TEMPUS CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

 

 

Love is not the dying moan of a distant violin – it’s the triumphant twang of a bedspring.

S.J. Perelman

Back at the Cave, the two ships were unloaded and everyone found rooms.

“M1 meet M2 or you from another future.”

“Watcher scan both Hawking and Einstein for implants.”

“Einstein has a small implant in his right-hand Cristian.”

“Check his DNA, see if he has been altered?”

“No signs Cristian.”

“Lorelei, get my Mother and Einstein to the med lab as fast as you can.”

“Albert, you have a Lizard implant in your hand, we need to remove it immediately.”

“Please yes.”

“Mom, I need you to remove it.”

“I need to put him out.”

“No need, Watcher can do it.”

Mary cut out the implant and Cristian grabbed it and jumped into the Ascalon. He took it back to the future cave and threw it out an open hatch to the rubble below. Then he flew home.

“When did you go, Cristian?” Asked Lorelei.

“I just had to drop something back at the cave we just blew up.”

“Will that fool them?”

“No, probably not, but it’s better there than here.”

“Everybody settled in?”

“They are all huddled around the dream team.”

“Does anyone blame Einstein for the deaths in the future?”

“Mary didn’t tell them.”

“Probably better that way. I saved you some supper. Interested?”

“Your cooking, sweetie, always.”

“There is fresh coffee and apple pie.”

“You had me at coffee.” “Mom got a minute?”

“Sure.”

“I understand you kept quiet about the implant, thanks.”

“It was the right thing to do. It wasn’t Albert’s fault.”

“Where did you take it?”

“To your house, or should I say crater. The whole side of the mountain is gone.”

“Good place for it.”

She looked over at Lorelei in the kitchen. “She is a good woman, Cristian. You could not have done better in any time.”

“I know Mother, she is my everything.”

“She feels the same Son, as it should be.”

“Can any of your people fight?”

“They want to, but they are scientists.”

“Mom, I am going to say hi to Hawking and Einstein privately.”

“Stephen, Albert would have told you about the implant.”

“Keep that to yourself, these people watched their friends slaughtered as a result. Albert, this is not your doing, do not take responsibility.”

“It makes me angry, Cristian.”

“Me too, we know when they are to leave to attack. I plan to destroy their base before that happens. I was going to blow up their ship inside their base, but I don’t want to give it up.”

“I hear you tortured one of them.”

“Nope, just threatened to make a new pair of boots out of him. He says there are only twenty, I am sure that means two hundred or more. They are in a multilevel underground installation. If you two have any ideas on how to destroy them, let me know. I am going to have some food. I see Lorelei bringing supper over. We can discuss it later. I see your fan club is waiting patiently for you anyway.”

“Ya, it is a great discussion we are having. Good idea to bring M2 back with you. Two robots are better than one” said Albert.

Cristian smiled. Lorelei brought his supper and sat with her husband and watched him eat. It was her reward for the cooking. She had made him a couple of fat veggie burgers with fresh tomatoes from the greenhouse and a big chunk of cheddar,  TVP bacon and some macaroni on the side. He gulped down almond milk chased with a shot of coffee. Man, he loved good food, and he loved the redhead sitting across from him. When he got to the apple pie, he made extra noises of contentment for his bride. He didn’t need to fake them. Her pie was the best he had ever tasted, with lots of cinnamon, but not much sugar.

”A meal fit for a king. Hail to the king, baby.” Lorelei moved in closer for the kiss.

“I need to keep your strength up, husband. This pregnancy has made me very” and she whispered the rest in his ear should the occupants of the cafeteria hear.

“Now?” he smiled.

“Yes please husband.”

Mary looked over and smiled, it was good to see her son happy.

“Lorelei, we are going to clean up the kitchen, you two look tired, you should go and rest.”

“I am feeling a little tired, Mother,” He said, looking over at Lorelei.

“Watcher get the M’s to fortify the rear door top and bottom, maybe it will help in the future. Scramble the command codes every ten minutes from now on.”

“Will do, Cristian, I won’t disturb you unless needed.”

“Cristian out.”

When they were out of sight, he picked up Lorelei in his arms and carried her to the bed. He had his way with his wife.

“That was, vigorous husband,” she said, taking a deep breath.

“Must be that short dress you were almost wearing.”

“The one lying in shreds on the floor.”

“Is that okay?”

“More than okay, Husband.”

She lay there, head on his chest, she studied her Husband’s body soaked in sweat. “What again husband. A woman’s work is never done.”

“Oh, I get it, a quick seven or eight times, and you want to quit.”

“No Husband, I am just getting started.” he was genuinely afraid at that moment.

“Yikes.”