Chirt and Trill worked together as if they had a telepathic bond between them.  As I sat and watched them pilot the ship and realized how effective they were together, I wondered how old they were and how long they had been partnered.  
                        
The mothership was coming into view.  We were approaching it from the far side enabling me to see more of it than I had seen before.  Its appearance was fairly uniform from any direction.  As we went around the mothership, Tau Ceti appeared around its rim.  The entry port gaped in the darkness, standing out against the starshine against its side. The mouth was fully a mile wide, and two-thirds as high.

Carefully and expertly they guided the craft through the entry port.  As we approached the center of the massive opening, I looked behind and could see the enormous doors closing us in.  Ahead in the brightly lit cavern, I could see the ship Mr. Whittleby and I had flown to get here.  The docking bay next to it to was empty, and Chirt and Trill were navigating us toward it.

As we got closer I could see the observation windows of the hangar bay docks.  Lights were on, but I couldn’t tell if anyone was there watching.  Eventually we got so close that all I could see was the docking bay, and with a gentle bump we connected.

Chirt began the shutdown sequence while Trill began to ready the craft for storage.  When they were finished Chirt led the way to the airlock.  There was little conversation.  It seemed like all of us were lost in our own thoughts.  The airlock opened and Mr. Whittleby was waiting on the other side.

“I hear you’ve been a busy man,” he said to me.

“You might say that,” I replied.  “I took an unplanned trip.”

Chirt said almost apologetically, “He had a little help from us.”

“Well, we have some damage control to do,” replied Mr. Whittleby.

“We have an idea that might give us the time we need to get away from Pralt and his minions before they arrive,” Trill suggested.

“We need to contact the Intergal Legal Claims and Recovery Department as soon as possible with this report. The items match the description of those taken from a freighter that was reported missing 50 light days ago. The value of that cargo is easily worth the price of 120 personal transport vehicles. We suggest that you give him a transport vehicle like the demo of the one that we planted our virus in, so that he can return to earth and begin negotiations.”

“That’s an excellent idea. The reward for recovery on that cargo will easily cover the cost.” Mr. Whittleby  responded.

Mr. Whittleby led them to the control center from which the broadcast had been made over a day ago. He sat down at the console, and they all took various places nearby where they could be available to answer questions as Mr. Whittleby reported to the Legal Department on the events of the previous day. Permission was granted to issue me an intergalactic personal transport/reentry vehicle which was called the IPTRE. The model was exactly the same as the one I had already taken a liking to, and I was excited to have the opportunity to own it.

“You couldn’t have a better vehicle for this especially now,” he said. “You’re going to need all the speed we can give you to beat Pralt to whatever he plans to do. The legal machinery is in motion, but it will take a while for the recovery of the missing cargo. In the meantime, no one in the galaxy will buy what he has. You have effectively cost him a fortune worthy of a king.”

“Well, I’ll feel a lot safer if I don’t have to look over my shoulder for him every time I turn around. I didn’t like him very much. I knew there was something wrong there, even though I couldn’t put my finger on it.”

“Not every pirate comes across as uncouth” Mr. Whittleby replied. “These have specialized in it from their very beginning, committing both piracy and extortion. They’re dangerous when crossed, but with adequate safeguards we can deal with them. You’ve helped make it possible for us to shut his operation down.”

“When do I leave?” I asked.

“As soon as we take delivery of your IPTRE.” Trill replied. “It should arrive in a few hours from Rigel. They are the best in the galaxy when it comes to manufacturing these craft.”

“How much room is on it? Can I return the boat we rented?” I asked. It suddenly occurred to me that I probably owed some late fees as well.

“It has the room in the cargo bay.” Mr Whittleby answered.  “You won’t be needing the boat when you return. Your craft can land in any large open area well enough. We’ll  have to teach you how to secure it so that you are the only one who can enter or pilot it. We don’t want just anyone making use of it yet. I especially wouldn’t advise selling it.”

“What about dealing with my government? They would probably love to get their greedy hands on it to study it and make use of it if they could.”

“Let them know that their prosperity depends on your continued ownership. Also inform them that if they want the technology, the price is a contract of trade.” He stopped a moment, and hesitated. “I do think there will have to be some international agreement to split the benefits globally for all your extraterrestrial resources.”

“I need some idea of what you’re offering and who our trade partners will be in this venture.”

“For now we’re offering technology. Your trade partner will be Intergal, and what we’re asking for is cooperation, and some ammonia from Neptune.”

“As simple as that?” I asked. “Surely you know that politicians are never able to accept things at face value.”

“I realize that”, Mr. Whittleby replied. “That’s why we chose you to sell them a simple idea.”

“Thanks for the honor.. I think. Oh, by the way... just how much ammonia are we talking about?” I began to wonder if we would be leaving ourselves any resources when it was all over.

“Not much compared to what is there”, he replied. “Just a moonful.”

“A moonful!”

“Come now, you’ll hardly notice it. Besides, you can’t use it for anything. We intend to hollow out a Neptunian moon, fill it with ammonia, and send it on its way.” He looked amused. “Nothing in your technology now uses that much ammonia, and when you use what we give you, you won’t have need of it then either.”

“I guess it is so far away, that no one will care if it won’t directly affect them. Still there is likely to be some pretty powerful opposition to this. To some people no amount of progress will be enough of an excuse.”

“True enough, that’s why we expect you to present it to the decision makers in such a way that the best results can be achieved.”

I sat there thoughtfully for a while. “I hope your confidence isn’t misplaced.”

“Trust your heart. There is better stuff in there than you know.”

To that I had no reply. We got up and went to the hangar deck. I asked about Seesh on the way, and was told that he was in his sleep cycle, and wouldn’t be available before I left. Not wanting to irritate a sleepy tree, I decided to leave it at that, and requested that my greetings be given to him along with my regret that I couldn’t make it a personal visit. Chirt agreed to pay him a visit before they left, and he and Trill returned to their ship. Apparently they needed to catch up on some sleep themselves, and as I was feeling tired I asked Mr. Whittleby where I could rest until my IPTRE arrived.

He directed me to a comfortable little room where I could stretch out on a bed of sorts until I was rested. After he left me, I took off my shoes, and sank down gratefully, and soon was sleeping deeply.

The next thing I knew, someone was tapping on the door, and I heard Mr. Whittleby outside saying, “Your ship is here.”

I sat up, put on my shoes, and went to the door which opened upon my approach. Together we went to the hangar bay observation deck and I could see a massive transport outside. It had to have been nearly half a mile across. I was awestruck at the sheer magnitude of the ability to construct machines, or ships on a scale like this. As we watched a port to the cargo bay opened, and out came my new IPTRE, gleaming pearly white in the lighting of the docking bay.

Slowly it was maneuvered until it approached the docking bay and docked at a port two openings away from us. Mr. Whittleby and I walked over to the bay while he gave me some pointers on piloting the craft.

“The first thing you need to remember is that the IPTRE is piloted by an artificial intelligence. Everything that can be known about the IPTRE itself has been programmed in, as well as the coordinates of all major systems in the known galaxy. The IPTRE uses a molecular neural net, similar to the nullifier. That makes it possible for nearly every inch of its construction to perform double duty as memory, in addition to forming the hull and inner workings of the craft. The engine area is an exception to that, as are the basic life support functions.”

“The IPTRE will continue to learn, and this model has been modified to recognize your speech and to interact with you. We’ve taken the liberty to give it my programming, so you should find it to have a personality you are comfortable with.”

“Security precautions need to be arranged in flight. You have to be piloting the vehicle for some of the identification subroutines to be performed. Once you complete the guided lessons on how to secure the IPTRE against unauthorized entry it will be up to you to take those precautions. The IPTRE will not do this without your express permission. Do you have any questions?”

He paused for a moment while I thought about what he said, and when I told him not yet, he continued.

“Your IPTRE runs on a Rigel class graviton drive, and is the latest production model. It will need occasional servicing, and refueling. It will let you know when this needs to be done. The fuel can be obtained in your own star system, however service is warrantied, and only authorized centers can do this without voiding the warranty. If service is needed your IPTRE will inform you, and ask you to schedule a time to get it done.”

As he continued describing the refueling it occurred to me that I might need another form of security... that against being followed. When I mentioned it to him, he explained the cloaking system to me and how to ask for it from the IPTRE command processor.

Finally we arrived at the airlock and it opened for us. The walkway lit the way to central control, and we entered the main navigation center. Mr Whittleby walked over to the nav console and opened the comm link with the IPTRE. He then spoke a few words in a language I had never heard, and would have despaired of learning. Afterwards he reverted to English and introduced me to my ship.

“IPTRE this is Mitch Cole, your new owner. Revert all voice commands to his authority upon my departure. Title fees and purchase costs for this IPTRE are paid in full and Mitch Cole is the sole owner with all legal rights inherent in title ownership. Title transfer is effective immediately.”

He then stepped back and said “Introduce yourself.”

I hesitated not knowing what to say, so I said simply,”Hi, I’m Mitch. I’m looking forward to working with you.”

“Pleased to meet you Mitch. I hope you enjoy yourself on board,”the IPTRE replied.

“Do you mind if I come up with some other name than IPTRE for you? If you are able to think for yourself, I might need to think of you in more human terms in order to keep our communications effective.”

“Go ahead. The practice is common everywhere, and most of us would feel better if we were appreciated.”

“You have feelings?’

“Of course, don’t you?” the IPTRE replied.

“Yes, but I’m human. Somehow it never occurred to me that a machine intelligence could have feelings.” I was shocked.

“The molecular neural net that makes up my memory contains many more connections than your own brain with all its synapses. That gives me considerably more processing power. It also makes the artificial intelligence which forms the core of my processor able to think, learn, and respond with a power equal to a living being. Where we differ is that I still have a basic program which forms the foundation of my personality. I don’t have free will as you do. I can only formulate my interactions in accordance with my personality parameters.”

“In other words, you can think for yourself, but some types of actions are off limits for you.”

“Exactly.”

“This might be an interesting trip after all,”I mused.

I looked over at Mr. Whittleby who was standing in the entryway getting ready to depart. He smiled at me and said, “I can see you two are going to get along just fine. Incidentally I took the liberty of placing the boat in the cargo hold while you were asleep. All you have to do it request a downsend when you arrive, and the boat can be returned to its owner.”

“I need to depart, so I will leave you in the capable care of your IPTRE. Don’t forget to cloak.” he said, and then departed with a wave.

I heard the airlock cycle closed and a short while later could see a figure in the distance at an observation window watching us.

“Well IPTRE, it’s time to go home. Let’s get underway shall we.” I went to the nav center and said, “Show our current location...” to the IPTRE, and a hologram of the mothership appeared showing our position inside relative to the whole. Another hologram appeared showing our solar system, and I could see the third planet out in exaggerated relief.

“When you wish to depart, touch the icon of your ship and drop it on your destination. I will initiate the separation sequence and we will leave the hangar.” The IPTRE sounded patient, and eager to please.

“Is there a cabin for me to sleep in during the trip?” I asked.

“Yes, there is, and you will find it to be quite luxurious in an old fashioned way. There are also all the sanitary amenities, and a well equipped dining area to meet your needs. You also have room for guests in two separate rooms. This ship was designed for luxury travel, and has been modified to meet the needs of your kind.”

The IPTRE was silent for moment, and then asked, “Would you like for me to show you to your quarters?”

“Yes, but first I guess we’ll get underway.” I touched the icon of our ship, and it held to my finger like a shadow as I reached over and touched it to the earth, brushing it like a caress. It stayed there, and I sensed a difference in the ship, even though I couldn’t feel it. Looking out the port I could see that we had already undocked and were moving through the hangar toward the massive space lock.

“Wow, that was smooth,” I exclaimed.

“Of course. Our gravitic stabilizers are state of the art, and are right out of the production unit. They won’t need calibration for about 1000 parsecs.”

“How long can we go before refueling?” I asked out of curiosity.

“Roughly 100 parsecs. When we are within that time and distance frame I will alert you and we will schedule a refueling trip. To refuel at that point depends on the distance to and availability of the resources this ship uses. I will calculate our remaining fuel and let you know in time to get us to a location where we can get more. We shouldn’t need servicing for a long time, so you may not ever have to deal with that issue unless you do a lot of traveling.”

“Ok, thanks. How about showing me my cabin now?” I requested.

“Certainly. Just follow the path.”

The walk area lit up as I went directing me up another level and down the corridor to the right. The door opened for me and I knew I liked it at first glance. The room was decorated in 18th century French, resembling fairly accurately the elegance of the period. Even the walls and ceiling kept the spirit of it, and paintings were hung that exemplified the renaissance masters. All the furnishings looked authentic, and I had to ask if they were real.

“They are replicas, but are built to mimic as exactly as possible the design of the era from which they came. I see you enjoy it as much as we thought you might. You may feel the difference in the bed. It has a modern type of mattress on it for your comfort.”

“Thank you. I’m tempted to make this my home.” I almost didn’t know what to say, I was so overwhelmed.

“ You might have to someday. It might be the only way to have your privacy when you return.” The IPTRE sounded concerned.

That bore some thinking about. While I was chewing on that it reminded me that I still hadn’t taken care of the need to proceed in secrecy.
 
“IPTRE, initiate cloaking sequence,” I commanded.

“Cloaking will commence in 1 fractal. Stand by for confirmation.”

There was a short pause, and then IPTRE said “Cloaking is engaged. State level of security for further emanation control.”

“Top security. I want no trace of us to be seen.” I then added as an afterthought, “Can I make this a standard practice?”

“Yes you can. Do, you wish to do so?”

“Yes, as long as those pirates are out there, I want to make it hard for them to get me.” I felt uneasy at my good fortune, and wanted a little insurance to help me keep one step ahead of those I now knew to be my enemies.

“Cloaking default parameters are now changed to reflect your wishes. Full cloaking will be automatically authorized unless you request otherwise.”

“Thank you. Now I’d like to talk about security. I don’t want any unauthorized person on board for any reason. If I am not with them they don’t belong here, and the only exception will be if I specifically request you to allow someone to remain here in my absence.”

“Would you like me to issue you a personal communication device, so that you can contact me when you are away?” IPTRE asked.

“Yes, please,” I replied. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to carry something around all the time but it seemed like a reasonable thing to do.

“On the table by the bed you will find a drawer on the side of the table. Open it and you will see a ring. Put it on.”

I went over to the table and opened the drawer, and inside was a gold ring with a beautiful translucent blue stone set in it. It was plainly made, yet elegant. The ring was too large, and when I put it on my finger, it didn’t fit. I mentioned it to IPTRE, and he told me to stand by and he would tailor it for me.

I was surrounded by an energy field similar to the one which sent me to Pralt’s warehouse, and when the glow subsided the ring fit perfectly.

‘The ring will monitor you. I will know where you are if I am anywhere within 10 light minutes. That’s the effective range of the teleporter. If you need me to transport you back to this ship from your planet, just call, and make sure you are not touching anyone else and I will do it.”

I was awed. Ten light minutes was farther than one astronomical unit away. To think that such power existed at my disposal made me almost dizzy. I decided I’d had enough for a while and needed to relax.

“I think I need to rest for a while. Have we reached transition yet?”

“A long time ago. Enjoy your rest. Let me know if you need anything.”

“Thank you.” I laid down and somehow went to sleep.



Later I awoke refreshed. I wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but it seemed like longer than it actually was when I checked my watch. I must have needed the nap. Sometimes new things have a way of stressing us to the point of mental fatigue that has no connection with being actually physically tired, and I had certainly reached that point many times since this new reality began to intrude in my life.

I got up and wondered where the facilities were, and was about to ask IPTRE when he asked, “Did you sleep well?”

“Yes, I did. I think I need to complete my tour of the ship though. Where is the bathroom?”

“An oversight that can be soon remedied. Follow me.”

The familiar glowing path lit at my feet and took me out of my room and down the hall. A left turn put me in a spacious bathroom with all the conveniences. It too was luxurious, and kept the image of the period with the exception of a shower in the corner. It blended with the decor, but was definitely a modern design.

“Thank you. Nice job on the decorating. I’m glad you went to the effort. I hope to get to show it off some day.”

“You’re welcome.”

While there I took a shower and felt considerably refreshed afterwards.  I dried off in the air flow, then dressed and went to the nav center. Once inside, I asked IPTRE how close we were to earth.

“About an hour of your time. We travel about three times faster than you were able to on your previous trip.”

“Do we have to land or can you downsend me?” I asked.

“That choice is yours. Perhaps it would be a better idea if you left me in orbit this first time. You can always call me in later if you need,” IPTRE suggested in reply.

I looked at my ring and decided he was right, and called for a downsend from orbit. Then I remembered the boat, and asked about it.

“Do you know the coordinates to get it back? I would never be able to direct you there.”

“Yes, and I can send it there if you wish.” He then asked, “Would you like to go first, or go after the boat?”

“After is fine. I would sure like to see his face if he is watching when that thing arrives at the dock.”

“I hope he isn’t watching. It might be a shock to him.” IPTRE sounded concerned.

“Will it be day or night there? I have sort of lost track.”

“Evening. I suppose dark is better. There is less chance the arrival of the boat will be noticed, except for the glow of the energy field that accompanies it.”

“Yes,’ I replied, “I hadn’t thought of that.” I then continued thinking out loud... I wonder where I should go back to. I’ll bet my apartment is not the place to go right now.”

“You think that someone will be there?” IPTRE asked.

“No, but someone will probably be nearby watching it constantly. That energy glow will certainly be a wild enough event to provoke curiosity that I don’t want just yet. I need a little time to prepare before encountering any media.”

I thought some more, and then asked, “Can I make a phone call from here? Could you tap into one of our satellites?”

IPTRE replied, “No problem. Who would you like to call?”

“I’d like to call Sharon Gantry, and see if she could help me get somewhere unseen. She has a car, and I don’t. She also knows how the media is portraying this, and I need her input on how to make my next move.”

“When we arrive in orbit, I will set it up.”

“Thank you,” I replied gratefully. “You are a big help.”

“I’m supposed to be. If for any reason I fail to be so, let me now how and why and I will correct it.”

“Right now you could tell me what there is to do for entertainment. Humans aren’t meant for long space trips. We need something to occupy our minds.”

“Would a movie satisfy you? There is a large selection on board,” IPTRE offered almost apologetically.

“Yes. How did you get them?” Again I was amazed that even this had been foreseen.

“Remember, I have all Mr. Whittleby’s programming. He’s studied you for a long time. Part of his study was your entertainment systems. All the movies he saw as part of that study are retained in their entirety.”

“What were his tastes like? Did he like adventure, mystery, comedy, action, horror, drama, romance, or what?”

“He sampled all of those and more.”

“What about television? Do you have a stock of old reruns?”

“Yes, of course. Would you like to see one?”

“Sure. Got any episodes of M.A.S.H. on hand?”

“Indeed. Which one would you like to see?”

That set me back. It occurred to me then that he might have more than I knew, and I would need a menu to go by or I wouldn’t know my options. It occurred to IPTRE as well, for a hologram appeared that showed the titles and summary of each show on file.

I finally chose one and settled down to watch while we cruised ever nearer to home, and the certain chaos that awaited me there.




Sharon Gantry sat in her easy chair in her livingroom and relaxed for the first time in a couple of days. The media had other fish to fry today and were moving on, which suited her just fine. Never had she been so physically and mentally exhausted as she was now. From that first phone call almost 3 days ago, till around noon today, she had only had rare moments of quiet and privacy. This evening’s dinner had been the first full meal in two days she had been able to eat without being interrupted. She never knew how good it could feel to do something that simple.

As she sat appreciating the quiet, the phone rang. She hesitated. If it was a reporter, she could always say she wasn’t doing any more interviews. She had turned a few down already. One more couldn’t make a difference at this point. Besides, none of her friends had been able to talk to her in days either. She reached over with a sigh and picked up the phone, hoping that it wasn’t a reporter.

“Hello,” she said. It was almost impossible to keep the suspicion out of her voice.

“It isn’t a reporter. Honest.”

“Mitch!” The familiarity of the voice sat her bolt upright. “Where are you?”

“In orbit, looking for a place to land. Mind if I come to visit? I think I need your help.”

“You’re kidding right?” Sharon couldn’t believe it. It had to be some sort of elaborate hoax.

“I’m serious. Are you dressed? I would feel real awkward dropping in on you unannounced and you weren’t ready for visitors.”

“Yes, I am. When do you plan to be here?”

“IPTRE has a fix on your location right now. I can be there in a few seconds if you promise to swear not to tell anyone how I did it.”

“What kind of promise is that? It’s impossible and you know it! What’s Ipter?” She couldn’t believe she was having this bizarre conversation.

“Just humor me for now. I’ll accept your promise later if you just agree to help me.”

“OK, I agree to help. It beats doing interviews.”

Sharon was still holding the phone and was about to ask how I planned to get there when the air nearby took on a brilliant lavender glow, and I appeared in the center of her living room.

I took the phone from her hand and hung it up while she sat there shaken to the core, crying her eyes out. I hugged her and waited for her to calm down, then gently explained the events of the last three days from my perspective. As unbelievable as the story was, my arrival had made an instant believer out of her, and she was willing to help where she could.

I still had to apologize to her for all she’d been through on my behalf this last few days.

“Sharon, I am sorry for what you’ve been through. Believe me, I really know what it’s like, and I wouldn’t have wished this off on you for anything.”

“No apology needed. You couldn’t have prevented it,” she replied.

“Well, actually I could have. I could have sent him on his way.”

“Could you have really done that?”

“I had the choice. I have to admit, once I believed him, I could no more have refused his request than to stop breathing voluntarily. It just wasn’t in me.”

“I’m glad then. I hope you can convince everyone else.”

She got up and headed into the kitchen, and beckoned me to follow. I did, and sat down at the table while she opened the refrigerator and got out some fruit juice and offered me a glass. I accepted gratefully, and when she sat down we began to discuss how to go about my new task.

“The first thing I think needs to happen, is that you resign your position with Broadmore. Your former association with them will keep them going for a long time, while you are busy at your new career,” she said thoughtfully.

I mulled that one over for a while and said, “I can see your point. I definitely can’t do both things at the same time. This will take all my devotion to bring about.”

“Once you are known to be back, and that this is genuine, Broadmore is likely to gain an enormous amount of prestige, with or without you. You will almost be doing them a favor by bowing out. I do feel sorry for the one who has to replace you. He or she will have a lot to measure up to.”

I sat there for a moment. I could tell she meant it. I didn’t know she thought that highly of me.

“I don’t know what to say except thanks. It seems that people are constantly surprising me with what they see in me.” I then asked, “What do you plan to do?”

She thought for a moment, stirred her juice idly, and then said, “That really depends on who replaces you. I might find myself out of a job if your new replacement already has someone they prefer more.”

“Would you be interested in continuing to work for me? I’ll need an assistant who will do for me pretty much what you’ve done all along.” I was hesitant to ask, because by now I was aware of how I felt about her, and wasn’t at all sure if I would be able to keep it on a purely business relationship anymore.

“Do you really mean it?” She almost knocked over her juice, and I could tell she was delighted that I would ask.

“Yes, I do. I had a lot of time to think during these last few days, and I think that we work well together.  I not only missed earth, but I missed you as a friend. I don’t want anyone else to take the place I have come to see is yours. I value your ability, and I’m glad for your friendship. I hope I don’t sound too awkward.”

I felt torn. I didn’t know how to say what I really felt, and didn’t want to reveal too much if she didn’t feel the same way. Still, I had to give her a glimpse of what she meant to me so that she wouldn’t be hit with it completely unprepared if she was not open to more than friendship later on and I were to broach the idea. At least a hint is better than nothing.

“That means a lot to me,” she replied. “There were times I wondered if you had any friends. You tend to make them slowly, but make them well I think.” She sat there with a pensive look on her face, but had an air of barely concealed excitement.

It was almost too much to hope for that she might feel that she might feel the same way. I was so invested emotionally in seeing a mutually pleasant outcome that I may have been reading her all wrong. I decided to play it safe for now, and keep it light.

“Well, if we keep on like this we are going to both be blubbering witlessly before the night is over. I don’t know what I can pay you yet. Intergal doesn’t deal in any currency that we would recognize here on earth. I am probably going to have to support myself doing speaking tours for a while until I have enough of a cushion saved up to live on without worrying about my next meal,” I said changing the subject.

“We can worry about salary later. What we need to think about now is how to connect you with the proper people in the government.”

“ I think IPTRE can help with that. He should be able to arrange for me to be downsent to any place I choose. I could drop right in on the President in the Oval Office without even his security people knowing about it.” I paused...”at least until he got over his fright and called for help. Then I might be leaving a little less quietly.”

“What is the IPTRE?” Sharon asked.

“IPTRE is the acronym for Intergalactic Personal Transport/ReEntry Vehicle. I’d like to name him something else, but I’m not sure what. He is a nice guy and deserves a real name.”

“He...this ship is a person?”

“Artificial intelligence with a very human personality. You’ll like him.”

“When can we meet?” Sharon sounded intrigued.

“Tonight if you like. It might make things easier in a way. I had thought to ask you to drive me where I needed to go, but it may be better to keep a low profile for a while. I can only imagine how many people know me by sight right now.”

Before she could reply to that it occurred to me that tonight might be better for another reason. The boat was by now sitting in the marina. It was only a matter of time before it was discovered fully fueled and clean, ready for another customer.

“I think we may have to leave anyway. The news people will be calling any time now. The boat will tell them that either I am back, or they will be calling you to ask if you have heard from me.”

“OK, you talked me into it. I almost didn’t answer the phone for you. I need a break for a while.” She replied with a sigh of relief.

“Why don’t you pack an overnight bag?” I suggested. “Bring your toiletries. Oh... and if you have a towel to spare, throw that in too.  I don’t know how you would like it, but I really don’t like being blow dried.”

While Sharon went to pack, I considered how to do some packing of my own. I needed to get to my apartment, and was sure that if I did, it would cause a stir that I wasn’t ready to have happen yet. Yet I needed a change of clothes. Perhaps I could go shopping without being recognized, but didn’t want to take the risk there either. Subterfuge wasn’t my strong point. I needed a plan but wasn’t sure where to start.

I was still thinking about it and weighing my options, when Sharon returned. I must have mused on it quite a while, because she had changed into comfortable clothes, and she had a mid sized suitcase ready to go.

“Well, that was pretty quick. Now all I have to do is call our cab,” I teased.

“I hope he’s a safe driver,” she replied.

“The best. IPTRE, would you bring us both back to the ship please?” I asked out loud.

There was no answer, and the momentary silence that followed was almost embarrassing. My chagrin was interrupted by a lavender glow, and Sharon appeared beside me still holding her case. We stood on the nav deck, and as soon as we were fully there IPTRE welcomed us.

“I see you didn’t wait too long to bring your first visitor,” he said.

“Good company is hard to part with,” I replied.

“Which one of us are you talking about?” Sharon and the IPTRE asked almost in unison.

“Both of you, of course. Although I am definitely going to have to do something about your name. IPTRE just doesn’t suit you.”

“If you switched the order of the words around in the acronym, it might help. If you called it Personal Intergalactic Transport/ReEntry vehicle instead, you could call him PITRE. Peter sounds a lot better,” Sharon suggested.

“That fits. How do you like it? Would you like to be called Peter?” I asked the ship.

“Yes, that will be fine. Sounds rather noble,” he replied.

“So be it. You are IPTRE no more. Peter would you care to show us our rooms? The lady will need to unpack.”

“Certainly. Follow me.”

The path lit at our feet and we walked the corridor until it turned and led us to the guest room. Sharon was awed at the luxury. She hesitated at the door, and stood there in disbelief, then turned around and looked at me and said, “I guess it’s too late for disbelief at this stage, but I’m either dreaming or I have just lost touch with reality in a bad way.”

“A mystic would say reality is a matter of perception. If your mind and eyes are working together to show you what I see too, then either both of us are hallucinating, or we are indeed in a real environment. Enough of the mystics. Do you need a pinch to make sure you’re awake?”

“No thanks. I just want to sit down and savor this a few minutes.”

She put her bag down and went over to the dressing table and sat in front of the mirror. The vanity had all the proper drawers and trim, and appeared to be made of wood. She opened a drawer, and found it to be empty. Giving a sigh of relief she said, “I almost expected there to be a tortoiseshell comb or brush inside, or an inkwell or something.”

“Your things will fit there nicely for a while,” I replied, glad she liked it.

“Whatever did you do for them to make all this available to you?” she asked.

“I stumbled on a hijacked shipment of very valuable cargo. The reward was so large that even information leading to the cargo paid the cost of the ship. I became a wealthy man by galactic standards. I own the ship with a clear title.”

“Are we really in orbit?” she asked.

“Oh yes. Would you like to see?” I offered.

“Please.”

“Lets go back to the Nav Room.”

She stood, and I led the way back to the Nav Room. Inside I asked Peter to open the view ports. The walls to the sides and front of the console shimmered and cleared, and there hanging on three sides of us was the broad curve of the earth below. We could see the blackness of space right up to the edge of the ionosphere. The edges of the curve cupped upwards, and by the speed we seemed to be moving around it, I guessed we were making one complete revolution every 20 to 30 seconds. I timed it later, and found it to be 27 seconds.

Sharon stood there in awe, with tears running down her face. I took her hand and we stood there like that for a long time, not speaking. I finally broke the silence and said, “I’d offer you a kleenex, but there aren’t any.”

“That’s ok. Thank you. You’ve given me the nicest evening I ever had in my life. I had my dreams come true. No one could ask for more.”

“Somehow I knew that men didn’t dream grand enough dreams, and coming up here proved it. There is so much more to dream about, we only need the boldness to ask for it to make it real,” I replied. “Don’t you feel like your idea of what is possible has changed forever?”

“I will never be the same. Thank you again. I think I need to go unpack. I may do a lot more crying before the night is over, and I have some tissues in my bag,” she replied. Sharon turned to me and gave me a hug and left to go to her room.

When she had gone I returned to the problem of my clothes, more to get my mind off Sharon than anything else. She had affected me on the deepest levels and now I was sure that I was completely in love with her. If anything were to come of it, I wanted it to develop as naturally as possible. I wasn’t about to ruin it by a wrong word or misinterpreted gesture.

I decided to ask Peter for help in solving my clothing dilemma. If he could get a fix on my apartment, perhaps he could teleport the stuff to me without my having to go there.

“Peter, I need a little help.”

“What can I help you with, Mitch?”

“I need some clean clothes from my apartment. I’ve been wearing these for three days, and while you have freshened them up for me, it would be nice to change.”

“What can I do to help?”

“I wonder if you can get a fix on my apartment and teleport some of my stuff up here.”

“Show me where they are.”

A hologram appeared of my apartment interior, as was seen by Mr Whittleby. I put my finger on the door to my bedroom, and the hologram changed. The door opened, and inside the room it was blank.

“I haven’t been in here before. May I have your permission to access your memories? It works like the nullifier you are familiar with.” Peter asked politely, and I could sense he was trying to reassure me.

“Yes, go ahead.”

“Think of what your room looks like. Visualize where your clothes are kept.”

I pictured myself opening my drawers and getting out socks and tee shirts, and going to the closet and getting shirts from my hangers, along with pants and shoes.

“I have enough to go on now. I have seen the entire room,” Peter told me. “Where would you like me to put your things? In your room?”

“Yes, that would be fine. Thank you.”

“They’ll be there when you get there.”

“Thank you again. Is there a dining area on board?” I asked. It suddenly occurred to me that I hadn’t seen one, and that I also hadn’t even been through the whole ship yet.

“Yes. I made sure it matches the decor. I told you about it when you first got here, but you may have forgotten. You might like it the best,” Peter replied.

“I can hardly wait to see it. I’m sure it will exceed my expectations.”

“You’re very kind. Would you like to see the rest of the ship as well?”

“All in good time. What time is it where we’re from on earth?” I asked.

“Eleven at night. You may want to say goodnight to Sharon. She has had a long day.”

“Good idea.”

I left the Nav Room, and went to Sharon’s room. Her door was open, and she had just finished putting the last of her things away and was looking for a place to stow her suitcase before deciding on the bed, and slipped it under where it fit unobtrusively.

I knocked on the frame and said, “It’s getting late. If you like you can go to bed. I need to show you where the facilities are, and then I will have to have Peter show me the dining area. I haven’t even seen the whole ship yet myself.”

“I’m not sleepy yet. I’d be glad to go with you if you don’t mind,” she replied.

“Great. I need to go to my room first. Peter just brought up my stuff. I haven’t had a change of clothes in three days.  Let me change and I’ll come get you.”

“Ok. See you in a bit.”

I went across to my room and went inside. My dresser was in the middle of the open floor, and all the clothes that I had hanging in my closet were laid across my bed, stacked as it a giant pair of arms had swept them up from their  hanging rod and set them gently on the bed. The shoes were set in a row at the foot of the bed, exactly as I had left them in the closet. On the dresser were my toiletries from the bathroom, in the exact order as they had been sitting on the counter.

“Nice job, Peter. It looks like you remembered everything. Is there a place to hang these things?” I asked.

“Yes. There’s a closet over by the corner,” he replied.

Thanks.” I picked up an armload and carried it into the closet which proved to be quite spacious, and hung them up, and came back for more. It took four trips altogether to get them hung, and another four trips for my shoes. I was feeling a little like Imelda Marcos by the last trip, and was glad to be done. I had no idea how much I actually had until I saw it before me out in the open.

Next I tackled the dresser, and soon had everything transferred over to the furnishings provided for me. After selecting a change of clothing, (something casual but neat) I asked Peter to send my dresser back down and he did as I was leaving the room.

I went back across the hall and knocked on the door, and Sharon came out with a smile that dazzled me. We went down the hall together, where she expressed delight with the bathroom, and then we began to explore. The next door proved to be another guest room like Sharon’s. The door across from it was a study, with a massive oak desk, and shelves of books. A globe stood next to the desk, and on one wall was a framed star chart showing the relative positions of the major stars and constellations. It too resembled a period piece, and looked as if some ancient cartographer had labored long hours to put together such a masterpiece. An ornate window framed the earth sliding past as we circled in orbit around it.

I fell in love with the study immediately, and quickly determined that here was a good place for spare time, or receiving guests. We left it with much regret on my part, and moved on to the end of the hall. A set of double doors opened inward, and when I opened it I could see why this was supposed to be my favorite place.

A double set of crystal chandeliers hung from each end of the spacious room. A long table graced the center with comfortable seating for ten. I might not be able to house that many, but I could at least entertain guests and meet with them in the comfort of the study. From all vantage points I could see at once why the ship itself would serve as my best asset to help me win the cooperation of those who were in the positions of power. It exuded power itself, and elegance which showed that those who created it, while alien to us could at least respect what we found beautiful and sensible.

Along each wall were three marble statues which replicated the best of the Greco-Roman era. Each was set on a pedestal, and a small arched alcove sat behind it that had a window open to see the stars, or the earth as the case may be.

“Peter, you were right,” I said. “This is the best room yet. On earth this would be worthy of a king.”

“We planned it that way. You’ll be entertaining kings, and we wish to see that they’re comfortable in your home,” Peter replied.

“How did you know this was the best way to do it?” I asked.

“If you go to them you become a supplicant, but if you bring them to you, you demonstrate that you have power that should be respected in it’s own right. Make no mistake about it. You have more power than any man on earth right now, because you are really and truly free. No man or nation can take what you’ve been given away from you. You have no dependence on them for anything. I provide all your resources from sources beyond their control. When they realize this, then you have all you need to bargain with.”

“I guess I never really thought it through. That helps me greatly with my strategy, but the next question comes to mind. How do I arrange to meet them? I’ll need to know who to contact, and where they’re located so that you can bring them here. I also need to know something of what they like, so that when they dine they’re at ease at my table.”

I saw that here was where Sharon could fit in. She had an innate ability to put people at ease, and was able to see the needs of others, often before they expressed them.

“I’ll help you with that. Your first choices will lead to your next ones like tipping over dominoes. All you have to do is make sure you research your first contacts carefully to make the right impression,” Peter said.

“If you don’t mind I feel like a wobbly domino myself. I think I need to go to bed. It’s probably late where I came from, and my body hasn’t caught up from the last few days,” Sharon said apologetically.

“Same here,” I said. “I have slept a few times, but all in all I don’t know what rhythm I’m on anymore.”

“Good night then. I hope you both sleep well. Let me know if you need anything,” Peter replied.

Sharon and I walked down the hall together, and I said good night at her door. I was tempted to try a kiss, but decided it was too early and didn’t want to push my luck. I went to my own room very satisfied with the day, and shortly afterward was fast asleep.