made her think. I think she has an eye for ye and it ain't for a golf

game neither. Do ye think ye got time for one more try at true love?"

The old warrior twinkled as he searched Caleb's face for expression.

Caleb showed a weak smile, "Yeah, I've thought about her too ~ don't

know if I've got enough strength left for another round of emotional

trampling ~ besides I can pretty well tell you the outcome, Alpha

won't allow anything in my life that takes my attention from my own

lessons ~ " Jess exploded, " Ye don't know anything of the

sort, he's just steering you from a real tragedy, you know, getting

involved with one that doesn't share your same enthusiasm for Alpha.

This girl seems to crave Alpha's wisdom and I think she may well be

intended for you, this may be the one that has your name engraved on

her heart." Caleb, looked solemnly at the floor, Jess pretended he

didn't see the tear but knew he had stepped into a tender area ~ he

tried to change the subject but Caleb moved deeper into the topic of

pain. This was an area that haunted him constantly. The most painful 

part of his life was the loneliness, the need for a partner, a friend, a love. 

One to share his dreams with, one to rejoice with when he had won and 

one to cry with when he had lost. Someone too say "goodbye" to, 

someone to come back to. All of this was something he had never had 

but knew enough to miss it.

Maybe nobody really has that, perhaps everybody had the same need 

and just compromise with what they've been left with. Surely there

were some pairings who had that special relationship ~ or was mankind

even capable of maintaining a partnership of that kind?

~ ~ ~ ~

Caleb tried to show control ~ "look I hate to bring you into this but

I'm on assignment, it's big and bad, I shouldn't have even come here.

I don't want to put you in danger. I wasn't followed but they may have 

put a transmitter on "Big Red." Jess bellowed, "who the heck ya talkin

bout?" Caleb grimaced,"you know ~ there are infiltrators at command. 

I've just been given the gravest mission of my career. Our entire society 

may be dependent on the outcome. My life isn't worth two cents right 

now and if they put you in the picture your future is short too. 

I've perhaps already involved you, just coming here, don't know what 

I was thinking. You might as well sit down and let me brief you. 

Jess, shrugged, "well, it sounds like we're all goners if ye don't 

succeed anyway. Sit down Lad, let's plot, we've seen tough times before. 

Start talkin now."

~ ~ ~ ~

Caleb stood on the landing pad, Big Red 3 was there, fully cloaked to

look like a courier's shuttle to any reconnaissance screen. Looking

skyward he wondered if Alpha's throne was actually somewhere out there

in a far away galaxy or right here, sharing the same space but in

another dimension. "Guess I'll have to solve the great mystery of life

and death to know that answer." 

At that moment Jess suddenly appeared at his side. "Look here Lad", 

Jess began, " You can't engage this mission with your beloved 

Big Red 3 ~ as soon as they get a visual, you'll be history, you're 

goin to hafta go in disguised, get off the ship, mingle, maybe even 

spend a little time with the Gog Regulars, you know ~ make friends 

with some of them. Caleb rudely interrupted Jess, "Yeah and maybe 

they'll all bend over the guillotine for me too! I thought you quit drinking, 

you sound like a drunk." 

Jess countered, "Listen to me, tha' girl was a shuttle craft singer, she still 

knows all those crazy fly boys that jockey those marvelous little scooters 

around the heavens ~ if she has the gut for it, I'll bet she could help get 

you on as a pilot, you know, a respectable job, twould be a great disguise,

a Universal Shuttle Ship Captain. You would be welcome anywhere. Even 

Gog considers them neutral. You could marry one of'em if you wanted to."

Jess continued ~ ~ ~

"We still have some of those fake ID's that were issued by the Universal 

Order of Planetary Systems, they'll stand up anywhere. With this ID you 

could run for political office in the Gog Order if you took a notion to. I really

think twould be better if Command didn't even know the plan." Caleb 

growled in agreement, "Yeah, if we have time to put it all together before 

I'm called out."

~ ~ ~ ~

Caleb recalled ~ ~ ~

Several years prior while on a top secret, deep space probe he had 

seen and photographed some of the most beautiful Space Coral he had 

ever seen. 

These formations were beautiful and valuable wonders growing on an 

asteroid that was reported to belong to another planetary system. 

For many thousands of years, the asteroid had been trailing a comet that 

was leaving a trail of precious gemstone dust, which had been 

entrapped in the ice which largely made up the comet. The asteroid had

an unusual magnetic charge which actually drew the gem dust like a

magnet, When the dust impacted, heat bonded the particles, thus

forming the rare Space Coral. It happened that the gems were of the

rarest and most valuable known. These beautiful formations, comprised

of magical colors and shapes altered light beyond imagination.

Ephysia maintained that the asteroid was unclaimed and saw no harm in

harvesting the treasure. Caleb was commissioned to carry out the

operation and oversee the sale of the rare find. He would of course

take a large percentage of the haul if he financed his own mission. If

detected ~ To avoid embarrassment for his government, Central 

Intelligence had created fake Identification for Caleb and several crew 

members whom he had enlisted to help him make the haul. 

Caleb was on his own, if caught his government would deny knowing him.

~ ~ ~ ~

The mission was a success, the cargo bins were full of 

the beautiful formations which were worth untold fortunes

back on Ephysia Main but then tragedy ~ it was noticed that a

strange form of radiant energy was making the crew sick ~ further

investigation revealed that in time it would be fatal ~ samples

of the beautiful treasure were loaded in a fake communications

satellite which was in orbit. The rest was loaded on an abandoned

freighter which was orbiting one of Epysia's moons. Command would

monitor the radiation to evaluate the possibility of "cooling it down"

in time to come. That failure took Caleb two years to pay off as he had

borrowed the money for the mission. 

This may be the pay-off ~ Solid ID!

~ ~ ~ ~

Caleb put his hand on his friend's shoulder, "Well, let's hear your plan." 

The two headed for the breakfast table to plot over coffee.

~ ~ ~ ~

Jess contacted Diane on his communicator, " Are ya busy? can ye come

right over? I have someone here who came a long way and he deserves

more than my miserable company." Diane knew who he was referring to,

"I'll be right there." An hour passed, Diane pulled into the driveway

in her pretty little sport model. As she emerged, Caleb noticed how

well she carried herself, pretty as she was, she improved on her

enchanting ways with moves that were obviously ingrained by years of

presenting herself to the public as an entertainer. Hair flowing and

even bouncing as she hurriedly moved toward the house, obviously eager

to see someone. 

Caleb snatched the door open, no reason to be "coy" ~ he was glad to

see her and he didn't care to hide it. They embraced, Caleb pulled her

close, the electricity was there, no doubt ~ they were both ecstatic.

Jess broke in, "here, here, let her at least say hello to the host of

this fireworks display ~ haven't either of you any shame? 

Caleb seemed to ignore Jess, looking into the girl's eyes, he saw

something ~ something he had seen in the eyes of others who had

shared his past, he didn't like it! He softly let her go, "can I get

you something?" he asked. She longingly gazed at him, "no, I know

where everything is, I'm a frequent visitor, Jess and I have had some

very interesting conversations of which you were the main topic. As a

matter of fact, why don't you sit and let me fix a snack ?"

Jess quickly agreed as he found his favorite spot in front of the

television. Caleb excused himself and stepped outside for fresh air

and thought. Diane busied herself in the kitchen, she couldn't help

but wonder if there was something wrong with Caleb ~ his sudden

coolness bothered her. Caleb was searching his mind for answers, "that

look in her eye, others, in which he had seen it ~ always resulted in

spiritual warfare.

Why Diane? Why can't she just be OK? Is there no rest for me? 

So many things to be concerned with now ~ any moment I'll be called 

upon to engage Gog and rescue or at least bring back the hostages

dead or alive. I sure don't need this girl's spiritual problems in my

life right now, spiritual warfare is at best all consuming and will

for sure occupy my total being ~ How did I miss it before? Was it 

there all along? Or has she been visited since I last saw her? At 

that moment, Caleb knew! It was as though a light had come on. 

~ ~ ~ ~

It happens so much of the time in a situation such like this. 

Alpha's Spirit had revealed to him that she was invaded since 

their last meeting, Mesmerizer, knowing that she was not yet 

protected by the spirit of Alpha, was able to send a negative 

spirit into her heart. Mesmerizer always attacks where we are the

weakest and this definitely was Caleb's weakness, the longing for a

soul mate, the love he had wanted for so long ~ Now influenced by his

spiritual enemy ~ Mesmerizer! 

~ ~ ~ ~

Copyright 2001 Darryl Foshee