The Krakow Klub Page 12

  “I’ll keep that in mind and try to prevent you from turning my place into a practice range. The one thing that I will promise you is that you will have a lovely time. I’ll be waiting for you at the dock.”

  He ended the call and spoke aloud, “You won’t regret this. Or, at least I hope and pray that you won’t.”

  He went back into the villa and gave Mister T instructions for the arrival of his guest along with ideas for a romantic dinner for two. He specified the wines, champagne, and liquors that he wanted to be served throughout the evening. John wanted everything to be perfect and even requested special flowers and music. By now, he was as excited as a high school boy getting ready for prom night.

  Mister T committed the orders to his memory bank. Then he analyzed John’s behavior. Humans were of constant interest to him since they based most of their actions on emotions. He thought, “Humans and Myleans might look alike, but that’s where the resemblance ends.”

  He shook his head and spoke aloud, “Humans are, indeed, a strange and unpredictable species. Most interesting.”

  Somewhere, from very, very far away in outer space, Maxx responded with a loud, “Amen!”

  John went to bed rather early that night but hardly slept a wink. He had not one but two brandies before he retired to his suite, but they didn’t seem to help. Sleep eluded him until almost dawn. His last thoughts before drifting off were of his German ancestors who were well known to consume copious quantities of alcohol without being visibly affected. For that, he was most thankful. Over the years, he could usually out drink everyone at a party and still wake up refreshed and ready for action. He had experienced a couple of serious hangovers in his early years, but those were evenings that he preferred to forget.

  The next morning, John did suffer a bit from his overindulgence the evening before. Then, he remembered his first trip to the interstellar transporter when he had consumed more than a little alcohol. He wasn’t happy with himself and had asked Mister T if he had something that might prevent a hangover. The faithful robot had left and returned with a supply of tiny colorful capsules. He took the prescribed number and—Voila!—he felt like a new man the next day. Surely, these little babies could cure a hangover too. He called Mister T and humbly asked for the medicine.

  Maxx, somewhere in space, was, as usual, monitoring John’s every action. He had already noted that his brain was functioning at a rather low level this morning. Right then and there, he decided that human hangovers probably deserved a bit of study, perhaps coming in handy at some time in the future.

  Mister T brought the capsules and John downed them quickly. Within minutes, he began to feel much better, and soon he was again in top form.

  “Mister T, I never thought of it before, but did Myleans drink much? They seemed to be such a serious lot that I rather doubt it. Somehow, I just can’t see them doing any heavy-duty partying.”

  Mister T just shrugged his shoulders in confusion. He had no definition in his databank for heavy-duty partying.

  By 10:00 AM, the villa was in readiness for its very first guest. At 11:45, John and Mister T waited at the dock for the boat that would bring Julia to Scott Key. The boat arrived on time, and John stepped forward to assist her to the dock.

  After helping Julia onto the dock, John waved to the captain that it was okay to leave. John then introduced Julia to Mister T.

  She stared quizzically at the humanoid robot. “John, you didn’t tell me that you had a brother, much less a twin brother. I have a feeling that you’ve been keeping more than a few secrets from me.”

  “Mister T and I are not physical brothers, but we are brothers in spirit. I’m going to unload all my secrets this weekend, and I can only hope that you can understand my hesitancy to be upfront from the time that we met. My past is just highly unusual instead of highly unacceptable.”

  Julia nodded slightly, and they walked up the palm-shaded pathway to the villa. Her eyes roamed over tropical plants and then over the villa itself.

  “I saw a picture of the island while it was for sale. I must say that I was quite curious about its history and of who might buy it. I assume that you’ll include all that in the unveiling of your private self.”

  They entered the house, and John gave her a quick tour then escorted her to the guest cottage where she had chosen to stay. It was a smaller version of the villa that had been designed by the original architect and furnished impeccably. Julia placed her small travel bag in the bedroom and returned to John’s side in the living area.

  “I’ve had Mister T arrange for us to eat outdoors on the veranda of the main house. He’s prepared quite a feast of your favorite foods, so I hope that you won’t be disappointed.”

  Soon, they were seated on the sunny veranda surrounded by bougainvillea and brightly colored hibiscus. The white wrought iron table had been set for two, and Mister T had raised a large umbrella to protect them from the midday sun. Soft music emanated from concealed speakers.

  They took their seats, and Mister T appeared immediately with two Bloody Mary cocktails that were perfectly chilled. Tiny droplets of condensation slid gently down the sides of the glasses in the humid atmosphere of the Keys.

  Next, a meal of lobster salad served with champagne, and finally a light dessert.

  Mister T cleared the table, returned with a tablet computer, and then disappeared discreetly back into the villa.

  “Julia, I’ve prepared for this by making a visual presentation for you that should help you better understand what I’m going to tell you. I’ve told you about my childhood and my early days, but that’s where I stopped.”

  He spoke slowly and carefully about the events leading up to his visit to Mylea. Maxxine had created a montage of photographs to support his confessions. Finally, he told of his visit to Mylea, of the colossal computer Maxx, of Jim Slater and Mitch, and Mister T.

  Julia sat in total silence. She didn’t interrupt or ask a single question. The afternoon wore on and soon shadows were lengthening. Mister T, ever alert, noted the angle of the sun and immediately came out and adjusted the umbrella to shade them better.

  By the end of his story, John was totally exhausted, both mentally and emotionally. He had no idea how Julia would deal with his confession. Her face was impassive and gave no indication of her inner feelings.

  “Julia, I’ve given you chapter one of my life story. There’s more to tell. If this is too much for you, I can have a helicopter pick you up and return you to Key West.”

  Julia patted his wrist. “I’ve already told you that I hate riding in helicopters. Noisy beasts. You’ve told a pretty far-fetched tale, but I’d rather listen to more of it than head back to Key West.”

  John let out an audible sigh of relief. “The spaceship that was recently discovered in our solar system was from the planet Mylea.” He touched the computer screen and an image of the interstellar transporter appeared. “I can assure you that what I’ve told you is the absolute truth. To make things easier for you, I’ve arranged for Mister T to be available to you so that you can interview him in private. His story is quite fascinating, and so is he. He is a robot. He was created in the image of Tanaka. Apparently, Tanaka and I probably looked like twins due to our common genetic profiles. Hence, Maxx created Mister T to look just like me. I think that it was a Maxx joke, but it has worked out perfectly.”

  Julia rose and slowly walked to his side of the table. “This isn’t what I expected to hear. I thought that maybe you came from a long line of respected Georgia moonshiners, or maybe you even had something of a dark past yourself.

  “Now, you tell me fantastic tales of space, black holes, and endangered planets. I’ve never questioned the belief that there were other civilizations out there somewhere, but I never thought that I’d be drawn into some interplanetary drama myself. To be honest, I do have many reservations, but it’s hard for me to believe that you would, or could, fabricate such an incredible story.

  “I’ll take you up on your offer
of an interview with this robot of yours, but right now, I think I need to head over to the guest house for a little private time. I need to digest all this, and by the way, I’d like to take that tablet with me and review those photos that you’ve been showing me.”

  John shut the computer down and handed it to Julia. “There are additional images stored in the computer, and you’re welcome to look at all of them. I can only give you my sincerest thanks for listening so calmly. I’ll have Mister T meet you at the guest house in an hour if that’s acceptable to you.”

  She nodded absently, picked up the tablet, and then walked away down the pathway to the guesthouse.

  ****

  Exactly sixty minutes later, Mister T stood at her door and knocked softly. John watched him enter and then returned to the main house to pour himself a very stiff drink.

  After another long hour, Mister T returned. John was sitting quietly in a lounge chair looking out at the last rays of the sun that sparkled on the water.

  John was, by this time, a nervous wreck. He could only imagine the conversation that had taken place, he many questions that she had asked, and how Mister T had answered.

  “Hi, Boss,” Mister T said with a big smile on his face.

  John waved for Mister T to take a seat, and then said, “Tell me about your visit with Julia.”

  Mister T replied, “I told Julia my entire history and of how I was created to serve you during your visit to Mylea. I told her about Tanaka and his extraordinary plan to save the planet and of Maxx’s dilemma.

  “Miss Compton was stunned that I would have been destroyed or dismantled after your visit. But, there would have been no further use for me in my present configuration. It would have been a galactic tragedy of epic proportions, especially for me. I am the only robot in existence with an emotional module, and I’m certainly the only one that can pass as a human. Somehow, I don’t think Maxx would have done away with me. I don’t think that he could bear to part with his greatest creation.

  “I explained to her, with great modesty, of course, that I am a scientific wonder and a true work of art.

  “She graciously agreed with me and complimented me most generously.”

  John replied, “Thanks, Mister T. How did Julia react? Was she angry, shocked? Did she think that we’re making the whole thing up? Maybe she thinks that she’s lost her mind and we are just some kind of hallucination.”

  “Well, Boss, she is certainly inscrutable, as you earthlings would say. She asked very pointed questions along the way and then asked me to review some of the photos with her. I explained that I was almost embarrassed to use such quaint technology as a tablet computer but that I would do my best. I gave her details of the interstellar transporter and of the planet Mylea itself.

  “Toward the end of our meeting, she asked if she could touch my face. I guess she wanted to know if I felt like a real human. I agreed, and she reached out and touched my cheek. She never said a word.

  “Then, she just said that I could leave. Just as I reached the door, she caught my arm and asked me to give you a message.”

  John’s heart sank, and he could hardly breathe.

  “She asked me to tell you that she understands why you had to be rather secretive—no take that back—very secretive in your initial contacts with her. She can accept the presence of other civilizations but has a rather difficult time in accepting your role in the story of saving Mylea. She said that she’ll rest for a while and then join you for dinner at 7:30. Based on her body language that I analyzed, I don’t think she’s come to a final decision yet.”

  John was now even more in a state of emotional turmoil. He could interpret her comment as positive or as negative. Right now, he didn’t think that he would survive until 7:30 without another drink.

  He reviewed the plans for dinner with Mister T, who seemed oblivious to John’s agitated state of mind.

  Mister T left for the kitchen then turned for a last comment, “Keep your face up, old friend! It’s always dreariest before the dawn.”

  John had to laugh, “We earthlings would say, keep your chin up. It’s always darkest before the dawn. I’m going to have to program you with a complete listing of our adages.”

  Julia appeared at 7:45 wearing a loose, diaphanous blouse and white capri pants. She had pulled her hair back into a twist and left several loose tendrils that framed the sides of her face. She looked rested and confident.

  John led her into the dimly lit dining room where they sat at the massive table that had been set for only two. Tall candelabra and an arrangement of orchids were placed in the center.

  She spoke first, “I’ve given your story a lot of thought, and I’ve got about a thousand questions to ask you. My first inclination was to leave immediately, but then, I began to see what a strange and probably lonely existence that you’ve led. You must have been very strong to survive being controlled by Maxx all your life. I can only imagine your childhood. I wondered why you’d never married, and now I understand completely. Actually, I’m a bit relieved. Several other scenarios had come to mind, and none of them was giving me a warm and fuzzy feeling.

  “I tend to want to accept all this, but it’s going to take a lot more convincing on your part. I’ve enjoyed your company so far, and I’ve always considered myself to be a good judge of character. I believe that you’re a man of your word, so I’m going to trust my instincts and step into this crazy world of yours, at least for the moment.”

  John breathed a huge of relief. She immediately began to ask her thousand questions. John answered truthfully and honestly as he was totally confident that she would recognize any omission or contradiction immediately.

  Mister T scurried back and forth serving their meal. He uttered not a single word and seemed to have been programmed to be the perfect British butler. His etiquette and manners were impeccable. The service was perfect as was the meal.

  The conversation continued long after the last dish had been taken away. Julia wanted to know all about Jim Slater and about Mitch. She wanted to know how long it took for him to travel to the interstellar spacecraft. On and on, the questions continued.

  At last John interrupted her, “Julia, let me show you my spacecraft. It’s one that I use for personal travel. It has been outfitted to meet my specific needs. I think that you’ll find it to be quite comfortable for humans. And, best of all, there are never any other passengers. I make my own schedules, and I can go anywhere on the planet, or for that matter, in the solar system, at a moment’s notice.”

  He rose, took her hand and led her out of the villa along an obscure pathway that was now lit by small lights on each side of the path. The full moon overhead bathed the whole island in soft light.

  They arrived at a large cleared area near the beach, and John spoke a single command.

  The craft suddenly changed from stealth mode to visible mode. Julia’s eyes widened, and she stepped backward in surprise, almost tripping in the process. John reached out and steadied her.

  “The craft is programmed to respond to my verbal commands.” He spoke a single word, and a hatch slid opened. There was not a single sound as the steps lowered for them to enter the craft.

  He took her hand and led her up the steps into the cabin. She looked around in wonder. The cabin’s interior was spacious and to her utter amazement was outfitted with comfortable earthly furnishings. There didn’t appear to be any windows, but light from some unknown source filled the entire ship.

  John motioned for her to sit down. “I had the cabin outfitted for my personal tastes. Myleans would, of course, have different types of seating. Everything is entirely computerized; I can program it for any destination with only a few words, but I usually leave that job to Mister T since he seems to enjoy being in command.

  “When we travel, there is no sense of motion. It’s not even necessary to wear a seat belt. I can travel a thousand miles or a million miles in a short time. As for speed, we can creep along at a snail’s pace or we can
zip along at near the speed of light. We can also hover and remain motionless for extended periods of time.”

  She interrupted him with a laugh. “Now, I can certainly understand why flying on commercial airlines is so disagreeable to you. Tell me about this stealth mode function.”

  “Stealth mode is very handy. When we’re in stealth mode, the ship can’t be detected by radar or seen visually. I use stealth mode almost all the time because I see no reason to stir up the UFO chasers or the military unless it’s necessary.

  “When Mister T picks up Jim Slater and Mitch tomorrow morning, the craft will be visible for only a few seconds while they board. After that, they are invisible until they arrive here.

  “I’ll expand on the technology later. No use in overwhelming your senses today. In fact, I’d thought of asking you to go for a short little ride. Maybe circle the North Pole and back but we can wait for that until you’ve had more time to think about it.”

  “Sounds interesting but I’ll take a rain check. When I was a child, my mother never allowed me to go for a swim right after a meal because I might get stomach cramps. I can hardly imagine what she would say if I told her that I was going for a ride in a spacecraft right after dinner. Heaven only knows what the consequences would be for that!”

  She laughed and then continued, “Why don’t you just spend a little time telling me about Maxx? I’m curious as to how a computer can have so much intelligence and power.”

  “Julia, just think of Maxx as a giant electronic brain. We usually use the term artificial intelligence, but, somehow, it just doesn’t seem to fit when it comes to Maxx. He has incredible powers and knowledge. He controls every function of the interstellar transporter and can even perform incredible tasks remotely. Just imagine a computer that can do anything and knows everything. It boggles the mind.