Verron_Birth of a Nation

by Douglas Varnell

  Finley didn’t seem to be too concerned about flying in the big machine. He evidently had been in one before, or at least seen them enough to know what they did. Paul radioed ahead to prepare his family that he was bringing home a guest, at least for dinner, maybe longer. He told them to make sure 99 was there to greet them. As he approached Mountain City it was obvious Finley knew where they were but seemed confused by the new buildings where there used to be nothing but the R&D lab and jungle. They slowly entered the hanger to those waiting to greet the unknown guest. When the two of them stepped from the ship, 99 began to say something completely inaudible and raced for Finley. They stood transfixed facing each other a moment and to the shock of everyone leaped on each other and began to wrestle around the hanger floor. At first Paul felt like he had made a mistake and needed to quickly break up what appeared to be a fight. He then realized that there was no blood and no angry screams or growls. They were rough-housing like a couple of kids or maybe more like a couple of young kittens. They finally stopped and embraced each other. Finley pointed at Paul and said, “Ffffrrin.” Ninety-nine agreed by, saying, “Yes, good friend.” The two of them walked side-by-side to Paul and 99 began to explain some of his as yet untold past. He told those looking on in wonder; Tlase with tears in her eyes. “When the people began to die, there was no one to feed and take care of all of those in the lab. One day a very sick man came into the cage room and opened the cages and the big door going outside. That was the last time I saw my friend. The man began to throw rocks at us to make us run away into the jungles. He and a few others could fly; they took off across the bay and never returned. The rest of us hid in the trees and mountains. When we were little they would let us out of our cages while they cleaned them. We would fight and play with each other until they made us get back in the cages.” While 99 was speaking in his best Xhondarian, Finley was shaking his head in agreement. He then pointed at himself and said, “Ffffinnlli.” Ninety-nine pointed at himself and said, “Pavel.” Everyone else decided to let the two friends spend some time together. Paul knew Finley was in good hands with 99. The two of them headed for the elevator and to the kitchen to find something to eat. They made some sandwiches, grabbed two bags of microwave popcorn and headed for 99’s room to catch up on each other’s lives as only old friends could. Tlase remarked to Paul, I thought you were going to take a few days off to relax. Paul looked at Tlase and the others and replied, “When monkeys fly!” Those from Earth got the rhetoric; it was lost on Tlase.

  When 99 and Finley disappeared into 99s suite, they didn’t resurface until morning, when they both came into the kitchen to greet the usual horde of morning breakfast eaters at the mansion. People in this house had grown so used to the unusual that no one was shocked by the grizzly little beast that accompanied 99. The two of them took a seat and 99 asked the chef to please fix his friends some smoked Salmon, bagels and a large bowel of fruit. He joked, by saying, “Is your friend kosher?” Everyone laughed, except 99 who didn’t get it. The Queen Mother arrived a little later for her coffee, toast and bowl of cereal, and actually didn’t even mention the odd looking creature at the table. Finally Tlase told her, “Alene, this is Finley. He has known 99 since childhood and Paul managed to reunite them yesterday. Isn’t that nice?” Alene looked at the two friends who were both hundreds of years old and smiled, saying, “I had a friend who was like a sister to me for almost 80 years. Friends like that are hard to find. Welcome to our family Finley. Finley looked at the friendly lady and said, “Ffffinnli fffrrnd.” Alene turned to Tlase and asked, “Do you know any speech therapists for flying monkeys?” Paul grinned, thinking, “The nut doesn’t fall far from the tree.” When Paul later showed up in his office, Inga smiled as he entered saying, “I love this place. In this building alone we have a Dragon, a Pan and now a Gargoyle. We have giants and cat-women, Shapeshifters, cute little mole people, nondescript clones, multicolored androids, cyborgs and now crimson people. Do you ever wonder what we will have next?” Paul asked, “Has anyone ever shown you the unicorn herds?” Inga slumped in her chair and sighed, “I hope you’re joking.” Paul headed for his office door. I’ll fly you out later myself. Just let me take care of a few things first; would your husband like to join us?” She leaned forward to pick-up the phone, saying, “No, but I have two little nieces that have unicorn decorations all over their rooms. They’ll love their Aunt Inga forever and I will once again be restored to favorite aunt status.” Paul gave her a strange look. She finished, “I had to give them both a time-out last time I babysat them. I made them miss their favorite TV show. My good aunt status will no doubt once again be in good standing.”

  Chapter 35

  The Dragon Wagon was full as they departed Verron. King Paul Verron and his Cabinet Leaders were going to make their first official state visit to Earth. Aboard were Paul Verron, General Zarman, Prince Hunter, Prince Michael, Prince Marcus, Prince Joe, Prince Kary, Prince Chase, Prince Daniel, Princess Renee, Princess Desiree, Princess Marie, Princess Amber, Princess Katelyn, Princess Tala, Brigadier General Hall, Gail Morton, Inga, Zimuel, Tlase, Renee’s husband Joseph, Vladimir Zhdanov and Clark Kidd. Leona and Donald Williamsson planned to meet them on Earth, where they would be pick-up at a small airport in Pennsylvania, avoiding the crowds. The Queen Mother had no desire to make the trip and volunteered to babysit MJ and MJ2. Paul couldn’t believe the wait was over and that the terms and conditions had been agreed upon. His proposals were not accepted without a great deal of debate and political maneuvering on the part of everyone in Washington. A week before Paul’s deadline Michael Verron had to meet with representatives from the Department of the Treasury, Federal Reserve and the Senate Banking and Finance Committee to determine if Verron was financially capable of fulfilling all aspects of their treaty. Michael and Hunter picked-up the representatives and brought them to Verron. The two escorted them to see the Marcus Verron Space Center, the Weapons Plant, the Energy Production Facility, Medical Facilities, Oil Fields and Refinery, Steel Mills and last of all, with Paul’s permission, they showed them the Verron Reserve Vault. Michael then pointed out to his visitors, “The value of a Verron cronz is determined by supply and demand. Right now we have the products you desire and are the only ones with the means to meet your demands. At this point, I would say the currency of Verron is much stronger than the U.S. Dollar, British Pound or the Euro. We have already begun production on the proposed spaceships, weapons and body armor we agreed to supply and will have no problem finding another use for them should the United States decide to change their mind about the treaty.” Shortly after the representatives were returned to Earth the rumor began to spread that King Verron was the richest man alive. No name was ever attached to the rumor, but it wasn’t too difficult to tell where it started.

  Washington D.C. was going to be their first stop on a six Nation tour. Each country represented at the meetings on Verron was anxious to get a piece of the action and establish a relationship with this new Nation that had so much to offer. After they picked-up Leona and Donald and got airborne again, they switched-off the cloaking device and made a low and slow approach to Washington D.C. This had turned into a major event, with a lot more press and publicity than Paul had intended. At the Chief of Staff’s encouragement, the President and Speaker of the House called for a Joint Session of Congress and an address to be given by President Hensley and King Verron, with the official signing of the Verron Treaty being televised live on every major network. The Chief of Staff had made arrangements for King Verron to land his ship directly on the Eastern approach to the Capitol, right between the Visitors Center and the front steps leading to the Capitol Rotunda. Escorted by no less than 20 Air Force Helicopters, the Dragon Wagon made its way across Maryland and the United States Capital City. The escort gradually peeled away as they made a final approach to the front entrance of the Capitol building. There had to be a million people crowding the streets to get a look at the arriving men from outer-space. No doubt every television n
etwork and newspaper in the Free World were jockeying for position along the barricades guarded by D.C. Police and the Secret Service.

  General Zarman looked at the mayhem and smiled, saying, “You sure you want to do this. We could turn-around and go home now and pretend Earth never existed.” Jim was the only person Paul knew who hated politics and celebrity hoopla as much as him. Paul shook his head and halfway wanted to agree with him, but replied, “May God’s will be done. He has us here for some reason. So I recon it’s His problem, not ours.” Jim loved the simplicity of Paul Verron’s perspective on life; he nodded his agreement and gently landed the Executive Starship on the concrete in front of the Capitol Complex.

  Every member of the representatives from Verron was required to wear a forcefield shield. Paul did not completely trust the ability of the locals to keep his people safe. He wasn’t expecting any trouble, but he certainly didn’t want to be unprepared if there was. It was a sunny, but cold and windy December day when they arrived in D.C. Paul was first to step from the ship dressed in a custom made black wool-blend suite and a pale gray turtleneck shirt, mostly covered by a full length black leather topcoat lined with woven Verron Steel. He was followed by General Zarman and the Dragon Guard wearing nicely tailored Verron Air Force uniforms; black snug-fit pants and a waist cut jacket, with gold buttons and their rank insignia on shoulder epaulets; knee high black boots and black caps, cut a lot like a French Foreign Legions cap, with a red dragon. Those in uniform proudly wore their combat badges and flying ace awards. They exemplified a young and incredibly fit group of soldiers. The rest of the entourage was well dressed in business suites of various colors; the other men wore neck ties.

  The red carpet was rolled out and a Marine band began to play the Verron National Anthem; To Dream the Impossible Dream. The American Flag flew beside the red dragon of Verron. As they started down the red carpet to be greeted by the awaiting President and Members of Congress, the sound of cameras and news reporters giving a play-by-play of events, the applause of those excited to see the aliens from Verron, and the unmistakable boos and jeers of those not so pleased to see them, didn’t distract or deter Paul Verron from his destiny. Paul reached the President, whom he had learned to truly like and respect, and they warmly shook hands, followed by greetings from the Speaker of the House and other Cabinet Members. As the 5 foot 9 inch King stood by this former University of Texas center linebacker, the size difference was obvious. President Hensley stood before the millions of people present, and no doubt hundreds of millions on television, and read from his teleprompter, “This day will no doubt go down in history as one of the most significant days in World history. On this day, we the people of the United States are signing an agreement between the most powerful Nation on Earth and the most powerful Nation in the known Universe. We now know that Earth is not alone. There are other worlds and not all those worlds are friendly. We are now members of an alliance of Nations that numbers over eighty billion people. The world as we’ve known is about to change. Technology that our world could only dream about will now become a reality and our gratitude goes out to the man who made this possible, King Paul Verron from the Nation of Verron.”

  The audience went wild with cheers and applause. A few unruly protestors had to be removed by security, but the vast majority was excited about the things to come. The entire group of spectators was wondering how so many youthful people could rule such a powerful nation, having no idea that Paul Verron and most of his staff were seventy years old and older. Paul almost choked-up as he stepped forward to address the largest group of people he had ever faced before. He paused a moment, looking out over the faces of people whose lives were about to be forever changed, lowered the microphone to suit his shorter stature and began, “I love this country. I was born here, was educated here, served in the Army here and lived sixty-five years of my life right here in the United States of America.” The applause began. “When I became the ruler of the Nation of Verron, my first decision was to populate my new world with people from this world. My planet’s population represents more than a dozen different countries from Earth and now has added eight more races of people from other solar systems; over eighty billion citizens with a common goal; peace, freedom, good health, protection and prosperity for all. Just like here on Earth, there are those in the Universe who would dominate and control the lives of free people and force their own views on them. Verron represents the alliance of the free Nations in the defense of these principles. Today, the United States has honored the tradition of this great Nation by doing more than defending and protecting those on Earth who cannot take care of themselves, but of also being a part of an alliance that will defend and protect Nations across the entire Universe. The technology we bring will change your lives forever. No longer will there be a need for young American men and women to sacrifice their lives while protecting these rights for others. No longer will AIDS or Cancer or Sickle Cell take lives long before their time. Some will hate the changes we bring, others will embrace them, but bare this in mind, the planet Earth cannot stand alone. All the Nations of Earth must put aside their power struggles and petty disputes and look at a much bigger picture. What we are agreeing to today is the first step in that process.” Paul stood looking at the millions who wondered just what this man was all about. Then, in a beautiful tenor voice, King Paul Verron began to sing God Bless America. When he finished, the crowd went wild as Paul and the others turned to leave; President Hensley and King Paul Verron were both about to address the Joint Session of Congress. Never has a President and a leader from a Galactic Power addressed such a session. Everyone knew that their world was about to become a different place.

  As the two leaders entered the House Chamber they received a standing ovation from the members of the Senate and House of Representatives who had just watched the broadcast of the speeches and the song from the House Chamber. After a brief introduction by the Speaker of the House, the President stood before the Joint Session of Congress and addressed the most influential men in the United States, saying, “In a couple of months I will stand before you for the State of the Union Address. I assure you, it will be like no other State of the Union Address ever given. Next year will begin the greatest changes this Nation has ever experienced; the men and women seated before me have made it possible for those changes to take place. One of those changes will stand before you in a moment. Joint sessions have been addressed throughout history by Presidents, Foreign Dignitaries, Military Leaders and even Astronauts, but King Paul Verron makes history today as the first speaker from another galaxy. He is an unusual leader and wears many hats. He is a King and Military leader, that I have seen lead his men into battle against tremendous odds, he is an Astronaut and he is a dynamic economic innovator. It is my pleasure to welcome King Paul Verron and his Royal Family as allies of the United States of America.”

  Paul didn’t prepare a speech and didn’t use a teleprompter like the President. He stepped forward and said a silent prayer before he began to speak. Then began; “One of the lines of Verron’s National Anthem says, ‘To fight for the right without question or pause – to be willing to march into hell for heavenly cause.’ That is what Verron is about and that is what the great leaders of the American people have chosen to do today. You have chosen to do the right thing for the good of the people of the United States and for the good of the people of Earth. But, as you all know, doing the right thing is not always the most popular thing and when technology suddenly leaps centuries ahead, there will not only be those who benefit from that technology, but there will also be those who will suffer. It is my desire to introduce technology to the world at a pace that will disrupt as few lives and possible, while at the same time helping as many as possible. It’s a delicate balance to maintain and the people in this room will no doubt hear both sides of the technology issues. But how could I in good conscience deny life and healing to those with Cancer, Aids, Diabetes, Alzheimer’s, Sickle Cell, Ebola or to that child with
Autism, even at the cost of others who will soon find that developing drugs to fight those diseases or working in centers that offer treatments for them, will soon be obsolete. The technology that will eliminate the needless deaths of your young men and women who go off to war will also now change the way wars are fought, impacting the defense industry. The technology of cost effective space travel will impact many companies dedicated to advancing this countries existing space program. Making sure that the United States and her Allies are no longer held hostage by OPEC and become the leaders in world production and distribution of oil will undoubtedly make those who benefit from this price fixing organization very unhappy. Our desire to end terrorism will be a tremendous benefit to the free people of the world, but will no doubt anger those who support terrorism by supplying money, weapons and protective borders. The Nation of Verron will do everything possible to fight poverty, sickness, hunger, crime, pollution and terrorism of any kind and on any continent, without regard to borders or politics. Those who may be impacted with economic issues on this planet may soon find opportunities on others. We are no longer a Global society, we are now a Galactic society and today this world takes the first step in being part of a very large Universe. You will go down in history as the leaders who changed the world. You will not be alone. Great Britain, France, Germany, Australia and Israel will be following your example and sign treaties this week as well. No doubt, there will be others who will desire to do the same. It is the hope of Verron and the desire of free people everywhere to have peace and unity on Earth and throughout the Universe. I pledge to do everything within my power to make that hope and desire a reality; may God bless all those Nations who desire a free and unified Universe.”