by Clyde Key
* * *
“Who do you think you are to ignore my orders? What gives you the right, completely on your own and without consulting me, to put out an official government position on the aliens?” Neither Ed nor Arlene had ever seen President Clarice Litton so angry and her fiery indignation erased any perceptions of timidity or weakness that her small stature may have caused.
“It is my job—and what I’ve prepared for over my entire adult life. It is my job, my duty, to inform the American people about The Visitors. They need me to prevent needless hysteria. And I don’t have any apology for doing that.”
Litton stood and leaned across the big mahogany desk. “Sisk, are you oblivious to what you’ve brought about? Don’t you know there are millions of people trying to get to California right now to see the aliens first hand? They all read this morning’s news before I did! What’s going to happen to them?”
“Oh, my! That is unexpected,” said Arlene. “I don’t think there will be any great problem as long as it’s civilians and not military. Maybe we should hold some cultural sensitivity classes though, just so we don’t accidentally cause another incident.”
“Perhaps you don’t understand something, Sisk! We are still in a declared state of national emergency! I have the power to hold you under arrest for insubordination! Or for treason, even! I will have you tried for treason for disobeying my direct orders!”
“That would be unwise, Ms. President. Don’t you know how much popular support there is for AABC? The world will no longer tolerate senseless confrontations like in the past!”
“Don’t push me, Sisk. I’m ordering you right now to get out a different message. I want you to tell people to stay away from the aliens!”
Arlene stood. “Is that all, Ms. President?”
“That’s all for now—unless you cross me again! By the way, I have asked Colonel Halloran to use all the means at his command to keep people away from the aliens, as a matter of public safety. I am also posting a presidential order that no civilian is to make contact with the aliens.”