A Hodgepodge Collection of Soft Science Fiction Stories

A HODGEPODGE COLLECTION OF SOFT SCIENCE FICTION STORIES

BY DON KROSS

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2015 Don Kross

Smashwords Edition, License Note

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thanks for respecting the hard work of this author.

To my wife for her love and support

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A PAST THAT MAY HAVE EXISTED

THE TRAGIC TIME TRAVEL STORY OF A NERD

RULERS OF THE UNIVERSE

THE AMOREE PLAGUE

THE CREATURE IN THE GRAY ROBE

XERRUS

ANDROIDS DON’T BLEED

OTHER BOOKS BY THE AUTHOR

A PAST THAT MAY HAVE EXISTED

CLAUDE DEAUVE AND PAUL LAMONT

June 15, 1950, in a cemetery near Lovren, a small city in northern France, about 32km (20mi) south of the Belgium border, Claude Deauve narrates about the tragic life of Paul LaMont.

It's cloudy and rainy, a fitting day for the funeral of Paul LaMont. I wouldn't have called him my closest friend or even a friend. I knew Paul because we grew up in the same Lovren neighborhood. A year older than me, Paul lived with his widowed mother.

During World War I, the Germans occupied Lovren; many citizens of Lovren fled the city including Paul's mother, Annette. She stayed with relatives in a small city, located near Paris, where Paul was born in 1916. This was three weeks before his father, Henri, was killed while serving in the French Army.

However, Annette's sister, Katrina, stayed behind in Lovren. During the German occupation, a drunken German soldier raped and killed Katrina. Annette didn't learn about her sister's fate until after the war.

Because Annette lost both her husband and only sister during the war, she developed an intense hatred of the Germans. I remember being in Paul's home on a few occasions and listening to his mother's hatred of the Germans, which unfortunately had an adverse influence on Paul.

As children, Paul and I played with the many kids in the neighborhood. On several occasions, Paul engaged in fights with some of the neighborhood kids and usually came out best in any fight. As Paul matured, he became tall and thin with dark hair. Paul was wiry, strong, and athletic.

I remember Paul being an intense person; I can't explain it. There was something frightening in his eyes; something that only he could see. Several times, Paul mentioned that it seemed like he repeated his life.

While not an outstanding student, Paul was a good student in school. After graduating from secondary school and passing his baccalaureate examinations, Paul entered the University of Paris as a physics student. A year later, I also entered the University of Paris as a physics student. I occasionally saw Paul, since we attended some classes together.

At this time, Paul became romantically involved with a girl, Maria, a student at the University of Paris, who also came from Lovren. I met them a few times at the university. During this time, I noticed Paul was not as obsessed with his hatred of the Germans. He was clearly in love with Maria. The last time I saw them, they told me that they planned on getting married sometime in 1940.

Somehow, Paul made it through the physics classes and graduated in 1938. He accepted a teaching position at a secondary school in Paris. When Maria graduated, she accepted a teaching position at a primary school in Paris.

***

But, times were changing and unfortunately it again involved the Germans. September 1939, the Germans invaded Poland and World War II began. Paul and I had reserve commissions as Lieutenants in the French Army. Early in 1940, we were called up for active duty in different units.

Paul and Maria decided to postpone their wedding for a while. Meanwhile, Maria accepted a teaching position in a small city, an important rail junction, near Paris.

Unfortunately, in the spring of 1940, the French Army proved to be no match for the German Wehrmacht.

During the first week of the German offensive, I was wounded with shrapnel wounds to my arms and hands, and sent to an army hospital south of Paris. I was in that hospital when the Germans broke through French defenses in May of 1940. The war in France was over; the Germans became our new masters.

As a result of the confusion and poor leadership of his superiors, Paul’s unit was surrounded by the Germans during the early days of the German breakthrough. Captured by the Germans, Paul spent the rest of the war in various German POW Camps.

The tragedy in Paul's life continued. His mother was killed when a German plane strafed her refuge column fleeing from Lovren. Later in the war, when the American Air Force bombed the nearby rail-yards, Maria was killed by a stray bomb, which struck the house she lived in.

I was more fortunate than Paul. Even though my wounds required bandages, the wounds weren't severe enough to require long hospitalization. While in the hospital, I became acquainted with an Army Nurse, Paulette. Before the Germans took over the hospital, I managed to escape with the help of Paulette. The bandages didn't interfere with my walking; we walked out of the hospital and made our way to Paris where Paulette and I became lovers.

In time, Paulette and I joined the Resistance or French Underground. The danger was high; one could never know when there would be trouble. At times, we faced more danger from the French collaborators than the German Gestapo. At least, I wasn't a POW like Paul. I might have had some perilous moments in the Resistance, but the fate of a French POW was worse.

Somehow, Paulette and I survived the war. The French Army with the aid of the Allies liberated France. However, the affair didn't survive between Paulette and me.

I resumed my life after the affair ended with Paulette; eventually, obtaining an associate professor's position in the physics department at the University of Paris.

Then I met Brigid, who came from the South of France. We were married in June of 1949.

As for Paul, he came out of the war a man whose spirit was broken by the death of his mother, Maria's death and the POW experience. He couldn't accept what had happened. He went back to Lovren and tried to teach but failed.

I never saw Paul during this period. In July 1947, my youngest brother, Rene, wrote to me about Paul wandering the streets, penniless and in rags. One day, the authorities found Paul collapsed on the street in the old neighborhood. They committed him to an institution outside of Lovren. This was the last time that I heard anything about Paul.

***

PAUL ARRIVES AT THE APARTMENT OF CLAUDE AND BRIGID

On the Saturday during the first week of June 1950, Brigid and I had been happily married a year. Furthermore, I was satisfied with my position as an associate professor in the physics department at the University of Paris.

On that Saturday night, instead of going to a restaurant, Brigid and I decided to have a romantic candlelight dinner in the apartment. Everything was perfect, we enjoyed the dinner as we listened to romantic music on the old record player.

We just finished our dinner, when we were surprised by someone pounding on the front door.

Claude, Claude! Let me in. I have to talk to you, a loud male voice called out.

Brigid was frightened and asked, Who's that?

I didn't recognize the voice. Perhaps, it was somebody I knew from my days in the Resistance. After motioning to Brigid to be careful, I went to the door with caution and opened it without unlatching the security chain. I saw a man standing there probably about my age, tall and thin with dark hair. He was in a highly emotional state with a look in his eyes that somehow seemed familiar. Still, I didn't recognize him.

What can I do for you?

The man still highly agitated responded, It's me, Paul LaMont. Why don't you let me in?

Paul, who?

I'd forgotten about Paul LaMont, since it had been over ten years and before the war when I last saw him.

I don't know what's happening, Paul answered. It was just a few days ago when I saw you and Brigid.

Then, I remembered Paul LaMont. He was one of the kids who lived in the old Lovren neighborhood where I grew-up. How could he have known Brigid? Wasn't he in an institution near Lovren?

Paul LaMont, now I remember you, I answered. It’s been quite a while since I last saw you.

What do you mean? Paul responded rather loudly. I just saw you a few days ago! At first, you didn't seem to recognize me. I don't understand what's happening to me. I've been to the university and my apartment; everything is changed.

By now, my neighbors noticed the commotion and Paul's loud voice outside the door. Reluctantly, I opened the door and let Paul enter. He looked all right but bewildered. He needed a shave, had straggly hair and his clothes needed changing. All I could do was to watch him closely.

I introduced him to Brigid. Honey, this is Paul LaMont who lived in the same neighborhood in Lovren when we were kids.

Brigid half smiled and said to Paul, I'm glad to meet you. You look like you might want something to eat?

Paul looked puzzled and bewildered. I could see that he didn't understand why Brigid didn't recognize him and I couldn't understand how he knew Brigid. Anyway, he answered that he would like something to eat. Well, there went the romantic weekend I planned on spending with Brigid.

Paul ate everything we gave him. I noticed that he had that same look in his eyes when he was a youth, a look that was hard to describe, but nevertheless frightening.

From what my youngest brother wrote to me in a letter, Paul had been in an institution near Lovren since 1947. How did he get away from the institution?

After asking Paul how he arrived in Paris from Lovren, Paul told an unbelievable story. Again, he had that puzzled look. He shouted that he hadn't been to Lovren in months. Yet somehow, he was riding in a truck from Lovren to Paris. Paul made no mention of the institution or could he tell us how he got on that truck.

When the truck arrived in Paris, the truck driver left Paul off on a street corner near the university. From there, Paul found his way to the university, went to the Physics Building and entered it. He went to the basement and entered a storeroom where lab equipment, benches and assorted items are stored. Paul was confused; the storeroom was not what he expected.

What did they do with the computer equipment and the time travel machine? Paul asked in a loud voice.

I wasn't sure what Paul was talking about. What did he mean about a computer and time travel machine?

What are you talking about, what's this about a computer and a time travel machine? I asked. I don't know what you mean. That room in that area has been a storeroom since I've been at the university from 1946.

Again, I sensed that Paul didn't know what I was talking about.

He responded again in a loud voice, No! Claude, you've been at the university longer than that.

I said, Paul, I don't think you and I are talking about the same thing.

Paul looked at us with an upset look in his eyes, almost as if he wanted to cry.

Then bless her, Brigid said to Paul, Paul, I'm sorry if we don't quite understand what you are trying to tell us, especially this thing about a computer and a time travel machine, which was something I thought you read about in science fiction stories. Why don't you finish eating your food? Go to the bathroom and freshen up a little. Then Claude will open a bottle of wine. After that we'll sit down, relax and listen to your story.

Paul agreed to Brigid's offer; he finished eating and went to the bathroom. Those few moments gave me a chance to discuss the situation with Brigid.

"Brigid, thanks for the suggestion about the wine. My brother, Rene, wrote that Paul has been in an institution since 1947. He never got over the POW experience after being captured by the Germans in 1940 during the war. Furthermore, his mother was killed during the early days of the war. Also, his fiancée, Maria, was killed during an air raid by the American Air Force on the rail yards near her home.

"I say, let's fake it for a time, listen to his story and then somehow see that