by Bob Blanton
After gulping like a fish a few times, the protester went back to listing the litany of evils inherent in totalitarian regimes.
Catie laughed for a bit, then went on up to her office. She had a meeting with a couple of ladies who wanted to open a hair salon. Now everyone either went to Rarotonga to get their hair cut, or to someone’s home.
◆ ◆ ◆
After her meeting, Catie checked her messages. Kal had informed the board that there were three other protests at different locations around the city. He felt that they were being coordinated. He informed the board that he would investigate and wanted to hold an emergency board meeting on Thursday.
◆ ◆ ◆
“Okay, Kal, you called this meeting, what do you have?” Marc asked.
“We had our previous protester, Travis Flowers,” Kal said. “I think he’s harmless, but I’m not sure how he picked the same day to protest as the other three. Then we have Abdul Nazari and Rashad Hajjar. Based on our previous background checks on them when they immigrated and the checking we’ve done this week, the protest is out of character. But they both seem to have a lot more money than usual.”
“Do you think someone paid them to stage the protests?” Samantha asked.
“That’s what it looks like,” Kal said. “But our fourth protester is the one who looks totally out of whack. He’s Gabriel Cohen, one of the Russian immigrants.”
“That does seem strange; they just got here, and they knew about the monarchy before they immigrated,” Samantha said.
“I agree,” Marc said. “Was there anything else interesting with him?”
“He is acting scared,” Kal said. “In fact, quite a few of our Russian immigrants look like they’re scared.”
“Someone is threatening them,” Catie said.
“That’s my thinking,” Kal agreed. “I have people cozying up to the others, but the Russian Jews are hard to talk to. They don’t go to bars, and they tend to socialize within their community.”
“Sam, do you think you could talk to the rabbi?” Marc asked.
“I can talk to the rabbi whom Catie and I talked to, but the Russians have their own rabbi,” Samantha said.
“We have to start somewhere,” Marc said.
“Is it okay to take Catie with me?” Samantha asked. “I think she and the rabbi clicked.”
Marc looked at Catie, who gave him a shrug of acceptance. “Sure,” Marc said, “but be careful.”
“We always are,” Samantha said.
“Okay, Kal,” Marc said, “we need more information. Not to stereotype, but I’d pay close attention to the Russians, especially the ones who don’t seem scared.”
“I’m with you on that,” Blake said, “feels like a plot within a plot.”
◆ ◆ ◆
Catie and Samantha went to visit the rabbi after the meeting. Of course, Morgan went with them.
“Rabbi Gabay, how are you today?” Samantha greeted the rabbi.
“Very fine,” Rabbi Gabay said. “How may I help you wonderful ladies? Is our process with the food working out okay?”
“It’s just fine, Rabbi,” Catie said. “You and Imam Malouf are doing a great job. Mr. Clark was very happy with everything when we last talked.”
“Good, good,” the rabbi said. “Now, how may I help you ladies today?”
“Have you heard about the protests on Monday?” Samantha asked.
“I did,” the rabbi said. “I understand it was just a few speeches.”
“It was, but we’re a bit worried that there is more going on,” Samantha said. “The people involved don’t seem to fit the profile we would expect of protesters. We were especially surprised to hear that Gabriel Cohen was one of the protesters.”
“That surprises me as well,” Rabbi Gabay said, “but he is entitled to his opinion.”
“And we agree,” Samantha said, “but we’re concerned that it isn’t his opinion.”
“How so?”
“Our people think there is a lot of fear in the Russian community all of a sudden,” Samantha said. “We’re worried that he is being coerced.”
“Have you talked to him?”
“We did, he was not very forthcoming; he became very agitated, so our investigator stopped questioning him and let him go,” Samantha said. “We don’t want to discourage legitimate protests, but we are worried that someone is trying to create a situation.”
“What do you want from me?” Rabbi Gabay asked.
“We’d like to ask you to visit with your fellow rabbi in the Russian community, and try to find out if they need help,” Samantha said.
“What kind of help could they need? And what kind of help could you provide?” Rabbi Gabay asked.
“If someone is threatening them, we could have them removed,” Samantha said.
“Rabbi, we have a lot of resources and can do a lot,” Catie said. “We will help, but we need to know how.”
“I will talk with him,” the rabbi said, “but I cannot make any promises.”
“That’s all we ask. We want everyone to be safe here in Delphi City, and if someone is threatening someone else, we want to get to the root of the problem,” Samantha said.
Chapter 27
Dropping By
“Catie,” Samantha called out over the comm link as she walked down the passageway to Catie’s condo.
“Hi, Sam,” Catie said as she met her at the door. “What’s up?”
“The French minister of defense has just invited us to visit the International Space Station,” Samantha said.
“Cool,” Catie said. “Can I go?”
“Probably, it depends on whether your father accepts the invitation.”
“I guess this means they know we’re up here,” Catie said.
“I think all the major governments know we’re up here,” Samantha said. “At least those involved in the ISS. Your father is pretty sure that it was one of their resupply ships that spotted Delphi Station.”
“Yeah,” Catie said, “but it hasn’t leaked to the press yet.”
“No, it hasn’t, but I think if we visit, it will.”
“You think that’s what the French want?”
“I’m not sure. I think they at least want us to know that they know, and I think they want to engage us in a conversation about how it might benefit us both if they were involved.”
“What did Daddy say when you told him?” Catie asked.
“Something about how events were always pushing him to move faster than he wants to.”
“You can say that again,” Catie said as she and Samantha took a seat on the sofa in the seating area in her cabin. “Can you believe that it was only seven months ago that Daddy showed us the plans for this place?”
“It is hard to believe. If you wrote down all the things that have happened in the last eighteen months, you would swear that someone was just making it up,” Samantha said. “Things have moved unbelievably fast.”
“I know,” agreed Catie. “Goes to show what you can do when you find an alien spaceship and have an open mind.”
“Now you sound like a writer,” Samantha teased.
“Let’s go see if we can persuade Daddy to let us go.”
Marc was in his office, so they had to walk a quarter ring spinward to see him. “Hi Daddy,” Catie said when they got there.
“I see you want to go to the ISS,” Marc said.
“How do you know?” Catie asked.
“Because you called me Daddy, and it sounds like fun,” Marc said.
“Does that mean we can go?” Catie asked.
“You do know that once we do, the cat’s out of the bag,” Marc said.
“That cat has been clawing at the knot for months,” Catie said. “We should just let the poor thing out.”
“When are we going to the ISS?” Blake asked as he came rushing into the office.
“Bad news travels fast,” Marc said.
“What bad news?” Blake asked with a straight face.
“You two are incorrigible,” Marc said.
“So, incorrige us,” Blake replied with a laugh.
“Who should go?” Marc asked.
“You’re not going?” Catie asked.
“I think not,” Marc said. “This should be a diplomatic mission, not a state visit.”
“Well, then Catie and I should go,” Blake said.
“Me too,” Samantha said as she gave Marc her best smile.
“Natalia,” Catie added. “And how about the twins?”
“Why in the world should we send the twins?” Marc asked.
“A, because it’ll be fun, and B, because what better way to demonstrate our superiority in space then by sending children on the mission,” Catie said.
“She does have a point,” Samantha said.
“Are you going to take an Oryx?” Marc asked.
“We could, but if we took a Lynx, it would really floor them,” Catie said.
“Are we trying to floor them?” Marc asked.
“I think it might be time to go on the offensive,” Samantha said. “You’re planning to get the world’s attention. Now might be the time.”
“Anyone else you want to take, your grandmother by chance?” Marc asked.
“Not this time,” Catie said. “We should see if Grandpa and Grandma will come up. I think they would get a kick out of it.”
“Your grandmother was very specific about where her feet would remain,” Marc said. “She said she was already compromising as much as she could stand by being on a floating city.”
“We should ask the ISS guys what we can bring them,” Catie said.
“Good idea. Sam, do you want to follow up with them? You’re our Secretary of Foreign Affairs,” Marc said.
“Since when?” Samantha asked.
“Since about five seconds ago,” Marc said. “Royal Decree.”
“It had better come with a raise,” Samantha said.
“I thought public service was its own reward,” Marc said with a laugh.
“I’m going to reward you with a kick in the ass,” Samantha said. “Are you serious?”
“Yes,” Marc said. “You’ve been handling most of the diplomatic stuff, why not take the title with the work?”
“Madam Secretary,” Catie said. “I like it.”
“Do I get to be Secretary of something?” Catie asked.
“You’re the heir, Your Highness,” Samantha said. “What better title is there?”
“The heir isn’t in charge of anything,” Catie said.
“Come on Catie, he’s not going to give you a title,” Samantha said. “You’re his secret weapon.”
“Not fair!” Catie shouted over her shoulder as she left with Samantha.
They walked next door to Samantha’s office. Samantha sat down at her desk while Catie sat across from her in the guest chair.
“Okay. Where do we start?” Samantha mused.
“Who sent the invite?” Catie asked. “Call them.”
“ADI, what time is it in France right now?” Samantha asked.
“Cer Sam, it is zero hundred twenty hours,” ADI said.
“Oh, just past midnight. He might be up, but I don’t think he’ll be in his office,” Samantha said. “ADI what time will it be in Paris when it is seven o’clock here?”
“It will be eighteen hundred hours in Paris, six o’clock p.m.,” ADI said.
“Okay, let’s send him an email response, and see if he wants to talk to us or just forwards us to some underling,” Samantha said.
“If he insults you like that, then we should shine him on,” Catie said.
“Even if it means not going to the ISS?” Samantha asked.
“We can ask Germany for an invite,” Catie said. “Or even Denmark, they like us.”
“Okay, I’ll send an officious sounding email to ask for a phone conference,” Samantha said. “ADI, please wake Catie and me, one and a half hours before the time the minister schedules our meeting.”
“I will be happy to, Cer Sam,” ADI said.
“Okay, so what do you think they’ll want us to bring?” Samantha asked.
“We’ll see,” Catie replied.
◆ ◆ ◆
ADI woke Samantha at seven-thirty, Catie was already up running with Liz. They had done three laps of the ring when Samantha pinged Catie on her comm.
“Sam’s up,” Catie told Liz.
“Oh, you have to get ready for your call,” Liz said.
“It’s not for ninety minutes,” Catie said. “But if Sam doesn’t see me getting ready, she’ll be nervous.”
“You know she acts more like your mom than your mom does,” Liz said.
“Don’t say that,” Catie said. “Mommy might hear, and then I’ll be getting it from all sides. Sam is easier to deal with than Mommy is.”
“You should consider yourself lucky to have so many people who care so much about you,” Liz said.
“You mean so many people who want to tell me what to do,” Catie whined.
“Well, you know we all love you, and your dad does give you a pretty long leash.”
“He does, but Mommy thinks it should be about six inches long,” Catie said. “I’m glad she refuses to come up here to live.”
“Don’t complain,” Liz said. “All my mom cares about is that I project the proper image and that I get married and give her grandbabies.”
“Speaking of grandbabies and marriage, how is Logan doing?” Catie asked. “Is he trying to get you to bring him up?”
“Officially, he doesn’t know about the space station, so no, he isn’t asking about coming up here,” Liz said. “Besides, I’m kind of over him now.”
“Oh, do you have a new boyfriend?” Catie asked.
“No, just thinking I want someone who’s a little more real,” Liz said.
“Here we are,” Catie said. “I have to get showered and present myself to Sam for inspection.”
“Isn’t it a teleconference?” Liz asked.
“Sam is hoping for a videoconference, but even if it’s only a teleconference, she thinks you need to dress for the role,” Catie said. “She says that the way you’re dressed comes out in your voice.”
“Well, give Madam Secretary my best wishes,” Liz said. “I’m off to see how our third ring is coming along.”
◆ ◆ ◆
“Good evening, Minister,” Samantha said once their call was connected.
“Good morning, Madam Secretary,” the minister replied. “It is most gracious of you to respond to our request. Are you perhaps at your space station?”
Catie looked at Samantha and grinned; the moment of truth.
“Yes, Minister, we are,” Samantha replied. “We keep our time synced with Delphi City, so it is indeed morning for us.”
“Perhaps we can arrange a visit to your station once you have visited ours,” the minister said.
“Of course, we would be happy to host visitors,” Samantha said.
“That is kind of you,” the minister said. “We would also like to ask that our ambassador to New Zealand be given status in your country. We want to establish a consular presence in your country, and of course, the ambassador would like to be able to oversee those operations.”
“I will discuss that at our next cabinet meeting,” Samantha said. Catie did a la-di-dah hand wave at her.
“Thank you, Madam Secretary,” the minister said. “Now about a visit to the ISS, are you able to make such a visit?”
“We are,” Samantha said. “We would like to set a time and to ask what we might bring with us.”
“There is no need to bring anything with you,” the minister said. “The International Space Station is quite self-sufficient.”
“We understand that,” Samantha said, “but there is always something that you leave at home that you wish you had remembered to bring. Possibly you could provide us a contact on the station with whom we could coordinate our visit.”
“Of course,” the mini
ster said. “I will have my assistant provide you the details after our call. You know they are on UTC time.” Catie whispered Greenwich Mean Time to clarify for Samantha.
“That is a little more convenient for us,” Samantha said as she looked at Catie with a, come on, I knew that, look.
“Au revoir,” the minister said. “I hope we can meet in person next time.”
“As do I,” Samantha said. “Au revoir.”
◆ ◆ ◆
“Our host is going to be Commandant Questa Bastien,” Catie read off the text from the minister’s office. “A woman.”
“We’ll at least have that in common with her,” Samantha said. “Are you ready to make the call?”
“Do it.”
“Allô, this is Commandant Bastien,” the commander said.
“Bonsoir,” Samantha said. “This is Samantha Newman and Catie McCormack. Thank you for taking our call.”
“Non, it is I who should thank you,” Commandant Bastien said. “All of us here on the ISS are excited to be getting a visit. What can I do to make your visit comfortable?”
Samantha nodded to Catie, “Commandant Bastien, this is Catie. I think first we need to arrange the docking protocol.”
“Oui, our Russian friends are very particular about docking,” Commandant Bastien said.
“We would propose to use a flexible docking tube. It will take a short EVA on our part, but we’re quite comfortable with that. We have the specs for your docking port and will manufacture one to match,” Catie explained.
“Oh, how long will that take, mon chère?”
“We can have it completed in two hours,” Catie said. “We just need an agreement that the tube will be acceptable.”
“My colleague, Colonel Bradley, has gone to discuss it with our friends. Can you send us a copy of the design?”
“On its way,” Catie said. “Now we would like to know what we can bring you.”
“It is not necessary to bring us anything,” Commandant Bastien said.
“Commandant,” Samantha said, “please, pretend that anything is possible; what would you want us to bring you?”
“I suppose a good man is too much to ask,” Commandant Bastien said with a laugh, “but water would always be welcome.”
“How much water can you handle?” Catie asked.
“Oh, we can easily take one hundred liters,” Commandant Bastien said.