NiS: Jacob and Tiffany - Wednesday

by Prof. Jack

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Chapter 36 Jacob

Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, captain of the Flying Dutchman, 12:30am October 27th 2006.

Scotty was finally content. He had discovered that sharing a bed with two passionate humans was not the best way to get an undisturbed night’s sleep. His owner usually tossed and turned for about 20 minutes before he got comfortable. Scotty thought his owner acted much like a cat. Then he would curl up next to him and start purring contentedly.

But not last night. Last night Scotty’s owner brought somebody new into the bed. It was not another cat. Considering the noise and writhing they did on the bed, Scotty was surprised he got any sleep at all.

At last everybody wore themselves out and fell asleep.

Scotty curled up and fell asleep.

Beep beep.

Jacob heard a beep beep. Then another beep beep.

Funny, the alarm should not be sounding now.

Jacob moved his head slightly.

His view was being blocked by something.

Beep beep.

He moved himself slowly, trying not to disturb Scotty as he rested against him. He noticed a larger breathing life form in the bed, but decided that if there was a problem, that breathing form would either not be breathing, or at least it would be not breathing here. He was still running on automatic.

It was the computer.

He looked at the clock and remembered this time. Jacob started to toss the covers aside.

Scotty meowed, plainly annoyed that the covers moved with out his permission.

“Computer, activate connection. Lights on. Hello Mother.”

“Hello Jacob. How are … Who the hell is that?” Mrs. Stone shrieked.

“Who the hell is who?” Jacob asked. Then his brain caught up with the situation. Tiffany. He looked around. Sure enough there she was naked, with the blankets pulled away and showing everything from the waist up. “Lights off” he shouted. Jacob quickly recovered Tiffany and checked to make sure she was still asleep.

She hadn’t even changed position. She was a sound sleeper. Excellent.

Even Scotty had curled up next to her and went back to sleep.

Jacob went back to the monitor and turned on his desk light. “Ok Mother, I’m back.”

“Who is she?” His mother had the voice of somebody who would keep asking that question until she received a full and detailed answer.

“Do you really want to know?”

“Why do you ask that?”

“Because ever since I started being different, ever since I started to do things everybody said that a fifteen year old has no right doing, you’ve stopped asking questions.”

“That’s not true.” his mother denied.

“It certainly seems it.” Jacob said tiredly. “I get the feeling that so long as I do not blow up the house with one of my experiments, you are not concerned. You wait for me to choose to tell you things, and I have to sit here and wonder if you are even interested in learning everything. At school I am happy with this, but at home it’s not so much fun.”

His mother protested. “But that’s because I don’t understand most of what you do.”

“Neither does dad, and yet he still asks. Besides, I think you could handle everything except the science. But you’ll never learn if you do not try.”

His mother looked thoughtful for a minute. “True. Perhaps it was just easier to accept that you were more than an ordinary child. It was easier to just expect that you would do things for yourself, that you were above the need for normal concern.”

I considered things for a moment. “Then again, I probably fed that image by not seeming to need help. I cultured a legend at school that seemed to be above all emotions and the need for emotions. Tiffany is showing me that I do not need to go that far.”

“Tiffany?” His mother asked. “Is that the girl in your bed?”

“Yes.”

“How did she get there?”

Let’s try for some humor.

“She walked.”

“Jacob…”

It seems mother’s humor is AWOL.

“Ok mother. Her name is Tiffany French. She started out as my program partner at the high school I’m going to.”

“Program?”

“Yes. The Naked in School program. Possibly the most controversial school/society project in half a hundred years. The paperwork was sent to both you and dad. Dad said you guys received it, but decided that I might get something from this.”

“Your dad thought that. I was not convinced, but we kept you in the school so that you could watch the results in others. I knew that if something you saw was worth thinking about, you would consider it.”

“Well, I was chosen this week.”

“How’s it going?”

“Ok. It went ok.” Jacob’s voice was carefully neutral.

His mother did not buy it for two tenths of a second. “Jacob, you never sound like that unless things are not going as you think they should. Is the truth that horrible?”

“For me, no. A simple exercise in humiliation. I expected as much. It still annoyed me that they were behaving so childishly, but as that was the way I expected them to behave, it did not truly get to me.”

“That would have been bad enough, even if you are used it. What happened in the end.”

“It started out as a lesson in humiliation. No sooner did I leave the principal’s office stark naked then everybody in the hallway started laughing like comedy central was performing there. By the end of the day I had started a feud with the football team, rescued a girl from a near rape, had a shouting match with the school staff, and took her home.”

“I don’t know where to start…” his mother started.

“Well, don’t start yet. That was only the events of Monday. On Tuesday the feud got worse, I got knifed midmorning…”

“Knifed??”

“Knifed.” He shows her his hand. “So long as I do not move the hand around, it should recover by Monday.”

“I’m afraid to ask, but what did you do in response to that?”

“I had the assailant arrested. It was one of the two kids that nearly raped Tiffany on Monday.”

“Why ever were they not arrested and jailed then?”

“Because the school seems to survive on funds raised by its football team. Therefore they get away with nearly murder.”

“So it seems. But why didn’t you do something about it in some political meeting you go to?”

“Believe me, I was all set to. But Tiffany asked me to be merciful. As it was her that was attacked, I decided to try and let her handle it.”

“But when they knifed you, you got them jailed.”

“Only one knifed me. And yes, he was jailed.”

“Was? Not is?”

“Yes. I got him released before the council meeting.”

“Jacob, has one of your projects fried your brain? Why would you do that?”

“To make him into a tool of my own. They have a rule in the state that if any member of a team gets themselves arrested, the team forfeits all games that year. You know my feelings on totally destroying my opponents. So I basically gave them terms. Basically I was so pissed at their mentality that I admit the first terms were very humiliating. Later, Tiffany talked me into reducing the terms. No longer did I desire the player’s total humiliation, but still I want the coach to suffer something. The mentality that he sponsors where football players are supreme, that they can do what they wish without fear or shame, this mentality must be stopped.”

“I hope it works out. Tell me something. How did Tiffany end up in your bed?”

“Because in one of our classes as we were discussing first times as part of the lesson, she was harassed, and in defending her I went and revealed a crush I have on her. Apparently I touched her more than I thought I did. As I was taking her home in the Flying Dutchman, we discussed becoming a couple.”

“Was this before or after your rescued her from the would be rapists?”

“After.”

“Hmmm.”

“Ok, mother. Now’s my turn to be wondering what is going through your brain.”

“Well, Jacob, I’m a bit worried that this relationship will not last. I’m afraid Tiffany is only going with you out of gratitude.”

“You think she would sleep with me for gratitude?” I said the statement that was soon to cause me more questions than theoretical space travel.

“Well, I’ve heard some kids these days do it for a good dinner date.”

“I’m hoping not. I’ve always had a crush on her. I studied her in the past and she is perfect for me with the exception that she is too cool. It may be too much to hope for to have it be true. But I suppose time will tell. It usually does.”

“Well, son, please just be careful.”

“Speaking of being careful, what’s been going on with you? Life as a naval fighter pilot cannot be as boring as mine.”

“Boring? Your life? Tell me, did you start drinking too? You’d have to be drunk to think your life is boring.”

“Ok. I admit it. There are times when I wish it would get a little more boring. Anyway, what is going in your life?”

“Our flights are going as expected. There have been some incidents by the Israeli air force. They have tried to strike Palestinian targets but we are keeping them at bay.”

“How bad are these incidents?”

“They have fired on Palestinian military bases and some targets close to some UN military operations. They’ve done everything they can to draw us off our missions but ram us out of the air.”

“They have to be aware that they are approaching war with the United States.”

“Things will never go that far.”

“The way you just described the Israelis behaving certainly seems like it is.”

“Yes, but still the United States or United Nations will never go to war. The Israelis still hide behind the holocaust. Anybody who attacks the Jewish state is the heir to the Nazis. That’s what their supporters will shout in the streets.”

“Oh, for love of all things thinkable. The mistakes of the past do not eternally bind the present. So long as I command the Flying Dutchman, much less own it, I shall not be bound by such repetitive stupidity.”

His mother forced a laugh. “It’s a good thing then that the Flying Dutchman is not yet operational.”

“Oh, didn’t I tell you? I got it operational three days ago.”

“You what??? Have you the slightest idea how many various agencies will be after it? Everybody from NASA to NORAD will want to get their fingers on it.”

“And I will blow it up myself before anybody I do not trust gets their hands on it. Come to think of it, I’m not sure I trust any governmental agency on this planet. That is why the plans for the density drive are so encrypted that maybe, just maybe they can figure out the coding… by the next ice age”

“I hope so. I don’t want to see how you’d react to your project being misused.” “Probably not very well.” He paused. “There is something else I’m not reacting very well too. It’s been over a week and I’ve heard no information about my brothers in Afghanistan. Actually, it’s been over three weeks since I’ve had any sort of contact with my brothers.” He looked thoughtful for a minute. “Come to think of it, I did say I’ve got the Flying Dutchman operational. Recently I have been thinking of making a trip over there once the density drive is tested.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why not?”

“The area’s not safe. War zones tend to be dangerous after all.”

“This I know. You know I’ve never been accused of stupidity. But I’ve also learned that the military likes admitting mistakes almost as much as the fundamentalists do. The way the numbers are running, so long as the destiny drive functions, I should be able to survive the trip. I might give in so far as to prepare a form of weapon system for the ship though. No use going in there simply as a target.”

“I’d rather you not go in there at all. Can you hold off longer?”

“Well, the ship I do not expect to be ready for such trips until sometime next week.”

“Still I think you should give it some time. There is probably a good reason for it.”

“Ok, we can talk this over again next week. Love you, Mother.”

“Love you too Jacob.”

I cut the connection, shut down the system and went back to bed.

Pesky humans Scotty thought and meowed again.

Chapter 37 Tiffany

7:30am

Scotty heard another alarm go beep beep. It got to repeat twice before the new thing in the bed started to move and reach before she managed to find the alarm clock and kill the alarm. Scotty gave up. He moved to the hall closet and fell asleep on the blankets stored there.

I finally killed that alarm. I think that’s because the alarm off button got banged as it fell off of the nightstand. Then I saw him contently resting there.

How in the name of the Dallas Cheerleaders does he manage to stay that way? There was a loud alarm, me twisting and turning on this bed to kill that alarm, and I think the cat jumped on him during his escape from the confusion. And he sleeps through all this like it was some boring class!

He is not going to be the only person sleeping in this bed if I have anything to say on the subject.

But I’m not going to say something. I’m going to do something. Make that I’m going to do someone.

I tossed the covers onto the floor. We were not going to be needing them again anytime soon.

He briefly shivered and tried to absorb some extra warmth from the mattress.

I borrowed under his legs and reached where I could lick his cock. I licked at it slowly to start, treating it like an ice cream cone treat I’d been looking forward to.

Well, it was a treat for me at least.

I licked it some more, touching every bit I could reach given how he was positioned.

He started to squirm.

I kept it up, waiting.

His cock got harder. He started to adjust his position to get more comfortable.

That was what I was waiting for. As he turned, I pushed him all the way over, shoved my mouth on his cock and started sucking like an extremely thirsty athlete with a clogged water bottle.

He just got harder and harder.

I started to want it myself. I straddled him and started to ride him. I rode him hard and fast. I needed some cumming here. Both his and mine.

Jacob started to wake up sometime around this point. He opened his eyes. Then he closed them. Then they snapped open wide. He grabbed my hips and started grinding into me.

I bounced up and down on him like an out of work porn star desperate for a part.

He groaned something. He was still not coherent yet, but I think it had to do with his cumming.

No objections here.

Then I screamed. I kept screaming as I flailed about, cumming on him until I dropped on top of him.

A few minutes later he looked up at me. “Good morning to you too.”

“Ok. You’ve had your wake up call. Now hop out of bed before we are too late for school.”

“Relax. With the Flying Dutchman, being late is a choice, not something we have to worry about.”

We both got washed and toweled each other off.

He went off to do something.

Then I realized something. “Hold on, Jacob, I need clothes, at least for the travel part.”

“Yes, I know.” Jacob called from the computer area. “According to the Weather Channel’s web site, today’s temperatures are expected to be in the high 50’s to low 60’s. There is a really strong thunder storm expected this evening.” He shut down the computer, then went over to the closet. After he rooted around for a few minutes, he pulled something out. “I thought so. They should fit you, chest and all. Plus the red is so faded from all the washings that I never wear them outside anymore.”

I looked over.

He was holding a faded red sweat suit. It was so faded that the color bordered on pink.

I tried them on. They were a bit tight, but seeing as everybody was going to see me naked anyway, how revealing they were was not important. “Jacob, that chest comment. That was a compliment, wasn’t it?”

“What do you think?”

“I think it was a compliment.”

“Smart girl.”

We got into the Dutchman. I did the security things needed to get it operational and decided to practice hand steering.

“Tiffany, you do remember the voice control systems are up and running, don’t you?”

“Yes Jacob. Sex with you might be mind blowing, but my mind is not completely blown away yet.”

“Then why the extra effort?”

“Practice. Now be quiet. This wind is getting strong.”

“Ok. I suppose we can stop off at a Dunkin Donuts on the way there.”

Chapter 38 Jacob

Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, captain of the Flying Dutchman, 8:20am October 27th 2006.

I sat in the command chair and thought. As usual, I had much to think about. Could it be true that this wonderful relationship is too good to be true? Am I reaching so high that I’m destined to crash horribly into a pit of sadness and despair? Oh, the hell with it. I’ll ride this madness out until I arrive at whatever end fate has.

“Look, Jacob, there is a big crowd. Is there something special going on?”

“Well, Halloween is Friday, and today is Wednesday. Isn’t homecoming soon?”

“Yes, a week from this weekend.” she told me.

I looked at the exterior visuals. I could see Ms. Q., coaches Bromby and Cane milling in the crowd. The crowd was also much larger than normal. “So what is going on around here?”

Tiffany replied “Nothing that will displease you.” She parked the Dutchman and shut everything down.

I put on my coat and handed her her coat. We may have to spend the day naked, but according to that rulebook, that day starts from either the earliest school activity of the day, or from when we reach the stripping area. Either way, so long as we were naked by the starting bell, we would be ok.

We got out of the Dutchman. I closed the hatch and we walked the twenty some feet needed to get around the ship and onto the pavement.

Tiffany looked at the Dutchman and then she looked back at me. “You do know that thing is taking at least three parking spaces.”

“I know. But because the program rules now state that during program weeks students have the right to park near the main entrance, it’s their fault that this is happening. They put us in the program. So they must expect us to use the space. Or in our case, spaces.”

She laughed a little. “I doubt any 15 year olds tried to invoke that rule before.”

I gave her a smile of my own. “Just because it has never been done does not mean I cannot do it now.”

“You enjoy doing things like that.”

“Like what?”

“Looking for loopholes in things. Then you delight in doing things nobody expects.”

“I guess I do.”

“You might want to think about resisting those urges. You want to be part of the school reality? Then you should act as if the rules apply to you. Shattering their ideas of what can and cannot be done is not the way to be seen as one of the crowd.”

Speaking of crowds, we reached the edge of this one. I looked around with a faintly curious look. Admittedly, I could have cared less. Whatever was going to happen should be easily adaptable. That was the essence of the legend I was wrestling with, the concept of Jacob Stone that I was trapped by public belief into being. The legend was expected to react, but not to react that much. So I gave the crowd a faintly curious look.

Then Fred stepped forward. “I’ve something to say to you, Stone.”

From Fred’s tone of voice, it sounds like he wants to tell me how I should commit suicide. Either that, or perhaps he wants to… no, even the most optimistic predictions have them doing that now.

I watched as a girl I did not recognize stepped to Fred’s side. She said “Fred, you have to.”

I tried to keep only a faintly interested look on my face. All the clues led me to think something was going to happen way sooner than I’d expected for jock mentality. Is it possible that they can improve so quickly? Am I falling into the same trap that I’ve objected to? That people are stuck within their images. Have I started believing that so much I’ve stopped trying to do anything more than hope that people can change. Is it that I think that being trapped in my image leads me to think nobody else can escape theirs? And if he can, why am I worried about the legend?

“I see,” I said. “It’s about that.”

“Yes it is.” Fred said. He looked like he was mentally struggling for a moment. Then he stood up tall.

“Where’s Koke?”

“He does not want to see you.”

“Ok.” I consulted my pocket watch. “We’ve about ten minutes before the bell, and I’m guessing Ms. Q. will want us stripped by then.”

“Ok, ok.” Fred says. “Stone, I want to apologize for my part in attacking Tiffany. I also should have tried to muzzle my sister, too.”

I was stunned.

He actually apologized!

To be honest, I was expecting this to happen at the last possible moment, just to make the point that they hated me.

And who the hell is his sister??

My face remained expressionless. I was not going to admit that I had no idea who Fred’s sister is.

“I should have kept Heather quiet. Her statements made the feud worse. I’ll see that she makes it up to you.”

Heather is Fred’s sister. Much is explained. But why would Fred let his sister act as she does? Or is it just an act? “Very well, Fred. I accept your apology.” I offered my left hand to shake since my right was covered in bandages. It was still very tender. It would hurt me more to use that hand than it hurt’s Fred’s pride to say this.

Fred hesitated and then he shook my hand.

It seems he fears public opinion more than his hatred. He only shook hands with me because of the crowd.

Next to me, Tiffany said “One.”

I really must teach her not to gloat.

The crowd started to break up after Fred walked off.

It seems the entertainment is over.

Then a girl walked up. “Hi, I’m Stacy. Can I undress you?”

Maybe not.

She looked at Tiffany hesitantly while she waited for an answer.

Tiffany nodded.

I looked at her. She was nicely built, but not perfect. She had brown hair and was about a foot shorter than I was. I think I’ve seen her about, but our paths never crossed before. With her glasses and not at all revealing clothes, I would never have thought her the type. I smiled a bit and said, “You may. It’s about time I start accepting these reasonable requests anyway.”

Stacy started by undoing my coat, then carefully sliding it down my arms. Then she started unbuttoning my shirt.

Ms. Q smiles, says: “We understand that you do things differently, but now that the impending war is over, maybe you’ll play the part of program participant a little better. Surely the legend that is Jacob Jehosophat Stone can handle the program easily enough.”

I flinched when she mentioned the legend.

Stacy jumped back.

“Relax, Stacy, that had nothing to do with you. You can keep going, it is safe.”

Tiffany finished stripping quickly. “I have an announcement. You guys had better prepare yourselves for some big shocks. I’m planning on getting Jacob to embrace the legend. I think it will help him fit in better, plus I’m sure we can all think of things he can do for us. What I’d like you all to do is think of what we can offer, or try to offer him in return. I’m going to get him to care about high school society. You guys must prove to him that it’s worth his effort.”

Stacy finished stripping me. She was skilled, but not too skilled. Then she dropped to her knees and took a nice appraising look at his cock. “May I?”

I hesitated.

“Relax,” Tiffany said with a smile, “this is part of the program. I know how much you love me.”

I looked down at Stacy. “Go ahead.”

Stacy’s eyes were slightly wide and her face was flushed. She was breathing a little harder than normal. Then she eagerly started sucking.

Chapter 39 Tiffany

10:30am

I entered the class quickly and took my usual window seat. I saw the storm clouds impending when I looked out the window.

Only fitting. I am about to let a storm loose in here.

And it had nothing to do with either Jacob or football players.

Mr. Makepeace came in and put some books on his desk. Then he opened an old looking book to the middle. He sat on the corner of his desk and surveyed the class with a grin as he started his lecture. “How many rebellions against the United States can you name?”

Silence.

Perfectly understandable. Who’d ever have the nerve to rebel against the United States?

After a few minutes, a student in the back row raised his hand. “I think I heard of one in the Philippines.”

“Good.” the teacher said. “That’s a start. How about any that happened on American soil, that is within the continental US?”

A female student seated on the other side of the room raised her hand. “How about the Indian wars in the western states?”

“Good guess, but as the Indian tribes were recognized as nations, they technically were wars against other countries.”

“I do not think there were ever any rebellions against the US. After all isn’t our government the best?” Tiffany inquired.

The girl who guessed about the Indian tribes said, “There has to have been some rebellions. Otherwise Mr. Makepeace would have not have asked the question.”

“Good point.” the teacher said.

But who? And when?

Mr, Makepeace waited a few more minutes for other guesses. Then he started his lecture. “There have been at least two. Today we will talk about the one led by Daniel Shays. But who was Daniel Shays? He was an American officer in the U.S. War of Independence. He started out as one of the minutemen who responded at Lexington. There he served 11 days. Later that year he rejoined the army, eventually becoming a captain. In 1780 he resigned from the army, settling in Pelham, Mass., where he held several town offices. Note this. Despite the judgments of his opponents, he was a responsible man dedicated to freedom. Then in 1786 Massachusetts started a heavy taxation program to redeem the value of the colonial notes at face value. This was instigated at the behest of wealthy Bostonians who had bought up nearly all these payment notes from poor people who could not wait for the notes’ redemption. They raised funds by a heavy taxation program that put 90% of the burden on the poor farmers and other people of the western counties of Mass. This led to the rebellion.”

“Gee,” a student says, “that sounds familiar.”

“Indeed. And in this rebellion the rebels were all accused of being poor rabble rousers bent on destroying property. Just like the accusations used by the British in the Revolutionary War.”

“But the revolutionary rebels were not all poor or troublemakers.” a student says.

I said “That’s a matter of opinion that depends on who’s speaking. The rebels will never call themselves such names. And the opposing side has to insult them. Other wise, god forbid, it would seem as if the rebels were in the right. By damning the participants, they damn the cause.”

“Exactly, Tiffany, that’s exactly it. And history repeats itself less than a decade later in Shays' Rebellion (1786–87). But Daniel lost, and fled to Vermont. He and about a dozen others were condemned to death by the Supreme Court of Massachusetts. In 1788 he petitioned for a pardon, which was soon granted. I asked you yesterday to read your textbook’s notes on this on page 194. How many of you did this?”

About half the students raise their hands.

“And you guys wonder why you do so poorly on tests. Pay attention to my questions. Some of these will be on your next test. When did this happen?”

“August 1786–February 1787”

Tiffany listened as various students called out the answers in turn. Her statement was enough to get her class participation.

“Where did it happen?”

“The uprising was in western Massachusetts.”

“Why did it happen?”

“The people did not think the taxes were fair, and they liked them even less during the tough economic times.”

“Correct, Tiffany. You are even starting to sound like Jacob.”

“God help us.” Another student says.

Another student chimed in. “One Jacob is enough. The school cannot take two of him.”

“The school?” the first student asks, “I doubt the world could survive it.”

I responded, “Then you might want to talk to NASA.”

“Ok. Back to the rebellion. What did the rebels do?”

One of the other students told me, “Go ahead. After all, you are becoming like Jacob. He usually gives the answers until the teacher tells him to shut up.”

“Certainly.” Tiffany replies. “The rebels started by forcing the closing of several courts to prevent execution of foreclosures and debt processes. This included the Massachusetts Supreme Court in Springfield.”

“Good. What happened next?”

“Daniel Shays led a force of about 1,200 men in an attack in January 1787 on the federal arsenal at Springfield. It was repulsed. The Massachusetts militia pursued them.”

“Excellent. What happened that February?”

“On February 4th Shays was decisively defeated at Petersham. He then fled to Vermont.”

“And did any good come from all this? And Tiffany, let’s let somebody else answer.”

“There’s your ‘shut up cue’, Tiffany.” one of the other students said.

There was some laughter at that.

The teacher said, “Since you are so observant, you answer the question.”

All the students laugh at that.

The student checked his notes quickly. “Because of the rebellion, the Massachusetts government made laws easing the economic condition of those who owed money.”

The bell rings.

I waited for the crowd to pass. Finally, the crowd had thinned enough for me to leave.

As I left, Mr. Makepeace pulled me aside. “That’s a change. Usually you just sit there. You know the stuff, your tests always showed that. Why suddenly so active?”

“You know how the program is supposed to help with personal growth?”

“Yes?”

“Well, my friends including my new boyfriend helped me to realize that if I can survive a week revealing my body, it can’t hurt me to reveal my intelligence.”

“They’re right. Have a good day Tiffany.”

Chapter 40 Jacob

Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, Captain of the Flying Dutchman, 11:45am October 27th 2006.

I was still preoccupied with Mother’s call. In fact, I was so preoccupied that I forgot how cold it was outside and took a shortcut across the courtyard.

The chill quickly reminded me, as did the slight breeze that always happens before an impending thunderstorm. I took a look at the thunderclouds approaching as they seemed to get darker and more foreboding with each passing minute.

That’s when I understood something about love. Like the impending storms, the emotional storms of women cannot be stopped. They can only be faced. And real storm systems were far easier to predict and withstand than the storms unleashed by the emotions of a female.

Then another ongoing storm struck again.

Heather passed by me. Then she turned and glared. “You. I heard about what my brother said to you. Brother or not, Fred will never muzzle my comments against you, you geek or your geek’s slut.”

I tried to keep my voice reasonable. The fact that she was an annoying bitch who just called my girlfriend a slut was not helping matters any.

I asked her, “Haven’t you heard about the football team’s surrender yet?”

“I heard.” Heather said. “It must be a lie. Trust me. No scrawny shit assed geek like you can ever beat the sports teams.”

Poor girl. Such a trusting belief. A pity she does not open her eyes to the realities of the situation. Someday such blind faith in the fictions that please her is going to hurt her.

I continued with the patient certainty of a person who has already won. “One, I never declared war on all the sports teams. For example, I am friends with several people on the soccer team. Two, talk to your brother. I have won.”

Heather was indignant. “No way. Just cannot happen. Nobody calling you a friend can possibly be a member of the sports cliques. And no matter what you say, you will never win.”

I sighed.

I swear I’ve had more productive conversations with fence posts.

“As you wish. I’ve tried to tell you the truth. I’m not going to waste any more time on you.”

I heard a door open and close somewhere out of sight.

Tiffany came up from behind me, put her arms around me and gave me a deep kiss. “Hi Jacob.”

Heather stood there fuming. To look at her, you’d think she expected the sports gods to strike with lightning any cheerleader giving such an affectionate kiss to me. “Tiffany, why don’t you take supergeek there behind the trees over there and screw him?”

Tiffany smiled. “At least getting screwed is better than getting screwed over. How many girls are you sharing your guy with?”

Heather gasped in a combination of anger and shock. Then she glared furiously at Tiffany. “Ok geek slut. You better watch your back.”

“Watch it,” I told her. “Messing with Tiffany means messing with me. And I think we have learned that those who mess with me end up a mess themselves.”

“Relax, Jacob, I can take care of myself.”

I looked between Heather and Tiffany. “You’re right, Tiffany. Scotty could handle her.”

Tiffany and I shared a laugh.

“Who the hell is Scotty?” demanded Heather.

I just shook my head.

After a minute, Tiffany stifled her giggles enough to say “His cat.”

Heather stormed off.

When we reached the lunchroom, I headed towards my usual table.

Diane shouted, “Join us.”

I gave her one of my slight smiles, and said, “I’m not sure it’s safe yet. The war is not over yet, we just have an enforced peace. I do not want you guys caught in the crossfire.”

Lucy said, “We’ll risk it, right guys?”

“Sure.”

“Yes.”

“Willingly?”

“Yep.”

“Ok.” I said.

We got our food and sat at the end of Diane’s table.

Tiffany ate part of her sandwich. Then she looked briefly at her friends. “Could you guys give a little privacy please?”

“Sure.” Megan agreed.

“While you are at it, try to see that nobody else disturbs us for a few minutes.”

Bob went “Ok.”

Tiffany leant in closer to make it even harder to be overheard. “You trust me?”

What’s with all this secrecy?

“Of course I trust you.”

“Then you know that if I ask you something difficult, it’s something I think will help?”

Secrecy, and with a lead in like that, it must be something.

I nodded, curiously.

“Jacob, I want you to make an appointment with Dr. Daring.”

So that’s why the conversational gymnastics. Make an appointment with Dr. Daring? Me? What purpose would that serve me?

I gave her a look.

Tiffany went on quickly before I could say anything.

Probably a good thing. But then I was not overly sure what I would had said, had she let me talk.

“I admit the idea was suggested to me before we became a couple, but the reasons are still there. You seem to be the most together person here, but that is the result of the legend you created. The legend is getting a life of its own, but you are still not sure about your life. I know I said I’d help you fit in, but you need somebody you can talk to whose actions and life neither you nor your legend affect.”

“Dr. Daring, you say?”

“Yes.”

“Why him?”

“Because one of my friends is his son, and I’ve heard nothing but good reviews about him from the few students that talk about having met him.”

“Indeed.”

Perhaps it might be worth considering. Maybe.

“He also runs the school help club. They listen to students that need a caring ear, give advice and try to make things better for their fellow students.” Peter says.

Now I was curious.

So much for privacy. I should have known better than to think that I could have a private conversation in here.

“But can he understand the issues that I face, many of them burdens usually carried by somebody in their thirties?”

Bill says, “If anybody can truly explain you, if that is even possible, my father will be the one.”

I noticed that around us, the lunchroom was quieting down during the last part of this conversation.

So I looked up and around. Then I saw Kevin approaching.

Kevin came to about three feet from the end of our table. “Jacob Jehosophat Stone, I need to talk to you.”

This could be trouble.

“What about?”

“You, Tiffany, and the Stone-Football Team feud.”

Change this could be trouble to this will be trouble.

“Go on.”

First Kevin said, “Let me apologize to Tiffany. No matter what people say, I think that is what you’d want to hear.” He looks at Tiffany. “Tiffany, I’m sorry. I’d like to say that it was all Coach Koke’s influence, but the truth was I knew what I was doing and enjoying it. It took your new boyfriend to teach me what it feels like when people act like what I care about is not important.”

Tiffany’s facial expression had been changing during the conversation. First it showed displeasure at Kevin’s timing. Then she looked shocked when Kevin chose to apologize directly to her. The mentioning of Koke was not good for her digestion, nor did the admission that Kevin had been enjoying it all along. But her face went calm when Kevin admitted that he learned something after all.

Tiffany nodded. “Apology accepted.”

“Jacob, as for you, I will say that it really upset me to learn that you could match me, move for move, and even beat me. I should not have knifed you, maybe we could have kept things as they were. Because of that, I must say the following.” He takes a deep breath. Then he spoke much louder. “As team captain, I am stating that the football team declares Jacob the winner of this feud. He could have destroyed us, but he did not. For that, I thank you.”

The eyes of the entire lunchroom by now are on Kevin.

Everybody looked at me next.

I stood up. “Apology and thanks acknowledged. All those on my side, or acting in support of me, I am officially declaring this feud ended.”

As I sat down, I heard various positive comments.

Also I heard a familiar voice spouting a familiar refrain.

Heather came up between where Kevin was standing and the table. She looked between Kevin and me. “You can’t be serious!” she told Kevin. “The football team giving in to the most uncool fool in the school? Have you gone crazy??”

“Jacob is no fool.” Kevin told Heather. “He beat us. And I care more about the football team then about your ego. I’m walking free because of his mercy, not because the police thought I was cool. As for being crazy, maybe we are. Crazy like a bunch of foxes. I’ve heard how he helps the soccer team. Plus the school’s homecoming parade is coming up. This may be selfish, but imagine the impression we’d make if Jacob got talked into using that whatever the hell he is flying in the parade. Remember, it is the parade that sells the tickets that gets the cheerleaders most of their money.”

“I’d rather go broke, that they closed down the cheerleading squad than have any of us dependent for a minute on that god of geekdom!”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s over. He’s won. We are going to move on.”

“We’ll just see about that.” Heather snapped.

Five minutes latter I looked at Tiffany. If Kevin can apologize so publicly, the least I can do is meet with Dr. Darling. “I’ll do it.”

“Do what?” Tiffany asked.

“The person you want me to meet with. I’ll meet him.”

“Great!”

“Speaking of meetings,” Diane said, “Jacob, care to join us tonight?” “Where?” I asked, slightly cautiously.

“The crowd’s usual hangout spot. It’s a place called the Snack Spot. It’s over in Applegate. Tiffany can give you directions.”

“Well, directions for somebody driving a car.” Bob laughed. “For you and that ship of yours, you’ll have to adapt them.”

They all had a laugh at that.

“Sure, I’d love to. Tiffany?”

“I’ll be there. Shall we say tonight about 8?”

Chapter 41 Tiffany

Five minutes latter Jacob looked at me. “I’ll do it.”

Now what is cooking in that guy’s head??

“Do what?” I asked.

“The person you want me to meet with. I’ll meet him.”

I would not have even bet a small order of French fries that would have been his response. I expected that it would take several tries to convince him. Not that I’m resisting, mind you. The meeting with Dr. Daring can only help him.

“Great!”

“Speaking of meetings,” Diane said, “Jacob, care to join us tonight?” “Where?” Jacob asked. He sounded as though he still expected trouble from somewhere.

“The crowd’s usual hangout spot. It’s a place called the Snack Spot. It’s over in Applegate. Tiffany can give you directions.”

“Well, directions for somebody driving a car.” Bob laughed. “For you and that ship of yours, you’ll have to adapt them.”

They all had a laugh at that.

“Sure, I’d love to. Tiffany?”

“I’ll be there. Shall we say tonight about 8?”

The lunch bell rang, signaling the end of both the conversation and the lunch period.

I went down the hallway towards my gym class. I was in a great mood. Now I was getting to report the success of the apologies to Coach Cane and also that the Football team-Stone feud is over.

Then I heard a scream.

A very loud, scared scream.

It sounded like it was coming from Coach Koke’s office.

I rushed in. I was worried somebody had hurt themself. It hadn’t sunk in yet that screams of pain do not sound scared.

What I saw when I entered Koke’s office corrected that.

He had some girl trapped against his desk.

The girl was crying now. “No, please no. I don’t want to.”

Mindy? But isn’t Mindy Fred’s girl? Why would the coach rape the girlfriend of his star receiver?

This makes no sense.

He pulled her off the desk, yanked up her skirt and pulled down her top. Then he pushed her against the desk. “Oh shut up. I haven’t had a good fuck in a few weeks and you are failing my classes miserably. Give it up and we’ll both get what we need.” This explains it.

It makes perfect sense now.

Now I was going to stop it.

“Hey! Koke, you cocksucker, stop that immediately!” I shouted.

Koke didn’t even turn. He growled “Get out slut, you’ll get your turn soon enough.” He paused as he forced Mindy’s legs apart. “Much better. This is what you high school sluts are for anyway. Maybe you should watch, Tiffany. You’ll get to see a real man service a woman. Maybe you’ll learn something.”

I reached for the wall phone. “Release her. I’m calling the cops.”

That got Koke’s attention. He charged me and batted my hand away from the phone. Then he yanked the phone off the wall and threw it though the window.

Mindy took advantage of the distraction. She was out of there with a speed worthy of the track team.

Koke turned on me. He didn’t say anything, but murder was on his face.

I didn’t need anymore hints. I dashed out, slammed the door behind me, then started running as though the fiends of hell were after me.

Chapter 42 Jacob

Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, captain of the Flying Dutchman, 1:30pm, October 27th 2006.

I caught Ms. Q. as she was going into the classroom. “Can we talk a minute?” I gestured to the side of the hallway.

She paused there curiously. “Jacob, we have to be in class in a minute.”

“It is about the class that we have to talk.”

“Ok. What’s on your mind?”

“Today’s class.” I said simply. “Tiffany has convinced me. I just want you to introduce us.”

“That’s it?” she sounded skeptical.

As well she might. My cooperation I doubt she ever expected on this project.

Well, I am going to cooperate. But I plan to do this my way.

“As I said, I have been convinced to give you guys a show. No doubt you are thinking this is so against my usual behavior.”

“The thought had crossed my mind.” She said with a simile

“That, Ms. Q., is why I want to run things my way.”

Ms. Q. said, “I’m not sure about this.”

“Relax. I promise you, it will be worth it. Besides, you guys wanted me to join in the spirit of the program more, right?”

“Ok. I just want to introduce the subject. After the introduction is over, the floor will be yours.”

“Agreed.”

Tiffany showed up. She was carrying a closed duffle bag.

“What’s in the bag?” Ms. Q. asked.

Tiffany starts to answer.

I interrupted her, saying “Not yet. It’s part of the show.”

“I need to check to see if there is anything dangerous.”

I gave her one of my trademarked looks. “No, you don’t. I’m helping to put on this show. Since when do you think I would endanger a bunch of students for my amusement.”

“True. But I’ll be really annoyed if anything goes wrong.”

“Relax, Tiffany and I plotted this out carefully.”

Tiffany smiled. “I trust him with the contents of this bag. Isn’t that enough?”

We all went in. I told Tiffany to put the duffle bag under the table.

Ms. Q. brought the class to order quickly. “Sorry to cut your talking time short, but for today’s lesson we will need the whole class period.”

Everybody became quiet quickly.

“Today’s lesson involves fantasies. We all have them. When you look at a sexy girl or a good looking guy, and think to yourself, I want to fuck her or him, you are fantasizing. Sex is not always just mating, or even making love. You know how you play a role in a school play? How these roles can touch you, make you sad, glad or thrilled? Scenes and dressing up during sex can thrill a person as well. I have asked our program couple to demonstrate this.” Ms. Q indicates that the class should pay attention to me. Then she sat down.

I stood there shivering, slightly. It wasn’t from the cold. Today I was being called on to perform for the class. I was going to put on a show for those who treated my very existence as entertainment. Then I threw such concerns out of my head.

I moved around the table and briefly checked that the bag was there.

It was.

Good.

“Today, again I live the legend. The legend is expected to do the unexpected.”

Habitually I inserted a minor dramatic pause.

“I’m going to fuck Tiffany. Right here and now.”

There was a surprised gasp.

Poor fools. I was just getting started.

“I intend to tie her to this table in front of me, then fuck her in front of you all.”

“No way.”

“Not going to happen.”

“We don’t believe you. You’d never get the nerve to do that.”

The last comment was from Heather.

Scotty will start dancing on MTV before I can count on that girl to keep her big mouth shut.

Right on cue Tiffany came up and laid herself down on the table.

“Are you sure Heather?” I asked.

As I pulled the ropes out of the bag, I gave the table a quick look. I wanted to bang Tiffany against the table. I did not want Tiffany to be banging into the floor.

I tied her carefully. Her arms and legs were bound effectively enough to prevent escape.

Tiffany moved her limbs and grinned when she found they were loose enough to be comfortable, but tight enough that she was at my mercy.

Then I started running my hands over her breasts as I continued to talk.

I looked around at the looks on the class’ faces.

Surprised would be an understatement.

“Now I know some of you are asking why is she letting me do this? It boils down to trust and love. Those in love are more willing to play such games, and more willing to trust that the partner would not hurt her or him. Trust and love. Sex can be had without it, but with it the sex becomes stupendous.”

By this time Tiffany was moaning from the breast message.

I took my hands away from her breasts.

“No! Put them back… please!!”

I ignored her pleading and blindfolded her.

“You didn’t tell me about this.” she gasped.

“Be quiet. I’m in charge today and you are helpless, helpless and ready to be used as my personal fuck toy.” I put a hand near her clit.

She moaned as she tried to maneuver her body so that her clit was rubbing against my hand. She couldn’t do it. She kept trying.

I kept up the teasing for a few more minutes then pressed lightly on her clit. For a second, no more.

Tiffany all but came then and there.

If I kept this up long enough, her juices would start running off the table and form a puddle on the floor.

She was certainly wet enough.

I climbed on top of her, dragging my cock up her body.

Tiffany squirmed, trying to feel my cock over more of her body.

I was relentless. I moved right up her body, avoided her pussy, and ran it between her breasts and right to her mouth.

She didn’t need any further hints. She started sucking hard as she moved her tongue over my cock, trying to get it as soaked as I had made her pussy.

Chapter 43 Tiffany

His fingers! They were turning me on as easily as he would turn on a light switch.

Then he took his hands away from my breasts.

“No! Put them back… please!!”

Let them wonder if I’m responding to the crowd, or to his touch.

He ignored my pleading.

The bastard.

Then he blindfolded me.

“You didn’t tell me about this” I gasped.

“Be quiet.” he said. “I’m in charge today and you are helpless, helpless and ready to be used as my personal fuck toy.” He put a hand near my clit.

I moaned as I tried to maneuver my body so that my clit was rubbing against his hand. I couldn’t do it. I kept trying.

It’s a good thing he has me tied. Otherwise it would be a toss up whether I pushed him on the table to screw him… or to strangle him.

Jacob kept up the teasing for a few more minutes and then pressed lightly on my clit. For only a second.

I nearly came then and there.

Then he climbed on top of me, dragging his cock up my body.

I squirmed, trying to feel his cock over more of my body.

Damn him. He’s enjoying this teasing too much! He dragged his cock slowly up my body without touching anything sensitive.

Then I felt it at my mouth.

I did not need any hints.

I moved my head to get as much of his cock in my mouth as I could.

I am going to suck him until he is as horny as he’s made me.

A few minutes of heavy sucking and I had him hard as a rock.

He pulled out of my mouth.

“Hey, I’m thirsty here!”

He ignored me and started rubbing my pussy lips.

I love him, but he’s driving me crazy.

“Now what should I do?”

He had the nerve to ask that???

“Fuck her!” a classmate shouted.

“Shove it in her!” Another classmate encouraged.

“We want to see her get it hard.”

“Yeah. Drill her good.”

“Go on,” Heather said. “Show us that you really know what to do with a girl.”

I felt him tense for a second. Later I heard that his look had gotten as hard as his cock.

Then suddenly he smiled.

“Let Heather get a good view.” Jacob said.

As he said that, he drove his cock into my pussy.

“Let her get a view. Let her see what a good fuck is like. Maybe she’ll learn something that she can use so that guys actually want to screw her more than once.”

I started to laugh at his comment. Midway through the laugh, I screamed.

I was cumming already.

Jacob kept pounding my pussy.

“Harder!” A classmate shouted. “Make her scream again!”

“Harder!!” I begged. “Fuck me harder, please pound my pussy.” I was moaning like a porn star in heat.

Jacob thrust faster. He grabbed my waist and kept speeding up.

I was tugging at the ropes as I tried to grab him. I wanted nothing more than to hug him and wrap myself around him when he came.

“I’m cumming.” he said.

I ground as hard against his cock as the restraints would let me.

This time we both screamed.

Chapter 44 Jacob

Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, captain of the Flying Dutchman, 3:07pm, October 27th 2006.

School was over on the day that I never would have thought would ever happen. The football team has been brought to contrition. I fucked Tiffany in front of an entire class. I even agreed to speak to a school psychologist.

Speaking of speaking to the school psychologist, I still have to set that up. I went to the advisor’s office and walked right past the main desk like I owned the place. Only Dr. Daring and I had any need to be in on my next conversation.

His secretary was putting away some files. “Can I help you?”

“I seriously doubt it.”

“I beg your pardon??” She was starting to get the sort of attitude the officious and those who feel their position secure ever get. I think the tone is meant to produce a stammering apology.

“Fat chance.”

But I too could play at this game.

I gathered all the justifiable arrogance that the creator of the Flying Dutchman possessed and gave her a look. “I repeat, I doubt you can help me. Now, madam, will you be so good as to inform Dr. Daring that Mr. Jacob Jehosophat Stone wishes a word with him? Or do I go in there and tell him myself??”

She didn’t flinch.

Did I do the look and tone right? On Monday it silenced an entire hallway of mocking students and today I cannot even shake a middle aged secretary?

She just finished putting away the files in her hand. Then she silently went into Dr. Daring’s office.

Three minutes later, and still I saw no sign of him.

I really had no time for this. I pulled out my pocket watch and watched the minute hand. Two more minutes and…

“Excuse me?”

I looked up and saw a thin bearded man. He had glasses and was wearing the sort of outfit I would expert on a European college professor.

“You are Dr. Daring?”

“I am. And you must be…”

“Indeed.” I gestured at his office door. The longer we stood out here, the more likely there would be witnesses I did not want.

He went in and I followed.

The secretary left.

Dr. Daring started off. “As I was saying, you must be the Jacob Stone the entire school seems to be talking about.”

I sighed. “It seems I must.” I said tiredly.

“What can I do for you?”

“A good question. My girlfriend seems to think you can be of some assistance to me. She made me promise to set up an appointment with you.”

He consulted an appointment book on the edge of his desk. “Next Tuesday suit you? Ten minutes after the closing bell?”

“It is acceptable.” I turned to leave.

“Oh, Jacob?”

“Yes?”

“Have you any idea why she would tell you that you should meet with me?”

“That is one thing I hope the meetings will reveal.” I left him pondering that sentence.

I too, wished I knew what good she thought would come of these meetings.

Then I was given something else to wish for. That the school had installed indoor parking.

It was pouring hard. The thunder was loud. It lacked only the sun setting to be the perfect start to a book. I grabbed our clothes from the sheltered box and made a dash for the Flying Dutchman.

When I got there I found a note taped to the hull. The ink had all but run off, but there was just enough to lead me to think it read soccer practice has been cancelled.

I entered the ship, and got dressed. “System?”

“Yes?”

“Begin primary start procedure.”

“Acknowledged. Engines starting up… situational scan accomplished… hover engines engaged… visual systems powered up… all systems are go.”

Jacob watched as the ship turned itself on. He could now watch the thunderstorm as realistically as if he was outside. At least this way he was not getting wet.

“Your orders?”

If this ship gets any more automated, I’ll be giving it orders with hand gestures.

“System. Lift us up to twenty five feet. Set course to fifteen degrees for fifty feet. Then come around to 265 degrees for 1,225 feet, find a clear spot and land. Activate.”

The Flying Dutchman took off smoothly and flew to the cheerleader’s entrance to the stadium. I watched the instrument panels out of habit. It was probably not necessary to do so. If the autopilot was going to fail, somebody would be reading my obituary by now.

Once we landed, I turned my attention to the science center. I decided to look up places for us to go on a date. I was torn on several options, from the dramatic to the unique. Then I remembered that Tiffany usually did not deal with such things. Finally I narrowed it down to two nice possibilities.

Either Longwood Gardens, or the Brooks Farm hayride. Hmm. The hayride might be something simple enough to start with. Later in mid December we can do Longwood Gardens. Its Christmas light display is usually quite impressive. It should be a romantic enough date.

Now for that hayride. Starts a week from Saturday at 8 pm. Tickets are nine dollars each, and hot cider will be sold on the site. “Excellent.”

Chapter 45 Tiffany

I watched the rain pouring onto the ship. I saw the flashes of lightning strike brightly. A few times I thought I could see the actual forking in the lightning. I shivered as if I was sitting out in the open.

I swear the accuracy of his devices is too realistic.

“How did soccer practice go?”

“Fine. Considering they had the brains to realize that only mud wrestlers could have a workable practice outside this afternoon.” He waved his hand at the holographic projection of the ongoing thunderstorm.

Just then there was a very bright lightning flash.

Jacob smiled. I know the coach wants shocking results, but I doubt this is what he had in mind.

“Did you do it?”

Jacob grinned wickedly. “I did it with you in Ms. Q.’s class.”

“Not that, silly. I meant have a talk with Dr. Daring.”

“I did that too.”

“You did?” I tried not to let my surprise show.

“I did. You act as if you figured elephants would start tap dancing first.”

“Given who I’m dealing with, it would not have surprised me.”

“Tiffany, I said I would do it. I tend to do what I say, which in most scientific cases tends to tick people off.”

“Ok. It’s just that sometimes it’s hard to remember that even you listen to your girlfriend like a normal guy. What did you think of the apologies Kevin and Fred gave you today?”

“Impressive. Especially Kevin. Now, if Koke learns the same lesson, all can be over on that issue.”

“I doubt it.” Jacob looked at where the ceiling of the Dutchman would be if it had been visible. “Oh bloody hell no.” Then he looked at me. “What did that football throwing fool do now?”

“He was, to put it mildly sexily harassing Mindy. If I had not heard the screams, it would have been assault, or even rape.”

“Mindy? Isn’t that Fred’s girlfriend?”

“Yes.”

“So now he is attacking the women of the football players?”

“Maybe just him and Kevin.”

“But why… never mind that. I beat him, that was bad enough, but Fred and Kevin were the ones to do the actual surrender. He needs them as players, so he looked for other ways to show his displeasure.”

“But raping a student?”

“Koke, I do believe has a simple set of guidelines. If it pleases his needs and or his ego, excellent. Failing that, fuck it and be done. The purposes and pleasures of Coach Koke is all he holds important.”

“Ah… Lets talk about a better subject. Remember, you’ve been invited to hang out with us tonight.”

How would the others at school put this response? …ah yes. “Hang out with a bunch of the high school crowd for fun? This ought to be good. I’m there.”

I laughed at his attempt to seem cool.

“It’s at eight o’clock, right?”

“Yep.”

“Arrival in 5 minutes.” the ship’s computer announced.

“Thank you, System. Land as close to a doorway as the established driveway will permit.”

“Acknowledged.”

The Dutchman came to a smooth stop unmatched by any sports cars I’d ever been in.

“You’re home.” he told me.

“Are you sure you no longer need a driver?”

”I’m sure, now that the vocal command systems are active.”

He proved it by opening the hatch for me.

I exited the craft after receiving a kiss from him to keep me warm and made a run for the porch.

From there I watched the Flying Dutchman quietly fly off into the storm.

Four hours of homework is enough to induce insanity. That is a scientific fact.

I told my mother this over dinner.

“There are good types of crazy.” She told me with a smile.

My mother is crazy.

But at least I was caught up. I even worked ahead a few assignments. If I wanted time to enjoy the holidays, I needed to get far enough ahead that I could afford to take a few evenings off.

Speaking of evenings and enjoyment.

“Mom, can you take me into Applegate?”

“Why?”

“I’m going to meet some friends from school there.”

“That sounds innocent enough I suppose. How are you getting home?”

“Jacob is giving me a lift.”

“Honey, I’m not so sure about this relationship. And I’m sure I do not like you going out with a fifteen year old who is living in an empty house.”

“Relax. I’ve my reasons.”

My mother gave me a look before giving in. “I’m dropping you off at the intersection of Pine and Plenty. You can walk the few remaining blocks.”

I heard the thunder outside and the rain pelting on the roof. “Do I have to?”

“Yes. You’re getting this much of a favor, you should be grateful. Oh, and Tiffany?”

“Yes mother?”

“Remember your raincoat and some warm clothes. Just because you are walking naked in the school does not mean I want you going around town underdressed. Especially with rain this cold.”

Ok. I went upstairs, put on a warm long skirt. Then I put on a good shirt and sweater. I remembered the porch thermometer reading in the mid fifties.

Then I was dropped off at the corner of Pine and Plenty.

From there I started walking. The lights of various cars were visible as I saw the place I was headed to about two and a half blocks away.

A block away, a car pulled up.

I approached it suspiciously. When I reached where it was, I recognized coach Cane’s car.

The car’s front passenger window was rolled down. I went and leaned towards the window.

Suddenly the back door was opened and I was yanked in the car.

I let loose an earsplitting scream. “HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Chapter 46 Jacob

Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, captain of the Flying Dutchman, 7:50pm, October 27th 2006.

I was singing to myself as the Flying Dutchman flew along. “It’s Pinky and the brain. It’s Pinky and the Brain. One is a genius, the other is insane…” I changed my voice slightly. “So what are we going to do tonight?” Then I spoke in my normal voice. “The same thing we do every night. Try to take over the world!”

Now why would anybody want to take over the world? Have they no idea the amount of paperwork that goes along with ruling the world???

I laughed to myself. I had not been this happy in months. Everything was going smoothly. The high school crowd wanted me at the hangout. I even have a girlfriend that is going to meet me there.

I looked at the situational scans. The only space big enough for the Dutchman was in a field next to the parking lot. “System. Come round to 217 degrees for another 87 feet. Then center, stabilize and land.”

Diane and the crowd from the regular lunch table watched from a sheltered spot as the Flying Dutchman flew down the alleyway between the restaurant and some building nobody’s used for months. They watched as it seemed to adjust its position slightly and settle down like something out of a classic alien invasion movie.

Lucy says “I’m warning you all right now, if he comes out of that thing and says take me to your leader, I’m gonna laugh for a week.”

They all laughed at that.

Mike said “I’ll go get us our usual tables. You guys show him where it is.”

The hatch opened.

They saw me get out of the ship. I was wearing my usual coat and hat. I saw them all there and I could not resist. “Take me to your table.”

One girl, Lucy I think her name is, said “Close enough.” before bursting into laughter.

I was curious. What was so funny?

“Welcome.”

“Glad you could make it.”

“This way to the table.”

I asked is “Tiffany here yet?”

“Not yet.”

“Come on in. She’ll be here soon enough.”

“Yeah. No need to stand out here in the rain.”

“Ok. Lead on.”

The kids hang out reminded me of the diners my parents used to take me too. The decor was right out of the fifties. The entire place looked like the sort of place Archie would have taken his friends to. Well, if I’m Archie, who then will Tiffany play? Betty or Veronica?

“Try the salad bar, Jacob. It’s great, and it’s free with dinner.” Bob recommended. “I’ve already started a group ticket.”

“Ok.”

“Give me your coat. You will not need it in here. No trouble, and the roof isn’t leaking.” Bill suggested. “I’ll put it on the back of your chair.”

Good points. I took off my coat and gave it to Bill. Then I went off in search of the salad bar.

“I see Tiffany. She’s about a block off.”

Great. Everybody will soon be here. This should be fun. I went about making myself a nice salad, and started for the area the high school kids usually sat in.

Two seconds later Bob ran into me. Hard.

I spun with the impact. I was barely able to keep my salad for becoming floor droppings.

“Jacob, somebody just kidnapped Tiffany.”

To hell with my salad.

By the time the plate smashed into the floor I was clearing the front door.

Lucy, Bob, and Diane rushed after me.

“Wait up!” Bob called. “We want to help.”

Help?? I was thinking in a fury. No power in this universe is going to be able to save the ass of that kidnapper.

Before I could stop them, Bob, Diane and Lucy had climbed aboard. Those three I had no objection to.

But the next two I did.

Mindy and Fred manage to catch up just as everybody was piling into the Dutchman.

“Where the hell do you two think you are going?”

The vehemence of my statement surprised even me.

To his credit, Fred barely flinched. “ Come on Jacob, we owe Tiffany.”

“Yeah, she intervened as Koke was trying to rape me.” Mindy added.

Suddenly I remembered what Tiffany had told me during the ride home. Briefly torn by the memories of the last few days, I thought about it. “To Hades with it. Get in and touch absolutely nothing.”

The two of them jumped aboard before I could change my mind.

Lucky for them I’ve far more important things on my mind than regretting that decision.

“First,” I told them. “No comments about the impossibility of this. I don’t have the needed weeks to explain it.”

I threw myself into the command chair and looked around.

Several high school kids whose exposure to this sort of stuff was the endless Star Wars series and the never ending Star Trek movies. I always meant this to be a crewed ship, but in my hour of need, this is what I have to work with?

Why does the universe hate me so?

I can only pray there is more to their intelligence than what they showed.

“Bob, you sit in the right chair. Look at the controls but touch nothing yet. You are the one most likely to figure things out. Diane, you sit in the left chair. Touch only what I say. Lucy , you stand by that wall behind Diane. Touch only what I say, and just when I say. I looked around for a few seconds…. Damn ., no fourth.”

Fred asked “Can I help?”

“Can you?” I asked back.

“I am studying engineering.”

Now that is a surprise.

“Ok.” Get behind Bob’s chair. “Same instructions as Lucy.”

Fred rushed to get in position.

Mindy remained in the rear of the bridge area, out of the way/

I sat up taller and did a credible He – Man impersonation. “I have the power!! System. Activate all systems, maximum capability.”

Chapter 47 Tiffany

To say I was in shock is like saying basketball players are tall. Some things are obvious.

I looked around. I couldn’t see who they were, but I knew there were at least two people. One person was in the back seat holding me. And somebody had to be driving.

That driver knew what he was doing. In other circumstances, I’d have been impressed by his skill. From Applegate, he took us smoothly to the highway and then to the turnpike. We had to be going at least 110 mph.

Then I was given a reason to stop caring about where the car was going, how well it was being driven, or how fast.

I felt hands tearing at my skirt and ripping my panties.

That was when the shock wore off and I tried to fight whoever this was off.

I felt myself being impaled onto a cock push and the man’s hands grabbing my breasts to pull me further on to it.

He ignored my screams and struggles as he raped me. A few minutes later he says “I love it when a girl screams as I’m using her as all women deserve.”

I recognized that voice. It was Koke.

Koke pushed me off of him. “Ok. I’m done with you. For now.”

I was crying. Though my tears, I tried to be defiant. “You can’t possibly think you are going to get away with this.”

“Shut up bitch. I already have. I borrowed Cane’s car because it is so much faster than anything else I’ve seen around here. “Besides that motherfucking boyfriend of yours is probably at home right now rejoicing over his victory. I’ll be damned in I’m defeated by that arch geek.”

I was upset. Make that I was so pissed that I couldn’t keep my mouth shut. “Try again. He was planning to meet me at that hangout spot. By now he has called the police and is chasing us as we speak.”

“Shut up slut.” Koke’s slap knocked me into the door.

I shut up.

I sat there hoping that Jacob’s craft is as fast as he acted like it was.

Chapter 48 Jacob

Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, captain of the Flying Dutchman, 8:03pm, October 27th 2006.

I must have had a look of maximum murder on my face.

I’m surprised the skin on my face was not blistering from the heat of hatred.

“Did anybody see the car that grabbed her?” I asked with as much calm as I could muster. It was not much.

“Yes,” Diane answers, “it was Coach Cane’s car.”

“Coach Cane’s car?????”

“That bitch!” I practically thundered. “Playing peace and setting Tiffany up. I swear I am so going to… first things first Jacob.”

“You don’t think that…”

“Thinking is not required, Diane. The evidence just drove past us. System, open a channel to the police. Lucy, report the crime. Describe that car perfectly.”

“Yes Jacob.” Lucy spoke in the tone of somebody who disagreed but thought it dangerous to pursue the argument.

Very smart girl.

I looked around at my ad hoc crew and a craft that was not fully finished yet.

With this I was to rescue Tiffany.

Science has a habit of saving my ass, and I prayed that I had not tempted the scientific fates too much recently.

“System, come round to 285 degrees, rise to eight feet. One quarter maximum thrust.” Jacob watched the screens as he went though the driveway. The moment they cleared the alley, I started doing mental calculations. “Ok System, come round to 263 degrees for 3 minutes, than to 167 degrees. Go to three quarters maximum. Override the auto avoidance device. Jacob Stone Alpha Omega 14.”

“Device disengaged. Orders being carried out.” the system’s computerized voice said.

The Flying Dutchman flew through the night. The minimal traffic was easily avoided. They raced past the highway exit the crew was looking for.

Bob figured he was doing pretty well for somebody who never expected to be sitting in this chair. The controls seemed only a little more complex than the video games he was used to. Luckily for Jacob, Bob was an expert on the racing games.

“What do mean you I’m committing a crime?” Lucy growled into the communications headset.

There was a pause while Lucy heard something she obviously did not like.

“A false report? You think I’ve nothing better to do with my time than call in a false report?”

I flipped a switch, putting the conversation on the speakers.

“…exactly what we think. You probably drank too much beer and think this is funny. Well young lady, repeating a kidnapping and rape is not a joke.”

Lucy was shouting. “A joke??? A bad joke??? You seriously think I would waste my precious time doing this when I could be spending it with my boyfriend, who would at least check something out before threatening me! Of all the asinine…”

Lucy’s losing it helped me to focus again.

I spoke over her shouting. “This is Jacob Jehoooooooooooooosophat Stone aboard the Flying Dutchman. This is not, I repeat, most certainly not a bad joke. Tiffany French has been kidnapped. Lucy will now tell you everything we know, including the description of the offending car. Then you will fucking hop to it!”

I said I was focused. I did not say my calm had returned.

Lucy gave the description again.

“System, switch channel one to the police frequency.”

“Acknowledged.”

Next I asked, “General question… does anybody see that sports car?”

They were all looking at the holographic projections of the outside.

“Nope.”

“I wish.”

“I’m looking.”

“Then why the hell does nobody see it?”

“We only wish we knew.”

“Ideas?”

Chapter 49 Tiffany

I watched the lights of the other cars flash past me.

Whoever the driver was, he drove with the same disregard for the speed laws that Jacob has for the laws of physics.

“What are you going to do with me?”

“Take you to some place where we will not be disturbed.” Koke growled. “If you service us well enough, we might let you go. If you can get down the mountain without getting killed, lucky you.”

I could not help it. I collapsed into tears.

The coach saw this and sneered. “Oh, look at the mighty girlfriend of Jacob Stone. See how strong she is. He must want her only for the sex.”

The driver said, “That’s the only reason any man would want her.”

That voice sounded familiar.

But who hates me enough to help Koke like this?

“Dan?” I guessed. “Why are you helping him?” I asked, confused.

“Because.” he said harshly.

“But I thought you were my friend.”

“You should have accepted my invitations for a date.” Dan says angrily. “Do you have any idea how much it hurt to be turned down, just have to the school super geek win you?”

Chapter 50 Jacob

Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, captain of the Flying Dutchman, 8:08pm, October 27th 2006.

“System, access the police frequency.” I commanded.

“Acknowledged.”

We heard some scanning static. Then the tail end of a report came in. “This is Officer Fuego in car 15, Pennsylvania State Police. I have just been passed by the suspect car. Car confirmed as a green sports car, Maryland license plate DRT670P. I repeat it is a green sports car, Maryland license plate Delta Romeo Tango six seven zero Papa. Radar gun clocked it at speeds in excess of 235 mph. Repeating, two hundred thirty five miles per hour. I’m requesting back up and roadblock support. Attempting pursuit.”

“Ok.” I said partly to myself. “The top speed of this thing is 85 on hoverjets.”

“So what areyou going to do?” Diane asked.

“Take a gamble, that’s what. System, prepare for test number 14.”

“Test number 14?” Mindy asked.

Everybody watched as their station’s readouts started to change.

I looked around at the unsuspecting people in my ad hoc crew.

They had a mixture of looks on their faces, ranging from concern about Tiffany to wondering what I was talking about.

Perhaps it is a good thing that they do not know there is a good chance we could all go up in an epic explosion within the next five minutes.

“May we please survive my next sentence.” Jacob whispers. “System, activate the density drive.”

The ship’s noises go to a low hum, then go silent.

Ok, we have not exploded.

This is a good thing.

Now to get this show truly on the road.

Well, maybe road is not the precise term I should use.

“System. Switch over all systems to primary drive. Activate secondary, tertiary and quaternary engines. Adjust systems to sub orbital. Raise the craft to 650 feet. Increase the outer density shell to one quarter strength and put the engines to maximum output.”

The Flying Dutchman lifted off its ground cushion smoothly.

Bob and Diane were looking in disbelief. They always thought Jacob was good. But they never thought he was this good.

Lucy muttered. “Damn. I would pay ten years allowance for an exclusive about this ship and pictures of it operating like this.”

Diane just accepted it. It was beyond her understanding, so she was not going to burn brain cells trying to figure it out.

Mindy and Fred looked at each other.

Mindy had never before seen a science fiction movie or show. She seriously believed what the Dutchman was doing now should be reserved for people with billion dollar budgets. She was in shock that an often ostracized student built this thing on his own.

Fred told Mindy “I know my engineering teacher would sell his immortal soul for 10 minutes alone with this thing. The schools I’ve applied at for next fall would rename themselves after him if he would promise to base his operations out of those schools.”

Ok, they are all surprised and impressed.

No surprise there.

And me?

I was astounded.

After all, being certain of the theories does not insure success in practice.

Then I snapped myself out of it. I had more important things to worry about than feeling proud of myself.

“Ok, System. Activate ground scanners. On screen get me a local map, 300 mile range, mark up anything going over a hundred miles an hour.”

“Acknowledged.”

Lucy had a concentrated look as she was listening at the communications station. “PA turnpike going northbound, passing Highway 657, approaching Valley Pike.”

Everybody looked at the main screen.

Fred pointed. “There! That group of eight dots. See, the lead one is still pulling away.”

“System, designate the lead dot Target 1. Lock onto its course and speed. Accelerate to 650 mph.”

“We are closing in on it.” Bob said as he kept an eye on the screens in front of him. He followed the indicated suggestions quickly. He had gone from person to pilot person just hitting the approved indicator on the touch screens.

“Not fast enough.” I muttered. Not bloody fast enough. “System, triple our current speed.”

“Acknowledged.”

Fred watched the holographic projector with undisguised awe. “And I thought Heather was bitching that you drove fast before.”

I did not respond. I just sat there staring at the screen for the next fifteen minutes.

“Coming up on target one.” The System told me.

“Match course and speed. Increase the outer density shell to 50 percent.”

“Safety warning!! The System screamed. Repeat safety hazard. Protocols going to…”

“Override safety protocols. Stone 971. Diane, you have Tiffany’s cell number?”

“Yes, of course I do.”

“Then call her.” My voice got colder. “Red alert. Arm percussion weaponry. Lock target. I think it is time we end this.”

Red lights flashed along the consoles.

The targeting projection came up in front of Bob.

Diane told Lucy Tiffany’s cell phone number.

Lucy entered Tiffany’s cell phone number into the communications station.

“System, put that call on the bridge speakers.”

“Acknowledged.”

The phone rang.

Chapter 51 Tiffany

8:17pm

My cell phone rang.

Who would call me now?

And why did they wait so long??

Koke shoved past me and ripped the phone from my coat. He checked the name on the caller ID. “Diane wants to talk? Get rid of her.” he ordered.

“Sorry Diane. I can’t talk.”

What I heard next came as welcome relief.

“You are where? Ok, you bet I will.” I looked out the window and saw a dark shape behind us.

My god! How the hell? I know Jacob has this annoying habit of doing the unexpected, but so soon? And he’s following us as if this was a routine flight?

Oh my. I have a bigger question. How is he going to get me out of here?

I watched the noiseless flight of the Flying Dutchman as it followed the sports car like a loyal puppy.

Saved I thought.

I heard Diane still talking on the other end of the cell phone call. “You want to speak to who? You’re wrong. It is not Cane. Who? Well I wish I had a drink right now.”

Koke slapped me in the mouth hard enough to draw blood. Then he grabbed the phone and threw it out of the car. “I’m not that stupid my new sex toy.”

I watched as my phone flew out the window, became a blue flash and disappeared.

Blue flash??

Chapter 52 Jacob

Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, captain of the Flying Dutchman, 8:20pm, October 27th 2006.

“… I wish I had a drink right now.” Tiffany said before she was cut off.

Moments later we saw something odd hurtling towards the ship.

“Projectile impact.” The System reported. “No damage to the hull or navigational protection field.”

“Koke?” Fred asked. His face had a look of anguished disbelief on it.

“That’s what the clue sounded like to me.” Diane said.

Fred’s next words were spoken in a panicked whisper. “He’ll destroy us all. Kidnap the girl Jacob loves? We’ll be lucky if every friend Koke ever had is not killed for this.”

I, on the other hand relaxed a bit. Koke, unlike Coach Cane, was a known opponent. I just had to run him to ground and wait for his inevitable mistake.

“Relax, Fred. I’ll not destroy your precious team for this. But you’d better get a new head coach. This one is going to become subatomic particles.”

Bob asks, “What shall we do next?”

I gave them all the sort of mad scientist grin that would inspire most people to run for the hills and prepare post end of the world survival kits.

“How confidant are you of the controls.” I asked Bob.

“About as much as I can be.” He responded honestly.

“Good, put your right hand on the squeeze ball and maintain a constant pressure. Take the joystick with your left hand. Ready?”

Bob did as I asked. “I hope so.”

“I do too. Because I’m going to be far more concerned with Koke and that car than the steering. System, flight controls to manual.”

“Acknowledged.”

I paused to see that Bob could handle it.

Bob flew the craft, steering it so that it was following behind Cane’s car.

“Good, very good.”

I think I had the classic mad scientist look on my face now.

All that was missing was a master plan to conquer the world.

To hell with the world.

“Now, Bob, pull up next to Cane’s car.”

Bob did so.

“System, activate exterior lighting.”

Chapter 53 Tiffany

8:22pm

I was slammed into right door as Dan swerved the car hard to the left in reaction to the lights that suddenly came on to our right.

“What the hell?” Dan shouted as he tried to maintain control of the car.

“Jacob cannot find us eh?” Tiffany smirked.

“Lose them!” Koke yells.

Dan slammed on the gas pedal.

The sports car pulled out ahead.

Dan drove through and around the traffic like he was playing a video game.

I watched the Dutchman shrink in the distance.

Many things Jacob may have built into his ship, but the ability to swim through ground level traffic was not one of those things.

Then I saw something that pleased me mightily.

The Flying Dutchman lifted itself 20 feet above the street and chased after the car I was in.

Soon it was just the two of us racing down the road.

Chapter 54 Jacob

Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, captain of the Flying Dutchman, 8:25pm, October 27th 2006.

Bob felt a bit bad. He was really enjoying himself. It’s a shame it took Tiffany’s being kidnapped to give him this experience.

I watched as the sports car and my ship pulled free of the traffic.

As soon as the roadway was clear, Bob pulled the Dutchman along side the sports car.

“Lucy, could you please hit the switch marked exterior speakers?” Hopefully the computer will be able to sort the sounds to give me what I want to hear.

“Sure Jacob.” Lucy looks for it, finds it, and flips it.

“Attention, this is Captain Jacob Stone of the Flying Dutchman. Pull over to the side of the road right now and release Tiffany.”

“Never!” Koke’s voice was heard shouting.

“Koke??” I should have known.

“No geek’s ever going to beat me.”

He sounded as if he actually believed he stood a chance in any of the known hells of winning this encounter.

I on the other hand spoke with the certainty of the man who knows just how much he has his opponent outclassed. “You know you cannot escape me.”

“You are going to let me go.”

Incredible. He sounded as if he really believed it.

Chapter 55 Tiffany

8:29pm

“No.” I heard Jacob tell the coach over his loudspeaker. “Not while you have Tiffany. There is no place on this planet you can possibly go that I will not follow so long as you have her.”

I have no idea why, and probably never will, but I thought I could appeal to his reason. I told him “You know you can’t win. Let me go now and save us all the trouble.”

“Trouble? What possible trouble can any girlfriend of that geek cause?”

Now there is a cue if ever I heard one.

“You asked.” I slammed my hand hard into Koke’s crotch.

“You bitch!” Koke screamed. He grabbed me and pushed open the car door. Then he started trying to throw me out of the car.

“No!!!” I screamed. I started grabbing anything I could reach. Car seats, rear speakers, hell I even grabbed at the coach. Anything to prevent becoming roadkill.

“Now you want to hold me? Too damn late. Besides, having Jacob watch you die is better revenge then anything I could do you in the mountains. So get out there and die already.”

Chapter 56 Jacob

Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, captain of the Flying Dutchman, 8:33pm, October 27th 2006.

I was looking fixatedly at my personal screen. It was built into my command chair and had access to all sorts of information. More information than I could ever use.

But not the information I needed.

I could end this chase in just under 16 seconds. All the weapons are armed. I just push a few buttons and that car will look like a comet smashed into it.

Except for the problem that Tiffany was in that car.

Problems. In this case an insurmountable problem.

Now, how to safely end this chase?

Here inspiration... nice inspiration… come to the nice Jacob.

“Look!” Fred shouted. “Koke looks like he’s trying to toss Tiffany out of the car.”

I was as calm as a riot and my heart was moving faster than the ship.

“Oh shit!!” I looked around the ship then back at the main screen in panic. “Oh my god, no!!!!”

“Relax.” Fred told me.

“Relax???”

I am pretty certain it is scientifically impossible to get any more shocked disbelief into a single word than I just did.

“Remember how you saved Tiffany the last time?”

Last time??? Last…

“Of course… four hoverjets at full… but I need an expert catcher… Fred, I never expected to say this, but I need you. Bob, take this thing to ground level.”

“But what will the density shell do about the road?”

“To hell with the road.”

Bob lowered the Dutchman till his screen indicated the hull itself was about 8 inches off of the ground.

The friction of the density shell against the road resulted in what looked like a miniature fireball.

Safety alarms started to sound off.

I slapped a switch to silence them.

The screens and projection fields flared up before the computer systems compensated.

The ship started leaving a furrowed trail of melting asphalt behind us.

Fred turned to face me. “I can steer the ship for catching her if you are going to do what I think you are going to do.”

“I am. Bob, switch with Fred. In fact, you’ve better hand eye coordination. You trigger the hoverjets. I’ll be standing by to catch her. I leaned over and hit a few buttons. All remaining safeties are off. Please, I beg of you, be as good as your friends keep telling me you are.”

Chapter 57 Tiffany

8:34pm

I continued to behave like a clinging octopus. Absolutely no way I was going to go quietly into the long dark night.

Or be thrown into it.

We hit a slight bump. With the car speeding in excess of 200 miles per hour, that was enough to swing the door nearly closed.

I closed and locked it before trying to get myself to the center of the car.

Through the windows, I saw the Dutchman hit ground level. Then I saw to my horror fires breaking out around Jacob’s ship.

Koke reopened the door. “You are so going to die, slut.”

The Flying Dutchman fell back to about 35 feet behind Koke’s car.

Koke saw this and let loose a scream of triumph.

“Ha!! Your boyfriend has given up. Now he can watch you die.” Koke heaved Tiffany out of the car.

I screamed.

I was going to die.

There was no doubt about that in my mind.

None.

The only question I had was how much pain would I feel between when I hit the road and when I died?

I flew helplessly to my painful and certain death.

A really hard blast of wind blew through the area, hitting me so hard that I never hit the ground.

The panic I’m in should have induced a heart attack.

I watched the Dutchman give me a wide berth as it pulled ahead.

Aboard the Flying Dutchman, everybody had moved into position.

“Everybody hold on, this ride’s about to get rough!” Jacob shouted. “Shields down!”

Suddenly I felt a hand yank on me.

“Oh shit,” Mindy shouted, “Fred, watch out!”

“Jacob!”

“Oh fuck. Shields up now!!”

Suddenly I felt wherever I was shudder violently. I heard metal creaking and connections snapping all around me.

“Shields still down Jacob…” Bob said.

“All power failing.” Diane added watching the various readouts.

“Oh fuck.” Jacob said.

At the time, it only looked like he was dropping to the deck.

Near me I heard Mindy speak. “I have Tiffany. Lets get out of here.”

“We’re trying to do that!” Diane, Fred and Bob all shouted at once.

I opened my eyes.

One look at the little I could see and I was wishing I had been knocked unconscious too.

Somehow I found the energy to whisper “Extreme emergency power.”

Mindy relayed the message to Bob.

“Of course” Bob said. Diane, you trade with me. Mindy, you take Diane’s post.

“What about Tiffany?”

“Leave her.” he said. “We have about 300 feet to do something or none of us will have anything to worry about. Ever.”

Everybody moved into their new positions.

Bob took the control chair. He took a look at the increasing chaos that used to be an organized ship. “Extreme emergency power, now! Shields, now!”

“Shields inoperable.” The System said.

“Shit. Fred, it’s all going to be you. Turn off all power except flight controls and internal protection systems. Reroute all power to flight controls. Fred. I do not know if that’s going to be enough… flight systems… respond.”

“Auto systems shut down in 10… 9… 8…”

Fred shouted “Turn the fucking things off then. I might just be able to crash this thing.”

“Do it. All auto systems off. Everybody do what Fred says.”

“Kill the density drive, give me maximum conventional power.”

The ship crashed.

Chapter 58 Fred

8:41pm

A news helicopter was flying over the road the chase was on. What the traffic reporter had just watched would make her the most famous news broadcaster in recorded history.

Right out of Hollywood, the pilot said.

This is going to be the most famous highway chase since the OJ Simpson chase.

They watched an unidentified flying object tearing down the road with the reckless abandon of a science fiction fan gone mad.

“This is Tracy Trabbits in Cloud ‘Copter Nine. We are flying live over Highway 657. Currently we are watching a chase scene involving a sports car and… and… and we only wish we knew what. The car is speeding down the highway. The… lets call it a UFO, the UFO is right beside it. Now the UFO seems to be falling behind. What the hell?? The UFO has just lowered itself and burst in flame. Hold on! That was not a crash. It is still following. It seems to be a controlled flight still. The UFO, in the middle of a fireball is still following the sports car. Oh shit. Somebody just flew out of the sports car. Stop the presses… the person did not hit the street. I repeat that person did not hit the street. He or she is now flying as well. Even Hollywood could not come up with this script. The flaming UFO is now flying around the flying person, it’s moving to catch him/her? Is that what I’m seeing?? The fireball has ceased. The person has just flown into the craft. Oh no! The craft is going to crash into the bridge barrier. The fireball is back… they are hitting the barrier… they are going through… do not ask me how… the fireball is gone again… looks like what ever it is is taking damage… now it is falling… now it’s doing something else… whatever they tried, it did not work, it… it looks like they are trying a controlled crash. They’ve hit. It looks like they crashed into a river gorge.”

I groaned.

They say pain is good for you, lets you know you are still alive

If this headache is the cost of being alive, I’d almost prefer being dead.

Almost.

My worst party hangovers, including that time I tripped and fell right into a cement wall have nothing on this headache.

Do not ask me how I managed to remain conscious.

“Hello? Anybody else awake?”

No response.

Well, I can’t lie around here all day. We can’t stay at the crash site if we are not all awake. That probably means somebody needs a trip to the hospital.

I stood up. Slowly.

The emergency lighting was dim, but I could see that everybody was knocked out and sprawled around the craft.

First things first. Find out if I’m the only one left alive here.

I checked everybody to make sure they are alive and that they had no broken bones.

Ok. Nobody died, and as far as I can tell, nobody is in danger of dying. Next I looked around at the instruments. No use surviving the impact if we are about to be blown up.

I think, from what I can tell of the various readouts, damaged as they are, that it is relatively safe. Just to be sure, I killed all the extra power and shut down all non essential systems.

At least I hope they were non essential systems.

Then I sat in the command chair and looked around. I hope I’m guessing the systems right. They look simple enough at the readout point, but I have no clue what is actually going on inside the ship. I next looked for and hit the log button. “This is Fred Dash, time and location unknown. I cannot find Jacob anywhere. Tiffany and everybody else are unconscious. Main ships computer is down, what Jacob called the density drive is not working. As far as I can tell, we still have basic power, some form of basic backup computer system and hoverjet capability. But my main question is what to do with it. End report.”

I checked to make sure everybody was comfortable.

The radio squawked. “Stone? You there? What are you up to? Is everything ok?”

I answered, “I wish.”

“Who are you? What do you mean?” the person on the radio demanded, although I think I heard at least one other voice in the background.

“I’m Fred Dash. And because I’m the only conscious person in this ship, I’m the acting Commander.”

“This is Sgt. Stickson of the State Police.” Another voice comes on. “And I am Agent Levi Levin of the FBI. Where’s Jacob? What’s going on?”

I’d roll my eyes if it wouldn’t aggravate my headache so much. If Jacob was anywhere in this thing, don’t you think I’d be doing my best to get him up and active??

“Please, you guys tell me where he is. I’m kinda trying to figure out the mess we got into.”

“Explain” Levin says.

I was getting a little confused. Well confused about more than how I was still alive enough to carry on this conversation. “Hold on. I know Jacob was taking to the local police. Why aren’t they running this call?”

“Your chase went onto a state road. That involves us.” The sergeant says.

A flash of memory hit me. “Oh shit, your not going to like what we did to your road saving Tiffany.”

“To hell with the roads. How is she?” The FBI agent demanded.

“Look, I’m not Stone. I’m going to need more information here. I now understand about the state officer. Why the FBI?”

“Because the kidnapper crossed a state border. You are about 150 miles into Pennsylvania.”

“Sorry I was not paying attention.”

“Understandable. Are you at ease yet?” The FBI agent asked.

He did not just ask me that!!!!

“At ease?” I snapped. “What are the two of you smoking and how illegal is it?”

“Wait just minute!” Stickson started.

I was shouting now. “Wait??? A minute??? You must be completely insane! I’m in the middle of a reject from a Star Trek Convention in some place I’ve never been within 100 miles of before, with everybody else knocked out, being questioned by the FBI and the state police! I am so far from at ease that I wish I could harness the power of my stress. I could get this ship to any hospital on the planet quickly!”

The officers wisely let me vent.

“Feel any better now?” Levin of the FBI asks.

“Not really, but to quote the hopefully not deceased Stone, I don’t have the time for this. Do I?”

“Not hardly.” the agent says. “Can you tell us what happened?”

I leaned back in to the command chair. It’s a good thing Jacob built it so comfortably. “How much do you know?”

The state trooper said “Everything up to Tiffany being thrown out of the car.”

I tried to calm my stressed out heart. I survived living it; I could survive telling about it. “Ok. That’s when things got dicey. Jacob used the hoverjets to hit Tiffany with enough wind to keep her from going splat on the road. Then Jacob threw off all the safeties and had me move the ship to catch her though the hatch.”

“That explains all our equipment going haywire.”

“Sorry bout that.” Why was I apologizing? I really was not sorry. I was only sorry we had not been rescued yet. Where exactly did this thing land?

“So long as you saved Tiffany, we can forgive that.”

Nice of them.

“Where were we?”

“You had just caught Tiffany though the open hatch.” Stickson sounded surprised that such a move worked.

So to be honest, was I. I guess a short time on this ship has you believing the improbable is very possible.

Then I heard a moan. I looked around and saw Lucy moving a little. I helped her sit up slowly. I checked her over as her wits seemed to return to her. “Could you keep an eye on the others while I deal with the law?”

Lucy gave me a slightly befuddled look. “Who died and left you king?”

“Hopefully nobody,” I responded “but as I’m the least techy person on this ship, I’d do better trying to run it then getting underfoot trying fix something I do not understand.”

“Good point. But you are not the least techy here. That’s most likely me.”

“Ok. Could you look around and see what you can figure out while you watch for their recovery?” I then returned to the communications panel. “Sorry about that.”

Why am I apologizing again?

“We understand.”

“I think we got to the point where I was just steering the ship so Jacob could catch Tiffany.”

“Correct.”

“Ok. Next my girlfriend warned me about the road buttress we were going to hit. Jacob called out for shields. That’s the last I’ve seen of him.”

“You mean he’s not there?” Levin asked.

I vented some more at that. “Use your heads! You think I’d be wasting my time talking to you if the Flying Dutchman’s creator was still aboard? Give me a break! I’d be too busy helping to get things running again so we could get Tiffany and the other knocked out people to the hospital.”

“Good point.” the agent agreed.

Good. “Then get some people looking for him.”

Lucy told me “As far as I can tell, the ship’s hull is intact. Scanners are on their most basic and all hover jets are off. The engines are doing something I do not understand. There is a green light next to the recyclatron. Whatever that is.”

“Great, Lucy. See if you can find something out about that in any of the notes around here.”

I saw Diane starting to move out of the corner of my eye.

“But first help Diane. And tell her what’s going on. I do not need a fight with her.” Back to the FBI. “The ship went through the concrete and steel thing on the edge of the road.”

“Through???” The state trooper asked. He sounded like I just announced I had proof the moon was made of green cheese.

“Through, but whatever Jacob had up, it wasn’t enough. After we went through the barrier, all the systems went haywire. We lost all voice command, and the density drive started to go funky.”

“The density drive?” the FBI agent inquired.

I wondered why people always asked about the most impossible things.

“Don’t ask. Just don’t ask. There’s nobody aboard who could explain it to you anyway.”

“Then the crash happened?” the agent asked.

“Then we crashed.” I confirmed “After I determined I was the only one not knocked out, I took command. I did a check and saw nobody had died. Other than Jacob’s disappearance, we did not lose anybody. I was just about to start looking at the controls to see if I could come up with any clues to get us to a hospital when you called.”

Chapter 59 Tiffany

8:55pm

I slowly woke up.

And immediately wished I hadn’t.

I did not just ache. I was in horrible pain all over.

For a moment I wondered if my father was right. That I was destined for hell if I did not repent. Have I died to arrive in hell?

Movement. I’m hearing movement.

Is there movement in hell? And why am I not smelling brimstone?

I tried to get up, failing because of incredible dizziness.

I heard Lucy saying, “Just stay still, Tiffany.”

Did Lucy go to hell too? Or did I not die yet?

I was unable to say anything coherent.

Chapter 60 Fred

Fred’s log, acting commander, 9:02 pm.

I paced around the control area. “Ok. Lets see what we have. Lucy?”

“You and I are both up. Diane is up. Both Mindy and Bob are still out of it and Tiffany is babbling incoherently.”

I rushed to Mindy’s side. I stared at her limp form in horror. Then I realized I could do nothing for her. “Now I understand.”

“Understand what?” Diane asks.

“What Jacob meant when he said the legend is both blessing and pain, and that he answered to sadness all to often.” I tore myself away from Mindy’s side and sat in the command chair. “And like him, I cannot sit around emotional.”

Diane came over and gave me a great big hug.

Lucy says, “We’ll do all we can to help. Neither Jacob nor Tiffany would want this trip to cost anybody their love.”

I straightened myself in the command seat. I tried to push my emotion to the side. “Lucy, tell the police that we are going to take this monument to Pinky and the Brain, and get it to the Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia.”

The FBI agent asked “Is he nuts???”

Lucy did not even bother to relay the question. “Obviously,” Lucy said “we all are or we would not be here.”

Lucy got in one chair and Diane got in the other.

I have got to be crazy!

“Lucy, this is what I think you need to do…”

Chapter 61 Tiffany

9:25pm

My brain cells were not talking to each other yet.

I saw the metal roof or wherever I was looking at change to a view of the sky. Then I heard voices.

“Open the doors.”

“Get a gurney!”

“Call the emergency docs.”

I could barely tell the voices apart. I recognized none of them.

“What the hell happened to her? I haven’t seen so many bruises together since my medical school textbooks.” I heard someone say.

“Her clothes are torn.”

“I see that. And there’s a lot of blood, too.”

It took a lot of effort, but I tried to tell them what happened.

Later I was told all I had managed to mutter was the word rape.

Pandemonium broke out as the counselors and other professionals were called for.

Then I think I heard my father’s voice.

Chapter 62 Fred

Fred’s log, acting commander, 9:40pm.

Let me see. First I return the joystick to the upright position.

Good. The ship failed to crash.

Next I think I release the hand from the squeeze ball.

The ship still failed to crash.

Great. I had one too many crashes already tonight.

I looked at the hoverjet controls. Without the computer, I would have to do this manually. I looked at the switches. Several rows looked back at me. Let’s try using both hands. First I adjusted all the knobs to .5. That should I’m guessing practically put the ship on the ground. Now I used both hands as I decided to shut off the hoverjets.

Thud.

At least it felt like nothing more broke.

I stepped out to check. I walked around the ship. I had no idea what I was looking for, but figured that even I should be able to see any more problems.

Twenty minutes later I had finished my circuit of the ship. It looked battered as all hell. A lot of the outer shell looked twisted. Some parts of the hull looked like they were about to fall off. But given the fact it sustained a crash from 300 plus feet plus smashing through a concrete road barrier, it had no right to look this good.

Lucy came up behind me. “Fred, Mindy and Bob are ok, but will need a bit of time.”

To hell with the ship’s condition. “Show me where Mindy is.”

“This way.” Lucy led me into a room off the emergency room.

I saw Mindy sitting on an examination bed.

The emergency room nurse must have seen the concerned look on my face. “She’ll be fine. She just received a massive shock to her system. She also had some massive bumps on the back of her head.”

“That would explain the worst headache of my life. Somebody mind telling me where I am?” Mindy asked.

“The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. I told her.”

“How did I get here??”

“You and Bob had been knocked unconscious. Tiffany was not, but she was in shock and babbling. So are you feeling better?”

“Am I?” Mindy asked the nurse.

The nurse checked a few papers. “Yes, you are.”

“Then I’m leaving.” Mindy made for the door.

I followed her out.

As we were leaving the room, Bob came out of another room. He started somewhat unsteadily on his feet. As he walked, he got more sure footed.

Bob looked around and asked, “Where’s Tiffany and Jacob?”

“I’m wondering the same thing.”

Lucy gave us two bits of news. One horrified me. The other would have thrilled me only yesterday. “Tiffany is in rape counseling. Jacob is still missing. From the clues that have been put together, they think he is most likely dead.”

“It looks like we are going to be stuck here a while. The only thing I can think of to keep us busy is trying to fix Jacob’s ship.”

“Are you nuts??” Mindy asked. “We have no clue how that thing works.” She sat down by the door. “Looks like my legs don’t want to work with me yet.”

I made sure she was comfortable. “I’m not nuts, Mindy. We may not know how it works, but we can probably reconnect the connections. Jacob is way too smart not to leave some notes in case something like this ever happened. Besides, that ship is our ride home. You can wait here if you wish. Let us know when Tiffany is able to see us.” I went back outside.

“Wait for us.” Bob called.

Diane, and Lucy caught up with me.

As Bob was climbing in, he had an idea. “We’ve all been up front. Let’s look in the other direction.”

There were several rooms. We each chose one.

Diane entered her choice. There was a bunch of non perishable goods, a microwave and a cleaning area. There were two other doors in this room.

I entered a room on one side of Diane’s room. It turned out to be his bedroom. There were papers all over the place. I started looking at them.

Bob entered a workroom. There was a table and a desk along the wall. It had a computer and various other bits of common technology wired together in somewhat weird ways. He started to examine it.

Lucy gave a shriek.

I rushed to her. The others came to us quickly.

We all stared. All of us had seen some science fiction program or another. We’d been watching the Dutchman for nearly three days. We even made two flights in it. The first one alone probably was adventure film material.

So why were we so surprised by what we saw?

Did any of us expect this thing to be powered by a hamster in one of those exercise wheels?

Bob suggested we back out quietly. “Messing with the engines, if that is what these unexplainable things are, is way beyond our skills.”

We all agreed.

“I found a computer in a workroom. Maybe what we need is there.” Bob informed us.

We followed Bob back to the workroom.

Bob sat down and turned on the computer.

The files were all gibberish.

I had a flash. There was a stack of papers I had squashed on the command seat. I went and got them. I brought them back to the workroom and spread them over the table.

They were either fiendishly complex or insultingly simple, depending on the section you looked at.

“I suggest we ignore the complex parts for now.” Bob suggested.

“I agree.” Lucy said. Now that I have seen these, I will never again say that calculus is the most difficult subject out there.”

“Ok. Lets start by turning on the ship’s diagnostic panel. Then we’ll match the connections that look broken to the panel lights. We’ll start from the simple broken connections to the heavier damage. Between my engineering skills and Bob’s grasp of Jacob’s mind, we should be able to do this.”

The question is, can we do this without blowing ourselves up?

It was slow work. I felt like we were a bunch of people with no automotive knowledge at all trying to build a replicar kit. We were ok so long as we followed directions.

We hoped.

Lucy had kept us up on which lights on the engineering console were red.

During the hard work of the next four hours she watched more and more red lights turn green.

Lucy looked at the console as the last light changed color. “Should we?”

Diane asked, “Should we what?”

“Turn the density drive back on.”

I looked around. “Well, we’ve done what we can. Ok. Do it.”

Diane flipped the correct switch.

The ship rattled a bit a first, but then things smoothed out.

I sat in the command chair again. “Ok Joe, report.”

“Internal power at 70 % and increasing. External power at 40% and increasing. Density systems functioning. Effective ship capability, 63%.” Joe said.

I smiled. Bob had done an excellent job with the computers vocals. It actually sounded like a human being.

“Joe?” Lucy asked me.

“Yeah. I decided that I needed a friendlier sounding computer to work with. I named it after Joe Namath.”

“Why not?” Diane says.

There was a knock on the hatch.

“Joe, open the hatch.”

“Ok.”

As soon as the hatch opened far enough, Mindy poked her head in. “There is a helicopter coming in with Jacob. There was no other place with any open emergency slots.”

“Lets go.” Bob said. He paused a moment and looked at the recently reactivated ship.

“You guys go on.” I told them. “I’ll wait here. I’ll just finish up closing the panels.” As they entered the emergency room, they caught the tail end of a debate.

“We can’t operate without a parental signature.” A main in a suit says.

“But they are in the Middle East. His entire family is in the military.” Lucy tells them.

“Doesn’t matter. We can’t or if we do and we fail, we could be closed down.”

Bob was listening to this with increasing shock. “You will not operate on a man who could die before you can establish contact with his parents???”

The administrator was adamant. “We need them to be here too.”

“Forget his current injuries.” Bob said in disgust. “He could die from old age before you finish the paperwork.” He turns to his friends. “Lets go.”

“Go where?” Diane asks Bob.

“To go get his parents.” Bob responded as we headed to the parking lot where the Dutchman was sitting.

“Are you crazy?”

We boarded the Flying Dutchman.

Diane repeated herself. “Are you crazy?”

I asked “Why are you asking him that?”

“Because Bob thinks we should go to the Middle East and get one of Jacob’s parents.”

What is that girl thinking?

“Are you crazy??” I now had to ask Bob.

“Very. But you didn’t hear those people in there. A parental signature is needed or no operation. And a really big operation is needed to save his life.”

“Sounds like a sane enough reason to me.”

“But we do not know where his parents are.” Lucy says.

I think I looked annoyed. “Please, Diane tell me that Tiffany told you something.”

Diane looked thoughtful.

Chapter 63 Tiffany

10:50 pm

I slowly came to.

There were voices in the background whispering too quietly for me to understand.

Enough of this.

I was not dead. Therefore I was going to get up.

I slowly got up.

The room started to spin, then stopped. Good. If I wanted the room to be spinning, I would try getting up with a hangover.

“Where am I? What am I doing here?”

My father came closer to my bed. “You are in the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Your friends brought you in about an hour ago. You are bruised and have been babbling about rape.”

Then a new female came over. She looked about 22.

“Hello Tiffany.”

Who is this?

“My name is Sylvia Roberts.”

Ok. That’s who. Now why is she here?

“I’m part of the hospital’s rape survivor program.”

“Oh god, no.” I must have had a shocked look as I started to remember everything.

I started to move to the edge of the bed.

“Where do you think you are going?” My father asked.

I was too stressed out to tap dance around the issue with him like I usually did.

“To check on my boyfriend.”

“Did he do this to you?” Roberts asked me gently.

Jacob, do this???

Has she been at the drug supplies behind the staff’s back?

“Fuck no. He’s the only truly loving lover I’ve had.”

My father responded as I expected. “Lover? You?” He sputtered. He looked like was going to launch into one of his hour plus long sermons condemning all sinners to eternal damnation.

“Forgive me,” I heard Roberts say, “but shut up. They did bring another heavily battered teen in here. Tiffany, this boyfriend, who is he?”

“Jacob. He’s protected me, fallen in love with me and today rescued me from my rapist.” I stood unsteadily to my feet.

“You love him a lot, don’t you?”

I nodded.

“Entirely too much.” my father remarked.

“Please, not now.” I begged him.

Dad, can’t you see I’m in enough pain as it is? Do you have to add to it?

“Ok Tiffany, not now. But I’m not dropping this, either. No daughter of the Reverend French is going to be sleeping around.”

Slowly I moved closer to the door.

I watched Roberts have a talk with the nurse.

They were talking too quietly for me to understand.

After a long conversation, the nurse finally agreed.

About that time I finally made it to the room’s door.

Roberts helped me through the hall to another room.

The nurse went on ahead.

At the door to the emergency room, a doctor steered me to an observation room.

“I’m sorry, but all I can say is he’s in a deep coma.” the doctor said.

I collapsed to the floor in tears.

~Continued~

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