Family Jewels-Novella in Progress

Family Jewels


Jetta Danforth comes from a family of Invention Seekers of the steam variety. In the likeness of her mother, she admires her long ebony hair with hues of purple when the sun shines down on her. Her almond-shaped emerald eyes sparkle like jewels which many envy, complimenting her five foot five figure.

Her newest fashion creation clearly shows who she is, a confident, no nonsense ambiance graces her every move. A laurel green jacket with brass buttons down the front of my waist length jacket. The top of my dress is in a corset design made out of brown leather with black leather trim along the top which accents my figure beautifully. There are three brown leather straps fitting across, each underneath the other, down the middle of the corset for decoration purposes. There is more black leather at the point where the top meets the skirt. The skirt is made of the same brown leather at the top and is thigh length. She has a belt which looks like it is three belts in one. The middle strap is made of black leather and has a square brass buckle. There is a strap which is on the right which consists of three small pouches for my ammunition. The other strap which can be seen is a thin leather belt, which hangs a bit and wraps around my waist complimenting this belt very nicely. Her left side has a pouch made of brown leather strapped to another piece of leather attached to my belt which holds my firearm. Another brown leather pouch is hooked to the thin black leather belt, which holds my knife. Black leather boots have purple laces in a criss-cross pattern up the thigh high length of her tanned legs. The only piece of jewelry she owns has sentimental value, is a simple necklace which has been passed down the generations of the Danforth family, it is oval shaped with a forest green type of stone which the origin has been forgotten with a white stone attached in the middle. A purple ring accessorizes her right ring finger with Blueberry Blush nail polish accenting the outfit perfectly. Last of all is a top hat, to finish off this creation which is made out of brown leather with a wide piece of black leather around the middle with a brown leather brim. In the middle there is a mechanical piece which looks like it is part of the decoration, it is created to shoot stun darts to incapacitate someone so she can escape a dangerous situation. This is Jetta's newest travelling outfit.

Jetta's favourite thing to do is search for steam inventions and the more scarce the item is the, more valuable it is to chase it down with my team; we are relic hunters. I spend more time travelling in my airship all over the world than anything else and I would not have it any other way. She does have a dwelling in the township of Amora, which she has hired some help to look after the place while she is gone. Her research sidekick Star has found some info on the legendary Steam Goggles. This invention has been thought of to be a myth until this new found gem of info is leading us on another adventure.

Star picks up her communicator and presses the red button which dings, she speaks into it, "Jetta, can you come to my lab? I think I have made some progress. The little something I found earlier seems to be growing. I know you feel the same as most of the serious Invention Hunters have written the Steam Goggles of as non-existent. You really need to see this."

Jetta sighs with a reply, "I am just coming down there to humor you and tell you to forget it. I already waited ten years my life chasing what is called 'The Steam Goggles', personally I feel it is a play on words just to see how many people will search for the bloody things. On my way."

**************************

Reminiscing about the past, "Jetta, there is no such thing as these Steam Goggles. I have searched the globe for over forty years with nothing to show for it. Please, do not waste your life like I did."
The feeling inside of her is saying that is not the truth, she responds, "Dad, I need to find this out for myself. There has to be some places you did not check. This world is a big place."

His face turns red like a cherry in anger, "How dare you question your father? I will not support your wild goose chase. If you leave here to go searching then do not bother coming back. You will come back empty handed and make me look like I have a bloody fool for a daughter."

Jetta looks defiantly without flinching an inch, "The opinion of others do not matter when the truth is buried among the sludge. I am more concerned about the truth than other people's view points of me. I do not do this to upset you, dad. I am doing this for me because I need to know for myself. There are too many unanswered questions." Jetta walks out of her father's office and has not returned since.

****************************

Coming back to the present Jetta takes her right hand to open the door and face the disappointing news she knows will be the outcome. Walking through the door, she says, "Alright Star, show me what you found."

With an enthusiastic look of delight on her face, Star says, "Look for yourself."
Star gets up out of the chair in front of her computer so Jetta can take her place. Jetta looked at the screen and all she could do stare at the words on the screen without a word. The message across the screen says, The Steam Goggles are real. If anyone believes I can be found along the Great Passage of Waters. You will know my place when you see it, it is an inventor's dream. My humbly regards, Julius Bottombum.

"Jetta, say something. This is something, isn't it?"

In a quiet voice Jetta, replies, "Maybe."

"This has been what you really what you have been looking forever for."

Pulling herself back together, she replies, "Change course of the airship. We will go to the Great Passage of Waters and see what this is all about. After all this time how did you find this message?"

"I was doing some research and I have my computer programed to scan for any information posted about the Steam Goggles. So how it works is..."

"Hon, I normally love hearing about your explanations about your work."

"Sorry, Jetta. I get a little carried away sometimes. I picked up on this website that this Julius Bottombum has posted this message on this site for inventors looking for relic/invention hunters. You post a message and usually you can respond to them except this one you can't do that. I can work on more particulars if you want."

"Star that will not be necessary. I am sure I will find all I need to know when we get to our destination. If this turns out to be legit, I can finally go home and face my dad. I have been too embarrassed to go back."

Alone in her room, Jetta closes her eyes, feeling the spirit within herself. The widely accepted spirituality, religion of Annuoki has not appealed to her even though she has been around it all her life. There has also been a spark inside telling her there is more than what is being told in the organized religion. From a young age, she has learned through coming into a sort of balance within herself and also there are signs through her dream state and awake state.

This is one of the times where she is looking for inner strength because she has always believed within the depths of her soul the Steam Goggles are real and not a fiction. A strong emotion of sadness overcomes her with tears flowing down her cheeks. This is what Jetta has discovered on her own is called the release of unhealed emotions which brings her spirituality to a healing of all damage and hurt within herself. After the tears have stopped, she can feel the flow damage being released from the place where it has been stored waiting to be let go. Jetta says to herself, "It is amazing the Creator has created us to release the damage like this. I wonder why others do not do this?"
She knows before going to meet Julius Bottombum she will need to feel as much of her emotions about how she feels about the Steam Goggles. This turns her to her feelings about the religion she grew up in, which was cold and taught in fear. It took away free will which is something the Creator has given us. The Creator wants us to love her freely instead of being forced because that is pure love and the other is not love at all.

Jetta lies on her bed and yells, "It is not fair, there is so much damage!" Most people are content with living in the damage and making it bigger than actually doing something about it. Jetta has attempted to speak with others on this subject and many agree with what she says, only they do not do things to make themselves better so their web of words are said in deceit which is everywhere. Taking her fist she smashes her pillow as hard as she can over and over again, saying, "This feels like a struggle that will never end. All I want is to know the truth. I am tired of all the lies. I have been told lies my whole life." The grief overcame Jetta in a heap of tears, curled up in a fetal position letting the emotion overwhelm her to the point of release. After the tears stopped, she stayed on the bed, noticing that since she has been going through this spiritual path she can feel things within herself so much easier than before.

Closing her emerald eyes thanking the Creator in her soul for giving her the truth of being able to do the things which will bring her closer to more truth. The Steam Goggles are seen so clearly in her mind at this moment with such clarity to her about their reality. The possibility is there for her to discover.

The alarm, blaring waking Jetta from her slumber. Jumping out of bed and throwing clothes on, she headed down to the control room. Walking through the door, she said, "Star, what's going on?"
Looking up from her computer, she replies, "You are not going to believe this. We are receiving a distress signal from, JP."

Stunned at the sound of his name which has not been uttered for at least a year, her feelings have been numbed from the time he left and now, they slammed back inside her like a hurricane waking up a storm. She sank into the nearest chair and couldn't control the tears flowing down her face. The last memory she has of this man flows through her, who she still loves with every fiber of her being. She realizes in her haste, she has forgotten her communicator in her room.

********************

Returning to the room she heard sounds that seemed like JP might of been watching a movie. She remembers putting her hand on the ID sensor pad to gain access and hearing a woman giggling. The door opens, revealing JP's naked bottom in the air saying, "You are my world, babe."

Jetta remembers approaching them, saying, "Don't mind me, I am just getting my communicator. Nice to see that you can amuse yourself when I am not around JP." Jetta starts opening up drawers and taking out JP's clothes by the armfuls and dumping them out in the hallway.

She can hear him call her, "Babe, I can explain."

With anger in her, she looks at JP, saying, "Leave the pet name Babe for your whores. Now get out. I do not want to see you or your woman anymore."

Looking rejected, JP looked at Jetta one last time, saying, "Jetta, I know I have a problem and I thought it would go away being with you. When I realized it didn't, I didn't know how to tell you about it. I am so ashamed of myself."

"That is called guilt, JP. It's there because you got caught. Get out!"

***********************

JP not only left the room, he left the airship and Jetta has not seen him until this moment when she realized that she is going to come face to face with him again.
"Jetta, we do not have to go and respond to it. I am sure someone else is near and can go to his aide."

"No, we must go. It is the code of honor we live by when in the airship we leave no one behind that needs aide. We go."

Star pushes the communication button and says into the speaker, "Slade, take her down and rescue JP."

"Got it, Star."

Slade maneuvered the airship towards the bleep on his map and landed, the door automatically opens when landing has occurred. No one was there to greet JP and he did not need more of an invitation to jump on board. He could hear a voice speaking through the speaker system, saying, "Welcome JP. You have boarded The Galactic, in case you did not recognize my voice this is Jetta. Please follow your way to the control room."

With a sigh, JP knew he had no choice except to face her, there was no where to run and hide this time. He is a wanted man now and at the moment this is his only refuge. Walking down the hallway till he came to a door, he turned the knob and walked in. Jetta sits on a chair, looking more beautiful than she has ever been, the guilt is racing through his veins about the things he did to hurt her.
"JP, you know the only reason we have picked you up is because of your distress signal and as a token of honor, I have put my personal feelings aside and picked you up. Now, please explain the adventure you have gotten yourself into. Please do not leave anything out."

Wondering where to begin with first, he finally decided, "Jetta, you are not going to believe me and I swear this is the truth. The Steam Goggles are real. I spoke to one of the inventors of them right before he was assassinated in front of me. That is why I need help because the people who did the deed think I know everything he did which I do not. He did tell me..."
Jetta jumped up from her chair and walked toward JP, saying, "Let me make sure I heard you correctly. You said the Steam Goggles are real."

"Yes. I was told to go to The Great Passage of Waters and seek out Julius Bottombum. There is more information there I would assume."

"Looks like we are going on an adventure together, again. That is where we are headed."

"Jetta, you are going to want to see this."

Tucking a piece of her ebony hair behind her ear, she turns to Star and responds, "What is happening now?"

Star turns the computer monitor so everyone can see the video. "As soon as a distress signal is issued recorded cameras are also activated, sometimes the system will take video surveillance from twenty to thirty minutes before the distress signal. This is so there are no discrepancies when people being rescued are telling the truth about their experience. Look at what we have captured."

Jetta sees a small man with wild white hair wearing some sort of special glasses, he seems to be speaking to a shadow beside him. Someone emerges from the shadow, JP bends over to get closer to the little man who is talking directly into his ear. After a bit of time of the two, together like this a loud bang breaks them apart with a jump. There is some yelling with shots fired and JP flees the scene, leaving the fallen body of the stranger on the floor. Men running into the room wearing outfits that belong to the Annialation Squad. The Annialation Squad is only sent in on the most sensitive of missions and usually when they are involved there is some corruption in their dealings.

"JP, you have turned us and yourself into fugitives."

"It is because of those Steam Goggles, they have been passed down from generation to generation for over a thousand years and there is a record of history throughout the ages on them that you will never see in any book or computer database. If you want me to go I will except they have probably tagged you now for picking me up."

"First, tell us everything you know about this guy we saw on the screen and what you discussed."

"The man you saw on the screen, his name is Darius. He would not tell me his last name except that he descends from the most famous family of steam engineers, which would be the Mongabay family. In our conversation he mentioned that now is the time for the Steam Goggles to come out of hiding. He felt like his life was in danger and told me quickly to go to The Great Passage of Waters and find Julius Bottombum. At that point, the chaos happened and I got out of there like a bat out of hell and started the distress signal."

"That is the whole story then. You have nothing else to add."

"Nope. That is all, as you can see the visit was very short. This was my first and only meeting with Darius."

Jetta is now faced with a tough decision, keep JP on her ship or pitch him somewhere else. She feels it is only right to have the whole crew in on making this decision. She pushed her communication button and says, "I need everyone down in the control now. Slade, please put our ship parked in a safe spot with the security cameras on, we can watch them from here."

Within a few minutes the whole crew was huddled together in the crowded room meant for two or three people, there are ten in total not including Jetta. Jetta stood up and started addressing her crew, "We have a visitor here. I want you all to meet JP who we rescued not long ago, thank you Slade for the smooth rescue, it could have gone a different way. We all have a choice to make. JP was given specific information that the Steam Goggles exist and to go to the destination that we happen to be going on. That is not a coincidence. The real danger is Darius, who gave JP the information has been assassinated by the Annihilation Squad, which has made us as much a fugitive as JP is right now. The choice you have is do we continue allowing JP to stay with us and continue to our destination, or we could pitch him somewhere and continue to our destination, or we can pitch him and ditch our destination and live like fugitives."

Ginger looks at Jetta, saying, "It sounds like there is danger, no matter what we do. It sounds like there is something about these Steam Goggles that The Annihilation Squad does not want the rest of us to know. I feel that is wrong and we should go and find out the truth. If we split up it will up our chances of being tracked down, hunted, and then eliminated. I say we keep JP on board and carry on with our destination."

"Ok. Voting time. Who is in favor with keeping JP on board and continuing the adventure."

Everyone raised their hand in agreement. Jetta was proud of her crew for standing together in truth.

"You all are amazing for wanting to be in this adventure to discover truth and share it with the world. We have no idea what the outcome will be or even what can be expected. The only thing we know that this invention is valuable enough to kill, keep that in mind when you are out there. Watch your back and each other, leave no one behind, we are in this together and never forget that. Dismissed! Except for JP, we will have to sort out a room for you. Looks like you are staying a while."

**************************

Walking towards the most complicated contraption Jetta has ever seen. It looks like a steel pot with steam puffing out of it and strange pointy things sticking out all over the place. Confused about where the front entrance is, Jetta cups her hands around her mouth and yells, "G'Day mate. Is anyone home?"

Tapping her foot impatiently, she gets out her close up goggles. Her own creation. She puts them on her eyes with a sigh and sees dark shadow movement. An eye as big as her head it seems comes into view and says, "You have a mighty fine invention there little lady. What do you call it?"

With a look of confidence she takes the goggles of and replies, "The close up goggles. I haven't been able to come up with anything better than that. Is your name Julius Bottombum?"

"Yes it is. What do I owe the honour of your beautiful presence?"

"My name is Jetta Danforth. I am an Invention Seeker. I have been giver word that you are familiar with the invention called the Steam Goggles. Is this true?"

Looking at Jetta with a serious look, he replies, "You are the first one to come here and ask that of me. I have been waitin' for a while figurin' someone would show up and you are the first. It has been thirty years. Please come in."

Julius turns around and walks into his home and leads Jetta to his office. Walking into this room is like being in a museum. There are books, artifacts, and of course inventions. Jetta is lead to a solid oak table and chairs. Julius pulls the chair out for her and says, "M' lady."

"Thank you Julius," the words leave her in an aura of awe. Looking around her, Jetta faces Julius and says, "This place is breathless. I am at a loss of words. Please forgive me."

Julius walks around the table and takes a seat on the other side of Jetta and says, "It is alright. This is my creation and is overwhelming for most walking through that door. Believe it or not you have handled yourself better than most." It is at this moment Julius pushes a hidden button on the bottom of the table. A drawer slides open and he reaches inside for the red velvet covered book contained within. Looking like a kid in a candy store he puts the book on the table and slides it towards Jetta.
As Jetta touches the book Julius says, "This is the last written testament that I know of about the invention of the Steam Goggles. Read it. Use it. Protect it with your life. Many would take ye' life for its contents. Read the first two pages now."

Jetta looks at the front cover. All it contains is the name of the famous family inventor who is the best steam engineers in the world, Gooseling in gold letters on the red velvet cover. This is what is contained within.聽To whom it may concern. This is a wonderful time to be alive. There is great power and creativity with this world. Many are not aware of how this world actually works because if they did we would not be living in the dark ages. My family has tapped into a secret that has been passed down from generation to generation. This is why we have been able to succeed at the steam engineer inventions. There are so many things my family has created and many of these things are hidden. We would not be accepted if everyone knew, especially the powerful ones in control of the world at this time. There is a way to end the wars. There is a way to end the poverty. There is a way we can all live in love and peace with one another. My family has a prophecy. A woman and man whom are born in the world and do not live in the world. A woman and man whom are familiar with things beyond the understanding of the average person without being told the information she and he know as truth. A woman and man who see things not as in good or evil, they see more in balance. These are the things that will set the emotion love in a higher position than evil. This couple will be an example of the purest form of love in existence. The one who has the Steam Goggles will have the greatest knowledge of all time. These are my words and they speak truth for all eternity. May the power of love be restored to the planet Earth. Marcus Gooseling.

Jetta puts the book down. Looks at Julius, takes a deep breath, and asks, "How long have you had this book?"

"Over thirty years and you are the first to come looking. Please take the time to read it in its entire contents. There is much valuable information contained in its pages. The book has chosen you and I pass it on to you. Now, will you be staying the night to rest up before you move on?"

"No. I feel the strangest urgency that I must be on the way."

"Very wise child. This book will attract trouble your way. There are many who will kill for the valuable contents of that book. Best to have it out of plain sight and be on your way as quickly as possible. Now that you have been here the vultures will be flocking. Pick your crew well and only those you trust with your life. When those betray you drop them anyway you can. You cannot afford to have bottom feeders in your midst."

Jetta leaves Julius and walks back to her metal kangaroo contraption she built herself from scratch. Using the steam technology which has not been popular at all has had lots of benefits. As she walks pondering about the information from Julius, she realizes that she still does not know where to go look for these Steam Goggles. It is a nice story Julius has shared with her. She is still in the same place she was before she walked through his door except now she has a fairy tale to tell.

**************************

“Star, are you sure I am in the right place,” Jetta speaks into her underwater communicator built into her underwater mask.

“You are in the right spot. Somewhere within twenty yards is where the chest is, according to the information we have here. Over.”

“Thanks, Star. I will have another look around.”

With a deep breath, Jetta scans the area again giving more attention to her surroundings. She takes a closer look at the formation of the rocks and sees something different, a black spot. She floats over to the area and pulls at the discolored rock which disintegrates in her hand. Putting her right hand in the hole as far as she can, a mysterious box is revealed.

Jetta calls out with excitement in her voice, “I found something! I am coming up.”

Shooting through the water like a bullet towards her ship. Rising out of the ocean, reaching for the open hatch waiting for her to scramble to her crew. She does not waste any time opening the simple wooden box. Reaching inside she pulls out the treasure all the relic hunters are searching for. With a sparkle in her eye, looking at Star, she says, “The Legendary Steam Goggles. We found them.”