Jupel quickly followed the other two up the stairs and down the long hallway. As they got closer to the door, Bobby was standing in front of, Zolar and Jupel stopped and looked at the family pictures gracing the walls. Some were from years back. A few were recent pictures of a woman holding a baby.
“That’s me if you are wondering,” Bobby said and then turned and walked into the room. “You guys can have this room. There are some clothes in the closet. We use this room for storage, so you should find something that fits.” Bobby turned to Jupel, looking him up and down. “We’re about the same size.”
Jupel appeared puzzled for a moment. Bobby motioned with his hand, his body versus Jupel’s body. Jupel then figured out what Bobby had just said and shook his head that he understood.
“Same size, yes.”
Bobby then turned to Zolar. “I’m not so sure about you, though.”
“Same size,” Zolar repeated.
Bobby glanced at Zolar's voluptuous curves. He always thought his Aunt Jenny had a nice looking body, but nothing compared to Zolar’s curves. It might just have been the space suit she wore, but he sure was feeling the heat from looking at her.
He wet his lips and then finally whispered, “No, I don’t think so.”
Bobby walked to the door. Jupel and Zolar were about to follow when Bobby turned back to them and held up his hand. “Stay here.”
Jupel turned to Zolar and held up his hand. “Stay.”
Bobby walked out of the room while the two aliens remained in the position they were in, not moving an inch for fear something would happen if they moved.
Bobby walked into the bathroom and opened the medicine cabinet. He searched the bottles until he found the iodine and then he grabbed the washcloth off the rack and wet it down. Bobby turned and walked out and quickly went to the hall closet. He searched through the women’s clothes that hung there. He grabbed a few garments and put them on his arm. He was unsure whether any would fit Zolar, but anything would be better than the Star Trek clothes they were currently wearing.
When Bobby walked back in the room, Zolar and Jupel were still frozen in the same stance that he left them in. Bobby shook his head in disbelief, not sure if the two were playing with a full deck or just messing with him.
“You can move now,” he said in frustration.
Jupel and Zolar start moving again as if nothing had transpired. Bobby watched them with curiosity. He handed Zolar the washcloth and iodine. She just looked at the items, not knowing what to do with them.
Bobby motioned to Jupel’s head. “You can take care of your friend’s wound.” He gestured with his hands on what she should do.
Zolar just looked at him with a frown on her brow. “Wound,” was all she managed to say, not knowing what he meant finally.
Bobby pointed to the back of Jupel’s head. “The cut.”
Bobby then tossed the dress on the bed and turned back to Zolar. “You don’t talk much.”
Jupel turned to Bobby. “I am the translator,” he replied.
Bobby looked at Zolar and then to Jupel. “Translator for what?” It puzzled Bobby. He just shook his head and figured these two space cadets were in play acting mode for the convention.
“Your language?” Jupel said with his hands raised as if Bobby should understand.
Bobby knew the Star Trek convention attracted some weird people, but he never realized just how far they carried their characterization. In all the time he lived in Las Vegas, he never actually bought into the whole Star Trek or alien mode of thinking. Now he wished he had because it would make understanding these two a little easier.
“You’re not from around here, are you?” Bobby asked.
Jupel looked at Bobby with curious eyes. “No, we are from…”
Before Jupel could continue, Zolar quickly poked him in the ribs and motioned him to be silent. Until they determined how friendly the earth creatures were, they would have to play along with this game, at least until they found out where their spacecraft was taken. Zolar sensed this Earth creature meant them no harm, but for now, they would take it slow and follow his lead and do what he told them to do. At this point, they were at his mercy, and at least he sheltered them from the G2V star that heated the planet’s surface.
Once Bobby was confident that the two understood what he meant, he quickly left them to care for their own needs. He went downstairs to see if Elmer had any concerns about their visitors.
CHAPTER 5
Colonel Crimshaw drove down the long dusty road that seemed like it went on forever. The convoy of Jeeps left a dusty trail that hung heavy in the still desert air. As they approached a sign that read “No Trespassing, Miller’s Mine,” the Colonel turned to the Cammo dude sitting in the passenger seat.
“Seems a bit out of the way.”
“I told you way back. I thought this was in the wrong direction. Are you sure the boy said Miller’s Mine?”
“You doubting me?”
“No. However, looking at these coordinates. I’d say we’re twenty miles from where the craft should have landed.
“Why didn’t you say something,” the Colonel snapped.
“I did, but you wouldn’t listen.”
The Colonel just gave the Cammo dude a look that told him not to argue the point. The Colonel may not have always been right, but he was never wrong. The kid said Miller’s Mine and that was where they would search for the alien craft.
Once the Colonel’s Jeep stopped in front of the old mine shaft, he got out. Following his lead, all the Cammo dudes exited their vehicles and glanced around with puzzled looks on their faces. They all received the coordinates that the Cammo dude in the Colonel’s Jeep received, and one didn’t have to be a genius to know they were nowhere near where the craft should have landed. But no one dared question the Colonel and his decisions. Like all good soldiers, they followed their leader with blind adulation.
The Colonel looked around angrily and then barked orders at the Cammo dude leader, “Have your men search the area!”
“But…” the Cammo dude leader tried to argue the order, but it was useless.
“Do as I say,” the Colonel snapped.
The Cammo dude leader barked orders at his men. They reluctantly obeyed the command like good soldiers. One climbed up a ridge where he had a bird’s-eye view of the area. He looked around the area and once there, as all suspected, there was no indication that anything had landed. The pay was the same whether they saw anything or not, so they all did as they were told and no one questioned the orders given.
Bobby quickly descended the steps into the living room and sat with Elmer, keeping him company. It did not take long till he heard movement on the stairs. He glanced up in time to see Zolar and Jupel, who just stood at the top of the stairs. Jupel had on blue jeans with a Nevada State sweat-shirt and looked like an all-American kid with his blond hair and blue eyes. Zolar, on the other hand, appeared somber and not in the best of moods in an oversized housedress. Zolar nudged Jupel, who mimicked Bobby and bounced down the stairs. Zolar just shook her head and walked down the stairs reluctantly. Although the housedress hung loosely, one could see the well-formed body underneath the colorful print of the garment. It was hard for Bobby not to stare at her as she descended the stairs.
Bobby stood up for a moment. He pointed to the couch and quickly said, “Sit.” Bobby did not know what else to do and knew that by giving them simple commands, they tended to understand and listen to him more.
Jupel walked over to the couch followed by Zolar. They both promptly plopped down in unison. The two sat staunchly erect with hands on their knees as if they were at some sort of military attention.