Free Jo's Journey by S. E. Smith Page B

documents where small yellow markers pointed. He picked up the writing device and signed his name when Ricki pointed to them again. As soon as he finished, she quickly slipped the clipboard back out of his hands. His mind was trying to keep up with what Walter was saying. Something about him and Nema needing to return to town to finish hooking up their fifth wheel but would be back in just a few hours. Everyone else would be ready and should be arriving in segments over the next two hours so it wouldn’t look too suspicious.
    “ You just get this damn thing up to the surface and we’ll take care of the rest. I can’t tell you how excited everyone is. Not one member of the circus backed out. Of course, we’ve been together for years and I didn’t expect them to…” He was saying.
    “ Of course not, dear,” Nema said as she came up to give her husband a hug. “Half of them have been hiding for years from some devious element or just love traveling and seeing new worlds! This is a wonderful new start. To think we are going to be performing to a whole new audience! I’m so proud of you, Walter! Oh my, this is so exciting, Manota. I can’t tell you how much we appreciate you taking us with you!”
    Jo and her parents came to stand next to Manota who was still trying to figure out at what part of the conversation he had lost control. Every time he opened his mouth to say something, Walter would go off on another long explanation of what they would need or how they were going to secure the items they were taking. Manota looked at Jo who was staring at him with stars of excitement and happiness in her eyes. He knew at that exact moment that he had lost not only the battle, but his entire warship – to the Cirque de Magik and Walter.

Chapter 10
    “ Kev, what appears to be the problem?” Manota called out in aggravation as he walked back down the loading platform.
    He was in a foul mood. His warship was open for all to see, practically defenseless at the moment as close to a hundred humans moved equipment, animals, and other items up the loading ramps. He couldn ’t keep the cloaking shields up as it drained the crystals they used to power it. He had ordered the Seeker to resettle along the outer banks of the lake near where a series of huge semi-tractor trailers, as he found out they were called, had parked.
    He had never seen such organized chaos in his life, not even before a battle. The sounds of exotic animals mixed with the shouts of men and women working in unison. They were backing trailers and equipment up the loading ramps. Some worked at building cages, while others worked with some of his men on anchoring colorful equipment known as rides. A second group was loading the R/Vs into the second storage bay. Ricki and Walter had each taken a side and were calling out instructions.
    In the meantime, there had been a few unexpected surprises. Not that he should have been surprised considering everything that had happened since their arrival on this planet. He was just waiting for Earth’s military to show up and ask if they could park their damn stuff in his warship next.
    No, he thought cynically. I think I will be more surprised if we can get off this planet without starting a damn intergalactic war!
    He had just come from medical where Jo, Tami, and Nema were currently waiting for Shavic to inform them about the condition of one of those surprises. Walter, Nema, and Ricki had returned over an hour before driving like ‘a bat-of-hell’, as Jo described it, as they watched them approach. It had been an incredible feat considering they had a fifth-wheel travel trailer behind them on the narrow dirt and grass path. He had been amazed when it slid to a stop and Walter climbed down from the driver’s seat of the huge truck yelling for help.
    Manota had cursed when he saw Ricki sliding out of the backseat trying to balance a small body in her arms. He knew it wasn ’t Nema as she was hurrying around to the other