“Ms. Coolie, please forgive me; I wanted to catch you as you arrived, but I don’t have your personal swipe. If you would-”
“Yes Mr. Perry, as you know I’ve been expecting you. We will disembark shortly, and you will have me there within two hours.”
“Actually, Ms. Coolie, since you are arriving in New Jersey, Madame Presidenta is planning to meet you in Washington DC, with the President of the United States, at the White House...will that be to your liking?”
“Yes, Mr. Perry, that will be great, thank you.”
“We will have a driver meet you at the gate, and thank you.” Transmission ended.
“You’re meeting at the White House?” said Corey, and he took Reena’s face into his hands and kissed her. “Ms. Coolie, you’re the future hope of mankind…get me a souvenir!”
“Send him a selfer of you and the First Dog,” Pel cracked.
Jim chimed in, “Tell Cardigan I would have voted for him, but I had to do some laundry that day.”
“Jim, Jim, Jim,” Reena quipped, “when was the last time you voted?”
“Well, I don’t know, what year is this?” Jim replied with a smirk, “oh that’s right, never!”
Reena looked at Corey with an exaggerated fear on her face, “Nervous time!”
The disembark was easy and quick. Slow descent, spin to docking collar, mooring field activated, a slight bump and they were in. Bags had been packed for hours, and the station porters floated in and began assembling them, as the four shook hands with the pilots.
The boys knew where they had to be, Reena knew where she had to be, and Jim was trying to find out where co-pilot Tranquil Pacaru had to be. Though he had plans for a visit here on Earth, he was giving considerable thought to who he would be visiting with. A voice came over the station com as the boys stepped off the ship first, followed by Jim, then Reena.
“Welcome to the New Jersey Orbiter. Earth Admittance for this section is at level 5, Thomas Jefferson Corridor. Please have passport, holocell I.D. and DNA swipe ready for inspection, and enjoy your stay here on Earth, or wherever your final destination lies.”
“Ms. Coolie...”
A tall Asian man wearing a business suit was standing at the gate. “Your luggage is being tended to, please come with me.”
Reena looked immediately at Corey. “I guess this is it...”
“Everything’s hivol, don’t worry, ok?” said Corey.
“Stay on me,” she whispered as she went to her toes, throwing her arms around Corey’s neck and giving his mouth a hard kiss. She turned to the man, and they walked away.
The boys looked at Jim, who said with a smile, “I’m going to orbit a bit before I get my luggage.”
“Happy orbiting, Jim!” said Pel, and they chuckled. The three shook hands, and the boys made their way to the Earth Admittance Center. They were tripping over their feet taking in everything Earth as it went by, the diverse fashions with flowing robes and high hats, the heavy sky traffic, the way people talked. Earth was exciting, and it was their dream. How amazing it would be, they thought, if they could make a living playing there. Earth was where the best of the best were seen.
Roy had sprung for an all-glass cab for the brothers and as they disembarked the orbiter, they were like kids on their first trip to Carl Sagan City. Stretching their necks and turning left and right in their seats, Corey and Pel took in the sights: the bright lights, their home planet just a sliver rising over Earth’s horizon, the giant blackness that they knew was the ocean. It was exhilarating.
The skyway billboards were coming into view. The first was a glittering 3-D projection of a pig holding a hamburger and chomping on it, and underneath were the words, Say No to Beef.
“There you go, Pel, there’s your pig.”
“Red meat equals death. That pig’s got worms.”
“Dad’s been chomping beef his whole life and he’s still kicking,” Corey said.
“Intestinal fortitude.”
The next billboard was a projection of a beautiful all-glass hotel resort image framed in silver, with crashing blue ocean waves in the foreground. Underneath were the words, MoonDream. Ritz-Carlton, Mare Nubium. There was audio, but the driver had turned it off.
With the terminator line just beneath them, the boys were leaving the darkness and looking at the bright blue ocean, topped with white, fluffy clouds. How brilliant the Earth was in the daytime, and how big it was compared to Moon. After submitting her flight plan to Atlantic Air Traffic, the driver was able to leave the skyway in favor of a more direct solo route.
The cab slowed as it entered the clouds over the mid-Atlantic, and when it emerged underneath, the brothers were treated to an aerial view of the North Transatlantic Beltway, a floating freeway two kilometers wide for ground vehicles only, between two force field breakwaters. Hotels, golf courses, sports complexes, forested campgrounds, amusement parks, everything a vacationer would want when traveling by ground car between North America and the European Union could be found on the beltways.
“Whoa, Corey, catch this,” said Pel.
Corey leaned over to Pel’s side and saw a cruise ship lifting out of the water to traverse the beltway at one of the designated crossings. Just then the skycar dipped down to just twenty feet above the water and went to full speed, and the ocean zipped by beneath them.
“Brother, this would be truly bongo if we were on a real vacation,” said Corey.
“Well, why don’t we just do it? Let’s take a vacation on Earth! Why not? Oh, that’s right, because we’re fookin’ broke!”
“Fear not, ye of little faith, we are gonna be rocstars and the world will be at our feet.” Corey gave Pel a hand-slap.
They finally arrived over the parking deck at Blue Kaiser, and the brothers couldn’t contain their elation. They were laughing like children as they struggled to turn off the restraint shields and jump out of the cab. Off-Earthers are deprived of one thing that Terrans too often take for granted:
The sun.
“Brother, go!” Corey leaned into the glass door and fell out of the cab and onto the parking deck. Pel did the same on his side, and the two continued giggling as the driver was unloading their luggage.
It was minus two degrees Celsius in Copenhagen but the boys could not have cared less. They were bathing in electromagnetic radiation, the solar constant. Photons of ultraviolet, infrared and visible light were bombarding their skin, due to the conversion of hydrogen to helium on a nuclear furnace ninety-three million miles away.
“Feel that, Pel! Feel that! No climate shield!” Corey cried. It reminded him of a school field trip they had taken to Florida ten years ago, the only other time they had been to Earth. Pel pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it on his luggage, and Corey did the same. They stood there, arms outstretched, heads tilted back, facing the burning sun, breathing the cold air deep into their lungs.
The sun wrapped them in a blanket, stirred their blood, made them glow inside. It was a creamy warmth, a tingling, a shower of God-given light on their thirsty skin. It felt as if life itself was caressing them, heating their bones, welcoming them home.
“Taste that air!” Corey cried, sucking down a big gulp. Clean and pure and completely natural, it was food for the lungs.
“The insides of my eyelids are red!” Pel exclaimed.
“IS THIS AMAZING OR WHAT?” Corey yelled to the sky. A family from Moon at the view rail yelled back, laughing. Corey and Pel weren’t the only ones taking it in.
The driver flew off, and minutes passed as the brothers stood there, basking in the energy, turning themselves as if they were on a barbecue spit. Finally, they put their shirts back on. It was time to be with mom.
18
THE CELEBRITY MEETING
“You are here because you are at the top level of what you do; you are popular among the people of the solsys... and you are not politicians.”
A laugh rippled throughout the room. It was nervousness as much as a polite respons
e to humor.
President Cardigan went on, “As you look around you, get to know the faces of those in this room, those we have singled out not only for your achievements, but for your declared values regarding life, liberty, morality, and the future of the solsys.”
He turned to a tall blonde man seated in the third row, “Panus Liberty, you are most assuredly the best skyball half-liner of any USRA team. It’s a pleasure to have you on board.”
The man stood up and addressed the president, “Thank you, sir... Sir, with respect, I think I speak for most present when I say that we are here because we were summoned by the leaders of our native countries and worlds. Whether we are on board or not remains to be seen.” He looked around the room and sat down.
“Of course, Mr. Liberty, and all of you. It’s very simple, so let me get right to it. A century ago, the approach of an unknown armada would have been met with a strong military presence and a defensive posture. ‘A strong offense is the best defense,’ would have been the slogan. But we live in a different world, where we have a higher value for life, and as a result, we don’t really know war; our generations have lived in relative peace for the past seven decades. How we deal with the oncoming convoy could mean the difference between war and peace with these beings, and if their technology is more advanced than ours, it could mean the difference between our survival and our annihilation. We must assume that they are more advanced. They are traveling faster than we can at this point.” He paused, looked down, and collected his thoughts. The room was quiet. Cardigan hoped that the silence meant they were listening.
“In those days, as Commander-In-Chief, I could order the military to execute whatever plan I saw fit to pursue, and they would do it, as long as Congress agreed. Today I need permission. All world leaders need permission, and society has acknowledged that to be a good thing. And we are all in the same boat, trying to navigate some very difficult waters.”
“The permission of the people,” from a beauty in the back of the room. She stood as she spoke.
“Yes, Reena Coolie, the people. It is an honor to have you here.”
Reena’s knees locked nervously. “Thank you, sir. I look forward to being of service in some way.” She looked around the room and sat down awkwardly, dizzy that Cardigan knew her name. He’s done his homework. She suddenly felt very patriotic.
“The entire solsys has to weigh in on this, according to the Treaty of One established in 2131. There can be no disputing it. The UE has ordered a World Vote. So in order to enact what other leaders and I believe to be the best plan of action, we will need the people to agree to it. That, of course, is where you come in,” said Cardigan.
A tall Afromartian woman rose to her feet.
“Kika Jakker, I am honored to hear what you have to say,” said President Cardigan.
“Honorable President, members of dis community of distinguished people, I say one ting...when a stranger approaches you on a dahk night and you are alone, it is best to have a smile on ya face and a dagger in ya coat.”
The room broke into applause, and Andrew Cardigan felt a sense of relief. Celebrities, he thought, would be the toughest to convince of his plan. It appeared his staff had done their research picking this group. It looked like a good start.
“The World Vote will be in nine days when every person on Earth/Moon, Mars and the Outer Rim over the age of 30 will be able to swipe their vote on one of the two plans of action. You all know the difference between the plans, but let me reiterate.
“Defense First would send a diplomatic envoy to greet the Foon twenty million kilometers out, with a massive military force two million kilometers behind. If they don’t listen to the envoy, we prepare to fight…but in space, not here, where the damage would be devastating.
“The Olive Branch plan would send the envoy, but with no military backup, keeping the fighting power here on Earth and Moon. Their thinking is that there’s no better way to start a war than sending the military. Having the fleet in formation will look aggressive to their sensors, even if it is two million kilometers back. So we rely on diplomacy, they say, and if necessary we fight here where we have more firepower. It is my opinion and that of the Tribunal that their plan could turn out to be very messy.”
“Mr. President, we can vote all we want, but there’s still a big bee in this bonnet,” said by a good-looking middle-aged man, around one hundred, sitting next to Reena.
“Mr. Marswood, thank you for being here,” said Cardigan. “Please elaborate.”
“Mr. President, the fact that the Foon have not responded to our transmissions when we know the signal should have been received two days ago, means either they could not hear us, or they chose not to respond. If they chose not to respond, it’s because they are preparing to kick our ass. If they couldn’t hear us, then they are so far beyond us that our primitive communication methods didn’t even register, like an ant pile trying to communicate with humans. If that’s the case, they certainly can kick our ass. Either way, our asses aren’t looking too healthy.” A chuckle emerged from the room. “From what I’ve read, we’ve dispatched on every channel that modern science has given us. Now, I know that we need to remain calm and that we need to keep an open mind, but how much longer can we talk, or vote-”
“What if they heard us but can’t decode the Telcom bump?” came a voice from the back of the room.
“That is possible sir,” came another voice. “No matter what code or language we use, it goes through and comes back from that bump, and if-”
“You guys please, how can you possibly-”
“Mr. President, we have to hit them right on the nose-”
“Sir, I for one do believe we should talk to the Foon-”
“Talk is for pussies, Jana; we have to act swiftly-”
“We don’t talk, we all most likely die, my friend,” from another side of the room.
“People…please, please, everyone remain calm,” said Cardigan. The opinions got louder. “Ok, everyone. Let’s listen up, let’s listen up. Please, PEOPLE, SHUT UP!”
The room went silent.
Cardigan swept his fingers through his hair and adjusted his tie. He cleared his throat and looked over the room.
“I’m happy to see the passion coming from this room. But there will be a World Vote, and it’s up to everyone here to decide where they stand. I would now like to bring up Vice-President Nga to present the details of the Defense First Initiative.”
“Kika!” Reena rushed into the arms of one of the solar system’s most popular singers, and they embraced. The meeting was over, and several prominent attendees were mingling together to get to know one another and take the plan to the next level.
“Reena, is so good to see you again!”
“You too! How’s Merlin?”
Kika was pleased that Reena had remembered her son. He was germinated at just around the time they first met, at the Johannesburg Baby First Center. They had only seen each other once since then, at the SRA awards on Mars, when he was five.
“He is wondaful and hivol learning math techniques fo structural engineering. I’m very proud...”
“You must be!! He must be nine by now?”
“Yes, you are so amazing to remembah!”
“Kika, I have a favor to ask...” Reena took the superstar’s lanky arm and began walking her away from the people who remained in the room. “Are you here for a few days?”
“Yes, a few months even.”
“I know it’s been a long time, but I have fond memories of you and I trust you, and I really don’t know anyone here that well except Darl. In a couple of days, I plan to visit with the Foon on Ceres2, to find out what I can about negotiating with the approaching ships. This is not sanctioned by anyone, and I’m afraid if Cardigan knows he will stop me.”
“Surely dey have done dat by now, no?”
“There’s no indication that they have, but when they do, from what I’m told by an expert, who is a friend and going with me, t
hey’ll get nothing. The Foon could self-destruct from an interrogation by United Earth; it’s part of their nature. It’s hard to explain. But I really think I can help. My friend lived with them for four years. He knows them well.”
Kika looked at the ground. “What do you want me to do?”
“Before I leave, can I give you my jeeper? Ceres2 is in first perimeter so it should only be a couple of days. Just kinda move it around a little? Anywhere you go is fine.”
Kika smiled. “And when dey swipe?”
“I will tell their people that I have personal business while I’m here. I can keep calls to a minimum, I hope.”
“Reena, befoh the world knew me, you knew me. You gave me yah car when I needed it, and you barely had met me. You have a wondaful spirit, and it’s fabulous to see you sharing it with da world. To ya people, you ah trinitium. Fo you I will do dis. Talk to them, and let’s try to find peace.”
Reena stood on her outstretched toes to hug the neck of this hero of the solsys, and they pulled each other close.
“You’re the best, KJ!” Reena whispered in her ear. “I’ll swipe you when I’m ready to go.”
Kika gave Reena a kiss on the top of her head and left the room. Reena went immediately to the restroom to freshen up. She stared at herself in the mirror, realizing the toll that stress plays on one’s appearance. She needed to rest, and for the first time since she developed this idea, she was scared. A lot of things could go wrong with this plan.
It seemed that she had made a good impression on the president, though. Now she would need to follow up on it.
19
BRITNEY’S
Mira Jagger-Seven was resting peacefully. The surgery was not without scary moments, the worst one being a rapid drop in blood pressure. But her doctors were on top of it, and her levels came back to normal within an hour of the close. The blood-cleansing looked to be successful as well, but she would need to be watched for a couple of days.
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