“I’m not sure I paid too much attention to what you just said,” Silla teased. “I do think I heard the word love twice. I don’t think I caught much else.” Then she kissed him.
They never discussed whether she would spend the night at the White House, but by the time they left the bar, it was a foregone conclusion. When she entered the Lincoln Bedroom with him, it was the first time she had been there since Kilmer’s return.
When he woke up the next morning, he wondered how it was possible that he could have forgotten a single night like the one he had just had with her. You’re an idiot, Kilmer.
“I have to tell the president about the last clue,” he told Silla as they got dressed. “It’s going to be awkward.”
“Not as awkward as you think,” she assured him. “The president already knows a few things.”
Silla told him about the time Whitman had caught her leaving the Lincoln Bedroom. Kilmer found it just as funny the second time around. Silla rolled her eyes and punished him with an unenthusiastic kiss as they said goodbye.
As of 11:00 a.m., there had been eight more attacks—two in the US and an especially deadly bombing of a naval base in the UK. Earth-side did not retaliate. Instead, at military bases around the globe, large signs were raised. They shared a common slogan, translated across dozens of Earth’s languages:
Our desire for peace is stronger than your need for war.
At 1:00 p.m., Kilmer told Whitman about the last clue. She was all smiles, but just as perplexed as Silla had been.
“Why do you think Archidamus did that?” she asked. “It’s a big risk, and it doesn’t even help us with the war.”
“I’m not sure, Madam President. This will probably sound crazy… but I think he and I are friends.”
At 2:00, Kilmer sent another message to Archidamus.
No more puzzles left. Just a few questions and a lot of gratitude. Can we correspond now?
The response was brief—and troubling.
I am not sure we will ever talk again. But it has been a pleasure, my friend.
~ 125 ~
Day 64. June 30.
A total of fourteen attacks took place on Day 64. Most military installations had been evacuated except for essential personnel, so the death count was significantly lower in those locations than it might have been. The aliens adjusted their tactics accordingly. They bombed three airports, all of which were used primarily for civilian purposes. Two were in Russia and one in China. The total death toll for the day was almost 25,000.
Earth-side did not retaliate. There was no communication with ET-1 or with Archidamus.
Day 65. July 1.
Twenty-three attacks. Over 48,000 killed.
No retaliation. No communication.
Day 66. July 2.
Six attacks. Over 11,000 killed.
No retaliation. No communication.
Day 67. July 3.
No attacks. No communication.
Day 68. July 4.
No attacks. No communication.
~ 126 ~
Day 69. July 5. Morning.
Kilmer and Silla arrived at that White House at 7:45 a.m. They had stayed at Silla’s apartment for the last two nights. ET-1 had sent a message a little over an hour earlier, and Whitman had asked the team to assemble by 8:00 a.m.
Copies of the message were handed out to everyone in attendance.
To the leaders of Earth and the human population,
We send you this memorandum on behalf of the leadership of Citadel, a planet far from Earth. This is our response to the message that you sent to us one Earth-week ago.
In your message, you offered us a choice. We could destroy you and diminish our moral standing. Or we could establish peaceful relations and allow both civilizations to thrive. This was a false choice. Only the vilest of civilizations would choose to destroy another race if the alternative really were for both sides to live in peace and prosperity. But that is not the choice we face. In reality, the second choice you offer is fraught with peril. To allow a civilization such as yours to survive—a civilization that has never known peace, and which has a long history of subjugating those it sees as weaker or lesser—is not righteous. It is unconscionably irresponsible.
We do not expect you to admit to your flaws as a civilization, nor to admit that your proposal ignores inconvenient facts. Doing so would weaken the argument you are trying to make—an argument on which your very survival depends. But we recognize that it is possible you do not even see how dangerous you have become, how much fear you might inspire in others, and how ironic it is that you ask another species to trust you, or to treat you kindly.
If your survival depended on your trustworthiness, or your track record—or on our compassion, or our tolerance for risk—human civilization would be destroyed. It is fortunate for your species, although maybe tragic for ours, that our decisions are guided by higher principles than these.
But we will not follow these principles blindly or carelessly. So, we offer you a choice.
Your first option is to accept the following terms for a temporary, peaceful coexistence. Within five Earth-years, we will send ambassadors to live among you. In the years that follow, we will monitor the decisions you make, and the ways in which human society develops. At the end of a period that will last between 50 and 100 Earth-years, we will issue our final judgment on whether human civilization can be allowed to continue. If you accept these terms, the people of Earth will be able to live, with no interference from us, for these five to ten decades. After that, your future remains uncertain.
The second option is to reject our proposal—but in doing so, you implicitly declare war against Citadel. The consequence will be total war—not decades in the future, but in the weeks ahead.
All civilizations have their flaws. And all societies can change for the better. Ours can do this as well as yours. But this is not a negotiation among equals, and we will never allow it to be. Ultimately, if we do not change, we will continue to thrive. But if you fail to change, you will not survive beyond the few decades that we have just offered you.
We await your response. The leaders of Earth must speak as one and accept or reject our proposal. If you try to set conditions or make demands, we will consider it a rejection of the proposal.
There is a future, however unlikely it might be, in which the people of Earth and the inhabitants of Citadel live as friends and learn from one another. Like you, we desire such a future. But it will require much building. This will not be easy, but if you accept our proposal, however unfair it might seem to you today, we will work with you to try to build it.
We regret the loss of human and other life that is attributable to our recent actions, no matter how justified those actions have been.
We end by sharing a sentiment that comes from one of our civilization’s earliest texts. It is a sentiment that has relevance to this moment in our history, and in yours.
May you find peace where it exists and create peace where it does not.
—The chief representative of the leadership of Citadel
~ 127 ~
No one proposed rejecting or negotiating the terms. The discussion in the Oval Office was serious and focused for the first thirty minutes, but as the realization began to dawn that humanity really had managed, somehow, to avoid devastation, other emotions surfaced. Laughter. Joy. Relief. Excitement. There were hugs and handshakes, but also a somber moment in remembrance of the lives that were lost during the crisis—almost 150,000 in all.
As the president called the meeting to a close, Strauss proposed a toast to Kilmer. Everyone raised a cup of coffee. Whitman, Nielsen, and Art said some very nice things as well. The next thing anyone knew, everyone was toasting each other, and the celebration went on for another thirty minutes.
At 1:00 p.m. that afternoon, a message was sent to ET-1, in which Earth’s leaders unanimously accepted the proposal. The aliens responded promptly, confirming that an agreement had been reached and that the squadrons wo
uld depart Earth’s atmosphere soon thereafter. ET-1 would stay in Station Zero for a few more days, until a new spacecraft took its place, allowing communication between Earth and Citadel to continue as before.
At 2:30, Kilmer and Silla were chatting on the couch in his office when Whitman stopped by. She took a seat across from them and explained that, in a few weeks, she would be creating a task force to coordinate everything Earth-side needed to accomplish in the decades ahead to avoid—or prepare for—a future crisis with the aliens.
“This will be a long commitment, and it will be multi-faceted, multi-dimensional, cross-disciplinary, inter-agency, international… basically every type of multi-, cross-, and inter- you can think of,” Whitman explained. “In short, it’s going to be a big mess, but I can’t think of anything more important for the future of humankind than what this group will be asked to do. And I can’t think of anyone that I would want to chair this task force more than you. You’ve already done a lot for us. But would you please consider it?”
Kilmer hesitated. Chairing a task force, no matter how important, wasn’t something he wanted to do—nor did he think he would be any good at it. “Madam President, I would be delighted to join the task force in whatever capacity you want, but I don’t think I’m the right person to chair it.”
Whitman smiled. “Thank you for that candid assessment of your abilities. I don’t disagree, actually. Which is why I wasn’t asking you. I’m sorry I wasn’t clear. I was speaking to Agent Silla. I’m aware, Professor, that this is not your… shall we say… cup of tea.”
Kilmer managed a smile even as he felt his cheeks turning red. “I’m sorry. Carry on, please.”
Silla had a grin on her face and was trying not to laugh. “Of course, Madam President. If you think I’m the right person for the job, I will certainly consider it. Will this be run through the CIA?”
“No, Agent Silla. I think we both know that would be a disaster. You would report directly to me. It would alter your career trajectory quite a bit, so please take a week to think about it. Let’s meet in two days and I will explain the role in more detail.”
Whitman then turned to Kilmer, who was feeling embarrassed for himself but very proud and excited for Silla.
“As for you, Professor. All jokes aside, I want you on that task force. And more immediately, I’d like you to stay in DC for at least another week. Zack and I want you to help us think about how to use the unique opportunity we have right now to improve our relationships around the globe. There are many conflicts around the world that have nothing to do with us, where now might be the time to make some progress. I’m not naïve; I know we don’t have a magic wand. The problems that exist are deep-seated, and with the aliens departing, old rivalries can be reignited quite easily. Still, it would be foolish to let this moment pass us by without trying to make a difference. We want to get this right—and we would love for you to advise us on how to go about it.”
Kilmer glanced at Silla before answering. “Yes, ma’am. I’d be happy to stay in Washington a little while longer.”
Whitman laughed. “Well, I hope you’re staying at least partly because I asked you to help create peace on Earth.”
“Of course, Madam President. I was just—”
“Please, Professor. I don’t need an explanation. I’m glad to have you on board—as always.”
Just then, Kilmer’s phone buzzed.
“It’s okay,” Whitman said. “You can check to see if it’s important.”
Kilmer retrieved his phone and apologized as he checked for messages. It was an email—and it was from Archidamus.
He pulled it up on his laptop so that the three of them could read it together.
~ 128 ~
Dear Kilmer,
I thought we would not speak again. But I have one last opportunity, and I want to explain a few things. I will not be here if you respond, so do not concern yourself with finding the words with which to write back.
You, my friend, became somewhat of a celebrity on Citadel after your performance on ET-1. There are those who admire and respect you, and who consider you a hero—and there are those who see you as a terrible villain. But you are loved and hated for the same reason: you stopped a war in which Citadel would have destroyed human civilization. You did what no one thought was possible.
I hope you are being justly rewarded for your efforts. But as you well know, not all those who fight for peace are rewarded in the same way. And so, this will be the last you hear from me. But I have no regrets.
There is only enough time to write to an old friend, explain some things, and say farewell. I hope you will forgive me for all the questions that remain unanswered.
There are three things I most want you to know. First, you have given your planet a human lifetime’s worth of years. Humanity must use this time to mature, and change its ways, or it will suffer a tragic and brutal end. Help your people understand that, Kilmer. Second, the inhabitants of Citadel are good—better in most ways than you can imagine—and peace with them is possible. They will never inflict harm because of greed or grievance. But, given enough time, they can justify almost anything in the name of security.
Finally, I want to apologize. You allowed your memories to be deleted as a condition of returning to Earth. But we needed more from you than you had expected. And when we tried to delete your memories of a woman named Silla, you resisted, despite my pleading for you to stop. The pain you suffered as a result was more than I thought anyone could ever choose to endure. It was torture, and I am sorry. You asked me to leave you at least one memory of her, and I did my best. If you see her again—and if you happen to grow close—that memory might return. If it does, you will recognize it.
I saw your memories of her, Kilmer. Love, loyalty, and friendship do not begin to describe how you felt. I hope you will meet her again. And if I could meet her, I would tell her just how hard my friend fought to protect his memories of her.
My time is almost up. I have just enough of it to leave you one very small gift.
We have many kinds of art in our world, but we do not have what you call poetry. I find it fascinating, and I find it a wonder that we have never created such a thing despite our ability to write and imagine. I devoted my life to being a historian, but it occurred to me that in my final days, I might try another vocation. Perhaps I could become the first poet of Citadel. At least for a short while, that would also make me the greatest poet in my planet’s history.
And so, I have written a short verse for you—in English, no less. And with it, I hope also to claim the mantel of Citadel’s poet laureate. I hope you will like it.
We two, scholars of the past,
Composing dialogue, that history might last.
Brandishing the weapons of heart and mind,
Paving paths, as others might find.
We two, the Heirs of Herodotus,
Brothers in spirit, if not in kind.
I am proud to have had a good life cut short for all the right reasons, and lucky for it not to have happened before I had the chance to walk a few steps with a kindred soul.
I say farewell, content with what was accomplished, and full of hope for the future, for one reason above all others…
…Kilmer survives.
Your friend,
Archidamus
~ 129 ~
Heirs of Herodotus by D. Kilmer.
Excerpt from Chapter 8.
Ending a war is easy. Creating peace is hard. Peace, after all, is not merely the absence of war. Peace exists when the idea of resorting to war to achieve political objectives becomes unimaginable, or completely delegitimized. The nations of Europe warred for over a millennium, but the idea of Britain going to war against Germany or France has been, for decades now, unimaginable. The same holds for the American North and South, which once waged a bloody civil war. The US and Japan fought a war of biblical proportions, but now live peacefully with each other. In contrast, North Korea and South Korea can be s
aid to have achieved a stalemate, an effective deterrence, an enduring ceasefire, or even a cessation of war—but they have not achieved peace. War between the US & Germany is unimaginable, but war between the US & Russia is not.
Peace agreements, no matter how well constructed, can never create peace. Treaties can only serve one purpose: to buy time. The terms you negotiate matter enormously, but time will always be scarce. And unless that time is used to address the underlying causes of war—fear, greed, and grievances—peace cannot be achieved. Too rarely is sufficient effort made, political capital expended, or moral courage summoned to do this. Memories are short, the temptation to assume we are superior to our predecessors too great, and the lessons of history too easy to ignore. We know that war demands sacrifice. But we fail to see that the demands of peace are greater still.
When it comes to matters of war and peace, it can be just as short-sighted to declare that you have won as to lament that you have lost it. At best—if you are lucky, and if you have done everything you can to defeat the gods of war—you might just have earned the right to proclaim… we have time.
~ Epilogue ~
Day 328. March 21.
Silla picked Kilmer up from the airport, and they drove straight to the White House for the meeting. Along the way, she updated him on some new projects her task force was contemplating. Silla was now responsible, on the American side, for overseeing all Earth-side initiatives aimed at preparing for that day—fifty to a hundred years in the future—when Citadel would issue its final verdict. There were only two ways for human civilization to survive judgment day: humanity could avoid war by evolving to the point where the aliens no longer feared it, or Earth-side could develop the capabilities necessary to defend against an alien attack. The task force managed both tracks.
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