by Tom Tryst
While on her walks, she can almost forget the dire situation the world is in.
It is turning dark when she returns to the village to have her evening meal. The Davies are just leaving the dining hall and pause just long enough to invite her to their apartment after dinner. Others will be there.
Sherry greets her at the door, quickly ushering her into their apartment, into a living room that is noticeably larger than her own, but has the same eight-foot sliding glass doors leading out onto their own balcony. Daniel moves to meet her. Both of them have cocktail glasses in their hands.
Charles and Carol Durwood are seated on a long sofa, their own drinks setting on the glass-topped coffee table. Both wave at her. Donna is at the kitchenette, busy mixing drinks. She turns when she hears Tabitha’s arrival and waves with an empty cocktail glass, grinning broadly.
Before Sherry closes the door, Tabitha nods a head back toward the hall. “Be honest. Doesn’t the continual presence of the ‘droids give you the creeps?” She uses the nickname they had come to use when referring to a Peace Keeper.
Sherry just laughs easily. “What will be, will be, Dear. Just try to ignore them.”
“I’m kind of getting used to them,” adds Daniel. “They’re like having the internet at your beck and call. Ask them anything and they can give you an instantaneous answer. And, unlike the internet, it’s always factual. It’s making my job easier.”
Donna approaches with a drink for her. “When you gonna invite me on one of your walks?” she asks with a brief frown which quickly turns to a broad smile. “Just kidding. I know you like the solitude.”
She did, but she quickly responds, “Come with me tomorrow!”
“Only if you mean it!”
“I do.” Even as she is saying that, she thinks it might be nice to have a little company - as long as she doesn’t talk all the time.
As if she is reading her mind, Donna adds. “And I can be quiet. Really!”
Tabitha smiles and nods, then is distracted by the approach of co-worker Wendell Woodward, a psychiatrist by training. During her first days in the Compound, he had repeatedly approached her, trying to engage her in conversation. It very soon became obvious he was hitting on her, but she wasn’t interested. It isn’t that he was unattractive, just too tall and lean. And he was probably some ten years older than her, with hair balding. He just isn’t her type, but for that matter, she isn’t inclined to get interested in any man. At least, not until she can see where the world is going.
“Hey, Tab!” he greets. “How’s it going?” The irony strikes her funny, for they had been working all day in the same room, often exchanging data and ideas, but she suppresses a giggle.
“OK,” she responds.
“How was your walk?” He obviously wants to again engage her in conversation as he joins the group, moving a little too close to her for comfort. She backs off a little.
“Great,” she advises without enthusiasm. “The hills are so beautiful. I almost hate to come back,”
“She stays out ‘til almost dark,” Donna adds.
“Maybe I could join you some time,” Wendell suggests. “I love long walks.”
Very hurriedly, Tabitha says, “Donna is joining me tomorrow,” hoping he won’t press the issue.
Knowing that Tabitha is not interested in him, she quickly interjects, “And it’s just us girls. No boys allowed.”
Undaunted, he suggests, “Maybe Monday evening?”
Before Tabitha has to answer, Donna takes her by the arm and hustles her off, leaving Wendell behind. “Tab, you haven’t said ‘hey’ to the Durwoods.”
“Thank you,” Tabitha whispers to Donna as they find a seat across from the couple, a love seat that will prevent Wendell from sitting with them.
They have been discussing the world’s condition every work day; it is the last thing they want to talk about after hours. Soon all are seated in a group, making plans for a picnic at the lake Sunday.
There had been a chaplain who conducted Sunday nondenominational worship on Sundays, and various other religious meetings and Bible studies during the week, but he had disappeared along with others the Peace Keepers deemed unnecessary for their new assignment. So now Sunday mornings are free - not that everybody attended church - but they planned the outing for the afternoon when it would be warmer. Perhaps warm enough to swim, even though this early in the season the lake waters will still be very cool.
When Sherry came around with a pitcher to refill drinks, Tabitha turns to Daniel. “I thought we could only have drinks at The Tavern.”
He shrugs. “Times change. Rules change. They don’t care as long as we do the job.” The ‘they’ were the Peace Keepers. “So just try not to get drunk. I have a feeling any one of us could be quickly replaced.”
“So much for job security,” quips Charles.
“Hey, that went with their arrival.”
“We just have to make the best of it,” Sherry advises.
“Yeah, we don’t know what the ‘new world’ will be like,” adds Daniel with heavy sarcasm. “I finally made contact with my younger brother, David. We hadn’t heard from him since the take over. I was beginning to fear the worse.”
“How is he?” Tabitha asks politely, even though she didn’t even know he had a brother.
“He says they’re fine,” Daniel responds. “They’ve been relocated to some little town in Indiana. Kentland. In the middle of open farmland. He’s working at a dairy; drives an old clunker the seven miles to the farm for now.”
“He’s married?”
“Yeah. Janet. Smart lady, even if she did marry David. Two kids, at least at last count. We haven’t kept very close contact.”
“So they’re going to be OK?”
“I guess so. He’s never milked a cow in his life, but he says it’s all done by machine,” he relates, “I did learn one thing about this ‘transported’ and ‘relocated’ business. When Dave’s job went away, they gave him several choices of where he wanted to live and what he wanted to do. Him being city-raised, he thought it would be nice to raise the kids in the country. When the time came, He, the wife and the two kids reported to one of the smaller, landed space ship, taking with then as much luggage as the four could carry. They had to leave a lot of things behind. The luggage was carried away by human workers and the four were ushered into a metal chamber. He said they were in there for only a few minutes. Nothing happened. Then they were taken out. When they left the ship, they were standing on the lawn of the courthouse in Kentland, Indiana. A human briefed them and loaded them into a van. Their luggage was already loaded into the back. The man drove them to a house just a block off the center square, their new home. Said the whole thing didn’t take half an hour.”
Sherry adds, “I got to talk briefly with Janet. She thought it was a little spooky.”
“I can imagine!” declares Tabitha. “Instantaneous travel!”
“Well, that too, but she was talking about the house. It was as if the previous occupants just left the place ready for a new tenant. Nothing personal was left behind And the kitchen was fully stocked. Refrigerator. Pantry. All new, unopened goods. Same with the bathroom. Toiletries. Towels. Linen. That would unnerve me, too!”
“I suppose so,” Daniel agrees. “There was even an older sedan parked in the detached two-car garage, tank full, and keys in the ignition. He also told me that there are very few Peace Keepers in the town. Most everything has been turned over to humans to handle.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad,” Tabitha admits. “Do you think that’s like what awaits us when we’re done here?”
Daniel shrugs. “Who knows?”
“They are going to leave us on our own some day, aren’t they?” Tabitha needs reassurance.
“That’s what they promise.” Daniel reassures her. “Look, even when the planet is cleaned up, we’ll still have to have government. There will still be a need for something like the EPA to assure no one is polluting, either intenti
onally or accidentally. We may still have jobs.” He pauses momentarily, sitting forward. “Look at it this way. By the time this is all over, we - our little group - will have the best knowledge of what was and what will be. I do know that there are other groups like us operating in almost every one of the larger nations of the world. And I know we are the only one here in the United States.”
“You don’t really know, “ Charles counters. “It’s an educated guess.”
“Well, true, they haven’t told us that, but we are dealing mostly with activity in our own country and our interaction with other countries. It’s only logical that other groups would be working on the problem for other parts of the world.”
Charles just nods agreement. “So what’s your point?”
Daniel scoots even more forward, now sitting on the very edge of the couch. “My point is that a new government will have to be formed before they leave us, otherwise the world would plunge into utter chaos. Even worse than it was. Some of us could well be part of the new government. In fact, I would be willing to put money on it!”
“So?” It is almost as if Charles is enjoying baiting him.
“So quit worrying!” Daniel’s voice is rising. “We’ll probably be just fine!”
Sherry speaks one word to him, softly. “Honey!”
He takes a deep breath and his expression softens. He sits back. “So don’t worry. Be happy.” He gives all an Alfred E Neuman grin.
All laugh and the attention is again back on the picnic.
Chapter Six
The start of the month of May is also marks the beginning of the third week of alien occupation. In civilizations of the past, those not involved in the conflict - the civilians occupied - begrudgingly went along with the new leaders and the new rules. The citizens of the world today have done the same. On all levels of society, government leaders, from federal down to townships, have been removed, with the politicians either transported or reassigned duties. Each previous governing body has been replaced by a single spokesman, guided by his or her Peace Keeper, with only the federal employees maintaining those services needed. Those rebelling disappeared. All decisions and orders now come from the Universal Council, so that all government operations are working in harmony with all others.
Laws have become universal, with each and every law applying to the entire world. One hour each evening is set aside for education of the people. Every television and radio channel is dedicated to advising the public of changes in the law and other public announcements. It is mandatory for all to watch. Even children. It is the intent of the Universal Council that governments no longer operate behind closed doors, that all people know what is happening with their country and the world. And be more involved in major decision making.
The most obvious change to those in the business world is that almost all the leaders have disappeared, replaced by someone selected from middle management to run the corporations and companies - along with an advising Peace Keeper. In the financial world, most of the rich and powerful have also disappeared. All wealth is now controlled by the Universal Council and redistributed, with every citizen receiving a living wage.
Wealth is no more.
People are amazed by the number of houses and apartments now vacant. Before the occupation, housing was critical, with many living wherever they could find shelter. Now every person has shelter from the elements, without rent or mortgages. The majority of middle-income families find themselves owners of their habitat, with free utilities provided. At least they have sole possession; real estate is the property of the state. Some have their compensation drastically reduced, but still adequate for their needs. Nobody is going without unless it is by their own choice, refusing to comply with the changes being made by the aliens. Many are also assigned to new jobs, sometimes requiring relocation. The relocation process often brings scattered families back together.
No family is allowed more than one vehicle for private use. Many of the vehicles seized are being converted for public transportation with drivers reassigned from a wide variety of previous occupations. And a great many are being converted to run on nitrogen as a fuel, nitrogen extracted from the air. There is no resulting pollution. Eventually all passenger cars and light trucks will be converted, eliminating one of the major sources of air pollution. - the internal combustion engine. If a family needs additional transportation, they simply make a call and a driver will pick them up. In the meantime, plans are being made to greatly increase public transportation: buses, subways, streetcars and light rail. The intent is to gradually eliminate the need for a family to even need a car. Many have opted to ride bicycles.
No one is going hungry. The fear that there will be food shortages quickly passed. Markets and restaurants offer plenty of food, at much lower prices. The first notable difference is the absence of unhealthy items. Tobacco and hard liquor have disappeared, but wine and beer is still available. There are no narcotics to be found outside of alien-controlled health centers. All healthcare is free, as are needed medications. Many people with ailments that were previously uncontrollable or un-treatable are being cured. Terminally ill patients are being transported. The aged are being transported.
Children are still going to schools, but the curriculums are changing. They are starting their education at age three or four, learning to communicate and interact with others. The stress is on the life sciences, how to live in the world. As they pass through puberty, emphasis is on job training in an area of their interest, preparing them for their life’s work. With on-the-job training, they will learn the skills needed to be productive wage earners. And they will be confident that there will be a job for them.
Many of the changes are already in progress, but it will take time to make the major changes in the infrastructure. It is apparent that the Peace Keepers will have to be around longer than thought, but most don’t care.
Now confirmed by special election as the new President of the United States, Baker is realizing that he is still nothing more than a spokesman for the Peace Keepers. He is actually relieved at this realization, for he can’t keep up with the changes being made. No humans can.
“Tonight,” Humanoid 99 instructs him in the same monotone voice, whether asking or ordering, “You will announce through the news outlet that you are forming a new government, asking for those who desire to serve to let their local Peace Keeper know of their interest.”
“That is supposed to be done by vote of the people,” Baker needlessly tells him.
“That didn’t work very well. The positions will be filled by the most qualified people willing to do the job. There is no monetary advantage to the job; the most qualified and intelligent will be part of the world government, a single body governing the entire world. They will be selected from around the world.”
“Won’t there be a problem with language?”
The android’s answer is instantaneous. “Not for long. There will be a language common to all. As your world has already adopted English as the language for business and aviation, it is logical that governments communicate in the English language. We have means to aid humans in quickly adopting English as their second language. Schools around the world will teach children English as their second language. With time, the world will all be using English as their primary language.”
“There will be resistence to that,” Baker mutters, while at the same time mentally agreeing with the concept. He abruptly changes the subject. “So the world will have one government. What about our own government?”
“You will have one,” 99 assures him, “but it will simply be an extension of the world government, here to carry out their directions.”
“So I won’t really be the President?” It is more a statement than a question.
“More like a governor of a territory - of what was the United States of America. For the time being, each state will have its governor. All governors will have the duty of carrying out the dictates of the world government. The current cou
ntry boundaries will be restructured for more efficiency. Both county and city governments will be regulatory in nature, following the standardized world statutes: Criminal. Civil. Regulatory.”
“And my duties?”
“You will be the head of an eleven-member presidential board, each board member having the same qualifications as the president, or more accurately, the chairman. While you will be required to carry out your duties in harmony with world law, the primary duties will to be to appointed directors for the various departments, each charged with a different aspect of the functioning of the country. This will greatly reduce the pressure on you as well as assure that no one person can take control or influence others.”
“Are you telling me that there will be no Congress? No Legislative branches?” Baker asks.
“All laws are made by the world government. You will need no Congress.”
“And the Judicial branch?”
“Not needed. The world government will establish the court system. Also law enforcement. You will have your needed courts, but they will be under the jurisdiction of the world government. The same with law enforcement and corrections. There will be a worldwide law enforcement agency, not under your control. They will function in all areas of your country, where needed.”
“Wow, talk about a police state! I don’t think the people will like that very much.”
“They don’t like law enforcement now. At least they can put their trust in the world police.”
“I hope so.” Then he adds. “You must realize that human beings are creatures of habit. They don’t like change. You guys are changing everything!”