Woods Random Legacy: Chapter 23 - Visitation

James was buried in research about the rock he had taken from Faye.  As he'd suspected, it was an uncut sample of tiberium.  He wondered where his sister had gotten it from, then dismissed the thought.  She'd probably dug it up in the backyard when trying to plant something, or whatever it was she did when she was alone outside.  His research opportunities were limited until he was nominated from his class to take a short research internship at the science facility over spring break.  Suddenly having many more resources available to him, he quickly found the information he needed.  It was a poorly-kept secret that nobody, not even the top scientists, knew how tiberium was formed or where it came from - it certainly didn't originate on this world.  The current hypothesis was that samples crashed down from space when meteors hit.  Regardless of where it came from, the few properties that were known were enough to satisfy James.  This was exactly what he needed.

Of course, he didn't need the entire thing; only a few grams of powder would be enough.  It seemed a waste to grind the entirety of such a large sample down to powder, though, so James paid a visit to the gem cutting tool in the alchemy shop.  The shopkeeper taught him how to use it, then went back to the counter to mind the rest of the store while James removed the sample from his bag, glancing over his shoulder first to make sure nobody was watching.

Settling the sample carefully into the clamp, he set the dials and buttons to the size of gem and desired cut.  Checking the dust trap to make sure it was empty, he slid it back into the machine and grasped the lever.
James: "Well, here goes."

The machine clanked and whirred as it performed the specified operations.  Under the mechanical noises, James could hear the dust trickling down into the trap.  He checked to make sure that none was escaping onto the floor, but he'd pushed it in firmly enough to avoid that trouble.  After several minutes, the machine was done, and he picked up his spire-cut tiberium gem.  It would make an excellent decoration.

He slid out the dust trap and emptied it into a small bag he'd brought with him, making sure every speck of the dust was captured.  It wouldn't do to leave it lying around.

Back home, he set the gem on a table in the corner of Faye's old room, which he had converted into a study. 

All of his notes were on this desk, the most secret filed away in locked drawers while the lesser - or outright misleading - papers were left on top of the desk for snoops to find.  He kept the room locked, but it was still best to take multiple layers of precautions.

File #14 - Tiberium
* contraband - life imprisonment
* radioactive? (sounds like a LIE, search more)
* little info available, need access to science facility
* research of dr wayne miller
* extra-terrestrial
* radioactive but not harmful to humans - I KNEW IT
* signal-boosting capabilities
* highly flammable - keep away from heat
* government stockpiles - where?

That night, after James had gone to bed, a figure in a spacesuit approached the house.  While at first glance the figure might be mistaken for a man, closer inspection revealed that it most definitely was not.

The alien looked around the exterior of the house for a few minutes, occasionally consulting a device that he kept clipped to his belt.  His presence would have likely gone undetected if it hadn't been for Greg's late-night game of chess in the living room.  The old man, noticing the alien outside, grabbed his cane and sauntered outside.

Greg: "Good evening!  Do you speak Simlish?"
Surprised, the alien turned and looked at the human.
Alien: "I have translation software.  I can understand you."
Greg: "Well, that's good, because I sure don't speak alien!"
He cracked himself up at that, recovering after a few moments; the alien continued to stare at him, seeming very confused.
Greg: "I'm Greg Woods, do you have a name?"
Alien: "I am called Zharor Thobanob."
Greg snickered.
Zharor: "Is that amusing?"
Greg: "Tee-hee.  Throbin-nob."
Zharor: "Thobanob."
Greg: "Oh, I misheard.  Well, let's just call you Bob."
Zharor: "No, my name is Zha-"
Greg: "So, Bob!  What brings you to our fine corner of the galaxy?"

Zharor: "I am looking for something that was stolen by someone of your world.  Tell me, have you seen a glowing green crystal?"
Greg: "I sure have!  My son was carrying around something just like that earlier today.  I think he might have given it to the science lab, though, I heard him talking to himself about some Dr. Wayne Miller guy.  You don't think he stole it from you, did you?"
Zharor: "The theft was not the work of a child.  You are quite certain of that name?"
Greg: "Sure am!"
Zharor: "Then I am eternally grateful to you.  Please, enjoy your time of rest, and forget that I was ever here."
Greg: "Aww, you're just going to leave?  You haven't even experienced what we have to offer on this planet!"
Zharor: "I am afraid that I must continue my search."
Greg: "Just five minutes!  Here, I'm going to show you a special talent of mine.  I might not have those fancy gadgets of yours, but I know a few tricks, don't you worry.  Now, just let me align my mystical energies..."
He started waving his hands through the air.  Confused, yet somehow intrugued, Zharor leaned towards Greg, watching the movement of his hands.

Greg: "Oh great zalakaron, abracadabra, bobbity-boo!"
With no warning, his left hand shot across to Zharor's face, covering him from chin to forehead.

Zharor: "MMMmrrmrmrmrMMM!"
Greg: "I see great things ahead for you, Bob!  The love of your life waits for you, but you must defeat a great-wait, why are you running away?  Aw, nuts."

Upstairs, unobserved by anyone, the tiberium crystal grew and emitted a shower of glowing sparks with a soft "ping!"

The next morning, James came downstairs for breakfast to find Greg sitting smugly on the sofa.  This was usually a cause for concern, so James sat down carefully next to him.
James: "Dad?  What's going on?"
Greg responded in an annoying sing-song tone that James hadn't heard since the elementary school playground.
Greg: "I know something you don't know!"

James: "Well, that's just great.  Are you going to tell me what it is?"
Greg: "Nope!  You have to guess!"
James sighed.
James: "Dad, you know there's no way I'm going to guess it.  Just tell me."
Greg: "Alright, well, last night I met an alien.  Right outside our house!"
James stared at him, momentarily speechless.  Greg took that as a sign that he should keep talking.
Greg: "Someone had stolen some important crystal from him, and he wanted it back.  I told him about that one you had-"

James: "YOU WHAT?  Dad, why would you do that?  How did you even know about that?  It was an alien, you can't believe anything it said, you know!"

Greg: "Calm down!  With that reaction, I'm almost tempted to think you're actually guilty of something.  Don't worry, he didn't think you stole it.  I told him about that scientist guy you were mumbling about the other day.  Good move turning it over to the authorities, they'll be able to handle the situation.
James: "I can't believe you're my father!  How can you be so stupid?"
James stormed out of the room and up the stairs, slamming the door to his study behind him.

Greg: "Hmph, teenagers.  He must be having a mood swing."

Upstairs, James stopped dead as he noticed the crystal.  It was definitely bigger than yesterday.  He didn't know that it could do that.  He didn't like not knowing things.

Sitting down at his desk, he unlocked the bottom drawer and pulled out some files.  He would have to accelerate his plans, now that aliens were searching for the crystal.

~ * ~

Please ignore the holiday lights still being up in spring.  I did a fail.

Oh, Greg.  You just had to go and palm read that alien, didn't you?  If they decide to invade, it's all your fault.

I think this might just be my favorite picture of Greg ever.  The smug look on his face is pure gold.