Alex and Corky sat proudly atop the turret of their captured military tank on the edge of Capital Park. Stephy, Benny, Mouse, and about a dozen other youth covered the lower portion of the huge war machine.
By that time, plenty of broken concrete blocks in the tracks had rendered it immobile. After trying several times, the men inside finally gave up and shut down the engine. They still occasionally turned the turret and big gun, causing the kids on the lower level to stand up and step over the gun barrel, but eventually swung it to the rear of the tank, pointed away from the park, and left it there.
Every few minutes, the men banged on the inside of the hatch, but the carpet samples and floor glue continued to do their jobs well.
The mood in the park had changed from the tense expectation of the original landing, to a relaxed picnic atmosphere as the people awaited news from the space-probe technicians. Most people knew they wouldn’t be able to see any pictures on that occasion, but they still wanted to be among the first to hear the good news. Many picnic baskets, ice chests, and pizza boxes arrived, and the bounty was shared with friends and strangers alike. The police moved some of the barricades to protect a small area around the probe, but relaxed their vigilance elsewhere. The rest of the original barricades were quickly opened by the people to make more space for the community picnic.
Alex and Corky watched with open mouths as the golden ball returned and
NEBADOR Book Nine: A Cry for Help 415
settled onto the ground, in the exact center of the park, so silently that very few people were frightened, and only those closest to the middle bothered to get up and move.
The ball immediately changed shape, becoming a circular platform about three feet high. From an unseen ramp at the center, a teenage girl in a dance outfit appeared just as every pair of eyes in the park turned to look, and every pair of ears heard the opening notes of a popular song.
Alex, and many others, perceived a dancing angel, with white wings flowing from her arms as she slowly began to move to the pulsing music while spiraling outward on the platform.
Corky, and many other youth, saw a delicate fairy, arms playing in the air, wings fluttering, and slender body prancing as she neared the edge, then leapt to the grass below.
A few people, mostly much older, saw a devil or demon, sent to ensnare good people with a false image of beauty in preparation for an alien invasion.
The men in the military tank heard the music and wished they could have seen anything.
As the music coming from the golden platform grew stronger, the dancer moved among the people, sometimes touching a child or youth, often gesturing for them to join her, and many of the young and young-at-heart did.
The area around the platform was quickly vacated by those who wanted to just sit and watch, and was soon filled with dancers of all ages. Corky grinned at Alex, then jumped down from the tank turret to join in the fun. Benny and Mouse followed. Stephy saw an opportunity and climbed onto the turret beside Alex.
Alex observed the entire park with part of his mind, but quickly noticed when a short, wiry girl appeared on the platform wearing a flowing purple robe.
She strolled around the platform watching the dancers for a moment, then stopped just opposite the mayor’s tent and touched something on her arm.
Part of the platform rose until it was a slender box about three feet high.
She touched her arm again and the music became very soft. She spoke and her voice was amplified so that everyone in the park could hear her clearly.
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“Good morning. We not here to interfere your society any way. We brought probe back for you see the beautiful pictures it was taken.”
“Thought so,” Alex muttered. “She’s not from here.”
A man and a woman in military uniforms emerged from the middle of the platform and walked slowly to the podium, the woman supporting the older man. “Um . . . hello. I am Three-star General . . .” He paused to cough. “. . .
Three-star General Malcolm Ko-fenral, retired. It is a great honor to be here.”
“I am Colonel Sarah Ma-soran, retired.”
“Those two are from here,” Alex commented to Stephy.
Benches appeared near the center of the platform, and the pair of retired officers made their way toward them slowly. The short girl continued to stand beside the podium, and the dancer and many people continued to dance on the grass below.
A young man emerged. “Hi, I’m Brian. I’m just a very lucky boy. The dancer down there’s my wife.”
Alex smiled. “Him too.”
A middle-aged man with wild hair stepped to the podium. “Doctor Chris Po-selem, physicist, at your service!”
Stephy
chuckled.
Another uniformed man appeared. “Good morning. I’m Two-star General Samuel Bo-seklin, retired.”
He joined the other officers on the benches.
“Doctor Betty Ko-silma, chemist,” a short woman introduced herself.
Alex noticed that the many people watching, including the mayor, city council, and police, were starting to relax, seeing that the supposed-alien space ship appeared to contain mostly their own people.
Two more uniformed officers came forth, then a philosopher and a psychologist.
“They’re ours too,” Alex whispered.
Stephy nodded agreement.
“Priscilla?” Ashley called from the podium.
The dancer, without ever quite ceasing to dance, worked her way through the crowd and climbed onto the platform.
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Ashley smiled and pointed at the podium.
Priscilla stood breathing for a moment, then stepped up. “Hi everyone!
I’m Priscilla Ka-mentha. I’m a cook . . . and a dancer!”
Ashley stepped to the podium as Priscilla jumped back down. “And she also one of greatest Teachers your world ever known.”
Brian’s eyes snapped open wide. Malcolm, Sam, Sarah, and the other team members’ minds were spinning as they absorbed Ashley’s words, but they weren’t, upon reflection, surprised.
No one had time to contemplate Ashley’s words for very long. Part of the platform became recessed, quickly filled with water, and two gray dolphin heads popped up and looked over the edge at the dancing and picnicking people. A moment later, a large green turtle joined them.
A huge, muscular horse emerged from the unseen ramp, walked forward and lowered himself onto his belly near the podium.
A large tiger appeared and sat on his haunches on the other side of the podium.
A big bird and a thick snake came last. The bird flapped up to the podium, and the snake slithered around it until it was completely coiled on top.
“I
bet
they’re not from here,” Alex declared for only Stephy to hear.
Ashley laughed at the other two mission leaders as she returned to the crowded podium. “My friends not speak your language, but they bring greetings you.”
Finally, six more people came up the hidden ramp, all wearing loose robes of different colors, and stood at the very back, behind the seated military officers and scientists.
“Them either,” Stephy guessed.