Jacob And Tiffany Naked in SchoolPart 2B Tuesday
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Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, Captain of the Flying Dutchman, 9 am, October 28th 2006.
The hospital room I was in was rather quiet. The machines did their subdued beeping as they did what they were supposed to.
But like any place there was quiet, it was about to be shattered.
I woke up muttering. "The fluctuations in the density drives adjustments are causing the changes in the effective simulations of reality. Those fluctuations are caused by frequency adjustments. So what would happen if I started to mess with frequency as the underlying basis for travel? Paper. I need paper."
The nurse in the hallway heard me. "What are you babbling about? Welcome back to the land of the living by the way. Although you do sound a bit delirious."
"No." I replied as I looked about the room. I needed paper. I started to get up.
Now where is that paper?
The nurse paged a doctor. "Dr. Watson. Your patient has awakened. I started to try to move, and discovered several things had changed since last I was in this body. One, my stabbed hand seemed to be working. Another thing was that a lot of the pains of the last week had faded away. The last recently noticed thing was that my left leg felt very different. That's when I fell.
I thought the reason I had legs was because they were supposed to support me.
Dr. Watson came in just in time to catch me as I fell. "Be careful with that. You've just recovered."
"I was looking for paper."
"The gift shop should have some." the doctor informed me as he helped me to sit back on my bed.
"I might as well ask the usual question. What am I doing here?"
"What do you remember?"
Nothing I learned in this world.
"One moment I was falling, and that was it."
"To tell you the truth, I'm not sure I understood the whole story correctly. If I recall correctly, you fell out of some weird flying thing, bounced around a road and smashed into a rock. From there a state police search party located you and transferred you to this hospital."
"Great." I replied. "Tiffany's rescue worked out with a couple of small setbacks. Ok. That I can deal with. I'm here, I'm better, but I'll probably be needing a cane for a month.
"I'm sorry, but you should be saying forever."
"Speaking of time, how long have I been out?"
"Since late Wednesday night."
That would explain why I am so rested.
But did he not just say I'll be needing this cane for the rest of my life?
I was not happy with that. Then again it would be expecting too much of the universe to have escaped all that I had recently gone through with no penalty.
"Damn. Ok. Where is the cane? Where are my clothes for that matter?"
The doctor was making a few notes in a file. "In the closet. The cane is on the other side of your bed."
Good. Time to get out of here.
I reached for the cane. Then I got up.
Watson quickly put his file down. "Slow down there. I haven't shown you how to use that yet."
This is getting a little annoying. Just because I nearly died does not make me helpless. I've been in far more pain than this.
I put my proverbial and (unbroken) foot down on this. "I broke my foot three years ago. I remember the physics of using a cane." This I proved by limping over to the closet. There I pulled out my clothes and tossed them to the bed. Then I used the side of the closet to prop myself and used my new cane like a golf club to move my shoes nearer to a stool. "So what else has been happening while I was out of it?"
"Not much. Your friends brought your father in from the Middle East."
My father? For what reason would they need to get him???
"Why?"
"Why? Aren't you going to ask me how?"
"They used the Flying Dutchman."
"How'd you know? You were too far gone at the time to be hearing anything."
I tried to resist the obvious line.
Really, I did.
But it was just too good to pass up.
"Elementary, my dear Doctor Watson. The only way they could have found my father and brought him back here before tea time today was to use the Dutchman. Conventional methods would not be able to accomplish this."
"Very well, the why is because the hospital refused to let me opereate without a parent present to sign the paperwork."
"Ok."
"You do not sound surprised."
"I'm not. There is more paperwork on this planet than there are bugs. A worse biblical plague could not exist."
"True." Dr. Watson finally noticed what I was up too. "What are you doing?"
"Dressing." I put my clothes on, struggling slightly with my newly bad leg. Then I put on my shoes, grunting slightly with the pain that came from bending my bad leg. Looks like I'll have to be careful with that leg for a while. Then I limped back to the closet and got my coat. I checked the inside pocket for my wallet.
"Don't worry. Nobody stole anything."
"I'm not concerned with that. I'm just checking to make sure I have taxi money. I'm betting the students who got my father used the Dutchman to return him, then took it to get themselves home." I counted out several hundred dollars I had taken from my engineering fund for the original mall hanging out trip.
Dr. Watson watched me as I did this. "You're leaving us?"
"Yes. I overheard earlier that the only thing really wrong was my apparent coma. I was only gathering my strength to deal with the world again."
"I can see nothing I can say will stop you. Be careful with that leg then."
Chapter 88: Mr. Bacon.10:30am
Ninety thousand dollars a year is not enough payment for the stress I have been under from running this school after this week. Rapes and riots, attempted murders and near mayhem have happened. And this crazy week is not even over yet.
The only thing that kept me from setting fire to all this paperwork and making a run for Aruba was the feeling that this naked in school concept had some merit.
But by the educational gods, this program's teething problems are chewing up my time and my school.
I reached for another stack. I might be out of here by two AM if I get to work.
Then more trouble walked in.
"I need to talk to you."
I looked up from the pile of papers.
Heather had walked right past the secretary.
Does she think that her friends still run this school?
Still I tried to be polite. "Can't it wait? I'm busy with paperwork."
"No. It involves the fallout from the Stone/ football feud."
"That's what most of these papers involve." I told her as I waved my hand over my paper-covered desk. "Which of the problems are you referring to?"
"Tiffany's unprovoked attack on me."
I reached for another file and checked some papers. Finally I found a few documents in Ms. Q's handwriting. "According to this report, it was not unprovoked."
Heather's face changed to anger when she recognized Ms. Q's writing. "Yeah, principal." She started, growling, "Tiffany's attack was provoked. But not by me. By that teacher. She accused me of using my words to rape Tiffany." Heather spat those words angrily as if it was my fault that her teacher could have conceived anything that stupid.
Now I was starting to get upset. Unfortunately, principals were not allowed to show their true feelings that quickly. "Didn't you say that she deserved what happened?"
Heather was unrepentant. "She did. The high school was working excellently until Jacob started messing with the way things were run. The sports teams and their supporters have made this school one of top schools in this state, and the press we brought in also made your fund raising more successful."
Somehow I kept my temper. Things are changing around here anyway. Their time was over. Some people just had not gotten the message. "You still haven't explained why she deserved it."
"Because she turned down sex with athletes to sleep with a nerd. A nerd who did not know his place and how things were run."
"You mean the place you and your jock happy friends assigned him. He might not know that place, but he certainly knows how things are run. How else do you think he won the feud?"
"He didn't win in the end, thank god." Heather came back with feeling. "Koke saved the school's honor by getting Tiffany a few nights ago. Then Jacob died rescuing her. As soon as we get rid of Tiffany, the school will be back to normal."
Not if I have anything to say about it.
Then my blood ran cold as the import of her last sentence sunk in.
I will never know how I managed to hold my temper. "Get rid of Tiffany? You advocating her murder as well?"
Her eyes flashed furiously. "Get this. Jacob was not murdered. He got what he deserved. He deserved to die more than most criminals on the news. At least they know how to play the legal system. Jacob refused to play the system. He thought he beat down the system. Well, even beaten down, the system was strong enough to get him in the end. As for Tiffany, she will get hers soon enough."
I had had enough. Smacking sense into that girl was becoming a more and more attractive idea. Somehow I maintained my self control. "Watch it. The athletes don't run this school. Not anymore. Jacob was not the only person who thought that. Several of us on the staff hated our deal with the devil."
"Deal with the devil?"
"The devil. Otherwise known as Coach Koke. We tolerated Koke's behavior, and the athlete's arrogance because he did do what you said. We needed the money to get this school out of trouble and to provide you students with everything you needed. But now he has become a liability. I have been looking into alternative funding for the school. More people than you and your fanatic friends know about have decided we are taking back our school."
"You can try. But in the end you will learn that the sports fanatics as you call us will always run this place."
"You barged into my office to tell me that?"
"No, I came in here to get my eligibility back for the various after school groups I belonged to."
"Why should I do that? I agree with everything Ms. Q did to put you in your place."
"You're gonna do it because I did learn one thing from that archgeek. Since Tiffany was not punished and I was, I'm going to call a lawyer, than sue everybody involved."
"You're entire argument is that you want us to punish the victim?" I asked in shocked disbelief.
"The only victim here, is me."
I looked at her. She obviously refused to get it. "I despise everything you've said. If it were up to me, I would expel you and wipe your name from our records. But you have enough friends on the cheerleader squad that I'm allowing you back on it. Only the cheerleader squad. You mess up again, and I'll sign your expulsion papers before you even get to this office. I've already got them filled out."
"Burn them then. The athletes will establish their rule again. And we will put Koke in that chair." Heather pointed to the chair I was sitting in.
Chapter 89: Tiffany11:41am
I was let out of class early to get ready for the spirit show. As I headed to the gym, I showed my note to the hall attendant. I could see in her face that she was wondering the same thing I was. Why did a program student need any time to change for the spirit show?
I agreed with such thoughts. But I was also a high school kid. No way I was turning down a way out of class. Wasn't happening.
Diane met me at the door. She had a concerned look on her face. "You sure you can do this?"
I tried not to sound as dead as I felt emotionally. But it was going to take something massive to get me to care about the world around me again. "No. But he would not want me to hide in depression. It's hard and it hurts."
"Then take some time off." She suggested. "Stay at home, rest, recover, watch cable. Just do something for yourself."
"That's a nice suggestion, with only one problem. If I stop living my normal life, they've won. I'm not going to let them win."
Coach Cane entered the room. "Ok. There are a lot of freshman in here, so I'm going to explain the procedures for the spirit show. At noon, everybody will be dismissed from whatever class they are in. Everybody will be in the stands by quarter after. We will be standing in two rows, forming an aisle for the athletes to run down between the locker room and the stage at the other end of the gym."
"Cheering and screaming our heads off, right coach?" Cindy commented.
Then I heard a voice I would have happily lived the rest of my life without hearing again. "Of course. We're cheerleaders." Heather was in the doorway.
And Jacob thinks the universe hates him.
Then I tensed up. Friends later told me I looked like a starving tiger getting ready to pounce on a lamb. Then I went to sack Heather like one of those football players she so admired.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Diane demanded as she and a few other cheerleaders held me back. I never knew she was that strong.
Heather waved a paper at us with the sort of triumphant look people love to punch before handing it to the coach. "The principal saw sense. He reinstated me and is deciding what punishment Tiffany will receive."
Through rage best compared to a simmering volcano, I noticed that a lot of cheerleaders were glad Heather was back.
"Settle down girls. I'll get to the bottom of this." Cane told us. "It's time to get in your places."
We got in our positions and got ready. I promised myself I'd act like I usually would.
There was a makeshift stage on one end of the gym with several banners cheering the school teams. The stands on both sides of the gym were filled. From the looks of the crowds, the booster store had made a lot of money that morning.
Mr. Bacon stepped up onto the makeshift stage and ignored the microphone. Like Jacob, he has a way of captivating an entire crowd with his unaided voice. His speech was as predictable as falling rain.
Ms. Q followed him. She repeated most of the principal's remarks. She sounded a lot cooler though.
Then various coaches were called up. The coaches called out the names of the athletes on their teams. As the athlete's names were called out, they would run between the cheerleaders to the applause of the crowd and cheers of their teammates.
Coach Bromby called out the soccer players' names. Once they all ran out, the coach surveyed the crowd. "It's already been an exciting year."
The crowd cheered.
"Our team is undefeated!"
The crowd cheered some more.
"Two of our juniors have already received full soccer scholarships."
There was even more cheering.
"Every year the players are asked to name somebody on the team who they think has made a real difference in the school and the team's performance. Usually this award is given to the leading scorer, or a student who has done something surprising to pull victory from defeat in a tough game. This year we have on a team a student who has shown us all what it means to stand in the face of adversity, to try to do the right thing when every self-persevering thought says duck and hide. It is now my great pleasure to report that yesterday, at our practice, the soccer team voted Jacob Stone Most Valuable Teammate for his contribution to the team, and to the school."
I cheered loudly at that.
Coach Bromby moved off the stage to stand with his players.
"And now, speaking for the football team is..." the principal started.
"Is me." Kevin finished for him as he jumped on the stage. His arm was in a sling.
"What happened to Koke?" Ms. Q asked.
"He was arrested."
The room went quiet.
"Don't let that ass spoil the party. I'm not good at speeches, so I'm going to call the players names and then shut up."
The principal whispered something into his ear.
"Ok. Ok. I'll say something. But nothing about Koke or what happened yesterday. I'm not the hero here. The hero's are the players, the ones who will win tomorrow and carry us to the championship! And here they are... Fred..."
"The crowd cheered."
"Dave..."
More loud cheering.
"Mike..."
Suddenly the cheering stopped as if turned of by a switch.
Koke shoved Kevin aside. He purposely pushed on Kevin's broken arm.
Kevin managed not to fall off the makeshift stage.
Koke grabbed the mike as it fell out of Kevin's hand. "I'll take that. Good news, everyone. I'm back and Stone's been stopped. First thing I want to say right now is that those traitors, Fred and Kevin are expelled from the football team."
Fred jumped up to the stage and stood next to Kevin. "How the hell did you get out of jail?"
"I made my bail. And now I'm back."
"What?" I think I was just short of going into shock.
"You can't be serious!" Fred and Kevin said almost in unison.
"He is." Jacob's voice rang out from where the athletes had been entering.
There is a moment of shocked silence. Then the entire place broke out in applause.
Jacob walked down the pathway between the cheerleaders, his attention concentrated on Koke. His attention was so concentrated, it was as if the rest of the universe had ceased to exist.
"You again?? Will you please die?" said a very exasperated coach Koke.
"I tried that. They sent me back."
I saw Heather take advantage of Jacob's distraction to trip him.
Chapter 90: JacobPersonal log (voice), J. J. Stone, Captain of the Flying Dutchman, 12:30 pm, October 28th 2006.
"You again??" the coach told me, "Will you please die?"
"I tried that. They sent me back."
Suddenly I fell. Hard.
Being tripped unexpectedly tends to cause such things to happen.
Tiffany rushed over to help me up as several other people start to advance on Heather.
I should have known she'd be involved.
"No."
Apparently I had only whispered it.
The way the crowds were advancing on her, it was obvious they did not hear me.
Tempting as it has been increasingly getting, I cannot waste time on her. She can escape. The fireworks I'm about to cause are to be centered on Koke.
Several people helped me back to my feet. I took a deeper breath, then spoke louder, "No, leave the poor fool alone. She is not my target today."
The principal looked hesitant, but he made himself ask, "Who is your main target?"
I moved to where I could address everybody. "I am through playing the games expected of me. Today I am going to end this. Once and for all. I know what Koke's immediate fate will be. I will tell you all, and you will comply."
"You little fucker, who the hell are you to say what's going to happen to me?" he started moving to the edge of the makeshift stage.
Then I did it.
Once and for all I embraced The Legend.
"Who I am is the persecuted made triumphant. Who I am is the activist who deals with senators and the like as often as you deal with junk email. Who I am is the man who broke the bounds of science. Who I am is the man that they thought died for love, only to live again to face the fates. Who I am is Jacob Jehoooooooooooooosephat Stone. And may whatever god you worship have mercy on what I leave of you if you make one further move in my direction."
There was total silence.
Dramatic speech out of the way, I continued. "Koke's back because his contract requires employment in the district until he is proven guilty, no matter the crime."
"Exactly. You will never win."
His smugness would have been getting really annoying, had I not known what was coming.
"How do you know that?" the principal asked.
"I know it because I've more connections then there are people in this room. Plus there is more than one route to any victory."
Ms. Q asked worriedly, "What have you got in mind?"
"Simple. He is to be transferred to the part of the school caretakers that deals with scraping gum off of student desks. Also he can be allowed to clean the bathrooms spotless, with a broken toothbrush. He is to be stripped of all teaching duties, and all coaching duties."
"Never. No nerd is going to get me thrown out of my coaching job."
"That's a bit harsh." the principal noted.
"Indeed. But I'm afraid you have no choice. Before I came here, I stopped in the Dutchman, and called the superintendent. As soon as he learned the full history, the super was eager to accept my recommendations. It seems the fact my next call was going to be to my favorite members of the press had an effect on him."
"You're serious?" the principal said. There was no questioning tone in his voice however.
"I am. To make my victory sweeter, I am also taking command of the football team."
"No!" Koke screamed.
The principal whispered something harshly to Koke.
Koke shuts up.
All Kevin could hear was something about giving up, the school's not supporting him... there are worse fates then Stone has come up with.
"What happens if we comply?" The principal asked. "After all this, you cannot expect to go back to being a normal student."
"No, I do not expect that. I was never a normal student. I've stopped resisting that fact. I have embraced the legend I first created in self defense. But remember, the legend has a sense of honor."
"That is good enough."
Chapter 91: Ms. Q2:50pm
I went to my office after letting my last class of the day out a little early.
They are going to enjoy the next ten minutes.
I'm not.
I knew trouble was coming ever since the Naked In School project's sponsors in the senate came looking for schools to run their pilot programs in. They said that free viewing of naked bodies is something the teens would love. Well, they have to put a few more protections in place for the rights of the students in the program.
I would love to know what convinced them that the students would not factor the program into the high school mentality. Maybe, when they are in college, they might be mature enough to grasp the respect parts.
Maybe.
There was a knock at the door. It was soft, lifeless, just loud enough to be heard.
That would be Tiffany Mary French, the female guinea pig for this week.
Then there was a knock that sounded like an annoyed deity had arrived.
Jacob Jehosophat Stone had arrived.
"Come on in you two."
Jacob opened the door and waved for Tiffany to enter first.
Tiffany entered. She looked around and chose a seat.
Jacob entered, checked the room, and closed the door. He moved towards the wall and stood there.
That was because the other two chairs in my office were occupied.
One held a male.
The other held a female.
I indicated the male. "This is Dr. Rodgers with the state board of education."
Tiffany did not look like she cared.
Jacob gave one of his self assured nods.
The woman was a different story. She started to introduce herself. "And I'm...
"Sarah Hennings, from senator Clinton's educational advisory board." Jacob finished for her. "How's Hillary?"
How can he act as if this was just another meeting?
Tiffany's mouth dropped as Jacob asked after the New York senator.
"Senator Clinton is fine." She said a little stiffly.
"Let me introduce our program students for this week."
"No," Dr. Rodgers interrupted, "let them speak for themselves."
"Now, you young man. Who are you?"
Jacob just pulled out a card. He passed it around.
Tiffany and Ms. Q. passed the card on to the visitors.
Dr. Rodgers took the card and read it. "Afternoon, Mr. Stone."
Then Sarah Hennings took the card. She read it. "No." She took another look at the card. Then she took a closer look at Jacob.
Jacob asked, "Is there a problem?"
Hennings gave him a look. "You know damn well what the problem is."
"Please tell me that you are not one of those short sighted adults who think teenagers cannot do anything without adult guidance."
"Can they?"
"Check your history. Chap by the name of Alexander the Great took over all of the world that he knew about. He did this as a teenager."
"So?"
"If one teenager can conquer his world, why cannot another teenager change his small part of it?"
Hennings was silent.
I decided to take control of the conversation going on in my office.
"Enough of that. Whether he is a famous activist or not, today he is here as a program student. Jacob, Tiffany, the students run though the program are usually asked their thoughts on it by Dr. Rogers so that a report can be made and we here at the school can improve it. Due to the events of this last week, Mrs. Hennings came down from New York to learn first hand some of the problems we've had."
Dr. Rodgers turned to Tiffany. "Now then young lady, what's your name and how did the program help you?"
I flinched at that.
Tiffany spoke in her emotionally dead voice. "I'm Tiffany French. I'm a freshman. It started out as a way to expand my horizons. They told me this program was to expose social insecurities and build a better social reality." Tiffany stopped there.
"Yes?" Dr. Rodgers asked.
Hennings looked at her. "Please go on."
She issued her damning indictment with all the emotion of a houseplant. "It exposed my body to every sex driven male in the high school. There are claims that this program teaches respect for our bodies. I was not shown much respect. People from students to teachers thought the fact that I was walking around naked made me a sex toy. The rule about not being able to say no made it easy for everybody to do what he or she wanted. What do you think that teaches us? And it did not build me up. It destroyed me. In the last week, I've been verbally attacked, attacked under the stands, physically assaulted by a teacher, raped and nearly murdered by the same teacher. Plus there is every indication that it was the rape that gave me AIDS."
Jacob moved away from where he was to stand next to Tiffany. He put his hand reassuringly on Tiffany's shoulder. "Now it is my turn. For the record, I am Jacob Jehosophat Stone. I was put in the program this week, and because of it, I was the focal point of a feud with the football team over their rights to torment who they pleased. While the program was not responsible for this mentality, it gave this mentality quite a desirable target. As for me, I won the battle, but ended up in the hospital. It was only because of a revolutionary procedure that I'm still alive."
"What do you think of the program?"
"Are you really sure you want me to answer that?"
"Yes." Mrs. Hennings snapped. "He would not have asked you otherwise."
"Very well. I find it rather flawed. It's high goals are endangered by the low mentalities that your target audience will/have shown."
"Do you know there will be a meeting on this on Saturday?"
"Yes. I've been told this. What exactly I'm going to say, I'm still deciding."
"You were right. I'm used to thinking that kids your age need a lot of guidance. But Tiffany is right. This program is supposed to teach respect. However, it's our goal to have this respect between everybody. That means I have to respect your reputation. Even if I'm uncomfortable with the age of the man that earned it."
Jacob nodded. A slight grunt escaped him. "Sorry. Still getting used to needing this cane."
I indicated the edge of my desk. "Go ahead. You will not get in trouble."
"Thanks." Jacob sat on the corner.
Chapter 92: Tiffany2:59pm
Jacob nodded. A slight grunt escaped him. "Sorry. Still getting used to needing this cane."
Ms. Q. indicated the edge of her desk. "Go ahead. You will not get in trouble."
"Thanks." Jacob sat down.
I watched as Jacob limped to Ms. Q's desk.
Ms. Q cleared off a corner for Jacob.
There are those who think teenagers are willing to accept nearly anything. To a point, they are right. Why should we think about things we do not understand or cannot change? Why should we care about things that do not affect us? But even I'm having trouble believing just how easily Jacob returned. He mentioned something about an experimental procedure. He also told me that medicine was not his specialty. It is mine, and what he told me still seemed a bit futuristic. And I still think it is amazing that all he paid for the events of this last week was a permanently damaged leg.
Dr. Rodgers let Mrs. Hennings finish swallowing her pride. Then he asked Jacob, "What would it take for you to put your support behind this?"
Jacob looked blankly back.
Or he thought he did.
Science class went as it usually did. Jacob and Mr. Schuman got into a deep argument again on the fundamental interactions of density as it related to forces within reality. They went at it for ten minutes again, losing the rest of us 3 minutes into the argument. I did sit next to him though. I didn't do anything else to get his attention. I just watched him scribble the answers to the science experiments in the lab book before Mr. Shuman finished explaining. In other words science class...
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Jacob Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, Captain of the Flying Dutchman, 2:34 pm, October 28th 2006. I sat on the bench watching Kevin do incomprehensible things with the game. We were nearing the end of the second half and I think the opposing team just received some sort of penalty. That meant Fred got to kick the football. It went through the goal posts. Even I know that meant we got 6 points. Touchdown I think that move is called. When I remarked on this, I was informed that a penalty...
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Senate Majority Leader 9:30 am, November 5th, 2006 2:20 am, November 6th, 2006 (local time) Senator Klause stood at the podium. "Ladies and gentlemen, fellow servants of our God Given President. It is my duty to continue this lecture in the hopes that those that put this treasonous piece of..." "Enough." Senator Clinton snapped. "Mr. Majority Leader, I believe that there was a motion for cloture first on the agenda?" "I beg your pardon, traitor? Nothing can be more important then...
Melanie 4:02pm, November 5th, 2006 9:02am November 6th, 2006 (local time) I wonder if my boyfriend is still... To find out, I stuck my head through the hatch to the bridge. Yep. He still is. This is ridiculous. He needs sleep like the rest of us. Kevin turned. He saw my face and paled a little. Excellent. The only time men obey women without question is when they are aroused... aroused or scared. "Kevin! Why the hell are you not in bed?" "I'm not tired." his yawn betrayed...
Tiffany Personal log (voice), Tiffany French, Captain of the Flying Dutchman, 12:10am, November 1st, 2006 I grabbed my coke and slice of pizza and sat down on the sofa. "Did you see the way those tough guys ran when they saw that headless horseman image?" Lucy asked. "Did I?" Debbie laughed. "I saw them running past the gate. It was soooooo cool." "I bet." Mr. Mason added. "Ok everybody, you can enjoy the laughs later. Time to see how well we did. Karen, have you finished...
Saturday Chapter 236 Ashley 12:20 am, November 5th, 2006 5:20 pm, November 5th, 2006 (local time) And here I thought my workouts were harsh. He's been at it for the last twenty minutes and I've barely heard him complain. He really must have some demons he's trying to forget. Jacob grabbed a drink from a table at the side of the room. "You might want to slow down a bit. You don't have to do the whole week's regimen in one go." the trainer told him. Jacob did not so much as...
Wednesday, November 2nd, 2006 Chapter 76 Military reporter for the Stars and Stripes 12:04 am November 2nd, 2006 (5:04 pm local time, Palestine) This was the strangest trial I ever attended. The Commandant on the Parris Island Marine Base Training Camp is not the sort of defendant I expected to meet on my beat in the Middle East. And he was on trial for piracy. Not even in my most drunk and drugged party state in college would I have thought this would happen. The defendant looked...
Jacob. Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, Captain of the Hades, 3:50 am, October 31st, 2006 (1:50 pm local time) I felt my pulse starting to speed up again. Odd. Why should a simple recounting of the story cause this? My mother spoke as I paused for more tea. "You never told me you planned something this advanced." "You never asked." I told her. "To finish the report. The missile hit the outermost shields and exploded. Harmlessly as far as we were concerned. Not so for the other...
General Colt, USMC 1050 pm November 2nd, 2006 3:50 pm November 3rd, 2006 (local time) I watched two burly MPS came in. They were the same ones who arrested me a few days back. I stood happily to one side as they grabbed General Smith and dragged him out as if he had never been their commander. I stood there for a few moments enjoying the memory. Then I called my secretary in. He came in and stood in front of my desk. He didn't even come to attention. I could see that I was going to...
Tiffany Personal log (voice), Captain French of the Flying Dutchman, 2:19 pm, November 3rd, 2006 8:19 am November 4th, 2006 (local time) The Flying Dutchman flew on through the stratosphere. Nobody knew they were there. That was of no concern to the occupants. With all the systems smarter than the people inside of it, they had a bigger problem. It was finally sinking in to them exactly what they were about to do. Debbie for one was looking back and forth between the holographic...
Kevin Personal log (voice), Kevin, Captain of the Mary Ellen 9:35 pm, November 3rd, 2006 3:35 am November 4th, 2006 (local time) Now it is time to really take this attack on the offensive. Until now we've only been an annoyance. Well, maybe a little more troubling than that. But leveling targets doesn't do much towards rescuing Jacob and crew. We're going to have to land our people eventually. I just hope I'm returning with the same number of people as I left with. "Approaching...
Fred 9:50pm Jacob watched everybody from the chair he was sitting on. He finished his beer and looked at it for a moment. Then he put it down. I grabbed Dave as he passed by. "Can I get another Killiens?" "Sure. I never knew you were into the imported stuff." "I'm not. But Jacob likes it." "Not the Jacob?" "Yep. He's in the chair in the corner." "Will wonders never cease. Take as many as you want. Nobody will ever believe I provided beer for Jacob Stone." I went over to...
Lt. Anna 'Thunderfeet' Cork 9 pm November 2nd, 2006 2 pm November 3rd, 2006 (local time) I caught up with Ashley as she was leaving the gym. "Did you think any more about what I said about Jacob?" "No!" Ashley snapped. "No? Why not?" "Because I've bigger issues to deal with than some guy." she said with some anger. I finally turned to look at her. Ashley had a look on her face that reminded me of the time I had to tell my husband I smashed the Trans Am into a china shop. It...
Captain Amy 'Rolling Stone' Stone, USAF Sunday, 4:25am. "Rolling Stone, you are cleared for landing. Winds are adverse at 30 miles an hour." Adverse winds. Ha! I barely looked at the controls of the fighter. I didn't need too. Despite what my flight instructor said, there were only so many controls that were important at any one time. And I landed smoothly. I hopped out of the fighter and moved towards the pilots lounge. With luck, I had time to grab a quick bit of coffee and a...
Captain Amy 'Rolling Stone' Stone, USAF Sunday, 12:20pm I banged my fist on the computer desk in frustration. "Six times I've checked now and still no response." I muttered in disgust about the situation. "Six times! This should not be possible." I seriously wanted to shove the computer through the bulkhead. "What's wrong?" Anna 'Thunderfeet' Cork asked. She had a concerned look on her face. "Is the stress of the routine finally getting to you?" "I can't reach Jacob to...
Dr. Lacroy 12:22 pm, November 5th, 2006 5:22 am, November 6th, 2006 (local time) I was working in my lab when the phone rang for the fifteenth time. "Will somebody please get that before I do something very unscientific to them?" My patience had decided to go for a vacation quite a while ago. I had reviewed every bit of research I had. All futile. It was either all under development and too experimental to try, or already determined as not likely to work. So be it. I did not get this...
Karl 5 pm, Tuesday, November 1st, 2006 I closed my geology textbook as the mantle clock chimed five o'clock. It was time. They say we nerds are clever plotters. Tonight I was going to prove them right. If what I'm thinking works out, let's just say that I'll be very happy. I went upstairs to take a quick shower. Afterwards I looked through clothes for something that would not provoke Julia. I was going to take a big risk tonight. Selecting clothes that would not upset her was the...
Bill 11:45 am, November 2nd, 2006 "Bill? Do you have a moment?" I checked my watch. "Sure. I'm not in any rush, given what's on the menu." "What, they let the Home Ec class cook lunch?" "I wish they did. It would at least be looking better than what I'm seeing over there. What can I help you with?" "Come outside with me." I followed him curiously. "Rumor has it, you can give students advice almost as good as your father." "True. But if it's that important, you should...
Gunny Colepepper Personal log (voice), Colepepper, Captain of the Montezuma's Revenge, 10:31 pm, November 3rd, 2006 4:31 pm November 4th, 2006 (local time) "Minimal damage." The environmental agent called out. "Shields holding." "Return fire!" The weapons agent did so. "No apparent damage." the environmental agent informed them. "Let's move. No need to stay here now. Let's try out this thing's orbital capacities." The piloting officer adjusted the course accordingly and...
Libra 2:15 pm The conference room was as bland as possible. There was nothing that would give any immediate clue either as to the owner, or the owner's tastes. It was in a building designed to be so ordinary that nobody would notice it, even if they were staring right at it. I arrived and looked at the other eleven seated at the table. As was traditional, none of us spoke. We all exchanged computerized greetings. Sagittarius looked around and then bent over the keyboard in front him. As...
Adam Stone 11:31 pm, November 4th, 2006 4:31 pm November 5th, 2006 (local time) The table was set up perfectly. There were two cups of tea with the rest of the tea set off to the side. The cups were positioned in front of the chairs. Condiments were close by. A small plate held crackers and cheese. All was indeed in readiness, I saw Jacob arrive. Jacob paused at the entrance to the mess hall. He clapped once. A member of the Density Force ran over to help him stand for a moment. Jacob...
View of Sgt. Matthew Lane 5:45 am, November 4th, 2006 11 pm November 4th, 2006 (local time) I met Major Stone at the door to the private ward. "Thank you for coming." Stone told me. "I got the message. However, I'm surprised that Jacob wants to see me enough to send for me." "He doesn't know. My wife and I decided to send for you." "What do you expect to happen?" "We don't know. But something happened that night in the mess hall. His mother and I expected him to take you...
Vice Admiral Bright 10:20 pm, November 4th, 2006 3:20 pm November 5th, 2006 (local time) I found him precisely where she told me he'd be. He did not react. That meant he already knew I was here. I know I made the trip quickly, but I also knew enough not to think that I moved faster then the high school kids could gossip. Jacob Stone sat at the lake side watching the birds along the shore. In his lap was a load of papers. They looked about a foot high. He was reviewing them....
Karl 8:53am Somebody must have seriously lost their minds. Either it was me shortly after I walked in to the office and I'm dreaming what I just heard, or it was the school staff. "Why me?" I was flabbergasted. "Remember what happened the last time you guys put somebody 'different' through the Program? Don't you guys know what will happen the moment I show my scrawny ass naked in that hallway? Wasn't last week bad enough?" I looked at them like they were experiments that had...
4pm I went into the usual chat room online. Maybe PuckPusher 3000 would be on today. She really seems to be an interesting young lady. Of course with my luck she's 43, weighs 305 pounds and is male. To quote a Meatloaf song, 'you never can be too sure about the girl'. Me? You can be sure about me. I'm Karl Whittiker. German on my mother's side, English on my father's. I turned 18 last year. Despite the promises of my ex, I remained a virgin. In fact I broke up with her that night. I...
Lance Corporal Flack 1 pm, October 31st, 2006 (4 am the next day, local time) I sat there staring at my chicken. It was all very nice and good. But I would have killed for a slice of old english pizza. I went and got some dessert. After this I was going back to my tent. As I reached my table again I overheard an interesting conversation at the table next to me. The conversation got far more interesting when somebody came up to the table. I'm not sure what assignment the Special Forces...
Lou 9:24 pm, November 4th, 2006 2:24 pm November 5th, 2006 (local time) I watched as he was wheeled in. Jacob Jehosophat Stone. I'm betting he never expected this. Truth be told, neither did any of us. But now he's back. The problems will soon be fixed. Soon we will all be able to go home. Then again I'm not sure I want to try explaining all that's happened recently to my parents either. Johann wheeled Jacob in. Jacob stood up briefly. He looked around. Somebody came to talk to...
Vice Admiral Bright 9:50 am, November 4th, 2006 3:50 am November 5th, 2006 (local time) The view from the jet reminded me of one of the bad things about being promoted to Admiralty rank. I can no longer enjoy the thrills of being a fighter pilot. "Incoming signal." my pilot let me know. "American source?" "No. Somehow however, they matched our signal codes exactly. Whoever they are, they are damn clever, Sir." "The Stones." I muttered. "Put it though the headphone...
Lt. Anna Cork 3:30 pm, November 2nd, 2006 (8:30 am November 3rd, local time) I was doing something my job as a fighter pilot didn't give me enough time to do. I was waiting outside the guest barracks to pounce on Ashley. It wasn't that I expected her to be up to no good or anything like that. I just needed some mother-daughter time with Ashley. Ashley walked by a few minutes later. She was carrying her gym bag. "Where are you going?" She patted her gym bag. "I'm off to practice my...
Partial transcript, America over All 7:04 pm November 5th, 2006 12:04 pm November 6th, 2006 (local time) Many events happened recently that are of great interest to all pure Americans. First, our hero, General Colt was recently appointed chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by the God Given President. Second, the Association For An Almighty America went public. Let me strongly recommend that every person listening to this broadcast join this blessed organization. They, more than any...
General Smith 12:10 am, November 4th, 2006 6:10 pm November 4th, 2006 (local time) I was just thinking how I was so lucky it was Jacob's father who was assigned to run things. He was a Marine who had been under my command. He knew me and I knew him. Furthermore he respected me. All that and he was a Marine too. Then my luck changed. I saw a woman walk in. She started whispering to Major Stone. Then Major Stone handed her the school jacket he was wearing. She put it on. Another student...
Jacob Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, Captain of the Hades, 12:33am, October 30th 2006. I just keep doing stupid things. Anybody with an ounce of sense would still be in bed. A full ounce of sense isn't even required to know that. A tenth of an ounce would do. But that fucking military once again involved themselves in my life. I don't want to hate them. Really, I do not. But how can I respect them when every behavior they show ranges from the tactless to tonight's attempt of...
Reverend Black 9:09 pm, November 5th, 2006 2:09 pm, November 6th, 2006 (local time) Lou and Carl assisted Jacob to the ground. Jacob slowly worked his way down to the place his family told him was right. I really hope they were not getting my hopes up about that weird treatment they did. Lazy people might not like walking, but they'd miss it too after too long in a wheelchair. The next design change I will make will make Density Force handicapped assessable. His parents split up. His...
Kevin 10:30am, October 28th, 2006. I watched Jacob's ship land at the side of the school field. He got out and came over. As he limped my way, I saw he was dressed in his normal outfit. That was going to have to change. Then again, I really wasn't comfortable with what was going down here anyway. Jacob had little sports experience outside of watching the Olympics. It was true he was the manager of the soccer team. Sports wise, that's mainly a social job. He didn't need any sports...
Jacob Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, Captain of the Flying Dutchman, 11:30 am, October 29th 2006. The Hades was the second of the Dutchman class vessels to be launched under the command of Jacob Jehosophat Stone. It was the first of it's kind to circle the earth at 45 miles altitude. It was also, as far as I knew, the only manned craft to fly comfortably at that height. Everybody aboard the Hades was in position. Since this was a simple flight, they were mainly here for window...
Tiffany Personal log (voice), Tiffany French, Captain of the Flying Dutchman, 9:35am, October 31st, 2006 I'd like to say the class was interesting. I would, but it would be a lie. The fact is I did not give a damn about the recent deaths of Arafat and Sharon. It's true that I was sitting in current events class. Current events to me involves rock singers and television. That and medical science. The teacher was going on. "Those of us with relatives in the Middle East may be more aware...
Ali Alibaba 10:49 pm, November 5th, 2006 3:49 pm, November 6th, 2006 (local time) "Praise to Allah!" cried our leader. "Allah akbar!!" I shouted back gleefully. "Have you acquired the craft?" "Yes." "Are the items placed where they should be?" "Indeed. The infidels have no clue." "Excellent." "Have we all the information we need?" "That and more." "Allah is merciful. Our day of destiny in soon to be upon us." Chapter 278 Ashley 11:10 pm, November 5th,...
Kevin 2:56 pm, November 5th, 2006 7:56 am, November 6th, 2006 (local time) When will that woman stop pacing? I swear she's trying to wear a hole in my deck. She stopped suddenly. "Anything?" she asked Sam. "Nothing." She started pacing again. I stopped not being annoyed. "That's the eighth time you asked that question. What is so wrong? Why are you pacing around here like that?" "Because we should have heard from them by now." "Heard from who?" "The carrier. We had to...
Krissy 2:58 pm, November 4th, 2006 8:58 am November 5th, 2006 (local time) "Are you sure?" my boyfriend asked. He had an unsure look on his face. It was so cute. "Yes. It's better for me to do it. Remember what you said in the hallway?" "Yes. But moments ago I realized that I was more concerned about you." "That's sweet. Don't worry. I can handle it." "What could possibly have happened that was so bad?" the annoying visitor asked, his attitude up there with nails on...
Megan 10:30am I drove to the Stone farm as fast as I could. This morning I didn't care if I got ticketed. Hell, this morning I wouldn't cared if I had to run barefoot over shattered glass with a broken leg. There was just no way I was going to miss this appointment. It just wasn't going to happen. It wasn't every day that people got an invitation to become part of Stone's project. But that was not what had my mother thrilled. I was being given an exclusive. I was to be the first...
Krissy 7:10 am, Tuesday, November 1st, 2006 I went down to a breakfast of burnt toast. This was nothing new. In case I hadn't mentioned it, both of my parents are in public service. My mother works on the hospital's ambulance. My father is a policeman in Annapolis. Dad's shifts are never constant and mother got called in. Both have to leave often and suddenly. I trashed the burnt toast. Then I put a couple of English muffins in the toaster and waited. Any minute now. The phone...
Valerie Dash Noon If that West Point recruiter had any idea in hell what I'd been left alone with, he'd join the Peace Core. It would be that dramatic a shock to his world view. I picked up the West Point recruiting materials again. With this barn's security systems running, I might be the safest person in the area. Of course the phone rang then. I hit the speaker phone button. "Speak to me." "Is this the Stone farm?" "Who wants to know?" "Staff Sergeant Rogers. I'm trying...
Monday Chapter 27 Jacob Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, Captain of the Hades, 12:03am, October 30th 2006. Somebody was once reported to have said, 'I'm going to bed now. Someone please wake me if there's any other way we can screw up tonight.' The bed part was excellent advice. The problem was that moving made me feel really sick. My stomach was queasy and it felt like there was a gang of rioting musicians playing poorly on purpose in my head. If this was the result of getting...
Major Daniel Stone, 6:42 pm, November 3rd, 2006 12:42 pm November 4th, 2006 (local time) I turned and thought about what else I should be doing about the situation. Then I remembered that I better make sure the surrender took hold and that Colt had no more fanatics on the base. "Get me the Flying Dutchman." "This is the Flying Dutchman, Mister Mason speaking." "This is Major Stone. Stand by for new orders." I hit the mute and asked the crew if the Hades had been recovered...
Ms. Q. 8:54 am, November 4th, 2006 2:54 am November 5th, 2006 (local time) I finished filling out my current report. I put the report in its correct folder and reached for the next folder. Nobody told me back in college just how much paperwork a career in education contained. Sigh. And I'm still not sure what I'm going to do with the Program. This week seemed too quiet. I do not need all the excitement of last week, but a week with no problems is just unnatural in a high school. There...
Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, Captain of the Hades, 9:19pm, October 29th 2006. I must be seriously insane. Crazier than anybody has yet accused me of being. There can be no other reason for what I'm doing tonight. I hit a few more keystrokes. I had another problem. I was once invited to this party. However I was not sure the guest of honor wanted me there today. Good thing it was a costume party. I had already changed into my costume. A wooden leg encasing my bad leg and some makeup...
Krissy 11:43 am, November 4th, 2006 5:43 am November 5th, 2006 (local time) Soup? After all the time I've been in this school, does the cafeteria staff think I am stupid enough to eat their soup? I've heard even the biology department won't touch it. I'm betting it would only take two or three lightning bolts to change it into some new life form. I joined the crowds of students grabbing only chips and sodas. "Hey Krissy." I turned. It was Frank. "Hey Frank what's up? Frank...
Karl 10:25am The bidding was getting hot. "Nineteen fifty." "Twenty." "Twenty two." "Twenty three." Time to get involved. "Twenty five." "Twenty six." the guy I outbid came back. "Twenty seven." the guy he last outbid called. "Twenty eight." "Twenty nine." I saw the two of them double checking their wallets. That wasn't going to help them. I still had all the money I received because my parents made me work when everybody else was doing their Halloween...
Staff Sergeant Rogers. 11 am Tuesday, November 1st, 2006 I met my superior in the oddest place yet. The abandoned outhouse of an 18th century farm. I understood the need for secrecy, but I swear they were finding me some really out of the way places to meet at. I swear if satellite photography revealed the entrance to the mythical Greek underworld, they'd plan a meeting in it's lobby. "You're early." Major General Edwards informed me. I turned and saluted. He returned my salute....
General Colt 4:12 pm, November 3rd, 2006 10:12 am November 4th, 2006 (local time) I drove away from any conceivable major target. My job here was nearly finished. By now any Association agents will be pulling out. But before that they would no doubt have killed Stone and everybody that was with him. I chuckled to myself. The funny thing about it all was that I never had to order them to do so. Their orders said that neither they nor their prisoners were to fall into enemy hands. But their...
Major Daniel Stone, U.S.M.C. 8:53 pm, November 3rd, 2006 2:53 pm November 4th, 2006 (local time) It has been nearly three hours since I took command of this mess. Nearly eight hours since the teens started to attack the base, if the rumors could be believed. It was time to start to get a firmer picture of where we stand. "Okay, all, reports. Lou, you start. What's the status of the Density Force in and of itself?" "All missions accomplished. The ships were redeployed as per orders as...
Julia 12:12 pm, November 3rd, 2006 I got lunch and looked for a seat in my usual area. For some reason, empty seats didn't seem to be so hard to find today. At least lunch didn't look like road kill today. It always helps the digestion when I am able to in fact eat the food. As I sat down, I realized that the lunchroom was a bit emptier than normal. I gave a quick check out the window. Nope, no blizzard. As far as I knew there was no special events going on today that would give that...