by Gini Koch
Felt like I knew what was going on, but couldn’t verbalize it or even come up with the right concept, as if the answer was there, but just out of reach.
Really wished I had my earbuds in. Decided I could do the next best thing. Pulled my phone out and queued up my music. The Cosmic Thing playlist was up, and I hadn’t created it, which wasn’t that much of a surprise. It was a short playlist. Clearly I was supposed to catch on quickly. Hoped I was as smart as Algar thought I was.
“What are you doing?” Jeff asked.
“Trying to figure out what’s going on. Just gimme a mo, Jeff.”
Took a look at the song list. Billy Idol’s “Cradle of Love” was the first song up. Looked at the next songs—“The Beginning” by Lifehouse, then the Backstreet Boys’ “The Answer to Our Life,” followed by Tears for Fears’ “Sowing the Seeds of Love.” The last song was “Feels Like The First Time” by Foreigner.
It was there, right there. But Jeff jerked. “Raj needs us.”
And just like that, it was gone. Sighed, but there was nothing for it. Hopefully the idea would come back to me. I could listen to the songs later, and maybe that would spark it. But right now, duty appeared to be calling.
Chuckie took the pictures from Jeff, put them back into the envelope, and handed them to me. “Keep them in your purse and on you. We’ll deal with this once we get the Ignotforstans home safely.”
Shoved them into my purse just as a knock came on the door and Raj stuck his head in. “There you three are. Thankfully I ran into the Ard Ri and he said that you liked to meet in this closet. I’ll ask why later. We have a situation.”
“Of course we do,” Jeff said with a sigh. “What’s up?”
“We have issues of state we need to deal with,” Raj said. “I’d prefer that you hear this directly, as opposed to being translated through me.”
We followed Raj to what turned out to be a conference room. Filled with Jeff’s Cabinet members, Gower, White, Drax, and, interestingly enough, Gadhavi.
“What’s going on?” Chuckie asked, eyes narrowed, as the three of us sat down.
Hochberg rolled his eyes. “Really, son? We may be on some bizarre road trip instead of relaxing at Camp David, but things still need to be handled, unplanned vacation or no.”
“Like what?” I asked.
“Like where we’re going from here,” Hamlin said.
“To save Ixtha and her people from whatever galaxy-ending situation they’re in.” Everyone stared at me. “Really? You guys haven’t noticed that we’re on a galaxywide rescue mission?”
“We’ve noticed,” Ernesto Iriarte, the Secretary of Labor, said, sarcasm knob at five and rising.
“We just don’t know why we’re here,” Julie Cruz, the Secretary of Health and Human Services added. “Other than that we were all in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Gibson, Davis, and Harris all nodded. They rarely backed Cruz under normal circumstances, but she appeared to be speaking for everyone.
Well, almost everyone. “Stop complaining,” Horn said mildly, but with a lot of authority. He’d been the head of the FBI’s Alien Affairs Division and had been a good friend and ally when he was in that position. Horn was now the Secretary of Homeland Security and doing a good job with expanding that position to cover all of the Solaris system.
Horn wasn’t someone who scared easily. He wasn’t scared now, but I had a feeling that a lot of the Cabinet members were scared, and that Horn found that somewhat unacceptable. A sentiment I kind of agreed with.
“We aren’t, Vander,” Carlos Garcia, Jeff’s Attorney General said. “But we need to take the time to get a handle on what it is we’re trying to do out here.”
“And how we’re going to handle the Ignotforstans,” Elaine added.
“What do you mean, handle?” Jeff asked. “We’re taking them home. What’s to handle?”
“Other than everything?” Gibson said. “How about handling their expectations?”
“What expectations?” Jeff asked. “They expect to get home safely. We’re handling it.”
Gadhavi rolled his eyes. “This is how you brief your President? You attack him out of nowhere with no facts, no information, just random demands? You bicker amongst yourselves but with no purpose? It’s amazing you’ve held things together so well, King Jeffrey.”
“Oh, if Mister Gadhavi is tossing around royal titles, it means we’re missing something, Jeff.” Gadhavi smiled and winked at me, not that I’d been worried about being wrong.
Drax nodded. “You are. The Ignotforstans are from a rather isolationist solar system. All the planets in the Apata system know of Vatusus and some other key core systems because of radio waves. But they’ve stayed away due to what they call caution.”
“And I call fear,” Gadhavi said. “Fear that is not without reason.”
“Fear often keeps you alive,” Alvin Wong, the Secretary of Agriculture, said.
“Alvin’s not wrong,” Gower agreed.
“Why are you and Richard here, Paul?” Chuckie asked. “You don’t normally join Jeff’s Cabinet meetings.”
“Miz Freeman and Mister Moskowitz asked us to join,” White said, smiling at the two of them. Jessica Freeman was the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and Murray Moskowitz was the Secretary of Energy. “Separately,” he added, which made sense, since I’d never seen these two as buddies.
“They’re here to help convince Jeff to do whatever it is that everyone wants us to do, Chuckie. Which either means that Paul and Richard are in agreement, or Paul and Richard are tired of staring out the window into space and wanted to have the entertainment a Cabinet Meeting in Space provides.”
“My money is on both, Queen Katherine,” Gadhavi said. “Prince Gustav, please get to the point.”
“Agreed. Mister Gadhavi and I have spent time with the Ignotforstans—they remain very impressed by royal titles. And I may have mentioned that Mister Gadhavi is an influential person on Earth.”
“Why did you so mention, Gustav?”
Gadhavi sighed. “Because you’re both so focused on saving the galaxy that you’re not aware that we are heading into a political situation with great ramifications.”
“The Apatan system is quite cohesive,” Raj explained. “For example, once they found out that there was life on the other planets, even though each planet had a different name for it, they all got together and gave their sun the new name of Apata, which each planet agreed to. They work together to care for their solar system. The Eknara was only manned by Ignotforstans, but that was due to the danger of the mission—the Ignotforstans are considered the most daring in the system. The Apatans are fully capable of joining the greater galactic community. But they’re afraid to. They don’t want to be conquered. And that definitely includes the Ignotforstans.”
“Can’t blame them,” Jeff said dryly. “Most people don’t want to be. So are you saying we need to protect this system, too? Because if you are, at the rate we’re going, we’re not going to have anyone to protect Solaris or Alpha Centauri.”
“And that could be the greater plan,” Hamlin said. “We’ve been taking it on faith that whoever’s pulling our strings wants us to save the galaxy.”
“They do,” I said firmly. “On this, I’m certain. And I don’t want to spend any time arguing about it, and that’s a freaking Queen Katherine order. I’m the one who gets to have all the special times with the various Powers That Be. Until they choose to basically screw up your life on a regular basis, my opinion is the one that counts.”
“We agree,” Nathalie said quickly. “This is not a meeting to complain about what we’ve been doing. Or will do.”
“Sure seems like it,” Chuckie said mildly. But I knew him and he was pissed, though not at Nathalie, just the situation.
“It’s not,” Raj said, Troubadour Tones set to Soothe. “We just haven�
��t gotten to the point yet.” He looked at Drax.
“I apologize. The point is that this stop is not like all the others.”
“How so?” Jeff asked.
Drax sighed. “As Raj said, the system is very cohesive.”
“Think Alpha Centauri but no friction,” Gower added.
Drax nodded. “And the entire system plans to honor us for saving the crew of the Eknara. And that celebration will take days, if not weeks.”
“So we say thanks but we’re on a schedule and move on,” Jeff said.
Gadhavi shook his head violently. “That will ensure that this system will be offended. Deeply offended. Do you know what happens when you deeply offend someone?”
I knew. “They join your enemies the first chance they get.” The room nodded. “Great. Look, we know where we need to go. Now’s as good a time as any to tell you guys.” Pulled the envelope out of my purse, took out the last picture, and put it in the center of the conference table. “We’re going here.” Pointed to the solar system that was outside of the galaxy.
Everyone took a minute to look at the picture while Chuckie did the explanation for why we had this in the first place. Once the picture had made the rounds, and I’d watched various faces drain of color, it came back to me and I put it back in the envelope and said envelope back in my purse.
Took a moment to do a quick check of my phone. Sure enough, had a different playlist up—Apatan Nights. Algar was hilarious. As were the song choices, at least the first one—“Stay Down Here Where You Belong” by Tiny Tim. Followed by “If You Wanna Stay” by Bidwell, “Split Screen Sadness” by John Mayer, “Divide” by Disturbed, and “Separate Lives” by Phil Collins. Felt that I had the key idea. Which was good, because there were no more songs.
“The coordinates for where we were originally headed have been lost,” Davis said once I gave the table my full attention again. “Maybe that means we don’t need to go there after all.”
“We do,” I said. “Trust me, we do. But, I have an idea of how we fix this.” And the best part of that idea was that I was just about a hundred percent sure I’d figured out what Naomi had been trying to tell me.
CHAPTER 91
“IT HAS TO BE VOLUNTARY,” Chuckie said when I was done sharing the brilliance that was my interpretation of Algar’s and Naomi’s clues.
“Oh, I know. Because it’s just as dangerous to leave our people in this system as it is to take them outside of the galaxy.”
“Those staying have a better chance of getting back to Earth than those going,” Gibson said. “Just like in any war situation.”
“Most aren’t going to be willing to stay,” Raj said. He smiled at the shocked looks. “We’ve survived several life-or-death situations already and we haven’t lost anyone. Those who wanted new pets got them. Everyone had pretty souvenirs from Cradus.”
“Raj is correct,” White said. “And while you could order them to stay, I don’t recommend it.”
“The kids will never agree, so don’t bother to try,” I said. “Frankly, we can’t leave all the Cabinet, either.”
“I’m going with you,” Horn said calmly.
“I as well,” Nathalie said.
“Me too,” Elaine chimed in.
Shook my head. “Elaine, I think it’s important that you and Fritzy stay here.” Which was too bad. I’d have liked Elaine to come with us. But since we were in the Meeting Of Grownups, had to act like one and choose what was best, versus fun.
She looked shocked and disappointed. “Why?”
Jeff chuckled. “Because you’re the Secretary of State and you’re going to be negotiating bringing the Apata system into the fold. Our fold, specifically.”
“Exactly. Fritzy’s the Vice President and I’m sure we can spin that to show how vitally important he is. Frankly, Vander, it might be good for you to stay, too. Homeland Security is going to matter to these people.” Another bummer, because I’d have liked Horn with us, too.
Horn and Elaine both grimaced. “I hate it when you make sense,” Horn said.
“I know, and it’s so rare, too.”
Horn snorted. “Don’t try to play me, Kitty. I’ve known you too long.”
“I think I need to stay as well,” Raj said regretfully.
“I agree.” Leaving the Super Troubadour with the politicians was probably going to be a good thing, and that meant we had the Number Two in the A-C CIA on site as well.
“So, you want the rest of us to go with you?” Harris asked, trying really hard not to sound or look nervous and not totally succeeding. Most of the Cabinet looked like they were trying to be calm and cool and also were praying really hard that Jeff was going to say no.
“No,” Jeff said. “Kitty, who do you want?”
“Hammy and Nathalie.” Nathalie had already been gung ho, but it was nice to see that Hamlin appeared pleased versus freaked out. Not that I’d expected any less from him.
“And?” Chuckie asked.
“And that’s it. I mean, unless you’re asking if I want you to stay, Secret Agent Man, and the answer is not just no but hell no. You’re coming with us. Gustav, it’s up to you and Mister Gadhavi to decide what you two want to do.”
“If you feel confident that the ship can function without Prince Gustav, I strongly suggest he remain,” Gadhavi said. “Again, royalty means much to these people.”
“The ship has been tested and repaired,” Drax said, “and as long as Mossy and the hackers are with you, you should be fine without me for this portion. Plus, should something, ah, delay your return, I can ask my father for assistance in returning those of us who remain behind to Earth.”
“Makes sense—you’re the one most likely to get help fast.” Including if we needed someone to come rescue us, which was always a possibility. “Wasim stays with me, though.”
“I agree,” Gadhavi said. “And that means I stay with you. And before you say anything, yes, his bodyguard is excellent. However, one man is not enough.”
Chose not to point out that we had a lot more than one person watching out for Wasim. Gadhavi coming along was not going to be a bad thing.
“I recommend that we leave Mister Jenkins as well,” White said.
“Not MJO or Dion? Or Adam and Kristie?”
“Mister Joel Oliver will not miss the opportunity to go where we’re going,” White said. “Dion will likely want to take the rarest photographs in the galaxy. Kristie will be better utilized with us, and Adam as well. Mister Jenkins, on the other hand, is quite good with people, and it will ensure that we have someone immortalizing the events.”
“Oh, gotcha. Bruce is the Royal Scribe who will take notes about the ceremony and such so that all will know of it sort of thing?” And it would leave someone we could trust keeping an eye on the politicians, too.
White nodded. “Anyone else you want to remain?”
“Camilla.” Said by me, Jeff, and Chuckie in unison.
“Agreed.” White sighed. “You need to offer this to the others, Jeffrey. But be prepared for them to say no.”
Considered this. “I have an idea how to get at least some of them staying. They’re part of the Royal Family, meaning they’re representing you to this new solar system.”
“It’s worth a shot,” Jeff said. “But you just said that the kids won’t want to be left behind.”
“I meant our three. The others won’t want to be left, either, but I think if we spin it right, they’ll be willing.”
Raj nodded. “I can do that and I’m sure I can convince Sylvia, Jonathan, and Marianne. Clarence will do whatever Kitty asks. However, the children are excited about visiting Ixtha—we all spoke with her in the DreamScape and everyone learned the language, including those we’re now leaving behind.”
“That’s okay. If everything goes according to plan, they’ll get to meet Ixtha and
see her world.”
“The goal is to bring that system back into the galaxy in some way?” Moskowitz asked.
“Yes,” Jeff said. “I assume that’s why they’re calling us.”
“Could be for another reason,” Gower said. “But it’s a good working hypothesis.”
We decided that there was no time like the present to share what we wanted to do, so we headed off en masse. Happily, everyone other than the command crew were in the Observation Lounge, so Raj was able to explain things one time, once Drax, White, and Gower got the Ignotforstans out of the room on the pretext of going over the different worlds with them.
I also got the opportunity to be a mother for a couple of minutes. Jeff was holding Charlie, I had Jamie and Lizzie. While Raj was talking, made sure I quietly told the girls what was going on from my viewpoint, so they didn’t create arguments.
There were, of course, the expected protests from the others. But we quelled them fairly easily by sharing that we expected to bring Ixtha to them. Plus, the Cabinet members who were staying all stressed that this was a mission of vital importance to the nation and solar systems.
Dion asked to remain with Jenkins. The opportunity to take rare pictures was overridden by his desire not to die. Couldn’t blame him. Besides, he was getting along really well with the Ignotforstans, so that just meant he was going to do double duty as a diplomat.
After some discussion, the agreement was that family groups would not be split up. If one was staying, all were staying, and vice versa.
“I want to stress that the Valentino and Price kids are all talented, and that means you guys need to be paying attention and being careful. You’re going to have to be functioning at a higher level than normal, especially you older kids.”
Who all looked thrilled with the authority. Kimmie did, too. “We’ll do a good job, Aunt Kitty,” she said. “We promise.”
“I know you will. Take direction from Raj, you guys. Don’t go off on your own on commando missions. Remember—you’re all representing the Royal Family. If Wasim wouldn’t do it, you don’t do it.”