Dieselpunk ePulp Showcase 2 (Anthology)

Ace Rango: Bedtime Stories are so Boring

ACE RANGO: BEDTIME STORIES ARE SO BORING

By Jose E. Cepeda

INTRODUCTION

It was in the summer of 1944 that invaders struck our planet without warning.  They came from the distant heavens in huge invasion fleets, bringing a wrath of hate, destruction, and death. They had carefully crafted up diabolical and sinister plans for the conquest and colonization of Earth.  Some called them demons or banshees from another galaxy.  To most people, they looked a lot like ugly lizards from someone’s worse nightmare.

The lizards had been studying our planet for years by monitoring our radio signals, waiting for the most opportune time to strike.  They didn’t have to wait long.  The world was at war, with nation against nation.  At first, it seemed that the lizards had the advantage with their superior technology and advanced weaponry.  Slowly, the tide of battle turned in favor of the humans, who put aside their differences by banding together to fight a common foe.  Eventually, Earth built their own space fleets and took their fight to stars.  Thus was born, the Star Corps.

Men, like Captain “Ace” Rango, and women, like Lieutenant Maria Rodriquez, joined the Star Corps to repel the lizard invasion.  These dedicated crews spent so much time in deep space combat that they lost touch of daily life on Earth.

While their patrol cruiser was in dry dock for repair and resupply operations, Ace and Maria were granted shore leave.  Now they were about to find out how much life had changed on Earth during their absence.  Ace had a family obligation to visit his spoiled rotten niece; he would rather fight a hundred lizards instead.

***

“I didn’t know that you had a niece.”  Maria was surprised.  Lieutenant Maria Rodriquez was wearing her space dress uniform.  She sported it well which earned her extra looks and drew nods of approval from the gentlemen on board her bus.  One poor man that glanced at her too long too long received a whack from his wife.

The patrol couple was on their way to visit his brother as they rode a crowded forty-passenger bus in downtown Denver during the winter.  They had been in outer space so long that they missed Earth’s simple pleasures of being under a big open sky, feeling the warm sun rays on their faces, breathing in fresh air, and walking on its surface with real gravity.  This was a welcome escape from shipboard confinement of crammed spaces, recycled air, and artificial gravity.  It felt good to be on Earth once again.

“You never asked,” Rango slyly replied.  Captain Jason Rango was attired in a formal space uniform, which was standard Star Corps policy for shore leave.  He was glad to escape for a few days from his command to spend some time with Maria.  She was everything he dreamed of in a woman; attractive, smart, and fun to be with.  Maria brought real meaning to his life and purpose to his heart.

Their bus drove past numerous charred, burnt, and pulverized buildings laying in ruin.  Broken windows, shuttered store fronts, and missing roof tops were a common sight, as the two continued their conversation.

“What other dark and sinister family secrets are you keeping from me?”  Maria winked and teased back. 

Over their many adventures together, they had grown closer.  For a while, they had harbored a secret shipboard romance from the crew.  Finally, Rango proposed to her during an awkward moment when they both faced the possibility of a violent and horrible death.  She was actually crazy enough to say “yes,” when her very future was highly doubtful.

Their weathered bus drove past a large recruiting bill board:  “Join the Star Corps Now and Stop the Lizards.”  On the sign was a picture of man and woman dressed in space battle gear.  Underneath the picture was the quote, “They did their part.  Do yours.”