George Brown and the Protector by Duane L. Ostler

rock.” Briefly he told Jiu Na of what they
had learned about rocks from the planet Uth, and the strange powers
they had.
    “That explains a lot,” said Jiu Na. “Right
before the star fell, my school said I needed a new uniform or I
couldn’t attend in the fall when school starts up again. I knew we
didn’t have the money to buy one, so it looked like I wouldn’t be
able to go to school anymore. If you don’t go to school here in
China, you’re trapped in a life of poverty forever.”
    “Then two days after I found this rock, it
suddenly got very hot while I was walking to the market. Then it
slipped out of my hand into a ditch and when I dug through the
weeds to find it, I found the money I needed for my uniform—the
exact amount!”
    “That sounds like what happened to me at the
store!” said George. “The rock helped me find a can of pickled
peaches.”
    “A can of WHAT?” exclaimed both Jiu Na and
her mother.
    The protector laughed. “It’s an American
thing, so don’t worry about it. Has the rock done anything else
strange?”
    “Well, there was one other time it did,” said
Jiu Na reluctantly. “It was kind of scary, so I don’t like to talk
about it.”
    A prickly feeling went up the back of
George’s neck. He had a feeling he knew what she was about to
say.
    “A few nights ago,” continued Jiu Na slowly,
“I woke up to see the rock glowing. When I picked it up I felt like
I needed to go outside. I went out and looked up at the stars. They
seemed closer than normal that night.” Jiu Na shivered. There was
silence for a moment in the shack. “Suddenly something very strange
happened. It was like I could suddenly see way out in space. I saw
a ship with a window, and at the window I saw a creature.” Jiu Na
shuffled her feet uncomfortably. “He had a dog-like face, and it
seemed like I could feel evil coming from him. And behind him I saw
my father.” Jiu Na’s voice broke, and she stared at the floor.
    Slowly George said, “I saw the same thing one
night. Only behind the creature was MY father!”
     
    CHAPTER 16: The Ring
    Jiu Na looked up
sharply. “What does it all mean?” she exclaimed. “Why are you and I
seeing the same things half way around the world?”
    “That’s what we’re trying to find out,” said
the protector. “The dog-like creature you saw is from a cruel race
of creatures known as the ‘Grak.’ While I know they are up to some
type of mischief with these fallen stars, so far I haven’t been
able to find out what it is.”
    Suddenly they heard a screech from the corner
of the little shack. Turning, they saw Emberly looking with disgust
at an egg plant sitting on the top of a little basket on the
floor.
    “You have one of those awful egg rocks! You
should throw it away!” She picked up the egg plant and aimed it at
the shack’s single, tiny window.
    “Emberly, stop!” commanded the protector.
“That’s food for Jiu Na and her mother. It just needs to be cooked
and it will taste good.”
    “Really?” said Emberly, looking at the egg
plant in wonder. Suddenly she thrust the egg plant at Jiu Na’s
mother. “Cook it,” she commanded. “I want to try some.”
    “Now, Emberly,” said the protector gently,
taking the egg plant, “It would take too long to cook, and besides
we have plenty of food at home.”
    “I want to try some!” yelled Emberly.
    “I can cook some if she likes,” said Mrs. Na
gently. “We also have fried rice.”
    “I’m sorry,” apologized the protector. “I’m
afraid I failed to introduce us properly. This is Emberly, an
orphan in my care. She is also from another world. I’m afraid she
doesn’t yet know very much about earth manners.”
    “What don’t I know?” demanded Emberly in
surprise. “I thought you taught me to be honest and open with
people about what I thought?”
    The protector sighed. “True,” he said
patiently. “But not all the time. There are times you need to not
say anything in order to be