sure what to expect. It was very quiet and very dark now. I thought I would have trouble sleeping but noise and daylight woke me up. I needed a restroom badly. Peeking out the opening, there was no one close bye. Some trees were behind the teepee so I went there. Coming back, I saw the shaman coming out of my teepee. He looked anxious until spotting me. I walked over.

“Had a little business to attend to.”

He nodded.

“I am sorry about last night. In my vision, you could understand our talk. It troubles me that you can not.”

I decided on a half truth.

“Where I come from, your language does not exist.”

He smiled and nodded.

“From the future.”

This took me back.

“How did you know that?”

He raised his eyebrows. I sighed.

“I know, your vision.”

He looked up.

“It has been told to me that a woman from the future would come to us pretending to be a man. This person would not be harmed by arrows or knife. Our chief had said you are the one and I agree.”

I frowned.

“So what is this person supposed to do for you?”

He smiled.

You are our spirit of good fortune. There will be a ceremony proclaiming this. Then we wait.”

“Wait for what?”

“Why good fortune, of course. Your guide has been instructed to help you get ready. Do what she shows you. She has been informed of your dual nature.”

The shaman walked away and I went back into the teepee. This was getting crazier and crazier. I didn’t like the sound of this ceremony. They had me over a barrel however. If they decide that I’m not this spirit person, I was dead and, probably, Lilly and Rosco as well. A few minutes later, Tiana came into the teepee. We stared at each other for a minute. I started to sit down but she stopped me. She then started removing my clothes. I was a bit embarrassed but I figured that I had no choice. Taking off my underwear did concern me. Once naked, she stood back looking me over. I was hairless except for my long head of hair. My testicles had retreated again and my penis was not, uh, substantial. To be honest, I looked like a preteen except for my musculature and mature face. She smiled and nodded. She went to the side and picked up a beautiful beaded deer skin dress. I knew what was coming. Taking it, I slid it over my head. The fit was fine. She then braided my hair and tied it with a small dream catcher. Nodding, she left. It seems that I can’t escape these back and forth transformations. Oh well, at least I have experience with it. I dreaded what would come next however.

Beyond Galactic Marshal
by
Hilltopper

Chapter 12

As soon as Tiana left, the shaman walked back in carrying a pair of beaded moccasins that were almost to the knees. He looked at me and smiled big.

“Now you look like my vision. Our people will accept you as our female spiritual leader.”

Oh joy! He handed me the moccasins and I put them on. Although they were a little tight, they felt good. I could not see myself but, from past experience, I knew that I looked very female. Danya held out his hand and led me out of the teepee.

“When the sun is high, we will have a feast. Other villages have sent chiefs and shamen to witness our ceremony.”

“Uh, what else is involved besides the feast?”

“There will be an afternoon long dance which will be ended at sunset. At that time, you will be declared our spirit of good fortune. Each chief will shoot an arrow at you in turn to prove who you are. Of course, all will bounce off.”

Shit! This was what I was afraid of. It looks like everyone is in for a big surprise. I was led over to a group of women. With a nod, the shaman left. All of the women except one were chattering with each other and at me. The exception was standing off to the side with her arms folded and was staring a hole through me. After a bit, I was able to extricate myself from the gaggle and walked over to her. It was then that I spotted the necklace she was wearing. It was identical to the one Lilly had. She frowned when she saw me eyeing it but said nothing. We stood looking at each other a minute then she said something in the native language.

“Sorry, don’t speak it but I am curious as to where you got that necklace. I have seen another like it.”

I figured that she couldn’t speak English but she seemed to understand me. Finally, she nodded and pointed to a creek near by. I followed her over to it and we knelt down to drink. She looked sideways at me.

“Where did you see it?”

“Oh, one of my companions has one. She was separated from me and, I guess, released.”

She frowned.

“But you do not have one?”

I looked at her hard and shook my head.

“We can’t talk now. All guests will present you with an offering before the final ceremony. I will give you this. It will protect you during the final challenge.”

She stood up and hurried away. I watched her leave. The only thing I could come up with was that she was part of the crew of the space ship. But, if so, why was she here and what became of the ship? I walked back over to the other women. It looked like the feast was about to begin. I followed their lead and ate until I was about to bust. The dog was as well. I had to admit that that the food was terrific. Mary would like it. That thought started a bout of depression. It must have been obvious because Danya came over.

“Have we done something wrong?”

I smiled.

“On the contrary, this feast is great. I was just missing someone.”

He nodded.

“I guess gods have special friends too.”

He turned and walked back over to the men folk. I wasn’t sure what was expected of me but I needed to be alone a bit. I went back to my teepee and sat down. Hopefully, Lilly would find the ship. That woman with the necklace was now a wild card. If she is part of the crew, I needed to talk with her badly. This adventure was getting old fast. After moping a while, I went back to the festivities. The dance had been going on for quite a while and the sun was going to set soon. Danya spotted me and came over.

“Please come with me. Several guests from other villages would like to present you with their offerings.”

I was led to the center teepee and sat down inside on a mound of furs. Indians came in one at a time. I was given a knife, a fossil of some kind, and a beautifully decorated bowl. Finally, the woman came in. She draped the necklace over my head and touched something on the back of the pendant. I felt a tingle. She whispered in my ear.

“Don’t take it off. I will try to talk with you after the ceremony.”

She walked back out and another Indian came in. He bowed and handed me a silver bracelet. After all the guests had delivered their presents, Danya came in.

“It is time for the confirmation.”

He took hold of my hand and escorted me to a large tree. I stood in front of it with my hands down at my side. Four chiefs walked over and stopped about 10 paces in front of me. The shaman started a long speech that I could not understand. When he finished, he motioned to the chiefs. The first one took his bow and launched an arrow at my chest. To my glee, it bounced off. The next chief shot one right at my left eye. When it too fell away harmlessly, I breathed a sigh of relief. That protective underwear would not have saved me from that. This pendant must be covering me with some kind of force field. It sure wasn’t something we had in our time. The final two chiefs shot their arrows also with no effect. The other Indians let off with a loud cheer. I guess I had passed their test. Danya came over to me. He took my hand and we walked slowly through the throng. All were chattering and touching me. When we reached my teepee, he looked me in the eye and smiled.

“You are truly from the gods and will be revered by our people. Rest tonight and tomorrow we will seek a vision.”

He nodded and departed. I went into teepee and sagged to the ground. This had to have been one of the hardest days of my life.

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Rosco and I rode through a pass he knew about in the Big Horns. We had seen no one since we left the Indian village two days ago.

“Rosco, do you think it’s safe to go back to rescue John?”

He shook his head.

“No way! Just because we haven’t seen any Indians doesn’t mean they haven’t been watching us. Our only choice is to ride on west. Do you really think you can find that ship of yours?”

“I think so. The tracker signal is getting stronger. My fear is that I won’t be able to enter it. I’m sure the crew put on some kind of protection system before they left.”

Rosco looked thoughtful.

“I wonder what happened to them. Wouldn’t they have left someone with the ship?”

“No, the ship has an artificial intelligence that will maintain it. However, if they powered down the ship so it couldn’t be detected from space as I suspect, the intelligence will only activate if someone goes near the ship or it is contacted.”

We continued on towards the Rocky’s. This was very desolate country though pretty. I’m glad it is summer. I can imagine how difficult this journey would be in the winter. Game was plentiful and Rosco kept us well fed. We had just entered the first pass when I spotted smoke.

“What do you make of that? Do you think it’s Indians?”

Rosco peered at the rising smoke.

“I’d say it’s chimney smoke. Probably a trapper cabin.”

“Should we bypass it?”

“No, we need information as to what’s ahead. Let’s pay a visit.”

As we rounded a bend, the cabin came into view. It looked sturdy. We rode up to it and a very large man walked out to meet us. He had a very big gun. Rosco suddenly gave a whoop.

“Bill, you ole’ scutter. I didn’t know you was up here?”

“Rosco! Where the hell have you been? It’s been, I don’t know, 10 years I guess.”

“Yep. Man, I thought the Shoshone had got you.”

Bill laughed big.

“Not hardly! I’m real careful. Well, come on in.”

Bill looked me over.

“Whose your friend?”

“Someone I escaped from Hilltown with. Lilly, this here’s my old friend Bill.”

I laughed.

“So I gather. Nice to meet you, Bill.”

“Like wise I’m sure.”

We went inside his cabin. It was small but built well and kept neat. Bill pulled a big pot of coffee off his fireplace and poured us each a cup.

“So, Rosco, who run you out of Hilltown?”

Rosco huffed.

“Marshal Slago but, if it weren’t for Lilly and John, I would’a stayed and fought him.”

Bill laughed and shook his head.

“You sure haven’t changed much. Whose this John feller?”

“John Harper. He was captured by the Cheyenne on the way here. They let Lilly and I go.”

Bill frowned.

“That don’t make sense.”

“They seemed to want John real bad.”

Rosco hesitated.

“Uh, John’s a she pretending to be a he.”

Now Bill nodded with a half smile.

“Aw, dual nature. Them Indians is big on that.”

I perked up.

“What do you mean?”

“Most tribes think people who are both male and female are spirit people with big medicine.”

I nodded.

“So it was John who saved us then.”

“I imagine so. Where are you headed now?”

“Just west.”

“That’s not a good idea. Them Shoshone are worse than the Cheyenne or Lakota Sioux.”

Bill didn’t push it further. I’m glad Rosco kept the details about John to himself. We spent the night with Bill and Rosco swapping tales. I woke up to fish frying. Bill saw me rise up.

“Hope you like fish for breakfast. I ain’t got no eggs or bacon.”

“No problem.”

I looked around and didn’t see Rosco. Bill noticed and pointed at the door.

“He’s out scouting around. I saw Indian signs while I was gettin’ the fish.”

When the fish were eaten, Rosco came back inside.

“It was a hunting party. We better git before they come back. I want to be way up in the mountains by noon.”

We packed up, said our good byes, and trudged on.

“Bill seems like a good sort.”

Rosco snorted.

“If he didn’t know me, we’d be dead. He doesn’t cotton to strangers. The reason the Indians leave him alone is because he’s crazy.”

I was shocked.

“You’re kidding me?”

“Nope, I seen him kill two men with his bare hands because they looked funny. He’s a bad one but we got on fine. I am glad John wasn’t with us. Bill would have gotten mean.”

I just shook my head. What’s next!

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After entering everything I could think of into Tinker’s tablet, I walked into the galley. I handed it to Bell. I was still feeling upset.

“Something has been going on here that we have not been told. I’m getting fed up and I am worried sick about Jonnie.”

Bell looked genuinely sorry.

“It’s not for me to say. I will talk with Tinker when I hand in the tablet.”

Karen came in and handed over her tablet. Bell left to find Tinker.

“Karen, what is going on here?”

She looked thoughtful.

“Do you feel Tinker knew Jonnie would go back in time?”

“No, just the opposite.”

It hit me then.

“That’s why Tinker was so anxious for you and I to go back in to rescue Jonnie so quickly. I wondered about that at the time but didn’t say anything because I was so upset. We could have gone days later and still hit the same time as Jonnie did.”

“Yep!”

Tinker and Bell walked in then. Tinker faced us.

“OK, I guess it’s time for the truth.”

I stared.

“We’re all ears.”

Tinker sighed.

“It started with the device Jonnie used to stabilize our planet.”

I nodded.

“Yes, we know about that. It worked but Jonnie got sent back in time 3 years.”

Tinker looked at Bell then back to me.

“Well, not exactly. We had always thought that the technology in the ruins was from an ancient race. When we started really studying the ruins, it became apparent that they were only about 500 years old. This was a great concern. However, the discovery of the device that ultimately saved our planet put all of those thoughts on the back burner. When Jonnie activated the device, it did what we thought it should except Jonnie disappeared along with it. We had, however, set up some monitoring to see what actually happened as the device was used. To our surprise, Jonnie was first sent over a thousand years into the future and then back to 3 years before our time. Our scientists believed that the people who made the ruins were in the future. So, they brought Jonnie there and then sent her back. Since then, our whole efforts have been in trying to contact them.”

I stood open mouthed.

“I can’t believe what I’ve just heard. And you think Humans area treacherous. We don’t hold a candle to you!”

Beyond Galactic Marshal
by
Hilltopper

Chapter 13

After a bit, the woman that had the necklace came into the teepee. She stared a minute and then held out her hand. I sighed, took off the necklace, and handed it to her.

“Thank you. I wouldn’t have survived without it. I assume you are a member of the crew of the spaceship hid in the Tetons.”

She looked shocked.

“How do you know about that?”

“The companion I mentioned who had a necklace like yours. Her name is Lilly.”

She shook her head.

“Sorry, don’t know her.”

“Well, I guess that’s not her real name since she is not from here. Of course, neither am I.”

I looked at her hard.

“I came through the gate.”

She sucked in her breathe.

“I thought that was shut down.”

I sighed.

“It is now. In fact, it’s gone; blasted from space.”

She frowned.

“We were afraid that would happen. I guess this Lilly is trying for the ship.”

I nodded.

“She may find it but it won’t do her any good. It is locked up tight. We were afraid to leave it unprotected and told the AI to ignore all signals except ones from us. You know, I shouldn’t be telling you anything. I don’t even know who you are or why you’re here.”

“I’m here by accident and all I want is to get back to my own time. I have a spouse and son back there.”

She looked shocked.

“How could you get through the gate by accident. That is impossible.”

“Yeah, so I’ve been told. However, I am here. I have a question. Where is the rest of your crew and why are you here?”

She closed her eyes and sighed heavily.

“They are dead. We were visiting the old caldera when an explosion knocked us down. When I came to, the others were dead and I was not too far from it either. Some Cheyenne found me and nursed me back to health.”

I was puzzled.

“Didn’t the pendant protect you?”

“It certainly saved my life but it has its limitations. The explosion was so severe that the field was overpowered. After I healed, the Indians discovered that I couldn’t be hurt and sort of adopted me as a shaman. That is why I am here; to witness the coming to fruition of the vision that you are a part of. By the way, how did you survive the initial test without my pendant?”

I smiled.

“Underwear”

She looked puzzled a second and then the light bulb went on.

“Oh yeah, I remember those. It’s a good thing they didn’t shoot you in the head.”

“Tell me about it.”

She laughed.

“I need to get back. We will be leaving in the morning. I wish I could talk with you more, however, you will be busy.”

She had a smirk on her face.

“Do you know something I should know?”

“All I will say is ‘been there; done that’. Just go with the flow.”

She stood up and hurried out. I turned to the dog.

“It looks like tomorrow is going to be tough.”

He didn’t seem concerned. I tried to sleep but her words kept echoing in my mind. Lilly would not be able to enter the ship and I am stuck here doing god knows what. I finally drifted off. When I awoke, it was light outside. I had slept in my clothes. My only other clothes were the jeans and flannel shirts I had with me. They might not be viewed as appropriate for the spirit of good fortune. I looked out of the teepee. Everyone was busy until I was spotted. All work stopped. One of the braves poked his head into the shaman’s teepee. A couple of minutes later, he popped out and headed to me.

“Tiana will take you to bathe. Afterwards, we will journey to the sacred place to seek out your vision.”

“What about breakfast?”

He shook his head.

“You must fast or the vision will not come.”

Great! I eat like a horse yesterday and now nothing. Tiana walked up and I followed her to the bathing spot which was just a deep place in the creek. She stood watching me and I just stood and watched her right back. Finally, she sighed and turned around saying something. I probably didn’t want it translated. I took off the dress and moccasins. That was all I was wearing so I was completely naked. Putting a foot into the creek, I was surprised as to how warm it was. Diving in, I swam a minute and stepped out. Naturally, Tiana was staring at me. She motioned to a rock and we set down in the sun. I wished that I could talk with her and imagined she wished the same. After about 20 minutes, I was essentially dry so I got dressed. We walked back to Danya. Tiana said something, pointed at me, and giggled. She then walked away.

“What was that about?”

He turned redder than he was.

“Uh, she was just commenting on your shyness.”

“Oh”

“Come, it is time to seek your vision for our people.”

He headed off toward a strange rock formation. It seemed to be quite far away. The dog and I followed closed behind. After walking for about 3 hours in silence, he stopped and pointed.

“See that notch?”

“Yes”

“Go through that and you will find a flat area of rocks. Sit there and your vision will come. I will check on you tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? How long am I to be there?”

He looked at me in surprise.

“As long as it takes.”

He turned and walked back the way we came. This was just great. I hiked on through the notch which took most of the rest of the day. I found the spot he was talking about. There was literally nothing there but rocks; no food, no water, no nothing. I sat down, rubbed the dog’s neck, and looked up.

“OK gods, what now?”

“Head west, fair maiden.”

I fell over backwards.

“What the -------?”

Then I heard a laugh.

“Sorry, I couldn’t resist.”

I raised my head to see the necklace woman striding toward me.

“I knew this was where you would be sent. After thinking about what you told me, I decided maybe we should go to the ship. We’ve probably messed up the time line enough. My name is Janna by the way.”

I stood up and glared at her.

“You scared the bejesus out of me!”

She laughed again.

“Come on, my camp is over that rise.”

It was about an hour hike. She had some stew cooking and I was famished. We sat down and ate. I gave some to the dog. I thought that I really should give him a name. Oh, well.

“As soon as we finish, we better break camp and make tracks. I don’t want those Cheyenne to find us.”

“I guess they will be pretty pissed when they find me gone.”

She shook her head.

“On the contrary, they will think the gods have taken you back. It will be a good sign to them.”

I then thought of my clothes and things back at the Indian camp.

“Shit! All my things are back with the Indians. I can’t hike in the mountains dressed like this!”

“Why not? That deerskin dress should be comfortable. Besides, we can’t risk going back to the camp.”

I glared at her.

“You don’t understand!”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got two horses staked out behind us.”

I sighed and stood up.

“Fine! Let’s go then.”

We walked to the horses and she mounted up. It hit me.

“I can’t get on a horse with this dress.”

She laughed.

“I won’t look.”

“But I don’t have any underwear.”

“Oh, that might be a problem.”

She reached into her pack and pulled out a scarf.

“Here, put this over the horse blanket. It should prevent any chaffing.”

Defeated, I got on the horse. It didn’t feel too bad but I sure hoped I didn’t run into anyone. Of course, that wasn’t likely. We started down a trail into the mountains. Janna looked over at me.

“OK, now that we have the time, I want to know your story. I still don’t get how you are here.”

So, I told my story including everything that had happened since I came through the gate.

“Wow, that’s some tale. You really are a man then?”

I sighed.

“I’ve been back and forth so much that I don’t know any more. Right now, I’m pretty much male I guess.”

“Well, I can now see why you didn’t want to wear that dress while riding a horse. Does it hurt?”

“No, it is actually OK; just kind of embarrassing.”

She laughed and I had to admit that I looked the part of an Indian. We rode on all day in order to get as far away from the Cheyenne as we could. On towards dusk, we saw smoke on the horizon. Over a rise, a cabin appeared in the distance.

“Hey, that might be a place to spend the night.”

She shivered and shook her head.

“No, that’s crazy Bill’s place. We don’t want any part of him. Let’s go back over the hill and make camp.”

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Rosco and I rode onward the next few days without seeing anyone. The going was pretty rough. My tracker was giving a strong signal and it looked like we would reach the ship soon. I wondered how John was making out with the Indians. They seemed to believe he was something special. I had to admit that I felt that way too. He was very different from the men here in this time and place. Of course, that was probably because he isn’t from here. He had told me that he was a woman before coming through the gate. This may explain things but I wasn’t sure. My people back home thought nothing like him. It could be the reason they set up this experiment in the past. Our planet was stagnating. There was no doubt about it. We had pretty much shunned exploration of the cosmos. John had said that Fledora did the same thing. Since we seemed to be an off chute from them, it made sense. My day dreaming came to a halt when we topped a ridge. Before us was a beautiful sight. Rosco grinned.

“This must be the Tetons.”

“I’d say so.”

“How far do you think that ship is from here?”

I shook my head.

“I’m not sure. Maybe a day or two.”

“OK, let’s make camp here. Tomorrow we can start our search for it.”

With camp set up and supper eaten, I collapsed into my bed roll. Our goal was in sight and I was now feeling the effects of the journey. The next morning, we broke camp and followed the direction the tracker showed. By mid afternoon, we had not found anything. The tracker was pointed toward a narrow canyon. Rosco looked perplexed.

“That canyon is a dead end. If your ship’s not there, we will need to back track and go around that mountain. It could take days.”

“The signal is at max. I’d say it’s there.”

“OK, let’s camp at the entrance. It’ll get dark quick in there. I’d like to have all day to explore it.”

So, even though I was excited and impatient, we camped for the night. Once the sun was well up the next morning, we entered the canyon. The walls were at least 100 meters high on both sides. The floor was rock strewn. Around noon, we came to an unusual formation. Very large rocks blocked the way but there was still more canyon beyond. There was no way the horses could go any farther. After walking along the rocks, we found a crevice we could get through. Once we passed beyond the rocks, a most wonderful vision came into view. It was the ship!

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Tinker did not look the least bit bothered. I sighed.

“So, what now?”

Bell said something in their language. Tinker nodded.

“We have learned that your military is preparing to leave Prowhiness. When they go, we will return to the gate.”

“I thought it is dead.”

I looked over at Karen.

“Yep, as a door nail.”

Tinker’s head shook.

“There is dead and there is really dead.”

I was getting tired off Tinker’s games.

“What the hell does that mean?”

“The gate may be unusable right now for travel but it still might be possible to send a message or at least alert the future race that we are here.”

This was not something I had thought of. There might still be a chance to rescue Jonnie.

“OK. I’m game. If there is any chance of convincing them to help get Jonnie, I want to take it.”

Karen nodded.

“I agree.”

“Good! As soon as it’s safe, we will go down.

Beyond Galactic Marshal
by
Hilltopper

Chapter 14

I was sleeping soundly when a loud yell woke me up. A large man was standing just outside our camp. He seemed mad as hell. Janna was staring at him with her hands on her hips. I stood up and started to ask what was going on when the man suddenly raised a large gun. He yelled and fired. I felt something impact my lower body. Everything turned black.

“John, can you hear me?”

I was very numb but thought someone was talking to me. I opened my eyes and saw Janna looking down at me.

“What?”

“Lie still. That stupid crazy Bill shot you. I’ve put my pendant around you to help stabilize things.”

“You can’t! He might shoot you!”

She looked sad.

“No, he’s gone. You are in bad shape. I’ve contacted my ship and told the AI to pick us up. There is a medical unit on it.”

This stunned me.

“How did you do that?”

She ignored my question.

“I told the AI to pick up Rosco and Lilly if it sees them. I’m so sorry. It all happened so fast. He came out of no where. His hatred of Indians has driven him insane. When you stood up, he saw your Indian dress and just shot before I could react.”

This was all I needed. After everything I have been through to die in the mountains of Wyoming away from my loved ones hundreds of years in the past.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rosco and I walked up to the ship. Rosco looked faint.

“Lilly, this thing is incredible. It can really fly like a bird?”

I laughed.

“Better than that, no bird can go into outer space but this sure can.”

I went to the hatch. Normally the AI would announce itself but nothing happened.

“We would like to enter the ship.”

Still nothing. I turned to Rosco.

“I was afraid of this. The ship is powered down completely.”

“So what do we do?”

“I don’t know. Only one of the crew can activate the AI at this stage.”

Rosco looked at me warily.

“And if the crew is all dead?”

I sighed.

“In that case, so is the ship. I’m just a grunt. Nobody trusted me with ship codes. There is no way to get into the ship unless the AI let’s us.”

Rosco looked at my pendant.

“What about that thing?”

I shrugged.

“It sends out a signal but, if the AI is programmed to ignore it, we are sunk. I guess all we can do for now is camp near the hatch.”

We set up camp. Rosco went looking for supper but had no luck. It is probably because of the ship. We had some jerky and made do with that. I sat wondering about the crew. If they were still alive, they would have come back to the ship. The mission was supposed to be an easy scientific exploration. Apparently, the old caldera was huge and not something normally seen on a planet inhabited by intelligent beings. When it had blown, the result would have been catastrophic. The crew must have run into trouble with the Indians. If so, there is the possibility that they could be alive but being held prisoners. Of course, it has been a long time. With nothing now to do and an aching body, I hit the sack. Rosco had been quiet and moody all evening; not that I blamed him.

“Good night, Rosco. We’ll think of something tomorrow.”

“Yeah”

It was a hard nights sleeping. I dreamed of scary aliens, hostile Indians, and mad trappers. Just before dawn, I finally gave up and made a fire. I was sitting staring into it when Rosco woke up. He joined me in silence. The sun was up now but hidden by the canyon walls. This place obviously didn’t get much sunlight. Suddenly, I heard a noise from the ship. Turning toward it, to my amazement, the hatch was now open.

“Rosco, look!”

He turned.

“How did you open it?”

“I didn’t.”

I stood up and walked to the hatch. A voice bellowed out.

“Get in quickly. I have been recalled.”

What the hell did that mean?

“Rosco, untether the horses. We have got our ride out of here.”

He was standing with his mouth open.

“Hurry!”

He ran to the horses and then back. We entered the ship and the hatch closed.

“Please strap in. We are launching.”

I pushed Rosco into the command center and we got into the chairs. Rosco was obviously awe struck.

“This is unbelievable!”

A count down was showing on a screen; 5---4---3---2---1---. The ship lurched upward. Rosco’s eyes went wide.

“Holy shit!”

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“John, I’ve been in contact with the AI. Rosco and Lilly are aboard and the ship should be here in a few minutes.”

“OK”

I looked around.

“Where’s the dog?”

Janna got a strange look on her face.

“When Bill shot you, he strode into the camp for another go. The dog jumped him. Bill killed the dog but not before he had mortally wounded Bill. I’m real sorry.”

I nodded.

“Poor dog. I’m glad now I didn’t name him. He was a good companion during some tough times.”

I shook my head and some tears ran down my cheeks. A slight whooshing noise now reached my ears. I looked toward the sound. A small but amazing looking ship had passed over the mountains and was heading for us.

“That is one good looking ship; in more ways than one.”

“It is pretty ordinary but a welcome site none the less.”

I looked at her puzzled. Then it hit me.

“I forget how far in the future your culture is from mine.”

“Oh yeah, you’re not from my time are you?”

“Nope”

The ship settled down in a clearing about 50 meters away. After a few minutes, two people exited and ran toward us. They were Rosco and Lilly.

“Oh John, what happened?”

“Some crazy trapper shot me.”

Rosco looked startled.

“Shit! Crazy Bill! Where is he now?”

“Dead”

Rosco nodded sadly.

“I guess it was bound to happen but he befriended me.

Rosco then spotted Janna.

“Janna! I thought you was dead.”

“I almost was. It’s good to see you Rosco.”

She glanced at Lilly.

“I don’t know you.”

“I came through after you left.”

“Hmm, we need to get John into the medical unit. Tell the AI. It will show you a transporter.”

Lilly ran back to the ship and returned followed by a strange looking cart. I was loaded onto it and quickly transported to the ship. Once inside, Janna took off the pendant and I was placed into a medical pod of some kind. It completely enclosed me but was not dark. Before I could panic, I drifted off.

When I awoke, I was lying on a bed. It seemed like no time had passed but I knew that wasn’t true. I felt fine but a little strange. Remembering where I had been shot, I looked down there.

“Uh oh!”

Yep, here we go again. How did I end up female again. Just then, everyone walked in. Lilly came over to the bed.

“Hey John, I’m so glad you are alright.”

“That’s a matter of opinion. I take it the damage was severe.”

Janna walked up.

“You could say that. The strange thing is that the med unit found mature ovaries and a uterus. Care to explain?”

I sighed.

“I was born intersexed. Swapping sexes several times has caused some problems. Before I went to Prowhiness, I was told of the development but I figured the trip through the gate had changed all that.”

“Well, apparently not. The med unit is part of the AI system and makes its own determinations based on the findings of its examination. The report given to me states that there were no male organs present while there were female ones. Basically, all the unit did was to heal your wounds including a vagina. So, congratulations, you are now a woman again.”

I sat back shocked. This was way more than before. Then I was pretending to be a woman; superficially only. Now, I really am female. I looked at Janna.

“Does this mean a fully functioning female?”

She looked puzzled.

“Of course.”

“Shit!”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I decided to call George. He should know how things are going with the military. I used the code he had given me. He popped up on the vid.

“Hey Mary, I was wondering what you and Karen were up to. The word I get is that the military can find no sign of you.”

I laughed.

“Well, that was the plan. Karen is an expert at that.”

“Yeah, it sure has ruffled some feathers. With no ruins, a dead gate, and no one else to interview, the Planetopolis has given orders for a recall. The military is packing up now and should be completely gone sometime tomorrow.”

“What about you and Linda?”

“We’ve stayed on the marshal’s ship. I haven’t received any orders as yet.”

“Hmm, maybe I should talk to Sam. We have made contact with the aliens again.”

“No shit! I figured they were gone for good. What do they want?”

“There is a chance we might be able to use the gate to contact the future people. If we can, they might help us find Jonnie.”

“Wow, that is good news, I think. I just don’t trust those aliens. I know they helped me out but they talk out of the side of their mouths.”

I laughed.

“I agree but it is our only hope at this point.”

“OK but I don’t think it’s a good idea to call Sam. He may be monitored or feel that he must pass on the info about the aliens. I’ll talk to him about staying on here for a while.”

“That would be great! Call me when the military has left.”

“Sure thing. Be careful! Out”

His image disappeared. I turned to Karen.

“What do you think?”

She shrugged.

“What else? We wait.”

The next afternoon, George gave us the heads up that the coast was clear. Tinker and Bell already knew. No surprise there. We arranged to meet George and Linda at the gate site. Tinker seemed a little hesitant but finally agreed. Once on the ground, Karen and I rushed over to George’s shuttle.

“Boy it’s good to see you both.”

“The feeling’s mutual, George.”

“I guess Tinker is anxious to get at the gate. How will they activate it? I was told that it had no power.”

“Got me”

I looked out to see Tinker and Bell escorting some kind of wheeled contraption to the gate. Once there, they went inside.

“Well Karen, it looks like they aren’t wasting any time.”

“Yeah, I wonder if I’m supposed to operate the gate.”

“I don’t know since they are only trying to send a message.”

Tinker and Bell came out of the gate and walked over to George’s shuttle. We went out to meet them. Tinker looked at Karen.

“We have attached the power source to the gate that we used in our experimentation with it. The gate now has partial power. We would like you to try to send a pulse through it. Hopefully, the future race will recognize it.”

“OK, I guess.”

We went to the gate and Karen entered it. She called back out.

“It didn’t power up like before. What do you want me to do?”

Tinker looked a little down. I think they thought the gate might power up when Karen entered it.

“Place your right hand into the depression in the center of the command console. This might cause a signal to be sent.”

“OK”

A couple of minutes later, the gate suddenly powered up all the way and there was a bright flash. You guessed it, Karen was gone.

Beyond Galactic Marshal
by
Hilltopper

Chapter 15

With me now healed, we needed to decide where to go. Rosco wanted to go home if it still existed. Lilly was not too thrilled about leaving Earth. So, the consensus was to check on the destroyed observation site.

When we reached the hill where the site was located, every one was pleasantly surprised. It had been a surgical strike. The observation room including the gate had been obliterated but there was very little collateral damage. Rosco yelled.

“My cabin! It’s still there!”

Sure enough, it looked as good as ever. His mules had even found there way home. Janna settled the ship down close to the cabin. I found a jumpsuit like thing on the ship that fit me OK, It was better than the shredded Indian dress. We all disembarked. I looked up toward the damaged site.

“I don’t see how they destroyed it without causing more damage to the surrounding area.”

Janna nodded.

“It was a very accurate strike for one from orbit. I don’t know what kind of weapon was used. The site is gone with not much to suggest it was ever there.”

“Yeah, it reminds me of the weapons portrayed on those old sci-fi videos; disrupters or something.”

Rosco shuttered.

“I just hope their gone.”

Lilly sighed.

“There is no reason for them to stay unless they know about the ship.”

Janna glanced over.

“I don’t think they do. We were very careful in concealing it.”

I looked at her.

“Won’t they spot it when we leave Earth?”

“Probably eventually. It depends on whether they have gone and if they left any probes behind.”

She stared at me a few seconds.

“You seem to want to leave.”

I looked at her in surprise.

“Don’t you?”

She sighed.

“I guess but where would we go. Our base is apparently gone and we are 1500 years in the past.”

Lilly spoke up.

“You’ve convinced me. I’m staying here. Our home isn’t obtainable and I wasn’t that crazy about it when I was there. This is my home now.”

Rosco grinned.

“That’a girl.”

I frowned.

“What about Slago?”

“Oh, he won’t bother us. You’re the one he’s after.”

“True”

Lilly had tears in here eyes.

“I wish you would stay too. There’s nothing out there for you.”

I sighed.

“If there is any hope at all to be rejoined with my family, I’m going to take it. It is a dead end here with the gate gone. The gate at your base may still be there.”

“So might those aliens.”

“I know but I’m for checking it anyway.”

Janna nodded.

“OK, it is a possibility. I’m not keen on staying here so I guess we could go.”

Lilly turned to me tearfully.

“If you go, won’t see you again. I know it!”

I hugged her.

“It’s something I must do.”

“At least stay overnight.”

I shook my head.

“We can‘t risk anyone seeing the ship.”

Janna agreed. We said our good byes and went back on board. I hoped Rosco and Lilly will be OK. They are right to stay. They both have a life here. We got into the command chairs. Janna powered the craft up.

“Let’s go into a low orbit first. If the aliens are still about, we can get back down quickly.”

“Sounds good to me.”

We lifted off and were in orbit before long. The ships sensors started their search. While waiting, we discussed our situation.

“How long will it take to get to Prowhiness?”

Janna looked puzzled and then it registered.

“Oh yeah, that is your name for the planet our base is on. AI, plot the quickest route to the base.”

The AI came right back.

“It will take 13 hours.”

I nodded. Janna looked at me a few seconds.

“So what’s your story anyway?”

I briefly went through how I came to be here. Janna smiled.

“Now I understand why you were startled when waking up from your surgery. Jees! It’s a wonder you’re still sane.”

I grinned big.

“Who says I am?”

This got us both laughing. The AI chimed in.

“There are no probes or ships within range.”

“OK, good, take us to the base post haste.”

Janna looked over at me.

“I imagine you are still recovering. Why don’t you lie down for a while.”

She pointed at a door.

“There is a bed of sorts in there.”

“Yeah, I do need it.”

I went into the room. There was a bunk attached to a wall. It reminded me of the ones on the old warships. I lay back and sighed. What if we don’t find anything on Prowhiness? I don’t think I can handle living in this time like I am now. With another sigh, I dozed off.

I awoke to the ship shaking violently. Rushing out, Janna yelled back at me.

“There’s no damage.”

“What the hell happened?”

“I don’t know. There are no ships showing on sensors. Besides, while traveling in hyperspace, all should be calm.”

“Could it be something wrong with the ship’s drive?”

The AI spoke up.

“All systems are nominal.”

I sat down beside Janna.

“So, any guesses?”

Janna looked thoughtful.

“Just a theory. Time travel into the past is a delicate thing. No matter how careful you are, some changes are going to occur. I’d say we caught up to time waves. They are greatly enhanced while in hyperspace.”

“By time waves, you mean changes in the time line.”

“Exactly”

“Hmm, if time travel is so dangerous, why do it at all?”

“Good question. I’m not privy to our leaders reasoning. The rumors I heard were that the discovery of males on an old Earth colony scared them. I don’t know why.”

I frowned.

“After living on Fledora, I can believe that. Those people are completely paranoid when it comes to the male members of our species. Of course, history does show that male domination is a strong trait and one that has caused many problems for women. I guess that I am unique in that I have experienced both sides.”

“Yeah, but how that could relate to the observation post here in the past is beyond me.”

Just then the AI made an announcement.

“We are approaching the planet. There are two unknown ships orbiting it.”

I looked over at Janna.

“Uh oh!”

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“What just happened?”

Tinker smiled.

“I’d say the future race brought Karen to them.”

I glared at Tinker.

“You expected this!”

“We expected something. This was one of the possibilities.”

“You are despicable!”

I turned and went to George’s shuttle. Once inside, I broke down. Linda rushed over to me.

“I can’t take much more of this.”

Linda patted my back.

“Those alien assholes will get theirs. Where’s Karen?”

“That’s just it! They tricked her into the gate and now she is gone!”

George walked up.

“You mean into the future?”

“That’s what Tinker said.”

I went into the galley and picked up Raylan.

“Oh my angel, what are we to do?”

George was mad as hell.

“I’m going out there and confront them.”

I shook my head.

“No, all we can do is wait.”

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I put my hand into the depression in the gate control. The next thing I knew I was looking at the bright room in the future. Cautiously, I walked out of the gate. The room the gate is in is quite large but contains nothing but the gate. Going over to the door I had gone through last time I was here, I found it to be locked. I pounded on it but, after several minutes, I gave up. I went back to the gate to see if I could operate it. Like last time, it was now dead. Hearing a noise, I turned around. A woman I had not seen before had entered the room. She stared at me a minute and then motioned me to follow her. With no other choice, I complied. We entered a small room with a few chairs. She sat down and just looked at me. So far she had said nothing. With a sigh, I sat.

“OK, enough of the silent treatment, did you bring me here?”

She nodded but said nothing.

“Hmm, you know I’ve been here before.”

She nodded again.

“OK, so how much time was passed?”

She smiled.

“I read about the incident. A debate has been raging for years.”

“Years?”

“Yes, it has been 25 years since you appeared here.”

This stunned me. Of course, with time travel, years mean nothing. She noticed my shock.

“I set a program to automatically return here with any one that tried using the gate again.”

I nodded.

“You said something about a debate. Have any decisions been reached?”

“Some. I guess you deserve to know what has really been going on. I think you were told that the observation site on distant Earth was set up to study male behavior because a planet with males on it had been discovered.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“That is only partially true. We did discover that colony but what puzzled us was the primitive nature of it. On further exploration, it was found that this was the last surviving colony of ancient Earth. All had been wiped out by an alien force.”

This shocked me to the core.

“You mean that in your time the Planetopolis no longer exists?”

“Yes, we and that colony are all that’s left of Humanity. We realized that our planet was most likely next. Our only hope was our secret weapon; time travel. We set up a base in the past on an uninhabited planet to try to determine what the threat was. The Putarks, the aliens you and Jonnie were dealing with, discovered our old base hundreds of years later. At this time, they were under attack by the same aliens. They used some of our technology to stave off an attack using Jonnie to operate it. When she used the device, she was transported here. We sent her back as close to her time as we could with no knowledge that she had been here. The information gleaned by us from the device was invaluable. We realized that our best hope of surviving was to get rid of the aliens when they first entered this part of the galaxy 1500 years ago. We set up the observation site on Earth to attract their attention. The plan is to draw them in before they are ready.”

“In other words, defeat them in the past before they became too strong to handle.”

“Correct. At the same time though, we must do it in such a way to not affect our time line. If we did something in the past that significantly changed our history, we might cause something worse that what the aliens could accomplish.”

“So our going through the gate to Earth was not foreseen.”

“No and it has caused much consternation and discussion.”

I grimaced.

“Wow, I reckon so. What have you decided to do?”

She sighed.

“We are going ahead with our plan of attack and hope that your Jonnie doesn’t screw things up too much.”

Beyond Galactic Marshal
by
Hilltopper

Chapter 16

“This is really bad. AI, hide us behind the nearest moon.”

I looked at Janna. She was spooked.

“Do you think we were spotted?”

“I sure hope not. I don’t think we can out run them. This ship is not made for speed and we have no weapons.”

“Great! Do you know if the gate is still there?”

The AI spoke up.

“I am receiving a signal from the gate. It is intact but is powered down.”

Janna nodded.

“At least that is good news. The trouble is, with those ships stationed around the planet, we can’t get to the gate.”

I thought a minute.

“Can we send a signal to the gate from here?”

“Yes, but I don’t know if it will be forwarded with the gate powered down.”

The AI chimed in again.

“No message can be forwarded through time without physical access to the gate.”

I sighed.

“So, what now?”

“Let’s wait a bit to see if we have been detected.”

We set for a nervous hour or so. Nothing had come for us. Janna pounded the arm of her command chair.

“We can’t stay here much longer.”

Suddenly, the AI sounded an alarm.

“The gate has powered up and several drones have come through it.”

I shook my head.

“God, what now?”

Janna was smiling.

“They must be from my people. Let’s poke our heads out.”

We moved to where we could observe the planet. A bright flash of light almost blinded me. Janna squealed.

“One down!”

“You mean they are attacking the alien ships?”

“They sure are and are too small for the ships to target.”

Just then another flare lit up.

“Whoopee!”

I had a bad thought.

“What about us?”

Janna looked puzzled.

“I mean, are we next?”

She appeared shocked.

“AI, send out a signal as to who we are.”

“Already done. No response as yet.”

We went into a high orbit. So far, nothing had confronted us. After a couple of hours, the AI gave us some welcome news.

“The probes have left this area of space.”

“Janna, should we go down to the gate?”

“I don’t know. It looks like we have gone to war against those aliens. Let’s hang out here a while.”

A few hours later, one of the probes returned and went back through the gate.

“I think it is reporting in. We should hear something soon.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The woman suddenly looked up as if hearing something. She turned to me.

“Sorry, Karen, I’ve got to go. Please remain here until I return.”

She hurried out the door. Before the door closed, I heard a lot of commotion. Maybe their attack was starting. About 30 minutes later, she came back in with a big smile on her face.

“It’s going to work! We need to get you back home in case there are significant timeline changes.”

“OK but that doesn’t sound good.”

She just shrugged.

“One never knows.”

We went back to the gate. The room was now filled with dangerous looking probes. She nodded.

“These will be used to defeat the aliens. Please enter the gate.”

I had a lot of questions but realized she was in a hurry. I walked into the gate. It was already at full power. She fiddled with something in her hand. A woman walked up and they appeared to be arguing. The woman took the device from the other woman’s hand and punched something. I was about to come back out of the gate when there was the familiar flash. I was once again on Prowhiness. Unfortunately, the only other thing around was the gate. The ruins were still gone and now the wrecked house was also gone without a trace. There were no ships here either. Could it be that the time line was changing? Whatever the reason, I was now stuck here with no food or water. I tried the gate but, of course, it was now completely dead.

“This is just great!”

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After a few hours with nothing happening, I lay back down. This time line changing thing was weighing on my brain. If I got back home, what would I find? I was now female but in my old world I was male. OK not all the time based on appearances but male none the less. Plus, what if changes occurred that caused me to never have been born. This stuff could drive one insane. I guess I went to sleep because I was aroused by Janna.

“The AI just told me that a swarm of probes has come through the gate and disappeared into the same direction as the other probes. I’d say this is the main attack on the aliens. My big question is why?”

I sat up.

“It would seem that your race is wiping them out in the past. That could only mean that they perceived a threat from them in your time. The question I have is what will this do to the time line; especially in my time. Those attacks are happening in my sector of space.”

Janna looked thoughtful.

“It could be pretty extensive. Let’s see if we can access the gate now.”

We landed beside the gate. Janna went over to it and tried to contact her people. She seemed to be talking to someone. After about 15 minutes, she came back to the ship.

“OK, we can go in a few minutes. The ship will just fit through the gate. It is how we brought it here in the first place.”

I was a bit startled.

“You mean we’re going into the future?”

She laughed.

“Of course but the woman I talked to was a bit vague on how far. I get the feeling we are going to go further in the future from the time I left from. It may have something to do with the attack.”

“Did you mention me?”

She frowned.

“Yes. They already know about you. There seems to be some concern.”

This surprised me. How could they know I had gone to Earth in the past? The ship suddenly lifted and started easing into the gate. Janna nodded.

“The AI is bringing the ship into the gate. The tolerances are too close for me to do it.”

After the ship was entirely inside, there was a bright flash. I then saw a brightly lit and very large room. Janna smiled.

“We’re home! This is the gate room on my planet.”

“Wow, it’s huge.”

The ship exited into the room and settled down on the floor.

“Jonnie, let’s see when we are.”

I laughed. That statement sounded so foreign. As we left the ship, a woman came into the room through a door to our left. We walked over to her. She hugged Janna.

“Welcome back. Your mission was a complete success. The aliens have been eliminated.”

Janna smiled but hesitated.

“It looks like some years have passed since I left.”

The woman nodded.

“Yes, a few.”

She turned to me.

“So this is the infamous Jonnie Harper. You probably don’t know it but you are a hero. Your actions saved your civilization and ours.”

This took be back.

“Uh, thank you but what actions?”

She just laughed.

“Come on. We have a lot to discuss.”

She exited the room and we followed. She stopped at a door after walking a few minutes.

“Jonnie, please go in there and make your self comfortable. We will bring refreshments in shortly. She opened the door, I walked inside, and the door closed. I waited a minute and then tried the door. It opened.

“Well at least I’m not a prisoner.”

Of course, she did call me a hero. What’s up with that? I sat down and a few minutes later, a woman entered with a tray of food. She just smiled, sat the tray down, and left. I was famished and dove in. Shortly after I finished eating, two women came in. One was the one that had met the ship. The other one was very tall and beautiful. She looked me over with her hands on her hips. Finally, she shook her head and smiled.

“Well, you are not what I expected.”

“Uh, sorry to disappoint. I don’t have any other clothes.”

She held up her hands.

“No, no, you are lovely, just not what I was expecting.”

I huffed.

“Me neither. Your gate and ship caused me to look like this.”

She shook her head.

“They only did what your genetics demanded. However, we need to talk seriously. The defeat of the aliens now 1500 years ago will cause significant changes in your time line.”

This, while not surprising, was something I did not want to really face. My life was screwed up enough already. She went on.

“The reason that the Putarks, that’s the race you were working with, needed their planet saved by you was because they were under attack from the aliens. We have now destroyed them. Do you understand what that means?”

“Yeah, all I have done for them now has never happened.”

“Correct almost. It will never have happened as soon as the time waves arrive. But, for you and us, there is an even greater problem. We have determined based on information from you and your sister, that our race is an off shoot from Fledora. In fact, many of us are direct descendants from you two.”

“Wow, that is heavy.”

She laughed.

“I think I know what that means. OK, here is the bad news. It has been determined that the reason your father’s ship crashed on Fledora was that it came under attack by a scout ship of the aliens.”

This stunned me. I could see immediately what that would mean.

“In other words, no crash: no Karen and I.”

“Yes and no us either.”

“Shit!”

We sat there a minute in silence. Finally, she smiled faintly.

“But we have a plan. We have already sent Karen back. You are to take the ship you came here in back in time and join up with her. She knows about the aliens but not about your possible demise. It will be up to you to save us all.”

“How will I do that from my time?”

“That’s just it. We must send you back to before your father crashed.”

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I had been on Prowhiness for a couple of hours. I thought about walking but decided there was no where to walk to. The resort was clear on the other side of the planet. No chance I could make it there. I was really getting down when I suddenly heard the gate power up. As I stood up and turned around, a small but sleek ship was coming out of the gate. I started to run but what was the point. So, I just stood and watched it settle down on the ground. A couple of minutes later, a hatch opened and a beautiful woman emerged. She spotted me and headed my way. When she got close, I thought she looked familiar. Then, it dawned on me.

“Jonnie?”

She laughed.

“In the flesh.”

I rushed to her and we hugged tightly. Tears were flowing freely.

“How on Earth?”

“It’s a long story.”

“God, I didn’t think I would ever see you again.”

She laughed.

“Me either.”

“From the looks of that ship, you must have been in the future.”

“Yep”

I shook my head.

“I can’t get over how you look. Well, I’m glad you’re here. I was stuck for sure. Let’s go find Mary.”

She frowned.

“Uh, as much as I wish I could, there is a bit of a problem. You see, we’re not in our time.”

I didn’t like this at all.

“What do you mean? This is Prowhiness.”

She sighed.

“True but let’s just say we haven’t been born yet and, unless we change the time line, we never will be.”

I sat down hard.

“Shit!”

{Author's note: Well, that's all for now. Stay tuned in the future for Beyond Galactic Marshall II. Thank you for reading and commenting.}

GALACTIC MARSHAL
by Hilltopper

This gender bending space opera was inspired by a comment made to me by Bailey Summers. I hope you enjoy it.

CHAPTER 1

My name is John Harper. I am a galactic marshal in district 3. I have just come back to district headquarters from a really grueling assignment that I don’t want to talk about. A vacation is what I need and I have some days coming. Maybe I can spend some time back on Earth. I grew up in Kentucky and have not been back there in a long time. It is funny how time gets away from you. The last time I was there brought back some memories that I did not want to surface. I guess I have avoided returning because of that but it is such a beautiful place and I should go more often. Kentucky is one of the few places on Earth that avoided most of the affects of the severe pollution 200 years ago. I was very lucky to have been born and raised there. It would be a place for the rest and relaxation I sorely needed.

As I reached the district supervisor’s office, I knocked on the door.

“Come in John.”

“Hi Sam. It is good to be back. I guess you have read my report.”

“Yep, good job.”

“I’m glad you think so because I am putting in for some vacation.”

“Uh, well, a special assignment had just come through. You are the only marshal available that fits the criteria.”

“Sam,I am dead tired. There has to be some one else to take it.”

“I wish there was but the computer says you are it.”

“Since when did a computer start making our assignments?”

“This is a special case. You remember Sandra Sterling? We have gotten a very reliable tip that she has gone underground on the planet Fledora. She is in the top ten most wanted and we can not ignore this.”

“I have never heard of Fledora. I thought I knew all the planets in our district.”

“This one is a new addition to the planetopolis. Also, it is in district 6.”

“What! That is the back end of no where! We do not even patrol there.”

“I know, I know. But we have been given permission to go after the fugitive.”

“OK, but why me?”

“As I said, you meet the criteria insisted upon by the government of Fledora. We sent the histories of all our marshals to them at there request. You were the only one that qualified according to them.”

“What makes me so lucky?”

“I don’t know. All they will say is that you are the only marshal they will let into their territory.”

“Man, this sucks! When do I leave?”

“They are sending a shuttle. It should be here in the morning.”

“That really sucks! No time off at all?”

“Sorry.”

“Well, I am going to get some supper. I’ll see you in the morning.”

With that, I walked out. I was pissed. As a district marshal, I had an apartment in the HQ building but I did not feel like going there. Instead, I headed for the cafeteria. The food there is not great but it beats my cooking by a long way. As I entered the café, I spotted George Bret. He is also a marshal in this district. I waved and then went through the food line. After paying, I sat down with George.

“Hey there John. Haven’t seen you I while?”

“I’ve been on a long and tiring assignment. I just got back this afternoon.”

“So, I guess a vacation is in the works now, huh?”

“I wish! Sam told me I have to take another assignment first.”

“Whoa! That’s unusual. What is it?”

“I have to go after Sandra Sterling. I hope it doesn’t take long.”

“I don’t know. No one has been able to catch her yet. Where is she supposed to be?”

“Some planet in district six called Fledora.”

He suddenly looked pale. I got the feeling he knew something that I should know.

“OK, that struck a chord. Give!”

“Well, it’s only rumors. Apparently, the planet is inhabited by a splinter group that left one of our colonies over 100 years ago. It was a colony that was repressive to women. The rumor is that the planet is only inhabited by women that are descended from a large group of women that left that colony looking for a better life.”

“Wow! That is heavy. I can see why Sandra would try to hide there. She is probably getting help. What I don’t understand is why they want me to go there?”

“Got me, but I would sure be careful.”

I finished eating and went to my apartment. Since I was completely bushed, I got ready and lie down on my bed. Something was just not right about this assignment. Any one of a hundred marshals could to track down a fugitive. Why pick on me? After all, I was overdue for some time off and only an emergency should have canceled it. This sure was no emergency. And, what about this ‘meeting criteria’ thing? I was pretty much average as anyone. I was 6 feet tall, weighed 200 pounds, had pretty good health, and stayed fairly fit but so did everyone else. It worried me about them sending my complete history. A thought occurred to me. I had always believed that I was born intersexed and was corrected to be listed as male. Growing up, I had been more girl than boy until puberty hit. Surely, that was not what fitted me to their criteria. I had a not so funny feeling in my gut. After a struggle, I finally drifted off to sleep.

I woke suddenly to the 1812 Overture. I groaned ‘Who could be calling me at 6 AM’. I punched the vid button and Sam appeared. He did not look much better than I felt.

“What’s up, Sam?”

“Sorry to wake you but we just got word that the shuttle from Fledora will arrive in 30 minutes. You are expected to meet it.”

“Are you crazy? There is no way I can get ready and packed in less than 2 hours.”

“Don’t worry about packing. We were told that you were to bring nothing but the clothes on your back. Everything you need will be provided once you are on the shuttle. Apparently, they are worried about contamination.”

“This is just great. I don’t like this one bit.”

“Nothing I can do about it. Just go to dock 16 as soon as you get dressed.”

“Alright, alright!”

I signed off in a huff. This is getting stranger and stranger. I dressed in jeans and a sport shirt. It would take a good 10 minutes to get to dock 16, so I headed out. Just as I arrived, I saw a brilliant white shuttle entering the space dock. It was a beauty. I had never seen one like it. As soon as the green docking light came on, the door opened.

“Walk through the door Mr. Harper. We are in a hurry.”

I did not see where the voice came from. As soon as I entered the ship, the door closed. I immediately felt the ship undock and start out.

“Just sit on the bench and we will be with you shortly.”

A few minutes later, the voice returned.

“Please take off all of your clothes and enter the chamber to your right.”

A door opened and I looked in. It appeared to be an over grown shower.

“Look, whoever you are, I would like to know what is going on.”

“The chamber will decontaminate you. When you exit, we will provide you with new clothes.”

I walked into the chamber against my better judgment. I did not like the way this was going one bit. The door behind me closed.

“Stand in the center and hold your arms out.”

I complied and a sharp smelling spray seemed to come at me from all directions. It only lasted about I minute but that was enough. Oddly, I dried off quickly and the door opposite opened to another chamber. This one looked like a futuristic locker room. As I entered the room, the voice told me to look in locker 1 and put on the clothes it contained. I opened it and got a surprise.

“Hey, this looks like a mini dress.”

“It is a medical gown, Mr. Harper.”

“Why do I need a ‘medical gown’?”

“Our doctor needs to give you a physical and make a few enhancements so that you can enter Fledora territory.”

“What kind of enhancements?”

“Nothing permanent or out of the ordinary.”

“I suppose my superiors knew of this and approved.”

“Yes, they did.”

“OK, I guess you can go ahead.”

“Good! Put on the clothes and go into Medical.”

Another door opened which I assumed led to the medical room. I put the ‘dress’ on and entered the room. In the center was a pod about 7 feet long.

“Where’s the doctor?”

“The doctor is automated and is part of the unit you see in the middle of Medical.”

“Great! When do I actually meet you or someone alive?”

“Not until we reach Fledora. Please get into the unit. A door will close over you and you will be put to sleep.”

“Hold on a minute. I don’t like the idea of being helpless in that thing.”

“Mr. Harper, it is essential that you be sedated during the flight to our planet. The star drive we use is very uncomfortable to humans. If you are not asleep, damage could result to your body’s systems.”

“OK, but I want it noted that I don’t like it.”

“Noted”

I climbed into the pod and the door closed over me. Some kind of gas poured into the chamber and I passed out. I awoke to a gorgeous brown haired, brown eyed woman staring down at me. She seemed to have a smirk on her face. I started to sit up but something did not feel right. I looked down at my chest and got a huge shock.

“Good morning Miss Harper.”

GALACTIC MARSHAL
by Hilltopper

CHAPTER 2

“What the ---------?”

“Now, don’t panic. I can explain everything.”

“Who the hell are you and what the hell did you do to me?”

“It will be OK, Miss Harper.”

“Cut the ‘Miss Harper’ crap. I want to know what is going on and why am I sounding funny?”

I got up to take a look at myself. There was no doubt I had breasts but I was afraid to look elsewhere.

“Do not worry, nothing has been cut off and nothing done is permanent. You have to realize, this is a planet of only women. In order to do your investigation, you must blend in. Your appearance and voice have been altered for that reason. Besides, we do not allow males on our planet.”

Even though she made sense, I was in no mood to listen.

“I don’t care what your rules are. I am not going around like this. So, if that is the way things are, then just change me back and I’ll go back home.”

“So, you are going to shirk your duty because of your pride. I told them this would not work.”

Now she was hitting me where it hurt. I always did my duty no matter what. But this was way above and beyond. I spotted a mirror and walked over to it. I really did not look much different: same height, same weight, same face. But there was no doubt either that I now looked much more feminine especially with the long blond hair. There was no bulge below and that worried me. I guess she noticed my concern.

“They are just hidden inside. Everything is still there. Of course, you will now have to sit down when you pee.”

There was that smirk again.

“I have a feeling you are enjoying this. Look, I get it, but there is no way in the world I can pass as a woman. Why didn’t you just take one of the female marshals?”

“Several reasons. One is the fact that our bodies have been genetically enhanced. None of your female deputies could begin to compete with us. Also, according to our DNA testing and computer analysis, you were the best fit.”

“I don’t see how. As far as competing, I am sure I can take on any woman on your planet and win.”

“OK, hot shot! Come at me. Don’t worry, you are still the same inside and have not lost any strength or skills.”

I decided I would just throw her and not try to really hurt her. I made my move and came at her suddenly from the left side. The next thing I knew, I was on the floor with her knee on my chest.

“I am below average in the strength department on our planet and I am also quite short.”

Well, so much for my pride. I was beginning to think I was about to get in over my head. I tried to look unconcerned as she got off me.

“My job is to make you ready to go down to our planet and meet with the council. If you are not going to cooperate, then maybe you should go back home.”

“OK, I am still not sure this is a good idea nor if I can do it, but I am on your side against the bad guys. Let’s start over.”

I put out my hand and she shook it.

“Alright, my name is Mary Brown. I am chief of detectives in our capital. I do admit I am enjoying your misery but I will do whatever is necessary to help you get ready. I am not your enemy. Just call me Mary.”

With that, she led me into what looked like a crew lounge. I was looking around for anyone else but could see no sign of other crew members. Detective Brown noticed.

“This ship is pretty much automated. We are the only ones aboard. We are orbiting Fledora and will do so until the council determines you are ready to land.”

“And if they are not satisfied?”

“Then you go home without your fugitive.”

I had to admit that was not an option. I was very concerned as to what it would take to convince their council to let me start the search for Sandra.

“Can I get some clothes and get rid of this stupid medical gown?”

She had that smile again.

“Actually, those are your clothes. Of course, if you want to change into a clean uniform, that would be fine.”

I looked down at myself. This thing barely covered my ass. There was no way in hell I was going to continue wearing it.

“OK, where are my other clothes?”

“Right this way.”

I found myself in an 8 feet by 8 feet bedroom with a closet at one end. She left and closed the door. I got out of that dress thing immediately. Looking in the closet, I was dismayed to find two other dresses that looked much like the one I had just worn. I could not find any drawers that would contain any other clothes.

“Hey, I can’t find any pants or underwear.”

“We rarely wear underwear and pants are not usually worn except when necessary for certain jobs.”

“So, you’re telling me I am going to wear what’s in this closet and nothing else?”

“Yep!”

This was going from bad to worse. I was afraid to ask about shoes. I put on another dress and walked back into the lounge. She was definitely enjoying my misery.

“You have to realize that we don’t have the same culture as you. Since you have both males and females, you have developed a ridiculous set of modesty rules. We don’t have that problem. We don’t even wear any clothes some of the time.”

I guess I must have looked a little green because she laughed and turned toward what looked like a food terminal of some kind. I have to admit that she has a great laugh and is rather cute. She handed me something completely unrecognizable.

“Aren’t you going to eat? I thought you would be hungry.”

“Not that hungry.”

“You know when in Fledora; act like a Fledoran.”

“Well, it doesn’t look like losing weight will be a problem.”

She laughed real hard and took the plate.

“Alright, I had to mess with you again. When we left the colony, we took a lot of farm animals with us. So, we have pretty much the same things available that you do along with the native stuff. How about a hamburger and French fries?”

“Now you’re talking.”

We finished eating and decided to go on to bed. It had been a hard day. I guessed I would have to sleep naked. There appeared to be nothing else to wear. I lie down on the bed and pondered my situation. I can not believe the mess I am in. Sam had to know about this. I am going to kill him when I get back. I bet he is having a big laugh about now. I still wonder what all they have done to me. I feel the same except for these darn breasts. It sure looks different between my legs but, hopefully, all the changes are just superficial. I still don’t get why I was the best pick of the marshals. Mary has a lot of explaining to do tomorrow.

The next morning, I once again donned the ‘dress’ and entered the lounge area. Mary was sitting at a table and looked up. I struck a pose.

“So, here I am.”

“Yeah, I see but your hair is a mess. You need to do something with it.”

“You mean like cut it off?”

“Funny. Get your breakfast and, after you eat, we will get started.”

“Hmmm.”

I walked over to the food terminal and selected some bacon and eggs. At least, that’s what it looked like.

“How do you sit in this thing? My bare butt is on the chair.”

“You are supposed to use your hands to sweep the dress under you as you sit down.”

I just shake my head and start eating.

“You know, I was sent here to catch Sandra Sterling, not to play games.”

“This is not a game. We have never allowed a male to set foot on our planet before now and, even though you look sort of female, you are still a man. If anyone finds out, there will be hell to pay. The council has agreed to let you in but only if you can convince them that there is no chance of you being discovered to be male. We have tried to keep your changes superficial but it is up to you to show everyone that you are a woman.”

“OK, but I still think it would be better to use a female deputy.”

“No, they would be spotted as an outsider immediately. Since you are 6 feet tall and have a strong build, you will be about average. A lot of women on our planet are taller and stronger than you.”

“So, how come Sandra has not been spotted?”

“She probably has but is getting help. At 5 feet 8 inches, she is certainly short. We have some information that she might be hiding in Basteria. That area has a large criminal element.”

“Then your planet is not all milk and honey.”

“Far from it. We have a population of over a million. Crime will always be a problem with that many people. I was told your Sandra was wanted for murder but I do not know what she did.”

“Her husband was arrested by the marshal service on a warrant for forgery. I guess the arresting marshals got over exuberant because he died in transport. In revenge for his death, Sandra killed the judge that issued the warrant and three deputy marshals.”

“Wow! I guess we know why she is getting help now. A lot of women would be sympathetic.”

I finished breakfast and got up.

“OK, what now?”

“Well, let’s do something with your hair and get you some boots. You will probably need some practice with them.”

We entered the bathroom and she brushed out my hair. I have to admit that it felt nice; however, I would still rather cut it off. Mary left and came back with a pair of black boots that looked like they would come almost up to my knees. They also had a very high heel. I guess I cringed because she smirked again.

“I know these seem outrageous, but we need to wear the proper uniform when we meet with the council. They will make a determination as to whether this investigation can continue based on your appearance and demeanor.”

I reluctantly took the boots and tried them on. They fit perfectly since they had all my measurements. I stood up and walked into the lounge.

“Whoa! You have done this before.”

I blushed a bright red. The fact was, as a teen, I had experimented. When I had reached adulthood, I buried those thoughts as deep as I could. I ignored her comment and walked back and forth several times.

“This is going to be easier than I thought. You actually look very feminine when walking in those boots. I think I am beginning to see what the council meant by you being the best fit.”

“Just because I can walk in these silly boots does not mean I can pass as a woman on your planet. I don’t like to beat a dead horse, but there is no way this is going to work.”

“Let’s take it one step at a time and the council will decide that. We will spend the rest of today working with you. If the council is in agreement, we will go down to the planet tomorrow.”

This really scared me. It was one thing to parade around in this get up in front of Mary. But to actually go out in public like this was almost paralyzing. Once again, Mary read me like a book.

“Don’t worry. No one will notice a thing. We will get you ready and everything will go fine.”

We worked on feminine deportment until lunch. I got another hamburger and sat down.

“You are doing fine. I do have a question about how fast you are getting this. Care to enlighten me?”

I stared at her a minute and then sighed.

“OK, but this is just between you and me although I suspect there may be something in my history about this that caught the council’s eye. I was born intersexed and was more girl than boy until puberty. I decided then to make myself be all boy. Unfortunately, I was only partially successful. To everyone, I was a total boy but, in private, I dressed as a girl quite often. When I graduated high school, it seemed the best thing to do was to pick a masculine career so that I could put this female thing behind me. So, I aimed my college studies toward that end and joined the marshal service after I got my diploma. This assignment is not sitting well with me. It is bringing back things I thought I had well buried.”

She looked stunned. I got up to get another drink.

“This is making more and more sense now. Wow! I think I am going to go ahead and call the council. Just hang loose a while.”

She got up and went through a door I had not entered. I figured it was the control room. I went back to my room and lie down. I could not believe I had told her all that. I had never told anyone before. She was just very easy to talk to. Well, no going back now. I guess I must have been tired because the next thing I knew, Mary was shaking me.

“It’s all set up. We will meet with the council at 10 tomorrow.”

I got up and followed her back out to the lounge.

“That’s great. So, I have to wear this dress and boots?”

“Yes, but a clean one. I will have to wear the same thing. Don’t worry. This is just part of protocol, you know. If everything goes well, we will get you some different clothes afterwards.”

We spent some more time checking me out. By supper time, we figured it was as good as it was going to get. We ate and then sat back.

“I know I have been a real pain. You are just doing what you were asked to do. It was just a bit of a shock is all.”

Mary laughed.

“I am sure it was. I want to apologize for enjoying your pain too much. You must remember, we are not used to being with men. If you had not undergone your changes in route here, I could not have done this. Your secret is safe with me but it did help me get through this as well. When we part company tomorrow after the meeting, let’s go as friends.”

“Sure. Fine with me. I am glad it was you that was sent to get me.”

With that, we hugged and went to bed. The next morning, I dressed and ate breakfast. Mary must have been busy in the control room as I did not see her. She came out as I finished eating.

“Come on in and strap down. We deorbit in 15 minutes.”

“OK, lead on.”

I strapped in and got my first look at Fledora. It looked a whole lot like Earth but with much less land area. With a sigh I uttered, “Well, here goes nothing.”

GALACTIC MARSHAL
by Hilltopper

“Well, the changes made to you are pretty good. You look like a woman even up close. There is one thing, though, that could give you away. You don’t have a vagina.”

“Of course, I don’t have a vagina and I don’t want one either.”

CHAPTER 3

As we headed down towards the planet, I couldn’t help but notice how much the landscape looked like the Kentucky I grew up in. Of course, that was not necessarily a good thing because it also reminded me of growing up. This assignment was causing things to resurface that I had thought were buried and out of mind. I should tell this council to forget it and send me back home. I knew now that I would not come out of this unscathed.

“That’s our capital off to the right there.”

“It’s pretty. There don’t seem to be very many other towns on Fledora.”

“Ninety per cent of the population lives within 100 kilometers of our capital. That is where our ancestors landed over a hundred years ago to start this colony. There is really not a lot of truly habitable land here.”

“This Basteria you mentioned; where is that?”

“It is about 250 kilometers away in those mountains in front of us. It is mainly a mining community but a lot of undesirables have left this area and settled there over the years. It is a rough place.”

By this time, we were sweeping in over the capital city. She landed the shuttle on what was not much more than large concrete tarmac with a couple of buildings.

“Nice space port.”

“We don’t get out much.”

“I gathered that.”

“We really don’t have much desire to leave Fledora. Everything we need is here. This shuttle and two others are all we have. We also don’t encourage visitors.”

We exited the shuttle and walked toward a building that looked to be quite old. Beside it was parked a fairly impressive hovercraft.

“Now, this does not appear to be from here.”

She laughed.

“No, we actually bought it from your government. Since our incorporation into your planetopolis, technology has picked up around here.”

We entered the vehicle and headed toward what I guessed was their capital or headquarters. The building looked like many old federal buildings I had seen on Earth. Mary parked beside the building and we walked around to the front. There were a lot of women about. I tensed up and stopped.

“Come on. There is no backing out now. The only reason we are being noticed is the uniform.”

“What there is of it.”

She laughed and I followed her inside.

“The council chamber is at the back. I will let them know we are here.”

She punched something into a terminal and we sat down to wait. Mary turned to me and whispered into my ear.

“This is very important. From now on, you are a woman. There can be no reference to your male self. Your name is now Jonnie Michelle Harper. Please do your best to act the part.”

“Don’t worry; I know your job is on the line. I will do my best.”

A few minutes later, a very tall woman approached and bade us to follow her. At the chamber door, she stepped aside and we entered. Five women were seated at the back. It looked like the Supreme Court. Mary walked up to the middle woman.

“Madam Council Chairwoman, I give you Galactic Marshal Jonnie Michelle Harper.”

“Come forward, Marshal Harper. We have been anxious to meet you.”

“It is my pleasure, Madam Chairwoman.”

She smiled broadly.

“I doubt that but we do have much to discuss. By your appearance, I see Detective Brown has done a remarkable job. Of course, we are not surprised. After reviewing your history, we were confident that you were the best woman for the job.”

I guess she noticed me cringing because she smiled broadly again.

“When your service approached us about your fugitive, we were skeptical. They said that they would let us pick the marshal to be sent. When they forwarded the marshal histories, only women deputies were included. We insisted that we get all of the deputy histories. I am glad we did. None of the female deputies were acceptable. The only deputy we could accept was you. I will not go into our reasoning, just believe me when I say it is you or no one.”

I had guessed this but the reality hit me hard.

“I can imagine that this is difficult to digest. We will do everything we can to help you in your search as long as you remember one thing. As far as we and everyone on Fledora are concerned, you are a woman. Only we five and Detective Brown will know about your past. Is that clear?”

“Yes Ma’am!”

“Good. If you will please step outside, we will discuss going further among ourselves. I do want to thank you for acquiescing to our demands. I know this is not easy for you.”

I went back to the lobby and sat down. I thought, ‘Whew! I was glad that was over. That woman sure had a presence’.

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“Now, Mary, I want to thank you for bringing Marshal Harper here and for training her.”

“Your welcome. It was hard at first but she grows on you.”

Carol Givens, the council chairwoman, laughed hard.

“Do I sense something here?”

“No, No! I was only doing my duty.”

“I’m glad to hear that because we have decided that the only way we can allow Marshal Harper to stay here is if you are totally responsible for her. You are to remain with her at all times unless she is undercover; in which case, you must be in constant audio contact. Is that clear?”

“Yes Ma’am.”

This is just great. I thought that after this meeting, I could go back to my job. Now, not only do I have to nurse maid Jonnie but I am responsible as well.

“I can see you are not too pleased. I know this is not what you expected. We will give you free reign on this. Please keep us informed.”

“Yes Ma’am.”

I went back to the lobby to find Jonnie. ‘This really sucks!’

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I noticed Mary coming out of the council chamber in a hurry. She did not look happy.

“Who rained on your parade?”

“Just shut up!”

She walked past me and out the front door. I hurried to catch up. That was not easy in these boots.

“Can we get something else for me to wear? I feel like a fool in this outfit.”

She glared back at me and continued walking toward the hovercraft. I took the hint and shut up. We drove to a nice looking house on the outskirts of town.

“This is my house. Miss Givens made me responsible for you so, you will stay here with me.”

I smiled big.

“OK.”

She just glared at me again and we went into the house.

“Now, can I get some clothes?”

“Just take all that off. I am.”

“You have got to be kidding?”

“You might as well get used to it, especially where you are going.”

“And where is that?”

“Basteria”

“Oh, yeah.”

She removed her dress and boots. She was thus stark naked. Nothing stirred below but that was not surprising since everything was hidden. I did feel something, though, that I could not put my finger on.

“Well!”

“OK, OK! Here goes.”

I undressed with great apprehension. The smirk on Mary’s face did not help.

“See! That wasn’t so hard.”

“For you maybe.”

Mary just laughed and headed into the kitchen. She made some sandwiches and handed me two along with some kind of drink. I ate in silence. Things were about to catch up to me. I felt like jumping off a cliff.

“Just chill tonight, Jonnie. We will get a fresh start tomorrow.”

I looked at Mary.

“That’s the first time you have called me by name.”

She grinned.

“We weren’t friends before.”

I nodded and stood up.

“I think I want to chill alone if that’s alright? I am feeling a little down.”

“Sure, I understand. Your room is over there.”

I went into the room and lie down on the bed. I had to admit that no other marshal could have made it through all of this. I barely did. I just did not know if I could really go through with this. It was all too much! I must have been exhausted because the next thing I knew, it was morning. I walked out of my room, naked of course. This was really going to take some getting used to.

“Well, Jonnie, we need to make our plans.”

Mary looked up at me. I guess I blushed a bright red.

“You look fine. Stop blushing. People will think you have never done this before.”

“Well!”

“Anyway, the council has stated that I must be with you at all times. This is a problem when we go to Basteria.”

“Why is that?”

“I am pretty well known. There is no way I can go in with you.”

“You mean I will be going alone like this?”

“Well, hopefully with some clothes on.”

“You know what I mean.”

“I know it’s not going to be easy but it is the only way.”

“Your right of course but I don’t like it.”

“You will be fine. I will set up a command post outside of Basteria. We are going to implant a transceiver behind your ear in the morning. I or one of my team will be in constant contact with you. One other thing, you can’t use your name.”

“I realize that. Sandra would probably recognize it. How about Gina Rene Coleman?”

“That’s a good one. It will help with the image you need to project.”

“And what image is that?”

“Well, you need a back story. How about this? Your partner was abusing you so you left here to get away from her. You take the transport to Basteria. There is a person, Karen Littleton, that owns a nightclub in Basteria called The Midnight End. We have used her in the past as an informant. Sooner or later everyone living in Basteria goes there. I suggest you try to get a job there. It would be the perfect cover to use while searching for Sandra. She has undoubtedly changed her appearance some what so it won’t be easy.”

“Yeah, you’re right there. OK, I agree with you but I still don’t like it. I have been undercover many times but not like this.”

“There is one other thing I just thought of.”

“What’s that?”

“Well, the changes made to you are pretty good. You look like a woman even up close. There is one thing, though, that could give you away. You don’t have a vagina.”

“Of course, I don’t have a vagina and I don’t want one either.”

“Just listen! The place you are going is pretty rowdy. Even if you do not want it, there is a good chance some one will notice.”

“And how will they notice?”

“Look, hands wander. We must address this. You can not be found out. We can form a fake vagina while you are at medical in the morning. It will look natural but can be easily removed when this is over.”

I have to admit, I was stunned. This was rapidly going south. She did make sense but I sure did not want to admit it.

“Let me think on this a while. I just have to get my head around all of this.”

With that, I wandered back to my room. I lie down and stared at the ceiling. There was a time when this would have been welcome but my life had moved past that. I really don’t know if I can do this. I knew that it would cause me some severe mental problems when this assignment was finished. Finally, I got up and went back in with Mary.

“OK, if you are positive it is only temporary.”

“I assure you that all of the changes made to you are reversible. Let me go get you some clothes and things to take with you. I’ll be back later tonight. Just relax.”

Mary came back that night with a medium sized suitcase and a large shopping bag.

“I think I have everything you will need. I got used clothes to help with your cover. Why don’t we wait until after your surgery tomorrow to go over things?”

“Fine with me. I’ll see you in the morning. I am bushed.”

I went to bed and passed out. The next morning, I put the dress and boots back on and went into the kitchen. Mary handed me some coffee. I made a face.

“That’s all you get. We will go to medical in 30 minutes.”

I drank the coffee (I hate coffee), then went out to the hovercraft. Mary drove us to the medical building. I was ushered straight into the prep room and a nurse came in.

“Just relax dear. I am giving you a shot and when you wake up, it will all be over.”

She was right. The next thing I knew, Mary was looking at me with a nice smile.

“As soon as you get your senses back, we can head home.”

“I lost that 2 days ago.”

She laughed and helped me up. Back at her house, we went back over everything. We laid out my clothes for tomorrow and packed the suitcase. I was still feeling the drugs, so I went straight to my bed room and took off my clothes. Looking in the mirror, I hardly recognized myself. There was no doubt now that I was a woman. I touched my new vagina. This certainly seemed real and very disturbing. I need to put this out of my mind and remember who I really am. This is just a disguise. I lie down and slipped into a troubled sleep. Upon arising, I dressed in a denim skirt, a white peasant-type blouse, and, thankfully, shoes with no high heels. We ate breakfast in silence. I guess we both were worried as to what would come next. Mary drove me to a point about two blocks from the transportation center.

“Well, good luck Jonnie. I will be in your ear whenever you need me. Just be careful.”

“Thanks. Let’s hope things go as planned. I will let you know when I am on the transport.”

We hugged and both of us had tears in our eyes. There was nothing else to say, so I turned and headed to the center.

GALACTIC MARSHAL
by Hilltopper

"A waitress? I can't be a waitress!"

CHAPTER 4

I entered the transportation center and found the transport to Basteria. Evidently, no ticket was needed as I just walked onto the transport and sat down near the back by a window. No one was sitting close by so I said to Mary,

“I’m on board.”

“OK, let me know if you need anything.”

“Right”

It was about 20 minutes before the transport lifted off. The pilot said the flight would take about an hour. I settled back in my seat and stared out the window. I muttered to myself,

“Holy shit! I can’t believe I am doing this.”

“Did you say something?” said Mary.

“No, just panicking out loud.”

“Relax, we are heading out to the command post and will be only minutes away from you at all times.”

“Thank you, that helps.”

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I could tell that Jonnie was about to lose it. My team and I hurried to reach the building we had set up outside Basteria. I just hope Jonnie can hold it together. This had to be an unreal experience. Maybe the hour flight will give her time to calm down. I will have to be careful what I say to her and give as much help as possible.

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I watched the scenery pass by below us. We couldn’t be more than a few thousand kilometers high. As we left the capital behind, the land became much more rugged. I could now understand what Mary meant about the lack of habitable land. I sure would hate to try to live on it. So much had happened the last few days that my mind was having trouble coping. This assignment has turned into a nightmare. My worst fears were coming back to haunt me. I haven’t had to try to fool anybody as yet but, when I reached Basteria, the real fun begins. I know I look the part. It was what was inside that would count. People usually see what they expect. It came down to whether I could project the proper image. Of course, I wasn’t even sure what that image was. I am supposed to be running away from an abusive spouse but, beyond that, it was up to me to figure out what I want people to see. I guess the job I get will kind of point the way. Maybe I can get on as a clean up person or dishwasher.

By this time, I could see what I presumed was Basteria in the distance. It was larger than I expected; maybe 10,000 population. The town was built on a park at the foothills of some very tall mountains. Just outside the town, the land became very rugged. It looked to me like the only easy way in was by transport. We landed on a small airport at the west edge of town. There were a few private jump jets setting around and several hangers. When we came to a stop, I grabbed my suitcase and awaited deboarding. When the call came, I deplaned and walked toward what looked like the main drag.

“Mary, are you there?”

“I’m here, Jonnie. We have set up shop and will monitor your progress.”

”Good! I am walking away from the airport down what looks like the main street.”

“Right, The Midnight End is about 2 kilometers down that street.”

“OK, I think I will walk it so I can get the lay of the land.”

“Just be careful. You’ll pass some pretty seedy bars but it should not be a problem at this time of the day.”

“Oh, I think I can take care of myself.”

“You haven’t seen those miners yet.”

“Hmmm! Well, anyway, I’ll contact you again when I leave the club.”

“Alright, we’ll be here.”

Mary was right. This area looked bad enough in the middle of the day. I could imagine it was a place to avoid after dark. As I walked on, there were more and more shops of various kinds. Suddenly, I saw what had to be The Midnight End. The building was larger than any of the others and was rather ornate. I walked up to the front and, sure enough, above the front door was a sign that said ‘Welcome to The Midnight End — Doors Open at 5 O’clock’. That was a couple of hours away but I took a chance and tried the door. It was unlocked, so I entered. To the right was an area of gaming tables and to the left a stage and dance floor. Many tables and chairs were in the middle portion of the room and along the back wall was a large bar. A woman was behind it washing glasses. As I walked up she stared a hole in me.

“What do YOU want?”

“Uh, I just got into town and I am looking for a job.”

She continued to stare but finally pointed to a door marked ‘private’.

“Just knock. Karen’s the one you need to see.”

“Thanks”

I did not like the way she stared at me. I started to wonder if she was seeing through my disguise. I hurried over to the door and knocked.

“Come on in.”

I went in and faced an awesome woman. She had to be 6 feet 2 and was built like Wonder Woman.

“Well?”

“Oh, uh, I just got here from the capital and I need a job.”

She looked me up and down.

“You’re not on the run are you?”

“Just from my partner; I got tired of the abuse.”

“Good for you! OK, I am a sucker for sad stories. I’ll give you a job. Be here tomorrow around 4 and we can sort you out.”

“What should I wear?”

“Doesn’t matter. I supply the uniforms.”

I picked up my suitcase and started to turn towards the door.

“Wait a minute. Have you got a place to stay?”

“No, I just arrived on the transport.”

“I own a rooming house and most of my girls stay there. It’s two blocks down the street; a 3 story blue house. Just tell Mona I sent you and she will set you up with a room.”

“Thanks, that’s a big help.”

I left the room and headed for the front door. I waved at the bartender. Why dose everybody smirk at me lately? Outside, I contacted Mary.

“Well, so far, so good.”

“Yeah, I heard.”

“You know, I just realized the owner never told me what job I would be doing.”

“I wouldn’t worry about it. At least you have an in now to search for Sandra.”

“True. I am going on up to the rooming house. I’ll talk to you after I settle in.”

“Fine”

The rooming house was easy to find. I walked in and was met by a very large woman.

“Karen called and said to expect you. What’s your name?”

“Gina Coleman”

“OK, Gina, here’s your key. Your room is the second door on the right up those stairs. Welcome to the club.”

I climbed the stairs and started to put the key in the lock. I dropped the key, kicked it as I bent down, and then tripped over my suitcase landing on my butt.

“Good show!”

I looked up. A nice looking woman was standing in the doorway across the hall grinning.

“You must be our new boarder. I’m Linda Sanders.”

“Gina Coleman”

I stood up and walked over to her.

“You haven’t caught me at my best.”

“Oh, I don’t know. That was pretty impressive. Are you hungry?”

“Famished”

“Great! Get settled in and I’ll come back over in about 30 minutes. There’s a good restaurant across the street that lets Karen’s people eat for free.”

“OK”

I managed to unlock my door this time. Once inside, I plopped down on the bed.

“Well, Mary, it looks like I’m in.”

“Good job. I told you things would be fine.”

“I guess. When I think about this later, I may throw up.”

Mary laughed.

“Just hang in there. You’re doing fine. I’m signing off but there will be someone monitoring you at all times.”

“Thanks. Talk to you tomorrow.”

I opened my suitcase and put things away. I did not see any need to change clothes. I just washed my face and waited for Linda. When she arrived, we went to the restaurant. The food was pretty good. I gave Linda my cover story and she seemed to buy it.

“Yeah, we’ve all had our troubles.”

“Do you work at the club?”

“No, Karen is just letting me stay here for a while until I can sort some things out.”

We went back to our rooms in deep thought. I wondered what Linda’s problems were.

“Well, I’ll see you in the morning, Gina. Breakfast is served downstairs. It’s not bad.”

“OK, I’ll see you there.”

I entered my room without incident and crashed. It had been a very trying day. I did not know how long I could keep this up. At least I did not register on any one’s radar. It wasn’t long until I passed out. The next morning, I put another denim skirt on with a yellow blouse. I sure wish I had some trousers!

“Jonnie, we checked on your Linda Sanders. We have nothing on her.”

She caught me by surprise. I forget I’m live all the time.

“Thanks, I guess she’s OK then. I’ll try to be friendly. Maybe she will lead us to Sandra.”

“I doubt it but it doesn’t hurt to have a friend.”

I went down to breakfast. About 10 people were already eating. Linda looked up.

“Hey gang, meet Gina. She’s Karen’s new toy.”

I guess I looked shocked.

“Just kidding, we are a bit crazy.”

I laughed and dove into breakfast. As we finished, Linda looked out the window.

“Gina, it looks like a great day. You want me to show you the area?”

“That would be great. Yesterday, I just walked here straight from the airport.”

“Oooooh! Well, you’ve seen the worst part anyway.”

We both laughed and headed outside. We walked along looking in the various stores.

“So, when do you start at the club?”

“The owner said for me to come in around 4 and she would get me started.”

“You don’t seem real excited. Most girls would give anything to work for Karen.”

“Why’s that?”

“She takes good care of her girls and nobody messes with them either. Karen carry’s a lot of weight around here. Where did you hear about the club?”

“I just saw it as I was walking through town and decided to give it a try. I knew I could not last long without a job.”

“You’re right there. Come on, I want to show you one of my favorite spots.”

She led me out of the shopping district and toward a hillside. I could here water running. We came out of some trees and before me was a gorgeous waterfall.

“I like to come here and think. It’s also a great place to swim.”

She took off her clothes and looked back at me.

“Well, are you going to join me?”

I just stood there dumbfounded.

“Jonnie, take off your clothes or she will suspect something.”, said Mary in my ear.

That brought me back. I quickly removed my skirt and blouse. Linda was already in the water, so I joined her.

“You seem a little bashful. That’s unusual here.”

“It just caught me by surprise. My partner did not like other women seeing me naked.”

“Oh, I guess some are like that.”

Whew! That was a close one. I have got to get better in character. We swam for a bit and then lie on the bank watching the waterfall. We did not say much but it felt nice. At least for a moment I was at ease. Of course, it couldn’t last.

“Well, if you are going to be on time for your new job, we better head back.”

We dressed and walked towards town. I stepped on what looked like a board lying in the grass. As I put my weight on it, the board gave way. I felt myself start to drop down when Linda suddenly grabbed me by the shoulders. I landed on the grass as the boards fell away. I looked over the edge and could not see the bottom.

“You have got to watch where you step around here. There are old mine shafts every where.”

“God, you just saved my life!”

I guess every thing that had happened over the last few days caught up with me. I lost it! I had not cried this much since I was a child. I could not stop. Linda held me in a sisterly way; just trying to comfort me. Finally, I calmed down.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”

“Hey, it’s OK. From what little you have told me, you have had a hard time. Once in a while you just have to let it out. I am glad I could help. Come on, we must get you back. Karen does not like her girls to be late.”

I heard Mary talking in my ear.

“Jonnie, I know you can’t talk but just know that we are with you. Please hang on. Everything will work out but, if you need to be pulled out, say the word. Talk to me when you can”

Mary saying that really helped. I know I am not alone but it sure seems like it at times. Linda and I headed back to the rooming house.

“Thank you for being there, Linda. I don’t know, I guess everything just crashed down on me.”

“I know how you feel. My life has been hell lately. If it wasn’t for Karen, I would probably not be here. You may not always like what she does, but she cares.”

We didn’t talk much the rest of the way.

“Well, I guess I’ll get ready to head over to the club. It was nice of you to show me around and, of course, for saving my life.”

“You’re making too much of it. What are friends for? See you tomorrow.”

I went into my room to change clothes. I had originally planned to just wear what I had on but my near death experience ruined my skirt and top. I washed up and put on a yellow sundress. Looking in the mirror, I had to shake my head.

“Mary, are you still on duty?”

“Yes, Jonnie, I was waiting to hear from you.”

“I’m sorry for back there. Hopefully, it won’t happen again.”

“Don’t worry about it. You just do what you need to. I’m going to sign off. I’ll talk to you in the morning. Good luck on your job.”

“Thanks”

It was almost four, so I hurried over to the club. When I walked in, the same bartender looked up, smiled, and waved.

“Just go on in. Karen is waiting for you.”

“Thanks”

Well, that greeting was a far cry from yesterday. I went to Karen’s door, knocked, and walked in.

“Hey, I am glad you came back. Sorry about yesterday, I had things on my mind. I did not even ask for your name.”

“It’s Gina Coleman.”

“I know, Mona told me. OK, let’s get you started.”

She walked out of the office and I followed. We went through another door into a fancy locker room.

“This is your locker. I have already put your things in it. I guessed at your sizes but I’m pretty good at it so they should fit OK. You will work with Molly tonight. Just do what she says and you will be fine. The number one thing to remember is ‘be nice to the customers’.”

“Uh, you haven’t said what my job is?”

“Oh, silly me. I just thought you knew. You wait on the customers. Molly will fill you in. She is one of my best.”

“You mean a waitress? I can’t be a waitress!”

“Of course you can. You have the looks. You’ll be a pro in no time. Get ready and come back to my office.”

With that, she breezed out. Shit! What have I gotten myself into now? I wish Mary was online. I opened the locker and my worst fears were realized. The outfit stunned me. The black skirt would barely cover anything and the top? I didn’t even know what to do with it. I put the skirt on and picked up the top. Once over my head, it settled under my breasts exposing a lot more than I was comfortable with. There was a tie thing on the bottom. I wasn’t sure what to do with it, so I just tied it in a knot. This caused my breasts to rise even higher. The shoes were black pumps with a heel about as high as the boots I wore to the council. Looking in the mirror, I about fainted. Well, maybe Sandra will show up tonight and it will be all over. Wishful thinking was all that allowed me to walk back to Karen’s office.

“You look great! I knew you would be perfect when I saw you yesterday.”

She pointed to a girl I had not noticed.

“This is Molly. Just follow her around tonight and smile.”

She ushered us out of her office before I could say a word.

“It’s nice to meet you, Gina. You’ll do fine. Try to relax.”

“OK, I’m sorry. This is just so new to me.”

She laughed.

“First time for everything. Let’s get things set up. Customers will be coming in at 5.”

The night was a blur. We went back and forth from tables to the kitchen. Molly told me to smile even when some one was rude or touching me. So, I did. By eleven, I must have looked as bad as I felt. Karen came over to me and put a hand on my shoulder.

“Go on home. You’ve had enough for the first night. You did fine. Be here at 4:30 tomorrow.”

I didn’t have the energy to say anything. I just nodded and went to my locker. I changed, went home, and passed out. I awoke the next morning to someone knocking on my door. I started to get up but my head was splitting and every muscle in my body was screaming. I grunted something and Linda came in.

“Rough night, huh? Here, take these. You’ll feel better in no time.”

“Thanks. What is it?”

“Don’t ask; just swallow.”

I know I shouldn’t do it but I did anyway.

“I’ll see you at breakfast. Don’t take too long.”

She left and I flopped back down.

“Hey, Jonnie, how are you doing?”

“Don’t ask, Mary. This is not going to work. I didn’t have time to think about Sandra much less look for her. There has to be a better way.”

“I don’t think so. The club is the best place to search for her. She will certainly show up sooner or later. Things will get easier after a bit.”

“OK, I’ll try.”

I got up, dressed, and went down to breakfast.

“Here’s Gina!”

I had to smile. Linda is so up beat. I ate and went back to my room. I figured I would just lie around today.

“Mary, I have a couple of concerns.”

“Sure Jonnie, fire away.”

“OK, about this vagina thing. I know it’s fake but I am having a lot of feeling down there and it gets wet sometimes.”

“Well, it is only fake in the sense that males don’t have one and it can be easily removed. I was told by medical that you had some extenuating circumstances that made things easier.”

“Easier to put in or remove?”

“Both I imagine. What’s your other concern?”

“Hmmmm. Alright, everybody seemed to have bought my cover story but, at the same time, no one has asked any questions either. I don’t know anything about relationships here. I will certainly get tripped up under questioning.”

“Yeah, you have a valid point.”

“For instance, do you get married and have kids and what about men for procreation?”

“There are no men involved, thank goodness. Only an egotistical male would think that they are necessary to have children these days.”

“You’ve got me hooked. How then?”

“OK, short version. Couples are considered partners until and if they decide to have a child and the council approves. Then an egg is taken from each individual and fused to form a zygote. It is then either grown in the lab or implanted in one of the partners. At this point, the couple is considered to be married.”

“Wow! So some kids are born while others are hatched.”

“Well, that’s a simple minded way of expressing it.”

“Yeah, that’s me.”

“I don’t believe that for a second. While we are playing 20 questions, there is one thing that has been bothering me. You have easily become a very natural acting woman.”

I blushed quite red at this point.

“No, No! It’s a good thing. You said that you were more girl than boy until puberty. What happened to change things?”

“Yeah, I was very small and girlish growing up. I have to be honest and say that I liked it. When I reached 13 years old, I suddenly grew 13 inches in one year and reached my current height of 6 feet. Up to this point, my dad had been very disappointed in me. After the growth spurt, he was ecstatic. He told me that I was finally becoming the boy he wanted and he was proud of me. I loved my dad, so I vowed to be the best boy I could be for him.”

“Did you find out what caused the growth spurt?”

“I just figured it was the vitamins my dad had started giving me. I must have been deficient in something.”

“Vitamins? Did you see a doctor?”

“No, I wasn’t sick. Anyway, I’m tired. I think I will take a nap. Tonight will be another trying one. Wake me around 4.”

“Sure thing.”

I was asleep in seconds and four arrived much too quickly. I dressed in my venerable denim skirt and a yellow top. What does this place have against trousers? I hurried to the club and started dressing. Half way through, Karen poked here head in.

“You did real well last night, Gina. I am proud of you.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

“Karen”

“Thank you, Karen.”

“That’s better. One of the girls called in sick. You will need to work a section by yourself tonight. Now, before you panic, this is our slow night and, if you have any problems, Molly knows to help you. You’ll do fine.”

She went out the door before I could say anything. I think she does that on purpose. Great! Well, nothing but to do it. I went into the dining area and got things ready. Karen was right. It was much slower tonight. This allowed me to stay pretty well ahead of things but not slow enough for me to think too much about the fact I was waitressing in a sexy outfit. About 3 hours into my shift, I spotted Linda coming through the front door. She waved and walked over to me.

“Hey, girl! Are you on break soon?”

“Yeah, I’m due one.”

“Good, meet me over at that far table.”

I announced to Molly that I was taking a break and sat down with Linda.

“I didn’t see much of you today.”

“I was real tired from yesterday and just chilled in my room.”

“So, how is the job going?”

“OK, I guess. I just wasn’t expecting this.”

“Oh, what were you expecting?”

“Something less public.”

Linda laughed.

“Hey, you’re a good looker. Don’t be afraid to show it off.”

I saw her look toward the front door and frown.

“See those three miners coming in?”

I looked over and saw the biggest women I had ever seen. Each one was over 6 feet 6 inches tall.

“Watch out for them. They like to pick on the help. The one on the right is Thelma. She is an especially nasty piece of work.”

Fortunately, they sat down in Molly’s section.

“Don’t worry, I will avoid them.”

“Sorry to be all sisterly but you seem vulnerable to me. I like you. Just be careful with them.”

“Yes, mother.”

She laughed and shook her head.

“You! Hey, do you want to go for a walk after breakfast tomorrow?”

“That would be great.”

“OK, see you in the morning.”

She left and I went back to work. I noticed Thelma eyeing me a lot. It sent chills down my spine. The rest of the shift went fine and I had no trouble sleeping that night. The next morning after breakfast, Linda and I went to her favorite spot again. The day was a little cool so we did not swim. It was nice to have a friend separate from the situation I was in. I found myself being comforted by Linda’s presence.

“You’re not saying much.”

“Sorry, just thinking about the last few days.”

“I guess this is a lot different from what you are used to. I don’t suppose your former partner let you work.”

“No, it was a very controlled relationship.”

“Well, you’re here now and things will be better. Remember, I am your friend and will help in any way I can.”

“Thank you, that really helps.”

We hugged and started back to town. I changed and hurried to the club. I was feeling better than I had for a long time. It was almost like I was living another life. Well, except for Mary talking in my ear about our assignment. After tonight, I was going to have to figure out a way to search for Sandra. The day was going well and, half way through my shift, I felt like I was getting the hang of it. I went into the kitchen to fetch an order. Upon reentering the dining area, I saw them. The three miners Linda had warned me about were now sitting at a table in my section. Thelma leered at me as I delivered the order I was carrying. I sighed and went to their table.

“What can I get you to drink?”

I felt Thelma’s hand on my thigh. I tried to keep smiling.

“Well, let me think a minute”, said Thelma.

The hand was creeping up my leg.

“I can come back in a few minutes?”

I was starting to panic. Her hand was way too close to my privates.

“No, stay here.”

Her fingers suddenly entered my wet vagina. The shock was too much. Instincts took over and I hit her in the face as hard as I could. She stood up and said,

“You shouldn’t have done that.”

She then hit me in the midsection. It took my breathe away. I felt the other two miners grab my arms. Thelma hit me above my left eye with her fist. My legs gave way and they let me crumple to the floor.

“You need to learn your place.”

Thelma then kicked me in the ribs and one of the other women kicked me in my right ear. Things were graying out but I thought I saw Linda approaching from behind. Thelma kicked me in the head and blackness fell over me.

GALACTIC MARSHAL
BY Hilltopper

CHAPTER 5

When I saw those miners beating up on poor Gina, my past flashed before my eyes. I was not going to let thugs kill another person I cared about. Rising from my seat, I picked up a knife that was lying on the table. When I reached Thelma, she had her big foot poised over Gina’s neck. I knew that as soon as she stomped down, Gina would be dead.

Therefore, I plunged the knife into Thelma’s back piercing her heart. She froze and then toppled to the floor. The other two miners looked at me in shock. By this time, Karen arrived with her bouncers. Knowing my past, Karen was not surprised at what I had done.

“Thank you, Linda, for saving Gina’s bacon. I should have been watching her more closely.”

Turning to her bouncers, she said,

“Take this trash out of here.”

I bent down to Gina. She was unconscious but did not appear to be bleeding much and she seemed to be breathing OK. I heard Karen barking more orders.

“Molly, go find the doctor and tell her it’s an emergency. We are closed as of right now. All of you patrons that are still here, your meals and drinks are on the house. Linda, help me move Gina into my room.”

I wasn’t as strong as Karen, so I grabbed Gina’s feet. She is definitely heavier than she looks. We got her up the stairs and into Karen’s room. We laid her gently onto the bed. I looked over to Karen and noticed she was crying.

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“Mary, wakeup! We have a problem.”

“Huh”

“Mary, Marshal Harper’s been hurt.”

“What!”

That woke me up in a hurry.

“What happened?”

“We don’t know for sure. Apparently, she got into a fight with some miners. The transceiver started cutting out, so we don’t know the total outcome. Her vital signs are still OK, though.”

“Good! Let me get dressed and I’ll be right there.”

Damn! I warned her about those miners. What was she thinking? I dressed as quickly as possible and went into the command center.

“OK, any more news?”

“Well, the transceiver is sending again but we can’t transmit to her. The last we heard, she was put on a bed and a doctor was being sent for.”

“Prepare things to go in. We have got to get her out.”

“Now wait! She may be OK. We don’t want to blow her cover unnecessarily.”

“Unnecessarily! She might be dying!”

“They have sent for a doctor. Let’s wait and see what she says.”

“OK, but I want a team ready to go.”

“Right”

That doctor better hurry up. I’m not waiting much longer.

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When the doctor arrived, we ushered her into Karen’s room. Molly had told her what had happened so she knew what to look for. She spent the most time examining Gina’s head with some kind of electronic gadget. Finally, she turned to us.

“Well, she’s pretty lucky. She has some bruised ribs and contusions about the face but they will heal fine. The biggest problem is a severe concussion. There is no bleeding or swelling of the brain. It is just in a state of shock. When she wakes up, she will probably be disoriented and, maybe, have some amnesia. Keep her as quiet as possible. I will look back in the morning. Someone should stay with her at all times.”

“Thank you, doc.” said Karen. “We will look after her.”

With that, the doctor left.

“Karen, you have a business to close up. I will stay here with Gina tonight.”

“Thank you, Linda. I will be downstairs. Call me immediately if there is any change.”

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“Well, I guess you were right. We will hold off for now. Tell the team to stand down.”

“Will do, Mary.”

Shit, I’m calling Carol Givens. She’s the one who got Jonnie in this fix. It only took a minute to get the council chairwoman on the line.

“What’s the emergency, Mary?”

“Marshal Harper was hurt in a fight and is unconscious with a severe concussion.”

“Is she being treated?”

“Yes”

“Good! Look, you know why we need her as well as I do. Just monitor the situation but don’t pull her out unless it is absolutely necessary. Understood!”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Fine! Keep me informed.”

That’s just great. We have taken an elite honest marshal and practically broken him. If I had known the baggage he carried, I would have refused this assignment. I thought it was funny to take a strong macho man and turn him into a she. The council knew about his past. That’s why they chose him. If anything happens to Jonnie, I will never forgive myself. I am as much to blame for this as the council. I was smug and enjoyed training him to be a woman. Now, it only hurts. God, could it be I am having feelings for Jonnie? No, she is really a man. I can’t have feelings for a man. This really sucks! I guess all I can do now is wait until morning and hope she is OK.

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I opened my eyes to a strange room. My head was pounding. I tried to rise up but it felt like my brain was exploding.

“Ow!”

“Oh, Gina, you’re awake finally.”

Gina? For some reason that sounds wrong but it must be right.

“Where am I?”

“You’re in my room?”

“Uh, what happened and who are you?”

“You were attacked last night while waiting a table. The doctor said you would be a little confused when you woke up. I am Karen, your boss. Your friend Linda was here all night with you. She left to get some sleep.”

“Attacked?”

Just then another woman walked into the room.

“Aw, you’re awake. I’m Dr. Morris. Let’s check you out.”

She moved some gadget about my head and smiled.

“This is really good. You are recovering nicely. You have a bit of a concussion. Just stay in bed the rest of the day. I’ll see you in the morning.”

The doc left and Karen came back to my bedside.

“I am so sorry this happened. I know you have had a rough time and certainly did not need this.”

“Things are a little fuzzy. I don’t remember much about the attack.”

“That’s Ok, you just need to rest. Get some sleep and I’ll be back shortly.”

She touched my face gently and left. This is weird. I don’t remember much of anything. She must care for me. I think I’ll follow her advice and sleep some. I awoke some time later to some one holding my hand.

“Sorry, I passed out.”

“That’s fine. It is what you need now. How do you feel?”

“Much better. My headache is almost gone. Thanks for taking care of me.”

“It was my pleasure.”

She then placed her hand tenderly on my right breast and fingered my nipple.

“Hmmm, that feels nice.”

“Just relax and I will make every thing better.”

She put her other hand on my left breast and softly kissed my lips.

“Do you remember me now?”

“Yes and I think working in the dining room.”

“Good! Don’t worry about a thing. It will all come back. Concentrate on getting better now.”

She moved her hand down my stomach. I was feeling really strange but wonderful at the same time. As her hand reached my vaginal opening, there was a knock at the door. She seemed a bit miffed but called out. In walked a woman that I immediately knew as Linda.

“Oh, Gina, I was so worried. How do you feel?”

“Much, much better.”

Karen stood up and hugged Linda.

“Thanks again for saving Gina’s life. I owe you big time.”

This was news to me. Just what did happen last night?

“Well, I better get down stairs and get ready to open. Take good care of our Gina.”

“Don’t worry.”

With that, Karen smiled at me, stroked my cheek, and left.

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“Mary, that transceiver has gone out again but we heard enough to know Jonnie is fine.”

“Darn that thing. This is getting frustrating. At least Jonnie is OK.”

“We think we know how to fix it. Someone needs to inject a new antenna into it. One other thing, we have gotten a report that one of those miners involved in the altercation was killed.”

“What! Now how did that happen? Jonnie was on the floor being kicked. Some one else must have interceded. Hmmmm! OK, this is just what I need. It gives me the perfect reason to check on things in person and fix that transceiver. I’m going in!”

“If we go in, not only will the council be mad but it is bound to cause Jonnie problems.”

“No, I am going in alone. Investigating a murder will allow me to talk to Jonnie. It will work!”

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“I didn’t know you and Karen were that close.” said Linda.

“Neither did I. What really happened last night?”

“Well, I’m not sure what started it.”

“Uh, I think it was me overreacting. Thelma was feeling me up and I lost it.”

“OK, that explains it. You hit Thelma and then she and her cronies were all over you. I have to make a confession here. I am not from this planet. A while back, some stinking marshals arrested and then killed my husband. I made them pay and then escaped to the planet Broadskye. That is where the people here migrated from many years ago. Anyway, Karen has connections there and she smuggled me here. When I saw Thelma trying to kill you, it flew all over me. I am afraid I might have overreacted too.”

“Oh no, what did you do?”

“She was ready to stomp on your neck. I stabbed her in the back.”

“So, she’s dead?”

“Yes, I feel close to you. I was not going to let it happen again.”

“Thanks. I’m sorry I put you in that position.”

“It’s over.”

Karen stuck her head in at that moment.

“Maybe not, that snoopy Detective Brown is down stairs. She is going to interview Gina about the fight. You can not be here. Slip out the back way.”

“Right, see you later, Gina.”

Linda left and Karen moved over to me.

“Did she tell you what she did?”

“Yes”

“OK, listen, as far as you know, no one was hurt but you. Just tell Brown that you can’t remember anything about the fight.”

“That’s a good idea. I got Linda into this and I am not going to let her take a fall because of me.”

“Good girl! Detective Brown and I do not get along. We have a history and she won’t leave me alone.”

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Karen opened it and Mary walked in. As soon as I saw her, everything came flooding back. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks, Linda is Sandra! Shit.

“Karen, I need to talk to Gina about last night; alone.”

“Yeah, OK, I’ll be down stairs.”

Karen left and Mary ran to me.

“Oh, Jonnie, I am so sorry.”

“Hey, it’s OK, all part of the job, I think. I have to admit though that this was not what I was expecting.”

“You’re stupid transceiver is on the blink so we don’t know exactly what happened. We got a report that one of the miners was killed.”

I filled Mary in leaving out Linda’s part or should I say Sandra.

“I don’t know anything about what happened after I passed out.”

“You could have been killed. I should have pulled you out!”

“No, you did the right thing. We can’t afford to blow my cover even if we don’t like it. Speaking of that transceiver, how come the doctor did not notice it.”

“I am sure she did. She is working with us but we have no contact with her. Anyway, I think I can fix that transceiver. Hold Still!”

Mary did something behind my ear.

“OK, try it.”

“No need. They heard you and just acknowledged such in my ear.”

“All right, I am going but you be careful. This may not be over. Those miners stick together.”

“Don’t worry, we still have an assignment to finish.”

Mary kissed me on the cheek and left. I lie back thinking. What am I going to do now? That statement about an assignment to finish hurt. I don’t know what to do about Linda. She saved my life twice and has been a real good friend when I needed one badly. How do I get myself in these predicaments? A few minutes later, Linda came back.

“Hey Gina, that detective being here really bothers me. What did she want?”

“She just wanted to know about the fight. I told her I did not remember anything. . I don’t think she knows anything about your part in it.”

“That makes me feel better. OK, I’m going to think things over tonight. Hopefully, the doctor will release you tomorrow. Maybe, we can take another walk and talk things over.”

“Sounds good to me. I am a bit tired now.”

“Just rest, I will see you in the morning.”

What a mess! A little later, I heard Mary in my ear.

“Jonnie, who was that you were talking to earlier?”

“It was just one of the other waitresses. She didn’t have anything much to do with last night.”

“OK, let me know if you need anything.”

God, I hated lying to Mary. This is getting more complicated by the minute. I lay back on my pillow. Karen’s actions have really thrown me for a loop. She sure isn’t acting like a boss and what I felt was new to me. I never dated during school and I have been too busy since to even think about my sexuality. This has stirred things that would have been better left alone. My brain gradually shut down and I dropped into a deep sleep. I awoke with some one poking me.

“Oh, sorry, didn’t mean to wake you. Well, actually, I did.”

It was the doctor again.

“How’s your head?”

“It feels fine. My headache seems to be gone.”

“That’s good. You shouldn’t have any more trouble except for some sore ribs, so you can go home as far as I’m concerned.”

She left and I saw Karen looking kind of sad.

“I want to thank you for all you did for me. I guess I’m a bust as a waitress.”

She laughed.

“No, you were doing fine. Take all the time off you need. You’re job will be waiting for you.”

She turned, hesitated a few seconds, and then headed out the door. Oh, boy, this is a problem. I decided to go on back to the rooming house so I got dressed in some clothes somebody had left for me. Once at the house, I noticed breakfast being served. This reminded my stomach that I was very hungry. I walked into the dining room and Linda looked up.

“Hey, the wounded has arisen!”

God she is a happy sounding person even with all her troubles. It makes me feel humble.

“Yeah, I guess I have you to thank for the clothes.”

“I figured you’d want out as soon as possible.”

I sat and ate like I hadn’t eaten in a week. After I finished, Linda and I got up together. She motioned me outside. We walked in silence until we reached the edge of town.

“Gina, I’ve thought a lot about the situation. That detective is bound to find out what I did and my past will not be far behind. Karen has agreed to get me off Fledora and I want you to go with me. You’re life is not worth anything with those miners still holding a grudge.”

“Well, I don’t know. How can Karen get us out of here?”

“She has an agreement with the military on Broadskye. She supplies them with Thulium and they look the other way.”

“Thulium? Why do they want that?”

“They are building some kind of superconducting laser and must have it. Karen’s mine is their only source. Come on, it’s over this hill.”

This was a new wrinkle. I wonder if Mary knows about this. Well, of course, she does now.

“I would think that this Broadskye place would be very unhappy about dealing with Fledorans considering what happened years ago,”

“Oh, they are. Karen just has them over a barrel with the Thulium thing. Anyway, she can get us out of here tonight on one of her cargo transports. Please go too!”

“I don’t know. My life keeps turning upside down.”

“Hey, I’m sorry. Oh, here we are.”

I looked up and noticed an almost concealed mine entrance. Linda opened a door, walked in, and turned on some lights. I followed behind her.

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Unknown to Linda and Gina, two vengeful miners had followed them to the mine.

“This is perfect. Go over to that storage building and get some explosives. We are going to seal them up inside.”

“Karen won’t like this.”

“Screw Karen, just do it. We owe this to Thelma.”

The explosives were planted, the button was pushed, and the mine entrance was obliterated.

GALACTIC MARSHAL
BY Hilltopper

CHAPTER 6

We had walked a little ways into the mine when there was a loud noise and we were suddenly thrown to the ground. Rocks and dust poured over us. I looked up in time to see a very large beam falling toward me. I tried to roll away but it landed on my legs trapping me. Then, the lights went out.

“Linda, are you OK?”

“I think so, just covered with debris. How about you?”

“I’m OK except a beam has landed on my legs. I can’t move.”

“Shit! Let me find a flashlight.”

A few minutes later, I saw a stream of light swing towards me.

“Oh my, that is way too heavy for me to lift. Damn! I guess we are trapped. As far as I know, there are no other entrances.”

By this time, Mary was screaming into my ear. I ignored her for the moment.

“Don’t worry everything will be OK.”

“How can you say that. No one knows we are here. I can’t believe this mine caved in.”

“Oh, someone knows we are her alright. The mine did not cave in, the entrance was blown up. I guess you were right about my life.”

“This is one time I wish I was wrong. OK, what now? You seem to know something that I don’t.”

“Well, I guess it’s confession time for me now. But before I say anything about that, I want you to know that I feel we are real good friends and I will never willingly do anything to hurt you.”

“That sounds ominous. OK, confess.”

I hesitated and then sighed.

“I am working with the capital police. I was sent here to find and arrest a fugitive. Her name is Sandra Sterling.”

I’m glad I could not see Linda’s face right now. This had to be a shock.

“You’re a cop?”

“Yes and I have a transceiver behind my ear. Mary Brown knows where we are and will be getting us out soon.”

“I can’t believe this. There is no way you are a cop. Why are you lying to me? Are you trying to give me hope of a rescue? No, I can see you are telling the truth. I guess this means Detective Brown can hear everything we say.”

“Yes”

“Shit! I confided in you!”

“Look, what you did in the fight was to save my life. You did not commit any crime. As far as wanting to leave this planet, I don’t see a problem with that since you are not from here. What you might have done somewhere else should have no bearing on it.”

“Do you really mean that? What about this Detective Brown?”

“She is listening and doesn’t see a problem either.”

Mary squawked into my ear.

“Jonnie, I never said that. What is going on here?”

“Linda, you are my friend. I would not be alive if it wasn’t for you. We will get out of this and you will be OK.”

“I want to believe you. This doesn’t sound like the Gina I thought I knew.”

“I am sorry about that. Being under cover usually means acting a part. But, when I met you, I was not acting. I was as scared as I seemed. You quickly became my rock.”

Mary was once again in my ear.

“OK Jonnie, I get the picture. You can not talk. We have checked out the mine entrance. It is a mess. We are going to bring in some heavy equipment. Just hold on, it will be a while.”

I told Linda that help was on the way but would take a bit. We held hands and mostly made small talk. My legs were really starting to hurt.

“You know, Gina, Karen is going to be upset if you don’t come back. It looked to me like she has a thing for you.”

“I am afraid so. I have never really had a girl friend. My story about an abusive partner was just that; a cover story. A lot of what’s happened the last few days has thrown me for a loop.”

We started hearing noises. They became louder and then, suddenly, something broke through throwing light into the mine. A head poked into the hole.

“Is everyone OK?”

“We’re fine but Gina here is trapped by a large beam on her legs.”

The face looked puzzled.

“We will have this opening enlarged enough to get through in a few minutes. Just hang in there.”

She was right. Within 15 minutes, enough debris had been cleared away to allow several of Mary’s team to get into the mine. One of them walked up to Linda.

“Where’s Marshal Harper?”

“Who?”

She looked down and saw me lying under the beam.

“Oh, there you are. We will get that beam off you in a second, Marshal.”

I looked at Linda. Her eyes were wide and her face showed recognition and shock. I motioned with my head for her to get out. She left quickly without saying a word.

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I hurried away from the mine as fast as my legs would carry me. My head was spinning. Not only was Gina a cop but, as it turns out, a male marshal. I am still having trouble believing it. She was all feminine when we were together. There is no way she could fake that. On top of that, I all but told her that I was the Sandra she was sent to arrest. Yet, she seems totally disinclined to do it. Could it be she really is my friend? But she isn’t a she but a stinking marshal. God, this is too much. I reached the Midnight End and went to Karen’s room.

“Well, Linda, are you ready to go? Did you convince Gina to go too?”

“Detective Brown has Gina.”

“What? How did this happen?”

“We went into a mine and someone blew up the entrance. I guess Brown must have been watching because her team rescued us. She took Gina away but I sneaked out.”

“This makes no sense. Why would she arrest Gina? Surely, it isn’t because of that fight.”

“I don’t know. Gina was trapped under a beam and had some injuries. Maybe she was just taking her to medical.”

“OK, she will be in the capital then. We will take the jump jet to my warehouse. Hopefully, we can locate Gina.”

Karen looked wistfully away. God, this is a nightmare.

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The beam was lifted off of me as Linda slipped out. The pain, thankfully, kept me from thinking further about her. Mary came through a few minutes later with a stretcher.

“Can’t you stay out of trouble?”

“Apparently not.”

A medic was looking at my legs.

“It doesn’t look too bad. I don’t think any bones are broken. Your right knee is a mess though. Does it hurt anywhere else?”

“Just my lower back.”

“OK, let’s get you on the stretcher and out of here.”

I was taken to the hovercraft and we drove to the command post. We went inside and I lay down on a cot. Mary sat down beside me.

“Well, Jonnie, I guess this blows your cover. What happened to Linda? She was gone when I got into the mine.”

“Yeah, that could be a problem. She heard one of your team call me Marshal Harper.”

“Shit! We might as well close this down then. We will never find Sandra now. I’ll go to your room at the boarding house and get your things. Just rest, as soon as I get back, we will get you to medical in the capital.”

The medic had given me a pain shot so, after Mary left, thankfully, I drifted off.

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I left Jonnie and headed toward her rooming house. I wasn’t sure what to think about Linda. I know she and Jonnie have become good friends but the revelation could change things. Plus, I couldn’t figure out why she wanted to leave Fledora so fast. I mean, I sure had no reason to arrest her. I wonder what she is afraid of. I arrived and went up to Jonnie’s room. With her things packed, I had a thought and checked Linda’s room. Sure enough, her things were gone. But what I found in a drawer shocked me. There was no doubt about it. Linda and Sandra was the same person. I grabbed Jonnie’s suitcase and headed back to the command post.

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I woke up as Mary sat down beside me.

“Jonnie, we have another bigger problem. I found evidence that Linda is Sandra Sterling. Also, a report came in as I arrived stating that a jump jet left the airport a little bit ago. I suspect that Sandra is on it.”

“Oh, Mary, I am so sorry. I figured it out yesterday but I didn’t want to admit it. Damn it! I have never had a good friend before. Linda has become special to me. I just could not arrest her.”

I broke down completely. Mary came over to me and held me close.

“It’s OK, Jonnie. This whole assignment has been so hard on you. I want you to know that I consider myself to be your friend. We will work it out.”

I finally calmed down.

“Thank you. I too think of you as a friend. I just didn’t know if you could feel that way about me considering what you know.”

“All I know is that you are a wonderful person that I would like to get to know better. Let’s get you to medical and we can decide what to do later.”

I was loaded on the hovercraft and we went to the capital. I was given another pain shot so I slept the whole way. Upon arriving at medical, I was taken directly to a treatment room. The abrasions were treated and the knee scanned for damage. The transceiver was also removed.

“Marshal Harper, your right knee is severely strained. We will put a brace on it but you need to stay off of it as much as possible. Your back is OK; just muscle spasms.”

Mary walked in with a drawn face.

“I just talked with the council. That jump jet landed beside a warehouse Karen owns near the space port. We think the plan is to smuggle Sandra aboard a cargo ship tonight. We have some people watching her hanger.”

“Hmmm, OK, I want to be there.”

“That is not necessary. We can handle this.”

“Yeah, but it’s my job.”

“OK, as soon as you get released, we will join the team.”

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After the jump jet landed, Karen and I went into her warehouse.

“Linda, I’m going to try to find out what happened to Gina. Just hang loose. We will get you on that cargo ship just before it leaves. It is automated, so no one will be inspecting it.”

Karen left and I thought to myself, ‘She is bound to find out who Gina really is. This is going to be bad. She can definitely hold a grudge.’ A little bit later Karen came back with a puzzled face.

“The only person taken to medical from Basteria was a wounded police officer. By the description, it has to be Gina. That can only mean one thing, she was working under cover. I can’t believe I was so blind. This has to be Mary Brown’s doing. Damn! I will get even with that bitch if it’s the last thing I do. Right now, though, we must get you out of here.”

Karen took me to a tunnel leading from the warehouse.

“This leads directly to my hanger. When you get there, enter this code into the ship’s door. Once inside, get into the pod that you’ll see there and everything else will be automatic. You have been a good friend and I will take care of you.”

“Thank you, Karen. I’ll see you on Broadskye.”

I entered the tunnel and headed for the ship.

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Mary and I left medical and joined her team at the space port. She turned to the team leader.

“So, any activity?”

“Nothing. No one has come any where near the building. The cargo ship is scheduled to lift off in an hour.”

“Shit! I was sure Sandra would try to get on the ship.”

I spoke up.

“I am going to slip into the hanger and look around. I’ll holler if I see anything.”

“OK, be careful. I know you like Sandra but she is dangerous.”

“Sure, be back in a few.”

I entered the hanger by a side door. The ship was smaller than I thought it would be; maybe 30 feet long. I was walking around to the far wall when I saw Linda come out from behind some barrels. She looked up at me in surprise.

“Hey Gina or should I say Marshal Harper. Are you planning to arrest me now?”

Her tone was bitter. I couldn’t blame her.

“Oh, Linda, this has gone to hell. There is no way I can arrest you. We are friends. Yes, my job here is to find Sandra and arrest her and, yes, I know that is you. What are we to do?”

Her look softened and she smiled.

“You sure can get yourself into some tough spots. Just turn the other way and I will get on the ship.”

“It won’t work. Detective Brown and her team are outside. They won’t let this ship leave. She figured out that you are Sandra.”

“I guess this is it then!”

“No, there has to be away out. By the way, how did you get in here without them seeing you?”

She pointed behind her.

“There is a tunnel leading to one of Karen’s warehouses. Speaking of Karen, she knows you are an under cover cop but not who you really are. Frankly, I still can’t believe you are the great Marshal Harper.”

“Yeah, I don’t feel much like him either to be honest. I really enjoyed our walks together. I will miss being with you.”

“You mean that don’t you?”

“Yes! The way I see it, the only way the search for you will be stopped is if it is believed you are dead. How about this? You go back down that tunnel. I will blow up this ship and say I saw you get on it. The report will state that you are dead. Tell Karen I am sorry for fooling her. She helped me through a tough situation and I am grateful. I am sure she will be able to find another way for you to escape especially with no one looking for you.”

“I can’t believe you would do this for me. The Marshal Harper I heard about always got his man.”

I looked at her sadly.

“Unfortunately, he no longer exists. Now get out of here.”

She smiled, said “We will meet again.” then went into the tunnel. Some of the barrels near the tunnel contained flammable liquids. I rolled them under the ship and started a fire next to them. I backed away and shot into one. A huge fire erupted. I ran out of the hanger and yelled for everyone to get back. A few moments later, it blew. Mary looked at me.

“What the hell happened in there?”

“I saw Sandra getting into that ship and told her to stop. She fired and hit some flammable barrels. She closed the hatch and I ran. You know the rest.”

“So, Sandra is dead.”

“No doubt about it.”

“Yeah, no one could survive that. OK team, let’s get out. There is nothing else for us to do here.”

I looked back at the burning hanger. The tears were real. I had forsaken everything I stood for on this mission. Heaven help me!

GALACTIC MARSHAL
by Hilltopper

Turnabout is Fair Play

CHAPTER 7

We returned to Mary’s office and I filed my report.

“Are you going to be OK, Jonnie?”

“What do you think?”

“Yeah, this has been a trying assignment. I have to go before the council and explain everything. Let me take you to my house first.”

“Fine, let’s go.”

Mary dropped me at her house and I went straight to bed. All I wanted was to sleep and forget.

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I went before the council with a lot of dread. Nothing went as planned in this mission.

“Good evening, Mary. I understand Marshal Harper got her fugitive.”

“Yes, she was killed in the explosion of the cargo ship.”

“Uncovering what Karen Littleton has been doing with Broadskye was a great bit of work. Please thank Marshal Harper. She has done a great service. However, her original purpose for being here is finished. We have received a recall notice from the marshal service. You are to take her back to Headquarters in the morning.”

“I was figuring that was coming. You know, going back to what she was isn’t going to be easy.”

“We realize that. Just so you know, we are not through with her. She will be back as soon as we can arrange it. Please don’t tell her that, however. I don’t think she would like to hear that.”

I smiled big.

“No, I don’t think so either. What about Karen?”

“Just keep a watch for now. Maybe she will panic and make another mistake.”

“Agreed! OK, I will return Jonnie. It won’t be the same without her.”

Carol laughed.

“She does have a knack for stirring things up. Well, keep us in the loop and good luck.”

“Thank you.”

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I woke up to the smell of bacon. Now, that’s something I hadn’t had for a while. I got dressed and walked into the kitchen, Mary, of course, was naked.

“I’ll never get used to that.”

Mary looked up.

“Morning, Jonnie. I have some good news for you. I am to take you home today.”

“That’s good. I’ll miss you though.”

“Yeah, I have kind of gotten accustomed to having you around. It will be dull with you gone.”

I laughed.

“In our work, dull is good.”

We ate breakfast and I went into my room. Mary followed and looked around.

“I guess you don’t want to take any of your things with you.”

“I don’t think that would be a good idea.”

“OK, I’ll keep them for you until they are needed again.”

“Don’t count on it.”

We drove to the shuttle and got on board. Mary had tears in her eyes.

“I wish you didn’t have to go.”

I hugged Mary and looked into her eyes.

“I am glad I have you for a friend but this is not the real me.”

“It looks real to me.”

I kissed her lightly on the lips.

“Take care, I will not forget you.”

With that, I walked into the medical bay, took off my clothes, and climbed into the pod. The door closed, the gas entered the chamber , and I was once again put to sleep. The next thing I knew, the pod opened and that computer voice told me to go into the locker room. The clothes I had worn onto the ship days ago were still in my locker. I put them on and was directed to the exit hatch. It opened, I walked through, and it closed behind me. A few seconds later, the shuttle undocked and I watched it head back to Fledora. I felt like my life had been ripped from me. I was now a man again but it felt all wrong. I was not ready to meet Sam yet, so I headed to my apartment. Wearing pants for the first time in a week was a strange experience. They felt very confining. Gees! I decided to take a shower and change clothes. In the shower, I noticed that everything was not quite right. My penis was back, such as it is, but my balls were no where to be found. I guess they have not dropped back down yet. Great! I felt where my vagina had been. The opening is certainly gone but that area was pliable like it was a covering. I just hope things will settle out over time. I am definitely taking that vacation. I dressed and went to Sam’s office. I knocked loudly.

“Come on in, John.”

I went in and sat down.

“You look like shit.”

“What do you expect after the job you sent me on. Why didn’t you warn me?”

“Would you have gone if I had?”

“Absolutely not.”

“There you go. Look, I know it was a rotten deal especially with your past but I had no choice. Those people demanded you and there was not a good reason to refuse.”

“Yeah”

Sam paused and we just stared at each other.

“You are way over due for a vacation. Get out of here and rest up for a few weeks. You’ll be back to yourself in no time.”

“I hope your right.”

I got up and left. God, I am a mess. For the first time in my life, I had 2 good friends and now I am back to having none. Before, I didn’t know what was missing. Now, I do. There was only one place for me to go, back to Kentucky. I made a reservation for an isolated cabin in the mountains, packed my things, and got on the shuttle to Earth. Upon arriving in Atlanta, I rented a car and drove to my cabin, stopping off first to get plenty of liquor. I planned to get wasted and I did.

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Back on Fledora, things were happening fast. I got an urgent call from the council.

“Mary, we have just gotten a tip that Karen is getting ready to make a large shipment to Broadskye. Since that explosion of her ship ruined her hanger at the space port, we think she is going to try to fly out of Basteria. Get a team and intercept it.”

“OK, this is what we have been waiting for. I’ll get right on it.”

The only good place to land in Basteria was around the airport. Not knowing what was coming or when, we set up a ways away in order not to scare them off. Just before midnight, we thought we saw a stealth ship coming in.

“Let’s move out. We won’t go in until we see Karen start to load. I want her alive but don’t take any risks you don’t have to.”

When we arrived near the scene, there was a large contingent of miners moving cargo toward an impressive ship. This had to be a Broadskye military ship. What on Fledora was it doing here? This does not bode well. As we moved in, one of my team was spotted. Shots rang out. In no time, it was all out war. We managed to stop the cargo from loading but Karen and another woman made it to the ship. It took off moments later. There was no way we could stop it but at least it left without its cargo. Unfortunately, four of my team were dead.

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I woke up two days later. I, of course, felt even worse than I did before I got here. Going into the kitchen, it became clear that I had drank up everything I brought with me. There was no food and nothing for this mega headache. So, a trip to the nearest town was on tap. I started to take a shower but decided what for? I didn’t even change clothes. I struggled out to the car and, finally, got it started. It was an adventuresome trip back down the mountain. Just as I was entering town, I spotted a tavern. That was what I needed. Now, a tavern in Kentucky is not a place to be an ass but I was beyond caring. As I walked up to the bar, someone said,

“Well, look what the cat drug in.”

I looked over at a mountain of a man and my common sense left me.

“Yeah, your mother didn’t go down easy.”

He got up and was joined by a friend that was even bigger than he was. I don’t know how good of a fight it was because I woke up in a hospital bed remembering nothing of it. An aide walked in to fill my water pitcher.

“My, my marshal, you are a mess and someone done kicked your balls plumb up inside you. That must’a been a hell of a fight.”

I just grunted and she laughed then left. I didn’t see any casts of heavy bandages so I guess things could be worse. I was certainly sore, however. A little later, a doctor walked in.

“Awake I see. Well, no broken bones or serious injuries. You will be sore and stiff for a while. Maybe you should take a vacation.”

“Actually, I need a vacation from my vacation.”

He laughed hard.

“That’s a good one. Anyway, if everything is still OK tomorrow, I will release you. Just take it easy for a few days.”

“Thanks doc.”

I rang for some pain meds and, after getting the shot, I passed out again.

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Mary was sitting in her office when council chairwoman Givens called.

“Good afternoon, Carol. You look concerned.”

“It’s not good. After analyzing all of the cargo left after Karen’s ship took off, we are certain that she is working with Broadskye in order to overthrow our government and take over this planet. It’s no secret that Broadskye hates our guts but I didn’t think things would go this far. If they get a stealth ship built with a superconducting laser, we will be at their mercy. I am calling the marshal service and have them send Marshal Harper back here.”

“Good luck there. I think a vacation is all she wanted.”

“Yes, I know but this is serious. I’ll let you know when to pick her up.”

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I awoke the next morning to find Sam looking at me.

“You really know how to take a vacation.”

“What the hell are you doing here?”

“Just checking up on my favorite marshal.”

“Yeah, tell me another one.”

“OK, we have an emergency assignment for you.”

“Oh no you don’t, the last emergency assignment boggled my brain permanently. I’m on vacation and recovering from a friendly fight.”

“I’ve never been in one of those. I know this is lousy but Fledora has requested your return and it has been approved. They have an emergency situation.”

I just stared at him. I could not believe this.

“No way, I am not going back there.”

“John, you have to. It’s been approved. You will lose your badge if you don’t.”

I reached over onto my end table, picked up my badge, and tossed it to Sam.

“You know what you can do with that and your assignment. I quit! Now, get the hell out of here.”

Sam stood and shook his head. He started to say something but just turned and left. I got dressed and walked out of the hospital. It was then I realized that I had no idea where my rental car was. I took a chance and limped back to the tavern I had been at when the fight occurred. Luckily, there it was. I drove back to my cabin, of course, with a new supply of liquor. It was going to take a lot to drown out my hurting brain.

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I was called into the council chambers. This surprised me since I thought they would just tell me when to go get Jonnie. As I walked in, I could see that the mood was somber.

“Mary, we have a big problem. Marshal Harper has gone off the deep end and quit the marshal service. We know it is our fault for the problems he is having. We have discussed what is the best thing to do and have decided to send you to talk to him.”

“How are you going to get him to meet t our ship?”

“We’re not, you are going to him.”

I could not believe what I just heard.

“Beg pardon, ma’am, but you know as well as I do that no woman from here is allowed to do that much less want to.”

“I know, I know, but this is an emergency. We need Marshal Harper. We have issued a fugitive warrant for Karen Littleton. You and he are going after her. We have arranged for the medical pod to superficially transform you into a man. Now, before you start screaming, it is the only way. Marshal Harper’s supervisor will meet you as soon as you dock and will take you directly to him. I believe he is on Earth in a place called Kentucky. Once he is on board, you both will proceed to Broadskye and find Karen. You have been given marshal status under the name Matt Browning.”

“You mean as a man?”

“Exactly!”

“There is no way I can do that. This is too much to ask.”

“He did it for you. We are at fault for this. You must do this for him and for us.”

I sat down hard. This was unbelievable. No wonder they didn’t tell John what was going to happen. Now the shoe was on the other foot.

“OK, I’ll try but I don’t know if I can do ti.”

“That’s all we ask.”

I left the chambers in a daze. Jonnie is going to love this. I guess turnabout is fair play. I arranged to get some trousers and shirts sent to our shuttle. I packed my things and departed. As I was getting into the pod, I reflected on what Jonnie had gone through when she first came here. At least she had experimented at being a woman. Hell, I have never even met a man. Jonnie doesn’t count because she was not a man when I met her. I guess I am going to have to start saying ‘John’ and ‘him’ now. I know what he meant about it messing with your brain. The pod closed and seemed to open an instant later. I emerged and checked myself out. To my surprise, I still had my female equipment down below. I was a male otherwise; no breasts and male features. Thankfully, I was still a woman inside. I dressed in the pants and shirt I had obtained. I had worn pants before but not like this. I had no idea how I was supposed to act. I went to the air lock. A man was waiting there for me. It was the first time I had seen one in person. All I wanted to do was turn around and leave but my need to help Jonnie won out. I steeled myself and went through. He looked a little shocked.

“Sorry, I was expecting a woman. My name is Sam.”

I stretched out my hand.

“Matt Browning. No woman from Fledora would do this.”

“I guess not. OK, come with me and we will go down to see former Marshal Harper. Between you and me, I have not turned in his badge so he is still a marshal.”

“Great, let’s go.”

We entered a small shuttle and went to the surface. It definitely was beautiful in Kentucky. Jonnie was right, it looks a lot like Fledora. We landed at a military complex and took a hovercraft into the mountains. We stopped outside of an isolated cabin.

“This is his cabin. Let’s go in and confront him. Watch yourself, he is a mess.”

We walked in without knocking. I was shocked to find Jonnie, excuse me, John sitting on a couch and holding a gun. He was just staring at it. Sam walked over to him.

“John, I have someone here that wants to talk to you. This is Marshal Matt Browning.”

”Get the hell out!”

“OK, but he’s staying.”

Sam walked out. John got up and started toward me.

“I said, get the hell out!”

John took a swing at me.

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I had about decided to end it all when Sam and another marshal entered. I kicked Sam out but this Matt fellow wasn’t leaving. I decided to show him. The next thing I knew, I was on the floor with a knee on my chest. This seemed familiar and a familiar smile hovered over me.

“Hi, Jonnie.”

I did a double take.

“Mary?”

GALATIC MARSHAL
by Hilltopper

CHAPTER 8

Mary got up and tried to pull me to my feet but, I was so drunk, I fell into a table and lamp with a loud crash. Sam came running in.

“Matt, did John attack you?”

“No, he is just drunk on his butt. Why don’t you go get us some food in town and I will sober him up. Don’t worry, I can handle him.”

“OK, be back in a few.”

I watched Sam leave although he was a bit bleary. I turned to Matt.

“You are Mary, aren’t you?”

“Yes”

“I must be dreaming or already dead.”

She laughed.

“Into the shower; then talk.”

She stripped me and pushed me into the shower stall. She then turned on the cold water.

“Hey!”

“Shut up and stand there. I have gone to a lot of trouble to be here to help you. Now, cooperate or it’s back on the floor.”

“You wouldn’t have it so easy if I was sober.”

“How quickly we forget. OK, I’m coming in too.”

She removed her clothes and turned on the hot water. My eyes bugged out!

“You’re still a woman!”

“What did you expect? It’s bad enough that I look like a man. You can’t believe how hard this is.”

“Oh, I think I can. The real question is why?”

She stepped into the shower and kissed me.

“When I found out what had happened to you, it made coming her like this tolerable. I could not let you fall off the deep end. It is my fault what has happened to you and I think I love you.”

“Like this?”

“OK, I love Jonnie but I know that is who you really are.”

We hugged and then washed each other. After drying off and dressing, I looked at Mary. She was about to lose it so I took her into my arms.

“I know how hard this is for you. I guess I didn’t realize how much I missed you and Fledora until now.”

We heard the hovercraft outside and so we separated.

“I don’t think Sam ought to see this. He might get the wrong idea.”

Mary laughed. Sam walked in with a sack of hamburgers and lots of coffee.

“Sam, you know I hate coffee.”

“That’s all you get today, buddy.”

“All right, all right, I know I’m a mess.”

“Well, at least you’re clean now.”

We dove into the hamburgers. I didn’t realize how hungry I was. All of my meals lately had been of the liquid variety. After we finished, Matt turned to Sam.

“I’m going to stay here a couple of days to whip John back into shape. Why don’t you go on back up and we will join you when he is ready.”

“That sounds good. Oh and John, here is something you lost.”

Sam flipped me my marshal’s badge.

“Good luck. I’ll see both of you in a few days.”

Sam left and we took things to the couch.

“OK, Mary, something really bad must have happened for the council to allow you to be here like this. Give!”

“Yes, we had a shoot out with Karen’s bunch when she tried to load her cargo onto a Broadskye military ship. We stopped the cargo from leaving but four of my team were killed. Karen and another woman left on the ship.”

“Wow, I guess Karen got desperate.”

“That’s not all. We believe there is a plot to take over Fledora and that Karen is a big part of it.”

“Yeah, that makes sense. By the way, what is the deal between you and Karen?”

“Thirty five years ago, Karen’s mother was dismissed from the council. She was chairwoman at the time. Since my mother and Carol Givens were on the council, Karen blames them for her dismissal.”

“Why was Karen’s mother forced to leave the council?”

“A male military pilot crashed landed on Fledora. He was, of course, isolated from the population while he healed. Karen’s mother oversaw his care and became romantically involved with him. Apparently, she became pregnant. Because of that, she lost everything.”

“I can see why she hates you then.”

“Yeah, my mother and Carol were only following the rules but Karen doesn’t see it that way. Now, the council has issued a warrant for Karen’s arrest and they want you and I to go get her.”

“I suppose she is on Broadskye.”

“That’s what we think.”

“Do you have any idea how hard it’s going to be for you to pass as a man on that planet?”

“Yes, and it is scaring me to death.”

“Well, I guess it’s my turn to do the training. Look how you are sitting.”

She looked down puzzled.

“Spread your legs and scratch.”

“What!”

“This will get you in the right mood. Just do it.”

“This is silly. What am I scratching?”

“Balls itch.”

“Yeah well, I don’t have any and, come to think of it, I didn’t notice any on you either when we were in the shower.”

I just ignored her comment.

“These are just some of the things you need to watch out for in order to not raise any suspicions.”

“OK, OK, I get it, teacher. Before we get into my intensive training, I have a question that has been bothering me. When Karen got onto that ship, there was another woman with her. I haven’t said anything to anyone but she looked a lot like Sandra to me.”

“OK, you are right. I just couldn’t do it. Linda and you are the first friends I have ever had. Besides, that bunch she killed weren’t worth the bullets she used on them.”

“I should be shocked but I am not. You are a good person. I haven’t met Linda but I know you really like her. Should I be jealous?”

“No, she is like a best friend and sister rolled into one. Besides, she likes men.”

“Uh, have you looked at yourself lately?”

“You know what I mean. She only knew Gina. I hope she is staying out of trouble.”

“If she is with Karen, I don’t know.”

We spent the rest of the day working on Mary’s male persona. She has the body for it but, otherwise, she is definitely a woman.

“OK, enough for today. I’m beat.”

“Sure, Mary, me too. I’ll flip you for the bed.”

“I’ve already flipped you once today.”

With that, she shed her clothes and jumped into the bed. I took off mine as well and joined her.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m going to bed. It is my bed.”

She looked at me slyly.

“I thought it wasn’t considered right for two men to share a bed.”

“Where do you see two men?”

She laughed and we cuddled together. I don’t know if it was the drinking binge I had been on or my happiness at seeing Mary again but, whatever the reason, I was horny. Maybe she was just curious but, whatever the reason, she let me. I went to sleep with the most wonderful feeling I ever had.

I awoke to noises coming from the kitchen. I put on a robe and walked into it. Mary was standing naked with her hands on her hips. She looked over at me.

“You have absolutely nothing here to eat.”

“Uh, Mary, you can’t go around naked here. This is not Fledora.”

“Who’s to see? OK, I know, I have to think male. Though, I don’t believe you saw me as male last night.”

I blushed a bright red.

“I’m sorry about that. I don’t now what came over me.”

She smiled.

“Me either. The council will be furious.”

“Well, what they don’t know won’t hurt us. Besides, this is a unique situation they have put us in.”

I walked up to her and closed my arms around her. We kissed passionately.

“Whew, Jonnie, this is getting to be a habit.”

“I hope so. Get dressed; we are going into town to eat. You need to get used to people especially men. Just let me do the talking and watch how everyone acts.”

We dressed casually and found a decent looking restaurant. After we were seated, Mary turned to me.

“I need to pee.”

“OK, be sure to use the men’s room.”

“Please go with me.”

“Men don’t go together like women do. You must go alone.”

She sighed and left. A few minutes later, she came back looking quite peaked.

“That was the most disgusting thing I have ever done!”

“Get used to it. Men don’t pay any attention.”

“Gross!”

We ordered and ate mostly in silence. Upon finishing, we headed back to the cabin.

“Jonnie, I don’t think I can do this.”

“Sure you can. You just have to put on a male mask. Keep the real you locked inside.”

“Is that what you have done all your life?”

This stunned me. Have I done that? I didn’t think so. This mess keeps getting worse.

“Let’s just work on you, OK?”

Arriving back at the cabin, we worked on her male façade. After several hours, I decided enough was enough. She at least looked male and was very strong. That would just have to be enough.

“OK, I’m calling Sam and telling him we are coming back. I feel better about things. At least we will be together on this.”

“Yes, I guess we might as well.”

We packed things up and drove to Atlanta. I turned in the car and we took the shuttle up to headquarters. We stayed in my apartment that night. I won’t say any more about that. The next morning, we set off to Sam’s office.

“You know, we are going to have to start using John and Matt for names. Things are going to get serious when we reach Broadskye.”

“I know. It just does not seem right calling you Matt.”

We reached Sam’s office and knocked.

“Come on in.”

“Do you always say that?”

Sam laughed.

“Only when I know it’s you. Are you back to your old self?”

“As best I can be.”

“Didn’t mean to ignore you, Matt. John and I just have a history. OK, down to business. I have cleared your visit to Broadskye with the authorities there. They know you are after a fugitive and will cooperate. Do you have any information as to where she might be?”

Matt jumped in here.

“The council of Fledora told me she went there on a military ship. That should be easy to trace. The whole thing smells though.”

“Yeah, I agree. You will be more or less on your own there, so be careful.”

We thanked Sam and left to go back to my apartment.

“When do you want to leave, Matt?”

“We might as well get going right away. Delay will only make it harder to find Karen.”

“I agree. Let’s get our things.”

We left a short time later on the Fledoran shuttle. We went into medical where the pods were located.

“Well, at least this time when I wake up, I’ll be the same. I hope.”

“Yes, I can now see your fear of them.”

We entered our pods and, like always, the next thing we knew, we were at Broadskye. We obtained clearance to land at their main spaceport. Upon deplaning, we were met by a rather jovial chubby man.

“It’s so wonderful to have you here. We don’t get marshals very often. I’m Josh Randall.”

I shook his hand.

“I’m John Harper and this is Matt Browning.”

“Wow, the great Marshal Harper!”

“Uh, just John and Matt will be fine.”

“Sure, sure, come on. I’ll take you to my office.”

He drove us in a rather primitive police cruiser. Once in his office, he pulled out a sheet of paper.

“OK, you are here to serve a warrant on a Karen Littleton. I’ve checked and we have nothing on that name. You gave us information about a ship leaving with her. The only ship that came in at the time landed at a small military base on our moon.”

“How do we get there?”

“That’s just it. You don’t.”

“Pardon me?”

“You see, the moon is really not a part of our government. We use it as a penal colony for habitual criminals and ones that commit a severe crime. Once convicted, we simply deposit them on the moon. The inmates there have established their own society, basically. It is rather primitive.”

“You mean, there are no guards?”

“What for? There is no place for them to go. We just drop them there and they are on there own.”

“What about that military base?”

“I don’t know much about it. It must be pretty top secret. There is certainly no going there.”

“Hmmm! There must be a way for us to go to that moon.”

“The only way would be posing as prisoners. A robotic shuttle drops them at a specific point and leaves.”

“Can’t we go through your military?”

“We asked. According to them, that base does not exist.”

“That sounds like the military. OK, if we get Karen, how do we get off the moon?”

“Well, that’s never been done to my knowledge. We’ll work something out. I’ll supply you with a transceiver so you can contact us. But keep in mind that it is a very rough and primitive place; not unlike the old west on Earth. Once there, you are on your own. Go get something to eat. Our cafeteria is just down the hall. I’ll get things arranged.”

We shook hands and went out.

“I sure am tired of everyone saying ‘you are on your own’.”

“Jonnie, this scares me to death.”

“Yeah, me too. It looks like a suicide mission at first glance but we will make it. I have confidence in you.”

“I don’t see any other way to do it so I guess we just make the best of things.”

We finished eating in silence and headed back to Josh’s office.

“OK, we’re all set. I’m giving you both a transceiver. Hide it well. The clothes you have on will be fine. You better let me keep your badges and IDs. There is no point in bringing anything with you. It would just get taken. So, let’s go.”

He led us onto the roof where an odd looking ship awaited. A door opened to a compartment that allowed us to stand in it but nothing else.

“Good luck! If you get into serious trouble, call us. It may take some time to arrange extraction, however.”

“Thanks for everything.”

He gave us a sad smile and closed the hatch. The ship lifted off with a jerk. The ride took several very uncomfortable hours. We just held each other in silence as the noise was deafening. The ship landed with a thud and the door popped open. Mary and I stepped out and walked a ways from the ship. It promptly left with a rush.

“Well Mary, I guess this is it. Remember you are Matt Browning. I can’t be John Harper so how about I be Rusty Allen?”

“Sounds OK.”

We hugged and kissed. Finally, we broke apart.

“Remember, man up.”

Mary, excuse me, Matt laughed.

“That’s easy for you to say.”

A couple of miles in the distance, we could see a town of some sort. We walked towards it and, as we entered, I got a shock.

“I swear we are walking into old Deadwood.”

“What’s that?”

“Believe me, you don’t want to know.”

There were a few people about but they seemed to be avoiding us; maybe because we were new. I spotted a rather large saloon and we headed there. This was like a place out of the old west. As we walked in, I heard someone say, “Well, look what the cat dragged in.” God, not again! Next thing I knew, the fight was on. I held my own for a minute but found myself flat on my back soon after. I heard a familiar voice say, “Back off!” Then a hand reached out. Looking up, I could not help myself. Smiling real big, I said, “Hi Linda.”

GALACTIC MARSHAL
by Hilltopper

CHAPTER 9

Linda looked puzzled for a few seconds then her eyes widened in recognition. I quickly grabbed her hand.

“I’m Rusty Allen.”

“OK”

I pointed to Matt.

“This is Matt Browning. We just got here.”

Linda looked over at Matt and the guys lying at his feet.

“You’re pretty good in a fight. I need a bouncer. You are it.”

She turned back to me.

“Come with me to my office. Matt, clean up this mess.”

I looked over at Matt and shrugged. She just glared at me. I followed Linda into her office and she closed the door.

“God Gina, you have changed. Don’t tell me you are still trying to arrest me.”

I laughed.

“As far as I know, no one is after Linda Sanders. The fugitive I was after is dead, remember?”

She smiled big.

“You know, you kind of look the same especially that smile. What on earth are you doing here? Do you have any idea the mess you are in? This place is cut off from the rest of the universe.”

“I could ask you the same thing.”

“OK, I guess you know what happened on Fledora. Karen got me out of there and set me up here. I run this place for her. She carry’s a lot of weight here just like she did in Basteria. Now, why are you here? I guess that Matt fellow is also a marshal.”

“In a word, Karen. And, yes, Matt is a marshal too.”

“Oh my god! Are you nuts? There is no way off of this place and Karen spends most of her time at that secret base. Before you ask, it is impossible to get there from here for us. Karen has military transportation. Besides, I’m not so sure I like the idea of Karen being arrested. She has been a good friend to me.”

“I don’t have anything personally against Karen. In fact, I kind of like her.”

Linda looked at me slyly.

“I think she more than likes you, at least the Gina you.”

I blushed and looked away.

“Yeah, that was a very confusing time.”

Linda looked at me sadly.

“We were only together for a short time but you quickly became my best friend. I think the main reason for that is I could read you like a book. You were not just pretending to be Gina, you were Gina. I think you still are Gina.”

I decided to change the subject. This was something I did not want to think about right now.

“What about this place. I thought it was just a large prison.”

“In some ways, it is. No one can leave here. But most people that are dropped here look at it as a second chance. They have made this place into a real community. The ones that don’t want that second chance are quickly culled.”

“So, do you like it here?”

“Well, I too needed a second chance. I could not go back to my old life. The people here are real. It is a good place to be in spite of its origins. So, yes I like it here.”

“I’m glad. I still feel we are good friends even though I am not the same.

Linda smiled and hugged me.

“I know you are tired. I have heard the trip here is not pleasant. Plus, that fight didn’t help. A room goes with the bouncer job I gave Matt. Do you mind sharing with him?”

“Not at all.”

I guess I must have shown something because she looked at me strangely. She did not say anything, however.”

“OK, let’s go find Matt.”

We walked back into the bar area to find Matt sitting at a table looking dourly into a drink. As we approached, she looked up. Linda spoke up first.

“Matt, room and board goes with your bouncer position. Do you mind sharing the room with Rusty?”

“That would be great! I mean, sure no problem.”

Linda got that strange look again and shook her head.

“OK, I know you both have had a rough day. I’ll show you the room. You can start your job tomorrow.”

Linda led us up stairs to a room in the back. It contained two twin beds, a dresser, a desk, and an overstuffed chair.

“Sorry about the accommodations. It’s very primitive here. See you both tomorrow.”

She closed the door as she left.

“Well, that was interesting. How did your reunion with Linda go?”

“We are still friends but she is also friends with Karen. This bouncer job is a good thing. You might hear something important.”

“Yeah, that happened fast.”

I laughed.

“I almost felt like I was back in Kentucky. Let’s get some sleep and see what tomorrow brings.”

“Which bed do you want?”

“I’ll take the right one.”

“Great, me too!”

We undressed and hopped into bed. Cuddling together, Matt lost it again.

“God Jonnie, what is going to happen?”

I caressed her cheek.

“I don’t know. I think Linda is suspicious about us. It won’t take her long to figure out that you are Mary.”

We were dead tired and fell asleep before anything could happen. I awoke first. There was a bowl of water setting on the dresser. I washed as best I could and I put on the same clothes. Matt was still sleeping so I went down to the bar. A man that I assumed was a bartender pointed toward Linda’s office.

“She wants to see you right away.”

I knocked on her door and walked in. Linda looked up.

“We have a big problem. Karen has received information that two people arrived yesterday and are looking for her.”

“That’s just great!”

“Fortunately, two others got here a little before you. Your only chance is to put the onus on them.”

“Before we go any further, where’s your bathroom?”

Linda grinned really big and pointed to her back door.

“The privy is that way.”

Being from Kentucky, I knew what a privy was. Matt is going to love this. Back in the office, I sat down just as Matt entered. She started to say something but I interrupted her.

“Out that door.”

She looked at me and then at the door. She shrugged and went out it. I turned to Linda.

“This is going to be good.”

A couple of minutes later, Matt came back in with a very disgusted face. She looked at me with her hands on her hips.

“You could have warned me.”

“And miss this moment?”

Linda looked back and forth between us.

“OK, you two. Something is definitely not right. So, if you want my help, fess up.”

I sighed and looked over to Matt. She just shrugged.

“I guess the jig is up. This is Mary Brown.”

Linda looked stunned and then very mad.

“This is just great. Do you have any idea how much Karen hates you?”

I spoke up.

“Mary told me about the problem with her mother.”

“Yeah but did she tell you about her brother?”

We both spoke at once.

“Brother!”

“I see neither of you know. After Karen’s mother, Susan Littleton, was kicked off the council, she had twins. Karen was, of course, one but the other was a boy. By Fledoran rules, no male could live on the planet. There was a big stink. According to Karen, Susan was forced to give up her son. Karen doesn’t know for sure but she believes he was given to his father and taken to Earth. Susan and her new daughter were forced to move to Basteria where she established the Midnight End. Karen blames all of this on Carol Givens and Mary’s mother. Since your mother is dead, her whole hate is aimed at you. The deal with Marshal Harper posing as Gina has just added to her hate.”

“Wow! I never knew. My mother never mentioned a son. Does Karen know who Gina really is?”

“No, she got information that Gina might have been put in undercover by you but she does not know that Gina is really John Harper. Of course, this gave her even more reason to hate you. I think Karen had a thing for Gina.”

Mary looked over at me and I blushed.

“It wasn’t my fault. I was not myself at the time.”

Linda looked over.

“It doesn’t matter. The real problem is what we do about Karen coming here to find out who is after her.”

Matt looked shocked.

“Yeah, if she finds out who you are, good luck. I think I have a plan. I’ll start a poker game with those two that arrived before you. Rusty, you join in after a bit and Matt, since you are my bouncer, you will be close by. When I see Karen enter, I’ll tell one of them that she is after him. Hopefully, his actions will put the suspicion on him and his partner. For now, just get something to eat and relax.”

Matt and I went to the kitchen and ate brunch.

“Jonnie, this could get bad fast.”

“Yeah, remember, I’m Rusty Allen.”

“Right, sorry. I am getting really anxious.”

“Let’s hope Linda’s plan works.”

“But can we trust Linda? She is Karen’s friend.”

“I don’t think that is a problem as long as we don’t try to take Karen down now.”

We went back to our room and tried to relax. A little while later, there was a knock . I opened the door to find Linda.

“Matt, come on down and start your job. I am going to set up the poker game. Rusty, we should be ready for you to join in about an hour from now.”

Matt went with Linda and I lay down. I didn’t think Karen would recognize Mary or me. One thing I had to try not to do is smile. Apparently, it is very distinctive. After about an hour, I headed down stairs. I spotted the game and went to the table.

“Mind if I join in?”

One of the guys looked me over.

“Why not?”

I sat in and we played for about 30 minutes when we heard a ruckus outside. That could only mean one thing; Karen was here. Linda turned to the guy who had spoken to me as Karen entered.

“That’s the one who is out to get you.”

He looked over at Karen and tensed up. Karen walked up to the bartender. I could not hear what was said but he pointed to us. By this time, Matt was close by our table. As Karen approached, the guy suddenly jumped up producing a knife. Just as he lunged at Karen, Matt grabbed him and snapped his neck. The other guy tried to run but was shot by one of Karen’s men. Karen looked at Matt.

“You’re pretty handy to have around. Thanks.”

She took Linda by the arm and pulled her toward the office. Mary was visibly shaking so I escorted her to our room. I hugged her tightly.

“I didn’t mean to kill him. He sprung suddenly and I had to react fast.”

“I know; it’s how you have been trained. He wouldn’t be here if he wasn’t a criminal. The fact that he tried to stab Karen proves he was no good.”

“Yeah, here we are trying to arrest Karen and I end up saving her life. Geeze!”

We lay back on the bed and cuddled. I guess we both drifted off. A knock on the door woke me. I got up and opened it to find Linda looking rather perplexed.

“Well, Matt certainly got Karen’s attention. She told me to check him out and, if I could not find anything negative, she is going to take Matt on as part of her guards at the base when she comes back next week.”

“Oh Lord! At least this gives us an in but this is getting dangerous.”

Matt walked over.

“You have got to be kidding. How am I going to pass there?”

Linda looked questioningly at me.

“What does he mean? He looks fine.”

“Yeah, well-----uh.”

Matt just sighed big and removed her clothes. Linda’s eyes widened.

“Oh my!”

“At least we have a week to figure this out.”

Linda continued to stare. Finally, she turned and walked out shaking her head. Matt redressed and then started out.

“Well, I guess I better go back to work. I have to keep my wife up you know.”

I stuck my tongue out. She laughed, kissed me then left. This is weird! I decided to go exploring. There was a stairs that led to a back door. Once outside, I started walking. Since it was mid afternoon, there were a lot of people about. A thought hit me; what do they use for money here? Hmmm! After about an hour, I headed back to the saloon. As I approached the front door, Matt threw two men out of it. She looked up at me.

“Just throwing out some trash.”

I shook my head.

“You are really getting in to this job, huh.”

“It’s keeping me busy. By the way, Linda wants to see you.”

“OK”

I went to her office and knocked.

“Come on in.”

That sounded familiar. I walked in and sat down.

“Rusty, we need to sort you out. Since you are with Matt, you have two choices.”

“This sounds kind of ominous.”

Linda laughed.

“Everyone here has to pull their weight. Matt, of course, all ready has a job. You can put your name in for the next job available or you can attach yourself to Matt.”

“What do you mean ‘attach’?”

“Things are pretty loose here. If someone is claimed as a spouse then no one argues.”

I looked blankly at Linda. Is this what Matt meant earlier?

“Matt has already said that he claims you so, if you agree, that’s that.”

She smirked as I looked stunned.

“Look, at least it will let you do your marshal thing without working all day doing something you hate. Around here, one gets credits for work performed and that person or their spouse can use them to get the things they need. It’s a good system.”

“I suppose Matt has already signed me up.”

“How did you guess?”

“Gawd, I will never hear the end of this. OK, it makes sense. I need the time to do our real job.”

“Great, sign here.”

She handed me a book. I saw Matt’s name and signed next to it.

“I now pronounce you man and wife.”

“Oh. Shut up!”

I whirled about and stomped out of her office and headed for the kitchen. Maybe food would keep my mind off this. After eating, I went up to our room, waving at Matt as I started up the stairs. I lay down to think. This assignment is starting to be as bad as the last one. A little later, Matt walked in.

“Honey, I’m home!”

I threw a pillow at her.

“Sorry, I couldn’t resist. I know this is awkward but it seemed the best solution. Also, if Karen does pick me to be a guard, you can come with me.”

We spent some time in bed making things right before we finally went to sleep. The next morning, a note was under our door. It was from Linda.

‘Here are Matt’s credits. Go get some clothes. You stink!’

Funny! We dressed, ate and went out to find some clothes.

“So, what color dress do you want, Rusty?”

“You’re worse than Linda. I had enough of that on Fledora. Pants and shirts will do fine.”

We found the clothes and other things we needed then spotted a sign that advertised hot bathes. I looked at Matt.

“What do you think?”

“Sounds good to me.”

I didn’t think a bath could feel so good. Once clean, we donned our new clothes and felt almost human again.

“I guess I better head back. My shift starts soon.”

“OK Matt, I’m going to look around some. This place seems like a dead end but you never know.”

Matt smiled and left. I walked down the street toward what looked like a stable. As I entered it, something hit me on the head and everything went black.

GALACTIC MARSHAL
by Hilltopper

CHAPTER 10

As I woke up, I realized that I was tied to a post. When my vision cleared, I saw an old man sitting in a chair about 10 feet in front of me. He was staring a hole in me.

“Ha, finally caught one of Karen’s henchmen.”

“You’ve got me all wrong.”

“I’ve seen you going around with her bouncer. You can’t fool me. She sent you to find me, didn’t she?”

“Look, I have no idea what you are talking about. Matt and I just got here a couple of days ago. Linda gave him this bouncer job because he cleaned up in a fight we got into at her saloon. We are not working for Karen.”

“But you know who she is?”

“Yeah, she came into the saloon yesterday but I didn’t speak to her.”

“Hmm, you sort of sound like you’re telling the truth but I sense you’re holding something back. I think I will just let you stew a while.”

The old man got up and walked out. I looked around. It appeared like I was in a room in the stable. I had no idea for sure what time it was but I didn’t think I was out too long. If this keeps up, though, my brain is going to be mush. He had me tied pretty tightly. There was no way I was going to get loose without help. A couple of hours later, he came back.

“You ready to talk now?”

“I’ve told you all I know. Just let me go. I could care less about you.”

“No, you’re not telling me everything. For instance, I know you are from Earth because I am too. Broadskye would not send an Earth citizen to this moon. That means, you are here under false pretenses. The only way that would happen is that Karen arranged it.”

“I have told you, I do not work for Karen.”

“We’ll see. I’m hungry. I’ll check on you after I eat.”

Out he went again. I was beginning to think the man was unhinged. This could get bad. After a while, he came in with a big smile on his face.

“I thought you looked familiar but I couldn’t place you. While I was eating, it hit me. You’re Marshal John Harper. This is fantastic!”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Matt walked into Linda’s office without knocking.

“Linda, I’m worried. Rusty should have been back hours ago.”

“Where did he go?”

“He said he was just going to look around and see if any leads turned up. He really didn’t expect anything.”

“It looks like something happened. It will be dark in about an hour. When night falls here, it is pitch black. We better take a quick look around town. If we find nothing by dark, we will just have to wait for morning.”

We went out the back door and headed down the street behind the saloon. Since it was getting close to dark, not too many people were out and about. After walking and checking buildings for about 30 minutes, Linda called a halt.

“This is getting us no where. We only have about 20 minutes of daylight left. Where did you last see Rusty?”

“He was walking down that side street over there.”

Linda looked that way.

“The only thing down that way is an old stable. OK, let’s check that out. If there is nothing there, we will just have to wait until morning.”

The street looked deserted but we started toward the stable. As we turned the corner of the stable, the door flew open and out stepped Rusty and an old man.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I walked out of the stable and almost ran into Matt.

“Sorry, what are you doing here?”

“Looking for you.”

“Oh, I was kind of tied up for a while. This is James Cooper. We have been having an interesting conversation.”

Linda put her hand on my shoulder.

“Thank goodness you are safe. We were worried sick. Come on, let’s get back to the saloon before it gets dark.”

We walked the short distance back and went into Linda’s office via the back door. Mr. Cooper seemed to be very uneasy about being here.

“OK Mr. Cooper, I think it’s time to tell why you thought I was sent to find you by Karen.”

He winced when I said her name.

“I’d also like to know how you knew who I really am.”

This brought Matt and Linda quickly to attention. Matt spoke first.

“What do you mean he knows who you are?”

“He knows I’m John Harper and a marshal.”

“Oh dear!”

I turned back to Mr. Cooper.

“Well?”

“I guess I better explain. See, I knew you when you were very young. I designed the lasers used by Earth’s military. Your father piloted the ships we used to test them. That’s why Karen brought me here; to design a laser weapon for her.”

“I don’t remember any of this.”

“You were only about 3 or 4 years old. Samuel Harper was very proud of you. He said your mother was from another planet and you were born there. He never said how he ended up with you but I could tell he loved you. To tell you the truth, you seemed more girl than boy at that age.”

I blushed deeply and changed the subject.

“If Karen brought you here, why are you not at her base?”

“I worked there for over a year designing the superconducting laser she wanted. She did not say at first why she needed it. She was obviously working with some Broadskye military chaps so I thought it was just for Broadskye defense. About a month ago, I found out its true purpose. I had heard the story of Fledora. Karen’s hatred coupled with the need of some on Broadskye to get back at them was the real reason for putting the laser in a Broadskye ship. I got the feeling that Karen did not intend to actually use it on her planet. She just wants to take down the government by its threat but I overheard the Broadskye military commander on the base planning to devastate the planet. I wanted no part in that so I stowed away on a transport heading here. I have been hiding in that stable for two weeks. It was only a matter of time until they found me.”

“So, you are familiar with that base.”

“Absolutely! Are you here to arrest Karen?”

“Well, that is the reason we were sent but we also are concerned about the safety of Fledora.”

“With good reason! They would have no defense against my laser.”

“Could you show me how to defeat it?”

“You mean sabotage it, don’t you?”

“OK, yeah, we can’t let it leave here.”

“I agree! Yes, I will help you.”

“Great! Linda, have you got a room he can stay in?”

Linda looked very uncomfortable.

“I am torn between my loyalty to Karen and my love of Fledora. I just don’t know.”

“We can hash this out later. Right now, we must keep Mr. Cooper safe.”

“OK, I buy that.”

She looked over to Mr. Cooper.

“Come on. I’ll give you the room across the hall from Rusty and Matt.”

After they left, Matt turned to me.

“This is just the break we needed. If Karen picks me to be one of her guards, we can take that laser down. That was good work on your part.”

“I was just using my head.”

She laughed.

“Yes, I can see the lump.”

We decided to turn in. My head was still a little dizzy. Once in bed, I was out like a light. I awoke the next morning to find Matt staring at me.

“Jonnie, do you think what that old man said about you is true?”

“I don’t have any reason to doubt it. I know what you are thinking. I was too out of it last night to make any connections but this is almost too much to believe. Could I be Karen’s brother?”

“I don’t know but it makes sense. That is the reason Carol was intent on getting you to be the marshal sent to Fledora. She knew who you were.”

“God, this is crazy. I go to arrest Sandra, make friends with Linda, and, it turns out, she is Sandra. Now, I am here to arrest Karen and, it turns out, she might be my sister. This is just too much!”

“I know this is messing with your mind but we must remember the threat to Fledora.”

“Is there a threat? I mean, the council has played me like a violin. I don’t know what’s real anymore.”

“That old man thinks there is a definite threat. It’s hard for me to believe that Karen really wants to destroy Fledora but there are some on Broadskye that would like nothing better. Maybe they are playing Karen just like the council is you?”

“Maybe? Karen certainly has a grudge against the council and maybe I should too if what we have heard is true. She might even desire to head it just like her mother did. I just don’t see her wanting to devastate the planet. I think the main thing now is to figure out how to destroy that laser and worry about Karen later.”

“Yes, I agree. Now, let’s go get something to eat. I’m starving. By the way, how’s your head?”

“Hard as a rock.”

“That I can believe.”

We had just finished dressing when we heard several shots being fired downstairs.

“What the------------?”

Matt headed out the door and I was seconds behind her. When I reached the head of the stairs, I saw Linda come out of her office. A very large man was standing in the middle of the saloon with several people lying on the floor around him. He aimed the gun he held at Linda and fired. She went down. By this time, Matt had reached the bottom of the stairs. The man pointed the gun at her and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. He must have used all his ammunition. He threw the gun at Matt and ran out the front door. Matt ran after him. I went over to Linda.

“I’m OK, Rusty. It just nicked my shoulder. Go after Matt.”

“Right”

I went out the front door to find Matt and two fellows lying in a heap in the street. Matt was visibly agitated. She looked up at me.

“I ran into these idiots as I left the saloon. I think that guy ran toward the stable you were in but I can’t be sure.”

“OK, let’s go back in and check with Linda.”

Linda had gone back to her office. As I walked in, she handed me a make shift first aid kit.

“I got some men to haul those pour souls out to our cemetery. It happened so fast, no one had a chance.”

“What was his problem?”

“I don’t know. We always give newcomers a free first drink. This guy wanted more. When he was told that he had to work to earn credits to be able to buy more liquor, he went crazy.”

“Where did he get a gun? I thought only Karen’s bunch had them.”

“We have some guns here that have been left by Karen for us to use in an emergency but his was not one of those. I have no idea where he got one.”

“I guess it’s up to Matt and me to get him. I assume there is no real police here.”

“No, Karen takes care of that sort of thing. As I said before, things are rather loose here.”

“OK, can we have those guns you mentioned for emergencies? I think this counts.”

Linda laughed.

“If it doesn’t, I don’t know what would.”

She gave Matt and I revolvers and some bullets.

“I know these are kind of primitive but it’s all we have.”

“They will do just fine. Come on Matt, let’s go get this nut case.”

We left by Linda’s back door and headed toward that stable. Matt turned to me.

“It is darned suspicious that guy having a gun.”

“Yeah, makes one wonder.”

We carefully entered the stable. Since the guy had thrown his gun at Matt, we were pretty sure he was unarmed. He was, however, huge and would be hard to take down in a fight. After searching all of the stalls and the feed room I had been held in, there was no sign of him. There was a back door so Matt went out it to check the area behind the stable. I was about to follow her when I noticed a bunch of hay bales piled loosely in the corner of the last stall. This seemed odd for some reason. I walked over to them and looked behind. I did not see anything unusual but the light was dim here. As I turned around, a hay bale suddenly hit me in the back. I went flying dropping the pistol. I started to get up when I heard the hammer being cocked on my weapon. I looked up to see the barrel aimed at the center of my chest.

“You all think you are so high and mighty around here. Well, let’s see how you like this.”

I saw his finger tighten on the trigger. It was a desperation move but I had nothing to lose. I lunged at him and heard the gun fire.

GALACTIC MARSHAL
by Hilltopper

CHAPTER 11

My shoulder met his chest and we went down to the ground. As I pushed myself off of him, he groaned heavily. A red spot of blood was spreading on his shirt. I heard some one running towards us and I looked up to see Matt.

“Are you alright? What were you thinking? If I hadn’t come back in just now, you would be dead.”

I noticed the gun in her hand and realized what had happened. The shot I heard was from Matt’s pistol. It was still a miracle that the stranger’s gun hadn’t fired.

“Thanks, he surprised me. I guess I’m losing my touch.”

We hugged, kissed, and then separated. The man groaned again and tried to speak. I put my ear close to his mouth. What he said both shocked me and made sense at the same time. He groaned for the last time and died. We checked his pockets but found nothing. Since he was supposed to be a newcomer, he wouldn’t be carrying anything. The problem was, it was a subterfuge.

“What did he say to you, Rusty?”

“I couldn’t make out all of it but the bottom line is that he was not a newcomer. He was sent here to find and kill James Cooper.”

“Sent by whom?”

“I hate to say it or believe it but he implicated Karen.”

“Well, it doesn’t surprise me. I know you like her and might even be her brother, but she is strictly bad news. Her hatred has warped her since of justice. I know Mr. Cooper doesn’t think she would use that laser on Fledora, but I am not sure. She has killed in the past.”

“Yeah, I know. She was just so nice to me. I guess this does prove the value of having Mr. Cooper on our side. It is a good thing we had hid him away. Let’s get back to Linda’s place.”

We walked back to the saloon and went into Linda’s office.

“I was getting worried. Did you get him?”

“Yes, at least, Matt did. He kind of got me.”

“What?”

“He must have been hiding behind some hay bales. When I passed by them, he hit me with one and got my gun. Fortunately, Matt is a good shot.”

“Thank you, Matt. We don’t want to lose our Rusty.”

Matt laughed.

“Our Rusty?”

“I claim him as a good friend but not a spouse.”

Linda smirked at me.

“All right, all right, it’s over. By the way, he was apparently sent by Karen to get James Cooper, at least, that’s what he claimed as he died.”

“It’s hard to refute a dying confession but I can’t believe Karen sent him. However, I must admit, she is the only source for his gun. There is no way he could have smuggled it from Broadskye. It is very confusing.”

“Yes, I agree. I still wonder what set him off at the bar. It seems out of character for a hit man.”

“I guess we will never know.”

“Nope! Anyway, I’m hungry. Who’s for breakfast?”

Matt grimaced.

“How can you eat after all that’s happened?”

“It might be messing with my mind but not my stomach.”

I went off to the kitchen. I could understand Matt’s reluctance. After all, she had just killed a man; a no good one but a man none the less. I ate breakfast and wandered back to Linda’s office to find Matt and her still talking.

“Did I miss anything?”

Matt looked over at me and stood up.

“No, we were just talking about Fledora’s past. Do you think Mr. Cooper is up yet?”

“Probably, it hasn’t exactly been quiet around here.”

“OK, I want to get some more information out of him, especially considering how badly Karen wants him dead.”

We went up to his room and knocked on the door. He opened it warily. Seeing us, he broke out in a big smile.

“Come in, come in! I was afraid Karen had come in shooting.”

“No, but she did send an assassin after you. Matt shot him, however.”

He looked visibly shaken.

“If nothing else, it proves how valuable you are. Karen must be afraid of you.”

“No one knows more about that laser than I do. After all, I designed it. Karen does not like loose ends.”

“Yeah, I guess she felt you could be a threat to her. Could you draw a map of that base and detail how to sabotage the laser?”

“Sure, it would be my pleasure. I owe her big time. Give me a couple of days.”

“What about security at that base?”

“It is heavy looking outward but practically nonexistent internally. Karen did not see a threat from anyone working there. Although, after my escape, she might have beefed it up a bit.”

“OK, just write out everything you can remember. Karen is coming here in a few days and might take Matt and I back with her to the base. She seems to think Matt is guard material. We will try to be ready.”

Matt and I thanked him and walked out. She hugged me.

“I have got to get downstairs. My job awaits.”

I laughed.

“You are too enthusiastic for my thinking. I’m going back over to that stable and look around. There might be something there we missed.”

“OK, see you at supper.”

I walked to the stable. I decided to pull apart the bales of hay that were stacked in the last stall. The only thing I found was a small leather case. Inside were a bunch of pictures. Looking through them, I was surprised to find a picture of me taken about 10 years ago. That would have been a little before my dad’s death. I definitely need to talk some more with Mr. Cooper. Nothing else turned up in the stable so I headed back to the saloon. I showed the picture to Matt.

“Cute!”

“Ha, ha! What I want to know is why he has it?”

“Then I suggest you ask him. But do it after supper. I didn’t eat anything this morning and my energy is about to run out.”

“Sure, I can always eat.”

“So I’ve noticed.”

I stuck my tongue out at her again. This was getting to be a habit. We ate in the kitchen and just chatted generally. After we finished, Matt went back to her duties and I headed upstairs to talk to Mr. Cooper again. I knocked on his door and announced myself. He bade me to come in.

“I found this in that stable.”

I tossed the leather case to him.

“Oh, thank you. I thought I would never see that again. When you get my age, you value memories and pictures a great deal more.”

“Hey, you’re welcome.”

I took out the picture of me and turned it towards him.

“Where did you get this?”

He looked at it and smiled.

“Your dad and I were good friends right up to his death. He sent me that a few days before he died. He really worshipped you. I remember how devastated he was when your puberty messed up. The hormones given you certainly turned things around. You grew into a right nice man.”

“Hormones? He gave me some vitamins that seemed to help me. There was really nothing bad wrong.”

Mr. Cooper got a strange look on his face.

“Maybe I’ve said too much. All I know is he was happy at how you turned out. By the way, I’ve just about got your map drawn. I’ll bring it to you tomorrow.”

“OK, fine. I’ll see you them.”

Well, I seemed to have had the subject changed and a dismissal given rather effectively. I went across the hall into my room and lay down. Up until my trip to Fledora, I thought my life and my body were my own. Now, I wonder. It seems everyone has been manipulating me to their own desires all my life. This can drive one crazy. Matt walked in and noticed my expression.

“What’s wrong, Jonnie?”

“I just had a talk with Mr. Cooper that I wish I had skipped. When this assignment is over, I think I will have a nervous breakdown on general principles.”

She laughed.

“Don’t worry, the past is past and we will figure out the future together.”

I looked intently at her.

“How did you get so smart?”

“Chocolate”

I couldn’t help but feel better. Mary was rapidly becoming my savior.

”Come here, it’s been a long day.”

We snuggled together and all the troubles melted away.

The next day, I was sitting at a table in the bar nursing a drink when a very familiar face entered via the front door. It was none other than Marshal George Brett. This could only mean one thing; the marshal service was now on this threat full bore. He looked around the room and noticed me. He did not even flinch but kept gazing around. He finally walked up to the bar. The bartender handed him a glass.

“The first drink is on the house for newcomers. Welcome to the dark ages.”

I motioned for Matt to come to me.

“Matt, see that new guy at the bar?”

She looked over.

“Yeah, so?”

“That, my friend, is Marshal George Brett. We have worked together several times.”

“Shit!”

“Most definitely shit! Go see if he is hungry. Maybe we can go to the kitchen and find out what is going on.”

“OK”

Matt walked over to George.

“Hi’ya stranger. I’m the bouncer here. The name’s Matt.”

He looked up and registered recognition.

“Don’t worry, I don’t plan to cause any trouble.”

Matt laughed.

“Didn’t mean to say you were. I just thought you might like to join my partner and I for lunch.”

“Why not? Lead the way.”

They headed for the kitchen and I followed. We got our plates of food and sat down at an isolated table. George looked up at me.

“Long time no see.”

“It hasn’t been that long.”

“From what I heard, it probably seems like it.”

I laughed.

“You don’t know the half of it. Come to think of it, maybe you do. What are you doing here, as if I can’t guess.”

“We had been informed about your under cover venture. Sam was pissed by the way. A couple of days ago, we got a frantic call from one Josh Randall. It seems Karen had a mole on his force and you had been turned in. Since he had not heard from you, he imagined the worst. About the same time, the marshal service got a formal request from Fledora to help thwart the threat against them from a splinter group of Broadskye’s military. So, here I am.”

“Yeah, I see. I assume we now have all the back up we need.”

“Sure do. Of course, we did not know whether you and Matt were still on the case, if you get my drift. Seeing you is a very pleasant surprise.”

“I’m glad we were still here to greet you. We hadn’t used our transceivers for fear of detection. Plus, we were under the impression that Randall only wanted to hear from us when we needed to be picked up.”

“All I know is he was beside himself.”

I turned to Matt.

“Fill him in on everything. I’m going to inform Linda as to what is up.”

I walked out and went to Linda’s office. After being invited in, I sat down with a heavy sigh.

“OK, what’s up?”

“We either have a big problem or a lot of help.”

She frowned.

“Explain”

“A newcomer walked into the saloon a little bit ago who just happens to be a marshal. It looks like the marshal service has taken a very active interest in that laser thingy.”

“And, I guess Karen as well?”

“I got the feeling the threat was their main concern. Since Matt might be going with Karen in a few days, I have a suggestion. Make the new guy, who is George Brett, an assistant bouncer. It will give him reason to be staying here and a job when Matt leaves.”

“I am real conflicted about all this but I agree with your idea. Let’s go inform him of his new status.”

We walked back to the kitchen.

“George, this is Linda. She runs this place.”

He stood up with a lecherous grin on his face.

“Pleased to meet you. I’m George Brett.”

Linda smiled.

“Down boy. I am also now your new boss. Rusty here has convinced me to give you the job as assistant bouncer.”

“Rusty?”

I jumped in.

“Hey, I couldn’t use my real name so I decided on Rusty Allen.”

“Rusty has told me of your purpose here. I will help where I can. Come on, I’ll show you your room.”

They left and Matt stood up.

“Well, I guess this was good news. We certainly need all the help we can get.”

“Yeah, this also will make it easier to get off this moon when things get sticky. I never trusted that Randall fellow to get us out of here. I better get back to work.”

“OK, see you later.”

I went back up to our room. When I opened the door, I found the map and schematics Mr. Cooper had promised slid under my door. I spent the rest of the day memorizing everything. When Matt came in, she started in as well. I continued my memorization the next day. I figured it would be best to not have these papers on me. Matt and George were busy bouncing and she came in late. Since we still had a couple of days until Karen’s transport arrived, we made the most of the night. I woke up late the next morning to find Matt all ready gone. I dressed and headed down to breakfast. I found no one about so I went into the kitchen and ate. As I was finishing, Linda walked in. She looked very strained.

“She’s gone!”

“Who?”

“Karen swept in this morning and took Matt back with here.”

“Matt’s gone?”

GALACTIC MARSHAL
by Hilltopper

CHAPTER 12

“Now, don’t panic. Karen said that a special event was about to happen and she needs more security right away. She said you could come to the base on the regular transport in two days. As a matter of fact, she wants me to come with you.”

“Uh oh! That means things are happening faster than we thought.

God, Mary-----I mean Matt is not ready. What did Matt say? If Karen finds out who she is, it will be very bad. I was hoping to be with her to help out.”

“Don’t worry, Matt will be fine. He is a big girl----I mean boy. This is very confusing. Anyway, we will be there in two days.”

“Yeah, I guess. Have you seen George today?”

“No, he must still be in is room.”

“OK, I’m going up to talk to him. We have a lot of planning to do.”

I went upstairs. This was not supposed to happen. Matt could be in serious trouble. I walked up to George’s door and knocked. He opened it and waved me in.

“Hey George, we have a big problem.”

“What now?”

“Karen has taken Matt to the base and indicated to Linda that something big is about to happen.”

“I guess we know what that means. I didn’t think she was this close to being ready.”

“Neither did I. It may mean something else but we can’t bank on it. Linda and I are to go in two days. We have to be ready.”

“I agree. We also need to figure some way for me to tag along. It is not going to be easy to knock out that laser.”

“Yeah”

Suddenly, I felt something buzzing at my waist. It was, of course, my transceiver which I had never used.

“This must be Matt.”

I took out the unit and thumbed the transmit button.

“Go ahead.”

“Oh, Rusty, I am so sorry. What are we to do?”

“Where are you?”

“I’m in our apartment which is just a large room with a bath. Karen will be back to get me in a couple of hours.”

“OK, just hang on. I’m going to talk to Mr. Cooper. I’ll call you back in one hour. We better close down.”

“Alright”

I turned to George.

“I had almost forgotten about that thing. I guess yours is intradermal.”

“Yep! They’ve heard everything we have talked about. It’s your mission, by the way. You’re lead marshal.”

I laughed.

“No shit! Well, I’m going to Cooper’s room. Be back in a few.”

I went to Mr. Cooper’s door and knocked. I guess he recognized my knock because he just yelled for me to come in.

“Hey James, things have started. Matt’s already at the base and the rest of us follow in two days. Matt just called me on the transceiver.”

He looked worried.

“That was probably not a good idea. It might have been detected.”

“Hmmm, well, I am to call him back in a little bit. What should I pass on?”

“Until you can get there, he will just have to follow Karen’s bidding. Tell him to get rid of that transceiver and make your call as brief as possible. Have you looked at the map and schematics?”

“Yes, I pretty much have them memorized.”

“Good, come back this evening and we will go over what you need to do to sabotage the laser.”

“OK, see you then.”

I walked back to George’s room.

“Cooper has a plan to take down that laser. He will show us this evening.”

“Great! Well, I’m going to eat. See you then.”

I went back to my room and called Matt.

“Everything OK?”

“So far.”

“I really miss you. I can’t believe that this has happened. Mr. Cooper says to just do what Karen wants until we get there. He also said to destroy that transceiver as soon as we sign off. I’ll see you in two days.”

“I hope so. I love you, Jonnie.”

“I love you too. Be careful.”

With that, I shut down the unit. I just hope it had not been intercepted.

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As soon as Rusty signed off, I threw the transceiver into the disposal. I had mixed feelings about that. I now was truly on my own with a person that hated me. I did not like to admit it but I was scared to death. I washed up and waited for Karen to arrive. About 30 minutes later, she knocked.

“Are you ready for me to show you around, Matt?”

“Sure thing, Miss Littleton.”

“Please, it’s Karen. Come on.”

We got into a hovercraft. The base wasn’t that big but we were apparently going clear across to the other side.

“The building we are going to houses our project ship. We plan to launch in 3 days and I have decided that we need additional security. That is where you come in. I like the way you handle yourself. You will stay by my side during the next days. In other words, you are now my bodyguard. I have put my former guards around the ship. We don’t want anything to happen at this late date. Alright?”

“I will give you my best.”

We walked through the building with her telling me what everything was and introducing me to the staff. Then we entered the hanger bay. The ship standing there was like nothing I had seen before. It looked like it was all engine and laser. This was a ship of war. A small compartment on one side held the crew which was mainly technicians. The ship obviously needed no pilot. Karen looked over the ship and smiled.

“This is my crowning achievement. It is going to change things for good.”

She did not elaborate but I knew what she was talking about. That evening, she took me back to my room.

“I think this is going to work out fine, Matt. I’ll pick you up in the morning.”

“OK, I’ll be ready.”

I walked into my room, closed the door, and collapsed. This had been the hardest day of my life. I thought that any minute Karen would suss me. The only consolation is that I now have access to that hanger. I ate and went to bed. I dropped into a fitful sleep.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After supper, George and I went to see Mr. Cooper again. I brought the map and schematics with me. He seemed to be all business tonight.

“Have you memorized those.”

“Yes but I will continue going over them tomorrow.”

“Good, good. I’m going to show you how to enter the ship and fix the laser so it blows up when it is fired in space. It has to be that way. Anything else will just delay it.”

I nodded my head in agreement.

“I can see that. Plus, no collateral damage that way.”

Cooper smiled.

“My thoughts exactly.”

We spent the next two hours going over his instructions. They shouldn’t be too hard to accomplish if we can get to the ship in the first place.

“It will be a very tight fit getting to that valve. Just take your time and don’t touch anything else. I can’t help you with getting access to the ship. I am sure security is better now around it. Your best bet would be if Matt can get you there.”

“OK, thanks for everything. By the way, when our marshal team swoops in, do you want off this moon?”

“I don’t know. I have no place to go.”

“I’ve been thinking about that. Fledora needs a defense against threats like this. How about building a system for them?”

“I like the idea but they might not want me.”

I laughed.

“Yeah, it will be a unique situation for them but it is something they need.”

“OK, when the team comes in, get me out of here.”

“Will do.”

I ate supper and went to bed. The next morning, I went to see Linda.

“Hey, Linda, things are progressing. Mr. Cooper gave us a plan to destroy that laser in space. We need to some how stow George away on that transport tomorrow. It will be better to have us both there at the base.”

“Yes, maybe I can get him on board as my assistant. When we get to the base, take him with you. If you are with Matt, perhaps no one will question it.”

“Sounds iffy but I can’t think of anything better. OK, we will try it.”

“How’s Matt doing?”

“Scared to death but holding up I think.”

She looked pensive.

“I have a bad feeling about this. I think Karen’s planning to leave this moon soon.”

“Yeah, I agree. Things are going to get sticky.”

We went to the kitchen and ate breakfast. Afterwards, I went back to my room. There really wasn’t anything else to do until tomorrow morning when the transport arrives. I packed our things and spent the rest of the day going over the maps and Mr. Coopers plans. Around supper time, George came to my room.

“The marshal team is ready to go in as soon as I call them. They will also pick up Mr. Cooper and myself if I can’t get on that transport.”

“Linda seems to think she can get you on it. We will have to play things by ear when we get to the base.”

“Yeah but if things go sour, the team is going to come in fast.”

“Well, let’s get some sleep and hope for the best.”

George left and I dropped into bed. I should eat but I was just not hungry. My thoughts went out to Mary and what she is going through. I just hope she can hold on until I get there. Sleep came slowly but I finally dropped off.

I woke up with a sense of dread. I couldn’t put my finger on it. After dressing, I gathered our things and headed to breakfast. When I reached the bottom of the stairs, Linda came over to me.

“The transport is here. It will leave in about an hour. George is already in the kitchen. Go eat and then come to my office.”

“OK, is everything alright?”

“I don’t see any problems.”

“Good, see you in a few.”

I went into the kitchen and grabbed a plate of food. Spotting George at a back table, I joined him.

“Big day, huh?”

“I just hope it’s not too big. Is Linda going to be able to get you on the transport?”

“Yeah, they seemed to have no problem with me going with her.”

I nodded and dove into my food. Not having eaten last night, I was famished. After we finished, we went to Linda’s office. She stood up.

“Are you both ready?”

I laughed.

“Sure, let’s go.”

She led the way out her back door. The transport was a rather large hovercraft. We walked up to a soldier standing in front of the entry way. Linda pointed to George.

“This is my assistant and Rusty here is Matt Browning’s spouse.”

The soldier did a double take at me and then smirked. He stepped aside and we entered the craft. The trip to the base was long and noisy. We did not say much since we were surrounded by the military. After about 4 hours, we arrived at a fence gate. We were let through and continued on for another couple of kilometers when we saw some buildings come into view. The transport pulled up to a portico and everyone was ordered off. As I walked out the door, I spotted Matt off to the side. She waved me over. Linda and George walked with me.

“God, I am glad to see you!”

I grinned.

“Not half as much as I am to see you.”

Linda shook her head.

“OK, we need to separate. Matt, can you take George with you and Rusty without raising any suspicions?”

“Sure, no one will ask questions.”

“Great, I’m going to find Karen.”

Matt led the way through a series of doors. We came to a hallway and she stopped in front of a door marked #10.

“This is our apartment, Rusty.”

She unlocked the door and we went in. Since George was present, Matt and I had to control ourselves but I had to have a hug.

“I was really worried.”

Matt could not hold back the tears. George tried not to watch us. I did not know what he was thinking.

“It’s OK, we made it.”

She sighed.

“Good to see you, George. As much as I want to stay, I must get back to Karen. I am her new body guard.”

That caught me completely by surprise.

“You have got to be kidding.”

She just shrugged.

“Just stay here. I should be back in a few hours.”

She left and I plopped down in a chair.

“I guess we wait.”

When Matt came back, she looked tense.

“Well, it happens tomorrow.”

“What happens?”

“They are going to launch the laser ship for a test. If it is successful, the ship will head on to Fledora. Karen is going to fly her ship there later in the day.”

“Shit! I guess we only have tonight then.”

Matt turned to George.

“There has been no mention of you so I guess you have been forgotten. That is some good news at least.”

“Matt, can you get us to that ship tonight?”

“That won’t be a problem. Anyone walking with me will not be questioned. The hard part will be entering the ship.”

I spoke up.

“Cooper told us how to get into the ship. There is a maintenance hatch we can use. We only need a few seconds with no one watching.”

“Hmm, I think I can distract the guards that long. The best time will be after midnight. How long will it take to do your thing to the laser?”

I laughed.

“You won’t believe it. I only have to turn a valve. It will cause the unit to quickly over heat when it is fired. The hard part will be snaking my way to it. Hopefully, it will only take a few minutes.”

“OK, there is a cafeteria in the building beside the hanger. Let’s go there and eat. It’s open all the time.”

“Sounds good.”

We followed her out of the building. There were several small vehicles parked next to it.

“These are used by the staff to get around. Hop in.”

She drove to the cafeteria building and we went in to eat. There were only a few people there and no one paid us any mind. Matt looked worried.

“Rusty, you know that when that thing blows, it won’t take them long to realize we were here tonight.”

“Don’t worry, as soon as the laser ship is destroyed, a whole company of marshals and support officers are going to land here.”

“Yeah, but I will be with Karen and, I guess, so will Linda.”

“That is a problem. You have to try to get away from her when it happens. Maybe she will be mad and distracted.”

Matt looked dubious.

“Well, there’s nothing else for it.”

She looked at her watch.

“OK, it’s now or never.”

We walked out of the cafeteria and up to the hanger. The guard at the door just nodded to Matt and we went in. I had to admit, that ship was something else. I spotted the hatch we needed to use. Luckily, it was in a blind spot for the guards. Matt walked over to the guards while George and I kind of shuffled to the side admiring the ship. I don’t know what Matt said to the guards, but they laughed and followed her over to what looked like a concession area. We scurried over to the hatch. It opened easily using Cooper’s instructions and we entered the ship. George stood guard at the door while I made my way to the valve. It was a very tight squeeze as Cooper indicated it would be. I ran into my first problem as I tried to negotiate a turn. I am not small and I became stuck. My arms were out in front of me so I could only push with my toes. After a lot of straining, I managed to push through. I reached the valve after a couple more minutes. The only problem was there were two valves. Great! I tried to visualize the schematics drawn by Cooper. It showed only one valve. Now what? The valve on the right seemed to be the one involved with the cooling system. I could not justify turning both valves. Who knows what the other one did so I went ahead and closed the right one. It took me just a couple of minutes to go back to the hatch. That turn was no problem going the other way. We exited and went around the ship like we had been looking it over. We joined up with Matt at that concession stand as the guards were going back to their posts. They just nodded to us and otherwise ignored our presence. Matt motioned us to follow her and we went back outside. We got into her vehicle and headed back to our apartment. Matt turned to me.

“Well?”

“I had a little trouble getting to the valve, plus there were two of them. I’m pretty sure that I turned the right one.”

We entered our apartment.

“We better try to get some sleep. George, when Karen comes for me in the morning, you need to hide.”

“Gotcha”

George took the couch and Matt and I lay down in the bed. With George here, we could not do what we wanted to do. I did not sleep much. Before I knew it, there was a knock on the door. Matt raised up.

“Shit, she’s early.”

George sprung up and went into the bathroom. Matt pulled on a robe and opened the door.

“Sorry to be here so early but we need to get started. Did your spouse settle in OK?”

“Yes, give me about 10 minutes and I will join you.”

Karen looked over to the bed slyly.

“I’ll wait outside.”

Matt quickly dressed and hugged me.

“You both better stay here. I don’t know when the launch is scheduled to take place. You will just have to sit back and wait.”

“OK, George is in touch with the marshal team. They will give us the go when that ship goes up.”

Matt held my hands.

“See you in a little bit, I hope.”

She walked out the door and joined Karen. George and I sat at the table after dressing.

“Where should we go when this starts?”

I thought a second.

“Well, I’m sure Karen, Matt and Linda will be over at that hanger. I guess we will just have to wait until a marshal vehicle can take us over there. I sure feel helpless.”

“Yeah”

About 2 hours later, George suddenly perked up.

“It’s a go.”

CHAPTER 13

I went with Karen out to the hovercraft. Linda was already inside. We got in and she headed the craft toward the hanger.

“Guys, this is a big day.”

Linda showed little emotion. I imagine she is still conflicted. We entered the hanger and stopped to look at the ship. The roof of the hanger had opened up. It looked like the ship was about to launch. Karen led us to a side room. Inside was a bank of monitors. We sat down and Karen nodded at a military man. He pushed a button and a countdown sprang up on one of the monitors. It read 60 seconds. When it reached zero, I heard a loud whine. The noise dropped off quickly and we went back into the main hanger. The ship was already almost out of sight. Karen turned to the military commander.

“How long until the test firing?”

“It should be in position in a few minutes. We are targeting a rock formation on the other side of the moon.”

About 15 minutes later, a bright light lit up the morning sky.

“Wow, I didn’t think the laser would be that visible.”

The commander looked very pale.

“Since we are firing on the far side of the moon, it would not be visible at all.”

“OK, then what did we just see?”

“I don’t know.”

We went back into the control room. One of the technicians spoke up.

“Sir, we have lost contact with the ship.”

“Damn! Keep trying to contact them.”

I could tell tensions were running high. To me, that flash of light had to mean that Jonnie was successful with the sabotage. The technician spoke up again.

“Sir, we have picked up an emergency beacon. It has to be coming from the crew module. The beacon would only activate if the module had been separated from the ship.”

“Shit”

Karen turned to the military commander.

“OK, you want to tell me what that means?”

He sighed heavily.

“The module should only be ejected if the ship was destroyed. We can’t be sure, of course, but it looks like a catastrophic failure.”

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When George got the signal, we jumped up and headed outside. As we went through the outer door, we could see the first marshal ship coming toward our position. It landed about 20 feet away. George had been talking to the team leader and they knew we were standing by. The leader jumped out of the craft and came over to us.

“Well, Marshal Harper, you did a good job. As soon as they activated that laser, the whole ship went up. The crew module was jettisoned and landed safely. We have a ship picking them up as we speak.

“What about the military personnel stationed here?”

“It’s my understanding that they have all been ordered to surrender by Broadskye officials. This project may have been unofficially sponsored by the Broadskye military but, now that it is toast, they want to wash their hands of it.”

I laughed.

“A pretty typical response. In other words, CYA.”

“Yeah, we have a ship landing next to the main hanger now. That team should be rounding up the technical people working there in a few minutes.”

“Can you take me there? Marshal Browning is under cover with Karen Littleton and we need to pull him out.”

“Sure”

He turned to some of his team.

“Unload that hovercraft. We need to go over to the hanger.”

The craft was unloaded swiftly and we piled in. The ride over only took about 5 minutes. When we arrived, the technicians had all been rounded up. My main concern was ‘where are Matt, Linda, and Karen’.

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Someone came running into the control room.

“Sir, several ships are landing around the base.”

Just as the commander was about to address the new arrival, the radio operator chimed in.

“Sir, we have just been ordered by headquarters on Broadskye to surrender to the Galactic Marshal Service. They are landing now.”

The commander turned to Karen.

“That’s it then.”

“The hell it is. Matt, escort Linda to my ship behind the hanger. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

I led Linda out of the control room and we went through the rear door of the main hanger. I looked over at Linda.

“Well, what do we do now?”

“I don’t know. I think Karen is bugging out. You better get while you can.”

“I’m not leaving you. Who knows what Karen will do now.”

Just then a couple of support officers came around the side of the hanger. Spotting us, they ran over and started to grab Linda. Once again, I reacted by instinct. Unfortunately, Karen witnessed the whole thing. As I was getting up off the second officer, I was suddenly struck from behind. I fell forward and, as I hit the ground, I was kicked in the ribs.

“I had a feeling about you but I couldn’t put my finger on it, Mary Brown. When I saw you take out those two guys, it hit me. Only a Fledoran uses the moves you made on them.”

As I tried to stand, Karen hit me in the face. Linda interceded at that point.

“Don’t, Karen, we need her to get out of here. She is our only protection.”

“We don’t need this lying bitch.”

“You don’t understand. She is Marshal Harper’s girlfriend. He won’t allow any harm to come to her. Let’s take her to your ship and take off.”

Karen looked at Linda hard.

“OK, but you have a lot of explaining to do. I can tell you are holding something back.”

I was barely conscious but I felt some one trying to stand me up right.

“Come on, Mary, help me. If I can’t get you to the ship, Karen is going to kill you.”

I struggled to my feet and Linda half carried me to the ship. Once inside, she put me into one of the pods.

“Don’t worry, every thing is going to be OK.”

As I passed out, my thoughts were on Jonnie.

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I jumped out of the hovercraft and went into the hanger. After searching each room and finding no one, I went into the main hanger bay. Nobody was here but I noticed that the back door was open. Going out it, I saw a ship taking off. Two officers were getting up off the ground so I turned to them.

“Did you see who got on that ship?”

One of them looked over at the departing ship.

“Yeah, two women and a man. The man looked like he was hurt. Before you ask, it wasn’t us. He pounded us into the ground before we knew it. I think that big woman laid in to him for some reason.”

Shit, Karen must have figured out who Matt really is. This is bad!

“OK, thanks.”

I went back around to the front of the hanger and found the team leader talking to George. As I approached, George looked at me.

“I guess you saw that ship leave?”

“Yeah, from what I heard, Karen, Linda and Matt are on it.”

“I have been in touch with our main ship orbiting Broadskye. They say there is no way they can stop the ship but they will track it.”

“Damn! I guess that’s all we can do for now. Let’s wrap this place up.”

We gathered up all the technicians and transported them to our main ship. We let Broadskye’s military handle their people. Once on the ship, I video conferenced with Sam at headquarters.

“Good job, John. That was brilliantly executed. We have informed Fledora and they are grateful.”

“I bet they are. Have you traced that ship that got away?”

“Yes, it went to Fledora.”

“OK, I still have the Fledoran shuttle here at Broadskye. I am going to take it back there.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“Look, we still have a warrant for Karen.”

“Yes, but it is a Fledoran warrant and she is now on their soil.”

“I’m going, Sam.”

“I can’t stop you unless we arrest you. Just be careful.”

“I will stay in contact.”

I signed off and went looking for a shuttle that could take me to the spaceport. When I found one, I put in to be transported later in the day. Since my stomach was growling ferociously, I went to the galley. George and James Cooper were there.

“Hey, John, I can’t believe we did it.”

I laughed.

“You’re telling me.”

I looked over at James.

“I see you made it out.”

“Yes, thanks to you. Your people want to interview me so I am going with them. I still would like to take you up on the offer to help Fledora.”

“Sure, I’ll talk to their council when I get there.”

This perked George up.

“What do you mean ‘when you get there’? You surely aren’t going back there again.”

“George, Karen has taken Linda and Matt there. So, yes, I am going. You want to come with me?”

He made an awful face.

“Not on your life!”

I laughed.

“I don’t blame you but I have to go.”

He shook his head. We ate and said our good byes. I headed back to the shuttle. In no time, I was at the space port. I arranged transport to the Fledoran ship and got aboard. I powered up and contacted the council.

“Good evening, Marshal Harper. Please accept our eternal gratitude for destroying that laser ship.”

“Yes, well, I guess you know Karen has flown to Fledora with Linda and Mary.”

“We tracked a ship to Basteria but we did not know who was aboard.”

“Hmmm, OK, I’m coming on your ship. After all, it seems I am actually a Fledoran citizen.”

Carol stared at me a minute. She showed no emotion. Finally, she sighed.

“So, you have figured it out. I guess we have a lot to discuss then. Get in a pod and we will program your return.”

She signed off without another word. That was probably a good thing the way I was feeling. I climbed into a pod after undressing. I just hope Mary and Linda are OK. Well, it’s back to where it all started. So be it.

GALACTIC MARSHAL
by Hilltopper

CHAPTER 14

I awoke to see the pod door already open. As I sat up and looked down, I had to shake my head. Yep, I was female again

or at least had the appearance of one. I climbed out of the pod and tried to regain my senses. This hibernation thing was getting old. The computer voice brought me back.

“Welcome home, Marshal Harper. Please put on the uniform you will find in locker 5. When you are dressed, contact Council Chairwoman Carol Givens.”

“You bet I will.”

I went into the locker room and took the uniform out of locker 5. This was not something I was looking forward to. Their idea of the proper uniform to wear before the council left a lot to be desired. This one was a pale yellow and barely covered anything. The boots were like walking on your toes. In the mood I was in, I thought about refusing to wear the outfit but they would probably just not see me until I did and I had too much to say to them to risk that. So, I put on the uniform and went into the control room.

“Computer, please contact Carol Givens for me.”

“She is on the line waiting.”

Her face suddenly appeared on the screen in front of me.

“Welcome back to Fledora, Marshal Harper. A vehicle is waiting for you at the base of the ship to take you to Mary Brown’s home. Get a good night sleep and you will be picked up at 9 tomorrow morning.”

“I’d like to see you now.”

“We have much to discuss but it will have to wait until tomorrow.”

With that, she signed off. Damn! That woman was a force to reckon with. There was no point in arguing so I exited the ship and went over to the hovercraft waiting for me. A very tall and beautiful woman got out and opened the passenger door.

“Get in Miss Harper. I will take you home.”

Home? Was Mary’s house home? Should it be my home? Well, home was where Mary is. That thought, of course, brought both tears and anger. I was sure Mary was alive but I also knew that I had to find her fast. I turned to the young woman.

“Thank you”

I got into the vehicle and was swiftly driven to Mary’s house. Since Mary was not there, I wondered why I was being taken here. It was fine with me but seemed odd. Arriving at the house, I thanked the driver and walked up to the front door. It opened and a voice said ‘welcome home, Miss Harper’. Hmm, I’m beginning to feel set up. I went into the house and crossed over to the same room I had stayed in before. All of the clothes and other items were still where I had left them. I remember telling Mary to just get rid of them since I would never need them again. Boy was I wrong. I removed my uniform and carefully hung it up. Even though I hated the thing, it was imperative that I make a good impression tomorrow. I might get thrown out after I started telling them what I thought but I at least wanted to get them in a favorable mood at the start.

I went naked into the kitchen and made myself a sandwich. I didn’t know what the meat was but I was too hungry to care. After eating, I wandered back into my room. What I needed was a long hot bath to soak out all the kinks in this old body of mine. Looking in the mirror, I barely recognized it. This female transformation was really messing with my head. I almost fell asleep in the tub. One would think that you would be refreshed after being in hibernation but I was beat. I stumbled to the bed and was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

“Good morning, Miss Harper, time to get up.”

I groaned and turned over.

“It’s 7:30, Miss Harper.”

“OK, OK, I’m up.”

Damn computers! I thought about taking a shower but I was afraid I would melt and flow down the drain. I staggered into the kitchen and drank a large coke looking beverage. It certainly didn’t taste like a coke but it did wake me up fast. I got dressed and tried to make myself as presentable as possible. Peering in the mirror, it was hard to believe it was me. I actually looked pretty darn good. I walked into the living room and was about to sit down when there was a knock at the door. The computer announced ‘your ride is here’.

“What kind of a way to talk is that for a computer.”

All I got was silence. I guess I hurt her feelings. I opened the door and was greeted by the same woman as last night.

“Good morning, Miss Harper. I am to take you to the council chambers.”

“Lead the way.”

We drove to the council building and she stopped right in front of it. She escorted me into the building and we walked straight back to the council chambers. The same very tall woman as last time opened the chamber doors and I entered. The woman stepped in behind me and announced my presence.

“Madam Council Chairwoman, I give you Galactic Marshal Jonnie Michelle Harper.”

“Please come forward, Marshal Harper. We want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your actions in defeating Broadskye’s plot against us. We are deeply in your debt.”

“Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. I was just doing my duty.”

“Oh, I think it was more than that. You definitely went above and beyond. We are very concerned for Mary Brown. She sacrificed much to help your plan succeed.”

“Yes and I am here to find her and return her safely.”

Carol looked at me hard.

“I don’t think that is your only reason to be before this body again. Let’s go to my private chambers. I want you to be able to talk freely.”

Carol got up and I followed her to a side door. The other council women thanked me for my service along the way. Once inside the room, Carol’s demeanor dropped.

“I know you are very angry with me and the council. Now that you know your true origins, I guess you are very bitter as well.”

I sighed heavily.

“Did you know who I was when you brought me here to arrest Sandra Sterling?”

“Not at first. The Marshal Service asked for permission to send a marshal. We were, of course, very reluctant. I honestly did not know you were a marshal. When I saw your name among the histories sent to us, I was just curious. After examining your profile and comparing it to what we had, it became clear that you were the boy child we had sent away 35 years ago. I know we were just following our rules, but it had bothered me all these years. What was done to Karen and your mother was also not right. That is, of course, why Karen is so against us. Hate is a powerful thing.”

I could not keep my anger in check.

“Do you have any idea what you did to me? In my childhood, I was constantly conflicted. I felt like I was a girl but was supposed to be a boy. My dad loved me but wanted me to grow up to be a man. He gave me hormones for Gods sake. Now, I find out I have a sister that I never knew about. Couldn’t you have at least kept in contact with me?”

Carol looked pained.

“Your dad didn’t want that. After what we did, he wanted nothing to do with us.”

“I can see why. Your adherence to inflexible rules has ruined several lives and almost your entire planet. Don’t you think it’s time for a change?”

“Yes, but it won’t be fast or easy. We acknowledge that you are a Fledoran citizen. That is a start.”

I growled.

“But look at me. It matters not whether I want to be a woman, you forced the change just so no one would be upset because a ‘man’ was on your planet. Now, you’re intransigence has put Mary in harms way. In case you haven’t figured it out, Mary and I are in love and I will do what ever it takes to get her back safe and sound.”

She smiled.

“That is why you are billeted at her home. We know that you two are partners. Look, we know we must change but right now the most important thing is to finish the matter of Karen and save Mary.”

“I agree. I have thought a lot about this and I can only see one viable way for me to go to Basteria to look for Mary. I must go back under cover as Gina Coleman. I don’t like it especially now that I know Karen is my sister.”

I blushed deeply.

“Uh, Karen has a thing for Gina.”

Carol grinned.

“Oh my, that is awkward. OK, we will put together the same team that was with Mary when you went in before. Since Mary is indisposed, I will make you temporary chief of detectives here. That will give you the authority to do what you need to do.”

“That sounds good. We can use the same command post.”

“I will arrange for you to be taken to medical and get a new transceiver implanted. Rest tonight and we will get things going in the morning.”

“Alright, but remember, we will discuss my situation at length when this is over.”

“Agreed”

I turned and walked out of the chambers. I was still angry but this was not the time to pursue it further. The same driver was waiting for me. She looked up as I exited.

“I am to take you to medical and then back home, correct?”

“As far as I know.”

So, off we went. The procedure at medical was the same as last time minus the lower region surgery which was not necessary this time. Once back at Mary’s, I ate a sandwich and lie down in my bed. I was very apprehensive about going back into Basteria but it was the only way. I just hope Mary and Linda are still OK. Karen was an enigma. She could be so caring one minute and kill you the next. I wondered what it would have been like if we had been raised together. I think she would have turned out very different but then so would I. The past is past, however. Hopefully, Fledora will learn from this and change. Sleep came quickly and morning just as quickly. I showered and ate breakfast. Now came the hard part; becoming Gina. I looked in the closet. The dress had to be soft and innocent looking. A long pink dress with little blue flowers caught my eye. It had a fitted jacket as well. This would put Karen in the proper mood. Yeah, proper! I didn’t want her getting ideas. I used very light make-up. OK, this will do!

The trip to headquarters was a little disconcerting. The driver was constantly taking glances at me. When we arrived, I went inside and met up with the team. The leader looked at me and smirked.

“Well, marshal, you are quite feminine today.”

I glared at her and ignored the comment.

“You have been informed as to what we are going to do. I will take the shuttle to Basteria like last time. Set up the command post and then wait for my signal. When you hear me say ‘flogget’, come running. OK, let’s do it.”

The team left for their hovercraft and I walked to the transportation center.

Man, here we go again!

GALACTIC MARSHAL
by Hilltopper

CHAPTER 15

The pod door swinging open caused me to open my eyes. Linda was smiling down at me.

“Feeling better, Mary?”

I sat up and noticed that my injuries from that beating Karen gave me seemed to have pretty much healed. The pod was a good medical unit.

“Yes, much. Where are we?”

Linda laughed.

“You are not going to believe it. We just landed outside Basteria.”

My eyes opened wide.

“Karen came back to Fledora?”

“Yep, I’m not sure what she is thinking.”

Karen walked in from the control room. She glared at me.

“Back to normal I see.”

She then turned to Linda.

“Now you get to tell me why you stopped me back there and who this Marshal Harper is.”

Linda flinched.

“I told you, he is Mary’s boyfriend.”

Karen shook her head.

“Nope, not buying it. Since you are not from Fledora, you don’t realize what you just said. No Fledoran has a boyfriend. Try again.”

I couldn’t hold myself back.

“You’re mother did.”

Karen took two steps toward me and slapped my face hard.

“I’m not talking to you, bitch!”

She turned back to Linda.

“I want the truth and it better be good!”

Linda looked at me, smiled weakly then sighed.

“OK, Marshal Harper was sent to Fledora to arrest me. Mary picked him up and helped with his, uh, transformation.”

“You mean the council actually went along with having a male marshal on this planet.”

“Well, he was made to look female and no one was told any different.”

Karen eyed Linda a minute and shook her head.

“There is more to it. You are holding something back.”

Linda hesitated and then continued.

“You remember telling me about your mother and that you had a brother that was taken away?”

“Yeah, so?”

“Marshal Harper is your brother.”

Karen looked shocked then angry.

“Are you saying that my brother came to this planet and no one told me!”

Linda looked pained.

“Yes”

“So, the man who was Matt’s so called spouse was Marshal Harper and my brother?”

“Yes”

Karen turned to me.

“You knew this?”

“Not at first. It was a shock to me too.”

Karen started pacing and muttering. Finally, she stopped.

“I can’t believe that after all these years the council is still up to its old tricks. I am going to take them down if it’s the last thing I do.”

She looked at me.

“How could you possibly fall for a man?”

“I didn’t. I fell for Jonnie Harper. She is a woman.”

Karen stared at me a minute and then shook her head.

“Linda, take this thing and lock it up. I don’t care where. I’m going to The Midnight End to think things over.”

She placed a restraint on me and walked out of the ship. Two burly women came in. Linda glanced at them.

“I guess we better do as she says.”

I nodded and we exited the ship with the two ‘guards’ right behind. Linda took me to a small house behind The Midnight End. It looked like an old guest house. We went in and she removed the restraints.

“I’m real sorry about this. Karen is acting really strange. She was always nice to me.”

“Don’t sweat it. She has a hatred for my mother and, by proxy, me. It is causing her to become irrational.”

“Yeah, I can see that. Do you think that Marshal Harper will come here?”

I smiled big.

“Yes, I do. Jonnie will come for us no matter what.”

Linda grinned.

“You really love him, don’t you?”

Mary shook her head slightly.

“I fell for Jonnie who is a woman, but I have found that I love the person no matter the gender.”

Linda looked at me slyly. I blushed a bright red.

“Oh boy, you both did it, didn’t you?”

I blushed even deeper.

“Yes”

She smiled.

“Good for you. Whether it’s John, Jonnie, Rusty, or Gina, she is a wonderful person and someone I call a great friend.”

Linda suddenly got a surprised look on her face.

“You don’t think Gina will come back here, do you?”

I thought a minute then nodded.

“It would be the prudent way for Jonnie to come here to find us. Yes, I think we will see Gina. Does Karen have any idea who Gina is?”

“No but it will be real bad if she finds out.”

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I left Mary and went over to The Midnight End. I was not sure who the real Karen was any more. I knocked on her office door and walked in. She looked up at me and smiled.

“Did you get our prisoner settled in?”

“Yes, I locked her in the old guest house.”

“Good! Do you think this Marshal Harper will try to spring her?”

“It’s a good bet.”

“Hmmpf! My brother! What a joke! The council is playing you for a fool but I have a plan.”

Karen did not elaborate so I went out into the bar. I had a bad feeling. Nothing much happened over the next couple of days. I stayed part of the time with Mary and mostly left Karen to her ‘planning’. I was sitting at the bar when a very familiar figure walked in the front door.

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I got off the Basteria shuttle and started to walk into the town. I thought about last time and decided that maybe walking was not a good idea. Spotting the local transportation, I headed that way.

“Team leader, I am taking a taxi to The Midnight End.”

She acknowledged and I walked up to the first taxi.

“Where can I take you, honey?”

God, they are the same every where.

“The Midnight End, please.”

She looked me over and shrugged.

“Sure, hop in.”

We were there in no time. I thanked the driver and walked to the front door. I stopped a few feet away. I really did not want to do this. I wasn’t even sure who would be here. I steeled myself and walked through the door. I was trying to adjust to the low light level when I was wrapped up by a banshee.

“Oh, Gina, your back!”

Linda whispered in my ear.

“Karen’s here. Be careful.”

I nodded and then talked out loud.

“Linda, I thought you had left.”

“I did but now I’m back. You looking for a job?”

I laughed.

“After my release from medical, this was the only place I could think of to go.”

“Well, I sure missed you.”

Karen must have heard the commotion because she stuck her head out of her office door. Spotting me, she got a huge smile on her face. She rushed over and hugged me tight.

“God Gina, where have you been?”

I faked a smile and tried to breathe.

“I got hurt in that mine cave in. They just let me go this morning.”

“Come on, let’s go into my office.”

I followed Karen and Linda into the office. Karen turned to me and her eyes narrowed slightly.

“I heard some terrible rumors about you.”

I looked surprised.

“What?”

“I was told that you were here undercover working for Detective Mary Brown.”

I tried to look puzzled.

“I don’t know where that came from. She was the detective that took me to medical at the capital when I was rescued from that mine. After I was better, she tried to get information out of me but I didn’t say a thing.”

Karen broke out into a smile again.

“I knew they weren’t true. It’s so good to have you back. Are you OK now?”

“Yes, all healed up.”

Karen looked over at Linda.

“I think you have something that needs doing, right?”

Linda glanced at me and then back to Karen.

“That’s right, I better get going. Gina, we will get together later.”

She hugged me and left the room. Karen looked me up and down then smile big.

“You look really good. That dress is perfect for you.”

“Thank you.”

“I have some things I need to take care of but I want us to have dinner together. Your room is still waiting for you. Go over and tell Mona to give you the key.”

She then bent down and kissed me. I tried to look pleased but it now felt like I was kissing my sister. I giggled (where did that come from?) and went out. I walked over to the boarding house. Mona was waiting for me and handed me my key.

“Welcome back, Gina. You were missed.”

“It’s good to be back.”

I went up to my room and tried to unlock the door. I dropped the key and bent over to pick it up.

“I think this is how it started last time.”

I looked between my legs and saw Linda standing in her door way. I stood up and grinned.

“I hope it doesn’t end the same way.”

“Put your stuff away and then let’s walk to our spot.”

“OK, be right with you.”

I just threw my things on the bed and we went out the rear door. We walked to the water fall with out saying anything. Once there, Linda sat on a rock.

“Karen is planning something but she has not brought me into her confidence. I don’t think she trusts me any more.”

I shook my head.

“Do you know where Mary is and is she OK?”

“She’s fine for now. She’s locked in the old guest house behind The Midnight End but she always has two guards.”

“I have a team standing by but I can’t risk them coming in yet. Karen wants to have dinner with me tonight.”

“I was afraid of that. She still has a thing for you, you know.”

“Yeah, I could tell. This is very awkward. Maybe I can get my team to cause a distraction before anything happens. Do you think you can get Mary out?”

“I think so.”

We sat and watched the water for a bit.

“I’m glad you brought me to this spot.”

Linda nodded.

“I’m glad I did too. I still think of you as my best friend though things are a little more complicated now.”

I laughed.

“No kidding.”

“What happens after this is over?”

“I wish I knew. I do know I want to be with Mary. If she stays on Fledora, I will too.”

Linda sighed.

“After all you both have been through, the council will likely have some big questions.”

“Yeah, I have some for them too.”

“I guess we better head back if you are going to make your dinner date.”

“I reckon so.”

We walked back to our rooms and parted. Once in my room, I informed the team of what I needed. After washing up, I looked in the mirror. Shaking my head, I heaved a big sigh. I sure hope this works!

GALACTIC MARSHAL
by
Hilltopper

THE FINAL CHAPTER

Chapter 16

I walked to the Midnight End and sat down at the bar. The bartender set a drink in front of me and smiled.

“Karen will be out in a few minutes. The drink is on the house.”

“Thank you.”

I sipped the drink and tried to look calm. In reality, my heart was beating a mile a minute. My plan called for me to get through the dinner before the distraction took place. This was not going to be easy. A few minutes later, Karen came out of her office.

“Gina, I am so glad you came. I have a table reserved for us.”

She took my arm and gently crossed it into hers. We walked across the street to the restaurant. The manager beamed at us as we entered.

“Ah, Ms Littleton, your table is ready. Please come with me.”

She led us to a private alcove. Candles were lit on the table. She seated me and addressed Karen.

“Your server will be with you in a few minutes.”

Karen smiled at me and took my hand in hers.

“I am so glad you are here. I feel something between us that I can’t put my finger on. When you disappeared, I was worried out of my mind. Then that rumor of you being a cop surfaced and I dropped into despair. Please forgive me.”

The waitress walked up before I could say anything. We ordered and then slipped into a tense silence. Finally, I spoke up.

“Look, Karen, I don’t know what I feel. I do know that I am grateful for all you did for me.”

“It was my pleasure. I know you have had a hard life and find it hard to trust anyone. I am not going to push you. Just know I am here for you.”

I blushed deeply. This was getting confusing.

“Thank you.”

I felt really bad for deceiving Karen. She can be so nice and caring some times. I had to keep telling myself that she was my sister. Our food was served and we actually had a delightful meal. Just as the waitress came up to the table for our dessert order, my team went into action. A huge explosion rocked the place.

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When I heard the explosion, I knew Jonnies plan had started. I rushed over to the guest house. As I expected, the guards had left their posts to see what had happened. I unlocked the door and went in.

“Come on, Mary, we have to get out of here.”

“What’s going on?”

“Jonnies team created a diversion for us. I think they blew up Karen’s ship.”

“Wow! That’s what I call a diversion.”

I led Mary through the door and we headed out of town.

“There is a clearing next to a spot I have taken Jonnie to. That’s where we will wait.”

We hurried on. Since it was dusk, the going was not easy. Fortunately, I had come this way so many times that I knew every tree and rock. We reached the clearing and sat down at the edge. I just hope Jonnie is able to get away from Karen.

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When the explosion went off, I knew my team had succeeded. Karen jumped up and we ran outside. A huge fireball could be seen in the distance.

“Gina, go on back to the boarding house. I have to see what is going on. Damn! It looks like my ship.”

Karen kissed me and hurried away. I walked back to my room. Under my door was a note from Linda.

‘I’m going to take Mary to our spot as soon as I free her.’

That was good thinking. I grabbed my stuff and headed out. I was not as familiar with the route as Linda plus it was getting dark. I finally made it and called out.

“Over here, Jonnie.”

I spotted them at the edge of the clearing and rushed over. Mary leaped into my arms.

“Oh, Jonnie, I didn’t think I would ever see you again.”

“Now, you know I would move heaven and earth to find you.”

I looked over to Linda.

“Thank you, I know this was hard for you seeing as how you also care about Karen. I must admit, I do too.”

Linda smiled.

“Yes, we both have a special bond with her.”

“I guess I better get us out of here. Team leader, flogget. We are in a clearing next to a water fall about 3 kilometers north of town. Now we wait.”

Suddenly, a voice came from behind us.

“Well, isn’t this just great, three traitors together. I figured something was up so I checked the house. Sure enough, Mary was gone. Then I saw Gina rushing out of the boarding house. I followed her and here we are.”

Karen turned to me.

“Just who the hell are you?”

I tried to look calm but tears appeared in my eyes.

“I’m Marshal Harper and your brother.”

That took her back some. I could see the hurt in her eyes.

“I can’t believe you fooled me. There is no way you are a man.”

I saw anger returning to her face.

“I loved you. How could you deceive me like that.”

“I did not know I was your brother when we first met. I have to admit, I liked you. When I found out who I really was, I was shocked and hurt as well. I had to be Gina again to save Mary. I love her.”

Karen turned toward Linda.

“You knew about this all along.”

Linda was crying.

“Yes, I am so sorry.”

Karen glared at Mary.

“This is all your fault. We would never have had to leave the planet if not for your intervention.”

Mary looked mad.

“I had to stop your plot against us. What did you think I would do?”

I could here hovercraft approaching. Karen looked up.

“So, it’s over. But it’s over for you too, Mary.”

I saw Karen raise a gun and point it at Mary. Before I could move, two shots rang out in succession. Karen looked surprised, fell backward, and disappeared from sight. She had fallen into that mine hole I had almost fallen into. I turned toward Mary. She had slumped down and blood was on her chest. Linda was screaming. I rushed over to Mary and held her. She smiled up at me and passed out. Linda kept saying over and over ‘I had to shoot her, I had to shoot her’. I realized what had happened. Just as Karen shot at Mary, Linda had shot Karen. What a mess! The hovercraft landed and I carried Mary over to it.

“Mary Brown’s been shot. We have to get her to medical fast.”

I put her into the craft and looked back to Linda.

“No, I’m staying here.”

I hugged her.

“I’m so sorry.”

She just nodded and turned away. I climbed aboard and we hurried back to the capital. When we arrived at medical, Mary was hustled inside. I walked over to a chair and sat down hard. My mind was whirling. I guess I must have zoned out because the next thing I knew, someone was tapping me on the shoulder. I looked up into the face of Carol Givens.

“I talked with the doctor before she went into surgery. She seems to think that Mary will recover fine. She can tell us more after the surgery. How are you?”

I glared angrily at her.

“Oh, I don’t know; hurt, angry, worried, confused. Take your pick.”

Carol pulled me to my feet.

“Come on, I know a private place where we can talk.”

She led me to an office. We entered and sat down.

“I want you to know that you did an excellent job.”

I looked blankly at her.

“I did what I had to do to save Mary, nothing more. How’s Karen?”

“We did not find her.”

“I think she fell into a mine shaft after Linda shot her.”

“We had several of your team go into it. They found no sign of her but it is a deep shaft.”

I nodded and stated bitterly.

“I guess you are glad she is out of your hair.”

“She has been mad at us for years and was trying to overthrow our government. She had to be stopped. That is why you were brought here.”

“No, it wasn’t. I was originally sent here to arrest Sandra Sterling. I came back this time to find Mary. I had and have no intention to bother Karen. You made her the way she is. She could have been a caring and wonderful person. Because of what you and Mary’s mother did she has become a twisted and hateful person. We could have had a great life together but because of your stupid rules, we both have had a traumatic life. I mean, she is my sister and now I will never get to know her or be a part of her life.”

Carol looked very pained.

“Jonnie, what we did was wrong but you must understand, this was 35 years ago. The relationship that your mother had with your father could not be condoned back then. When you were born, it was obvious that you were male. With the controversy of your mothers’ indiscretions with a man still swirling, there was no way you could be allowed to stay on Fledora. Yes, you were intersexed but we did not have the medical pods we have now. Fixing you was not considered an option.”

“So, I was thrown off the planet and Karen and my mother were banished to Basteria.”

“Yes, I am sorry for that. It was wrong. I know we must move forward and integrate males into our society but it will take time. I want you to stay on as chief of detectives while Mary recovers.”

My anger came forth.

“You mean, you want Jonnie to be chief of detectives; not John!”

Carol stood up suddenly.

“I’m trying to make amends here. I can not change our laws. That will take a referendum and we will work towards that. But for now, I must obey our current laws. You either stay female or you leave. That is the only choice I can give you. I’m sorry.”

Just then, we were interrupted by a knock on the door. Carol opened it to find Mary’s surgeon standing there. She was smiling.

“Mary came through the surgery fine. I expect her to make a full recovery.”

Carol and I both let out a big sigh of relief.

“By the way, Ms. Harper, congratulations on your marriage.”

“Marriage?!!”

{Author's note: In case you missed it from a previous chapter, on Fledora, partners are only considered married when they are with child.
I want to thank everyone that read my story and a special thanks to those that left comments. Since this is my first
work of fiction, they helped spur me on. Stay tune in the future for Book Two. It will take up the story 8 months after
the end of Book One.}

GALACTIC MARSHAL II
by
Hilltopper

CHAPTER 1

So, here I am in the hospital again with Mary. This time, though, I am awaiting word on the birth of our child. Boy, I never believed I would say that. It has been a crazy eight months since I received word of Mary’s pregnancy. I thought back to that fateful day.

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“What do you mean married, we aren’t even engaged.”

The doctor looked stunned and then recognition registered on her face.

“Oh, that’s right, you’re not from here are you?”

I glared at Carol.

“Not hardly.”

Carol grimaced and turned to the doctor.

“She is not completely familiar with our customs. I’ll fill her in.”

The doctor looked relieved and left.

“OK, Carol, what am I missing?”

“What the good doctor was trying to tell you is that Mary is pregnant.”

“Shit!”

“Most definitely shit.”

She got an angry look.

“Since I know that Mary has not undergone an ova fusion, this can only mean one thing. Care to explain?”

“Uh, I think I need to go see Mary.”

“I think we will both go and see Mary.”

We walked to Mary’s room and went in. She was awake but appeared groggy.

“Hi, the doctor says you will heal fine.”

She smiled and held out her hand. I took it and bent down to kiss her.

“The doctor said something else.”

After a nice kiss, she smiled big.

“Yes, I sort of knew it but wasn’t sure. How do you feel about it?”

I laughed.

“Uh, shocked but pleased. I don’t think Carol here is though.”

Mary noticed Carol for the first time.

“Oh, hi Carol.”

Carol smiled in spite of herself. She walked over and took Mary’s other hand.

“I am so glad you are all right. You gave us quite a worry. We will sort out the other thing when you are better.”

She patted Mary’s hand, looked at me, shook her head then left the room. Mary laughed.

“I think that is the first time I have seen her almost speechless.”

“Yeah, it is quite a shock.”

“Well, she is the one that sent me off planet. Therefore, she is the one that will have to answer for the consequences.”

“We only did what comes naturally.”

Mary smiled weakly.

“Naturally where you come from but certainly not here. I am sure she will manage to hush things up. How long can you stay on Fledora?”

I looked hurt then grinned.

“You don’t think I’m going to leave you now, do you?”

“What about your job?”

“Don’t worry, I’m temporarily taking your position and have also been assigned as marshal for this planet.”

“OK, but have you looked at your self lately?”

I grimaced.

“I know, I know! The council won’t let me stay unless I am female. I am not going to say it is easy, but I will do what ever it takes to be with you. After all, we’re parents.”

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Yeah, that sure changed my life. Mary went home a few days later and I assumed the job of acting chief of detectives. I guess it was about two weeks later when I went on that trip to Basteria.

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“Mary, I have got to go to Basteria. Do you want to come with me?”

Mary was pensive for a minute.

“No, I’m still recovering. Besides, you need to sort things out with Linda.”

“Yes, it has been hard on her I am sure.”

I hugged and kissed Mary.

“I’ll let you know if I’m going to be held over.”

I went to the office, informed everyone where I was headed, and then walked down to the garage. My driver, Bree, was waiting for me.

“Well, let’s go to Basteria. Maybe we can get back here before dark.”

“Sure, boss.”

I wish she wouldn’t call me that. Oh, well. I had heard that Linda was running the Midnight End. Karen’s body had never shown up so I was not sure what Linda’s thinking was at this stage. It was a long drive to Basteria but it gave me time to think. That was either good or bad. We arrived at the Midnight End just after noon. I walked in and let my eyes adjust. The bartender noticed me and forced a smile.

“I would say welcome back, Gina, but I guess that’s not who you really are, is it?”

I was not going to give an inch here. I looked hard back to her.

“It’s Chief of Detectives Jonnie Harper to you. Is Linda around?”

I saw the shocked look on her face. She just pointed to the office that I was very familiar with. I knocked on the door.

“Come in!”

I walked in and Linda looked up at me.

“I wondered when you would show up. How’s Mary?”

“She’s doing fine. I’m taking her place for a while.

I tapped the badge on my belt. She nodded and stared a minute.

“You’ve not dealing with it either, are you?”

Tears came to my eyes and then erupted into a sob.

“No”

She stood up and took my hand.

“Come on, we need to go back there.”

She led me through her rear door and we walked out of town. We didn’t say anything. I think we both were trying hard not to break down. When we reached the clearing, I spotted the mine shaft. It was obvious that a lot of activity had taken place. Linda saw where I was looking.

“We never found anything, you know. I don’t really know what to think.”

I just nodded and we continued on to the falls. We sat down on our favorite rocks.

“I figured you would be back to your male marshal self by now.”

I laughed.

“Me too! There has been a complication.”

Linda raised an eyebrow.

“Go on.”

“OK, I might as well tell you. Mary is pregnant.”

“Whoa! Not by ova fusion I would guess.”

I turned very red.

“Uh, no.”

Linda laughed hard.

“So, by Fledoran law, you two are married.”

“Yep”

“Oh my, that is a complication. I guess you are stuck as female, huh?”

I sighed.

“They won’t let me stay otherwise.”

“Figures! So, it happens again.”

She noticed tears forming in my eyes.

“Oh, Jonnie, I feel so terrible. What have we done?”

“It wasn’t your fault what happened to Karen. She just snapped. You did what you had to do. I, too, wish things had been different. I never really got to know my sister and now, she’s gone.”

I couldn’t help it. I broke down completely. Linda followed suite. She recovered first.

“This sucks! Karen is missing, Mary is pregnant, and you are stuck as female.”

“Well, when you put it that way, it doesn’t sound so bad.”

Linda laughed.

“You idiot! What now?”

“I stick around doing Mary’s job until she has the baby. After that, it’s anyone’s guess.”

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Linda continued to be a good friend. The months flew by. The council was amazingly quiet about everything. They did establish a research facility on their moon and brought James Cooper in to oversee it. They even allowed him to come to the capital to discuss things. Of course, he was not allowed to mingle with the populace. Things were changing but very slowly. I didn’t want to make waves until the baby came. After that, I wanted them to follow through on the referendum to change their laws. I really think the people are ready for it. My musing was interrupted when Carol walked in.

“Hello, Jonnie. So, the time has come.”

“Yes, we should hear something anytime.”

Carol looked serious a minute and then shook her head.

“You really know how to shake things up.”

I smiled wickedly.

“Yep, been doing it since I was born.”

She saddened.

“We have done a number on you. I am sorry. Hopefully, when this is over, the council will see the light.”

I nodded.

“Mary did nothing wrong. She and I only did the natural thing. If you allow your people to do the same, this planet will be better for it.”

“Maybe, but it will take special males such as yourself to make it work. Our superior bodies will undoubtedly intimidate most men.”

“Yeah, I guess you are right.”

Further conversation was stopped as the doctor came into the room. She looked very pale. Spotting Carol and I, she walked over to us and sat down in a chair beside us. I thought the worst.

“Is Mary and the baby OK?”

She nodded and then sat back.

“I’m sorry, it was just such a shock.”

Carol and I looked at each other. This doctor was making no sense. Carol found her voice first.

“If they’re OK, what is the problem?”

The doctor looked hard at Carol and then sagged down.

“It’s a boy!”

Galactic Marshal II
by
Hilltopper

CHAPTER 2

I had a big grin on my face but, now, Carol looked just as shocked as the doctor. She shook her head.

“That can’t be!”

I glared at her.

“And why not?”

“Boys are not born here!”

“I was!”

Carol nodded and then shouted.

“I can’t believe it’s happening again.”

She turned to me.

“I promise that what happened to you will not happen to your child. After all, you are a Fledoran citizen.”

I just stared at her a minute and then stood up.

“Doctor, can I see them?”

“Sure, follow me.”

We went to the delivery room and I went over to Mary.

“Hi”

“Hi yourself.”

I hugged her and put a kiss on her lips. She pointed to the baby.

“Meet our son.”

“That has a nice ring to it. Of course, the council will be furious but Carol seems to be on our side.”

Mary reddened with anger.

“They better not try what was done to you. We are both Fledoran citizens and the law is on our side.”

“Well, we’ll worry about that later. How are you doing?”

“I’m fine. I should be able to go home tomorrow.”

I turned to the baby and held his hand.

“Great! What about a name?”

She laughed.

“Uh, boy names are not really our thing.”

“I guess not.”

“You name him.”

“OK, how about Raylan Eugene?”

“Sounds good but you need to explain.”

“Well, Raylan was a famous marshal relative in Kentucky and Eugene was my grandfather’s name.”

Mary smiled.

“Then that’s his name.”

I thought a minute and realized I wasn’t sure about last names on Fledora.

“That’s great but Raylan Eugene what?”

She looked puzzled a second and then realized why I was confused.

“It is customary to use the last name of the birth mother unless the child was lab grown. In that case, either can be used. I think that, since this is the first boy born to Fledoran parents, we should use your last name.”

I beamed with pleasure.

“Raylan Eugene Harper!”

Mary grinned.

“I thought you would like that.”

Carol knocked and walked in.

“How are you holding up, Mary? I guess this was a shock.”

“No, not at all. Some of us are not closed minded.”

I guess that hit home because Carol grimaced.

“Just so you know, I’m on your side. It will be a hard sell to the council as a whole, however.”

“All I am thinking about now is little Raylan and Jonnie.”

Carol nodded.

“That is as it should be. I’ll let you rest and will be in touch when the council wants a meeting.”

With that, Carol left. I smiled at Mary.

“Don’t worry, things will work out.”

Mary and Raylan went home the next morning. We had our hands full since neither of us knew a thing about babies. Fortunately, a nanny was assigned to us. About two weeks later, we got a call from Carol.

“Hello, Carol, what’s up?”

“The council has been discussing your situation and they want a meeting with you and Jonnie in the morning.”

“I was expecting it. OK, what time?”

“Be here at 10 AM.”

“Alright, see you then.”

I was not happy.

“Are you sure you are ready for this? We could try and delay it?”

Mary shook her head.

“No, let’s get this over with. “

The next morning, we left Raylan with the nanny and drove to the council building. We walked into the council chambers and were announced. Carol greeted us but the other members were rather stoic.

“I’m glad you both could come to us today. We certainly have an unusual problem. The good news is that, since you both are Fledoran citizens, so is the baby. The bad news is that, by Fledoran law, no male can live on this planet. Of course, at the same time, no citizen can be forced to leave the planet. Thus, we have us a situation.”

One of the other members spoke up.

“This would never have happened if Mary had not gone off planet.”

Carol looked annoyed.

“We have already gone over that. What was done, is done.”

“Yes, yes, but I can only see one solution. The baby must be raised as a girl.”

I wasn’t going to let that stand.

“Oh no you don’t, little Raylan is a boy and no one is going to do to him what has been done to me.”

Another member joined in.

“That has no bearing on this. The law is clear; no male can live here.”

“I live here! Just because you changed my appearance doesn’t automatically make me female.”

Carol interceded as things were getting heated.

“Look, right now our laws forbid a male to live here. However, we have a referendum coming up within 6 months that may change that. Gender means little during the first 6 months of a baby’s life. I suggest that we table this until we see what happens to the referendum.”

All parties reluctantly agreed. Mary and I left the chambers and headed to the hovercraft.

“Jonnie, you were great in there.”

I smiled and took Mary’s hand.

“I just want our child to have a life of his choosing; not the council’s or ours. I never got that chance and I will do anything to see that Raylan does.”

After a couple more weeks, Mary decided that she was ready to go back to work. I gladly relinquished my position. Since there really was not anything for a marshal to do on Fledora, I called Sam to report that my mission here was completed.

“Well, John, we sure need your help. We have a fugitive that has eluded three attempts to catch him. I’d like you to meet up with George Brett here at HQ and try another attempt.”

“OK, I should be able to leave tomorrow. Uh, certain things have to be done to allow me to leave.”

Sam laughed.

“I don’t want to know, just report to my office when you get here.”

“Sure thing.”

I rang off and went over to Mary.

“Do you think I could get a lift tomorrow? I need that pod thingy.”

Mary grinned.

“Tired of being a woman?”

“Let’s not go there. I just must be myself for my marshal duties.”

Mary looked pensive for a minute.

“We may have a little problem there.”

I didn’t like the sound of that.

“What kind of problem?”

“Well, you are now officially a Fledoran citizen. You can only undergo what I did when they sent me to Broadskye.”

That was unexpected.

“You mean, looking like a man but still physically a woman?”

Mary nodded sadly.

“I’m afraid so.”

“That’s just great!”

Mary held me.

“When we get that law changed, every thing will be OK. Please just try to endure for now.”

I smirked.

“I better stay away from George then. This could get embarrassing.”

I left the next morning and the pod did its thing. When I got off the ship at HQ, I looked like my old self but there was a hidden difference that I would just as soon no body knew about. I went to Sam’s office. Sam came right to the point.

“You and George are going to have to go under cover to catch this guy. Hopefully, it won’t take long. You will be out of touch until then. He’s thought to be in your home turf; the Daniel Boone National Forest.”

“You do know that I have a kid now?”

“So I’ve heard. Look, I’m sorry to do this to you. I will keep Mary informed the best I can.”

“Yeah, OK, let’s get on with it.”

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I went back to my position as chief of detectives. I had missed it greatly. At the same time, I wanted to be with little Raylan. I guess career women everywhere have this came conflict. I was lucky in that our nanny was great with Raylan and he seemed to take to her. I, also, was missing Jonnie. Sam had called and told me that she could not contact me. Apparently, she was deep under cover. I hoped that the gender problem was not going to cause Jonnie anguish. Hopefully, we can get things sorted soon. Living as half man and half woman was bound to be conflicting. At the same time, Jonnie was conflicted when it came to gender. What a mess the old council had caused.

I was sitting at my desk when I was told that my nanny was on the vid and was hysterical.

“What’s the matter, Lynne?”

“Oh, Miss Mary, he’s gone!”

“What are you talking about?”

“It’s Raylan. He’s missing!”

Galactic Marshal II
by
Hilltopper

CHAPTER 3

The guy we were after had gone into a national forest in Kentucky; my old stomping ground. There was no way a 100 marshals could ferret him out if he did not want to come. The only way to find him was for us to go into the forest as if on a camping trip.

We headed toward a little used primitive campground I knew about. It sounded like just the place this guy would hide in. It took us two days to hike to it. George kicked back against a log after our camp was set up.

“John, this is my idea of work.”

I laughed.

“I have to agree. There’s a lake over that way a peace. You want to try fishing?”

George looked horrified and then grinned.

“No thanks, you go ahead. I’ll tend the camp.”

I just shook my head. Grabbing my fishing tackle, I headed toward the lake. It was only about an hours walk. I figured that fish frying was a good way to lure our fugitive out into the open. He was probably living on a limited diet. After a couple of hours fishing, I thought that I saw someone watching from the trees. It could be our man. I had already caught a good string so I went back to camp. George hadn’t moved.

“Still tending the camp, I see.”

“Yep, alls well.”

I threw him the fish.

“Make yourself useful. I’ll get a fire started.”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

I glared at him.

“That’s not funny.”

“OK, OK, I’ll start cleaning them.”

I didn’t tell him about seeing someone. The guy could be listening, trying to figure us out. I don’t know what the smell of the frying fish was doing to the stranger, but it sure was making me hungry. We had just started eating it when a man walked into our camp carrying a rifle. I didn’t have to look too hard to know that he was our fugitive. He sniffed the air.

“That fish really smells good. You got extra?”

I smiled up at him.

“Sure, have a seat. You back packing?”

“No, just getting away from things for a while.”

“Don’t blame you.”

He sat down and started eating as well. He didn’t put down his rifle, though. We knew he was a tough cookie so we played it cool.

“Are you two married?”

I jerked my head up.

“What?!”

“Sorry, you two make a good couple is all.”

I thought George was going to explode or pass out.

“When I was married, my wife would never go on camping trips like this.”

He turned to George.

“You are a lucky man.”

George couldn’t take it any longer. He lunged at the man. Seeing this, I grabbed for his rifle. I guess he was too stunned to fight. We subdued him quickly. Rather than being angry, he grinned big.

“I have to hand it to the marshal service, sending in a couple completely fooled me.”

George flared up again.

“We are not a couple. I am not gay.”

The guy looked blankly at George.

“We are both guys!”

“Nope”

“Oh for gods sake, John, drop your pants and show him.”

This conversation was going from bad to worse.

“Uh, I think I will pass on that.”

The guy just smirked. George stood up angrily and walked over to his back pack. He pulled out a sat phone and called in a hovercraft to pick us up. He never looked at me or said a word until we were on the shuttle going back to HQ. Our prisoner had been delivered to the local police. Looking warily at me, he shook his head.

“You’re still female, aren’t you?”

I nodded and shrugged.

“They wouldn’t change me back all the way because of my Fledoran citizenship.”

“Damn, this is messed up. I warned you when that assignment first came up. What are you going to do?”

“What can I do? My wife and son are back there.”

“Damn!”

We said nothing else to each other until we docked. Upon exiting the shuttle, George held out his hand.

“When you sort this thing out, give me a call but don’t expect me to visit you there.”

He was smiling so I guessed he had come to terms with it.

“I will. I think the situation will change in my favor before long. Thanks for being a friend.”

We shook hands. Just then, a messenger appeared.

“Marshal Harper, you need to report in ASAP.” I quickly went to Sam’s office. The door was open so I walked in.

“John, go to dock 12. Fledora has sent a ship for you. Apparently, your son is missing.”

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I rushed home with a squad. We searched the whole area but found nothing. Lynne said that she had only left Raylan in his crib for a few minutes. When she returned, he was gone. She neither saw nor heard anything. I was beside myself. We put out an all points but really had nothing to go on. It was like Raylan had vanished into thin air. I so wanted Jonnie here now but I could not contact her. I had told Sam what had happened and sent a ship to wait for Jonnie. Sam assured me that, as soon as Jonnie checked in, he would send her to us. I went back to my office to wait for some word. I tried to hold it together but could not. Later that afternoon, I received a message that Linda Sanders was on her way to see me. A few minutes later, she walked into the office.

“Sorry, Linda, but things are messed up right now.”

I broke down again and Linda rushed over to me.

“Oh, Linda, little Raylan is gone.”

Linda hugged me tight.

“I think maybe that is what has brought me here.”

I raised my head and looked into her eyes.

“What do you mean?”

“About an hour ago, this message was given to me. It was apparently left on the bar at The Midnight End. No one saw who left it.”

She handed me a glossy sheet of paper. I looked at it in horror.

‘If you want your kid back, come to Prowhiness post haste.’

It was signed ‘The Alliance’.

“What the hell is Prowhiness?”

“I heard Karen talk about it once. It’s a planet outside the Planetopolis that is known to be a black market trader.”

“OK, then who is the Alliance?”

“I can’t help you there.”

“This makes no sense! Why would they want me there?”

“I don’t know. Have you got any leads?”

I shook my head.

“Not a thing. No one saw anything and there is no evidence at all.”

Linda nodded and stood up.

“Then we go to Prowhiness.”

“What do you mean ‘we’?”

“You have no authority in that place and neither does the marshal service. They asked for you! What other choice do you have?”

“Yes, I agree that my only option is to follow their instructions but that still does not answer my question. What do you mean ‘we’?”

“I know a lot of people that may help us and, besides, there is no way I will let you go without me!”

We got permission from the council to take a Fledoran ship but only as far as Broadskye. After that, we were on our own. Linda said that she knew someone that might fly us to Prowhiness. She seemed to be a lot more worldly than I thought. I guess during her time with Karen that she had made a lot of contacts.

When we arrived at Broadskye, Linda contacted the person who she thought would pilot us to Prowhiness. She said that he was a smuggler but was not wanted by the marshal service as far as she knew. He met us in a public market. Even though he knew Linda, I don’t think he really trusted her or, maybe, it was just Karen he did not trust. After entering the market, Linda spotted our pilot.

“Hey, Jeff, it’s been a while.”

He looked on a minute and then behind us.

“Where’s Karen?”

“She’s not with us.”

“That crazy bitch almost killed me once. Why do you need a pilot?”

“My friend’s baby was kidnapped and a note said for us to go to Prowhiness. That’s all we know.”

“Hmm, that actually sounds like something Karen would do.”

“Karen’s dead.”

Jeff shook his head.

“That’s hard to believe. OK, I owe you one. Get your stuff. I only went there once and, to tell you the truth, that was enough. I’ll drop you there but I’m not staying.”

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When I arrived at the Fledoran spaceport, Carol had a hovercraft waiting for me. I was taken directly to Carol’s office in the council building. I really hated this damn mini dress they required. As I walked into her officer, she stood up.

“Oh, Jonnie, I’m so sorry. A note was left.”

She handed it to me.

“Mary and Linda Sanders have already left to go there. We did not know how long it would be before you surfaced.”

“You mean you let them go alone?”

“I couldn’t stop them. All I could do was fly them to Broadskye. The last we heard, a friend of Linda’s was flying them to that planet Prowhiness.”

“Shit! OK, I’m going after them.”

Carol shook her head.

“The council has decided to stand pat and wait to hear from Mary. Right now, this is a personal matter and we have done all we can do.”

“Fine!”

I stomped out and went to Mary’s office. I contacted Sam to see what he could do. I was not hopeful.

“Hi Sam, they have taken my son to a planet called Prowhiness. Mary has gone after him. I need to go there.”

“Prowhiness huh! That planet is way beyond our territory. There is nothing the marshal service can do except have a squad on alert. We can’t go there and neither can you.”

“That is not an option!”

“I’m sorry, John, but we can’t issue you a ship.”

“Yeah, I know but I had to ask anyway. I have to go. It’s my wife and son! I’ll figure out a way even as a private citizen. ”

Sam nodded.

“Good luck. Keep us informed.”

With that, he signed off. Great, now what? I sat down to think. Where could I get a ship here? I was at my whit’s end when a call came in. It was from James Cooper.

“Hi, Coop.”

“I heard what happened. I want to help. You changed my life.”

“Thanks, but I am out of ideas.”

“Come up here. I might have an answer.”

He didn’t have to tell me twice. I rushed over to the shuttle park and rode up to the moon base. After James greeted me, he walked me to the main hanger. Setting there was a magnificent ship!

“What do you think?”

“Wow, I didn’t know you were this far along.”

“Well, it’s kind of a secret. The ships not fully functional but it’s yours if you want it.”

“I didn’t think the council was going to approve of my request.”

“Uh, who said any thing about the council. I said the ship is yours as long as you take me with you.”

I stared at him a few seconds then grinned.

“OK, let’s do it!”

Galactic Marshal II
by
Hilltopper

CHAPTER 4

As we were approaching Prowhiness, Jeff turned to me.

“I guess I ought to give you a warning about a rumor I heard about this place.”

“OK, what kind of rumor?”

“Well, it sounds crazy but the rumor is that there is an alien presence here.”

I was stunned.

“You mean like an alien intelligence?”

“Yeah”

“That is crazy. Humans have been out in the galaxy for hundreds of years and we have found no evidence of any other civilization.”

“I know, but it’s what I hear.”

I just shook my head.

“Where are you going to land?”

“The other time I was here, I received a signal and was guided in. They seem to know who you are in advance. So, I guess we will wait in orbit and see what happens.”

Linda and I went back to the galley to wait.

“Mary, do you have any ideas as to what we should do when we land?”

“I suspect that we will be met. If not, we play it by ear. Some one wants me here. Why, I don’t know.”

“Do you think it could be Karen’s doing like Jeff suggested?”

“That seems unlikely. As far as we know, Karen is dead.”

“That’s just it, we don’t really know for sure because no body was found.”

I did not want to go there.

“Let’s not borrow trouble. I am sure we will find out soon enough.”

A couple of hours later, Jeff came back to us.

“I just got the signal. They are guiding us in.”

We went to the command center and strapped in. Jeff took us out of orbit and followed the guidance signal. I was surprised when I looked out the ship’s window to see----well, nothing! The area we seemed to be landing in was the most desolate piece of real estate I had ever seen. There was absolutely nothing there.

“Jeff, this doesn’t look right.”

He nodded.

“I don’t know what to say. This is where the beacon has guided us to. Stand by to land.”

After landing, Jeff announced that the air was fine but the temperature was close to the freezing point of water. Plus, there were no buildings, trees, or anything; just bare earth and rocks. I looked over at him.

“You aren’t going to leave us here, are you?”

“I’ll hang around for a bit. I will not stay long, however. This is not a safe place to be.”

We waited for an hour or more and still nothing. We had not been contacted and no one had shown up.

“Linda, the only thing I know to do is go outside and look around.”

“Look at what?”

“I know, I know, but I don’t know what else to do.”

Jeff stood up.

“Look, I’ll stay in orbit as long as I can. If you have trouble or just want to leave, contact me.”

“OK, thanks.”

Linda and I got our things and put on heavier clothing. We were not used to cold temperatures since Fledora has a very warm climate. We walked about 200 meters from the ship and sat down on some rocks. Within a few minutes, Jeff took off.

“Well, he meant what he said. I don’t guess I blame him. It’s not his problem.”

Linda nodded.

“What ever happened the other time he was here scared him to death. He would not tell me what it was. I don’t blame him for leaving either. I’m just glad he brought us. At least, I think I’m glad.”

I laughed.

“I know what you mean. I’m getting a little worried myself.”

We had sat here for almost an hour and I was really starting to get cold. Suddenly, we heard a loud bang. I turned around and was surprised to see a small shuttle craft setting about 60 meters behind us.

“Where did that come from?”

Linda looked concerned.

“It had to have been there already.”

“You mean, like, invisible or something.”

“Or something.”

We hesitantly walked toward the ship. When we were about 10 meters away, a hatch opened. No one came out.

“Do we go in or what?”

I knew we had no choice.

“We go in.”

Entering the shuttle, I was immediately sure of one thing. This was a very foreign looking ship. It was small; too small. Where was the engine? We found 2 seats but little else. Linda turned to me.

“Well, what now?”

“I guess we sit down and wait.”

We sat down in the seats and a launch harness automatically enveloped us. A few seconds later, the ship took off. We headed away from Prowhiness toward-----well, once again, nothing. Linda turned to me.

“I have a really bad feeling about this.”

“Yeah, a shuttle can’t go far. This planet doesn’t appear to have a moon and we are definitely heading away.”

A few minutes later, a ship appeared in front of us out of no where. What a ship is was!

“You were right about that bad feeling. That ship is as alien as can be.”

Linda shook her head.

“Alien is the key word. I think we have just entered our worst nightmare!”

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Coop took me on a tour of the ship. It was obviously designed for one purpose; laser defense. The engines were twice the size as would normally be used in this type ship. I don’t know much about lasers but this one looked mean.

“This is my pride and joy. I learned a lot working on Broadskye’s laser. The one on this ship has twice the power and half the size. Plus, the ship is very fast and nimble. There is not a ship in the galaxy that can touch it.”

If Coop’s head got any bigger, it would explode.

“It sure looks awesome to me. Has it been tested?”

“Yep, we have tested it extensively. The engines are another matter. We, of course, must launch to do that. It was supposed to happen next month.”

“Oh, great! I guess we have no choice. You said that the ship was not fully functional. What doesn’t work?”

“Oh, nothing real important. Communications are limited and the living quarters are not finished. The medical pod is to be installed in two weeks but hibernation is functional.”

“Wait a minute! How am I going to change back to my male self without the pod?”

Coop looked sheepish.

“Uh, you’re not.”

This was not good news. I just shook my head.

“That’s going to make things complicated.”

“Well, you’re not going as a marshal, so what does it matter? You’re still as strong if not stronger as a Fledoran female.”

“Yeah, but I was hoping to talk George Brett into going with us. This will definitely throw him off.”

Coop laughed.

“You’ll manage. You better go down and get your things together. We can launch tonight if you want.”

“The sooner, the better!’

I went back to Mary’s and packed some things. While there, I got a call from Carol.

“How are you doing, Jonnie? I heard that you went to the moon.”

“Yeah, James Cooper invited me up. He knew that I was devastated. He has been a good friend.”

“I know he has. He has also been a great asset to us. Just sit tight. As soon as we get some word from Mary, I’ll contact you.”

“OK, thank you.”

I signed off then. I hoped that she was not suspicious of my trip to the moon. She definitely will be when I go back tonight. I figured that I better wait a bit to leave. We will probably have to launch as soon as I arrive at the base. The council will have no way to stop us taking the ship once I’m up there. I half expected to be stopped but I had no trouble getting on a shuttle. Once I arrived at the base, I hurried over to Coop’s office.

“I’m glad you made it. I got an interesting call from Carol Givens. She as much as ordered me not to help you.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t. This will go hard on you and I haven’t really ruled them out concerning the kidnapping of my son. I would not put anything past them.”

Coop shook his head.

“We’ve already been through that. Come on, let’s board.”

There as a call waiting for me when I got on the ship. I, of course, ignored it. We powered up and launched without difficulty.

“Where to?”

“Head to Earth. I still want to get George on board with us.”

“OK, get in the chamber while I set things up.”

When we arrived in orbit, I contacted George.

“Hey George.”

“Who’s this?”

“It’s John Harper.”

“You got a cold or something?”

“Or something. Have you heard about my dilemma?”

“Yeah, that’s tough. Have you any leads?”

“Well, Mary and Linda Sanders took off following a note’s instructions. They apparently have gone to a planet called Prowhiness. Coop and I are going after them. I will not rest until I get my son back safe. We would like you to join us.”

“What’s Sam say about this?”

“He told me not to go. So, I’m going as a private citizen.”

“Sounds like my kind of adventure. Where are you?”

“We’re in orbit about Earth. We have a shuttle on board. We’ll pick you up at dock 12.”

“A shuttle? What kind of ship have you got?”

I laughed.

“You’ll see.”

We sent the shuttle after George. I had decided that it would be better if I met George after we left Earth. When he arrived at our ship, Coop met him.

“Hey George, are you ready?”

“Sure, where’s John?”

“He’s already in a hibernation chamber. We’re launching as soon as you are as well.”

“OK, lead the way. This sure is one whale of a ship.”

Since Mary had flown to Broadskye, we decided to start our search there. Once we arrived in orbit, I exited my pod. I made sure that George and Coop were already in the galley. I tried to wear the least feminine thing I had but, on Fledora, that was still not manly at all. I had on a knee length green dress with boots. Fledora just didn’t care for pants. When I walked into the galley, George’s jaw dropped to the floor.

“What the -----!”

“We don’t have a medical pod on the ship, so, I’m stuck like this.”

“Shit! You should have warned me!”

“Would you have come if I had?”

George sighed.

“I don’t know. This is awkward.”

I laughed.

“You should be on this side of things.”

“No thanks! OK, I told you I could deal with it but couldn’t you wear pants?”

“I don’t have any. Fledora doesn’t go in for them. Maybe I can get some when we go down to Broadskye.”

“That would help. Alright, about this ship.”

“It’s an experimental laser ship Coop was building on the moon of Fledora. It’s a honey!”

“I can see that. What does the Fledoran government think about you flying this.”

“I’m sure they will see the light eventually.”

“That’s what I thought, you stole it.”

“Let’s just say we borrowed it for this mission.”

George laughed.

“OK, I’m in. You said laser ship, am I right?”

“Yep, we’re loaded for bear.”

“I think I remember that Coop here was building one on Broadskye. Didn’t you need thulium for that?”

Coop nodded.

“Yes, Fledora suspended all exports of thulium so we could use it for our weapon.”

“I guess that hasn’t gone over well. Aren’t you the only source of any quantity?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

That was a surprise to me. I turned to Coop.

“Do you think that would have anything to do with the kidnapping of my son?”

Coop nodded again.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if it did.”

“Does the council know that?”

“I should think so.”

That brought my anger to the surface. I made a quick call to Carol.

“Jonnie, what do you think you are doing. Bring our ship back right now!”

“You didn’t tell me everything. For instance, does thulium ring a bell with you?”

Carol paused and then sighed heavily.

“You’re right. The council has received veiled threats concerning our stopping of exports. We hoped the kidnapping of your son was not related but I think now that was a false hope.”

She paused again in deep thought.

“OK, OK, you win. Yes, we have been discussing that fact. If that’s the way you want it, you are now commander of the Fledoran military.”

That caught me completely by surprise.

“What Fledoran military?”

“Who’s with you?”

“Coop and Marshal George Brett but he is here as a private citizen like me.”

“Then that’s the Fledoran military.”

“Oh, great! Thanks a lot! Alright, we will carry on, now with the authority of the council. Our next stop, Broadskye!”

Galactic Marshal
by
Hilltopper

CHAPTER 5

When the ship arrived in orbit around Broadskye, we met in the galley to ponder our next move.

“I have a contact with the police on Broadskye named Josh Randall. What say I contact him to see if he can help us?”

George was still a little shaky about my appearance.

“Uh, when you were with him last, weren’t you male?”

“Yeah, I was but he knew I had come from Fledora.”

“I know that too but seeing is different than knowing.”

I thought about that.

“OK, why don’t you contact him and explain things.”

So, George went to the command center to talk with Josh. I turned to Coop.

“Do you want to go down with us?”

“No, I better stay with the ship. There are still a lot of things that need adjusting. We have been lucky that everything has worked so far.”

“I guess you’re right.”

George came back a few minutes later.

“Josh is OK with everything. He’ll meet us at the spaceport.”

George gave me a smirk.

“He seemed rather amused by your situation.”

“Hmm, well, nothing for it.”

We went to the shuttle. I still had on my green dress. I sure wish I had some pants now. Arriving at the spaceport, we spotted Josh by his police car.

“So, uh, Jonnie, is it? You look nice. As a matter of fact, more than nice.”

I blushed a bright red. I did not like the way he was looking at me. George guffawed. I gave him a glare.

“Come on, I’ll take you to my office.”

We rode in silence. Entering his office, we all sat down.

“OK, I understand that your son has been kidnapped and you are trailing someone that has gone after him.”

“Not just anyone, my wife and a good friend from Fledora.”

“Right! What leads do you have?”

“A note was left telling Mary to go to a planet called Prowhiness. Linda, the woman traveling with her, knew a pilot here that, apparently, flew them there. All I know is that his name if Jeff and he is a known smuggler.”

“Let me do some checking.”

He left the office. George had been quiet.

“What’s on your mind?”

“I just wish you were your self. This is going to be tough enough as it is.”

This was getting old.

“I know my being female is going to cause a few problems, but there is nothing I can do about it.”

“Yeah”

A few minutes later, Josh walked back in with a big smile.

“I found him. He was interrogated a couple of days ago when he arrived back here. He did not admit anything.”

“I see. Can we have a crack at him?”

“Why not? I’ve got his address.”

We all left in Josh’s police car. Jeff lived in a pretty seedy part of town. I guess smuggling wasn’t paying too well. Josh knocked on his door and, when he opened it, showed him his badge.

“I’ve already talked to the police. I don’t know anything.”

Josh pushed his way in.

“We know you took two women to Prowhiness.”

He pointed to me.

“One of them, Mary, is her wife. Jonnie here is a marshal.”

Jeff looked at me in shock.

“Wife?”

“We’re from Fledora. Only women live there.”

“Right, I’ve heard about that place. OK, yeah, I took them there. We received a signal that guided us to a spot. I left them there and returned here. End of Story.”

My anger flashed. I grabbed him by the shirt.

“What do you mean ‘left them there’.”

“Shit, you’re strong. That’s all I know, honest. Mary went outside with Linda to wait. I launched into orbit. I told them that I would pick them up if they wanted. They never called so, after a few hours, I left. That is not a good place to hang around for long.”

I was not satisfied at all. I pushed him against the wall.

“So, you just left them there knowing they could be in trouble.”

“Hey, I told them it was a bad place and that I was only going to drop them and leave. They seemed fine with that.”

I could see that pushing that point wasn’t going to gain me anything.

“OK, can you take us to where you left them?”

“Not a chance. We were guided in by a beacon. I would never be able to find the spot besides, it’s not a good idea to go there uninvited. I’m never going back!”

“You said that it was a bad place. What did you mean?”

Jeff paled and clammed up. It was obvious that he was too scared to tell us more. We left and headed back to Josh’s office.

“Well, Josh, What do you make of him?”

“I think he told us all he knows or can tell us.”

“Yeah, I agree.”

Back at the office, I felt like we had hit a dead end.

“Josh, what do you know about that planet?”

“Not much. I know there is a thriving black market. There is also a very exclusive resort. From what I have heard, anything goes.”

“Do you have any idea why they would want Mary or my son there?”

“I have not a clue. I guess you are planning to go there, am I right?”

“We have no choice. That is where Mary and Linda went!”

“OK, I have an idea. Let me talk to someone I know. I’ll get back to you tomorrow.”

“I suppose we can wait. It’s not like we have a plan.”

“Good!”

George and I left Josh’s office.

“Where to now?”

“Well, George, how about I buy some pants.”

George brightened.

“Great idea!”

I bought several pairs of pants and some maleish shirts. With my female figure, there was no way that I would look male but it, at least, helped George cope. We took our shuttle back up to the ship. Coop met us.

“How did it go?”

I was not in a good mood and it showed.

“Lousy! All we know is that Mary and Linda did go to Prowhiness but nothing else.”

“OK, so, what do we do?”

“Josh Randall seems to have a plan. We will find out tomorrow. How’s the ship?”

“It’s fine. The engines are temperamental but I can keep them in line.”

I laughed.

“It sounds like teenagers.”

Coop laughed as well.

“Well, there are some similarities.”

We just lounged around the rest of the day and then went to bed. I slept very fitfully. Both Raylan and Mary were now missing. This was almost too much. Only my marshal training kept me going. The next morning, we were eating breakfast when Josh called.

“OK, John---er, Jonnie, it’s all set.”

I had no idea what he was talking about.

“What’s all set?”

“I was pretty sure that a business man I knew had gone to that resort on Prowhiness. He agreed with me that it was the only way you could go there with any chance of finding information. He gave me a contact and a reference. It was a cinch! You and George are booked in for tomorrow. Coop is listed as your pilot, so he will have to remain on the ship.”

“Wow, that is great news! Have you got the coordinates?”

“No need! When you get there, they will guide you in.”

“That sounds familiar. OK, we will get ready.”

“Uh, there is something you should be aware of.”

“What’s that?”

“Well, it’s an exclusive resort. So, George is booked in as a prominent business man named George Jones and you as his mistress.”

Shit! I looked over at George. He was pale as a ghost.

“What name am I listed as?”

Josh shook his head.

“No name; just ‘mistress’. You can sort that out when you get there.”

“OK, Josh, thanks---I think.”

He laughed.

“Good luck!”

I signed off and looked back at George. He had his head in his hands. Suddenly, he stood up and started pacing.

“John, I don’t think I can do it. This is too much to ask!”

I nodded.

“Your right, George. I don’t like it either. We will take you back to HQ and then Coop and I will go to Prowhiness. We will just have to take our chances.”

George stopped pacing and looked hard at me.

“You are my best friend and we have been through hell and back. No, take us to Prowhiness.”

He sighed.

“I’m going to my cabin and sulk.”

George left and I sagged back in my seat.

“This is crazy. George shouldn’t have to do this. It is really going to be hard on him.”

Coop shook his head.

“Actually, I think he will be fine. It’s you I’m worried about.”

That brought my head up!

“What do you mean?”

“Well, George likes girls, right?”

I laughed.

“Yeah, he is quite the womanizer.”

“And you are female.”

“At the moment.”

“So, he will be going to an exclusive resort with a beautiful woman. That is exactly what he would want. You, on the other hand, don’t have any attraction to men, am I right?”

I made a face.

“That is for sure.”

“When you get into your role, George will quickly start relating to you as a woman and like it. George will still be George and you will be the one with the problem.”

This stunned me but Coop was right. I was scared to death. I haven’t really let myself think about what was going to happen. I had never been with a man and had absolutely no desire to do so. Knowing George, things could get out of hand. Thankfully, I still had my strength. Hopefully, George would be able to hold his hormones in check.

“God, what a mess!”

I just sat brooding until Coop tapped me on the shoulder.

“I think we should hibernate overnight so we will arrive at Prowhiness in the morning.”

”That sounds good to me.”

So, we went into the chambers. The next thing I knew, Coop was opening my door.

“We’re almost there. I guess we better be prepared. I don’t know when we will receive the signal.”

“OK”

We went to the galley to eat. George was in a better mood now. I figured we would get called pretty soon after entering orbit. When I finished eating, I got up and turned to George.

“Are you sure you’re OK with this?”

He nodded.

“Yeah, hopefully we will make contact quickly.”

“My thoughts exactly. I’m going to get ready.”

“You look OK to me.”

I laughed.

“George, I am listed as your mistress. That means I need to look the part.”

“Oh”

I went to my cabin. Yeah, I needed to look the part; in other words, sexy. Of course, Fledoran dress certainly lends itself to that. I picked out a lavender mini-dress with matching heels. I really hated wearing high heels but I figured it would be expected. After dressing, I got out my makeup kit. I didn’t like makeup and rarely wore it. But, once again, it would be expected for a ‘mistress’. I sat down and went to work. It involved mascara, eye liner, foundation, eye shading, blush, and lipstick. I put them on heavier than normal. Finishing, I stoop up and looked in the mirror. I had to admit, if I was a single man looking for a beautiful woman to date, I would certainly go with me. I left my room and headed back to the galley. When I entered, George looked up. His eyes practically burst from their sockets.

“Holy shit!”

Galactic Marshal II
by
Hilltopper

CHAPTER 6

“George, put your eyes back in your head and your tongue back in your mouth.”

“Sorry, it’s just----------you’re a woman! Holy shit!”

I looked over at Coop. He shrugged his shoulders and gave me an ‘I told you so’ look.”

“We already know that.”

“I know but-----you’re really a woman!”

“Oh, for gods sake, get a grip! I have to look like this for our trip to Prowhiness. I can’t wear pants and look like a mistress.”

“Yeah, I just didn’t think it would be so real.”

I rolled my eyes.

“George, we are acting out a part so we can make contact with some one that can help us find Mary. That is all this is.”

Just then an alarm went off. Coop jumped up.

“That is probably our signal. Be right back.”

He hurried into the command center.

“George, you better spruce up some and grab your things. We will more than likely be leaving soon.”

George still looked dazed.

“Yeah, OK.”

He left as Coop came back.

“That was the signal. They want you to start down in the shuttle within the hour.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem. George has gone to get his grip.”

Coop looked at me hard.

“You be careful down there. The situation is going to be new to you.”

I laughed.

“I’ll have my protector.”

“That’s what I am worried about.”

George walked back in. I picked up my bag.

“Don’t worry, Coop, we will stay in touch.”

George and I went to the shuttle and buckled in.

“I can’t call you John down there. What name should I use?”

“You mean besides ‘mistress’.

George blushed deeply.

“Sorry, I know this is hard. I guess I’ll go with the name I used while undercover in Basteria, Gina Coleman.”

“That makes sense.”

Coop came on line.

“I’ve programmed the shuttle to follow their signal. Just sit back and relax.”

The shuttle left the ship with a rush and we were on our way down. It took about 20 minutes to arrive at the resort. The place was amazing. It was on the shore of a very blue lake. Everything was immaculate. After landing, we were met by a beautiful girl.

“Welcome, Mister Jones. Please follow me.”

George put his arm around me and we walked to the registration desk. I was completely ignored. Another gorgeous girl greeted George.

“Good morning, Mister Jones. Welcome to Prowhiness. What is your friend’s name?”

George pointed to me.

“This is Gina Coleman.”

She wrote down my name but did not acknowledge me. She handed George an envelope.

“This is your information packet. It should answer all your questions. Cindy will take you up to your suite. Enjoy your stay.”

We once again followed ‘Cindy’ as she led us to our accommodations. It was, to say the least, luxurious.

“If you need anything, just push the button by the vid.”

She smiled big and left without even looking at me.

“Wow, this is great!”

“Yeah, if you’re a man. They didn’t act as if I was a person.”

“Aw, don’t take it hard, I know you’re a man. Besides, what’s not to like here; a great room and beautiful women.”

I laughed.

“George, you have a one track mind. But you’re right. Everyone here is gorgeous.”

He looked at me slyly.

“Including you.”

I gave him a look.

“Just remember who I am and why we are here.”

“Don’t worry, but it doesn’t mean we can’t have fun while we’re waiting.”

I went to the bathroom. When I came out, George was looking at a sheet of paper.

“This must be our itinerary. Looks like it’s lunch on the veranda and then a beach party.”

“Lunch sounds good but I’m not sure about the beach.”

We found the veranda with no trouble. The food was fabulous. The only downside was the constant ogling I was receiving. I was not used to that and didn’t like it one bit. From George’s expressions, he didn’t like it much either. After eating, we went back up to our room. George was excited.

“Well, how about the beach party?”

“No thanks! I don’t have a bathing suit anyway.”

“Let’s try that button. Cindy said ‘anything’. Beside, it might look suspicious if we didn’t attend the party.”

I sighed.

“OK, see what you can do.”

“Great, uh, what size do you wear.”

“Just say a twelve.”

George pushed the button and, in a few seconds, Cindy popped up on the vid screen.

“How can I help?”

“We need a bathing suit for Gina, size 12.”

She smiled.

“Sure thing, it will be right up.”

She was just too happy for my taste. About 20 minutes later, there was a knock on the door. George retrieved a small box. I looked dubiously at it.

“Well, open it. We need to get going.”

I looked up at George and then back down to the box. It sure was small! Sighing, I opened it. My worst fears were realized. The thing in the box was tiny to the extreme and, to make matters worse, it was bright pink.

“George, there is no way I am wearing that thing!”

“You have got to. The only way we are going to find any information is to be with people.”

“OK, you wear it then.”

“Very funny. Just try it on.”

I shook my head but went into the bathroom. I stripped off and put the suit on. To say that I filled it out was an understatement. It covered what was needed but just barely.

“Well, are you coming out?”

I opened the door and walked out. George’s eyes widened considerably.

“Where did those curves come from?”

“Genetics”

“Wow!”

“Let’s go before I chicken out.”

We made our way to the beach. I don’t think I would have felt worse if I was naked which I practically was. I know it was common on Fledora but I never had gotten used to it. Here, it was embarrassing to the extreme. The party was in full swing. We found a spot close to the water and sat down.

“Want to go swimming?”

“Are you kidding, this thing couldn’t stand the strain.”

George laughed.

‘Maybe but it sure looks good. Want me to put some sun tan lotion on your back?”

I glared at him and pointed at the water.

“Go!”

He went into the water and walked out up to his chest. It wasn’t two minutes before I had a visitor.

“Hey, doll, need some lotion?”

“Thank you but no.”

This one didn’t take to no. He sat down beside me and laid a hand on my leg. My skin was starting to crawl. It took all my will power to smile.

“Sorry, I’m with someone.”

He looked around.

“Not that I see. If you were with me, I wouldn’t leave you alone.”

He bent down closer. I looked out toward the water. George was charging out toward us. The guy stood up to face him. Before the guy could utter a word, George hit him up side of the head. He dropped like a rock. I grinned.

“Thanks, that was getting very awkward. It is not a good way to meet people, however.”

“Yeah, well, he deserved it. After all, you’re my girl.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Let’s go back to the room. I’ve had enough beach time.”

After entering our room, I went into the bathroom and removed the bikini. I donned a fluffy white bath robe and threw the suit into the trash. When I came out, George was looking at that itinerary again.

“It says here that tonight is dinner and dancing.”

I plopped down on the couch.

“I think I would rather have a relaxing evening in bed.”

George’s eyes brightened.

“Alone!”

He sighed.

“It will be a great place to mingle. How else are we going to find anyone?”

“Yeah, I know. OK, but let’s keep our eyes on the mission. I’m going to lie down for a bit.”

I went into the bedroom and lay back on the bed. This had been a horrible day already. I shuddered to think about tonight. But it had to be done. We needed information as to what happened to Mary and I didn’t have any other way to get it. I guess I dozed off because, the next thing I knew, George was knocking on the door.

“Gina, it’s getting late.”

“OK, OK, I’m up.”

I opened the door and George almost fell into the room.

“Did it say how formal this dance was?”

“Nope, but I think you should wear something sexy.”

I shook my head. George was just being George. I had brought a pretty fancy black velvet dress that should do. I shooed George out and got dressed. I used evening makeup and let my hair flow back instead of my usual pony tail. Four inch heels completed the picture. I must admit, I looked darn good. I walked into the living room and George stood up.

“I just can’t get used to how good you look as a woman.”

“Blame it on Fledora. It wasn’t my idea.”

“Yeah, well, you sure are good at it.”

I let that go. We went down to dinner. Once again, the food was amazing. The waiter kept flirting and George was beginning to get up tight. Finally, the band struck up and people started out to the dance floor. I was not a dancer but George seemed to think it best that we do. We had both had a good bit of wine with our meal and were feeling the effects. It turned out that George was actually a very good dancer. I felt very awkward and tense. This was not a comfortable position for me. As the night wore on, the drinks kept flowing and George became very inebriated. His hands were beginning to have a mind of there own.

“Let’s sit down a bit. I’m getting tired and these darn shoes are killing me.”

George just laughed and kept on dancing. Finally, I had enough and pushed him away. I could see his anger flare and knew he had to be stopped now. He never could hold his liquor. When he came at me, I chopped down on his neck and he collapsed into my arms. I threw him over my shoulder and walked out of the room. The looks I was getting were strange. I guess it did look weird having a woman handle a large man this way. I took George up to our room and flopped him onto the couch. He looked like he was out for the night. I put a blanket over him and went to bed.

This whole day had been a bust. We found no one to talk to and George was a complete idiot. I was getting weary of dressing and acting like a sex kitten. The frustration of missing Mary and Raylan was taking its toll. Of course, I really didn’t know what I expected to find here. For all we knew, Mary might never have been here and no one knew anything. In that case, I didn’t know what to do next. I finally drifted off to sleep.

I awoke to a crash. I guess George was up. I washed up and put on shorts and a tank top. My hair was back to its pony tail. When I walked into the living room, George was sitting with his head in his hands. He looked up.

“God, I shouldn’t drink. This always happens.”

He suddenly looked pale.

“Uh, I didn’t do any thing, uh, that I shouldn’t, did I?”

“Not at all, you were a perfect gentleman.”

He looked relieved.

“Whew, you’re my best friend. I wouldn’t want to do any thing to change that.”

“Nope, we’re good. Now, how about breakfast?”

He paled again.

“I guess.”

We went down to the breakfast bar. I was starved and loaded up a plate. George appeared to be a little green. We sat down and started eating. After a bit, I noticed a woman across the room looking intently at me. She looked sort of familiar but I couldn’t place her. A few minutes later, I saw her motion to a waiter. She talked to him a couple of minutes pointing our way. Since our name tags were at our table, I guessed she was asking our names. The waiter walked by us and then went back to her table. He said something and she smiled then nodded. As we were finishing, she walked over to our table.

“Hi, Gina, I thought that was you. I remember you from The Midnight End on Fledora. You were a good friend of Karen’s. She still talks about you.”

That brought my head up for sure.

“What do you mean ‘still’?”

Galactic Marshal II
by
Hilltopper

CHAPTER 7

“Oh, I talk to Karen now and again. She has a room here and stays quite often. As a matter of fact, she is coming tomorrow. I’m sure she would love to see you.”

I was shocked beyond belief. She looked at me funny and then something clicked.

“That’s right, she has been away a long time. I bet you thought she had forgotten about you.”

I shook my head.

“Actually, I thought she was dead.”

The woman nodded.

“I think she almost was. I was in Basteria that night when every thing went crazy. Karen disappeared and we heard that she had been shot. A few days later, several of us got word that she was recovering and that a ship would pick us up. We have been working out of here since then”

“Wow, this is hard to take in.”

She laughed and eyed George.

“I can imagine. It seems like you are doing OK, though.”

I blushed and she laughed harder.

“I’ll leave you two alone and I’ll tell Karen you’re here.”

She hurried away and George looked at me.

“Well, that was interesting.”

“Interesting! That was freaking incredible! Karen is alive! I don’t know whether to be overjoyed or horrified. On the one hand, I may get to know my sister but, on the other, I have to wonder if she is behind or a part of the kidnapping. In other words, should I embrace her or punch her lights out!”

“Yeah, well, I guess we’ll find out tomorrow if she sees you. What do we do the rest of today?”

I shrugged.

“Play the part of businessman and mistress I suppose.”

We went back to our suite and George consulted the itinerary.

“Nothing doing during the day but there is a big party on the veranda tonight.”

“OK, what say we just walk around the resort and see if we run into anyone else from Basteria? It looks as if Karen has moved her operation here.”

I thought hard.

“I sure hope Linda isn’t a part of it, especially since she came with Mary.”

George nodded.

“This doesn’t make sense. I can see that Karen may want some revenge but it’s been almost a year. Besides, if she wanted Mary, why kidnap Raylan?”

“I don’t know. Maybe she wants both of us on her home turf. It still seems like a lot to go through for that. There must be something else involved.”

“What about that Thulium thing?”

“Mary and I have nothing to do with that. Karen should know that she couldn’t black mail the council using us.”

George looked thoughtful.

“Maybe she isn’t pulling the strings. Remember that note was signed by the Alliance, what ever that is.”

“Well, anyway, the meeting with her should prove that one way or the other.”

“Yeah, if she doesn’t shoot you on site.”

I laughed.

“There’s that.”

We spent the rest of the daylight hours walking around. I pretended to really be into George and he, well, he is either a very good actor or ---- I think I’ll leave it at that. We didn’t see anyone that looked familiar and no one spoke to us except to say hi. We arrived back at our room just before dusk. The party would be the best chance we have had to mingle. Everyone would likely be there. I dressed very sexy as a good mistress should.

“Wow, I still can’t ------.”

I quickly interrupted George.

“Don’t go there! We are pretending, OK?”

“If you say so.”

I shook my head. Coop was right, George is only looking at me as a woman. I needed to keep him sober tonight.

“Let’s go.”

We headed to the veranda. Not too many people had arrived yet. This was likely going to be a party that lasted well into the night. We found a quiet table and sat down.

“George, we need to keep our wits about us tonight so go easy on the booze.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll only drink just enough to be sociable.”

I frowned. That’s what he always says.

“Just remember why we are here.”

“Right, no worries.”

This looked to be a big mingle session. No dance area was present. I was thankful for that. I didn’t want a repeat of last night. Unfortunately, there was plenty of liquor and no glass was left empty for long. The place started filling up so we decided to cruise around to see if anyone wanted to talk. After a coupe of hours, we sat back down at our table.

“Well, that was a waste.”

“Yeah, no body paid any attention to us.”

George raised an eyebrow.

“I wouldn’t say that. You were getting lots of looks.”

I sighed.

“It’s something you get used to, I guess. I just hope we can get something going tomorrow.”

George stood up.

“Let’s walk down to the beach.”

“OK, that’s fine with me.”

I had failed to realize how much George had drunk. Therefore, it caught me off guard when he pulled me into a kiss. I sat down heavily on the sand.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“I am on a beach with a beautiful woman that is turning me on. Don’t tell me you don’t feel something too.”

“I most certainly do not!”

I stood and started back to the veranda. George jumped in front of me.

“No one can look as sexy as you and not feel anything!”

“George, it’s me. Snap out of it.”

He grabbed for me again and I dodged him. He fell to the sand. This was getting ridiculous. I figured that, if I went back to the crowd, it would give him time to cool off or pass out. I sat back down at the table. I saw a man staring a hole in me. He walked over and sat down.

“I saw you ditch your date. He wasn’t right for you.”

“And I guess you are.”

He smiled big.

“Only one way to find out.”

He took my arm and started pulling me up. I tried to pull away but, to my surprise, he had a grip like iron. Suddenly, some one swung him around. It was George.

“You leave my girl alone.”

George threw a punch that just grazed the man’s cheek. The return punch put George on the floor. He didn’t move. I took the opportunity and kicked the guy between his legs. He didn’t even flinch.

“Now we do it the hard way, whore!”

He slapped me hard about the face. Man he was strong. I tried to use every trick I could think of to get loose but he parried each one and put me in a bear hug.

“OK, rough it is!”

George was still down and things were looking bad. He half carried, half dragged me to the beach. I thought, ‘Why didn’t some of these people at the party stop him’. Upon reaching the edge of the water, he threw me down hard. It knocked the breathe out of me. All at once, he got a strange expression on his face and fell forward into the sand. I looked up to see a very familiar face walking toward us. It was Karen.

“Hi, Gina, fancy meeting you here.”

I was dumbstruck and still could hardly breathe. She put her hand on my cheek.

“I’ve missed you.”

She looked over at the man in disgust.

“They shouldn’t try to act human.”

I then heard someone running toward us. She looked back.

“It looks like your date is coming to the rescue. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

With that, she disappeared into the night. George arrived and tripped over the man, landing on top of me. After we untangled, George looked over at the guy.

“What happened to him?”

“You saved me, what else? Let’s get out of here.”

We hurried back to our room. George seemed to have sobered up. I sat down hard on the couch.

“God, what a night!”

George plopped down next to me.

“I’m so sorry. I have got to quit drinking.”

“Don’t take it too hard. I should have expected it. After all, we have been to a lot of parties together over the years.”

He laughed.

“Yeah, but not like this. By the way, I am sure I saw someone else with you as I was running up. Of course, I admit to being a little soused so I could be wrong.”

I shook my head.

“No, you’re not wrong. That guy was inhumanly strong. I don’t think I could have escaped him.”

I started to shudder. George wrapped his arms around me. I tensed and then relaxed. It did make me feel safe. This was the first time since I have been female that I felt so vulnerable.

“Thanks but let’s not make a habit of this.”

George laughed.

“Now, about this other person.”

“You are not going to believe it. Of course, I could be dreaming but I think it was Karen.”

“OK”

George looked dubious.

“I know but after what that girl said this morning, it makes sense. I was too out of it to think straight. She ran off when you appeared. She did say something real strange. She said, “They shouldn’t try to act human”. It sent shivers up my spine.”

I was starting to realize what almost happened to me. I was shaking again. George held me tighter and I began to sob.

“I’m sorry.”

George just held me until I was cried out.

“Come on, let’s get you to bed.”

He tucked me in bed.

“I’ll be on the couch if you need me.”

“Thank you, George. You are a real friend.”

He just smiled and left the room. I was exhausted and was soon asleep. When I awoke, I felt like a truck had run over me. It seemed like last night had been a bad dream if it were not for the bruises on my arms and face. Who the hell was that person that grabbed me. I am pretty strong but he was almost robot strong. And then there is Karen. She had saved me and seemed caring but I couldn’t help but think back to that night when Mary was shot. Karen had tried to kill her and would have if not for being shot herself my Linda. This left me with many mixed feelings. I staggered to the bathroom and ran a hot bath. I dropped into it and sighed heavily. About that time, George came in. Seeing me in the tub, his eyes were like saucers. He made an about face and hurried out saying “Jeese, warn a guy next time!”. This whole trip had been one big awkward moment. I sure hope our friendship survives it. After the water cooled off, I struggled out of the tub. I still ached all over. I put on a yellow sundress and heeled sandals. I went light on the makeup today despite my bruises. I figured our pretending was about over. As I entered the living room, George ran past me.

“You took long enough!”

When George came back, I looked up at him.

“Thank you for last night except for the drinking that is.”

He looked sheepish.

“You’re welcome. How are you feeling?”

“Sore”

“I mean”

He pointed at his head. I nodded.

“OK, I think. It seems like a dream now, well a nightmare. I now know how a woman feels in that situation; that is, very vulnerable. I never believed I would ever feel like that.”

George shook his head.

“Don’t! That thing was not human. I am sure of it. When he hit me, it felt like his fist was made of steel.”

“Do you think it was an android or something?”

“Got me. Maybe you’re friend Karen will tell us.”

“Maybe, let’s go to breakfast.”

I looked over at George expecting him to look peeked. He laughed.

“Don’t worry, last night sobered me up fast.”

We went down to the breakfast bar and ate like we hadn’t eaten in a week. About half way through, a waiter handed me a note. I decided to wait until we finished to look at it. I didn’t want bad news to spoil our eating. Upon finishing, I opened the note.

‘Please come to my room at 9. We have a lot to talk about.’

It was signed ‘Karen’.

George eyed me.

“Is that our invitation?”

I looked up at him.

“Mine anyway.”

“Look, I’m not going to let you go to her room alone.”

I shook my head.

“I have to.”

We went back to our suite and George once again pleaded with me.

“You don’t need to see her alone, especially after what happened last night!”

“Actually, it’s because of last night that I think it’s best I go alone. If she wanted me hurt, I would have been.”

George frowned.

“I still don’t like it.”

“Me either but it’s something I must do alone.”

George patted his radio.

“OK, but call me if you need help.”

“Don’t worry, I will.”

I went to the room indicated on the note. I hesitated a minute and then knocked on the door. The door started to open and I thought, ‘Well, this is it!’

Galactic Marshal II
by
Hilltopper

CHAPTER 8

Karen greeted me with a big smile.

“I’m so glad you came, Gina.”

I walked in a few steps and turned around. My anger was apparent.

“Where’s my son?”

Karen blinked and then looked shocked.

“You have a son? Whose the father?”

It was my turn to blink and look surprised. Karen continued.

“Did you have the child before I knew you or is this a recent development?”

This brought me up short. My anger quickly abated. I shook my head to clear it.

“I think I need to go out and come back in.”

Karen laughed.

“I know it has been a long tine. We need to sit down and catch up with things. I really have missed you.”

Karen sat down on the couch and I sat in an overstuffed chair facing her.

“Uh, you do know who I really am, right?”

“Sure, you are Gina Coleman, a beautiful woman that I desire.”

Oh, shit! Could she have forgotten? After all, she must have been through a rough time giving what happened to her. I decided to play it cool and let her talk.

“You looked shocked. Don’t worry, I never forgot you.”

“What do you remember about that last night?”

She shook her head.

“Not much. I remember things going kind of crazy. Some how, I got shot and fell into a mine shaft.”

She got pensive.

“I guess I passed out. The next thing I knew, I was on a space ship in some kind of medical pod. It turns out that they saved my life.”

“Who’s they?”

“It is a group that I was negotiating selling thulium to. They were inspecting the mine when I fell in. Enough about me, what’s this about a son and who is that knight in shining armor. Have you switched sides?”

“No, just helping out a friend. We are good friends, nothing more.”

“OK, who is he then?”

I decided to edge toward the truth and reality.

“His name is George Brett. He is a marshal.”

She laughed.

“No way! Why would a marshal come here. This place is way out of their jurisdiction.”

“He is helping out a friend as well. Do you know Marshal John Harper?”

She got a strange look on her face.

“Yeah, but why would you be helping them?”

Oh boy, here goes.

“George is here looking for Mary Brown.”

I could see something click in her head.

“Oh, that’s right, she saved you from that mine cave in. Look, I think she is the one who shot me. She has always had it in for me. Do you think you owe her or something?”

My head was starting to hurt. It was like I had entered an alternate reality. In this one, Karen never had a brother and I was really Gina Coleman. I steeled myself.

“Karen, I am Marshal John Harper.”

She looked blank for a second and then burst out laughing.

“That’s a good one. There is no way you were ever a man. You look and act too well as a woman.”

I sighed.

“When I was young, I was pretty much a girl. As I grew up, I decided to be the man my dad wanted me to be. I joined the marshal service and became very macho. I was given an assignment to catch a fugitive on Fledora named Sandra Sterling.”

I could see her eyes narrow.

“What I didn’t know was, in order to go to Fledora, one had to be female. It turns out that Carol Givens had requested me for the assignment because she knew who I was. I was born on Fledora along with my sister. My mother was Fledoran and my father was an Earth pilot. I was banished because I was a boy and left with my father. Carol was trying to make amends. Unfortunately, that required that I be female. It also turns out that I am intersexed so the transformation process worked too well. I became good friends with Linda Sanders who turned out to be the fugitive I had been sent to find. I also fell for a Fledoran citizen, namely Mary Brown. I ended up letting Linda escape the law and married Mary Brown. Karen, I am your brother.”

Karen looked shell shocked but I could see in her eyes that she knew I was telling the truth. Suddenly, I heard a noised coming from her bedroom. It sounded like a baby crying. She jumped up and ran into the room. I was frozen in place. Could it actually be Raylan in there? A few minutes later, she came back holding a baby. It was Raylan! I jumped up and ran to him. I grabbed him and held him close.

“Oh, Raylan, thank god I have found you!”

I looked over at Karen. She was crying and shaking.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”

She collapsed onto the couch. I was trying hard to be angry at her but I couldn’t do it. I bent down next to her and put my arm around her. She lost it completely. After a while, she calmed down a little. She sat up and looked sadly at me.

“God, what a mess! I’m so sorry, Gina ----- or, I guess it’s John.”

“Actually, it’s Jonnie Harper, for now.”

She nodded.

“I didn’t do it, honest! It was those damn aliens!”

She paused and looked hard at me.

“I guess I owe you the whole story. Please, sit down and I will try to explain.”

I stood up and went over to the chair. I held Raylan in my lap. He had gone back to sleep. Karen looked on fondly.

“I can see you love him. So do I. Now, I know I’m his aunt. I never meant for this to happen.”

I didn’t know whether to be angry at Karen or feel sorry for her.

“OK, I’m listening.”

She was still crying.

“It took me a long time to recover from my injuries. I guess I talked a lot. I was, of course, very angry at Mary Brown and apparently talked about revenge. When the group was denied the thulium by the Fledoran council, they got it into their heads that they could kill two birds with one stone by seizing Mary. I would get my revenge and they could blackmail the council to get their thulium.”

“You know that would never work.”

“Of course I do but they didn’t consult me. They went ahead with their plan to snatch Mary but she was gone. They took Raylan instead figuring that Mary would follow.”

My anger flared.

“They were right about that. She did and now she is missing. A Broadskye pilot dropped her and Linda Sanders at a remote site on this planet. He was guided there by a homing signal.”

“Shit! That means they have them!”

She started shaking again.

“I can’t believe that has happened. Now, they have Mary and my friend Linda. At least, they don’t have Raylan. I’ve grown very fond of him.”

She looked over at me.

“I still can’t believe you’re my brother. I still see the Gina I have feelings for.”

I sighed.

“Yeah, you and George.”

“What?”

“Never mind. The question is what about Mary and Linda? Just who are they, anyway?”

“That’s a good question. When the group approached me on Fledora about importing thulium, I thought it a little strange. They called themselves The Alliance and said that they were a go between. We had just about settled on the details when I was shot. As I said, they rescued me and saved my life. It took about two months for me to fully recover. By then, the Fledoran council had forbidden all exports of thulium. The group confronted me and stated in no uncertain terms that they were going to force Fledora to sell the thulium to them. All efforts failed. I also discovered that The Alliance was just a human front for an alien race. I don’t know their full intentions but they have been kind to me. They were very insistent about the thulium, however. The suggestion of using blackmail did not come from me. I admit to wanting revenge for a time but not any more. They went with the kidnapping of your son without my knowledge. I would never have gone along with it. The first I knew about it was when they dropped Raylan on me to take care of. I quickly fell for him. My guess is that they have lured Mary and Linda to their ship.”

I nodded.

“What do they really look like?”

“This may seem strange but I don’t know. They have only talked with me by vid or in their human guise.”

“So that guy who grabbed me was one of them in disguise?”

“Yeah, I don’t know how they do it. They really don’t know much about acting human or how we think. They are very strong, however. I have a feeling that their true selves are small and weak.”

“What did you do to him?”

“I just stunned him. They short circuit real easy.”

“Hmm, so what now?”

“Let me do some inquiring. Maybe I can come up with a plan to get us on their ship. Do you have a ship that could take Mary and Linda away?”

I smiled.

“Do I! It is the first Fledoran military cruiser!”

She laughed.

“I didn’t know Fledora had a military.”

“Yep, me, Brett and Coop.”

“Oh, great! Well, it will have to do. I’ll get back to you tonight. Uh, I guess you want to take Raylan with you.”

I shook my head.

“As much as I would like to, it would be best if he remained here for now.”

I looked at her hard.

“I am trusting you.”

She smiled.

“Thank you, I won’t let you down.”

I gave Raylan back to Karen. I couldn’t help tearing up. I glanced at Karen, then turned and left the room. It was the hardest thing I have ever done. If anything happens to him, I will never forgive myself. I walked back to the suite. When I went in, George stood up. He noticed I had been crying.

“Well?”

“She has Raylan.”

“What! Let’s go get him!”

I shook my head.

“No, I left him there. He’s been safe this long with Karen so there is no reason to believe
he will come to harm now. Besides, it wouldn’t look good for a mistress to have a baby.”

“I can’t believe you are trusting her. She’s the one that kidnapped him in the first place.”

“No, she didn’t. It was the aliens.”

George’s eyes widened.

“Aliens! What are you talking about?”

“There is an alien race that is trying to get the thulium on Fledora. They kidnapped Raylan without Karen’s knowledge. Actually, they were trying to get Mary but got Raylan because she was not there. They have the cockeyed idea that they can blackmail the Fledoran council using her. Now, Mary and Linda are apparently on their ship.”

George sighed.

“I guess we knew the day would come when we made first contact. This is crazy though.”

“Yeah, I agree.”

“OK, so what now?”

“We wait. Karen is going to try to get us on that ship. She will contact us tonight.”

“This is going to be a long afternoon.”

“No shit! Let’s go down to the veranda. We need to act normal.”

George guffawed.

“Good luck there.”

I glared at him. We went down and walked around a while then ate lunch. No one seemed to notice us.

“Want to try the beach again?”

I shook my head vigorously.

“No way!”

George nodded.

“Yeah, I forgot. That was a dumb idea.”

We ended up just going back to our room. I laid down and drifted off. I guess I was exhausted. I awoke to George knocking.

“Room service!”

“What?”

“I thought we better stay in the room so I ordered up.”

“Great, I’m starved.”

We ate in silence. We were both keyed up waiting for Karen’s call. A little after 7, there was knock on our door. I opened it to find Karen standing in the hall.

“Come on in. What did you find out?”

“They are on the ship. We are taking your shuttle up there in the morning.”

“Why not now?”

“There are a few details we need to address. Uh, the only way I could see to get you up there with me was as my lover. I have talked a lot about you so they won’t be suspicious.”

I blushed. I hated when I did that.

“Don’t worry, we will just be pretending. I know you are my brother.”

I sighed in relief.

“What about George here?”

“That’s why we must wait until morning. We need time to get him ready.”

“Ready for what?”

“George will go as one of my team from Fledora.”

Uh, oh! I looked at George. He didn’t get the picture. I put my arm on his shoulder.

“George, her team is all female.”

He paled and then sat down hard.

“You have got to be kidding!”

Galactic Marshal II
by
Hilltopper

CHAPTER 9

Karen noted George’s reaction and turned to me.

“It’s the only way!”

I nodded. George looked stunned.

“There is no way you are going to make me into woman. No way!”

“George, we must get on that ship. How else?”

“Do I look like female material? I’m 6’ 2” and weigh 220 pounds.”

I laughed.

“You haven’t seen the miners on Fledora.”

I looked back at Karen.

“What do you have in mind?”

“This resort caters to every need. They have a spa that can do wonders. It’s not real transformation like on Fledora but it will look like it.”

“George, please try it. If it doesn’t look right, we will think of something else.”

Of course, we both knew there was no other way. George put his head in his hands.

“Why me!”

Finally, he looked up at me.

“OK, but you owe me big time. If any one laughs, I’m out of here.”

“Don’t worry, no one laughs at Karen’s women.”

Karen clapped her hands to gather.

“Great! I’ve already set up the appointment. Let’s go back to my room and we will get the ball rolling.”

George still looked pale but he followed us without further comment. Once in Karen’s room, she pulled a suit case out of the coat closet.

“I’ve got everything you’ll need right here. Gina, can you stay here and watch after Raylan?”

I beamed.

“It will be my pleasure. He’s not getting out of my site until we get on that ship.”

Karen grinned.

“I’m glad you two are back together. Even though I knew nothing about the kidnapping, I feel responsible. I imagine Mary will feel the same.”

I grimaced.

“I’m afraid Mary’s reaction may be a bit overboard when she sees you. But, I’m sure you know that. We will try to keep you two separated once on the ship.”

Karen nodded.

“My thoughts exactly. Maybe some day she will forgive me.”

She turned to George.

“Are you ready?”

“Not hardly!”

Karen laughed.

“OK, let’s go.”

They left the room and I picked up Raylan.

“I’m sure glad to see you. We will be with your mommy soon.”

Of course, Raylan had no idea what I said but he gurgled anyway. It sure was good being back together.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As we left the room, Karen took hold of my hand.

“Don’t worry, George, nothing will be done that is permanent.”

I nodded.

“I kind of figured that but it doesn’t help.”

Karen laughed.

“Just go with the flow. Look at it as a new and wonderful adventure.”

I grimaced.

“Yeah, right.”

We walked down to the spa and were met by a very large lady.

“George, this is Vernice. She used to work for me on Fledora but came here with my team. She is a genius.”

“Don’t worry about a thing dear. We will take good care of you.”

She led me into a side room. A table was in the center with cabinets and a sink along the back wall.

“Just lie down on the table and we will get started. Oh, you need to disrobe first.”

I took off my shirt and pants. I started to lie down but she grabbed my arm.

“All of it, George.”

“I don’t know. This is getting a little unsettling.”

She nodded.

“Be right back.”

She came back in a couple of minutes with a glass of something.

“Here, drink this. It will relax you.”

I took it and drank it down. It tasted vaguely like raspberries.

“Now, lie down. I’ll let you rest a minute before we start.”

Lying down, I thought ‘what the hell am I doing!’ I felt a little funny. I must have dosed a minute because I snapped awake suddenly. Something was not right. I looked down to see ---- well, breasts!

“Shit!”

Obviously, I had been asleep for more than a minute. I started to get up but I was light headed.

“Don’t worry, you’ll feel better in a few minutes.”

I looked over to find Vernice standing by the door.

“What did you do?”

She smiled.

“We gave you your womanly attributes like Karen ordered. The rest will take a little time.”

“What do you mean ‘the rest’?”

“Well, we glued on fake breasts and vagina. The active ingredient in that drink forms your curves but it takes a while. You should be ready by morning.”

I tried getting up again, this time with better results. There was a mirror next to the door. I walked over in front of it. To say I was shocked was an understatement. Looking back was me with breasts and a vagina. I still was me, otherwise.

“Oh, this is great.”

She laughed.

“We are not through. Put your clothes back on and go to your room. The other changes will happen overnight. In the morning, I will come to your room and finish up.”

I shook my head and dressed. I hurriedly left the spa and went back to our suite. I walked in to find Gina sitting on the couch feeding Raylan. She started to say something but I held up my hand.

“Don’t say a thing. I’m going to bed.”

I couldn’t bear to undress so I went to bed in my clothes. I must have still been feeling the affects of that drink because I went right to sleep.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After feeding Raylan, I decided it would be best if I slept on the couch. I didn’t think George was in any mood for company. I really felt sorry for him. I know this is very hard on him but it is the only way to get him on that ship. I fixed a makeshift crib on the floor next to the couch for Raylan. I sure didn’t want him to fall off the couch. After placing his sleeping form on the pillow, I laid down. Tomorrow was likely to be a crazy day. The next thing I knew, a knock on the door woke me up. God, it couldn’t be morning already but it was. I opened to door and a large woman blew in.

“I’m Vernice. Where’s our new girl?”

“He’s still asleep, I guess.”

“You mean she don’t you?”

I rolled my eyes. Vernice proceeded into the bedroom without knocking. She was carrying the suitcase Karen had shown us yesterday. I soon heard a commotion. It seemed like the best thing to do was stay here. I changed Raylan and then fed him. The noise had died down in the bedroom. A little bit later, the door opened and Vernice breezed out.

“She’s ready. I called Karen and she is on her way. Bye.”

With that, she left. Karen came in a minute later. George hadn’t come out yet and I didn’t have the courage to go in.

“How’s our new recruit?”

“Karen, go easy on him --- er, her. This is a hard one to take.”

She laughed.

“I can imagine. By the way, do you have contact with your ship?”

“Yes, we have kept Coop updated.”

“It probably will be best to have your ship shadow the shuttle to the alien ship. Does it have any armament?”

I laughed.

“You remember James Cooper.”

“Sure, he worked for me for a while.”

“Yeah, I know. He designed the laser we have on board. Actually, the ship was built around the laser. Coop says it is the most powerful one in the galaxy.”

“Wow, Fledora is coming on fast. OK, have him stand by when we get to the ship. He may have to take out their drive engines when you make your escape.”

Just then we heard a high pitched scream come from the bedroom. Karen and I looked at each other.

“Shit! I guess George is up.”

We ran into the room to find George standing in front of a full length mirror. I have to say, he looked very female. He was wearing a red dress that came down to about 2 inches above the knees. His hair was in a French braid and came half way down his back. The dress hugged his new curves nicely. He was a big woman, for sure, but would not look out of place on Fledora. Since he was going as one of Karen’s team, he looked just right. George looked over at me in a panic.

“God, this is too much and I sound like a monkey with laryngitis.”

“Nonsense, you look and sound very nice.”

He glared at me.

“I ought to punch you in the nose for this but I never hit a woman.”

I rolled my eyes. Karen was smirking. Thankfully, George did not see her.

“This is only until we get Mary and Linda off that ship. Hang in there!”

He sighed.

“I’ll never live this down.”

“Don’t worry, no one will ever know but us.”

Karen piped up then.

“You will be fine, Georgia. I have a crew getting the shuttle ready. We will leave in about an hour. What say we get some breakfast.”

He glared at Karen.

“Georgia now is it. Well, I’m not going out for breakfast like this.”

“No one will notice a thing especially since you are with me. You need to get more comfortable in your role like Gina here. Come on, you’ll do fine.”

He shook his head. I grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the bedroom. I picked up Raylan and we left the suite. George reluctantly followed us to the breakfast bar. We filled our plates and sat down. I looked over at George.

“You OK?”

“I guess.”

I noticed a woman looking at us. Karen glanced at her and waved. The woman got up and headed our way. George was starting to panic again. I laid my hand on his knee. The woman addressed Karen.

“Hey Karen, I guess this must be the Gina we have heard so much about.”

She stuck out her hand.

“Good to finally meet you.”

She then looked over at George.

“And who is this? I might take this one off your hands.”

Karen laughed.

“No you don’t. We have to go up to the ship in a few minutes.”

The woman smiled at George.

“I’ll be waiting when you get back.”

George turned bright red and got chocked. The woman laughed and went back to her table. I patted his knee.

“She was just pulling your chain.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t like it.”

We hurriedly finished eating and headed for the shuttle. I kept an eye on George. He seemed to be settling down. I opened the hatch and we went inside.

“OK, everyone strap in. I’ll power up.”

I checked everything. Karen’s team had done a good job getting the shuttle ready. I turned on the com unit and contacted Coop.

“Hey, Jonnie, what coordinates do you have for that ship?”

I turned to Karen.

“We don’t need any. As soon as we leave Prowhiness, they will guide us to them.”

“OK, I’ll just hang behind you.”

“Thanks, Coop.”

I turned to George and Karen.

“Let’s launch!”

Galactic Marshall II
by
Hilltopper

CHAPTER 10

As we approached the alien ship, I got cold chills. This thing was as strange as could be. I hated to think what the ones who built this craft looked like. We were guided into the ship and docked at a port. Karen turned to me.

“OK, follow my lead.”

We exited through the hatch into a long corridor. Karen put her arm around me. I held Raylan close to my chest.

“These guys are big on appearances. As long as they believe we are an item, they will leave you alone.”

I shuddered.

“I sure wouldn’t want a repeat of the other night.”

Karen nodded.

“You never really know what is going through their minds. Georgia, just stay close to us. They are used to me having one or two of my people with me.”

I looked over at George.

“You doing OK?”

“I feel like a fool.”

“Well, I think you look good for an Amazon.”

He hit me on the shoulder.

“Ouch!”

“Just be glad you’re a girl with a baby at the moment.”

We walked about half way down the corridor and then stopped at a door. Karen opened it and we entered.

“This is the room I use for business while on the ship.”

The room was about 8 meters square. There was a table with 5 chairs in the center. A couch was on one side and several soft chairs on the other. It was pretty sterile.

“Not exactly luxurious.”

Karen laughed.

“That’s for sure but I’m not here much. I have another room on the ship where I stay. It is where I have kept Raylan.”

George and I sat down on the couch. Raylan began to wake up. I knew he had to be fed soon.

“I guess they are used to Raylan being here then. Do you have formula for him?”

Karen nodded.

“Sure, in my room.”

Just then a face appeared on a vid screen I had not noticed. It looked like the guy who attacked me on the beach. Karen noticed my horror.

“Don’t be alarmed. They all look like that when in human guise.”

The head spoke up.

“Please meet with us. We have much to discuss.”

Karen agreed and the alien signed off.

“Come on, I’ll take you three to my room. That way, you can feed Raylan and there will be no chance of anyone happening upon you”

We exited the room and walked almost to the end of the corridor. Karen opened a door and we went in. Now this was more like it! The room was about 10 meters square with very nice furniture and a large bed. A crib set beside it. A small kitchen was at one side of the room. Karen went to it and pulled a baby bottle out of the refrigerator. She pushed a lever on the bottom.

“These heat up automatically. Make your selves at home. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Karen left and I sat down to feed Raylan.

“Gina, are you sure that you can trust her? I mean, we are now on an alien starship and not ourselves. Any thing could happen now.”

“Calm down, George. I really think she is trying to help us. It’s the alien agenda that I am worried about.”

Suddenly our radio beeped.

“Go ahead, Coop.”

“I’m in position. Just give the word.”

“OK, I don’t know how long this will take.”

“Right! Standing by. Out”

I turned back to George.

“Well, at least we are not alone. I think Coop can take out this ship if necessary.”

“Yeah, I just hope we are not on it at the time. By the way, how do you stand wearing these darn dresses all the time?”

I laughed.

“You get used to it.”

“That’s not something I want to think about. I wonder if Karen has anything to drink in that kitchen.”

“Now George ---

“I’m just looking for something to settle my nerves.”

I shook my head but didn’t say anything. I know George is trying to cope as best he can. It was about an hour before Karen returned. George had found something in Karen’s kitchen and seemed more relaxed. Karen was in a huff.

“Those idiots! I tried to tell them their plan was stupid but would they listen to me?”

She flopped down on the couch.

“So, what are they doing?”

“They have sent a message to the Fledoran council offering to trade Mary and Raylan for their precious thulium, that’s what!”

“What about Linda?”

“I’ve convinced them that she works for me. I have arranged to meet with her in a little bit.”

I brightened up.

“Does that mean you can tell her what we are doing?”

She nodded.

“Yeah, then we must figure out how to get to Mary.”

“Do you know where they are holding her?”

“No, but I hope to find that out from Linda.”

“What about that blackmail threat to Fledora?”

“The Alliance has heard nothing back and they won’t. The council will have no problem throwing them to the wolves.”

I grimaced.

“That’s a bit harsh, don’t you think?”

“Maybe, but it’s true. You should know that better than me.”

I sighed.

“I guess your right. It’s up to us.”

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I left Gina, Georgia, and Raylan in my room and headed toward my meeting with Linda. I should have contacted her right after I recovered but I felt at the time that I had left Fledora behind me. I realize now that there was no way that would happen. I opened the door to the chamber where I was told I could find Linda. Upon walking in, Linda jumped up and ran to me.

“Oh, Karen, I just knew you were alive. I’m so sorry that I had to shoot you.”

This brought me up short. I pushed Linda back at arms length and looked hard into her eyes.

“You shot me? I thought it was Mary?”

Linda looked puzzled.

“Don’t you remember what happened?”

“No”

“Well, I guess you went a little crazy. You tried to shoot Mary and I couldn’t let that happen. I was devastated when we didn’t find you in that shaft.”

I smiled and shook my head.

“That’s past. We have to think about the present. I brought Gina and Raylan onto the ship with me. There is also a marshal friend of Gina’s along as well. We need to get everyone off this ship.”

Linda frowned.

“So, you did have Raylan!”

I sighed.

“It’s a log story. Gina has him back and she and Georgia came here to rescue you and Mary. I am doing everything I can to help. Do you know where Mary is being held?”

“Yes, but she won’t be glad to see you.”

I nodded.

“It will be a shock and I know she will think I am behind all of this.”

I stared at Linda.

“It’s not true. I would never do that.”

“OK, I believe you but Mary won’t.”

“Yeah, look we need to get her and join up with the others. Gina has a Fledoran ship standing by to take us aboard if we can get off this thing.”

“Great! Let’s go!”

We left the room and Linda led me to the chamber where Mary was kept. I hesitated at the door. I heaved a big sigh and we went in. Mary looked up and I could see the anger building. She jumped up.

“You!”

She lunged at me. I stepped back avoiding her.

“Mary, it’s not what you think! I can explain.”

Mary whipped around and threw a kick grazing my head. There was no talking to her. As she passed me, I chopped down on the back of her neck knocking her out. I turned to Linda.

“Damn! I didn’t want this!”

Linda looked sadly down at Mary.

“She will be OK. I’ll explain things when we get off this ship.”

I nodded. I picked Mary up and threw her over my shoulder.

“We better hurry back to my room before we get caught.”

We left and went to join Gina and Georgia. As I entered carrying Mary, Gina stood up.

“What the hell!”

“She’s OK, just shocked at my presence. We don’t have much time. We have got to get to the shuttle before these guys take notice. I’ll lead off. Georgia, you bring up the rear.”

I threw her a stun gun.

“Let’s move!”

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Karen ran out the door with Mary. I turned to Linda and smiled.

“I’m glad you’re OK. I hope Mary is as well.”

My eyes teared up and Linda smiled back.

“Thanks for coming to our rescue. Don’t worry about Mary. She was just a little angry.”

I nodded.

“I can imagine.”

We dashed out behind Karen and ran down the corridor toward the shuttle. As we reached it, I heard running footsteps coming down the corridor behind us. The aliens knew what we were up to. I threw open the hatch and Karen jumped in. I pushed Linda through and looked back. The aliens were coming on fast. George shot the stun gun at them and the lead one dropped. Unfortunately, the one behind him fired an energy weapon hitting George in the back as he turned to enter the hatch. He dropped to the floor. I dragged him through and closed it.

“Computer, get us out of here!”

The shuttle quickly undocked and headed away from the alien ship. Coop came on line.

“Jonnie, that ship is powering up.”

“OK, can you take out their engines?”

“No problem.”

A few seconds later, an intense beam leaped from our ship toward the alien craft. Almost immediately, an explosion erupted toward the rear end of that ship.

“All done. They aren’t going anywhere. You are cleared to dock. Welcome back.”

“Thanks, Coop. We’ll be there shortly.”

Linda was looking over George.

“How is he?”

She looked up with a puzzled face then just shook her head.

“It’s not good. We need to get her into a medical pod as quick as we can.”

I frowned.

“That’s one thing we don’t have. Is he --- er she stable?”

Linda nodded.

“Yes, but her spine is badly injured. I think she is paralyzed.”

“Shit! Help me get her into the hibernation chamber. That should allow us to get her home.”

We put George in. Mary was still out so we put her in as well. I turned to Karen.

“Are you coming back with us?”

“I might as well. I think I have worn out my welcome here.”

I laughed.

“It sure looks like it but things might not be much better where we’re going. At least we aren’t going exactly to Fledora. This ship is based on her moon.”

“That’s something, I guess. We will sort things out when we get there, I hope.”

“Yeah, what about those aliens?”

Karen looked pained.

“We haven’t heard the last of them I’m afraid.”

I nodded.

“My thoughts exactly.”

Coop set the ship up to take us home and we all climbed into the hibernation pods. I took Raylan with me. I was looking forward to being back with Mary. I worried about George though. I had gotten him into this mess and guilt was coming to the fore front. Things were sure going to be complicated back at the moon base. Oh, well!

Galactic Marshal II
by
Hilltopper

CHAPTER 11

When we arrived near Fledora, Raylan and I were the first out of hibernation. He was still sleeping, however. Linda followed close behind.

“Jonnie, it sure is good to be home. I must admit I didn’t know what was going to happen to us. Thank you for rescuing us.”

“My pleasure.”

“I have a question about Georgia though.”

I held up my hand.

“Actually, he is Marshal George Brett and very much male. We had to disguise him as a woman to get onto the alien ship. He was not too happy about it.”

“I see. Well, it answers what I wanted to know. When you said ‘he’ back there, it gave me pause.”

“Yeah, I talked him into coming with me. I sure hope he recovers OK.”

“I think it best to leave him in hibernation until we land. We then should transfer him to medical as quickly as possible.”

“OK, that makes sense. The fact that he is male will not go over well with the council. Thankfully, Coop’s lab is on the moon and George looks like a woman.”

“And then there is Karen.”

Karen walked in.

“What about me?”

I looked over at her.

“I don’t know how the council will view your return. I should say though that the rescue would not have happened without your help. I think it best that we hide your presence for now.”

She nodded.

“I agree.”

Coop walked in, nodded to us and went into the command center. I decided that I better check on George and Mary. When I entered the hibernation room, Mary was just waking up. I went over to George’s chamber and adjusted it to make sure he stayed out until we were ready. I heard a squeal behind me and then arms wrapped around me tight.

“Oh, Jonnie! I can’t believe it! What happened? The last thing I remember is Karen walking into my room.”

I turned then hugged and kissed her. Nothing more was said for a minute. Finally, we separated. I smiled big.

“I missed you. I was afraid you were gone forever!”

She smiled back.

“Not a chance! I would like to know how I come to be here, however.”

“In one word, Karen.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“I know what you are thinking and it is not true. She had nothing to do with the kidnapping. In fact, it was her plan and help that enabled us to reach the alien ship and get you off.”

I looked down at George.

“Unfortunately, George is a casualty. I’m afraid he may be paralyzed.”

“Oh, no! I’m so sorry.”

She looked at me hard.

“What about our son?”

I grinned.

“Follow me.”

We walked into the common room. Linda had taken Raylan while I checked on George. Mary spotted Raylan and screeched. She ran over and picked him up.

“Thank heaven! Where did you find him?”

“Uh, Karen was taking care of him for the aliens.”

She noticed Karen for the first time.

“I thought you said Karen had nothing to do with Raylan.”

“Look, it’s a long story with a happy ending.”

Coop came back in then.

“We’ll be home in about 3 hours. Everyone better prepare to buckle in.”

He noticed the tension and high tailed it back into the command center. Mary stared at Karen a minute then turned back to me.

“OK, I’ll wait until we land but it better be good!”

We all sat down and adjusted our harnesses for landing. Karen sat as far from Mary as possible which was a good thing. Upon landing, a gurney was waiting to take George to medical. We followed along behind. Medical is pretty much automated but it is run by a doctor. I gave her a heads up about George’s true gender. She was not pleased but did her duty. I decided to head off any complaints by calling Carol.

“Welcome back, Jonnie. That was a fine thing you did in rescuing Mary and Linda.”

“Thank you but I had help. My some times partner George Brett was severely wounded during our escape. We have put him in medical at the moon base. He was and is disguised as a woman.”

Carol looked pensive.

“Well, we certainly can’t turn him away after the help he delivered but I think it will be best for him to remain on the moon. How serious are his wounds?”

“We aren’t sure but it looks like at least some paralysis.”

“Damn! Keep me updated. I need for you and Mary to come to the council as soon as you can for a full report. We got a strange message concerning the kidnapping.”

“Yeah, I heard about it. We should be able to shuttle down tomorrow.”

“Great! We will see you both in the morning then. Once again, thank you from all of us.”

She cut the transmission before I could say anything else. At least, the issue of Karen had not come up. Coop had taken her directly to his office. Hopefully, no one had seen her. As I stood up, Mary and Linda walked over. Mary had Raylan and it didn’t look like she would soon part with him.

“Well, I guess Carol is anxious to speak with us.”

“Yeah, looks like we will take the shuttle down in the morning.”

Linda spoke up.

“I’m going to stay and look after Georgia since I am the odd person here.”

I smiled.

“Not odd at all. You are part of our team but I thank you for volunteering to stay with George. This is going to be really hard on him.”

The doctor came out and came over to us.

“She is stable. I’m going to keep her under a couple of days while the med unit heals her. It does look like there is spinal damage that has resulted in paralysis. We will deal with that after the injuries heal.”

I took her hand.

“Thank you. Please do all you can. He is very special. I have informed the council about the unusual circumstances.”

She nodded and went back into medical. I turned to Mary.

“Let’s go see if the café can rustle up something to eat. I’m starved.”

“We also need to feed Raylan.”

“OK, we’ll check with them on that too.”

The café came up with some formula from somewhere. We fed Raylan and then started eating ourselves.

“OK, time to fess up. Tell me why I shouldn’t kill Karen.”

I grimaced but told her everything that happened after we arrived at Prowhiness. She looked away for a minute and then back.

“So, the aliens thought this was what Karen wanted plus they had the crazy idea to exchange Raylan and I for the thulium.”

“That’s about it.”

“I still think Karen is more a part of it than she is letting on. She did try to kill me after all.”

“I know but I really think her long recovery gave her time to think about things. She has changed.”

“Hmmpf! We’ll see!”

After eating, we went to Coop’s office. Karen was still there. She tensed when Mary walked in. I decided to play peace maker.

“Karen, I’ve told Mary the whole story.”

I looked back at Mary and then to Karen.

“Truce?”

They both nodded. Coop spoke up.

“I’ll show Karen to a room she can use. Why don’t we all turn in?”

We agreed and I took Mary and Raylan to our room. It was great being a family again.

“I’m sorry I left you and was gone when Raylan was taken. You needed me and I wasn’t there for you.”

She wrapped me in a hug.

“Don’t beat yourself up. You’re a marshal. We both know what that means. It’s over and you need to forget it. Just be thankful we are back together.”

I teared up and we kissed. Raylan decided to break things up by crying. We both laughed.

“Well, back to the grind.”

We took care of Raylan’s needs and then settled into bed. Sleep over took us quickly. I awoke later to Raylan’s call. Mary was zonked out. I smiled and took care of Raylan. Mary had earned her rest. I had trouble going back to sleep. Even though we were all back home, there were a lot of things still up in the air. I was really worried about George. I would need to keep a close watch on him. I was glad for Linda’s help. Since she is not from Fledora, it will be much easier for her to tend George. What to do about Karen was another problem. Of course, then there were the aliens. I didn’t think we were rid of them. I wondered how powerful they were and what were their intensions. We had all longed for first contact and, now that it’s happened, I kind of wish it hadn’t. I will certainly need to report all of this to the marshal service after our meeting with the council tomorrow. I finally went back to sleep and was awaken again by Raylan. Fortunately, it was now morning and Mary was awake. We got things ready and made our way to the shuttle. Mary had contacted our nanny and she was going to meet us at the house. The flight planetside was uneventful and we took a hovercraft to our house. Upon entering, Lynne rushed over to Raylan.

“Oh, thank heaven your safe. It was all my fault.”

I hugged Lynne.

“No it wasn’t. They had ways that made it impossible to prevent the kidnapping. You are a wonderful nanny and we still have complete trust in you.”

Mary agreed whole heartedly and we ended up in a group cry. Mary and I cleaned up and left Raylan with Lynne. I could tell this was a hard thing for Mary to do. It will take a while to get over all of this. We were both in our mandatory council dresses and we drove to the council building. The council was waiting for us and we were ushered right into the chambers. Carol actually came out and hugged us.

“I am so glad you both are home safe.”

“Thank you. It’s sure good to be back.”

Carol retook her seat.

“Now, tell us everything.”

So, I did. I left nothing out except that Karen came back with us. Carol was visibly distressed.

“We will have to discuss things. Can you both come back tomorrow morning?”

“Sure, I do want to go back to the moon afterwards to check on George.”

“Yes, please thank him for his service. We will take care of him, don’t worry.”

“Thank you.”

We left and went back home. Mary was very relieved to find Raylan asleep in his crib. I am sure it will take time to get over her apprehension of leaving him. To tell the truth, I feel the same way. Even though the council had not said anything about the marshal service knowing what happened, I decided to check in with Sam especially considering what had happened to George.

“Hello, John or I guess it’s Jonnie right now.”

I laughed.

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“I take it the mission was a success.”

“Yes, but George was injured and is being treated at Fledora’s moon base.”

“Damn! How bad?”

“We don’t know yet.”

“OK, keep me informed. I need you to submit a complete report. I know this was more of a personal matter, but it may have consequences for everyone.”

“Yeah, alien contact’s a biggy. I’ll get a report to you as soon as I get back to the moon. I have to meet with the Fledoran council in the morning.”

“Good luck.”

I signed off. Mary and I spent the rest of the day getting reacquainted. We arrived back at the council chambers at 10 the next morning. Carol was all business today.

“We are taking this alien threat seriously. We have been in touch with the marshal service. They have agreed to coordinate things with our military.”

I rolled my eyes and she smirked.

“Jonnie, you have been assigned to us temporarily so I want you to remain in charge of this. Mary, can you return to your old job?”

“Sure, I’m fine.”

“Great! I understand that Marshal Brett was disguised as a woman and still is. We contacted the doctor at the moon base and she tells us the disguise will last about a month. Let’s keep George’s true gender a secret as long as we can, OK?”

I nodded. I thought, ‘George is going to be a big problem.’

“Good! Jonnie, you have a free hand to get us ready for what ever the aliens have in store. Of course, we hope they will forget about us but I’m not optimistic. Coordinate with Mary on your personnel needs. This is our top priority.”

“Will do.”

We were dismissed and went to Mary’s old office. She sat down and looked up.

“Well, it looks like a busy time ahead.”

“Yeah, I need to get back up to the moon. Are you going to be OK here?”

“Yes, we will get by.”

We hugged and kissed. I left and went to the shuttle port. George would be awakened this afternoon. I was not looking forward to facing him.

Galactic Marshal II
by
Hilltopper

CHAPTER 12

When I arrived at the moon base, I went directly to Coop’s office. He was alone and looked concerned.

“What’s up, Coop?”

“I just had an interesting conversation with the council. They told me you are now in charge. I’m fine with that. My problem is that they seem to think that we have a military.”

I laughed.

“Yeah, fire one shot and we now are suddenly on a war footing. Do you really think the aliens are going to be a problem?”

Coop scratched his head.

“A problem yes but I don’t see it being a shooting war. They may try some subterfuge but I think Karen’s presence here will temper things.”

“I agree. I guess we will just have to wait. It is their move. I better get over to medical. They are going to wake George up.”

Coop nodded. I left and went down to medical. As I walked in, I spotted Linda.

“Hi, Linda, I’m sorry I had to leave. How’s George doing?”

“I know you had to deal with the council. There wasn’t anything you could do here anyway. The doctor is going to tell us when she is awake?”

I raised my eye brows.

“She?”

“The doctor insists on it. I think it’s orders from the council.”

I nodded.

“Yes, they told me they wanted to maintain the disguise. I guess we better continue to use the name Georgia. It is not going to be popular with our patient however.”

The doctor walked in.

“She’s waking up. Do you want me to tell her about her condition or do you all want to?”

“We better do it. This is not going to be easy.”

The doctor nodded and led us to George’s room. George was just waking up. He looked up at me and smiled.

“Hey, Jonnie.”

His eyebrows shot up.

“Shit! I still sound like a crazed chipmunk!”

I laughed.

“Nonsense, besides it will wear off in about a month.”

“One month! What about the rest of it?”

“Sorry”

“How the hell am I going to resume my marshal duties like this?”

“Well, there is a further complication. What do you remember about our escape?”

“I remember us running for the shuttle. I think I shot the stun gun at the aliens as we entered it. That’s about it.”

“OK, yes, you nailed one of them but, as you turned, you were shot in the back. We got you into the shuttle and made our escape. We brought you to Fledora’s moon. You were in a medical pod here at the moon base for two days. I’m told your injuries are pretty much healed except for the spinal damage.”

I could see the concern on his face.

“What kind of spinal damage?”

“Paralysis of the lower part of your body. They needed to heal you up before working on that.”

His eyes narrowed.

“I can tell when you are holding back. We’ve been together a long time. There is no fixing this, is there?”

“I’m sure a treatment can be found.”

Linda spoke up.

“I will help you until it is cleared up. You saved me after all.”

George smiled at Linda.

“Thank you, saving you and Mary was my pleasure.”

He looked down at his useless legs.

“But, as things stand, I wish the aliens had finished me off.”

I punched him in the shoulder.

“Oh no you don’t! Like you said, we have been through a lot together. You will recover. Do you hear me?”

“I hear you but we both know how this is going to go down. I will not live like this!”

Linda sat down on his bed.

“Don’t say that! We will fix this! I promise!”

George took Linda’s hand. I decided to slip out. Hopefully, Linda’s presence will keep George going. I found myself heading towards Karen’s room. The Fledoran council had made it clear that the aliens were their biggest concern. Karen was the only one of us that knew any thing about them. I needed to know what she knew. I arrived at her door and knocked. She opened it and had a shocked face.

“I’m sorry, Jonnie. Every time I see you the only one I see is Gina.”

“That’s my fault. I let the Gina disguise go for too long.”

“That’s just is, I don’t think it’s a disguise.”

I frowned at her.

“Look, I’m your brother and really a man. You need to get over it.”

“I will if you will.”

I ignored her comment and sat down on the couch.

“We have important things to discuss. I have been put in charge of mounting a defense against the aliens if it becomes necessary. The marshal service is now involved. We need to know everything you can tell us about the aliens.”

She shook her head.

“I know you think they have evil intensions but I don’t believe it. They saved my life. That kidnapping scheme was just a misunderstanding. They have trouble knowing how we think. They only wanted some thulium; nothing else. I think everyone is making too much of this.”

“That may be but it is better to be safe than sorry. I don’t want to be standing around doing nothing when 10 alien battle cruisers show up.”

Karen sighed.

“OK, what do you want to know?”

“Where is their home planet? Have you seen any other ships than the one we were on? Have they made any threats toward us that you’ve heard? Was that ship armed?”

“Whoa, slow down! I told you that I don’t think they mean us harm. To answer your questions: a) I don’t know where they are from; b) I have not seen any other ships; c) I have heard no threats from them; and d) I didn’t see any armament on the ship. They were just trying to buy thulium.”

“Yeah, but we turned them down. You said yourself that they were determined to get it.”

She nodded.

“I agree that they will try another way. Why not just sell them some and be done with it?”

“That’s not my call.”

She shook her head and went into the kitchen.

“Do you want something to drink?”

“Just cold water, please.”

She brought a glass to me.

“How’s Georgia doing?”

I sighed heavily.

“Physically OK except for the paralysis. That’s the problem. Georgia won’t want to live that way.”

Karen suddenly brightened.

“You do realize that I had the same problem, don’t you?”

“What do you mean?”

“When I was shot, I fell down that mine shaft. I was told that my back was broken. I should be a complete invalid but, as you can see, I am as good as ever.”

That shocked me.

“Are you trying to tell me that the aliens were able to totally heal your spine?”

“That’s exactly what I am saying!”

I pondered a minute.

“Do you think they would do the same for Georgia?”

“I’m sure they will given the right incentive.”

“You mean the thulium.”

“Yes”

I shook my head.

“The council will never go along with it.”

She grinned.

“Who says they need to know?”

I shook my head again.

“I work for them. It wouldn’t be right.”

Karen grabbed me by the shoulders.

“They would screw you in a minute if it served their purpose. Have you not learned anything! They tossed us both aside when we were born.”

“That was the old council.”

“Do you really think they have changed that much? They will do whatever it takes to meet their directives. We mean nothing and neither does Georgia.”

I tried to argue.

“They told me they would help Georgia in any way.”

She grinned.

“You have answered your own question by using the name Georgia. Whose idea was it to continue that charade?”

I sank back. She was right. Why did they insist on George being a woman. He was on the moon after all. Coop was still a man. What difference would it make to treat George like a man too?

“OK. I get it. You are right. Why did they want George to continue as a woman? That makes me wonder about Raylan. They tabled the discussion on his status for 6 months.”

Karen gave me a knowing look.

“We have to take care of each other. No one else will.”

“Yeah, but what about Mary? She won’t approve of anything that goes against the council. She also won’t be happy about any idea you come up with.”

Karen nodded.

“I really don’t blame her but she was always after me. It is a two way street.”

“Well, it’s still a problem. I do love Mary but I feel a tremendous obligation to George.”

“So, how much thulium is on the moon?”

“I have no idea. I could ask Coop.”

“He will need to be in on things anyway.”

“OK, but for now, it’s just a possible plan; nothing more.”

Karen agreed.

“I’ll contact my people back on Prowhiness to get a feel for things there.”

I left Karen’s room and headed to my own. I needed to think things out. It was OK for me to go against the council but I hesitated to get Coop involved again. Well, it wouldn’t hurt to approach him. At least, I could get an idea of how much thulium is available. Of course, thinking about this plan brings the problem of Mary to the fore front. She has strong ties to the council. In effect, I would be betraying her if we proceeded in trading thulium for the aliens help with George. I guess the best thing to do is not to worry about it since the plan probably will never happen anyway. After resting a while, I got up and went to see Coop.

“Hey, Jonnie, what’s up?”

“Karen was telling me that she had severe spinal damage from her fall into that mine shaft and those aliens healed her.”

Coop raised his eyebrows.

“I think I know where you are heading. You want to elicit their help with Georgia. I don’t think they are real thrilled with us right now since I blew out the engines on their ship.”

“Yeah, there is that. We really didn’t hurt anyone though. If there is even a remote chance, I want to explore it.”

“I agree.”

I hesitated.

“Uh, Karen suggested that they might be willing to help if they got what they came here for.”

“You mean the thulium.”

I nodded.

“How much do we have on the moon?”

“Pretty much all that has been mined; certainly more than they could carry with them. I don’t think the council will go for it, however.”

“True, it’s just a thought.”

“Hmmm.”

“Well, I guess I better go call Mary. See you tomorrow.”

I went back to my room and talked with Mary.

“I sure miss you already, Jonnie.”

“Me too. How’s Raylan?”

“He’s doing fine. It’s lucky he is so young. I have to say that he was well taken care of.”

“Yes, thank goodness for that!”

“How’s Georgia doing?”

I cringed at the name Georgia.

“OK, it is a tough thing to deal with.”

We talked a while longer. I did not mention anything about Karen’s plan. After hanging up, I went straight to bed. The next morning, I dressed and went to check on George. He was asleep but Linda was there with him.

“They had to sedate her. She is not dealing well with the paralysis much less the woman thing.”

“Yes, I sure messed things up. Well, I’m going to get some breakfast. I’ll come back a little later. Thanks for staying with --- uh, her.”

“Sure thing.”

I went to the cafeteria and filled my plate. I had just sat down to eat when I noticed Karen looking around. She spotted me and hurried over.

“What’s up?”

She grinned.

“I just heard back from The Alliance.”