Expedition II is almost here!!!
In space, over 200,000 miles from Earth, a saucer from the Planet Engedi flies closely over Luna, Earth’s Moon. Onboard, the small delegation called Expedition II is preparing for the final approach to Earth to begin the greatest investigation in their history. But first, security measures must be taken due to the leader of Engedi flying onboard . . .
“Medallion, what is the status of our saucer’s communication systems?” said the tall one sitting in the middle.
“Our communication systems are good,” said Medallion. “Eli, what is our trajectory toward Earth?”
“We can head in toward Earth orbit shortly”, said Eli. “But for the sake of our noble Grand Elder, we need to test Earth’s defensive response. We’re here peacefully, but it’s hard to know how they will respond when I fly the IFS Thunder in. Captain Echo would not like anything happening to us, and especially his ship.”
Just then, from his soft chair behind the bridge chairs, the Grand Elder Nomad spoke up. “No worries, Eli! Captain Echo and Sneak have surveyed the Earth settlements called Monument and Colorado Springs over the past 5 Earth months. The Earth military has a strong presence there, but if Echo, Union, and Sneak were able to visit the Visitors Center of their Air Military Academy and avoid suspicion, then the response should be no worse than when the IFS Thunder dropped off our 5 friends.”
“Even so, we must be careful Grand Elder”, said Lagrange. “I know that their Human hosts Mr. Ben and his family have been very kind. But it’s many other humans I do not trust!”
“No worries, Professor!” said Eli. “The only concern however is not for us but for the IFS Thunder. Since the Thunder took Captain Echo, Union, Chance, Sneak, and Oceana to Earth, I’ve been upgrading the IFS Thunder’s defensive and evasive capabilities to minimize detection or interception by Earth forces. ”
Medallion said, “That’s a good thing. The IFS Thunder is now assigned to Earth duty for research sake and for protection of our Leader. But it’s the Imm Leader that provides us the truest security of all!”
“Well said!” said the Grand Elder. “And maybe by coming to Earth, my special Engedian Lady Tia can find healing too!”
Eli said, “I certainly would like to see that, Great Nomad! So let’s go over the latest report from our five friends of Expedition One. What reports did they send us today?”
Lagrange said, “Oceana and Sneak sent us logs earlier on the latest ones. Let’s go over those. They will brief us themselves by the Holo-Communicator shortly, but I hear Echo, Union, and Chance are observing an Earth meteorological phenomena . . . called SNOW . . . ”
Meanwhile on Earth, at Mr. Ben’s house . . .
“Look at that amazing white dust-looking matter!!!” said Chance while adjusting his blue hat.
“Yes!” said Union. “It is a cold temperature derivative of rain. It’s called SNOW!”
“I believe rain turns to snow when the air temperature gets to the Earth units of 32 degrees Fahrenheit, or 0 degrees Celsius!”
Agent Fox, Mr. Ben’s son, said “I should show you how to make snow forts and snow men when there’s more on the ground!”
“Well, I’d like to see that!” said Chance. “Ok, well we have some work to do! Echo, you and I will work on Miss Jessica’s broken dishwasher!”
Union said, “And I will go take care of Mr. Ben’s cat Tiger and dog Tubbs!”
Echo and Union worked on the dishwasher. “Why would the humans make something that would break so easy?” asked Echo.
Chance said, “Because I understand Human organizations called ‘companies’ are trying to find ways to make things with as little effort as possible to gain greater wealth. It’s good to be efficient, but doing so to the point that things break easy is wrong! It hurts people’s feelings too when they pay for something to work and it breaks when it shouldn’t”.
Meanwhile, Union was completing his vet examination of Tiger. “Now Kitty! You need to not eat Tubbs’ food! You’ll not digest it and get sick again, and make Mr. Ben have to use that large noisy machine to clean that off the floor!”
Just then, he looked up and saw some paintings that Mr. Ben and Miss Jessica had painted on their recent 14th Wedding Anniversary. “Oh! It’s amazing what the people have done! They used some acrylic-based liquid compound to make the image of this Elephant!!!”
He then thought, “I wonder if Oceana would ever like to do something like this? Maybe Mr. Ben and Miss Jessica could take her and I to Pinot’s Palette someday. But what if she doesn’t want to? I’m her Doctorate advisor . . . and I’m short . . . and I’m her brother’s best friend! I don’t know. I just don’t know . . . ”
In the other room, Sneak and Oceana were setting up the Holo-Communicator.
“Will the upgrade work?” asked Oceana.
“It should, little sister,” said Sneak. “I’m turning it on now. It can now do floating 2D images as well as the 3D images we’ve seen!”
Sneak turned it on and said, “Expedition One to IFS Thunder, are you there?”
Suddenly, a flat 2D image appeared in mid air. “This is IFS Thunder, and Commodore Lagrange! We hear you Expedition One!”
“Hello Professor!” said Oceana. “How are you?”
“Just fine, dear girl!” said Lagrange. “We are preparing for arrival soon.”
“Soon? How soon?” asked Sneak.
“We are in orbit around Earth’s moon Luna,” said Lagrange. “Eli is running final tests on IFS Thunder’s evasion and defensive systems, especially since the Grand Elder’s aboard.”
“What do you think of our reports thus far?” asked Oceana.
“Have you received all the data properly?” Sneak asked.
“We have received them without any issues”, said Lagrange. “And I have to say that the Holo-Emitter’s 2D imaging is working well. We can see you well from our view screen!”
“Very nice!” said Oceana. “I wanted to broadcast my final dissertations on Earth botany and Human lady customs but was concerned about the reception of the Holo-emitter until Chance and Sneak modified it to take care of the Van Allen and sun radiation interaction interference.”
“And they did well,” said Lagrange.
“We find your reports on Earth culture very compelling!” said Medallion. “The data you’ve provided should help us identify the humans that are allies of the Imm!”
“It’s a long story, but I believe that Mr. Ben and his family are such people,” said Sneak.
“Great!” said Eli. “I’ve never met real Humans before, and I must get their general height and mass for calculations of the mass teleconveyor I’m designing”.
Lagrange said, “Enroute to Earth, Eli, Medallion, the Grand Elder, and I have reviewed your data files and reports repeatedly. There are 365 revolutions on it’s axis for each time it goes around their sun called Sol.”
Medallion said, “Mr. Ben’s family consists of himself, his special Earth Lady Jessica, two female offspring known as Agents Equellus and Dolphina and one male descendant Agent Fox. They seem very happy!”
Eli said, “Miss Jessica specializes in baking with food ingredients that are healthy and won’t make people sick like many other foods on Earth.”
Lagrange said, “The area they live in seems to have very colorful trees on their mountains! That’s nice. But I did not like seeing the information about their Civil War-like ways. I’ve never seen a galactic species like theirs so committed to destroying each other! That terrible event with the large buildings destroyed was horrible!”
Medallion said, “I agree!!! It made me want some of Union’s herbal tea to ease my stomach. But what is this Manna-nanna-tee? How could a drink and this Sea Cow creature be the same? I wonder!”
While Lagrange and Eli talked with Oceana and Eli, he turned back towards the Grand Elder. “How is Lady Tia, dear Leader?”
The Grand Elder said, “Oh . . . she’s very tired. I hope that the Imm Leader will help us know how to take care of her!”
Medallion said, “The Imm told me that she also needed to come to Earth.” He then laid his hand on her and looking up said, “Great Imm Leader, show us how to care for our dear Leader’s Special Engedian Lady. She’s so sick, please show us the way!”
As Medallion made his way back, Lagrange was finishing up with revealing that Lady Tia was also joining. “Perhaps Miss Jessica’s culinary skills can assist with curing her ailments!”
“I’m sure she will,” said Oceana. “Her cooking and baking skills have greatly helped us! Did you know Union is showing signs of getting stronger himself!”
“Is that so?” said Lagrange. “I remember he was always so sick and frail when I guided him through 26 of his doctorates. Does he need to sleep as much?”
“No he doesn’t!” said Sneak. “And his neck isn’t so floppy here either! Despite the Human race’s problems, why is their food helping us get better, and not ours?”
“We don’t know, but all questions will be answered soon enough!” said Lagrange. “And that involves the greatest question we’re coming to answer . . . WHO is the Imm Leader?
Eli said, “We’ll be there in the next two Earth weeks, or within 14 Earth revolutions. We need to confirm the upgrades to the IFS Thunder will allow her to be stationed on Earth and able to stay undetected. We’re about to conduct some tests, and no doubt Humans will know about it.”
Medallion said, “It’s related to the large, powerful saucer we’re constructing on the other side of Luna and similar tactics it will use later to protect the Human allies of the Imm. We will send you a communication when we’re about to come. We need to make certain that our Leader has the highest security possible.”
Finally the Grand Elder said, “And dear siblings Oceana and Sneak, let Mr. Ben and his family know we’re almost there. We’ll let you know . . . ”
Meanwhile in the other room, Echo, Union, and Chance were getting some new items from Mr. Ben . . .
“Look at this new Army coat!” said Captain Echo! “I look like a Human soldier now! And I look like a War Veteran now too, with my motorcycle shirt!”
“Yes, you do!” said Union. “And look at my new scarf!
“So it’s true! Miss Jessica’s cooking and baking have helped straighten your neck!”
“Yes, I don’t need the black draw string from Mr. Ben’s robe anymore! But I still like the scarf and I think Oceana likes the way it looks!”
Echo then looked over at Chance. “Your blue hat looks different, Chance!”
“I got a new blue one because the other one was getting worn out!” said Chance.
“They’re coming! They’re coming!” said Sneak.
Union, Echo, and Sneak looked up in alerted surprise.
Oceana said, “Expedition Two will be here in less than 2 Earth weeks!”
“It’s about time!” said Echo. “We need to alert Mr. Ben of our Grand Elder’s arrival!”
“Yes,” said Union in his usual, affirming way. “Anything else we need to know, Sneak?”
“There is, Best Friend,” said Sneak. “Lady Tia decided to come with Expedition II at the last minute!”
“Lady Tia???” said Chance. “So what made her want to come to Earth, other than be with her husband our noble Grand Elder?”
“She is not well,” said Oceana. “She frequently feels feverish and unable to eat properly. We’re not sure why but maybe Miss Jessica’s baking and Union’s medical treatments can cure her! Union, you are so good with your doctor skills and a great hero to us all! Can you help her?”
“I will do what I can, and thank you for your compliment Oceana,” said Union. “I’m sure between my knowledge and Miss Jessica’s nursing skills we can diagnose Lady Tia’s ailment. I will say that it sounds like she had something like I did when I first came here, and after I started eating Miss Jessica’s cooking and baking, my neck straightened out and I feel so much healthier and stronger . . . even MORE THAN BEFORE!”
A few minutes later, the five Earthnauts got Ben into his office and told him everything . . .
“Not too much longer?” asked Ben. “It’s true, Mr. Ben” said Sneak. “His honor and Lagrange, Eli, Medallion, and now Lady Tia will be here.”
Ben said, “I’m a little concerned though. Colorado Springs has two Air Force Bases, and the Cheyenne Mountain Air Defense Command base. They’ve been on high alert since your ship showed up in June, remember that?”
“Don’t forget the time Chance and I saw those cows and that rancher got scared and called the authorities, so we understand,” said Echo. “But Lagrange and Eli are planning to perform some flight tests over the city . . . and VISIBLE TO ALL. We can’t tell you right now when or what’s it about, but it’s related to the future security of all Humans loyal to the Imm Leader”.
“I wish I could see the faces of your fellow Humans once the tests start,” laughed Chance. I only wish I could just walk down the street to see, but after Echo and I accidentally scared that rancher, I don’t want to take risks.”
“That’s true,” said Oceana.
Union said, “Try not to let anyone know about this. You can tell Miss Jessica and Agents, Equellus, Dolphina, and Fox but keep it a secret.”
Oceana added, “And we will keep you posted, sound good Mr. Ben?”
Ben said, “Of course! Jessica, the kids, and I are more than happy to host your Expedition II friends here at the house. Here you will be safe!”
“Wonderful!” said Union. “With a group this size, we have enough Engedians here to form a new Colony. Let’s talk about preparations . . . ”
Sometime later, the IFS Thunder with the Grand Elder, Lady Tia, Lagrange, Medallion, and Eli approached Earth’s orbit.
“We shall begin tests soon,” said Eli. “The tests will specify the abilities of the dreadnought saucer that our Star Force is building on Luna’s far side.”
Medallion said, “It needs to be. The Imm said we must make haste with preparations. We need to be ready in the near future!”
Lagrange said, “For now, let’s stay in high orbit. I’ll start running some landmass mapping to identify sites we’ve interacted with in the past several thousand Earth orbits around Sol.”
“Understood!” said Eli. “The first area is on the right side of the water mass they call The Mediterranean Sea. Us Engedians have been there MANY times. I wonder why the Imm have had us go there over and over again? We’ll see . . . .”
<to be continued>
For The Great Galactic Space Gimmick, we’re the Earthnauts Echo, Union, Sneak, Chance, Oceana, and Expedition II along with Agent Fox (and some help from Gimmick Commander Ben Faltinowski)! 🙂
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