Star Yawns Episode 4. By David & Sabine Williams. Smashwords Edition Copyright 2012 Read online

  “ Is that the sort of life you want?” he asked worriedly, “ I want you to be happy.”

  Bex took her time to answer. “ I have loved him for a long time Father and I chose him to be my husband. I knew what I wanted long before we contacted you. He has been good to me, in his own way. He has never held my species against me.”

  Manzanna frowned. “ Why should he, my daughter? I have made sure that you could be the equal of any mate you choose.”

  Bex beamed up at him, “ I know Father, and I thank you.”

  In the next moment the music finished and Maiz walked over to Bex. “ She will dance with me next, ” he said.

  Bex obediently let him lead her away, with a quick smile over her shoulder at her father.

  The whole time they were dancing Cebolla had been watching Manzanna, wondering where he had seen him before. Then it came to him and he walked over to Naranja, Maiz’s father, and the two of them left the dance floor.

  Manzanna watched Cebolla talking to Naranja and occasionally the two them would turn their heads to look at him. Then Naranja walked to the orchestra and they stopped playing. Then he walked over to Manzanna.

  “ Is it true that you are not an Ambassador but instead you are a criminal who is wanted for assault?”

  The Captain also walked up towards them.

  Manzanna sighed. The truth was now out and he must stand his ground, for his daughter’s sake. Praying she would understand, he said: “ Yes it is true. I am not an ambassador, but I am Bex’s father and all I wanted to do was see my daughter.”

  Naranja turned to the Captain. “ Were you aware that this man is an impostor?”

  There was a swell of voices from the shocked guests at this accusation. Bex and Maiz approached the group and when she would have gone to her father, Maiz grabbed her arm and held her back. She looked at Manzanna whose imploring gaze never left her puzzled face.

  “ I had no idea,” replied the Captain “ when we found him his ship was having engine trouble and we offered him transport here. He certainly fooled me.”

  “ Well I want him arrested. Call the authorities on Salvaje and you can beam some of them up here to take him into custody.”

  Bex cried out “ That isn’t true” but when Manzanna didn’t say a word she held both her hands over her mouth, her face shocked.

  “ I’ll get onto it right away.” The Captain walked away from them and tapped his COM badge and spoke to someone, he came back a few moments later. “ One of my men is calling the authorities as we speak. They will be here in a few minutes, I would expect.”

  Then the Captain turned to Manzanna. “ So you’re not an Ambassador but you are a wanted man. How could you have fooled us like this? We went to so much trouble for you.”

  Manzanna was stunned when the Captain said this to him, all he could do was stand there in disbelief.

  They stared at one another and then he turned to his daughter. “ I am sorry Bex, I would never do anything to hurt you, you know that.”

  Bex was too shocked to reply. She just stared at her father, who could no longer look at her, for shame.

  Maiz turned her half way towards him. “ Don’t worry, when you leave here you never have to see him again. I’ll look after you from now on.”

  The guests were all muttering and staring. Lid-Lidia quickly walked over and took Manzanna’s hand. “ Head up Manzanna. You have nothing to be ashamed of.”

  He held up his head, quiet and not looking at anyone.

  A few minutes later the authorities arrived to take Manzanna. Cebolla went to meet them.

  “ Is this all there is of you? This man assaulted me two years ago and he has never answered for his crime.”

  “ Do not concern yourself Sir. There will be more of us to take him into custody when he arrives on the planets surface.” One of the uniformed guards answered.

  “ I’m glad to hear it, I don’t want him getting away this time.”

  “ You don’t have to worry Sir, this time he will answer for his crimes.”

  As they made to lead Manzanna away he looked at his daughter, who was still standing frozen in one spot. “ Can I please talk to you for a moment before I go?”

  Maiz stepped forward so that Bex was behind him. ” I don’t think so. She is in shock and I do not blame her. You shame your daughter. Take him away!”

  Manzanna wasn’t too proud to beg. “ Please. Just a moment or two. I may never see my daughter again. Then I will come along quietly.”

  The guard said, “ For a few moments only.”

  Manzanna walked around the glowering Maiz towards Bex. “ Please talk to me for just a moment.”

  Maiz was just about to answer when Bex said. “ Just for a moment.” Her voice was shaking and she was trembling visibly.

  Manzanna took his daughter aside. “ I just wanted to tell you I am very sorry you had to find out that I am wanted. It is true I punched Cebolla two years ago when I went to buy an outfit for your graduation ceremony.”

  “ So you did try to come to my graduation?” She looked at him beseechingly.

  “ Of course I did, I did not want to miss it for the world.”

  “ I thought I knew you were there, but then I thought I had imagined it.” She grasped his arm. Her hand was ice cold as he covered it with his. His regret was on his face.

  “ Yes I saw you graduate but from a distance. I had been lying to you for so long I did not want you to find out I was only a trader and be disappointed in me.”

  She was puzzled. “ But why? I never cared about that sort of thing. I remembered that you were a trader from when I was a little girl.”

  Manzanna was almost shocked. “ I thought you would have forgotten about that.”

  “ No I can remember almost everything, I can even vaguely remember Mother. My memories were all I had.”

  Manzanna pulled her into his arms for a bear hug. “ I am so sorry you had to spend nearly all your life without me, if I could change history I would.”

  “ I will come and visit you in prison, I will come every chance I get.” She vowed,

  “ I don’t care what Maiz or his parents say. I will come to you Father!”

  She was weeping now, the tears rolling down her pale cheeks.

  “ Don’t you know I will be sent to the prison planet?”

  “ Then I will write to you and I will be there for you when you are released. “ She was sounding desperate now.

  “ I am so happy to hear you say that. I have let you down in the past by not being there but I will be with you from now on, if not in person, I will be in your memory. When you have breakfast, I will be there. When you look at the stars, I will be there. When you do mundane things, I will be with you in every part of your life, married or not.”

  Bex looked right in her father’s face. “ I can’t believe this has happened, I have waited so long and now I am losing you again!”

  Maiz suddenly yanked her away, “ Bex you will come with me now. You have had your chance to say goodbye.”

  She looked up at him, shocked.

  The uniformed guard intervened before Manzanna or Bex could answer. “ That is enough time. We must leave now. Please come with me Manzanna.”

  “ Goodbye my treasure. Always know I am very proud of you.” Manzanna walked out of the ballroom with the guards.

  Bex looked visibly upset after he had gone. “ Come over here.” Maiz said to her.

  “ Come and stand with me.” She walked over and stood beside him silently, still agitated.

  Lid-Lidia could hardly hold back the tears. She walked over to the Captain. “ How could you!” she said and promptly left the ballroom.

  The Captain turned to the guests. “ Well it looks like this reception is over. I’ll escort you all back to the transporter.”

  Cebolla turned to the Captain. “ I’m so glad I was able to finally make sure that vagabond was arrested. He came into my shop two years ago and as soon as I saw him I thought I must do
something to get him arrested. His sort has no place in our society. Did you see his egg head? Decent people like us have flat heads. As soon as I saw him I knew he was no good.”

  “ I have an egg head,” said Bex suddenly, turning to him with a scowl, “ does that mean I am no good as well?”

  Cebolla just looked at her without answering.

  “ I apologise for my affianced bride, sir. She is in shock and doesn’t know what she is doing. With training, she will make up for her ancestry someday,” said Maiz.

  Bex turned and stared at Maiz, not hearing a word of what was said around her as she absorbed his meaning.

  “ Are you ashamed of me Maiz? she demanded.

  Maiz frowned, “ We will not speak of this here. It is not appropriate for you to take that tone with me. You must learn to be obedient, in spite of the blood in your veins. Our offspring will also have to be instructed carefully in life, as their tainted blood could interfere with the forming of their character.”

  At hearing this she was extremely angry. “ Captain, would it be permissible for me to remain onboard tonight? I am asking for sanctuary. In light of what has happened I do not feel welcome on the planet below. I don’t want to go back to Salvaje.”

  At hearing this Maiz became angry. “ Do not entertain the thought of abandoning your duties and remaining here. I will not tolerate disobedience in a wife.”

  “ In that case it is finished.” Bex said angrily. “ I do not know what I was ever thinking of to become engaged to you! What you really want is a servant. At this point I do not care if I never see you again.”

  Maiz stiffened with affront and then turned and walked out of the room.

  Bex sighed and turned back to the Captain. She lifted her pleading expression to his carefully blank one.

  “ Captain may I please stay?”

  “ Yes Bex. You have my protection for as long as you need it.”

  “ Thank you sir, I will never forget it.”

  A few moments later all the guests beamed back down to the planet.

  Beani-Poohs comforted Bex. “ Don’t worry, my dear. I have a feeling everything will be alright.”

  “ Are you sure? All I want to do is cry, I have no father and I have no fiancée, at this point in time I have no one.” Her head drooped dejectedly.

  “ Come my dear, lets see what we can do about some quarters for you.”

  “ Thank you, you are so kind.”

  * * * *

 

  They and the Captain took the turbo-lift to another deck and then walked along the hallway to a room. He pushed the bell on the door and soon after it opened.

  She couldn’t believe her eyes when Manzanna appeared at the door.

  “ Father you are here and not in custody!”

  Manzanna laughed. “ No; the Captain sent his own crew member, Oh-No the shape shifter to come and arrest me, along with other crew members. I was surprised when he did not take me to the transporter. I just came back to my quarters.”

  Bex threw herself at him and hugged him. “ Oh Father! I am overjoyed!”

  “ As am I, my darling daughter.”

  He looked at the Captain and his crewmembers. “ Thank you Captain…all of you for restoring me to my daughter.”

  Manzanna looked down at Bex who was once again beaming.

  “ What about Maiz, is he gone?” he asked gently.

  Her face clouded and her smile dimmed a little. “ Yes. He did not care anything about me. I have known for quite awhile that we were in trouble. I have no tolerance for the customs of his planet. I don’t like the way they treat females there. I thought I liked the tradition of that but I don’t. Not if I must obey convention and not my heart.”

  Just then Lid-Lidia came running down the hallway. “ I just heard that you didn’t go back to the planet,” she said and ran forward to hug him.

  “ It’s just as well you didn’t have twins,” said the Captain “ there wouldn’t enough of you for all these women to hug.”

  “ I’m sorry I said what I did before Captain,” said Lid-Lidia “ I had no idea you were being tricky.”

  “ Is that what you call it? I better give the order to pull away from this planet. The authorities will be contacting us soon to find out what happened to Manzanna. What we need is a bit of distance between us and this planet.”

  He headed up to the bridge and before long they were on their way.

  * * * *

  Mr. Sook walked down the hallway and pushed the doorbell at Kazzie-Spockers quarters. A few moments later she opened the door, “ Mr. Sook!” she exclaimed.

  “ I came to visit you Sub-Commander, we have been a little concerned for you. Perhaps you and I could have a talk?”

  “ Please come in.” She closed the door behind him.

  “ Being a fellow Vulcan I thought it was appropriate that I come and see you. Perhaps I might be able to offer you a solution. I realize that you are not a full blooded Vulcan, but just the same I hope I can help.”

  “ Thankyou Mr. Sook I appreciate it.”

  “ I know it isn’t always easy to observe the ways of our ancestors who first decided to stop being a warlike people and to make logic the most important thing we believe in.”

  “ You might as well know Mr. Sook that I am very afraid of spiders.”

  “ I know we come from a planet that is hot and dusty and doesn’t lend itself to the ways of the flesh but being logical makes up for all that.”

  “ I don’t know how it started, I just know I can’t be around them ever without wanting to scream.”

  “ Logic is now part of the fabric of our people as we travel the avenue that will lead us away from emotion.”

  “ Some of them are black and some are brown. I loath and detest them all.”

  “ Whenever a Vulcan starts to slip back to the emotional ways of the people of the solar system he must reach down inside himself and pull the logic up to the surface.”

  “ Some have red on their backs and some have white. One thing they all have in common is their hairy legs.”

  “ So please think on my words. Logic is what you need to cleave to.”

  “ Don’t get me stated on their webs, I think I will die if I get one in my room.”

  “ Well Sub-Commander, I hope what I have said has been of some help to you, now I must get back to the bridge.”

  “ Well thankyou Mr. Sook, it was very good of you.”

  “ Not at all, perhaps we can mind meld sometime.”

  “ Perhaps we can.”

  With that he left her quarters and walked back up the hallway.

  * * * *

 

  It was the next day and the Captain and Beani-Poohs were having breakfast when Manzanna came in with his daughter.

  “ May we join you Captain?” he asked.

  “ Please do, Beani here loves the waffles whereas I prefer a nice plate of scrambled eggs on toast.”

  A few moments later Manzanna and Bex were sitting down with their food and drinks.

  “ So did you say you wanted to go to the planet Karrool?” the Captain asked.

  “ You have a good memory. Yes if you could take us there, we would be very grateful, we are actually from that planet.”

  “ So we will be taking you home?” he asked.

  “ Yes it will be good to go back. I have not been there for many years. I found it hard to go back with my wife dead but now I have Bex it will wonderful to go back home.”

  “ I can not eat anymore,” said Beani-Poohs, “ I should never have had that second waffle.”

  “ I have a surprise for you Manzanna.” the Captain said.

  “ Oh what could that be?”

  “ I forgot to tell you the other day that we have your cargo in one of our holding bays.”

  Manzanna stared. “ I thought it blew up with the ship?”

  “ One of my thoughtful officers beamed it aboard at the same time we beamed you aboard.”

  “ Do you
know what this means for me Captain? It means we will have money to really make a fresh start. Thankyou so much.”

  The Captain’s COM badge beeped. “ Hemorrhoid here.”

  “ Captain we have a vessel on an intercept coarse, it is closing fast.”

  The captain quickly swallowed another fork full of eggs. “ I’ll be right there.”

  “ Sorry to eat and run, I’ll catch up with you later.” The Captain quickly left with Beani-Poohs not far behind.

  “ We have a small craft on a pursuit course.” Mr. Sook said as the Captain stepped onto the bridge.

  “ Let’s try hailing them Ensign Follicle. I have a hunch it is a ship from Salvaje coming to arrest Manzanna.

  “ I have them sir,” said Ensign Follicle a few moments later.

  “ On screen.”

  It was Maiz. “ Captain may I beam aboard your ship?”

  “ If you have come to take Manzanna back you are wasting your time, we are taking him and Bex to the planet Karrool.”

  “ The reason for my being here has nothing to do with Manzanna. It’s Bex that I need to see.”

  “ If you want to ride along with us you can store your ship in cargo bay 4.”

  “ Thankyou Captain, I will do just that.”

  It wasn’t too long later when the Captain and Beani-Poohs took a strangely polite Maiz to the Mess room to see Bex.

  Bex was amazed when he came in. “ What is he doing here?” she said to the Captain, and then she turned to Maiz, “ I told you that I never want to see you again.”

  Maiz seemed different now that he was away from his parents. “ I know you did, but I couldn’t sleep last night. The thought of life without you is more than I can bear.”

  Bex stared at him and then said forcefully, “ I am not going back that awful planet with you, I did not go to the best schools so I could end up somebody’s servant.”

  Maiz sat down opposite her and took her hands, his look sincere.“ I know I’ve treated you badly, please believe me I never considered that our customs could be wrong. I was brought up that way, but I can change if you will just give me a chance. Just instruct me in the way you would have me treat you…I can learn anything if it means you will marry me!”