Synopsis:

Scott was on his way west to meet up with his friends to start a new life in L A. What he came across in the desert after his car broke down would change him forever. He wondered if his friends would recognise him once they finally met again. He didn’t think this was what his friend’s intended when they said, "start a new life."

Chapter Sixty-Seven

"So Becky came into her powers at last?" Sara asked, giving her youngest daughter a hug.

Sara replenished her strength with a meal hastily prepared by Kim, while her family sat next to her on the bed, regaling her with their own versions of events.

"It looks like Becky is like a battery, able to drain off excess psychic energy, and store it, before releasing it again," Kim conjectured.

"I've known that for ages," grinned Sara, feeling much better. "She used to wear me to a frazzle just keeping up with her. She's like that energiser battery; she just keeps on going and going."

This got a few laughs, and Becky had the grace to blush.

"What happened love?" Kevin asked gently, holding her close.

"It was strange, I kept pushing the power through me to those needing it, then it all stopped and I felt myself being sucked back down the other way like a backwash. If it wasn't for you, calling me, I might have been completely sucked away. At the end there, I saw a bright light, and I seemed to moving towards it when I felt this surge of power. I saw a golden rope coming towards me from the darkness. As I grabbed it the bright light went out and I felt myself rushing back into my body. Just your everyday death experience," she added flippantly, trying to break the mood.

"Well we'll have no more of that, thank you, at least not on my watch," Kevin responded gravely.

A sudden thought struck Sara.

"Kim, I used my primary gift right?" At her affirmative nod, Sara smiled.

"I survived, I didn't die." Sara laughed and gave everyone a hug, as tears of relief flowed from her eyes. "What about the Nemesis?"

"They all perished, thanks to your efforts," Kim answered her with a smile. "You realise Earth's going to be the centre of attention, now that you have destroyed the scourge of the universe. Many races will want to thank you for purging them of the Nemesis."

"Oh boy," sighed Sara, wondering what the future might hold for mankind, once visitors from space come calling.

"I hope the Shelke will be the first that mankind will meet," Kevin commented, looking pointedly at Kim.

"I'm sure something can be arranged," grinned Kim.

"Visitors," announced Maggie happily, as she bounced off the bed and scrambled downstairs.

Having a daughter that knew by the approaching auras when guests were coming before they in fact arrived was something Sara always took full advantage of in the past. Shooing all bar Kevin out of the room, she hastily grabbed a shower to freshen up.

She knew she could have just Krinned herself clean, changing into a fresh form with a change of clothes to boot, but unless it was a real emergency, the therapeutic value of actually cleaning your body with hot water and scented soaps and shampoos couldn't be beaten as it helped her relax.

Kevin helped dry her with the fluffy towel he handed her, and had laid out a selection of clothes for her on the bed. His judgement over what looked good on her nearly always coincided with her tastes, partly from the years of observation, and partly because he knew exactly how they felt and looked like on her body. Anita was never far away and often accompanied Sara on her shopping sprees.

Kevin took full advantage of being able to shop for the exact fit, whenever he bought Sara clothes as gifts. He watched Sara now, hovering nearby, in case she needed his help. Nearly losing her, had reminded him of how much he loved her and the special bond they shared both as Kevin and Anita.

They heard voices below, as their guests arrived and were welcomed inside by their daughters. Sara went and checked herself once more in the mirror, before giving Kevin a look as he took her arm. Opening the bedroom door, they heard mainly silence interspersed with a few gasps, and knew that the visitors were being told about Sara's ordeal.

They came down the stairs together, hand in hand and turned to enter the lounge. Their arrival was the trigger for an instant stampede, as Amelia, and Julie raced to be the first to hug Sara. Cindy followed at a more sedate pace, seeing she had a distinct disadvantage in the speed department.

She joined in the joint hug, her pregnancy helping push a slight gap between the tearful reunion. The men had followed, waiting patiently for their wives to release their hero of the hour, before getting in a kiss of their own to Sara's cheek.

Kim and the girls continued the story of her recovery, with Kevin adding his input to the narrative. Becky was the recipient of many thankful hugs and kisses once her part in it was known.

Amelia soon made herself busy in the kitchen, as the others speculated on what would happen next with the governments of Earth.

Just then Jenna, Richard and Cathleen entered, having knocked on the door. Alan, their son, followed with Cathy's son Scott, with Cathy and her husband John coming in last.

"We just went to pick up Alan and spent some time celebrating before we came here," explained Jenna, expressing surprise at the others presence in the house.

"I thought you were in LA?"

"We were, but caught the first flight up," Julie informed her.

Both Cathy and Jenna were shocked to hear the news about Sara, and asked her if she was okay now.

"I'm fine," Sara reassured them, enduring more heartfelt hugs in turn.

When Amelia announced that dinner was ready a little bit later, Sara noticed that she was favouring her back.

"You haven't hurt yourself, have you?" She asked with concern.

"Just a little, if you weren't such big eaters, I wouldn't have to handle such a large pan of rice," she answered, trying to make light of her pain.

"I've tried telling her to take it easy," complained Julie. "But she doesn't listen," she gently admonished.

"Well I have to keep up to you lot and I forget I'm getting older, while you remain much the same as you did- before all this," Amelia answered, waving her hands to indicate the condo and everyone in it.

"I've tried talking her into getting a Shelke body, but she won't have it," said an exasperated Julie.

"She needs a man in her life," Sara let slip out, before she realised she'd voiced her thought and everyone had heard. She blushed as silence descended, then just as Sara was about to apologise, Amelia burst out laughing.

"Maybe I do," she giggled, recovering a little. "Maybe I do", she added more wistfully.

"You do know that we have a template of your body, taken when you first met your new daughter?" Asked Kim, looking at Amelia's aging body. "We could duplicate it so it would age just as slowly as the others."

"Sounds great to us auntie," the girls piped up. "We love having you around, don't we Becky?"

"Sure do, I still need help with those recipes you try to teach us," agreed Becky, her imploring eyes meeting those of Amelia's.

The persistent ache in her back, finally decided for her. Amelia agreed, which was met with hoop and hollers from all around. Heads were put together, as all the women, bar Amelia, started talking in muted tones.

"What are you lot cooking up now?" asked a resigned Amelia, knowing they were planning something, due to her decision.

"Husband stew," quipped Julie with a grin.

"Husban-?" Amelia automatically asked, before she realised what they were on about. "Oh boy, here we go," she blushed. "Can't I find my own man?" she complained loudly, looking at Kim, who had stayed clear of the matchmakers.

Kim grinned and shrugged her shoulders, her meaning clear. She was staying well clear of it all.

"For a member of a superior race, you're not much help," grumbled Amelia.

"Not superior, merely more advanced," corrected Kim. "I just know when to stay out of sticky situations," she added, without changing her expression, hoping Amelia didn't catch on to the possible double meaning, inadvertent as it had been.

"Once she gets a man between her legs again, she won't be worried about the situation, sticky or otherwise," Julie boldly burst out with.

Most winced, waiting for Amelia to explode at her daughter for her crude statement, while Kim sighed, knowing she had somehow triggered the outburst to come.

Amelia felt shocked at first, hearing her daughter come out with such language in front of the others. She was about to reply with an old saying that had to do with the close interaction of soap, water, and mouths, when she realised Julie was right. She had resigned herself to the fact that the time for her own sexual pleasure was long gone. She had buried her needs in housework, looking after everyone. Caring for the children and teaching them had filled her days, but now they didn't need her so much, so her time had been spent going back and forth from Frisco to LA.

"You could be right, Julie, so who have you lined up?" she spoke calmly, surprising everyone.

Amelia laughed, as she heard the sudden release of air from those holding their breath. Julie giggled and hugged her mother, knowing her gamble had paid off.

"Well, there's a Bill Pickle-"

"Is he still single-?"

"Isn't he the hairy-?"

With one thought, the men moved out of the room, leaving their wives talking about prospective husbands for Amelia. Alan and Scott raced past, heading outside. They yelled that they were going to the beach, almost missing the warning to be careful as they ran by.

Kim followed the men outside to the patio, where she started talking.

"You do realise that the whole world was affected by Sara's gift?" she opened. "When she drew the energy from everyone, she connected everyone together. Those with the Krin know who she is and what she did. Those without, will unconsciously recognise her at some level knowing she had saved the planet from a threat."

"Will that cause us problems?" Asked Kevin, thinking the worst.

"I hope not, the government and the military might pursue the matter, they already know much about those with the gifts. Some even have Krin of their own. Only those at the highest levels know about the Shelke." Kim held up her hands at the sudden intake of breath from the men at that realisation.

"Don't worry, we know all about it. The Krin is in no danger of being duplicated. The people in the government that have their own Krin, would hardly give it up to scientists, knowing it would be lost forever. They have however, let leak that the children have been enhanced through alien tech, and that they possess powers that will change the world for the better."

"I wondered why there was no outcry, when we had the asteroid belt moved to the inner orbit," muttered Kevin.

"Yeah, there were only one or two reports from amateur astronomers, where they reported odd movements in the system," Bob agreed.

"Our sources told us that the governments clamped a lid on further observations of any change," Kim revealed. "I think as soon as they saw that none were heading towards Earth, they felt relieved. Now, there’s no chance of them being a danger to Earth, as there’s less chance of them straying and crossing Earth’s orbit."

Just then, the boys returned out of breath.

"There’s…police…and…army guys…surrounding the street." Scott gasped, holding his sides, as her tried to get his breath back.

"Yeah… we saw them… coming up the beach as well," confirmed an equally out of breath Alan.

"Inside, now," commanded Kim, instantly taking the initiative.

Quickly informing the women, they raced upstairs to look out the windows to get a better view of those surrounding the place. Flashing lights of police cars could be seen about a hundred feet away, and a line of men garbed in swat uniforms were advancing in a line. Army personnel were also mixed in with them, carrying rifles and other menacing equipment. Obviously the spaceship hovering over the condo had been reported and the local government had put two and two together, and astutely, hadn’t come up with three.

Everyone was nervous, fearing a full frontal assault on the place. Jenna wanted to freeze them in a time pocket, but Kim vetoed that idea.

"They will only send something heavy, if this lot stop reporting, we don’t want to show any aggression or make any hostile moves that would aggravate the situation."

The group gathered close, watching anxiously as the line reached the edge of the property and stopped. The army personnel, set up machine guns and hunkered down behind the hedges with their rocket propelled grenade launchers pointing right at them.

To be continued.

  

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 © 2005 by Prudence Walker. All Rights Reserved. These documents (including, without limitation, all articles, text, images, logos, and compilation design) may be printed for personal use only. No portion of these documents may be stored electronically, distributed electronically, or otherwise made available without the express written consent of the copyright holder.