Girl With the Sea-Green Eyes

This story is a work in progress.

Xanadu story universe

Chapter One: Between the Vader and the Deep Blue Sea

The unusual demise of the Secretary of Defense did put a damper on the evening, but only for a while. Because, for the first time since my unwilling transformation into a Mervulcan almost two weeks before, I was looking at the possibility of actually getting to live life in what was now my natural environment, the sea! Better yet, my own true love and husband would be able to live with me! Add to that, we have a child on the way! Just try to keep me down after that!

We spent much of the evening before Thanksgiving watching the unfolding drama on the news networks and debating what to do. Well before bed-time, we decided to just tell Master Harding/Windu what Vader told us and then leave the rest to the new Jedi Council (made up of people transformed into Force Users). We ordered a pizza (extra anchovies) then retired for some serious cuddling.

On Thanksgiving day, I fixed pancakes for breakfast. Alex watched the news and took in a football game. I spent part of the day sorting through my clothes for things I couldn't wear anymore, like slacks, jeans, shoes, panties, hose, and soforth. I was thinking a big yard-sale or maybe just a big donation to the Salvation Army. I was also sorting with an eye to what I should wear to what probably will be the most important meeting of our lives. The rest of the afternoon I spent on the computer, looking up everything I could find on the Bahamas, Bimini, the Gulf Stream, artificial reefs, the R.B.O.S., Eric Winters, etc.

"No!" Alex groaned, "You're two scores down with less than five minutes! You can't punt! What are you thinking!"

"What's wrong sweetie?" I asked. "Tampa Bay coaching staff gone stupid again?"

He just growled and flipped his fin. "I don't think I can watch anymore of this." He changed the channel to where we were treated to yet another angle of the Secretary of Defense being Force-choked to death.

"Yuck! I don't think I can watch anymore of that."

"I agree." He sighed and started channel surfing. "You know they're only one Star Wars fan away from figuring out what killed him. That will put suspicion on all Force users."

"Perhaps, as more of his misdeeds come to light, they'll be less motivated to find out who dunnit."

"Perhaps, but I wouldn't count on it." Alex finally turned the TV off. "Find out anything interesting on the 'puter?"

"A few things. We won't be the first research station on or near Bimini. There's the Shark Lab or Bimini Biological Field Station. Also, according to legend, the Fountain of Youth is there."

"You're kidding. We're not gonna have folks hunting us for our tears are we?" chuckled Alex.

"Seriously, we might want to keep tabs on any Jack Sparrows, Black Beards or other POTC4 Strangers that show up in our neighborhood."

Alex shook his head, "Sweet Mother Mary!"

That evening, we ate out at a restaurant that served turkey with all the trimmings. I wore the little black dress we bought in Orlando last week. Alex looked especially handsome in some more formal Jedi stuff. We invited Edna to come with us, which made it a family occasion as far as we were concerned. She found something nice that she hadn't worn in ages and was still at least somewhat in style. We attracted a lot of attention rolling in, but everyone was nice.

I really like turkey and I'm afraid I ate a lot of it. Even Alex noticed. "You're gonna get gravy in your cleavage," he thought.

"Oh dear!" I thought back. "If I keep eating like this, and don't get to burn it off in the water, I'm gonna start putting on weight."

"You are eating for two now."

"True, but one of us is still microscopic!"

I konked out from the tryptophan on the way home. I kinda missed Alex being able to carry me, since I had to wake up and roll myself into the house. Next morning, I actually out-slept Alex. This made me consider the possibility that turkey has an even bigger effect on Vulcans than humans.

Friday and Saturday we did very little. During the day, we kept to ourselves, sort of the honeymoon we never got to have. Friday evening we were invited over to Edna's for dinner. We found that cooking is a major challenge when everybody in the house has a tail. We had to use Alex to 'Jedi' stuff off of the upper shelves. Even so, three Mers rolling around a kitchen is the very definition of chaos. We all had a good time, none-the-less, and dinner turned out better than expected. We invited Edna over Saturday night. I wimped out, however, and ordered Chinese.

Late Saturday evening, we got a long email from the R.B.O.S. They were going to meet us at the lake. We felt good about this. It would allow all of the Mers to take part in the discussion. A select group was going to be sent to Bimini and the Southerland Express a week later, to inspect the site and determine what would be needed to make the site habitable for Merfolk. I was so eager to get started, I could almost taste the sea!

Sunday, the two of us and Edna packed to leave. We also started deciding on what would go with us to Bimini. Everything else, except non-waterproof memorabilia, would be sold with the house. It would be put on the market as soon as we had a confirmed place to move to. This could not be too soon. One of us not walking was an inconvenience, both of us is a bitch.

Our plan was to stay in the lake Monday and Tuesday, then head for Ashville Wednesday. We considered leaving the van in Orlando and flying, but we felt we needed a means of escaping my folks house from time to time, or even leaving early, if the drama got too thick. We were rather curious, however, about how the airlines would go about accomodating us, and how the TSA would react.

By noon we were packed and ready to go. Just before leaving, we recieved a short email from Skye, asking us to come visit as soon as we could. It's hard to guage emotion in an email, or any letter for that matter, but there was something so forlorn in that short little note that it made me feel like weeping. I convinced Alex that we should go there this very afternoon and Edna agreed to come too. Mr. and Mrs. Walker were very glad to hear from us when we called for directions, they were a bit worried about their younger daughter.

It was a little past one when we arrived at the Walkers' farm. It had been a small orange growing operation at one time. There were still a lot of orange trees on the property, which gave it a very green and pleasant atmosphere. Alex and Edna wheeled down the path to the pond. I hung back a bit to talk with Gina Walker. Skye was not happy with with the free part of her world being confined to a small farm pond.

"At the Xanadu Center lake, she was surrounded by people like her," said Gina. "Here, she's constantly reminded of how different she is."

"Isn't it the same with Jamie?" I asked.

"Jamie's different, but at least he can run and play with the other kids. Also younger kids tend to be more accepting. Skye can only really play here in her pond or at the public pool. At the pool, the chlorine hurts her gills."

"I know what that's like. What about school?"

"The district keeps dragging its feet about accommodating her. She's very mobile, but the way she has to move attracts a lot of attention. Also, she still needs to soak in water every few hours. We're trying to get her back into her old school, at least she has friends there. And, being in Orlando, there are a couple of Xanadu survivors among the students."

"Any of them Mers?"

"Unfortunately, no."