Earth Ship Protectress: Book Two in the Freddy Anderson Chronicles by John Ricks Page B

getting anything done in those cumbersome outfits. It must be very difficult.”
    We sat there for the next five hours, planning out what I could do and what she needed to do. Early on, we were joined by most of the crew. Some were playing with the new toy. They came up with some great ideas. The commander said, “There are experts who have already figured out what needs to go first to a moon base. I’ll call them and get ideas on whom to contact.”
    “Some experts on setting up a base would be great, Commander. But please talk with the president first, and get her thoughts. I don’t want to step over that line and upset her.”
    “Don’t worry. I won’t let that happen.”

    Blue asked with some irritation, “Game? His first ship is a game? What is a game?”
    Green answered, “A game is not fully understood. At first we thought it was something that children do to pass the time before going to their form of mind-conforming protocol they call school. Then we found out that games are used to teach as entertainment and to bash each other senseless, as with destructive games called football and soccer. At this time we see ‘games’ as possible military training for the masses. There is almost always a winner and a loser.”
    Yellows added, “It has come to our attention that they call many games ‘war games.’ This conforms with many of the messages we witnessed in their transmissions.”
    Blue said, “Then Gray was correct in thinking that they are trained for war at birth. No wonder they are so devastating.”
    Twenty Grays marched in and stationed themselves around the room. They were in armor and heavily armed. The large Gray who was leading them looked like he would kill for no reason. He said in a voice meant to intimidate, “Devastating isn’t the half of it. Our commanders are now trying to figure out how to keep them from destroying our home world. All but one of their ships passed us and are heading that way. As they passed, they sent a message in every language they know.”
    Yellows asked, “Was the message deciphered, little Gray?” Their intimidation did not work, as Blue and Yellows were not the least bit afraid.
    “Yes.”
    Yellows decided to do their own intimidation. “Well!”
    The Gray backed up a little. “The message was the same three words over and over: ‘Give him back.’”
    All eyes turned to me. I smiled. It’s nice to feel wanted.
    Green quickly continued. “Then we have little time.”

Chapter 9New People—and One’s a Government Inspector

    T he next eight months were a blur, as I spent most of that time in the shop, coming out only to grab something to eat. I received reports about how the government wanted to have more of the scanners and power systems—a lot more—so I released the full patent to them for temporary use in the research of its possibilities. The girls came up with some requests for changes to the layout of the shuttle controls, and I gladly made them. The more I agreed to their suggestions, the more they opened up. One day, I received a request for over twenty changes—silly stuff like backup systems, lights, IFF (Information Friend or Foe), a black box, and—can you believe it?—restrooms, as if I wouldn’t have thought of that for the real thing! It grabbed my attention, and I came out.
    There were three people near the trainer whom I’d never seen before, but none of the girls were visible. I went back into the shop.
    “Shop, please contact Home, and find out where the girls are.”
    “ Freddy, two of the team are now headed toward the door to this shop—the commander and Katie. Two are in the upper forest, one is in the watch room, eight are in the new home complex, two are in the trainer, and the rest are in the h ouse.”
    “ Shop, please hold. It does not sound like there’s a problem.” Telepathically, I called to Katie.
    “ Hi, Fr eddy.”
    “I came out, and there were people here I do not know.”
    “I can sense your worry.