39. Moonlight Serenade
By Ewan
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The setting sun had handed over control of the Nevada sky’s colour palette to a three-quarter moon in the time it took J-Rod to burn the MARS* manual. I smelt the cigar smoke before I saw the Lord of Darkness. He was still Brando-ed up, so I guessed we’d be having a good look around Homey Airport, and J-Rod would be getting us into wherever we needed to go.
Mr D was whistling some old swing tune. He did a few jive steps too.
‘Glenn Miller. Don’t you love that stuff? He shoulda been one of mine, after that plane crash, I am supposed to have all the best tunes, after all.’
He looked at me like I was supposed to say something. J-Rod starting humming ‘Chatanooga Choo Choo. The Master of Reality gave up and drawled,
‘So Gabe, I have a plan. Do you want to talk me out of it?’
‘Maybe, but I’d have to know what it is, first.’
‘Naw, no dice, Gabe. I’m happy to listen. Go ahead, I’ve nothing urgent on but the end of the world, after all.’
‘Suppose I just go along?’
J-Rod coughed around his spliff. ‘Where’s the fun in that, Gabe? ‘Gwan. Dare yuh!’
The Devil raised an eyebrow drawing attention to the bald dome above it.
‘Well, whatever your plan is, Colonel Kurtz isn’t going to cut it here. These are fly-boys, the YOU-ESS-AI-EFF.'
‘Good point, Angel Boy. Say, anybody ever call you Archie?’
‘You know damn well they don’t. I ain’t him.’
‘Sure I do, but why does it bother you so much, eh? Just askin’ is all.’
He clicked his fingers and said Mxyzptlk backwards. J-Rod sniggered. Mr D reappeared dressed in a Britisher Air Force officer’s uniform. There were four rings on his blue serge cuff so I figured he wasn’t a 2nd Lieutenant. There was a little braid on the peak of the cap he was carrying under one arm, too. He had a black moustache and a full head of brilliantined hair now. He looked familiar, but I just couldn’t bring to mind who he was supposed to be. He smiled like he knew I hadn’t guessed.
‘Tally ho, chaps! Time for Operation Paperclip II.’
The devil only knew how boring Eternity must have been for him to be so entertained by dressing up. I just hoped I wasn’t supposed to be Major Kong. I could think of a couple of rôles for J-Rod, but I wasn’t sure he would be leaving the base with us.
*Author’s note: MARS Military Affiliate Radio System – basically radio-hams’ and patriotic survivalists’ handbook of what they’re asked to do in times of war, pestilence, famine and that other one.
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I followed that link. Good
I followed that link. Good Lord. It's a whole different world. But is there life on it?
Sorry. The Isolation is getting to me.
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