Meanwhile, Idiot like clockwork, internalized all of Pegasus's memory, and by so doing, the controller of the Box now also became the controller of the Pegasus. Jim had quite naturally understood that Idiot was capable of learning how the ship operates from the ship's own control system. Idiot would essentially scan the object system and model or simulate the system. The task, when successfully accomplished, would allow Idiot to get desired system response because Idiot's system model would be capable of showing Idiot what stimuli was needed to be generated to obtain the desired outcome. It is no great accomplishment that one machine can learn how to control another machine.
Jim needed to talk to Idiot alone, but it didn't seem that Antiope and Helen wanted to be anywhere else. Perhaps if he played silent for a few moments they would get bored and go entertain themselves.
"I have a question Jim," Helen spoke.
Jim realized that it wasn't going to be quiet any time soon. Apparently he wasn't going to get any sleep on this trip. Maybe he should have told Idiot not to be in such a rush.
"Yeah, I know. Where on earth are we going? Where would you like to go Helen?"
"I want to visit America."
"Me too," said Antiope.
"OK, that sounds good," said Jim. A big city or the country?"
"City," responded both girls.
"It's going to be Chicago, ladies. Centrally located and remember, no men."
Helen asked, "What if we don't kill them and just toy with them?"
"Can you control yourselves long enough to keep from killing them?"
"We can, but we will also take care of your enemies for you if need be," said Antiope.
"Well, I guess I will allow you both to have some fun. Just remember, don't make too much of a spectacle of yourselves. Eventually Isis will arrive on earth and we're certain to be on the ten most wanted list."
Helen asked, "Just how do you expect to fight her off without letting her know you're here?"
"I will convince her that earth can defend itself against her threat."
"No way! We're still dead meat," said Antiope.
"Well, I can always drop you both off at Tau Zeta. I will see that she doesn't harm you or I will demand revenge. How is that? That way, you don't get executed and can probably be spared court martial."
Both ladies asked, "Jim, you are abandoning us?"
"Surely you can't expect that I planned to take you. I can't put you in a situation where you may have to fight the queen. This is my personal affair. You both already know way too much and Isis will need you alive. You know I am headed to earth."
"But we thought we were going to earth with you," exclaimed Helen.
"What do you want the most? Be honest with yourselves. To stay with me is to betray your queen, and quite likely, an early death if we ever get captured. If I release you, you could possibly be executed, but I feel that Isis may find you more useful alive with all the information you have on the genie and myself and my plans. Of course Isis will realize that she will be fighting against Genie and myself, and as you have witnessed, Genie can fulfill my wishes."
"Then why are you running from her majesty?"
"Can't you see? Isis will want the genie for herself."
"Well Jim, it's obvious you're being selfish. We all should share all our talents for mutual benefit in accordance with her majesty's will."
"Maybe so."
"I will kill either one of you, if you betray me after I've given you a chance to be let off. If I encounter you as the enemy, then, I will respect you and I shall insist that no other before either of you shall act as an ambassador to negotiate. I shall demand that Isis preserve your life and rank by my royal decree. Now, what do you both have to say? I
shall give you some time to consider."
Antiope asserted her desire to stick by Jim. "Jim, if I stay with you, will you give me your children?"
"As long as you don't kill any earth men I shall respect and grant you your needs."
Helen then reasserted her desire to stay by his side. "Perhaps you're right Jim. Isis doesn't need to be as all-powerful as she desires. What is earth like anyway?"
"We'll all find out shortly. OK ladies. You're both in. But bear in mind I cannot let you know all my secrets, mainly because of the difficulty in comprehending the dynamics of my machinery. Also remember, that we shall be strangers in a strange land and the humans will naturally fear us."
"So we must keep a low profile?" asked Helen.
"Exactly. And maintaining this low profile will require some very tough decisions and as such, I must retain complete command of our affairs on earth."
"Antiope and Helen, I need to be alone while I attempt to determine just how we are to set up base camp. Would you mind going to the library and bone up a little on our earth records?"
The women complied and Jim was alone with his genie.
"OK, Idiot. Am I still to assume that the exterior of the Box is independent of mass contained?"
"Affirmative," responded Idiot.
"How small a space can you occupy while I am external?"
"Small enough to disguise myself as a crystal of approximately fifty grams."
"And the Pegasus can stay inside of you all that time?"
"Yes, but I may have some difficulty if expected to expand to full size undetected to allow the Pegasus to leave while on earth surface. Earth technology would detect that."
"Suggestions for undetected launch?"
"Far side of earth's moon. Earth cannot detect any activity performed there."
"We'll target the far side of the moon. We'll hide the ship there. I will need Pegasus telecommunications passive to alert me of the fleet's progress. Please construct a portal so that we may access Pegasus from our earth base."
"Then earth's moon is our destination?"
Jim nodded. "Yes. Lock us in at 1000-km moon altitude. The center of the moon shall be in line with our position and the center of earth mass. Release the ship but retain command. I will need full command capabilities of the Pegasus through you."
"The command link will be fully established in twenty-three minutes. I am anticipating that living quarters inside the Box should mimic Pegasus quarters to ease passenger displacement."
"Absolutely brilliant, Idiot! Give my commendations to your creator. Access to the Box control room will then be strictly limited and the Pegasus dummy control room can be our 'public link'."
"I can transport you and your guests quite smoothly. If they don't see themselves or each other, I can do it without either noticing."
"I'll get them in the rec-room. While they're playing interactive adventures you can pull the switch. Now, I told them we're headed for Chicago. Can you disguise yourself as a common mode of earth ground transport?"
"Affirmative Jim. I have an image here of a Chevrolet internal combustion gasoline powered conversion van. We can materialize at a point where we will not be seen and you can drive the vehicle unnoticed into the city. Meanwhile, I can scan earth's communication frequencies so that you will be alerted as to any impact that your presence may have on the local authorities. My program indicates that you want complete secrecy as to where we are from and who we are. "
"Correct, Idiot. You manufacture a van and land us on earth. We'll drive out of you. You will materialize as a garage. We'll drive out. I'll get out of the van and I'll have you fold up into a money belt, where you shall insure that each pocket maintains ten one ounce gold pieces. Ten pockets in all. If detached from my presence, you will immediately change shape, encompass me and transport us both to the Pegasus, so that we may recover from and evaluate the threat. We should be able to use the gold to trade for necessary goods. Also, what weapons do earthlings have that can threaten us?"
"You and the ladies are immune to all earth diseases. Standard chemical attacks can easily be countered. Their basic method of self defense is projection of lead projectiles at several hundred feet per second. Slow enough that you and the ladies can easily dodge. Stand advised that you have powers which earth locals will confuse with powers of their legendary vampyres. This will cause them to fear you and quite possibly resort to odd but ineffective methods to destroy you. Bear in mind that it is to our interest to avoid breeding these superstitious fears; they will try to destroy you if they are afraid of you."
"Isis will certainly cure that fear problem when she uses that fear as rationale for destroying and controlling the population. If I fail, they will not be able to defend against her. She will exterminate earth culture and replace it with her own."
"Earth authorities are not likely to cooperate with you at all Jim. You will be viewed by them as an outlaw unless they fully understand your intentions and then they're not likely to believe you until Isis is knocking from the stratospheres."
"It makes me wonder why I should even bother saving their hides from her."
"Also, an interesting fact here Jim. My records indicate that they tried to kill the Son of God."
"You're kidding! How can they be so stupid? Oh. I forgot. They are stupid, otherwise they wouldn't need my help or does that have something to do with why I feel compelled to help those poor lost souls?"
"Well Jim, only you know what the Son has instructed you to do. I am simply your means of harnessing the powers of the universe."
"Well, Idiot, I guess we're about as prepared as we can be. What is your impression of our company?"
"They're the least of your problems Jim, and the extra help will add to the probability of success."
"Probability of our success?"
"Your advantages shall be unlimited power, the best in telecommunications, your own invulnerability to harm, your gold reserves and your ability to simulate invisibility and fly."
"I can't fly or turn invisible."
"What will you have around your waist?"
"OK, Idiot, we're 'jammin'!"
Jim walked back to the rec-room and joined the ladies. There were six hours remaining before landfall. Antiope and Helen smiled at him enticingly as he joined them.
"Well Jim," Helen spoke, "it seems that you promised us that you would take care of our needs. I'm not certain that I want a lifetime of roaming the galaxies with you. How do I know you're my type?"
Antiope slipped behind Jim and let her scent alert him as to her intentions. Helen did the same.
"I think you should show us how much you really care for us. Why don't you show Antiope and myself what form of love you will endow us with?"
With an air of surrender, Jim instructed Genie not to disturb them until summoned. He also instructed Genie to arrange for the transport while they were occupied. The Amazons then proceeded to tear Jim apart.
With fury that would kill any man, the Amazons mated. Antiope was a strikingly beautiful brunette with perfect breasts and very well groomed muscle tone. She was greater in strength than any mortal man, as were all Amazon women. The beauty of both these women would be legendary; once known on earth. Antiope and Helen were no fools. During these next few hours, they would be demanding payment from Jim in the usual Venetian manner. Jim wanted them to work for him; they demanded in return, male children.
Helen and Antiope meticulously collected the ambrosia nectar from each other while they made love with Jim. This nectar would be of immense value on earth. They would be able to dilute the substance and sell it on the black market for a very high price, or use it to drug unsuspecting males while doing some form of sales job. A very small portion of ambrosia was not unlike the legendary love potion #9 of American folklore.
With Jim a little dazed from all the ambrosia, they probed at him.
"Jim can you get Genie to grant me a wish?"
"And what is that, Antiope my love?"
"I wish that you will go back to Artemis with us."
"Now, you know, Antiope, that I just can't do that."
"No, I mean after this is all over. You don't plan on staying on earth forever do you?"
"Well, I don't know, Antiope."
"Swear Jim that you will bring me back to Artemis and stay there with us, and I'll stay by your side forever."
"And if I don't?"
"Drop me off at the next stop."
"Just like you, Antiope. You seduce me into getting you pregnant and then you want to drop me like a lead balloon."
"It's you that are getting rid of me, Jim, not vice versa."
Antiope leaned a little closer at Jim as she pressed her body up against his. She made a few suggestive gestures as she overwhelmed him with her fragrance.
Idiot made the transformation displacing the trio outside the Pegasus and into another part of the Box. They all noticed nothing as the transfer occurred.
Helen became equally demanding on Jim. Helen was a blonde beauty who bore a strange resemblance to the legendary Helen of Troy. Jim was quite aware that he would have quite a time attempting to dissuade the human male from showing any interest in these two.
"I don't care if we go back to Artemis or not, Jim, as long as you love me forever and never abandon me, on your life, swear it," persuaded Helen.
With that, she slipped off her wardrobe as they worked together to seduce Jim again and again. In the end, they each got the promise they wanted. Jim assured Antiope that he would go back to Artemis when his mission had been accomplished. He promised each his loyalty, devotion and that he would never abandon them. Jim wondered if he had gotten in a little over his head in his promises, but then again, Antiope and Helen were both excellent masters of persuasion. But returning to Artemis? Well, he'd cross that bridge when he reached it.
Several hours later, Genie awakened them to announce that they were approaching their destination. Genie had provided each of them a set of earth clothes. They all dressed and returned to the control room.
Not quite eight hours had elapsed before Genie brought the box to the moon location. Without any event, the Pegasus was released to its location on the far side of the moon. Antiope and Helen never noticed the event.
All were quiet as the Box came out from behind the far side of the moon and they all glimpsed the shimmering earth below. They could scarcely believe their eyes. Jim had done it. Over 40 light years had been traveled in a mere eight hours. The remaining quarter million miles was less than two light seconds away. Certainly Jim would be there in a flash.
"Well ladies, let's get on board our ground vehicle. This way please. "
He led them through a door into a small room enclosing a 4 wheeled steel box.
"This is our van."
"You've got to be kidding," replied the ladies.
"When in Rome..."
"OK, but we want some decent accommodations. I'm not spending my entire stay cooped up in that thing," said Helen.
Jim smiled. "I didn't ask you to. Hop in girls. We've landed. Genie, open says a me."
VENETIA
Chapter Seven Earth Landing