A small party had been planned to occupy the time of the return journey. Eden wanted to welcome the Thomases and make them feel at home as soon as possible. They knew what it would be like for them to be leaving their home planet for the first time, and s.p.a.ce travel is always a daunting experience, no matter how many times you've done it.

Tris was fascinated by the Trion systems and spent quite some time exploring. The new Kerasite shielding was of particular interest, as it alone had increased the ship's speed by a large margin. Steve just hung back and let him get on with it. He was also amazed at how quickly Tris adapted to being weightless.

"OK Steve, I've seen enough we can go back now." They made for the hatch and Tris waited for Steve to catch up. When he arrived, they both went through, back into the main cabin.

"Now that you've finished that Tris, why not take a look at Earth."

Tris did, it was a stunning sight from orbit as always, and it captivated him for quite some time.

Chapter Twenty-One.

Chapter 12.

The Journey Home The new ship floated out of the cargo bay doors with ease, the magnetic drive being used to manoeuvre away from the big ship. Once clear, Roy fired up the rocket motors and cruised away to break orbit and descend to the surface.

"Hi Southgate, this is Roy calling, I'm on my way down. Send up a few prayers will you, the earth looks awful big from up here. Over."

"Will do Roy, we'll be watching for you. Over and out."

Jake had been waiting for Roy's call, and was most pleased to get it. Earth had become somewhat unsavoury since the fight with Beast and his followers, all they wanted to do now was get away. Jake left the radio shed and went to tell the others the good news.

"How long will he be?" Sarah asked.

"I don't know 'smudge'," Zeek answered, "but we should be able to see him, especially if the sun catches the ship, it'll light up like a Christmas tree."

They all stood around looking up, but there was no sign of the ship. Necks began to ache, so one by one they gave up and settled down to wait for it in a more comfortable position.

Some time had pa.s.sed when Paul suddenly looked up a little alarmed.

"What's the matter son?" Dave asked him.

"I'm not sure dad, but I thought I heard voices."

Dave could see that he meant it, and knew that Paul was not given to pranks, so he asked him, "Which direction son?"

Paul pointed south and hearts began to race.

"Let's take a look Dave," Jake said, jumping up, "Zeek, you keep an eye out here while we're gone."

The two men set off towards the trees but stopped when they heard a twig snap. They all went quiet and listened. There were voices, whispering. They recognised the sound of them and instinctively crouched down.

"It's Beast," Jake said, whispering, "and he's not alone, quick, let's hide behind the cabins."

They all scurried off after Jake with Zeek keeping up the rear. They made it just in time as Beast and his followers broke the tree line. There were more of them than they'd seen at Beast's camp, they just kept coming out of the trees, dozens -- no, hundreds of them.

"This is bad," Jake whispered, "they're bound to see the ship."

Danny had been given charge of the glider's radio set, so Jake sent him further into the forest to make contact with Roy.

"Tell him what's happening and ask him what he wants us to do."

Danny set off silently into the trees. Beast had discovered the packed boxes and was screaming instructions to his men to, 'tear the place apart until they're found.'

Behaving like a mad man, he began to destroy the boxes and their contents. Mary looked on with sadness as all her things were violated.

"Sc.u.m bag," she said, under her breath, "we should have finished him off when we had the chance."

"Never mind precious, where we're going we won't need any of that stuff, and remember, he won't be able to follow us."

Dave held her as close as he could whilst crouching, and she smiled at him for his strength.

Danny returned so silently that he made them jump as he appeared.

"This is the plan," he said, and explained all that Roy had told him. He got some surprised looks from them, but no arguments. They all agreed what they would do and turned back to see what Beast was up to. He was standing, staring into the air, arms outstretched as if performing a ritual of some sort.

"I don't like the look of this," Zeek said, "I've seen this kind of thing before, it's an incantation. He's calling up evil spirits."

Martha came to his side, "Don't worry," she said, "we have access to a higher power than they do, come on, let's pray."

Those who were believers held hands and prayed. They'd just said, "Amen," when two dark shadows appeared in front of Beast. All the followers cowered on the ground, but Beast stood upright and proud. The spirits spoke to him and vanished. "COME ON," he screamed at his followers, "they're behind the cabins GET THEM."

There was pandemonium as Beast's followers ran in all directions. The cabins and those hiding behind them were quickly encircled, there was no way of escape.

"Watch for the ship," Jake ordered, "that will be our sign."

The filthy followers dragged them out into the open, in front of the cabins, and surrounded them, at least thirty deep.

"What are you going to do now vermin?" Beast taunted. Knives, makeshift spears and clubs where pointed at them. "One move," Beast said, "and it's your last."

The stench was truly awful and young Paul couldn't help himself.

"Don't you ever take a bath?" he said, holding his nose. Beast flew into a fury and grabbed Paul dragging him away from the rest.

"So, you want me to take a bath do you, then let's find some water."

Beast dragged Paul towards the lake with some difficulty, whilst his followers made sure that no one could come to Paul's aid. They reached the water's edge and Beast picked Paul up and threw him in. Paul turned a neat summersault in mid air and landed on his feet, on the water.

"WHAT!" Beast screamed, in disbelief, and tried to reach him, but Paul stepped back further out onto the lake and said, "What's up sc.u.m bag, can't you swim?"

Beast turned to his followers and screamed, "Get him." Confusion ensued.

"Out of the mouth of Babes," Jake shouted, pushing several of the followers so hard that they cut a swathe through the ranks opening up a gap. No one needed telling what to do next, as one, they rushed through the gap towards the lake. The startled followers were in such disarray that the escape was easy. Dave and Mary grabbed the remaining kids and tore off onto the water to join Paul, whilst Jake, Zeek, Betty and Martha deflected the weapons that were thrown at them. Seeing that their weapons were useless, the h.o.a.rd rushed at them screaming obscenities, and vile threats. The righteous ran onto the lake and headed towards the middle. The h.o.a.rd tried to follow but fell as they hit the water and sank into it. They piled up several layers deep at the waters edge, stumbling over each other, and were unable to follow their prey any further.

The Thomas family had regrouped, along with the others, and were watching this pathetic show from far out on the lake.

"They sure are a lame bunch," Paul said, "but at least some of them got a bath."

They all laughed, and as they turned away, they saw the ship coming silently towards them over the water.

"All aboard," Roy called out, as the ship came to a stop in front of them. He helped them to board then took a last look at the commotion on the beach near the cabins, he blew the loudest raspberry anyone had ever heard and closed the hatch. Roy made sure everyone was seated and said, "Next stop Eden."

The ship silently lifted up into the air and Roy fired the rockets. The acceleration was fierce and things shook a bit, but orbit was attained in a couple of minutes.

Roy turned and said, "Now all we have to do is find the ship." The kids laughed, but Dave and Mary weren't sure if he meant it or not.

"h.e.l.lo mother, this is rescue, over."

"What's with the mother stuff Roy, did it go as planned?"

"Not quite as planned Phil, but they made it OK. We'll be with you in a few minutes. Over."

"OK Roy, the door's open and the kettle's on, over and out."

They soon sighted the big ship, and Roy manoeuvred to the cargo bay with great skill. The magnetic drive was used to pull them inside and the bay doors closed behind them.

"That's it folks, we've arrived. Just allow time for the air pressure to normalise and we can disembark."

The buzzer sounded to let them know that the air had reached the correct pressure, so Roy opened the hatch. They all left the small ship and floated through the cargo bay to the hatch leading to the pa.s.senger cabin. Roy waited for the stragglers and opened the hatch. They pa.s.sed through into the darkened pa.s.senger cabin, where Clare waited until she heard the hatch close before hitting the light switch.

The lights came on amid cheers, applause, laughter, and shouts of welcome. The warmth of the welcome overcame the Thomases, and both Mary and Dave broke down in tears. It took several minutes before Dave could compose himself enough to say a simple, "Thank you."

Steve said, "You're welcome Dave, and the rest of you, it's good to have you here with us, now come and take your seats, we need to set off for the Moon."

Roy made sure they were safely settled and found his way to the c.o.c.kpit.

"Welcome back son," Phil said, "I'll give you mother..."

Both men laughed and Roy took his seat ready for the start of the motors.

"Right folks, get ready for the big one, Trion in three, two, one..." The mighty Trion drive kicked in and pinned everyone back in their seats. The acceleration was enormous, but only lasted a few seconds, though it seemed longer to those who weren't used to it. Phil left the monitor screens on for the newcomers, one showing Earth getting smaller, the other, the Moon growing larger.

"Wow," Danny said, "look at how fast we're going."

Right on cue, Phil came over the intercom announcing, "Our current speed is 150,000 miles per hour, we're keeping it down a bit so that our new friends can experience a little s.p.a.ce travel."

"Did you hear that?" Danny said, to Paul, "150,000, I wonder how much faster it can go?"

Paul looked back at him a little non-plussed, Paul was always the laid back one.

Tris, who was sitting close to the youngsters, leaned over, "Hi Danny, hi Paul, I'm Tris, I'll tell you all about the ship when we get to Eden if you like. There's so much for you to see there, it's going to be really exciting."

It wasn't long before the big ship settled down into the Moon's atmosphere and was soon skimming across the surface as it had done on the first trip all those years before. The Moon Base became visible first, set against the side of a crater, and as the ship slowed, Eden itself came into view, nestling by its waterfall. Thousands of cattle and sheep grazed on the endless gra.s.slands, and trees were growing along the riverbanks.

"It's so beautiful Dave," Mary said, through her tears, "there's nothing bad or evil here, just peace and love."

"Yes, I can feel it too," Dave replied, "it truly is paradise."

"That it is," Clare added, "and it'll be all the better for your presence."

Now they were all blubbering again, even Steve this time. Tris looked over to the other kids and said, "Grown ups!"

The ship landed and Nancy Fuller opened the hatch. Sunlight burst into the pa.s.senger cabin.

"Listen," she said, and they all went silent. They could hear the sound of birds singing and cattle lowing in the distance. "I love that sound," she said, "welcome, everyone, to Eden, the most blessed place in all of G.o.d's creation."

She gestured to them to leave the ship and they willingly complied.

The Thomas family were given the privilege of going first, and Dave stood aside for Mary who stepped out of the ship to be greeted by all the other Edenites. Kay and Sam walked up to her with outstretched arms saying, "We've prepared a place for you, follow us."

Together, all the Edenites escorted the Thomases to their new home. Everyone had chipped in to help build and furnish it. It was by far, the grandest house in Eden, set by the river and it's wonderful trees. Kay and Sam led them inside and said, "We'll leave you to find out where everything is," and left the speechless Thomases to do just that.

Danny, Sarah, and Paul ran off to bag the best rooms for them selves, but Mary and Dave just stood and looked around at the most wonderful house they had ever seen. The kids soon returned, very excited and shouting, "Mummy, daddy, you must come and see, there are clothes in all the closets, and you can see the lake from the upstairs windows."

Dave and Mary gathered the children around them and calmed them down. "First," Dave said, "we must give thanks for this wonderful house, and all the wonderful people who have rescued us and made us so welcome here."

He knelt to pray, and his wife and children joined him. It was a grateful and very happy Thomas family that went to bed that night, and sleep was sweet.

Chapter Twenty-Two.

Chapter 13.

Celebrations It was some days later when a knock came on the Thomas' door. It was Kay and Sam. "Hi folks, we thought we'd leave you to settle in a while before disturbing you. Is everything OK?" Kay said this whilst gesturing to the house.

"OK?" Mary replied excitedly, "Everything is wonderful, just wonderful. How can we ever thank you all for such kindness?" Kay and Sam just smiled.