A Chill In The Air

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The sandy haired young man shaded his eyes as he gazed into the summer sky. Large fluffy clouds blocked his view as he eagerly awaited the arrival of his father. Suddenly, without warning, a ship burst through a layer of low lying clouds and flew directly over his head. The craft banked sharply to the left and sped back to his location. With a lurch the ship landed a hundred feet from the waving teenager. It bounced once and then came to rest with the door and ramp swinging open. Even from this distance he could hear his uncle yelling at his father. 

“Now, Roy, thars jest no need for ya drivin’ fast like that!” yelled his uncle Cledus.

“I didn’t mean nothin’ by it, Cledus,” came his father’s reply.

“I knowed, Roy,” offered Cledus. “But ya jest gotta learn to slow it down. Ya was goin’ so fast we purt near had a smack up!”

“I didn’t mean nothin’ by it, Cledus.”

“I knowed, Roy,” continued Cledus. “If I hadn’t a hollered when I did, ya would’ve smashed us flatter un pancake.”

“It was jest a rock, Cledus.”

“It was the moon, Roy!” declared Cledus. “Ya uns almost ran us into the moon!”

############### 

“Hey, pa!” yelled the young man as he interrupted the argument.

“Junior!!” smiled Roy as he gave his son a hug. “Where’s ya ma?”

“She’s back at the house fixing everybody some supper,” replied the young man.

“Well, I hope she ain’t fixin’ no beans,” declared Cledus. “After riding all this un way with these little fellas and yore pa’s drivin’, I ain’t sure I can take any more stinkin.”

“She’s fixin’ steaks and corn on the cob,” offered Junior.

“I sure missed her cookin’,” mused Roy.

“Ya right about that, Roy,” smiled Cledus. “My little sister, Sally Jo, sure knows how to fix a pot of vittles.”

“Hello, Junior.”

“Oh, hello. Tamaa,” responded Junior. “How are you?”

“Very well, thank you,” replied Tamaa. “I hope you are, too.”

“Yes, I am,” offered Junior. “And there’s Hamuu! You’re a brave man to let my father drive.”

“Roy may be a little rough around the edges, but he’s got quick reflexes,” smiled Hamuu. “Besides, I wouldn’t let anything happen to us.”

“Uncle Cledus, where’s your bride-to-be?” asked Junior.

“Oh, her uns still in the spacey ship,” smiled Cledus. “She wanted to get all purtyed up for everybody.”

“My sister is quite a fine looking lady,” offered Tamaa.

“And she’s sweet on Cledus,” declared Roy.

“Yes, she does love your uncle,” mused Hamuu.

“Oh, she’s a cute little thing,” blushed Cledus. “Stinks though. I mean really stinks. But that’s the way these little Jachy-wans are, though. But she is purty!!”

“Her name’s Sallaa,” offered Roy.

“Here comes my little sweetie now,” beamed Cledus as Sallaa stepped lightly down the ship’s ramp.

“Oh, Cledus, your world is beautiful!” she declared.

“Jest like ya are, my cute little ball of methy-ane,” gushed Cledus. “This here’s Roy’s boy, Junior.”

“Hello, Junior.”

“Hi, Miss Sallaa,” offered Junior. “I hope you’ll enjoy your stay with us.”

“Oh, I’m sure I will,” replied Sallaa.

“Hamuu and I will be back in about two of your weeks,” declared Tamaa. “Then all of us can go to Sallaa and Cledus’ wedding on Jachwan.”

“I’ll get my luggage off the ship so you two can take off,” offered Sallaa. Cledus bent down and she kissed him on the cheek. Walking up the ramp, she turned and said, “I’m so happy! I feel like singing!”

Roy turned to Cledus and declared, “Cledus, I don’t want her singing in my house!”

“Now, Roy, I uns’ll do my bestest to stop her, but ya knowed how she gets when she’s all happy and all.”

“Cledus, I don’t want her singing in my house!”

“What’s wrong with her singing?” asked Junior.

“It’s terrible,” declared Roy.

“Well—ya see, it’s un purty bad,” agreed Cledus.

“It’s terrible,” Roy declared again.

“It’s that bad?” asked a surprised Junior.

“It’s terrible,” Roy said again.

“Well—ya see, yep, it’s un purty bad,” offered Cledus.

“It’ll make ya ears bleed,” declared Roy.

“That’s pretty bad,” smiled Junior.

“And she uns loud, too!” offered Roy.

“On our world she’s quite famous for her singing talent,” offered Tamaa. “But, we’ve found out the human ear has trouble appreciating the beauty of her melodious songs.”

“It’s terrible,” muttered Roy.

“She’s aware of how hard it is on humans,” reflected Hamuu. “But if she gets real happy or real sad she cannot help herself. She will sing.”

“Cledus, I don’t want her singing in my house!” Roy declared once again.

“OK, Roy,” replied a dejected Cledus. “I uns’ll do somethin’ or other to keep her quiet.”

“Oh, pa, I about forgot,” interrupted Junior. “Ma said and be sure to tell you that the Millers have moved back into the county.”

“The ones that moved down from southern Georgie?” asked Roy.

“Yeah, I think so,” Junior replied.

“Junior, fetch me my shotgun,” ordered Roy.

“Now, Roy, thar ain’t no need to go and get all worked up over them thar Miller boys,” declared Cledus. “Ya leave em be and they uns’ll leave us be.”

“Junior, fetch me my shotgun,” Roy said again.

“Now, Roy, ya go messin’ around and get my little sweetie all stirred up, and she uns mighty likely to start off to singing,” reflected Cledus.

“Cledus, I don’t want her singing,” offered Roy.

“Then, Roy, let’s jest let things be,” declared Cledus. “Let’s go et some supper before we bed down for the night.”

“I’m ready to go,” laughed Sallaa as she lugged her bags down the ramp of the ship.

“Here, little sweetie, let me un get them fer ya,” offered Cledus. “Junior, will ya get the other one?”

“Well, we’re going to take off,” declared Tamaa. “We’ll see you in a couple weeks.”

“Ya’ll drive careful, now, ya hear?” reflected Cledus. “Come on, Roy, let uns go see Sally Jo.”

############### 

After seeing Tamaa and Hamuu off on their way, Roy and his son and Cledus and his bride walked to the farmhouse to see Sally Jo. She and Sallaa instantly became friends and delighted in sharing stories about the adventures of Roy and Cledus. Sallaa described how her brother, Tamaa, had used the two to meet new species and spread the Jachwan’s Good Neighbor policy throughout the galaxy. She told how she and Cledus had met at a dinner party on Jachwan and how his gentlemanly ways had won her heart. They were planning a wedding on her world in a few weeks and she wanted Sally Jo to be her maid of honor. Their conversation was interrupted by a small rock bouncing off the front door. 

“What in tar nation was that?” asked Cledus as Junior looked out the window. He turned and said, “It’s Harlan and Jedediah Miller!”

“Sally Jo, fetch me my shotgun!” declared Roy.

“Now, Roy, thar ain’t no need to go and get yaself all worked up over all this,” offered Cledus. “Let’s just heerd what they uns have to say and be done with it.”

“Can’t they knock on the door the way normal folks do?” asked Junior.

“Them Miller boys sure are a strange bunch,” reflected Cledus.

“They mean. That’s what they are,” declared Roy.

“Cledus!! Ya uns in thar?” yelled Harlan.

“We uns in here,” replied Cledus.

“Jedediah and me wanta see ya,” continued Harlan.

“Ya ain’t gonna be causin’ no trouble, is ya?” shouted Cledus through the closed door.

“Naw, we uns jest wanta see ya,” replied Harlan.

“I’m a-comin’ out,” offered Cledus. Roy and Junior joined him on the front porch as they faced the Miller boys.

“What ya want?” asked Roy.

“We uns heerd ya fellows was back in town,” declared Jedediah. “Ya uns been flyin’ all round with them little funny fellas.”

“We uns heerd ya fellas was back in the county,” offered Cledus. “Ya runs out of cows to steal up in southern Georgie?”

“Naw, we uns don’t do that no more,” replied Harlan. “We’re business men now.”

“Business men?!?” laughed Cledus in disbelief. “Ya uns fellas ain’t never knowed what business is.”

“Well, we uns learnin’,” bristled Jedediah. “That’s why we uns want to buy the Old Miner’s cave.”

“What ya wantin’ with that old cave?” asked Cledus.

“That’s where we uns gonna do our business,” offered Harlan.

“It ain’t for sale,” declared Roy.

“Roy, ain’t none of us talkin’ to ya,” snarled Jedediah.

“Junior, fetch me my shotgun,” ordered Roy.

“Now, Junior, ya jest hold on thar,” objected Harlan. “Roy, ya ain’t gonna go shootin’ nobody again.”

“I still got buckshot in my butt from the last time,” declared Jedediah. “Ya ain’t got no right to go round shootin’ like that, Roy!”

“Ya was stealin’ my cow,” offered Roy.

“The boy was hungry, Roy,” reflected Harlan. “Ya can’t let a fella starve to death, now can ya?”

“He’d done et two of my chickens,” smirked Roy.

“I’m a growin’ boy, Roy,” declared Jedediah. “Ya jest can’t go round shootin’ folks. It ain’t right.”

“Now, we ain’t here to fight nobody,” offered Harlan. “We uns jest want to buy the old Miner’s cave.”

“No,” replied Roy.

“Now, Roy, ya ain’t being reasonable,” declared Harlan. “We uns ready to pay ya good money.”

“No,” replied Roy.

“We uns jest take it anyway,” shouted Jedediah.

“Junior, fetch me my shotgun,” ordered Roy.

“Here it is,” said Sally Jo as she handed her husband the gun. Sallaa quietly joined Cledus as they stared down at the Miller boys in the front yard.

“Now, Roy, don’t ya go shootin’ nobody,” pleaded Harlan. “If ya done got ya mind set not to sell, then we uns make do. Jest don’t go shootin’ nobody!”

“What in the world is that?” yelled Jedediah as he pointed at Sallaa.

“This here’s my little sweetie,” declared Cledus. “Me and her’s gonna get hitched.”

“Ya uns gonna wed that thing?” laughed Harlan. “I ain’t never!”

”Whew-ee, Harlan. Did ya go and fart or somethin’?” continued Jedediah as he held his nose.

“Now, ya fellas are startin’ to be nasty,” declared Cledus. “My little sweetie can’t help it. She breathes that funny air they call methy-ane.”

“She ain’t like us, is she Cledus?” asked Harlan as he turned serious.

“She’s from a planet faraway called Jachwan,” offered Junior. “They’re a very intelligent and powerful species.”

“They uns good folks,” reflected Roy.

“It’s like I says, it ain’t like us,” declared Harlan. “Why ya wantin’ to go and get yaself hitched with somethin’ like that?”

“Our granddaddy, Jacob Miller, would roll in his un grave if un he knew about this,” offered Jedediah. “Ya knowed he won’t put up with no foolishness like this.”

“Ya granddaddy was a fool!” declared Roy. “I’d shoot him if he was messin’ round here today.”

“Now, don’t ya go mouthin’ off about my granddaddy like that, Roy!” bristled Harlan. “He uns kept things straight in this county.”

“He uns had folks kilt,” offered Roy.

“He uns only kilt folks that needed to be kilt,” observed Harlan.

“It don’t near matter what ya says,” reflected Cledus. “I loves Sallaa and we uns gonna get hitched.”

“It ain’t natural, Cledus,” offered Harlan. “It jest ain’t right fer ya to get hitched up with somethin’ like that.”

“We uns might near get the town folks together and stop this foolishness,” declared Jedediah.

“Don’t you go stirring up any trouble, Jedediah Miller,” warned Sally Jo. “We ain’t bothering you and don’t you go bothering us!”

“It ain’t right, Cledus,” offered Harlan. “It jest ain’t right.”

“We stop this foolishness and it’d make granddaddy proud, God rest his soul,” declared Jedediah.

“Ya granddaddy was a fool!” reflected Roy.

“Don’t ya says that again, Roy,” yelled Harlan.

“He uns did what had to be done,” offered Jedediah. “And we uns gonna do what has to be done.”

“Don’t you go threatening none of us,” declared Sally Jo. “You boys are up to no good. You go on and get out of here.”

“Ain’t no woman gonna tell me what I can do and what I can’t do,” smirked Harlan. Roy cocked the shotgun and said, “Ya heerd the lady.”

“All right, we uns going,” declared Jedediah. “But ya ain’t heerd the last of this. Ya’s messin’ with the Miller boys. Ya’s done challenged our good name.”

“We uns gonna get that mine,” warned Harlan. “And Cledus, ya uns better think long and hard about what ya fixin’ to do. It ain’t natural.”

“Get!” declared Roy.

“We gettin’,” yelled Jedediah as he and Harlan disappeared into the darkness of the woods.

“I don’t like them thar fellas,” declared Cledus. “They ain’t up to no good.”

“Never was,” offered Roy.

############### 

Harlan and Jedediah made their way to the Old Miner’s cave as Roy and Cledus and their family made plans to retire for the night. Once inside, Harlan lit a lantern as an alien creature emerged from the back.

“What did you find out?” asked the alien.

“Ya’s was right, boss,” declared Jedediah. “Old Cledus is gonna go get hitched to that smelly little woman.”

“So the reports I received are true,” pondered the alien. “Now I want you to bring her to me.”

“OK, boss,” said Harlan. “When ya’s gonna pay us uns for this?”

“You’ll get your pay,” snarled the alien. “Now go get that Jachwan and bring her to me!”

“OK, boss,” replied Jedediah as he and Harlan headed for the entrance. The alien walked to the back of the cave and turned on his teleprompter. It hummed to life and before long the face of the Krogan general could be seen.

“Ah, my secretary,” beamed the general. “What have you learned about the human slime?”

“The marriage has not taken place,” replied the secretary. “We still have time to take this miserable planet.”

“You cannot allow the Jachwans and the humans to bond,” reflected the general. “If they do we are bound by treaty to leave the human slime alone.”

“This was a bad treaty we signed,” declared the secretary.

“Our King thought it was necessary,” reflected the general.

“That was only because of your failure with the Centauri maggots,” offered the secretary. “If you had listened to me we would not be facing this dilemma. You chose to show mercy to the maggots instead of acting like a true Krogan general!”

“You dare slander me when I cannot reach you with my saber,” declared the angry general. “You worry about preventing the marriage of that human slime with that Jachwan rodent. I’ll worry about our King.”

“I am taking care of that,” declared the secretary. “I have two human swine bringing her to me now.”

“You’re using the human slime?” asked a surprised general.

“Yes, I thought it was best if I remained in the shadows,” replied the secretary. “They think I’m going to pay them to do my bidding.”

“We can pay them,” laughed the general. “Once this miserable planet is part of the Krogan Empire, their heads can hang on the mantel over my fireplace.”

“Then it is set,” reflected the secretary. “You’ll hold our army at the end of this system until you hear from me.”

“I want word from you in four days,” declared the general. “I’m not going to keep our army waiting any longer than that. There are other worlds we can take besides this one.”

“You should hear from me by this time tomorrow,” offered the secretary. “When I have secured the Jachwan rat and killed her human lover, you can bring the army and we’ll add this world to our glorious Empire.”

“This we will do,” smiled the general. “But don’t let me down. If you fail me, I’ll send you in pieces to our King so he can feed you to his dogs.”

“From what I have seen of this human slime, this will be easy,” reflected the secretary. “I’ll contact you tomorrow.”

The Krogan secretary smiled to himself as he turned the teleprompter off. Everything was proceeding as he had planned. It would be another glorious victory for the Empire. And, of course, it would establish him as a prominent subject of the King. With such power no species in the universe would be able to stand against him as he conquered one world after another. The thought of this made him bark with pleasure as he turned his attention to the task at hand.

############### 

Later that night, Junior was busy at his computer when he heard someone on the front porch. He looked out the window and saw Sallaa staring at the moon. He quietly opened the front door and joined her.

“Are you OK, Sallaa?” he inquired.

“Oh yes, Junior, I’m fine,” she replied. “It’s just this world is so new to me I’m having a hard time sleeping.”

“Yeah, I was that way the first time I visited Jachwan,” reflected Junior.

“Your world is so full of life,” reflected Sallaa. “And yet, it is very fragile.”

“It’s taken us centuries to appreciate that,” offered Junior. “And I’m not sure we have come to fully understand how delicate it is.”

Sallaa shivered slightly and then said, “There’s a chill in the air.”

“Are you cold?” Junior asked somewhat surprised. “It’s been hot all day.”

“No, it’s not the air I feel,” explained Sallaa. “Sometimes I can sense when things are not exactly right.”

“You have that feeling now?” he asked.

“It’s not a strong feeling,” sighed Sallaa. “But there definitely is a chill.”

“I wish I could feel it, too,” reflected Junior.

“There is such evil and wickedness in the universe, Junior, sometimes it’s hard to imagine what’s really out there,” she observed. “But I do get a sense that evil and doom are nearby.”

“Then that’s why it’s a good thing you and Uncle Cledus is getting married,” offered Junior. “That way we’ll fall under the protection of the whole Jachwan kingdom.”

“It is a good thing,” she agreed. “But you know that’s not why I’m marrying Cledus.”

“I know,” offered Junior. “You two sure make a cute couple.”

“Cledus is so big and strong,” she reflected. “And he looks at things from a viewpoint that I find so refreshing. Besides, he’s a good kisser, too.”

“He ought to be as much as you two practice at it,” laughed Junior.

“Oh, Junior,” she blushed. After a moment she smiled and said, “You know my little niece thinks you’re a handsome young man.”

“She does?” asked a startled Junior.

“Yes, she does,” replied Sallaa. “Who knows what your and her future will hold?”

“Howdy, Junior,” interrupted Harlan.

“Harlan?!?” was all he could say as Jedediah hit him from behind. Junior collapsed onto the floor. Harlan pointed a shotgun at Sallaa and warned, “Now, don’t ya’s go makin’ a sound or I uns plug ya.”

“Ya comes with us,” added Jedediah. “Nice and easy.”

############### 

Junior slowly realized he was lying on the floor of the porch. He pulled himself to his feet and stumbled back into the house.

“Pa!!”

Roy and Sally Jo hurried out of their bedroom to find Junior slumped over a chair with a lump on the back of his head. Sally Jo got a rag and some ice while Roy tried to find out what had happened. A sleepy Cledus came yawning out of his room and asked, “What’s all this here commotion?”

“Harlan and Jedediah have taken Sallaa,” answered Junior as he grimaced at the touch of the ice to the back of his head.

“They tooken my little sweetie?!?” asked an upset Cledus. “Why in tar nation would they uns do somethin’ like that?”

“They ain’t no good,” offered Roy.

“Where do you think they took her?” asked Sally Jo as she wet the rag again.

“They tooken my little sweetie,” cried Cledus. “They uns jest came and tooken her.”

“The Old Miners cave,” declared Roy.

“That’s right, Pa,” agreed Junior. “You know they said they wanted to do some business from there.”

“And now we know what kind of business they were planning,” offered Sally Jo.

“I uns fetch my shotgun,” declared Roy.

“They done tooken my little sweetie,” continued Cledus.

“Cledus,” Roy said as he handed him another shotgun.

“Roy, they uns done tooken my little sweetie,” cried Cledus. “What uns we gonna do?”

“We uns gonna fetch her back,” replied Roy.

“Roy, they uns jest marched right over here and tooken my little sweetie right out of my arms,” continued Cledus. “What am I gonna do?”

“Cledus!!” shouted Roy as he grabbed his arm.

“Yes, Roy?”

“We uns gonna go and fetch her back!”

Cledus stared into Roy’s eyes and then shook his head in agreement. “We uns gonna go and fetch her back,” he declared.

“Junior, look after yer ma,” ordered Roy.

“You two be careful, Roy,” pleaded Sally Jo.

Roy kissed his wife and turned toward Cledus. “Let’s get.”

############### 

It was still dark when Roy and Cledus came to the Old Miner’s cave. They could see a dim light coming from inside.

“Them Miller boys are in thar,” reflected Roy.

“I knows they uns got my little sweetie in thar, too,” offered Cledus.

“What ya reckon we oughta do?” asked Roy.

“I uns don’t know,” answered Cledus. “What ya reckon?”

“Ya go in low and uns I go in high,” declared Roy. “Then we shoot.”

“Now, Roy, we can’t jest up and rush in thar like we ain’t got no sense,” offered Cledus. “My little sweetie’s in thar. Ya can’t go shootin’ and all with my little sweetie in thar.”

“We shoot them Miller boys,” declared Roy.

“Now, Roy, ya jest gonna have to listen to me on this,” objected Cledus. “I ain’t shootin’ with my little sweetie in thar.”

“Let’s get,” Roy said.

“Now, Roy, listen to me,” continued Cledus. “Roy, is ya listenin’ to me? Look here. Listen to me, Roy. Ya ain’t shootin’ with my little sweetie in thar.”

“Ya wanting her back?”

“Yep, I do, Roy.”

“Then ya shoot, Cledus.”

At that moment Roy grabbed his ears in pain. “She’s singin’, Cledus!”

“I uns told ya my little sweetie’s in thar,” laughed Cledus. “She’s a singin’.”

“It’s terrible,” declared Roy.

“Her uns sings when she uns happy,” smiled Cledus.

“It’s terrible,” cried Roy as he pulled a wad of cotton from his pocket. Cledus watched Roy stuff the cotton into his ears and then reflected, “She uns sings when she uns unhappy, too!”

“It’s terrible,” Roy said again.

“My uns little sweetie is unhappy,” pondered Cledus. “Them Miller boys done made my little sweetie unhappy.”

“Her uns singin’,” pleaded Roy.

“I uns gonna save my little sweetie from them thar Miller boys,” declared Cledus as he took off in a trot toward the cave. As he approached the entrance he yelled, “Hold on, little sweetie! I’m a-comin’!!”

“Wait on me!” shouted Roy as he took off after Cledus. 

Roy and Cledus burst through the entrance and found Harlan and Jedediah standing still like they were frozen in time. When Sallaa saw Cledus, she stopped singing and started crying.

“Are ya OK?” asked Cledus as he grabbed her and kissed her.

“I am now, Cledus,” she cried as she hugged him tight. “You came and saved me.”

“Roy helped, too,” he said as he wiped the tears from her eyes.

Roy gingerly approached Harlan and Jedediah, still standing and staring into space. He waved his hand in front of Harlan’s face. There was no movement. Even his eyes did not blink.

“Harlan?!?” asked Roy. The man, still dazed slowly turned and looked his way.

“Roy, is that ya?”

“Yep, it is.”

“It was terrible, Roy. It was terrible!”

“I knowed, Harlan.”

“Roy, I uns can’t hear no more,” offered Harlan as a tear slowly rolled down his cheek.

“I knowed, Harlan.”

“It was terrible, Roy,” he continued. “She uns started to sing and it was terrible!”

“I knowed, Harlan.”

“It ran right down my spine, Roy,” Harlan continued. “It felt like a big old block of ice jest movin’ down my spine. I couldn’t move, Roy. I couldn’t move.”

“I knowed, Harlan.”

“I was so cold, I couldn’t move, Roy,” Harlan said as he started to cry. “Thar was a chill in the air and then she goes and hits this one note and the air jest froze. I couldn’t move.”

“I knowed, Harlan.”

“Roy, don’t let her sing anymore,” begged Harlan. “Please, Roy.”

“I knowed, Harlan.”

“Did ya say somethin’, Roy?” asked Harlan as he grabbed Roy by the shoulders. “I uns can’t hear no more.”

“I UNS SAYS I KNOWED, HARLAN,” shouted Roy.

“Roy, come on over here and see if ya sees what I sees,” interrupted Cledus.

“What ya seein’, Cledus?” asked Roy as he joined Cledus and Sallaa.

“Looky here and see if ya sees what I’m a seein’,” Cledus said again.

“That looks like one of em thar Krogan fellas,” offered Roy.

“It is a Krogan,” agreed Sallaa. “I knew I felt evil around here.”

“He uns shore looks dad to me,” observed Cledus.

“He uns ears are bleedin’,” declared Roy.

“Does he uns look dad to you, Roy?” asked Cledus.

“Yep, he uns dad,” replied Roy as he poked at the Krogan secretary.

“I uns wonder what one them old Krogans was doing here in this here cave?” pondered Cledus.

“Maybe Harlan and Jedediah could tell us,” offered Sallaa. They turned to ask and were surprised to see the Miller boys had left.

“They uns done get,” observed Roy.

“I hope they uns gettin’ back to southern Georgie,” reflected Cledus. “Well, c’mon little sweetie. We uns got us a weddin’ to get ready for.”

“Oh, Cledus, you’re my hero,” gushed Sallaa as she hugged him again. “And you are, too, Roy,” she said as she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

############### 

In little less than two weeks, Tamaa and Hamuu landed their ship on Roy and Cledus’ farm. Sallaa told them about the Miller boys and the dead Krogan. Tamaa said he did not think the Krogans were a threat with Sallaa marrying Cledus. Their marriage would place the earth under the protection of the Jachwans. Hamuu observed that he had detected a large army of Krogans traveling at a fast rate of speed away from the solar system. He said he had not been worried since they were going away from the earth and not toward it. After a restful night, all were ready for the trip to Jachwan for the wedding of Sallaa and Cledus.

############### 

“Junior, I wish you were coming with us, too,” observed Sally Jo.

“It’s all right, ma,” offered Junior. “Someone needs to watch the farm. We still don’t know where Harlan and Jedediah went off to.”

“I know, but you’ll get lonely here all by yourself,” she said.

“Oh, I’ll be OK,” he reflected. “Besides, I’ve got a new friend I’ve been talking to on the teleprompter.”

“And who is this new friend, young man?” teased Sally Jo.

“Oh, ma, a fella has to have a few secrets, don’t he,” replied Junior as he saw Sallaa smiling at him.

“Maybe my niece could back with your father and mother and stay for a while,” offered Sallaa.

“That would be OK,” blushed Junior. “Now ya’ll go on and get on the ship. You don’t want to be late for your wedding.”

“Is everyone ready to go?” asked Tamaa.

“Yep, we uns ready,” replied Cledus.

“Roy, would you like to drive the ship to Jachwan?” asked Hamuu.

“Thank ya, I would,” replied Roy.

“Now, Roy, thar ain’t no need fer ya uns to go and drive all fast and all,” declared Cledus. “We uns got plenty—and I mean—plenty of time to get thar.”

“Junior, I get to drive,” smiled Roy.

“Now, Roy, listen to me,” continued Cledus. “Ya gonna have to slow it down. And ya gonna have to stop ya uns ziggin’ and zaggin’. My uns poor old tummy ain’t gonna take it.”

“Is everyone ready to go?” interjected Tamaa.

“Come on, Roy, let’s get aboard,” offered Sally Jo.

“I get to drive!” laughed Roy.

“Now, Roy, ya ain’t listenin’ to me,” declared Cledus. “Now, Roy, listen. Slow—it—down! I uns mean to tell ya, really—slow—it—down! Are ya listen to me, Roy?”

“Hurry up, honey bun!” yelled Sallaa as she started up the ramp.

“I’m a-comin’, little sweetie,” replied Cledus. “Now, Roy, ya uns heerd what I uns said.”

Sallaa turned, blew Junior a kiss, and said, “I’m so happy I’m going to sing all the way back to Jachwan!!”

Cledus looked at Roy. Roy smiled.

“Ya knows what, Roy?” asked Cledus as he rubbed his chin in thought.

“What, Cledus?”

“Don’t ya reckon ya uns oughta get us thar as fast as ya can?”

“Yep, that’s un the way I reckon, too, Cledus.” 

Junior waved goodbye as the engines came to life and the ship’s door closed. As the craft darted into the blue sky, Junior could clearly hear Sallaa’s voice as she broke into song. Even though the vehicle was climbing quickly through the clouds, her singing still brought a tinge of pain to his ears. As the ship sped away and vanished from his sight, he could distinctly hear someone shouting, “Faster, Roy! Faster!!”

THE END

Copyright ©2006 by Jerry W. Crews