Jupiter Fleet 1: Werewolves Don't Purr (32 page)

After Hiroshi completed that maneuver, Leona directed the
Space Dog
’s communication system to transmit radio on three aviation emergency frequencies: 121.5 megahertz, 243 megahertz, and 406 megahertz. Leona recorded a message that she hoped would stop the laser fire from the planet.

“Hello, we are from Earth. We have captured an alien vessel. We have used that ship to destroy the vessel that was orbiting Earth. We want to go home. Please stop shooting at us.”

Thor had taken up the duty of operating the
Victory
’s telescopes. There were three reasons for this: they were very cool and Thor liked toys; they kept him from going back into the Med Bay; and looking at the
Space Dog
through the telescope made him feel closer to Leona.

In addition to the sixteen-meter telescope that was the main one, the ship had four eight-meter and twelve three-meter telescopes. Thor had three of the eight-meter telescopes aimed at the ships that were close to the Jupiter horizon. One of the eight-meter telescopes was aimed at Earth, and the big telescope was following the
Space Dog
.

Thor had put the
Space Dog
’s battle on the main screen. The entire staffs of the
Victory
and Jupiter Station had stopped to watch the battle. Thor watched as the Earth fired on the
Space Dog
. However, he lost sight of the
Space Dog
when it went behind the moon.

Forty-three minutes after the explosion of the enemy ship, the light from the explosion reached Thor. He froze for a moment, his ears drooping.

“Oh, no, did I just lose Leona?” he thought.

Thor was still trying to figure out which ship was which at the time of the explosion when Arjun entered the observatory.

“Was that the
Space Dog
?” Arjun thought to Thor.

“I don’t know.” Thor’s tail drooped as well as his ears.

The ship in question moved away from the moon and toward the Earth, slowly by space standards. The Earth started firing the red lasers at the ship.

“I guess that question is answered by the laser fire,” thought Arjun sadly.

“No, it isn’t—not by a mile!” Thor’s ears went back and he bared his fangs slightly. He turned another sensor, the radio-telescope, toward the action. “Look here, the broad spectrum analyzer says that the ship is broadcasting a message.”

He tuned in to one of the frequencies and played it so that he and Arjun could hear the transmission. Thor’s heart skipped a beat when he heard Leona’s beloved voice.

“Repeat, we are a friendly ship. However, I am losing my patience with you idiots. If you keep shooting at me, I will cook your asses seven shades of well-done!”

“That’s my girl,” Thor thought to Arjun, “and she’s alive!”

“And feisty,” replied Arjun.

Thor laughed, his ears moving forward and his tail wagging quickly.

“That she is, my friend. She
is
feisty, has always
been
feisty, and, God willing, will always
be
feisty!”

Arjun wagged his tail in sympathy for Thor’s happiness, then he mentally cleared his throat with a polite, “Ahem. Could you come with me to the Command Deck?” he asked. “I want to do a demonstration.”

Thor looked at the monitor. The Earth lasers had stopped firing at the
Space Dog
and it looked to be parking in an orbit over Antarctica. Thor concluded that there was nothing to be seen here for a while.

“OK, no problem.”

When they entered the Command Deck, there were ten wolves standing around waiting. Thor recognized some of them as being among the green-collar wolves that he had helped corral that day long ago, when they were on the
Space Dog
.

Admiral had his ears pricked forward, but seemed a bit skeptical. Thor was struck again by how
big
the Alpha was compared with the rest of the werewolves on the deck. And the humans in the chairs were tiny in comparison.

“Arjun, what’s this all about?”

Arjun turned to Thor. “Thor, do you recognize some of these wolves? If so, please tell us how and why you know them.”

Thor looked at Admiral and answered Arjun’s question like a presentation to an engineering client. He smiled a little and adopted a professional tone.

“I do recognize them. Some of these werewolves were the ones that did not respond to our reclamation efforts on board the
Space Dog
.”

“Reclamation?” asked Admiral.

“Trying to restore their human personalities,” thought Arjun offhandedly.

“Ah,” thought Admiral.

It was a low-key response that did not hint at the giant werewolf’s feelings on the subject. Arjun turned away from Admiral and addressed the former green-collar wolves.

“Do any of you recognize either Thor or me?”

All the wolves shook their heads no. They looked confused. Arjun turned back to Admiral.

“In fact, I spent thirty to forty minutes with each one of these wolves. We had hoped that we had left a blank spot in their memories, but until this moment I did not know for sure.”

“This is all very interesting, Arjun, but when you asked for this meeting, you said you had something that could be crucial to our victory,” thought Admiral, growing impatient with the demonstration.

“Indeed, I do have, Admiral.” Arjun turned toward the waiting wolves. “Vishnu.”

The werewolf subjects all lay down on the deck plates, curled up, and went to sleep. Admiral went over to the wolves and gave one a small kick. The sleeping werewolf snorted a little, moved over to another part of the floor, and then went back to sleep.

Admiral had a big doggy grin on his face. Both Frosty and Thor wore looks of shock.

“How did you do that?” Admiral thought.

“Before we let the green-collar wolves go from our testing room, we entered deep into their subconscious minds and planted an overwhelming desire to sleep upon hearing the command word. They will not wake up for many hours, or unless I say the counter-command.”

“Which is?”

Arjun turned to the sleeping werewolves. “Krishna.”

The former green-collar wolves woke up and were a little confused about why they were sleeping on the floor of the Command Deck.

Admiral was delighted, his tail wagging back and forth, his ears pricked forward and a sparkle in his eyes. Frosty’s tail started to wag too. Over at her position, Ashley’s eyes were round with amazement.

“You were right, Arjun,” thought Admiral, “this is definitely something we can use.”

After Leona had spent nearly forty minutes talking with everyone from the janitor to the United States CINC NORAD on the radio, the American government officials finally decided that she should talk with the president.

“This is President Bill Hartley of the United States, who am I speaking with?”

“This is Leona Stevenson. I own a farm near Dumas, Texas. I’m pleased to talk with you, Mr. President.”

“So, you’re a US citizen?”

“Um…yes? I am now the captain of this ship, which we have named the
Space Dog
. I have formed an alliance with some free werewolves that now control Jupiter Station—a space station that was taken away from the enemy raiders,” said Leona.

“What! A US citizen making alliances with alien invaders! Outrageous!”

A hot retort was on the tip of her tongue. Leona was tempted to say that the president lacked qualifications to make any kind of deals off-planet, but she held herself in check.

“On this ship we have people taken from all over planet Earth. Many of them just want to go home. I would like your help returning them to their nations and cities,” said Leona.

“How did it happen that you became the captain of this ship? Our best military people from around the globe have been killed or captured just trying to secure a shuttle.”

“That is a longer story than I have time for, Mr. President. I would like to talk with you about getting those people back to their homes and families.”

“You’d better make time, Ms. Stevenson. My advisors tell me that it is
impossible
for you to have captured that ship. It is most likely that you have been brainwashed by whatever alien is controlling you, and everything you say is a lie. I would like—”

“Listen, you idiot! President or no, you need to get your head around this. I have captured this ship and have engaged in space battles to defend the Earth. No wonder I didn’t vote for you! You have the imagination of a turnip! I’m going to talk to the British and to other nations. Maybe they will treat me a little better.”

Leona terminated the connection, breathing out harshly, her teeth bared like a lioness.

After all they had been through to survive the deadly captivity and battles with the Supes, just to hit the wall of stupid bureaucracy! The stupidity of the US government—her own nation—was driving her crazy. Leona got up suddenly from her chair and started pacing rapidly back and forth, clenching and unclenching her fists.

That was when Hiroshi cleared his throat.

“Um, do you want to hear what they are saying now?”

Leona turned toward Hiroshi, her eyes ablaze. The slender young Japanese almost recoiled in his seat, but controlled himself.

“What? How did you—”

“I don’t know, I just thought that I would like to hear what they are saying in the White House Situation Room, and the system connected me.”

“So that is how the Supes always knew where to hit us. They could listen in on all our communications.” Leona dragged a hand through her hair, and then nodded at Hiroshi and sat back down in her chair.

Hiroshi activated the eavesdropping system and it broadcast telepathically, to the bridge crew, the conversation that was going on in the Situation Room. It was like sitting in the room with the president and his staff. The system had to be picking up several video feeds and telephone feeds and making a simulation in their minds. It felt surreal.

“I want to know everything about this woman. Find any relatives living in this country—anything that can give me some leverage over her,” said the president.

When Leona “looked” around the room, the system put identification bubbles over the heads of everyone in it.

“She is married to Theodore Stevenson, who, along with her mother and father, Mary and William O’Brien, were reported missing from their homes in Texas. She has two grown children attending college in Miami,” said a man that the system identified as being with the FBI.

“Good, have someone pick them up. If necessary we can hold them hostage for her good behavior.” The president’s face was contorted with hate. “How are we coming with beefing up the lasers to do more damage?” he continued.

“NORAD reports that the upgraded power capacitors will be online within two hours, in three of the laser facilities. The other seven will be at least another day,” said an air force general.

Leona broke the connection. The sudden change in point of view made her dizzy for a moment.

“Hiroshi, can you patch me through to my kids?” she thought.

However, before Hiroshi could start to do anything, the ship’s computer system responded to her thought request and made the space-to-Florida call.

“Hello?” came the voice of Leona’s daughter, Sarah.

“Sarah, it’s Mom.”

“Mom? How? I mean—you were taken! I thought you and Dad and Grandma and Grandpa…I thought you were dead!”

Sarah’s voice had tears in it, and Leona’s eyes brimmed in response.

“I know, sweetie, I know. It’s a long story, but right now I need you to listen. Is your brother there?

“Yes, he’s sleeping in his room. Too much studying.”

“I need you to wake him up and leave your apartment right away. Just bring your wallets, never mind packing clothes.” Leona made her voice brisk. “You know the boat that Gramps has down at the Miami Beach Marina?”

“Yes, he gave me the keys to it the last time I saw him. He told Will and me to take good care of it.”

“Good. Both of you, bring the keys, get in that boat, and head out to sea as fast as you can. It’s an emergency. I will meet you out at sea.”

“Mom, how will you find me? How will I know it’s really you? What is going on?”

“You don’t have any time for the answers. Sarah, trust me! You will know it’s me. I’ll be standing in the door of a spaceship.”