“There
is
in common a sympathy with sound: As the mind is pitch’d the ear is
pleased with melting airs, or martial brass, brisk or grave; some chord
in unison with what we hear is touch’d within us, and the heart
replies; for it is in that moment, a full standard measure of mystery
unto itself, blessed with wonder and grandeur, our souls take flight.”
~ William Cowper
“I guess
grandma has spoken,” Billy looked at his uncle and grinned.
“It would seem
so. I hope you enjoyed your slaves for the short time they was yours,”
Nathan said and laughed.
“I did, Uncle
Nate. I grew rather fond of ‘em in our brief period of time together,
but alas, I’ll always have the memories,” Billy lamented dramatically.
Nathan double over with laughter at his nephew.
“You may see
them on visiting days,” Kate assured him.
“How kind of
you, Grandmother, and pray tell, when will that be?” Billy asked,
playing along.
“Sunday
afternoons from one to five,” she shot back, “Be prompt, well groomed,
dress accordingly, and bring small gifts of flowers and chocolates,”
she added with a giggle.
“What a big
heart you have, Grandma,” Billy joked.
“The better to
steal your slaves, my dear,” Kate said and laughed.
“I think my
beloved grandmother has become the big bad wolf,” Billy said to his
uncle. “Sorry, you’s on
yore’ own, honcho,” Nathan said, “My stomach is complaining. It’s
clapping its hands together, jumping up and down, and doing a happy
dance from the smells what’s coming from that oven over yonder. I
wanna’ make damn sure I got me a seat at the table, and if it means
running away to let my nephew face the she-wolf alone with her pups, so
be it,” Nathan said and laughed.
“I agree, Uncle.
My gut is groaning in consort with yours from the heavenly aroma. Let’s
run away together. No contest, Grandma, they’s yours,” Billy caved.
“Don’t listen to
him, men,” Kate said to the twins, “I’s just kidding. It was my way to
pay you gentlemen a compliment for your good work and intelligent
companionship,” Kate said to the twins.
Kate didn’t need
to steal Billy’s slaves. She already won their hearts like she did
Billy’s when he was only four years old, sat him down on the piano
bench next to her, and showed him how to find middle C. She knew the
mysteries of the great beast before them; she knew how to make it sing
and roar. She was a sorceress, the keeper of keys, the guardian of
notes, and the piano became her obedient succubus. Her knowledge of how
to move her hands, caress its eighty and eight teeth, to coax forth
beautiful sounds from the monster was like a religious experience; a
sacred trust to a young boy. His grandmother spoke the mystery and
magic of music fluently, whispered the scared names of its prophets,
and she was sharing it with him. How wonderful was that? Life was good;
his journey just begun.
Kate Daniels
loved, lived, and breathed fine music. The twins knew they found a
perfect soul-mate in Billy’s Grandma Kate. The things she could teach
them, they could only imagine, but Billy knew. They just scratched the
surface. Billy suspected once they became acquainted with one another
there would be no separating them. He was right. They formed a
spiritual bond which lasted for years.
“By the way,
gentlemen, Tron Garrett called while you were out feeding the cows to
ask when you wanted the hay delivered. I told him I didn’t know, but I
knew you wanted it soon; you just got five hundred new head of cattle.
He said they already had a load of a dozen rolls they were taking to
the Quinns next week, but if you needed it in a hurry, they could
deliver it this afternoon? I told them I didn’t see why not, and asked
them to join us for supper,” Kate said.
“Oh, dear,”
Billy said like he wasn’t counting on having anyone else meet his
family so soon.
“They’s gonna’
have to meet ‘em sometime, Son,” Nathan said, and laughed at the look
of apprehension on his nephew’s face.
“Since Ellen
Garrett passed away, Tron and Moss Garrett have become like family to
us, Billy. They’re over here for Sunday dinner almost every week and
two or three nights a week for supper. You know I would never invite
them if I didn’t think they could handle your new family. Besides, your
uncle is right. You’re going to have to tell them sooner or later. I
have a feeling you’re going to need all the help and support you can
get, and they’re just the men who can stand behind you and back you up
when the going gets rough,” Kate said, “They love you, and they’ll love
your family. Trust your grandmother,” Kate declared firmly and smiled,
as she opened an oven door to check the huge ham she was baking. In the
other oven next to it, she was baking the biggest tom turkey she could
find at the market.
A large truck
with a long trailer loaded with a dozen big hay rounds pulled into the
compound of the ranch and Billy watched as two handsome cowboys got out
and headed for the house. Moss looked like a slightly smaller version
of his ruggedly good looking dad, Tron. Billy just finished announcing
to his family in the living room they would be having their neighbors
join them for the evening. They were bringing hay for the cattle, and
his grandmother invited them to stay for supper.
“Should we make
our wings disappear, Master Billy?” Clyde asked.
“No. Absolutely
not. You and Tonto remain just like you are. You, too, Archie and
Edith. I don’t know if you can change shape, but even if you can,
don’t. I want no deception. I come to look on these men as family, and
my uncle was right. They’re gonna’ have to meet you sooner or later. I
think, once we help them unload the hay-rounds, they’ll respect you,”
Billy said.
“Should I leave,
Master Billy,” Boomer asked, like he was probably the most unusual of
the lot.
“Are you my
number one, Boom?” Billy looked him right in the eyes, and asked firmly.
“So say I,”
Boomer stuck out his huge chest, clinched his fists, and replied with
pride.
“And so say I,”
Billy confirmed strongly like it was the end of the matter, but he did
catch a smile cross the rest of his family’s faces. Billy’s strong
comment bonded them together as his family. It said he would never deny
one of them. As an afterthought, he turned to them and spoke, “Hell,
the only two I’s really worried about is Hank and Buck. They scared the
crap out of me the first time I met ‘em,” Billy added with a wink, and
laughed. That broke everybody up, and they were laughing when Tron and
Moss walked into the house.
“We didn’t know
you had company,” Tron said.
“We ain’t got
company. These folks is Billy’s new family. C’moan in, and meet the
zoo,” Nathan said, and grinned.
Tron and Moss’s
mouths fell open when they saw an enormous Bigfoot, two rough looking
bird-men, two winged critters with tails who looked like something from
the Wizard of Oz, and three ordinary cowboys; except, the younger and
largest of the three, whom Billy introduced as his new ramrod, Andy,
was an exceptionally fine looking buckaroo. Billy couldn’t help laugh
at the look on the men’s faces. He introduced each to Tron and Moss.
Billy introduced Nick as ‘Tonto.’ They shook hands with each member of
Billy’s family and exchanged greetings.
About the time
they finished with introductions, the twins came running into the room,
and threw their arms around Billy’s waist to give him a hug. He leaned
over and gave each one a kiss on the top of his head. “Last, but not
least, these two buckaroos are also my slaves. Their names are Cass and
Poly. That’s short for Castor and Pollux. They’s two grown men. They
ain’t midgets, dwarfs, or pygmies. They’s fully developed just like
they is. They got several unique talents, but best of all, they’re
wonderful musicians. They can play a country tune on a pair of twin
fiddles so fine it will make a cowboy cry in his beer,” Billy
colorfully bragged.
Billy went on to
explain, Boomer was his first slave, given to him by his own people,
the Grigori, and Billy considered him his number one. Beyond explaining
his watcher, Billy just told them he would fill in the blanks over
supper, but he wanted to get the hay unloaded before it got dark.
“We’s just
gonna’ leave the trailer, and you can unload tomorrow or the next day,”
Moss said.
“It won’t take
but a minute, and you can take it back with you to load more for the
Guinns,” Billy said. “But you gotta’
get the tractor out with the hay hauler attachment,” Tron said.
“Naw, my family
don’t need no damn tractor. C’moan folks, lets us show these men how we
unload hay,” Billy said.
Billy let Tron
and Moss remove the ropes and chains with which they attached the
rounds to the long trailer, and threw them in the back of the truck.
Without hesitation, the two psyches began to levitate one of the huge
rounds and gently floated it over to an open area near where the cows
were milling about. Billy ran before Archie and Edith to show them were
he wanted it.
The twins did
the same, followed by Clyde and Nick. Boomer and Andy levitated the
next round, and Hank and Buck the next. Billy was supervising everyone
telling them where to put each round. They didn’t stop until all twelve
of the big rounds were off the truck and neatly stacked in the adjacent
lot. It took the ten of Billy’s family fifteen minutes to complete the
job. Tron and Moss Garrett were awestruck.
Nathan was about
to break apart from held back laughter at the look on Tron and Moss’s
faces. “Amazing, ain’t they?” he drawled.
“Where do we go
to get help like them? Angels & Aliens ‘R’ us?” Tron asked, “It
took us a full day to load that damn trailer with the hay loader,” he
added.
“They been
enhanced by an alien race of super-beings. They got powers and talents
we can only imagine,” Nathan said to his best friend and his son, “As a
matter of fact, they’s still discovering some of their new powers,”
Nathan added.
“Why did they
enhance them?” Moss asked.
“Because they
can,” Nathan replied, “and from what little I understand, our boy
Billy’s been chosen by the supreme poo-bahs of two alien worlds to
become a leader in a passive rebellion against them zombie
jessie-god-bots and their owners, the wealthy one percent what’s taken
over our country and runs our world. Remember, I told you a long time
ago about Billy’s mysterious birth, and I thought the boy was special?”
Nathan asked Tron.
“Yeah, but you
didn’t say much; just he was born under a lucky star, and something
about yore’ brother seeking the help of a tribe of Bigfoot,” Tron
replied.
“And now his
number one slave is a Bigfoot or as Billy calls them, 'Watchers.’
Wouldn’t it make your work a lot easier if’n you had them gifts?” Nate
asked.
“Shit, yes!”
Tron exclaimed, “What’a we gotta’ do, and where we gotta’ go to get
enhanced?” he asked.
“Wouldn’t anyone
who was going to try a rebellion need a lot more people to help them?”
Moss asked.
“What do you
think all them strange look’n woolly cows is for, Son?” Nathan asked.
“They’s handsome
enough cattle, Mr. Daniels, but what have they got to do with
anything?” Moss asked.
Nathan walked
over to the bull standing next to Tron, reached out to scratch his
head, and spoke to him, “How you doing this afternoon, Son?” Nate asked.
“Fine. Thanks
for asking, Mr. Daniels. Glad to see these two fine gentlemen brought
us some extra hay,” he replied.
“What’s yore’
name, Son?” Nathan asked.
“Rayburn, sir,”
he replied.
“Ray, can you
morph long enough to meet these two gentlemen, and return yourself to a
bull?” Nathan asked.
“Yes, sir, no
problem,” he replied, and morphed into a handsome humanoid male about
twenty-five years of age. Of course, he was stark naked, but it didn’t
seem to bother Tron or Moss. Rayburn introduced himself, shook both
their hands, and shivered from the cold. “Can I morph back now, Mr.
Daniels, it’s awful cold out here?” he asked.
“Sure, Son, and
thanks for your help,” Nathan said, and the young man morphed back into
a Highland bull.
“How many?” Tron
asked in awe.
“Five hundred,
and five hundred more back on their home world ready to come and start
living as my nephew’s slaves. That big good looking cowboy, Andy, is
their ramrod. He’s an Irin. He just morphed this morning and joined
Billy’s team,” Nathan explained.
“Holy crap! My
rope’n partner is becoming an important man. Where do I sign up with
his outfit, Mr. Daniels?” Moss asked without question.
“Don’t know.
This is all new to me as of this morning. I don’t even know where I fit
into all of it, but I got me a feeling Billy won’t leave none of us
out,” Nathan said.
Kate came out of
the house onto the porch and rang the old triangle to announce supper.
“I just love that old thing. Every time I ring it I hear Liszt’s first
piano concerto. I rarely get to ring it and make it sing out, but with
Billy’s plans and Nathan’s support to build up the ranch again, I just
may get to use it more often,” she said and smiled.
The men followed
her into the huge kitchen area. The house contained a formal dinning
room but Kate rarely used it for informal gatherings of family or close
neighbors. Kate always said the heart of any country home is the
kitchen, and only those closest to your heart should be invited therein
to share a meal with you. Billy could only remember sitting in the
dinning room at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter while his granddad
was alive, but after Daws passed away, it wasn’t used again. It was
like it wasn’t the same without the master of the house sitting at the
head of the table, and Nathan didn’t feel like he could take his dad’s
place. He was so depressed and discouraged from the sudden death of his
bigger-than-life rancher/cowboy dad, he never tried. Daws B. Daniels
was a tough act to follow.
Kate and her
helpers filled a large sideboard with good foods with their guests in
mind. It was served buffet style. She instructed everyone where to sit,
then told them to take their plates, get in line, serve themselves, and
return to their place at the table. She requested for no one to sit and
eat until everyone returned and were seated together.
Billy watched to
see what Archie and Edith would choose. He was mildly surprised they
each took a small portion of the white meat of the turkey, but passed
on the ham. They chittered to each other about a huge bowl of ambrosia
made from various fruits, fruit cocktail, and mixed into a creamy
marshmallow base. It was much to their liking, and they took several
pieces of fruit already pealed and sectioned. They were most grateful.
They realized the selection of fruits were particularly for them.
When the guests
returned to the table, Kate asked everyone to join hands, and they did.
“Usually, we say a quick blessing for the food we’re about to eat, but
to be honest, I don’t know if blessings we’ve used for decades might
apply now. So much has changed in our country, and certainly our small
corner of the world in particular. Therefore, I’m passing the buck, so
to speak, and asking my grandson Billy if he will say some words
appropriate for our gathering?” she asked, and smile at him.
“Thanks a lot,
Grandma. First you steal the hearts of my munchkins, and now you drop
this in my lap,” Billy replied, and smiled, “Ah, well, because you once
taught me to find middle C, and taught me to love good music, I will
try my best to rise to the occasion,” he said and everyone laughed,
“Let this be a beginning. Let our hearts and minds unite us as family,
and for whatever purpose we’ve been chosen and brought together to
accomplish, may this wonderful food, so lovingly prepared, nourish our
bodies, our minds, and our spirits to give us strength and help us
achieve our tasks. May the love and friendship, which surrounds us in
this room, the goodly spirits and ancient voices of the universe, bless
us and keep us from harms way. Hosanna in the highest,” he said and
everyone replied, “Hosanna in the highest!” “Thank you,
Billy, that was perfectly lovely. You did rise to the occasion, and I’m
proud of you, but before anyone sits down, as empress of this kitchen,
I have final say,” she said and giggled. Everyone laughed with her,
“I’d like to thank Castor and Pollux for their wonderful help and
companionship this afternoon. Thank you, gentlemen. You are always
welcome in my kitchen,” Kate finished, “Now, everyone sit down and
enjoy yourselves. Oh, yes, and if you want more you don’t have to ask,
just take your plate and get what you like. If you go away hungry, it’s
your own fault,” she added.
Everyone sat
down and enjoyed a wonderful meal together. Talk was lively around the
table, but mostly between Billy, Tron, Moss, Nathan, and Kate. The
others would respond if spoken to directly, but left the gist of
the conversation to their master. Billy would pull someone into the
discussion now and then, and they would comment. He told Tron and Moss
he would tell them everything he told his uncle, and so they wouldn’t
feel like they were hearing old news, Billy stressed his grandmother
was not yet privy to what he would tell them.
They listened
with the rest of Billy’s family in awe as Billy told his story about
the rescue of the messenger Samu’el, whom he nicknamed Tonto, from his
crashed spaceship all the way though returning to the line cabin with
eight new slaves and a Morgan palomino filly for Samson. Billy left out
a few things he only shared with his uncle about the gold and a few
other things he brought back like the lotto numbers. He was also careful
with his wording and descriptions of people like Hank and Buck being
Boomer and his grooms while on the planet. For sake of social decorum,
he didn’t feel the need to explain in detail their function besides
implying they were caretakers. He also left out any physical
descriptions of Madam Spartza and her slave-consort.
When Billy and
his family transported from the line cabin that afternoon, Nathan
handed him the lotto ticket with the numbers carefully played. Billy
checked them against his note from Madame Spartza, and they were
correct. He did tell Moss and Tron, he and his uncle splurged this week
and bought a five dollar ticket for Friday’s drawing of the Mega Lotto.
So, if they won the jackpot, Tron and his roping partner were sure to
get their money for the load of hay. Everyone laughed.
“Do you have a
plan of some kind to work from?” Tron asked.
“Naw, sir, Mr.
Garrett, I don’t. At this point, I know very little more than what I
done told you here this e’nin. Them leaders on both worlds told me I’d
know what I have to do. They told me it would come to me. They said
they been coming to me in my sleep for years and everything they taught
me would become clear when I need it. I gotta’ trust 'em. I don’t think
they’d go to all this trouble to lie to me. Things seem to be going
along pretty good so far.
“I plan to talk
with Uncle Nate and grandma some more and get the ranch going full-time
with a full staff of cowboys and a lot of other plans what come to
mind. I wanna’ fix the place up. I want the ranch to reach it’s full
potential and become a successful business enterprise. I want to use
the ranch as a home, a business, and a base of operations. From here,
we will grow,” Billy said.
Moss looked at
his dad, turned his head to Billy, started to say something, but
hesitated, shook his head, and stopped. “Go ahead on, Son. Speak yore’
mind. Outside of yore’ momma’s spinster aunt, we ain’t got us no
relatives other than the Daniels. If’n we cain’t tell these good folks,
there ain’t nobody we can tell,” Tron urged him.
“Billy, we ain’t
doing so well. We’s doing all we can to keep our heads above water,
what with all them new government regulations, tithes to them churchly
mother-grubbers, taxes, and pressure the new government’s put on us
with the economy the way it is. We’s wondering what we’s gonna’ do for
food unless we kill us a couple of deer. Even though they been eat’n us
out of house and home, broke down the fence and destroyed our garden,
we done killed our limit for the year. You know the penalties for get’n
caught by the game warden.
“We been try’n
to hit one with the truck. They cain’t say much about road-kill. If we
didn’t get regular invites to your family’s table, we would a’ gone
under long before now. The money for the hay and what we get next week
from the Guinns will help, but we need a steady income to keep us
going. We don’t wanna’ give up the ranch. It’s all me and ma’ daddy
knows. If things don’t start get’n better real soon, we’s libel to lose
the ranch altogether, and have to become indentured to somebody. We’d
likely have to separate, and we couldn’t live together as family no
more. I’ll be honest with you, I don’t know’s I’d wanna’ go on live’n
with out ma’ dad,” Moss said and his voice quavered just a bit.
“You and me, we
been neighbors all our lives, Billy. We worked the seasons together,
from sun up to sun down, side by side from one ranch to the other. You
know I do good work, and I work hard. Do you think you might have a
spot for another ranch hand? I ain’t got me no problem work’n for a
slave ramrod, neither. You know I believe in the code of the West and
the cowboy way. If’n Andy’s yore’ new ramrod, he gets my respect, and
I’ll work just as hard for him as I would any other man,” Moss said.
“Of course
they’ll be room for you and yore’ dad. I done already got you men
figured into my plans, and your daddy’s right, you and him are family
to us. Don’t chu’ worry none, brother, we’ll work some’um out. Let’s us
talk in private before you leave. I understand grandma’s gonna’ serve
dessert and coffee after we have a break, and enjoy some entertainment
from my pint size buckaroos,” Billy said.
“Thanks, Billy,”
Tron said quietly, “See, boy, I done told ju’ you ain’t got nothing to
worry about. You should listen to yore’ daddy,” Tron said, grinned, and
gently elbowed his son. Billy could tell Tron’s bravado with his boy
covered his own feelings of hopelessness and despair. It didn’t work,
but it made Tron feel better.
Billy looked
over an saw tears in Edith’s little eyes which she quickly wiped away
with her napkin. There was something about his two pets Billy was drawn
to like a moth to a bright light. He knew his love for them was deeper
than he had any conscious recognition about, but he didn’t know why.
They were just comfortable, and he knew it was his duty to protect and
care for them. Billy always thought of himself as a good husbandman for
his animals, but his interest and affection for Archie and Edith was
stronger than usual.
All through
supper, Billy could feel Nick watching and studying him. He didn’t have
much to say, but it was like he was observing everything, and had
something on his mind. Maybe Samson was right. Billy would smile at him
from time to time, and asked if he was enjoying his food. He said
everything was excellent, and he complimented, thanked, and praised
Kate and the twins.
Billy also
noticed Moss couldn’t take his eyes off Billy’s two messengers. At
first, Billy thought it was because of the strangeness of their
beautiful wings, but it wasn’t their wings he was looking at. Moss also
thought Billy’s new ramrod was just about the finest looking buckaroo
he’d seen in a good while. He would have no problem working for Andy.
* * * * * * * After supper
everyone pitched in and helped Kate put the leftovers away and clean
the kitchen. With such a sizable group as Billy’s family, it was done
in no time. Kate was all smiles she didn’t have to do a thing but
supervise and direct. Nathan and Tron were thrown out like two old
bulls who were only in the way and put out to pasture. They didn’t
argue and retired to the living area to wait for the rest. As they sat
waiting for the others, the two ranchers talked about many things, and
finally came down to personal matters. “We ain’t been hunting or
fishing in a coon’s age, brother,” Tron said quietly, and grinned.
“I know,” said
Nathan, “I never said nothing 'cause I don’t want to appear needy. I’s
content to follow when you feel the need to lead.”
“Bullshit!” Tron
said, “If’n that were true, we’d be bunk’n it in together ever’ damn
night. God as my witness, I loved my wife, but since her passing, I
been true to the memory of our love and life together; however, I done
grieved long enough. I’s done with that part of my life, Nate. I’ll
never love another woman but Ellen. I know that now, and I’m ready to
move on. You and me, we done grow’d up together playing hide the little
green snake, only I had another side to me what wanted family.
“I sometimes
felt guilty 'cause of my need for you. I felt like I’s leading you on
all them years, but I just never seemed to be able to give you up. I’ll
be honest with you, brother, I ain’t ashamed to say, I think I needed
you more’n you ever needed me. I’s always been the bull-of-the-woods,
but underneath it all, you was my strength, Nate. You still is. Ellen
weren’t no dummy. Hell, she knew. When I’d get cranky, she’d tell me to
get in 'nere on the phone, call yore’ brother, and go hunt’n or fish’n
for several days. When I come home, I’s always better, relaxed, and
easier to get along with. She knew, but she turned her head the other
way. She just accepted you as a necessary part of my family,” Tron said.
“She was a good
woman, Tron. I loved her like a sister,” Nathan said.
“And, I assure
you, she loved you, too. Now, our only problem is them two boys of
ours,” Tron said. Nathan broke up
laughing. “What are you talking about?” he asked.
“They ain’t got
no clue what we been doing,” Tron replied.
Nathan laughed
again. “Where’s them rose colored glasses you put on when you think
like that, brother. I’d like to try ‘em on to see what yore’ reality
looks like,” Nathan said, and laughed.
“You think they
know?” Tron asked.
“Billy lost his
virginity to his big watcher after Boomer was given to him to be his
slave, and he returned the favor for his giant. Them two’s a bonded
pair. Billy was a changed man when he come back, and I sensed it. He
come back and told me, him and Moss done figured out about you and me a
long time ago,” Nathan said.
“Then we were
right about them?” Tron asked.
“E’aup -- so,
get ready. They’s gonna’ bond before much longer, and I for one, wish
them well,” Nathan replied.
“Yeah, me too,
but it makes me a bit sad I won’t have me a passel of little buckaroos
or cowgirls to spoil,” Tron lamented, “You know’d I love me some kids,”
he added.
“Don’t bet the
ranch on it, cowboy,” Nathan said and fell out laughing, “Billy’s
already got Billy Junior in the oven or will have after this e’nin,”
Nate said, and laughed at the look on Tron’s face.
“What the hell!”
Tron exclaimed, “How?” he asked.
“Watchers got
different biology from us. The males can produce regular semen to
fertilize a female of their species, but they also produce
proto-embryos what can be fertilized by other mammal males and
reproduce a copy of the parent what fertilized it. Boomer’s got one
inside him right now with Billy’s imprint they’s gonna’ plant in the
womb of one a them Highland heifers down to the line cabin, and in nine
months, out pops Billy Augustus Daniels Junior; sort of like one a’
them 3-D printers you see on the Internet on ‘Boing-Boing’ from time to
time,” Nathan explained.
“You’s shit’n
me, cowboy. I know’d you like the back of my hand. You’re get’n back at
me for the time I played that awful trick on you, ain’t chu’?” Tron
asked, pointing a finger at his partner.
“Naw, if’n I
wanted to do it, I would a done it long before now,” Nathan assure him. “Son of a bitch.
Then what you’re telling me is, if Moss fertilized one of them
proto-embryos he could have a little buckaroo or cowgirl?” Tron asked.
“E’aup. That’s
exactly what I’m telling you,” Nathan said.
“Would you
consider...?” Tron started to ask but stopped.
“Damn straight,
I would. One for you and one for me,” Nate said. They shared a laugh.
“Then we better
start practicing as soon as possible,” Tron said like a man on a
mission.
“I couldn’t
agree more, Daddy,” Nathan said, and they fell together laughing.
* * * * * * * The middle aged
ranchers were joined by their families and invited to the ballroom for
a brief concert by Billy’s twin slaves, Castor and Pollux. Everyone
climbed the divided staircases to the first level and continued up the
second staircase to the third floor. They walked to the center, through
the huge, ornately carved, heavy dark-oak double doors into an enormous
ballroom. At the other end was the large early Skinner organ. The house
was built in 1890, and the ballroom was designed and created with a
grand organ in mind; however, an instrument wasn’t installed until ten
years later at the turn of the century.
It was one of
Ernest M. Skinner’s earliest works when he was little more than
apprentice. In the late 1800's Skinner made a trip to study the
instruments of Europe and learned about pitman windchests. He created
the instrument as a side project for his friend, the wealthy land baron
and cattleman Olec Cromwell Daniels, for his large home in the hill
country of West Central Texas. It was one of the very first organs
Skinner created using his newly learned techniques including the more
modern windchest which he refined to a simple elegance. It didn’t have
all the romantic trappings Skinner was later to incorporate into his
larger instruments. While it had the more modern windchest and was a
marvel of organ building for its period, it hearkened back to the more
simple, earlier Baroque instruments. It was and remains the only
instrument of its kind.
In front of the
organ was a raise dais about three feet higher than the floor of the
ballroom and on it sat the nine foot Steinway Concert Grand. When not
in use, it was covered with a large cover especially made to protect
the instrument. Behind the small raised stage where the grand sat, was
another raised area about four feet high which had stairs on either
side to get up to the organ console. It was situated so the organist’s
back was to the audience so they could see the organist play the
several keyboards.
Billy took his
twin slaves to the second raised area and set their instrument cases on
it. They were enchanted by the room, but never saw a pipe organ or a
piano before. They recognized the pipes as being capable of making
sounds, but they didn’t know how it might be achieved. They talked back
and forth in their native language of guttural stops, pops, and clicks,
and pointed to it. Billy could hear the questions and awe in their
voices.
“Not to
worry. You will get to hear the great beast roar this evening,”
he soothed them, “But first, I want to show off my little brothers to
my extended family,” he added.
“We will try to
make you proud of us, Master Billy,” Poly said.
“You always do.
I have no fear,” Billy said, and smiled at them.
Billy directed
several of his men to set up comfortable folding chairs he got out of a
closet specifically for that purpose. They made sure everyone had their
own chair and were comfortable. Those who never saw the ballroom before
were in awe of its grandeur and opulence for such a remote area of
Texas. It made Billy sad when he walked into the ballroom after months
of never entering. It was beginning to show wear. It was his deepest
wish to restore it to its former glory. Castor and
Pollux got out their instruments and tuned them. Everyone was seated
with Kate, Archie, Edith, Nathan, Moss and Tron on the front rows. The
other taller slaves of Billy’s sat behind and to the sides of them.
Boomer decided to stand in back with Nick.
“Several of you
have never heard my twin slaves play their fiddles. They haven’t had
them very long, and yet, they can get sounds out of them I have rarely
heard concert musicians achieve. This evening I have two tunes I want
them to play for you, and one of their own choosing. They talked to me
earlier and asked if they could play a special tune to thank their
Mistress Kate for her kindness and wonderful food,” Billy said.
Everyone smiled.
“The first tune
they will play for you will be recognizable,” Billy said and took a
seat next to his grandmother. He nodded for the men to began.
The twins played
“Turkey In The Straw” with the original melody all the way through. It
was better than Billy remember from a couple of day before, and it was
delightful. Their second playing of the tune, they started improvising.
The third they started an elaborate, almost baroque fugue, that brought
Kate to her feet. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Billy
couldn’t either. Could the enhancements they were given by the Irin
affect the twins ability to play the fiddles? It had to be. Occam’s
razor? It was the simplest explanation. Billy remember them as good,
but this was way beyond what they played before. Their playing was
spectacular. The twins finished the piece, again with a huge chaconne,
which ended on five huge chords of a dramatic resolution. Kate was
about to go to them and smother them with her adoration, but Billy
grabbed her arm and told her to wait. She patted his hand, and sat down
again with him as everyone applauded.
After the
applause died down, Billy nodded for the twins to start again, and they
began to play the waltz they learned on Fort Adam Lear “Waltz Across
Texas.” They played it so sweetly the first time, everyone had tears in
their eyes. The second time, Poly played the melody straight and Cass
accompanied with the loveliest descant anyone ever heard. It was music
from the heart. It was heavenly. When they finished the family again
went crazy with applause, whistles, and stomping of boots.
When their
audience settled down, Billy nodded for them to begin their final
offering for the evening. “This is for you, Mistress Kate,” Castor
said, and the twins started in with the last movement of Bach’s Third
Brandenburg Concerto. It was all Kate could do to control herself. She
looked at Billy, he smiled, and shook his head. She got the biggest
grin on her face and move in close to whisper, “You have SO lost your
slaves, Grandson!” she said and laughed. Billy slapped his knee and
laughed with her. The twins didn’t miss a note. They devoured the music
from one hearing, and played it back like a fine recording. It was
amazing. Billy
didn’t
try to restrain his grandmother after they finished. She went to
them and lavished them with compliments, hugs, and many kisses. The
others gathered around to compliment them and wish them well.
“Do you know
your master is a fine musician,” Kate asked the twins.
“No, ma’am, Ms.
Kate. He never told us. Does he sing or play?” Pollux asked.
“Both, but
mostly he plays the big piano behind you,” Kate explained.
“What’s a
piano?” Castor asked.
“A wonderful
instrument,” Kate replied.
Billy wondered
to himself. “Cass, let me see your fiddle for a moment,” he said.
“Here, Master
Billy,” Castor said, and handed it to him.
Billy put it to
his chin and began to bow. He ran his fingers up the scale and down. He
articulated the instrument perfectly. He knew how to play it. He didn’t
know how or why, but he just knew he could play anything he wanted. He
tried several double and triple stops and plucked the strings to get
the feel. Then he started to play Bach’s “Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring”
and Pollux joined him note for note. When he got to the choral part he
played double stops and Pollux played double and triple stops harmony
for him. It was an impromptu musical moment no one expected, but they
were all standing around enjoying it. When they came to the final note,
Billy’s family went crazy again.
“Is there room
for one more in your boy band, Grandmother?” Billy asked, as he handed
the fiddle back to Castor.
“We’ll talk,”
she said, “but now you must play the first movement of the Bach D minor
for our family, and I will play the orchestral part on the Skinner,”
she insisted.
“Yes, Billy,
play for us. I ain’t heard you play in a long time. If the rest of your
family ain’t heard you play, this is as good a time as any -- right,
folks?” Moss asked. Everybody agreed with him.
“Think you can
keep up with me, Grandma?” Billy challenged, and grinned.
“I think I can
“Handel” it,” Kate punned back knowing Billy was the only one who would
catch it. He pointed his finger at her, and laughed.
They took the
cover off the grand, and set it aside. Billy opened the lid and propped
it up. Those who never saw a piano before came forward to look inside.
They were in awe of the strings, the metal, the fine craftsmanship of
the sound board, and the mechanical action. Billy pushed back the key
cover, sat down on the softly quilted leather bench, and adjusted it to
his height. He ran his hands over the keys to remove specks of dust
from a couple. Finally, he began playing the first Bach prelude in C
from the first book of the Well-Tempered Clavier.
Castor, Pollux,
Archie, and Edith were astounded. They never heard anything like it.
Billy stopped and smiled at them, “If’n you think this is great, wait
till Grandma Kate cranks up the beast,” he said as an aside to them.
Kate was on her way to the organ console. She couldn’t remember when
the last time she and Billy played through the Bach, but she had her
score. Billy would play from memory. She hit the 'on’ switch for the
air to fill the bellows and chest. Everyone took their
seats in eager anticipation. Billy looked up and caught his
grandmother’s eye in the mirror above the organ and winked at her.
“Ready, Grandma?” he called out to her.
“Ready,” she
replied.
“On the count of
three. One, two, three...!” Billy shouted, and they were off into
the opening measures in a dramatic unison of the main theme for Bach’s
D minor piano concerto.
The twins were
mesmerized by what they were hearing. There was no doubting it was
music by the same composer Mistress Kate introduced them to, whom they
had come to love, but this was beyond anything they heard before. It
was a new and thrilling experience for them. They immediately forgot
about the wooden “Oo-olotonia” they played so many times in the square
on Retikki Prime. The instruments before them were capable of so many
more sonorities and shadings. One was big brassy, reedy, full of
flutes, and whistles, but the solo instrument their master was playing
was capable of such depths of sounds and shadings of loud and soft.
Both instruments seemed limitless, but together, they were
dynamic.
Kate could feel
Billy pushing the tempo to the max, but she had no difficulty adjusting
and kept up with him note for note. She never heard her grandson play
so brilliantly. There was neither a misplaced note, a bobble, nor
hesitation of any kind. Billy’s playing reminded her of recordings of
Glenn Gould she listened to time and again until she wore them out, and
had to replace them with the inferior sound quality of CDs. The only
difference she could notice between Gould and Billy’s playing was, her
grandson didn’t moan and sing along. Billy was almost like an automaton
in the unflagging rhythm of one of the finest compositions written at
the end of the Baroque era. J. S. Bach was the ultimate conglomeration,
and the final penultimate artistic expression of a period of music that
lasted slightly over six hundred years.
Billy never felt
more in control of his music, and what always seemed like hard work
before came effortlessly to him. The shadings and various nuances --
the musicality -- which often times alluded him for the greater sake of
hitting the right notes at the correct time, were readily available for
him at his beck and call. He could only attribute this wonderful
phenomenon to his enhancement by the Irins. It was wonderful. He was
never given such a magnificent gift. He never got such a rush -- such a
high from his music before. Dare he think it? He felt like a god. He
imagined himself becoming Orpheus reincarnated. Billy was aware of
everything going on in the room at the same time, and he was sharing
everyone’s reaction to his playing.
He could see the
only persons standing were Boomer and Nick behind the rest. Boomer had
a look of pure love and adoration for his beloved Master. Nick had the
stunned look of a man who couldn’t believe what he was witnessing.
Billy could sense deep confusion and frustration in the larger of the
two bird-men. Finally, Nick started a slow pace while listening
intently to the music Billy and his grandmother were making. Billy could feel
Nick becoming lost in the music as Billy reached the point the organ
cut out, and he was left alone to play the last couple of pages by
himself which led to the small cadenza that signaled the orchestra to
re-enter and complete the coda for the ending of the piece. Billy
milked the virtuosity of the passage for all it was worth. It was his
moment to shine. He held the entire room in his grasp. His playing was
flawless. Kate was so taken with his performance tears fell from her
eyes involuntarily, and she had to keep wiping them so they wouldn’t
fall onto her keys. Billy, her grandson, became the consummate musician
she always knew he could be. She grieved deeply for her beloved husband
he couldn’t share this moment with them.
Billy whipped
through the cadenza so masterfully, the remainder of the piece was
almost anticlimactic. With a home run assuring his win, Billy made his
obligatory trip around the bases, and headed for home plate. He caught
a glimpse of Nick disappearing into the restroom at the far end of the
hall, but before he played the final eight bars, Billy saw him reappear
and walk swiftly to stand beside Boomer. There was a noticeably large
wet spot at the crotch in his overalls. Billy wondered, but he felt
intuitively it wasn’t what Samson was talking about. He knew his
playing touched Nick, but it wasn’t enough. He needed more cow-bell; a
bigger rabbit to pull out of the hat.
The twins ran to
him first with hugs, kisses, and compliments. They were gushing in
their praise. “How many swipes with your hand did I earn?” he asked in
regard to their monetary rewards to other performers on Retikki Prime.
“We wouldn’t
stop till our account was drained, Master,” Castor claimed.
“That much?”
Billy asked in awe.
“At least,
Master, half would have to go to Mistress Kate for her magnificent
stroking of the windy beast,” Pollux backed his brother.
“Windy beast? I
like that. It is indeed a beast of the winds,” Billy said and laughed.
The twins excused themselves to run to Kate and shared their adoration
with her.
Kate came and
held Billy for a moment. She looked into his eyes, “Is forming a
philharmonic in your plans, Billy?” she asked.
“Could be,
Grandma. Who needs ‘em? You were fantastic, dear heart,” Billy said,
hugged her, and stole a kiss.
“I must hear you
play the complete concerto with an orchestra before I shuffle off to
Buffalo, my beloved grandson,” she said.
“We’ll talk,”
Billy replied, and grinned.
Everyone was
full of good things to say to Billy and Kate. Nick shook his hand and
looked Billy in the eye. What passed between them said we have more to
discuss later; much more, but Billy was not through with his bird-man.
Someone asked for an encore. They wanted Billy to play something by
himself; a solo work. Billy agreed, and asked them to take their seats.
“Thank you good
folks for your kind response. My grandmother and I are overwhelmed by
your graciousness and generous words. The piece I will play for you is
divided into three parts, and there is a personal story behind each.
After my roping partner, Moss, and his dad, Tron, lost their mother and
wife respectively, they were left with an older, but very fine, Kimball
Victorian Oak upright grand piano Ellen played for many years. She took
lessons from grandma and played well. We worked up duets to play
together for grandma’s recitals. Ellen was a great joy and a fine
musical talent. We miss her.
“When I heard
Tron and Moss were going to give it away to the local thrift store to
sell, I offered them a hun’nert bucks for it, with the understanding
they’d help me get it down to the line cabin. They did, and for the
last several years I’ve used it to learn pieces of music grandma sort
of frowns on. Don’t get me wrong, Grandma Kate can appreciate all kinds
of music, but a steady diet of me pounding away on Stravinsky,
Hindemith, or Prokovief would have tested her patience.
“She never heard
me play this piece, but it’s been going through my head for the last
several days with everything what’s been going on. I couldn’t figure
out why until a moment ago. It tells a story of how I have come
together with one individual in particular. As I said there are three
parts, or movements, and each tells a part of our story. It was written
by a great Russian composer Sergei Prokovief, and it is his seventh
piano sonata. The first movement is titled, ‘Allegro Inquito,’ meaning
fast and disturbing, and refers to someone in this room. It’s how I
envision his life before he came to this planet. The music is brilliant
but hectic.
“The second part
is called, ‘Andante Caloroso.’ ‘Andante’ meaning to be played at a
comfortable pace as one might take a casual stroll, and 'caloroso’
means with warmth. It describes the unlikely coming together of two
strong male spirits to make one undefeatable team who can face the
greatest challenges together like Gilgamesh and Enkidu or the Lone
Ranger and Tonto.
“The third
movement is named, ‘Precipitato.’ It comes from the same root word as
‘precipitation’ or rain. It tells the story of the crash of a great
spaceship into the James river during one of the worst storms it’s been
my horror to witness. The unflagging rhythm of the music is the heavy
rain and you will hear flashes of lightening, thunder, the rumbling and
groan of the river until the very end, when the great ship lands,
bounces nine times, and comes to a complete stop in the bed of the
river. If’n you ain’t guessed by now -- this one’s for you, Tonto,”
Billy pointed his hand like a gun, and he was shooting out into the
audience at Nick.
Nick blushed.
Billy didn’t know angels could blush, and smiled to himself. Before he
sat down at the piano, Billy asked that there be no applause until
after the final movement. He didn’t wish to break the spell of the
music. Billy sat for a moment at the keyboard and thought, ‘If this
don’t shake something loose in that rough looking bird-man, nothing
will.’
Billy attacked
the first movement with bravura and played it for its complicated
rhythmic structure, melodic strengths, and stressed the dynamic range
to the max. The second movement he milked the romantic mood of the
beautiful main melody, and as it built to a climax, made the piano sing
like it never was played before. No one missed the conjoining of the
two themes and the final moving off on a path together to the end.
Billy could feel
the anticipation as he launched into the final movement. He suffered
through one too many performances of the last movement other pianist
played too fast, like it was a horse race to win. Many fell by the
wayside, because they simply couldn’t hold the difficult piece together
to the very end. Billy didn’t see it that way. It was a rain storm for
him, almost reminiscent of a primitive tribal rain dance, but it most
readily described the persistent heavy storm he ever experienced. He translated the
feeling of the grotesque dance perfectly into the music. At the end,
there was no fumbling around for notes. His enhancement made his
performance strong and perfect without a missed note to the very end.
He made the final eight bars roar, and the audience, who were not
standing, came up from their chairs to be on their feet for the finish.
When the last chord sounded there was total silence for a moment; then,
all hell broke loose.
Billy scanned
the back of the audience and saw Nick weeping in Boomer’s big arms with
Clyde’s huge wings surrounding both. “Are you all right, brother?”
Clyde asked.
“No, I ain’t all
right, thank you. I come in me pants for the second time this evening.
I never experienced nothing like that in all them years of traveling
from galaxy to galaxy, Clyde. I shouldn’t even be in the same room with
that young man. What the hell am I doing here?” Nick asked and moaned
through his tears.
“You heard the
music just like we did. Our young master sent you a strong message.
It’s up to you what you do about it, brother,” Clyde said.
“Listen to your
brother, Nick,” Boomer said, “I’m a slave, and you’re a free angel or
messenger. I can’t tell you what to do, and it wouldn’t be right for me
to offer advice, but if you don’t open to him tonight, or make a move
to conjoin with him, you’ll never forgive yourself. It was obvious
there was only one person in this room he was playing for. The young
man just laid an invitation in your lap. What more do you want?” Boomer
asked.
Nick didn’t
reply, but pulled himself together. “You’re both right,” he said,
turned, and walked toward the front of the ballroom. Everyone was
crowded around Billy, but he kept his eye on Nick as he lumbered to the
stage in Uncle Nathan’s muckabouts. Billy thought again, without his
wings, how much Nick would look like any other ruggedly handsome
rancher. Nick walked up to Billy, placed his hands on the young man’s
shoulders, held him at arm’s length, and looked him in the eyes. He
didn’t have to touch Billy’s mind to know his thoughts. He could see
nothing but love and respect. Nick pulled him into a hug, and kissed
Billy right on the mouth.
Billy didn’t
pull away, but kissed Nick back. No one said a word. When they
finished, Nick looked him in the eye and spoke, “We need to talk,” he
said, “is it in your plans for the evening for us to be together?” he
asked.
“It is. You need
another night of healing, and with my enhanced powers, you will be
completely healed by morning. Only you and my number one will be
returning to the line cabin for the night,” Billy replied.
“Will it be all
right with Boomer?” he asked.
“Of course, he’s
my slave, my number one. He will obey his master. He would never do
anything to jeopardize his position with me,” Billy replied.
“I’ve never been
so moved by anything so deeply as your playing and description of what
you hear in the music. I found no difficulty envisioning the same story
your words and music described. It touched me in a part of my being I
locked away in a safe-room centuries ago and threw away the key only to
discover a young cowboy who saved my life somehow found a way to pick
the lock,” Nick said.
“Not really. I
just found the key on board your spaceship when I had you strapped to
the gurney, and was rushing to get you out. It was made of gold, looked
like it was important, so I slipped it in my jacket pocket, and zipped
it up for safe keeping,” Billy said, and grinned.
“You’re right,
it is the same key. I thought I’d lost it. It’s the key to an
underground vault beneath Mount Ararat which will open the door and
release my brothers from stasis. While it might have been safe on the
ship, thank goodness you had enough presence of mind to rescue it,”
Nick said, “Look, I know you’re basking in the attention of your
family, so I’ll leave you be until later. I’ll look forward to spending
the evening with you, Son,” Nick added.
“We have much to
talk about, Tonto,” Billy said softly.
“I’ll be ready,
Kemosabe,” Nick said.
* * * * * * * The musical
concert was over. The folding chairs were carefully put away, the the
piano was closed, and covered. Billy supervised his crew and thanked
them for their help. They walked down the stairs and into the kitchen
where Kate and the twins were serving a heavenly warm peach cobbler
with a scoop of Blue Bell vanilla bean ice cream on top. It was
delicious and everyone enjoyed the treat. It was the perfect end to a
wonderful evening. It made Kate a little sad and melancholy for the
good times she and Daws used to have entertaining their friends,
relatives, and loved ones. The evening was one of the best she could
remember in a long time.
Moss and Tron
said their goodbyes with many thanks for a great meal and a wonderful
evening. Nathan handed Tron a check for the hay plus a little extra for
prompt delivery. They left and Billy called his family together. “I
talked with Uncle Nathan and my grandmother. You will be staying with
them as guest in their home tonight. I expect you to conduct yourselves
accordingly. Twins, take care of your cowboy brothers. At their
advanced age, they need all the love and care they can get," Billy
said, laughed, and his family laughed with him, “I will be returning to
the line cabin with Boomer and Nick,” Billy said. He didn’t bother to
go into details, but everyone knew what was going on and could only
hope the situation would be resolved by morning.
* * * * *
* * Tron drove home.
It wasn’t that far as the two ranches bordered each other on one side
but their homes were situated at the farthest points from each other.
The Daniel’s old mansion set high on the top of Pronghorn mountain, ten
miles from the border of the two properties and the Garrett ranch house
was ten miles south, making a separation of some twenty miles. The men
were quiet until they reach the end of the long gravel/red clay road
which wound its way up the side of the mountain to the main ranch house.
“Did you enjoy
yore’self this evening?” Tron asked.
“Lord, yes. Who
wouldn’t enjoy what comes out of Ms. Kate’s kitchen, to say nothing of
the family Billy is forming for himself?” Moss asked in reply, “It’s a
treat for us ever’ time we get an invite to share their table, and with
all the things going on up there, it’s downright fascinating,” Moss
added.
“Are you in love
with Billy?” Tron asked.
“Yes,” Moss
replied, “I been in love with him since he started working along side
us older men. I looked upon him as the little brother I weren’t never
gonna’ have, and I come to love him as such; except, my admiration for
him began to take a twist I never counted on. He worked hard for his
size, and was always in good spirits, until his granddad died. Then he
sort of withdrew into himself for a couple of years. It was then I come
to realize how much I loved him, and it broke my heart watching him
pine away. I done my best to reach out to him, to teach him team
roping, but I can be awkward and clumsy sometimes. I think I might have
scared him away. Since you so boldly asked, and I answered your
question honestly, are you in love with his uncle?” Moss asked.
“Yes, I have
been all our lives,” Tron replied. They drove on a bit further in
silence.
“I’m glad for
you. At least they’s a chance for something more between you and Mr.
Daniels,” Moss said.
“You wouldn’t
mind?” Tron asked.
“Oh, hell, no.
Why should I? You been a good dad. You were good to mom. You were a
faithful husband, and there ain’t no doubt in my mind you loved each
other. She’s been gone for a good while now. I think we both done our
grief work. What you choose to do with the rest of your life is up to
you, Pa, as long as you think of me and allow my life to progress along
with yours,” Moss said.
“We ain’t never
talked much about personal things,” Tron said.
“Didn’t have to.
Billy and me, we done figured out you and his uncle’s love for each
other a long time ago. Then as time went on, I saw Nathan Daniels
become your release valve when you got chore’self so stoved up over a
lot of little things you couldn’t think straight no more. No pun
intended, Pa. You and Nate would disappear for several days, but when
you come back you was always whistling a happy tune. We knew you two
were shacked up together at the line cabin,” Moss said.
“You ever been
with another man, Son?” Tron asked.
“Naw, sir. I
ain’t never been with nobody. Here I am a twenty-four year old virgin.
Some men might look down on me, but I don’t care. I been saving myself
for one person, but it looks like I done waited too long. I guess I got
left hold’n the bag,” Moss lamented, “Who could a’ know’d my little
brother would become chosen by two super-races of aliens to launch a
passive rebellion? He’s been towed way out of my league,” he added
sadly.
“Maybe not,
Son,” Tron said.
“That big rough
looking angel is in love with him, and I knew years ago Billy formed an
attachment for his Bigfoot monster when he saved his life,” Moss said.
“You and Billy’s
family, Moss. You got history together. You always treated him like he
was the most important person in your life outside yore’ mom and me. He
used to follow you around like a puppy, but I ain’t never once seen you
get upset or angry with him because of his worship of you. Then when
you had the good sense to ask him to become your rope’n partner, you
two couldn’t have bonded more tight,” Tron said.
“Look, Dad, I
fucked up. I should’ve taken him to the line cabin shortly after his
eighteenth burfday last June, but I waited for him to come to me. I
wanted him to want me. No, I wanted Billy to need me,” Moss said and
his voice got shaky like he was about to lose it.
“Easy there,
Hoss, it’s okay. Personally, I don’t think you got a damn thing to
worry about. Billy still looks on you like you’s the pie man, and he’d
like to sample yore’ wares. Just give him time, be there when he needs
you, and I guaran-damn-tee-ya’ he will need you. Listen to your old
man, Son, you will become his pressure release valve. Maybe that ain’t
enough for you, I don’t know. Only you can decide,” Tron said. “You done taught
me to be a cowboy, Dad. I eat, sleep, and breathe the code of the West,
and the cowboy way. I’ll take what I can get, and won’t expect no
more’n what Billy wants to offer. Whatever he might offer is more’n I
got now,” Moss said without nuance.
“You’ll do fine,
Son. You wait and see,” Tron said, and smiled at his boy.
* * * * * * * When Billy was
satisfied his family would be comfortable for the evening, he grabbed
his lap top computer from his bedroom in the tower, and Nick
transported him and Boomer back to the line cabin. They reappeared in
the barn, and everything appeared to be in order. Roz was only a little
startled when they materialized in a flash of light, but she recovered
quickly with a bit of humor. “Good thing I wasn’t already pregnant. I
might have miscarried,” she said.
“Well, we plan
to take care of that little matter soon enough, dear heart,” Billy
said, “Do you want a full disclosure about what it entails, and how
Boomer will go about it?” he asked.
“How much detail
can there be to stick tab A into slot B, hump with vigor, and release
the proto-embryo?” Roz asked.
“Only a bit
more, like filling your uterus with an amniotic fluid released by my
mate so the proto-embryo can swim and attach itself to the wall of your
womb. According to my number one slave it should take about thirty
minutes to an hour,” Billy said.
“You got some
porn for me to watch?” Roz asked wickedly and laughed. She got the
other three laughing, too.
“We ain’t got no
T.V. or video equipment yet, but we will. I suppose I could suck off my
big bird-man for you. Would that help put you in the mood?” Billy
asked, and laughed.
“Any port in a
storm. Us surrogate mom’s can’t be choosy, I suppose,” she replied, and
laughed again.
“You are
kidding, ain’t chu’?” Billy asked.
“Yeah, actually,
I am. It’s so damn boring being a cow, I’m rather looking forward to
it. You and the messenger go about your business, and leave lover boy
and me to it. I think he’s plenty sexy enough -- big, too. I’m sure
he’ll tell me what to do, and whisper sweet nothings in my ear,” Roz
said and giggled. “Boomer will
sleep out here in the loft tonight. With the plasma ball for heat, it
should be warm enough for you,” Billy said.
“It’s great.
Better than standing around cold in the dark. I figured a warm place to
sleep might be one of the perks,” she said wisely.
“And if’n it’s
any consolation, Roz, I would never ask you to take something inside
your body I ain’t already had inside mine first,” Billy said and
laughed.
“Surprisingly
enough, that information is somewhat comforting. You have my
admiration, sir,” Roz said.
“And you, mine,”
Billy assured her.
* * * * * * * Boomer assured
Billy he didn’t need to be present for the implantation. Billy did his
job when he bred his number one slave, and it was his slave’s
responsibility to secure a nice, warm, comfortable home for their son.
Billy and Boomer talked about it before they left Retikki Prime
they planned to establish mental contact with little Billy when he was
old enough to recognize thought patterns. Billy planned to start him
early with a steady diet of good music.
Billy and Nick
left the barn and moved to the cabin. Nick helped Billy clean Samson
and Maybelle’s stalls. They were in a giddy mood and looking forward to
consummating their bond. After they bagged everything and carried it to
the back of the barn, they returned to the cabin and closed the barn
doors behind them to give Boomer and Roz some privacy.
Nick walked over
to the fireplace to warm himself by the fire Billy started when they
came in from the barn to clean the stalls. He saw the photo of Madam
Spartza on the mantle and almost broke his neck doing a double-take.
“What the fuck? Where, the hell, did you get this?” he demanded,
grabbing the picture, and showing Billy what he was asking about.
“Oh, that -- it
was a small gift of appreciation from the seer who gave me the lotto
numbers my uncle played today for the Mega Lotto drawing day after
tomorrow,” Billy said without nuance.
“You devil!”
Nick exclaimed, “You knew all along what a treasure you discovered,” he
accused.
“Devil? Ain’t
that like the pot calling the kettle black?” Billy asked and laughed.
“Yes, exactly.
That’s how quickly labels can get stuck on people whether they’s true
or not. Hoodies instantly makes you a bad and suspicious person even if
your greatest crime is eating M&Ms and drinking concentrated
carbonated corn syrup while the only harm done is to your own body.
Them right wing religious loons could probably make a case he should be
shot for abusing his own body; the holy temple of his soul. On the
other hand, where us demons is concerned, they say it takes one to know
one. Welcome to the club, cowboy,” Nick joined him in a laugh,
“Beauford is certain he’s the last of his kind. He’s been my protector
for so many centuries I doubt he’ll believe us if we tell him,” Nick
speculated.
“Well, lets
don’t tell him for a while and feel him out. Your ship is another
project we must take care of tomorrow. We have to check on it, make
sure everyone is all right, and it’s hidden in a safe place where no
one will discover it for as long as you wish to stay here,” Billy said.
“I would feel
better if you, Boomer, Clyde, and I check things out first thing in the
morning. I’m usually in contact with Beauford most of the time, but I
ain’t heard from him since the crash. I’ll admit, I’m a bit worried,”
Nick said.
“Would you like
some coffee to warm you, Tonto? You ain’t et a one of them Hosanna
cakes I brought you,” Billy offered.
“You gonna’ have
some coffee, Kemosabe?” Nick asked.
“It might keep
us awake,” Billy replied.
“Good, I want
you wide awake for a while, but when we bunk it in for the night my
wings will fly us to warm valley full of beautiful flowers for a
peaceful rest in the protection of my arms,” Nick said.
“Demon or not,
you have the soul of a poet, Tonto,” Billy said.
“And, so do your
hands, Buckaroo. They contain a demon capable of expressing the
darkest, most ungodly wrath, and a poet what uses notes so sweetly they
gently caress and bless the ear which is sure to turn the heart of the
fiercest demon into an angel,” Nick said.
“That has to be
one of the nicest compliments I received all day, Demon Dad. Thank you
very much, sir,” Billy said sincerely.
“I would love to
become your demon dad and call you my son,” Nick said quietly.
“The position is
still available, Tonto,” Billy said sincerely, “Shall we have some
coffee, a sweet treat, and talk about it?” Billy asked.
“I’d like that
very much, Kemosabe, but you’re the only sweet treat I need this
evening,” Nick replied.
“Really, Big D,
you make me feel like a teenage girl naked on the backseat of a
fifty-seven Chevy Impala underneath the captain of the football team
what’s about to stick it to her,” Billy said and laughed.
Nick had no idea
what Billy was talking about, but it sounded funny and he laughed.
Billy fixed a pot of coffee and set it near the fire to boil. Unknown
to Nick he added a small packet of the wonderful herbs Hank gave him
just in case he got lucky at the cabin. He also borrowed Hank’s
clean-out bag and fifteen inch black rubber lube gun. The cabin was
warm enough they didn’t need clothes. They wanted to see each other
naked and agreed to strip. Billy got out an old comforter from the hall
closet he used in front of the fireplace for just such an evening. It
had small burn holes from hot cinders which would pop and escape the
deep stone-work hearth. The cowboy and his angel were comfortable with
Nick holding Billy in his big arms.
“Does your wing
hurt any?” Billy asked.
“It’s still a
mite tender. I don’t think I’m ready for flight, yet,” Nick replied.
“We’ll take care
of it tonight,” Billy said.
“You seem sure
of yourself,” Nick said.
“One of us has
to be,” Billy gigged him.
“Okay. You make
a strong point. I’ll accept it,” Nick said contritely, “Sweet Jesus,
save me from my demon son’s vorpal tongue,” Nick muttered, and rolled
his eyes toward heaven.*
“Was Jesus
sweet?” Billy asked.
“Don’t know. I
ain’t never sucked him off,” Nick replied.
“Was he a real
person?” Billy asked.
“Sadly, no.
There is absolutely no mention of Jesus Christ in historical records of
any kind. He was a construct of several deities by Constantine and the
early Roman church. Jesus was based on the teachings of the first
century Jewish leader Hillel the elder, Krishna, Mithra, and a druid
deity worshiped by the early Brits. They really tried to incorporate
most of the major religions of the day including making Jesus of Jewish
descent; a direct line from the house of David, no less. They gambled
on converting the Jews since they made their messiah an extension of
the old testament. Some Jews converted, but damn few.
“The Jews, for
the most part, stubbornly held to the security of their slavery to
Jehovah or Yahweh as they refer to the evil alien monster. Believe me,
once you been brain washed and indoctrinated into the comfort of
slavery or rituals of any kind, surrender reason for blind faith, and
reject your personal responsibility for your fellow humans, it’s
difficult and unsettling to become free again. I know. I been there and
back,” Nick said.
“Then you were a
slave to Jehovah years before Christianity?” Billy asked.
“Yes, a couple
of thousand years,” Nick replied.
“That’s why
you’re hesitant and more than a little frightened about becoming a
slave again,” Billy said like he was beginning to understand Nick’s
past more clearly.
“E’aup,
Kemosabe, it scares the crap out of this old messenger, but I know I’m
obligated. I must follow the laws of the universe or suffer the
consequences,” he lamented.
“That’s pure
garbage, hogwash, horse-puckey, and clap-trap! With a big dollop of
bullshit spread on top for garnish!” Billy exclaimed without raising
his voice.
There was a
deafening silence between them.
“My son, the
young apprentice demon with training wheels, hath spoken,” Nick said
equally without passion.
“I asked both
them alien species specifically about terminate’n you if you failed to
give yore’self to me to become my slave, 'cause I saved yore’ life.
Guess what they told me, Tonto?” Billy asked. There was another silence
between them. Nick looked deep into Billy’s eyes like he was confused
and scared at the same time. Billy didn’t wait for an answer.
“I put it to
them point-blank in words they could not possibly misunderstand. I
asked, if they truly would destroy or terminate such a beautiful
creature, full of such great potential, with a track record of doing
wonderful, miraculous things for many species throughout several
galaxies, because of some ridiculous arcane rule decreed so many eons
ago they couldn’t even tell me who made the law or the beginning of it?
“Their answer
was ‘no,’ Tonto. Neither would ever consider such a thing, but they
knew you believed it, and they desperately want you to become my slave
so we might become one, united in a struggle which threatens not only
this world, but potentially the entire galaxy if the contagion of
meaningless myths and superstition is allowed to spread,” Billy said
firmly, “In short, they want us to do what you set out to do when you
were a messenger for Jehovah, to bring knowledge and reason to the
world,” Billy added.
“Why do they so
desperately want me to become your slave, Billy?” Nick asked like a
lost little boy looking for directions to get home.
“In a word,
control. They think you’re a hot head -- a loose cannon -- you
sometimes react from passion rather than reason; a word you love to
toss about, but sometimes have difficulty applying. They seem to think,
if you once give yourself to me as my slave, you will be morally and
legally bound by universal laws to obey me in all things; which, they
will enforce.
“Bottom line,
Tonto, they want me to become a buffer to your passion. Ramrod Quigley,
the supreme being of the Irin described it best, Nick will learn to
channel his passion into and through you like a strong AC current is
rectified into a more gentle DC form. I thought the metaphor was rather
apt,” Billy said, and grinned.
There was
another lengthly silence between them. “You didn’t have to tell me
this. I never would have known. I might have grumbled, but I would’ve
submitted to become your slave,” Nick said.
“I know, but I
don’t want you that way. I told them I would not lie to you. I refused
to deceive you and tell you half-truths to manipulate you into a
position in which you wouldn’t be comfortable. What master, worth his
salt, would ask a good slave to trust and obey him if he couldn’t be
honest with his slave? I wouldn’t accept you as my slave under false
pretenses. I couldn’t live with myself, and I refuse to accept the
idea. If you decide to give yourself to me as my slave, it will not be
taken lightly by either of us. That’s why I told you, so there will be
no doubt between us about the seriousness of the bond we will be
making,” Billy said.
“Damned if’n it
don’t sound very much like a marriage,” Nick observed.
“Bingo, Tonto!
Don’t think I could a’ put it no better myself. Just think on it as a
marriage made some’ers between heaven and hell,” Billy said, and they
fell together laughing.
“Ain’t they
all?” Nick asked.
“I won’t gainsay
it,” Billy replied, “What say you, Tonto?” he asked firmly.
“I do,
Kemosabe!” Nick exclaimed.
“Me, too!”
answered Billy, and they sealed their troth with a passionate kiss.
“This ain’t
right. You ain’t got chore’ boots on for me to pay homage to my new
master,” Nick said.
“Formal bonding
comes tomorrow before our families -- yore’s and mine -- together, as
master and slave, we will become one family. Boomer will be a witness
for the Grigori and Clyde will be messenger to the Irin -- we done went
and done it. We done jumped over the broom together,” Billy said, and
they shared another laugh. “Are you sure it’s what you want, Tonto,”
Billy asked, “This is your last ‘chicken-out’ station before we climb
on board that big roller-coaster and take the plunge into the unknown,”
Billy challenged.
“Hell, I’d lie
to you just to get me another one a’ them sweet buckaroo kisses like
that last one,” Nick said, and they kissed again. After they parted
Nick held Billy in his arms and continued, “After the second time I
come in me pants from listening to you play, I knew I was lost, Master
Billy. I knew I didn’t care no more or what it cost me, I had to become
a part of you and your family. Hell, I felt like I already was a member
anyway. I’d already done made up my mind. Becoming yore’ property was
only a few words and a boot kiss away. The worst part’s behind us. The
rest will be a slow cowboy two-step, or a waltz across Texas with you,”
he allowed.
“So say you?”
Billy asked gently.
“So say I,” Nick
allowed, “and thanks for being honest with me, Kemosabe,” Nick said and
stole another kiss.
“Honesty was the
only way to trap you, Tonto,” Billy said seriously, “And, boy, did you
grab the bait and run with it? Just like a big old catfish in deep
water,” Billy hooked his finger in his jaw and pulled his head down
toward Nick’s crotch like a fish on a line. He fell forward into Nick’s
strong arms laughing his ass off.
“Why do I
suddenly feel like I just been had by my baby demon?” Nick asked.
“Not yet, big
demon daddy, but I guaran-damn-tee-ya’ you will be ‘had’ before this
e’nin is over,” Billy promised, “Only, this time, it won’t be wasted. I
plan to collect it all unto myself,” he added biblically speaking.
The coffee was
through boiling and Billy set it aside on the big slab to settle. He
excused himself to go to the bathroom to clean himself and told Nick to
help himself to the coffee if he wasn’t back in a few minutes. Billy
left and thoroughly cleaned himself inside and out. He remember how
expertly Hank worked the long black rubber husband up his ass and
pumped his butt full of the wonderful grease that made riding his
monster as easy as a stroll in the park.
However, he had
some difficulty because he forgot he had a cup of tea with herbs before
Hank worked on him before, and he was more relaxed. Hank was a master
at what he did, but Billy was like trying to catch a wild calf with his
own ass. Somehow, through true cowboy grit and dogged determination, he
managed to lube himself up real good. Lastly, Billy inserted the small
plug to keep the lubricant from oozing out his rectum.
He returned to
the bearskin rug before the hearth and Nick handed him a cup of coffee.
He had two of the Hosanna cakes on a paper napkin. One for each. He
already drank about a third of his cup of coffee. “It’s been a long day
with a lot of activity. Maybe I should get in there and clean my body,”
Nick said.
“No. You have
the honest smell of a man who did some work today. I like the raw
animal scent of your body, Tonto. It excites something within me what’s
like a deep burning itch, and the only thing that will penetrate me
deep enough to scratch it is the handsome monster hanging between yore’
legs,” Billy said, “Now, let me look at your shoulder,” Billy commanded.
“It’s all right,
Kemosabe,” Nick brushed him off like he didn’t want to be a bother.
“It weren’t no
request, Demon. Will I be your husbandman or not?” Billy asked.
“Forgive me,
Master Billy, so say I,” Nick replied, and turned his wing for Billy to
inspect.
Billy looked
closely, felt around a bit, but could see no bruising. He probed a
little deeper, and Nick winced. He was right, it was still tender.
Billy leaned over and kissed his flesh around the bass of his wing
mount and whispered, “And so say I, my handsome demon slave.”
Chills ran up
Nick’s spine, and Billy felt him shudder. “Are you cold, Tonto?” Billy
asked.
“Not a bit.
There was something happened to me when you kissed me around my wing.
It’s no longer sensitive. How can that be? Do you think the Irin gave
you healing gifts with your enhancement?” Nick asked.
“I don’t
know. They didn’t give us a manual or operations guide. No parts
list neither. We been too busy for me to talk with Clyde. He might
know. He got enhanced along with the rest of us. Perhaps some got
more’n others. I just don’t know, but I got me a crazy feel’n we’s
gonna’ find out about a couple this e’nin,” Billy said.
“I got no frame
of reference for them Irin critters. They’s so much further developed
than the Grigori, they’s no telling what or how much they done. I just
about imagine, if they looked upon you kindly and thought you’s worthy
enough, they just might have shared the deluxe package with you, with
all the bells and whistles,” Nick allowed, “It would make you seem like
a god even greater than that old evil monster what I used to call my
master,” he added.
They ate their
Hosanna cakes, and finished their coffee. Billy was beginning to feel
the herbs and he knew Nick was, too. They were getting frisky and
giddy; a terrible combination for two grown men, but they didn’t care.
They were like two kids in love, and were falling ever more deep into
the abyss; well past the point of no return.
End of Chapter 7
~ Him Who Made The Seven Stars Copyright ~ 2012
~Waddie Greywolf All Rights
Reserved ~ 03/31/2012
* Vorpal ~
Alexander L. Taylor points out in his Lewis Carroll biography “The
White Knight” that the word ‘vorpal' can be formed by taking letters
alternately from ‘verbal’ and ‘gospel.' In the novel Mirror, Graham
Masterton explains that ‘vorpal’ means ‘Victory Over Ruin, Pestilence
And Lust.’ (Author’s note: Both are merely speculative.)