The van pulled up to the curb on South King Street just pass Richards Street. The driver of the van said “Okay gangie this is where the Customs Office stay,” he pointed to one of the buildings to the right “you can not miss it.”
“How much we owe for the ride?” asked Karen
“Twenty six dollars and seventy five cents.” said the driver.
“I got a couple of twenties, how’s about giving me a ten back” suggested Karen
“Would a five and five ones do sistah?” asked the driver
“Yeah that would be okay.” said Karen
Karen and the van driver exchanged money while Carolyn, Lisa, Zonar, Taskeven, Cor, Hor, Jackie, Edna and Tobaz got out of the van.
Karen left the van while the driver said “Mahalo sistah, enjoy your stay on dis islands.” as he drove off.
Karen turned to face the group and Carolyn said while gesturing frustration “Does it say anywhere on us that we are tourist?”
“The fact that we are wearing United Nations Space Fleet uniforms and we are escorting five extra-terrestrials.” replied Karen
“Besides that?” asked Carolyn
“I have no idea.” replied Karen. No one else had any answer to Carolyn’s tourist question, after about five silent seconds, Karen then pointed toward the direction of the van driver first pointed to and said “Well people let’s say we go to the Customs Office.” The group then turned toward the direction of Karen’s arm and walked.
As they walked Karen noticed the traffic on South King Street was pretty light for what seemed to be the late morning just roughly before lunch time. As they continued walking there were other people around them, most of them did not take notice of them. Other people were gathering around a figure that was standing on top of a block that was in the middle of a circle. Zonar noticed this, pointed to this and ask “What are they doing?”
“They seem to be taking pictures of King Kamehameha.” said Edna.
“King?” asked Zonar
“Yeah, as in leader” said Edna
“Leader?!” said Zonar
“Yes” said Edna.
“You there!” yelled Zonar while pointing to the figure on top of the block. The figure did not respond to Zonar. Zonar then moved over to the figure and said “You there! Bow down to me your new leader, Lord Zonar!”
The people that were taking pictures was wondering if this person who was yelling was an actor for a new science fiction television series, so they started to take pictures of the newcomer.
“Nice going Edna,” said Carolyn “that really set him off.”
“What I said?” asked Edna.
“You! bow down to me.” said Zonar, still trying to get a response from the figure on top of the block. “I am your supreme leader, bow down to my presence or suffer the consequences!”
Karen decided to act before things got out of hand. She then walked over to where Zonar were attempting to elicit a response from the figure on top of the block and asked “Zonar what are doing?”
“This one does not bow down before me. He shall the consequences and die, Cor! Hor!” Zonar pointed to the figure. Cor and Hor moved over to the figure, they used their blaster rods on the figure, it made the ka-pap sounds each time they touch the figure but the rods had no effect on the figure.
Two figures dressed in blue holding some sort of device ran up to Zonar, Cor, Hor and Karen. One of the yelled “You there drop your weapons before we open fire on you!”
“Zonar tell Cor and Hor to stop it, it is not going to work on that.” said Karen while pointing to the figure on the block. Zonar waved to Cor and Hor to stop. They stop using the blaster rods on the figure on the block.
“You there identify yourself” said one of the figures.
Karen raised both her hands and said “I am Lieutenant Commander Karen Baxter of the United Nations Research Vessel Dillingham, my crew and I are escorting a group of dignitaries to the United States Custom Office, we are here to fill out some forms so that these dignitaries can have access to other parts of this world. We mean you no harm.”
Zonar points to the figure on the block and says “This one defies me, he shall be put to death!”
“Hey brah” said the figure in blue “you stay dissing the King over there.”
“Surely officer that is not an offense here?” asked Karen
“No it is not” said the figure in blue “but damaging the statue is.”
“Who are you to talk to me like that!” demanded Zonar
“Zonar be quiet, I will explain later.” said Karen “Officer please forgive me and my charge here, Lord Zonar is new to this world and the various customs to it, I will try to expedite his education in our ways, in the meantime please accept my apologies over this incident it will not happen again.”
“Well okay make sure it does not happen again.” said the figure in blue.
“Thank you officer for your understanding in this matter.” said Karen
Karen pointed to Zonar, Cor and Hor to join the rest of the group, the two figures in blue also moved away from the circle where the figure on the block stood.
“Who was he and why did he address me like that, does he not know who I am?” asked Zonar
“He was a police officer and he was doing his duty to protect and I don’t think he knows who you are, not yet anyway.” replied Karen
“He was not doing his duty” said Zonar
“Yes he was.” said Karen
“No he was not doing his duty, he should be executed.” demanded Zonar
“Yes he was doing his duty and you can not execute him.” replied Karen
“He was not doing his duty to protect me.” said Zonar
“He was not protecting you, he was protecting the statue from you, since for some reason you wanted Cor and Hor to damage it.” said Karen
“It did not want to bow down before me.” said Zonar
“You mean that?” asked Karen as she pointed to the figure on the block in the middle of the circle.
“Yes” replied Zonar
“Statues as a rule do not bow, in fact they do not move at all.” said Karen
Zonar pointed to Edna and said “She said that it was a leader.”
“See what you did Edna.” said Carolyn
“Carolyn!” starred Karen “Leave Edna alone.” She then turned her attention to Zonar and said “Zonar that over there is just a statue nothing more, it does not respond to you or anyone else for matter because it is not alive.”
“You have a leader that is not alive?” asked Zonar
“Well he was alive once. After he died they built the statue of his likeness in his honor.” replied Karen.
“So leaders on this planet have statues of them?” asked Zonar
“Not all of the leaders have statues” replied Karen
“Then where is my statue?” asked Zonar
“You have to be a leader first.” replied Karen
“Yes I am.” said Zonar
“No you are not.” said Karen.
“Yes I am, I am Lord Zonar, bow before me!” demanded Zonar
“Did you fill you in your Form Three Nine Eight Seven yet?” asked Karen
“No.” replied Zonar
“Then you are not our leader.” said Karen “Until that happens you are not the supreme leader of this world.”
“Why do we delay in filling out this foo?” asked Zonar
“It is called a form.” replied Karen “And you are the one who seems to be wasting time on having a non moving status bow down before you.”
“Well they should be bowing down before me!” yelled Zonar.
“Well I suppose when you are in charge of this world you can do that but until that happens you have to live with.” said Karen. “Now shall we continue on now?”
As the group started to move toward the Customs Building the two police officers returned, the one who spoke earlier said “Did you say your name is Karen Baxter?”
“Yes I did.” said Karen
“Do you have any identification on you madam?” said the police officer
“Hang on.” said Karen she then reached into her uniform pocket, removed her personal digital assistant and said “you want my State of Hawaii driver’s license or my United Nations Space Fleet identification card?”
“You are from the State of Hawaii?” asked the police officer
“All my life, I even live here on Oahu.” said Karen
“Really?” asked the police officer
“Yes.” said Karen
“What year you stay grad?” asked the police officer
“Nineteen seventy five.” replied Karen
“Oh my god.” said the police officer “As when my grandmother grad too! What high school?”
“Officer?” asked Karen “Which identification do you require? My state id or my UNSF one?”
Realizing that he may have embarrassed Karen on the age issue the police officer said “The United Nations Space Fleet identification card will do madam.”
Karen took that identification card from one of the pockets of the case that held her personal digital assistant and gave the card to the police officer.
He checked it and said “It looks in order. Nice photo Commander Baxter. By any chance is there a Doctor Carolyn Oshiro among you?”
“Do I need to show my identification too?” asked Carolyn who raised her hand.
“That would be nice Doctor Oshiro.” said the police officer.
Carolyn got out her UNSF identification card from her uniform pocket and handed to the police officer.
He checked it and said “It looks in order too. I called in the incident at the statue to central dispatch and they said I need to contact the two of you. You are not under arrest but I am told to bring the two of you to the local UNSF office right away.”
“We will go after we are done here.” said Karen
“I am sorry Commander, you and Doctor Oshiro are needed now.” said the police officer “the rest of your party can do whatever they want to do.”
“Lisa.” said Karen “You are in charge of the group and please stay out of trouble.”
“Yes madam” said Lisa.
“And remember Lieutenant, Zonar needs to fill in Form Three Nine Eight Seven.” said Karen
“Right he needs to fill out Form Thirty Nine, Eighty Seven, will do, you got nothing to worry about it boss.” said Lisa
“Lisa, “ said Karen “I said he needs to fill in Form Three Nine Eight Seven, not fill out Form Thirty Nine Eighty Seven.”
“Are you sure?” asked Lisa
“Yes I am.” replied Karen
“So does he fill out Form Three Nine Eight Seven or does he fill in Form Thirty Nine Eighty Seven?” asked Lisa
“Fill in Form Three Nine Eight Seven.” said Karen
“What is wrong with him filling in Form Thirty Nine Eighty Seven?” asked Lisa
“That would be the incorrect form.” replied Karen
“It is?” asked Lisa
“Yes it is.” replied Karen
“Are you sure?” asked Lisa
“I am sure.” replied Karen
“Well don’t give me a hard time over it.” said Lisa
“What do mean?” asked Karen
“I mean, your way I have to remember four numbers, my way I only need to remember two numbers.” replied Lisa.
Karen grabbed Lisa by the shoulders and said “Lisa, remember fill in Form Three Nine Eight Seven.”
“Hey I thought Zonar had to fill out these forms, not me.” said Lisa.
“Oh my god Lisa remember, have Zonar fill in Form Three Nine Eight Seven.” said Karen.
“Right I got it Form Three Nine Eighty Seven.” said Lisa “Nothing to worry about, got it in all under control.”
“Jackie, Edna which form does Zonar need to fill in?” asked Karen
“Form Three Thousand Nine Hundred Eighty Seven.” replied Jackie.
“No it is not Jackie, it is Form Three Nine Hundred Eighty Seven” said Edna
“Carolyn which form does Zonar need to fill in?” asked Karen
“Form Nineteen Seventy Five.” replied Carolyn and then she noticed Karen was ready to pull her hair out “Oh wait Nineteen Seventy Five is when you graduated high school grandma.”
“Carolyn!” yelled Karen
“Just teasing you Karen.” said Carolyn “Hey Ladies it is after all Form Nine Eight Seven Three.”
“As you can see officer,” said Karen “I can not leave this group until I directly supervise that the right form gets filled in by Lord Zonar here.”
“Do not worry Commander,” said Tobaz “Lord Zonar needs to fill in Form Three Nine Eight Seven.”
“Well it seems someone has the situation well under control here.” said the police officer. “Now will the two of you please come with me.”
“Lisa just make sure Zonar fills in the right form okay?” asked Karen “I am counting on you, no the world is counting on you to do the right thing here.”
“Sure will take care of it boss.” replied Lisa “You got nothing to worry about.”
“Shall we go now?” asked the police officer.
“Sure officer.” said Karen and with that Karen and Carolyn followed the two police officers to their patrol car. As they got the to patrol car Carolyn asked “Are you sure it was wise to leave Lisa in charge of that group?”
“Did I have any choice in the matter?” asked Karen
“No but you know how people from Kauai are when they are put in a situation like that.” said Carolyn
“Carolyn, you and I are from Kauai too.” said Karen
“Yeah, now you see why.” said Carolyn.
“Well shall we continue on to the Custom’s Office” said Lisa
“No” said Zonar “I wish to observe your people here, I wish for them to bow down before my presences.”
“Zonar” said Lisa “You really need to come with me to fill out the form.”
“I believe Commander Baxter said that Form Three Nine Eight Seven needs to be filled in.” said Tobaz.
“Whatever?” said Lisa “You need to come with me.”
“You can fill in the form Lieutenant Silva.” said Zonar
“No it needs to be done by you.” said Lisa.
“You dare order me around, do you know who I am, I am Lord Zonar, you will bow down before my presence!” said Zonar.
“I am only suggesting that you come with me to the Custom’s Office so that we can fill in Form Thirty Nine Eighty Seven.” said Lisa.
“It is Form Three Nine Eight Seven Lieutenant Silva” corrected Tobaz.
Lisa pointed to Tobaz and said “Fine you want to come down with me to fill in the form?”
“I will do that.” replied Tobaz
“Wait.” said Zonar, “Taskeven!” yelled Zonar
Taskeven bowed down before Zonar and said “Yes my Lord Zonar.”
“Taskeven go with Lieutenant Silva and fill in“ ordered Zonar who then paused for a while trying to remember what form needed to be filled out when Tobaz stepped in and said “Form Three Nine Eight Seven.”
“Yes my Lord Zonar.” said Taskeven who then bowed before Zonar and then turned to move away from Zonar and to go with Lisa to the Custom’s Office.
Lisa then pointed to Edna and Jackie and said “Say you two make sure these guys do not get into trouble okay.”
“Will do Lisa” said Edna.
Posted by Helen at November 26, 2002 11:10 PM