Granny Grimpin's flying Fortress

Grimpin's Flying Fortress floated high above the clouds. It was a fairly clear day and one would catch glimpses of birds flying below and betwixt the intermittent parting of the billowing, wispy canopied whiteness below. Granny Grimpin, as everyone fondly called her, was snoring at the controls again. Luckily, Mavre was wide awake. Mavre was Grandma Grimpin's granddaughter, she was only eighteen years old, but she had the same wandering, independent and stubborn streak as her grandmother. Mavre adored the adventurous, snoring, and kindhearted woman leaning against the window, nodding off again.

Grandma had always been willful, ever since she had been a wee child she would tell everyone that she would one day live high above the sky. So little Minerva had started designing her own flying machine. As the years passed, she made improvements to her drawings, until finally twenty years ago, she finished it with the help of Albert, whom she had partnered with many years ago. She had met him while wandering the Airplane manufacturing plant, trying to learn all she could about flight and planes, Albert had been head engineer at the plant. Back in those days women didn't do these sorts of things. So Albert had been fascinated by the pretty little woman who frequented the place, asking many questions and would not take no for an answer. Mavre had grown up hearing the many stories of her beloved grandma and grandpa.

Mavre's reverie was suddenly interrupted by loud shouting. Minerva came awake at once, she had an uncanny knack of fully awakening with faculties firing instantly.

"What is it Mavre". She asked looking around.

Albert came rushing in, followed closely by Fred the junior engineer.

"You asleep at the wheel again Minerva"? He asked, smiling and looking fondly at her attempts at looking alert.

"No, nope, of course not". Minerva replied, sounding a bit peeved. Mavre smiled, but said nothing.

" Phineas Furball is approaching from the west, look sharp up front here. You all remember Phineas, he is a tricky one and is always trying to invent ways to get aboard or capture the ship".

"You mean that skinny little fella with the tiny funny flying scarecrow looking ship". Granny got up and peeked through her glasses. Not seeing anything, she took them off, wiped them with her blouse and replaced them on her face.

From a distance away a tiny blob appeared, approaching from a westerly direction. Granny grabbed the controls and alerted the gun station.

"Battle stations, battle stations. Guns at the ready. Phineas approaching at nine o'clock west, copy, Gertrude"?

"Battle stations loaded and ready, copy that Granny". Gertrude replied, sounding excited. She rarely got to fire the darned thing at anybody or anything.

The overhead coms crackled. Phineas had found their frequency and his voice cackled loudly.

"You are violating our airspace again Granny, we have no choice but to confiscate your ship this time".

"He is joking, right", Granny asked, turning to Albert. "Is he really planning to use that rattrap to capture us"? Albert shrugged his shoulder, uncertain of the coming developments.

Maybe I should explain a little about where the family and crew of Grimpin's flying Fortress actually originated. They didn't live in our normal world, where modern technology filled the earth and sky. Where they lived there were no actual guns that fired real people killing bullets. The adjacent worlds were very similar, but different, they lived on EARTH-2. You could almost say that Granny Grimpin's world and ways were kind of childish and immature. You would not be totally wrong. The difference was, however, that these were some of the happiest people in the universe. They lived long lives, people eventually always only died of long lived old age. Any other unforeseen deaths were purely accidental.

Here in this other world, there was very little activity in the sky. Hardly anyone went anywhere. They were so content and happy as they were. Only the protectors traveled to learn new ways to protect the people, even though there was so little to protect people from. So only a few flying airplanes and ships had been made. There were never ever enough planes to clog the skies.

After Granny had pioneered living in the sky, they had discovered many other similar habitats abounding high above the earth and sky. Before she decided on Aero-living no one actually knew that there were others up there. Air space was jealously guarded by each habitat, they wanted to be left in peace. Granny however, wanted to meet and form bonds beyond the sky. If they knew her stubbornness, they would have just given in. They had been rejecting her offer for years, still she insisted on forming friendships, Mavre needed new friends her age after all. Granny needed new adventures, what else was there to life, she obstinately insisted.

The ship was huge, it had everything to sustain them for long periods of time. They made bi-annual stops back on earth to replenish food supply, purchase new clothes, new equipment and replenish water supply. The ship had a greenhouse powered by the ships built-in greenhouse power supply. The tenders of the greenhouse planted and tended fruit trees and lovely flower gardens. Granny has cleaners, menders, a tiny zoo with tiny animals, two cats, four goats, two gave milk, an apiary, an aviary and many more this and that all over the very large ship. A crystal found on their earth, used for national electrical uses, could power many ships for a very long time. They did not have to worry about fuel. They kept the air fortress in spanking great condition. A gun turret had been installed on the top next to propellers and wings and such airplane things.

Being one of a kind, all kinds of Air habitats envied and wanted granny's ship. They came up with many ridiculous excuses to try to capture the ship. Phineas was the most resilient of the lot.

"Space does not belong to anyone". Shouted Granny, grabbing the communication mic. "Clear off or we will be forced to fire".

"Open fire". Shouted Phineas.

Phineas' ship fired. Plink, plunk, bling, blam, fizzle. The outside of Granny's ship was covered in nasty furballs. Little insects crawled out from the balls and started nibbling at the wrought aluminum alloy. No way could they bite into the outer coat of the ship, no matter how hard they tried.

"Fire Gertrude". Shouted Granny.

"Ally Oops, Aye Aye Captain, yes Ma'am"! Yelled Gertrude. Our Gertrude was a little maniacal and gun crazy.

Phineas' tiny ship took hit after hit. It was totally covered in green slime and red paint.

From the east came allies of Phineas, the Space Penguin Patrol had been summoned for back up, the little ruthless flying machine birds were coming in fast. They always targeted the windows, shooting black tarry stuff that totally glued black goo to the glass. It would take days to get it pried clean.

"Haven't had such fun in months, watch out maggots, take that, and that". Gertrude spun the gun to the east, motioning to Mack, her second in command, to stay on Phineas. Yes, Gertrude had been trained in military tactics. She had reluctantly retired, not being in her prime anymore. She totally pulverized the Space Penguins. They turned in retreat and hastily sped away.

"You better run away"! Cackled Gertrude happily.

"Cowards, come back"! Yelled poor Phineas, wiping red paint from a spot from which to peek outside. It was too much for him and his two crew members. They too made a speedy retreat.

"It's not over Granny. I will be back with more help soon". He shouted as his little ship swayed and dipped, thick awful paint was blocking their sight.

"Can't wait"! Yelled Gertrude, before Granny could reply.

"Cleaning crew, stand by for outside duties. Luckily, only a few windows got goo-ed".

"Yes Granny Ma'am, ready to go".

After all clean-up was done and everyone was sure that there was nobody else chasing them, Mavre opened the 'celebrate a victory champagne'. She looked around for Granny. She was again snoozing by the window, the day's activity had tuckered her out. They found Albert, fast asleep on a sofa bed. Mavre sure hoped there was no more excitement for the rest of the day.

As I said before, in this world battles are fought with non-lethal weapons. No one was hurt during the filming...er...writing of this story.

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