Verron_Birth of a Nation

by Douglas Varnell

  That dialogue got Supreme Commander Gonathin’s attention. He actually apologized for his rudeness and asked, “Would you tell us more about this?” Amber knew these people would be of little use in an attack from anyone Verron had faced thus far and just might be strategic allies one day. She began, “Verron is about 50,000 light years from here in the Whirlpool Galaxy. We are a small but very powerful Nation. King Verron is totally committed to uniting as many Nations in the Universe as possible to develop commerce between worlds and to build strong military defenses against invading forces. There really are societies in the Universe that are totally dedicated to either the complete destruction of other Nations or having total control over them. The Air Force and Marines of Verron have already fought to protect three different allied Nations. In our most recent conflict, the Allied Armies of four Nations assembled a force of 19,000 ships and 340,000 soldiers and we were still outnumbered by over 5000 to 1. The enemy we faced had a habit of eating everything on a planet, destroying its natural resources, leaving everything dead, then moving on to another planet to do the same. They won’t be doing it anymore, but there are others out there just as bad. Verron is all about protecting and building lasting mutually beneficial relationships, not about destroying.”

  The others in the Supreme Commanders entourage came forward to listen as Amber was speaking; each of them showing a tremendous amount of interest in what she had to say. Amber knew she needed to get back home and really didn’t want to spend too much time here alone, nor did she feel comfortable wandering away from her ship. She looked at the leaders and made a quick decision, asking, “Would any of you like to make a trip and see Verron for yourself? I know King Verron is away right now, but there are other leaders who would love to meet you and explain more about us. I can make sure you are returned in a few days.”

  The group of people spoke quietly to each other and soon turned to face Amber again, saying, “Are you telling us that you can fly that ship of yours 50,000 light years away and return and do it all in a few days.” Amber couldn’t resist bragging a bit and answered, “Oh, no, not at all. What I’m saying is that I can fly my ship to Verron in an hour or less, spent a few days on Verron and return you back here in about the same travel time, approximately an hour.” The leaders looked at each other; questioning her statement. She thought a moment and asked, “You were tracking me when I left Earth. How long did it take me to get here?” One of the scientists behind the group quickly blurted out, “I thought that was just a mistake. We have those once in a while.” Amber smiled and again asked, “I really do need to leave; any of you that would like to visit Verron are welcome to join me. I promise no harm will come to you and I will fly you back here myself whenever you want to come back.” The Supreme Commander wasn’t about to volunteer; he turned to the man who had tracked the ship and commented, “This could lead to the greatest scientific discovery in the history of our world. I don’t see how you could refuse an offer like this.” With a combination of curiosity and guilt, eight people were recruited to make the trip. It was obvious that three of them were military, four were scientists, and the other was definitely the Supreme Commanders assistant.

  Amber’s ship sat on the ground for two hours while they went to get the things they needed for their trip. She gave the Supreme Commander and his wife a tour of the ship accompanied by several from the convoy while she waited. None of them could even begin to comprehend a vessel like this existing. The closest their Nation had gotten to space flight were the numerous listening devices they had orbiting their planet or floating around in space. They were a long way from manned space travel. The eight people returned and boarded the ship. With so few people and what she intended to be a quick flight, she had them take seats in the command cabin with her. She allowed one of the scientists, named Gohanna, to sit in the copilot’s chair. The people from Alpha Centauri were about to be changed in ways they could not even begin to imagine.

  When Amber arrived back on Verron she landed at Mountain City. She had radioed ahead to inform everyone that she had eight guests. Hunter, her Mother Renee, Tlase, Zimuel, Yadvega, Michael and Brigadier Hall were waiting in the hanger for her arrival. Hunter smiled as she exited the ship and said, “Haven’t you been warned about picking up hitchhikers?” Like a mature Colonel, she replied, “Oh, grow-up.” The expressions on the eight people from Grnardo was a combination of sheer terror, amazement and amusement, as they exited the ship and looked around at the other ships and these unusual people in the hanger. Prince Hunter was the official greeter, followed by Princess Renee. It was easier to just let Renee take over after the introductions, since she would have taken over anyway. Renee quickly knew all eight names and their professions. Brigadier Hall immediately latched on to the military men, Renee took possession of the Supreme Commanders second in command, and Tlase took charge of the scientists. The visitors were soon at ease and it was decided to just have them stay in the Mansion instead of the Klelta Palace. None were quite ready to be left to themselves in town.

  When they exited the elevator to the Mansion the looks of awe were apparent by the expressions on their faces. It was suddenly replaced by big smiles when screams of laughter rang out through the Mansion as Tala chased MJ and MJ2 through the halls and dining room threatening to take their cookies and Great-grandmother was yelling for them to go on the terrace and not to run in the house. It was then that the people from Grnardo knew that these were people just like them, even if they were an ugly color and had strange stuff growing on their heads. Before the evening was over the Grnardo had experienced some of the local foods, met a short man with hooves and horns and a girl that had short fur all over her body. Everything was going well as the visitors asked questions and got to know these unusual people, but the highlight of the evening was soon to come when the MJs began to scream for cookies to feed the Gaggin. MJ2 knew no strangers and grabbed Gohanna’s hand and led her to the terrace behind a speedy little MJ; cookies in hand. Before Hunter and Tala could race to the scene they heard the scream. It took a while for the eight visitors to determine that Zeus was safe and once they found out what he could do, it took another hour to get them to leave his side. Amber, Hunter and Renee soon said their goodbyes and headed back to the ranch, promising to return first thing in the morning. Tala and Cali headed home as well with the MJs and Uncle Michael. Tlase and the Queen Mother got their guests settled and were soon in bed sound asleep. So ends another typical day on the planet Verron. The Queen Mother fell asleep thinking, “This sure isn’t anything like what I expected when I first arrived.” She thanked God for the blessing of being over 90 years-old and as fit as a 40 year-old and still able to play soccer with the MJs.

  Paul Verron had finished his visits of the widows on Verron, and came home late; heading straight to bed. He and General Zarman were leaving with Cali for Tecalna the next morning. After sleeping like a rock, he woke refreshed and anxious for a morning run. It wasn’t even full daylight yet, so he slipped out the terrace door and headed for the mountains. He enjoyed a good two hour freestyle run/freestyle climb and was drenched in sweat and covered with dirt when he entered the back door of the kitchen anxious for something to quince his thirst. He had to pause as he entered. He looked briefly at his daughter Princess Renee and asked, “Is this a UofA pep rally? Why are there crimson colored people in my kitchen?” He immediately knew he had been rude and extended his hand, saying, “Paul Verron, pleased to meet you. Welcome to Verron.” As eight crimson strangers watched a shirtless man in shorts and running shoes, drenched in sweat and rippled with muscles, he grabbed a bottle of Gatorade from the fridge and headed down the hall to get a shower. Shouting as he disappeared down the hall, “I’d sure like a five egg omelet with mushrooms, cheese, BBQ Pork, tomatoes and green peppers when I come back, if the cook is here yet. I doubt any of you would know how to make it right.”

  About 30 minutes later a clean and showered King Verron arrived in the kitchen dressed in his black suite, black
shirt and black shoes, looking very GQ and Kingly. There was an omelet, with fried potato cakes and a Diet Coke sitting at the head of the table. When Paul took a bite and realized that the chef was not there yet, he asked, “This is wonderful. Who cooked it?” Ninety-nine was grinning like the Cheshire Cat. Paul looked at him and said, “You’re going to make that new wife of yours very happy if you keep cooking like this. You’re not excited yet are you?” While Paul ate breakfast he became pleasant company and a good host to his eight guests. He did a brief explanation of why he was not going to be around for a few days, but assured them that the people at that table speak for him in every way; Renee, Hunter, Amber, Michael and Tlase knew he meant it. He left shortly after breakfast to depart for Tecalna with General Zarman and Cali. One of the Grnardo soldiers, who happened to be a pilot for the Grnardo, asked, “Is it always like this around here?” Those from Verron smiled, as Tlase quietly said, “You have no idea.”

  The capital cities of six Nations were in a state of total disruption. Nowhere, was it business as usual. Things heated up even more when the 103 who stayed the extra days on Verron came back with tales of visiting alien Nations with giants and cat people, and cities with billions of people living in buildings a mile high, with flying cars and instant transportation to any place in the Universe. Those who visited Verron were informed that everything seen and heard on Verron was classified Top Secret and they would be prosecuted if they revealed the classified information to anyone. But once the Senate Intelligence Committee, Appropriations Committee, Justice Department, Homeland Security, Supreme Court and just about everyone in Washington DC politics got involved, it didn’t take long for facts and rumors to spread from coast to coast. Naturally Facebook and other social media were plastered with photos and blogs from all six countries. Someone recognized Prince Hunter from his short lived modeling gig and his image was spread all over the world, making him an instant celebrity.

  President Hensley had meetings all day every day since his return with everyone from Senators and Representatives to the heads of every governmental agency that would be affected by the Verron Treaty, as it was now being called. In typical Washington fashion, everyone in their little political world was trying to manipulate King Verron’s proposals to either benefit themselves, their constituency or their largest contributors. The Pentagon and the Joint Chiefs were meeting with various security agencies to determine who should have access to what information and how the budget money could be reallocated so they could purchase products offered by King Verron instead of products they had already contracted with other defense contractors to buy that would be immediately obsolete the minute the technology from Verron was made available. The FDA was under pressure to refuse approvals of Verron’s medical technology by every pharmaceutical company and medical association in the United States; who had somehow been informed about what was coming. NASA chief Eichelman immediately contacted his counterparts in France, Japan, Great Britain and Australia to see if they could somehow work together as an international coalition of space agencies and share the technology being offered in the Treaty.

  The United States Senate Budget Committee was having session after session with the President’s Cabinet Members looking for ways to fund the projects outlined in the Verron Treaty. When the Senate looked like it was about to vote out the proposal, killing it for over a year and leaving the U.S. behind those countries that would obviously say yes, President Hensley and CIA Director Sullivan held a special secession and showed the battle, that had been classified Top Secret, to the entire United States Senate, with the warning that if this were revealed to the public it would no doubt cause wide spread panic and totally disrupt the country. Before they showed the film, each member present had to sign an agreement in front of a witness outlining the penalties if what they saw was discussed with anyone other than the people present in the chamber. After watching the battle against the Jhxunka twice some of the Senate members were actually shaking and in tears to think that something like that could one day happen to Earth. After the classified film, those agencies who had a stake in the Verron Treaty presented the actual proposal from Verron to clarify each detail that was involved. When they heard the entire package presented and realized they couldn’t just piece mill the package and cut and add endorsements, they came to realize, with some resentment on their part, that the entire Verron Treaty was one of the best organized and detailed pieces of legislation ever presented in the Senate. When the President informed them that the contract was an all or nothing proposal, several of the more powerful Senators complained, asking just who this King Verron thought he was, giving the United States of America an ultimatum. The President was quick to reply, “He’s the man who rescued our Mars expedition, who stopped a nuclear disaster from happening, who single-handedly rescued hostages from terrorists and who you just saw defeat an army of billions. He does not need us, but we do need him and he knows it.”

  Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Dorsey, sent his U.S. Air Force C37-A Gulfstream Jet to Jackson, Mississippi to pick-up Governor Phil Brant and Major General Lynus Colbin, Commander of the Mississippi National Guard/Air National Guard and Adjutant General of Mississippi. It was a rare occasion and the only thing the two men knew was that they had been asked to meet with the President, the Senate Armed Forces Committee and the Attorney General. When the limousine dropped them off at the White House they were escorted to the Presidential Cabinet Conference Room and greeted by every cabinet member on staff and both the republican and democratic Senators from Mississippi, as well as the Representative to the House for District 4 in Southern Mississippi. After the introductions were made, the Attorney General had a map of Mississippi placed on the big screen with Camp Shelby highlighted in a pale yellow and the Desoto National Forest highlighted in green. The Attorney General began, “We sincerely appreciate the Governor and the Adjutant General joining us on such a short notice. Let me remind all of you that this meeting is classified and not to be discussed outside of the people in this room. Governor your state has been selected to be the heart of one of the most ambitious projects in the history of this country. We have been offered a proposal, actually a treaty, from another government that desires to establish their base of operation in Southern Mississippi. They in particular selected Camp Shelby. After a phone call for some clarification from the administrator of this treaty and a careful look at the map above, they have selected the area ranging from 50 miles north of highway 26 and everything south of that same highway which is currently designated as Desoto National Forest. If they cannot acquire that piece of property, then the most valuable economic and defense initiative in the history of the United States will be lost. Although this is a Federally Protected area we feel you need to be involved in the decision making for what we plan to do.” Governor Brant interrupted, and asked, “Do you mean to tell me the Federal Government intends to sell half of the Desoto National Forest to a foreign government; the environmentalist will go nuts.”

  President Hensley spoke out, “We have decided that the benefits will drastically outweigh the grief we will receive. Those who desire to purchase the area will protect any forests in the areas they do not use to build and will even replant any species of tree that is protected in another location. Let me cut to the bottom line Governor. By now you and the General have heard about the planet of Verron.” They both nodded yes. “They have made us a proposal, that we now call the Verron Treaty, and it includes selling them this land in your state that will become the sovereign territory of Verron. It will quite literally be an independent Nation within our Nation. It will be protected by Verron military and operate under Verron laws. Let me briefly tell you what your state and the United States has to gain; I’ll attempt to summarize, since the entire treaty is very long and extremely detailed. First of all, Mississippi will gain between 50,000 and 100,000 new jobs. King Verron has made it part of the agreement to employ Mississippi residents in the ratio of your population demographics. He
will first bring in an oil pipeline with enough volume to supply everyone in the world oil, eliminating OPECs chokehold on the oil industry; that will include thousands of oil tanks and a refinery. Then he intends to build a warehouse and distribution center to handle imports and exports between Earth and Verron. He will build the Verron Embassy and administrative building there and a travel center where people from Earth can travel to Verron. He has plans for a hospital to serve his employees and the surrounding community, and let me tell you, their medical technology is far beyond anything on Earth. Last he hopes to establish an agreement with Georgia Pacific to build a timber processing plant using imported timbers from Verron. Your state will benefit tremendously. Evidently King Verron lived in your state for a while and decided it was the perfect location for his business. Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention that the shipping and refinery industries of your state, Alabama and Louisiana will all prosper from this plan. What we in this room ask for is your blessing. We don’t want to get caught-up in a long legal battle with your state and delay the treaty. We have only two more weeks to give King Verron our decision. Not having the Mississippi site will cost our Nation advanced spaceships for NASA, strategic defensive weapons more advanced than any we’ve ever seen, and medical technology that can cure almost every disease on Earth. Also, it was made perfectly clear that if we don’t accept the treaty, he will take it to someone who will; probably Australia or France.”

  The Governor and Adjutant General asked, “Camp Shelby will remain property of the State of Mississippi; only the forest area will be sold?” The Attorney General affirmed his statement. He continued by adding, “Then I would say we have no choice but to accept the offer. I know there will be plenty of crying over the loss of the Desoto National Forest, but with the economic boom for the area, I have no doubt it will be a pretty weak cry from the environmentalists.” He smiled, saying, “A hundred thousand jobs. There is nothing down there but dirt roads and farming towns. We’re talking about some major construction and road projects as well.” Transportation Secretary Gerald Cox replied, “Get with me after this meeting. My people have already been looking at that.” Major General Colbin asked, “May I find out more about the military proposals being made? If I am going to operate a National Guard Training Center as a next door neighbor, it would be nice to know just what these people are all about.” General Dorsey answered, “While the Governor is speaking with Mr. Cox, you and I can discuss that issue.”