by P F Walsh
“Truthsayers? No, something different.” He thought.
They continued talking until quite late. They discussed the rules of the application and the Council’s obligations to accommodate the applicant in the best possible light. Considerations were very broad with few limitations except being excused from being registered as an applicant. That could not be reversed, but there was no timetable or limitation on how the representative could present his case or what he could use. Sean was pleased to hear the wide scope of freedom in his petition and immediately thought of something he felt would help based on what he had seen in his tours.
“Nasht, I have a request to make that I think is essential for me to have in order to present a large sample of Earth’s value during my application presentation.” He said as he leaned closer to her.
“What is it Sean” She asked.
“Now that I can see Earth’s circumstance in relation to Hhearn, I will need to make a trip back to Earth in the Seeker to bring back some others with special skills to stand with me in my petition. Is there any rule preventing me from doing this?” He asked with a pleading look on his face.
“I realize that this will delay the Reception a week or two, but I feel it is essential to my world’s hope for success.”
Nasht-Mer rested her hand on her cheek while she thought this over, running the rules through her mind, but could not find any restriction on the applicant returning to his planet to bring back persons or objects to enhance his petition and to demonstrate worthiness.
Nasht-Mer answered him after this reflective pause,
“Sean, I can’t think of a single obstacle in the rules to you doing that. When would you like to leave?”
Nasht-Mer had been very conscious of his nearness as they sat together, and a few mini flashes of heat whisked through her from time to time confusing her. In their conversation, Nasht-Mer agreed to help Sean in his application to the extent that she could as Director General. Finally, it became quite late so Sean thanked her and walked her to the cargo ramp and said his goodnights as her Security guards came to readiness to assure her safe arrival to the Council Tower. He watched them depart with a distinct new interest in this elegant, attractive woman of Hhearn. He had not felt an interest like this in a very long time.
He told Allister to close up the ship for the night and to begin planning a trip back to Earth.
“Mr. President, you wanted to see me?” Asked Secretary Lewis as he strode into the Oval Office and took the seat in front of the President’s desk the President was pointing to.
“Yes, John, thanks for coming over. I didn’t want to talk about this over the phone. The President paused, waiting to be sure the door was fully closed, and then continued.
“John, if it were not for that damn medallion, the goofy wall panel in your house, and your medical results, I would think you were crazy, but now I’m beginning to get worried. Have you heard from Sean Flynn?”
“No, I haven’t Sir, but he said it would take up to a month before he would get back with the results of the Council.” replied the Secretary.
“Yes, I recall that now, but I just wish there was something we could do besides getting our armed forces all spun up with a lot of training, that’s always a good thing, but there is a limit to how much training makes a difference in readiness.” The President said following with a long sigh.
“Mr. President, Sean told me that he may come back with extraordinary needs if he determines that he needs to acquire and bring back something from Earth as part of his presentation for membership. I don’t know what that might be, and neither did Sean, since we didn’t know what they already have. My recommendation is, if he does come back for something, grease the tracks for him as fast as possible.” Said the Secretary.
“Well, I can certainly do that, and will, no matter what it costs. This is for the whole ball game, isn’t it, John?” Said the President frowning and looking troubled.
“The whole damn game, and we don’t know all the rules yet.”
Sean and Doris watched from the ship’s bridge as the ship rose from the Platza and increased its speed to break into space and move beyond this solar system. The views were magical, but as they left, Sean was feeling a serious longing to return to this new planet so strangely different than Earth, lacking in some major skills, but had one very attractive woman.
The days slipped by. Sean spent his time reading all he could on the Council of Worlds and on Hhearn. He and Doris tossed a hundred ideas and scenarios at one another trying to meld into place an overall concept they could form into an effective presentation. There were vast differences between the two worlds, but Sean could see there were fundamental humane commonalities and behaviors that would be the foundation of his presentation.
The ship left the Hhearn system and transitioned into ‘no-space’ hurtling faster and faster until it settled into its long, and persistent hum. Sean slept through the actual transition but Doris rode it out becoming more adapted to the unpleasant feeling.
She wondered how this will all would work out; they were on their way home but would be coming back for the big show with some people Sean wanted to bring to Hhearn. He said he couldn’t commit to revealing who they were until he talked to them and got their agreement to participate.
“Who could say ‘no’?” She wondered.
She had watched Sean handle all that was thrown at them and was very pleased he was so adaptable and able to deal with unexpected events. The diplomatic interplays were an area where Doris had such a lack of interest, it was hard for her at times to even understand what was being said, since much of the time she wasn’t listening but watching for threats.
Doris imagined; this must be what it is like to be part of the Presidential protection assignment in the Secret Service. You hear everything but really hear nothing. On second thought, she considered, this was more important than Presidential duty, this was for the whole world. Big jump for a little girl with tattoos and a nose ring.
The Seeker Starship arrived outside the solar system and eased its way into its former location behind Ceres. Sean and Doris prepared to take the shuttle back to Earth and set up meetings with those he wanted to bring back with him. He checked with Allister,
“Allister, how many shuttles do we have?” Sean asked.
Allister answered,
“The ship has seven shuttles, sixteen passengers each.”
Sean thought,
“That might be just perfect, everyone in one day.”
“Allister, are you able to acquire some more supplies from Earth that I would like to have for my presentation? Some of them will be very expensive.”
“Certainly Captain, I have ample accounts here on Earth I established when I arrived, do you have a list?”
Sean placed the detailed list he had prepared on the table nearby so Allister could scan it. Sean was a bit concerned over the method the ship would use to acquire the goods and asked Allister to explain how he would pay for the items on the list.
“Captain, as soon as I arrived at Ceres, I began scanning your world and connecting to your worldwide networks. The economic process on Earth is similar to the other worlds in function. It was simple to find a bank account with many millions in your dollars. I ‘borrowed’ $1,000, reviewed all the information, and communications from the investment houses, public and very private, and invested the funds. Within a few weeks, I was able to pay back the ‘borrowed’ funds and enhance my ‘investment portfolio’ as you call it. I have several million of your dollars in my account and I am able to pay for all the items I have collected this far. There will be no problem in paying for your list.”
Sean was pleased to hear all the vendors would be paid, but a bit askance at Allister’s ability to game the market. Yet, he thought he could set this concern aside in light of the main issue which was world survival. There was so much to do and so many people to connect with if he was going to bring back enough to fulfill his plans.
Cha
pter Thirteen
Book One
“Mr. Secretary, there’s a call from a Mr. Sean Flynn who insists that you will take his call immediately, shall I put him off?”
Secretary Lewis answered quickly,
“No, I will take it now, please put him through.” As the Secretary reached for his telephone.
“Sean, you’re back, how did it go?” The Secretary asked, a little breathlessly.
“Mr. Secretary, I am still working on the final presentation of our application, so nothing has yet been decided. I have been permitted to come back to Earth to acquire resources to augment my presentation for consideration, and I need your help on getting this all set up as well as some really large funds allocations. Can we get together for dinner tonight? I will go over what has transpired so far and what I need. I know this is short notice, but you know the pressure we are under.”
“Absolutely Sean, be at my home around 6 PM and I’ll do everything I can to get whatever you need, I think you can count on the President’s office to sweep aside any obstacles we run into. I am looking forward to hearing everything you can share.” The Secretary gave Sean his home address, “Is there anything else?”
“No Sir, I will be at your house at 6 PM.” He answered.
“Sean, bring Doris too, would you?” The Secretary asked.
“Do you mind if we land on your back-lawn Sir? The shuttle will be cloaked so no one will see it, but you will have to alert your security staff which I suspect, has been beefed up.”
“I will take care of that, and that location is fine.” Said the Secretary
“Thank you, we will be there.” Sean disconnected.
The Secretary sat there for a minute with the phone in his hand as he thought “What could he want? Well, whatever it is he’ll certainly get it. I need to call the President and inform him what’s going on, and then have a talk with security, two people stepping out of nowhere would likely spook them.”
The Secretary began to dial his telephone.
Later, at the appointed time, the shuttle landed invisibly on the Secretary’s back lawn. As Sean and Doris walked down the back ramp, he noticed that the Secretary had arranged to have all the spotlights in the back of the large Georgian house turned off. They walked across the lawn as they could hear the whisper of the ramp closing behind them. The Secretary stood on the back-porch steps waiting alongside two security agents who stood there with very surprised looks on their faces. The security agents moved to check Sean and Doris, but the Secretary waved them away and took Sean’s hand in a firm grasp.
“Welcome back, you have obviously had the most amazing experience of any humans alive. Let’s go inside, I want to hear everything.”
They all went inside to the Secretary’s den where after securing the doors tightly closed, offered them both drinks which they both eagerly accepted. With everyone now served with a drink of their choice, they were about to sit down and begin telling the Secretary everything that had happened so far when the door to the den opened, and the President strode in, closing the door behind him.
“You people seemed to have started drinking without me,” Stated the President as he approached Sean and Doris with his hand stretched out.
The Secretary smiled and said,
“Mr. President, you didn’t tell me you were going to join us.”
The President also smiled as he took Sean’s hand in a firm handshake, turned and said,
“Did you really think I wouldn’t be here for this; I know you keep my favorite bourbon locked up in that cabinet over there.“ He nodded his head at the liquor cabinet.
“Seriously folks, this is as big as it gets in my world and I need to have firsthand information with no one to gussie it up, or edit what I hear. That’s hard to get in my daily work. I didn’t tell anyone I was going to be here, and no one aside from the Secret service knows I am here.” He said with a grave look on his face.
The Secretary got the President’s favorite drink bottle out and poured him a healthy measure with a few ice cubes as they all sat down. Sean began from the beginning of their departure to Hhearn. He continued for almost two hours with very little interruption. The President listened with his complete attention, interrupting only a few times for a question.
After Sean had brought his story up to date, he began to explain what he planned to do for his presentation and the reasoning behind it. He knew Earth could not compete on technology and weapons, and most, but not all, of our science was behind theirs. He felt that there were areas he believed the Council of Worlds was deficient, if he was to believe that Hhearn was prototypical.
The Secretary thought Sean’s concept was a good one and turned to the President for his agreement but was met with hesitation and a deep frown.
“You people have no idea what it is like to be where the buck stops. Every time I have to make a serious decision where lives are at stake, you learn quickly in this job not to do it in haste.” He said.
Sean anticipated this possible reaction and knew he needed to move the process along without delay.
“Mr. President, I know exactly what you are feeling, I have had weeks of that, so I empathize with you. While you are thinking this over, would you like a tour of a Starship?”
After the President eagerly agreed, they left the Secretary’s den, foregoing dinner, and walked to go out the back French doors to the yard. The Security people moved with them. The President turned to his Secret Service contingent,
“What is about to happen here, is classified at the highest level of ‘most secret’, Eddie, you are coming with me, the rest of you stay here with the Secretary. I will be back in a few hours.”
The Secret Service began to protest. The President waved his hand away and said,
“Look, I’m going to be with Eddie, Sean is a retired Air Force Officer, and Doris is an LA Police Officer, I’ll be fine, this is really important, far beyond what you might suppose. Now suck it up.”
He continued walking following Sean and Doris across the lawn. A whispering sound could be heard as the ramp to the shuttle opened up. As they all boarded, they disappeared into the cloaked shuttle, alarming the Secret Service being left behind. The Secretary calmed them down and said,
“He’s fine, I’ve been on that shuttle and it is quite safe. Come on back in the house, it will be a few hours before they’re back.”
Despite that assurance, the Agents continued to look over the location where the President seemed to have disappeared and could find nothing except a very large depression in the grass.
Sean schooled the President on what to expect on the mini transition they would go through, and made sure he and his Secret Service agent were secured properly in their seats. Like Sean and Doris on their first flight, the President and his Secret Service man Eddie Powers were shocked at the transition effects, but quickly forgot all that as they looked out the portal and began to see the ship.
The shuttle landed in the Cargo bay and shut down. The ramp opened with a small hiss as air pressures equalized. The bright lights of the bay washed into the shuttle as they all undid their seat harnesses and prepared to exit the shuttle. Allister was standing at the foot of the ramp.
“Welcome back Captain, I extend that welcome to your guests and Doris as well.” Said Allister in his usual formal manner.
Sean moved ahead of the group, and turned to them,
“Mr. President, may I present and introduce Allister who is the ship’s artificial intelligence and very competent Executive Officer. He is a hologram so it is not possible to shake hands.”
The President being an adept politician replied,
“Very pleased to meet you Allister. I would like to thank you for all the help you have been giving my world, and Sean and Doris.”
Allister answered with a smile,
“It has been my distinct pleasure to serve with them both. Please follow me, I have set out some refreshments including the President’s favorite bourbon.”
Allister began to walk toward the elevator panels, and the group followed while the President and Eddie looked at everything, the size of the cargo bay, and began to get a sense of how large the ship was. After a quick tour, they came back to the small lounge and were able to go to the bar Allister had set up. Drinks were issued all around, and they sat all together in a seat grouping near the bar.
“Well Mr. President, your thoughts?
“It is overwhelming isn’t it?” As he looked at Sean and Doris.
“How far away did you say we are sitting from Earth?”
“We are 257 Million Miles away from Earth at this spot.”
“That’s a long way to come for a glass of bourbon.“ The President joked, and then became serious.
“Sean, this brings it all home like walking into a glass door. We can’t compete with technology like this, the Artificial Intelligence alone is amazing.”
Allister acknowledged the compliment with a nod.
“What you have told me and what I am seeing and experiencing makes me believe that your ideas on the presentation are correct.”
Then he surprised everyone there by turning to Allister and asking,
“Allister what do you think of Sean’s plans for the presentation?”
“I don’t know them entirely Mr. President, but the Captain’s decisions are dependable and well thought out. He seems to have a remarkable grasp upon the Hhearn sociological and physical weaknesses and strengths. He has made very big impressions on Hhearn. I find it very comfortable to serve under his leadership.”
The President listened carefully to what Allister said.
“OK, Guys, what information did I miss getting included on? Is it my misunderstanding or does Allister seem to refer to Sean as the Captain of this ship, not Captain as in ‘Retired USAF Captain’?”
Allister took this one,
“Mr. President, while in transit, this ship was unable to defend itself from a hostile attack while Sean and Doris were aboard. Captain Flynn assumed command and successfully fought off the hostile attempt to damage and seize this ship. My software code dealing with such things was damaged some time ago and has not yet been repaired. Accordingly, Captain Flynn was able to assert command and it has remained so with my complete agreement, I repeat that I have every confidence in his leadership abilities.”