The Interstellar Police Force, Book One: The Historic Mission Raymond Klein (read out loud books .TXT) 📖

he suddenly stopped, and looked at Trent, “Genghis Khan! That’s my name? Genghis Khan? What the hell kind of a name is that for a human canine?”

“Well,” he thought for a moment. “Oh, that’s from the human film The Conqueror,” Trent said, putting on his best Movie Tone voice. “Starring John Wayne as the mighty Mongol leader, whose father is killed by a rival tribe and must be avenged.”

Genghis pondered this for a moment. “Why can’t I just be named John Wayne?”

“Because that’s silly, who would do such a thing?

“John Wayne's mom!”

“Yes, perhaps. But, the Replicator has already printed that name on your little dangly things.”

“Well, I don’t like it!” Genghis grumbled.

“Oh, will you stop arguing.”

“Argue! I think I have the right to argue. You're not the human canine!”

“Oh, for crying out loud,” Trent said, “those are the cards we’ve been dealt.”

Genghis looked up, puzzled. “And what the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“I’m not quite sure,” Trent said, slightly shaking his head, even more puzzled. “I think it’s a human phrase.”

Chapter Four

On auto-pilot, the Interstellar Police Force cruiser approached Earth at astonishing speeds. Bow thrusters fired and slowed the vehicle. As preprogrammed, the navigational computer guided the cruiser toward the dark side of the Earth’s moon. Several different thrusters fired, stopping the forward momentum of the cruiser.

Inside the science lab, one of the computers alerted them with a soft alarm. Genghis walked over to the computer, muttering something about Codas canines, and tried to sit at the computer's chair. But, being that he was still not yet familiar with his new form, he tumbled off the chair and landed on all fours. “Damn it!”

He reared up, balancing on his back legs and placed his front paws on the counter, and acknowledged the alarm using his pointy digit nail. He looked at the information and announced, “First stage of entry has been completed. The Nav Com has us at a dead stop behind their satellite. We are now in range of their detection devices, but, as of yet, have not been detected.”

Jeff Trent was in a storage compartment and called back, “Not sure if they have the capability of detecting us. But just in case, initiate all countermeasures.”

“Countermeasures activated,” Genghis replied. He then looked over his shoulder and asked, “What are you doing in there?”

“Well, I’m changing into human clothes,” Jeff called back. “I can’t walk around in my uniform. It’ll attract too much attention.”

“Oh, yeah, I guess I won’t be using mine. Won’t the cobbler be upset when he finds out I couldn’t wear the Oxford’s he made for me.”

Trent emerged from the storage compartment wearing a black linen suit and a white dress shirt with gold cufflinks. The thin black tie was tied in a Windsor knot and had a white Art Deco design woven into it.

Genghis glanced at him and said, “Nice wingtips.”

“Now, don’t start,” Trent said, as he walked over to Genghis. “We must continue with the second stage of entry. It’s time to maneuver away from their satellite and enter the upper atmosphere. Let’s go ahead and get into the cockpit.”

They both exited the science lab and proceeded up the metallic stairs to the bridge. Trent took his position in the left captain's seat. Genghis, not used to his new shape, awkwardly hopped up into the seat to the right of the captain's. He stood on the seat for a few moments trying to figure out how to do the simple task of sitting. He made a couple of circles, stepped off, then placed his front paws firmly on the floor of the cockpit, and slid his hind quarters onto the chair. Then, he laid his right hip flat on the seat and brought his back legs up close to his body. It took him a few moments to get comfortable. “I guess that will do for now.”

The bridge controls were designed around both seats in a way that resembled the top half of a hexagon. This made the computer systems easily accessible to both pilot and copilot.

Genghis took manual control from the navigational computer utilizing the touch screen prompts with his paw pads and ignited the main thrusters. They slowly emerged from behind the moon.

“We still have not been detected,” Genghis announced. “Proceeding in.”

The cruiser circled around the curvature of the moon. While passing over the Ocean of Storms they could see the blacks and grays of the desolate landscape below. Then they accelerated, breaking the gravitational grip of the small planet and out toward Earth. They traveled 238,857 miles in under four minutes and entered the planet's uppermost atmosphere.

“We’re in the exosphere orbiting at 430 miles above the surface,” Genghis announced. “Traveling at a speed of 16,000 miles per hour, still undetected.”

“Excellent!” Trent said while looking out the window. “It’s a very blue planet, isn’t it,” he said, awestruck while gazing down at the Earth.

Genghis looked up from the controls and out the window in front of him. “Yes, it is very blue. Their oceans cover more than 70 percent of their planet.”

“Fascinating. Just think, in a few minutes we’ll be down there. Among the human race,” Trent said. “This is a momentous event.”

“Yes, yes it is.”

They both looked upon the planet with amazement. They could see the light blue oceans. Swirling white clouds obscured most of the landmass. Part of the western hemisphere was bathed in darkness as the planet slowly rotated. In moments they would be on the surface of a world they knew little about. not sure of the reception they would receive. But then again, if all went as planned, there would be no reception.

“Let’s go in,” Trent announced.

“Orienting the cruiser for entry,” Genghis said while setting the cruiser's computers.

The bottom aft thrusters fired, sending the cruiser's stern to pivot upward and over. Just before the cruiser was completely inverted, the top aft thrusters fired, stopping its momentum and leaving the cruiser at a 45 degree angle, with the top heat reflecting surface facing toward the Earth.