Worshipers of the Rooster Part 1

As the subway made its first stop into The Heights, Lt.Hershel Jackson grabbed his bag, and left his coach. Jackson was a Black American, who was also of Peruvian descent. His family had lived in The Heights for three generations.

For a few moments he looked around to see if his abopted brother Bud had made it. The station was full of people, so Lt. Jackson decided to wait at the main entrance. But as he started to walk ,he heard a voice shout, "Hey Herk! Over here!"

Looking to his left, Lt.Jackson saw Bud and his daughter waving. Bud was a tall heavy set man with short red choppy hair. He wore tight silver pants and a spotted llama coat. His daughter had bright orange hair which ran way past her back.

"Herk its good to see you old man," Bud said as he hugged him."Herk this is my daughter Lana. Lana this is your Uncle Herk."

"Nice to meet you," Hershel said as he took her hand. "You are a very lovely lady."

"Thank you, she said, "And its nice to meet you Uncle Herk.

The three left the station and went into the parking lot where Bud had parked his gold compact ship. After they had buckled up, and were in the air, Bud began talking.

"Well Herk, nothing has changed much at the old llama farm. I have about 1500 head now. Business is doing pretty good,have not had a Bluemanian attack in over three years now."

"Consider yourself lucky," replied Herk. "The Bluemaians in most places have united. This could encourage the Bluemanians in The Heights to do the same."

"Yeah they since that Markiof charachter ran off with those space pirates,and went into unknown territory."

"I wonder...," Herk stopped talking and looked back at Lana."I hope this talk about Bluemanians is not boring you?"

"Not at all Uncle Herk," Lana said, "They are more interesting than 1500 llamas."

They all laughed for several minutes. "The girl is more like you Herk. She wants to join the New Vineland Space Patrol."

"Good luck," said Herk. "Maybe one day we can serve on the same ship"

***

After the evening meal the two brothers took a walk in the hilly pasture land. Bud stopped walking and began leaning on the stick he was carrying. He took a deep breath as he looked at the land. "How could you leave this place?"

"I will return someday, but there is much more I want to do. You are more like my father. It's a good thing he found you that day."

"So am I," Bud said as he took another deep breath."So am I,the day the Bluemanians killed my family was a very dark day. Then your father found me, and this will always be my home.

After a few moment of silence, Bud spoke up again. "Tell me Herk. I know you joined the Space Patrol, so you could go to school. But now since you are finished with medical school,why don't you just come home, and be a country doctor."

"I love the Space Patrol, and I am counting the days for my next mission."

"When do you have to report to Authurland?"

"In two weeks."

"Sure wished you could stay longer. So does Lana. You know she wants to go with you to Arthurland?

"Yes we have talked, and I want to talk to you about that."