Parker Raymond recently inherited his estranged grandfather's large plantation home in Savannah, Georgia. The Spanish Moss hanging from the estate's large oaks, its massive gardens, and a near endless bank account were, in the end, not what captured...
Miami bounded in through the opening apartment door bubbling over with excitement. "Okay, I officially got you a private conference with the Supreme Court..."
"The Supreme Court!?!!"
"Yes. They are the wisest of all Convenusions and they want to meet with you, Parker. You have no idea how overjoyed they are about this! I mean, you can finally leave my tiny place and see some things!"
"Wow, that's great! The Supreme Court...Cool. Maybe they can help me understand that Horo device, too," Parker said and glanced over at the dresser drawer where the Horologium had been stored since his arrival. "Your people are the first I've met that I believe might have the technology to help me understand it, not to mention, someone to trust. In the wrong hands, that thing could really cause trouble."
"Your grandfather must have been a very smart man," Miami said as she walked across her small living room toward the stark white kitchen.
Parker watched her stretch to retrieve a glass from an overhead cabinet and admired her figure. "I don't think he invented it, but somehow he found it or it was given to him. It's a couple of those mysteries I have yet to figure out. Regardless, without it I am stuck here."
Parker watched Miami turn with a shadow falling over her once-elated face. "What is it?"
"So, you are planning on leaving? I thought, uh...."
Parker lowered his eyebrows as he watched Miami's shoulders slump. "Eventually. I do want to go home."
"Oh. Look, Parker, I was thinking...since you have been here and things have been so great, I was kind of hoping you would want to have a more permanent relationship with me...oh, listen to me. Who am I kidding?" Miami turned away from Parker. "I'm sorry, this is so embarrassing. I shouldn't grovel."
Parker took the slender Miami into his arms and pulled her to him. He closed his eyes and inhaled. God, her touch was electric, practically magic. "No, you misunderstand me. When I know how to get home, I can come and go, back and forth. My grandfather was doing that apparently. He has plants and at least one animal from other Multiverses. In fact, once I know it's safe, I could bring you with me...that is, if you wanted to go visit. I could show you where they filmed Forrest Gump, even."
"I would go anywhere with you," the Convenusian woman said and closed her large eyes, snuggling into Parker's embrace. "Anywhere."
"What do you say, let's go watch a movie," Parker said and looked at Miami with a grin.
She turned her eyes down the hall. "Movie, huh? Maybe afterward."
<<*>>
The next day...
Parker entered the chambers of the Supreme Court and found he was alone, facing twelve silver-haired Convenusian men and women in black robes. He stood under an uncomfortably bright spotlight. The rest of the courtroom was dark and silent.
"Mr. Parker Raymond, original human, welcome," said a female Convenusian from the center of a long, curved bench. Her voice echoed loudly throughout the quiet chamber. Rolling out her fingers one-by-one toward a finely carved chair placed in the center of the room directly behind him. She indicated Parker should take it. "Please, Mr. Raymond, have a seat."
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"Thank you," Parker said nervously. "Well, I can honestly say, your honor, erm, honor-zah, that never in my lifetime would I have ever imagined I would be standing before the Supreme Court to plead my case!"
"There is nothing to plead, Mr. Raymond. We have no doubt you are what and who you say you are. We have your birth records and have studied your lineage. It appears your DNA marker is still very detectable to this date and is present in many Convenusians in many corners of the world. What we do not understand, is how you in your past purely human form have come to be here, with us. Please, would you mind sharing this with the Supreme Court?" The woman sat and casually laced her long fingers together in anticipation of Parker's reply.
