by Ira Tabankin
Kalteck nodded, “Teacher, educate him and care for him. He is a warrior. His spirit is that of a warrior. I am proud of him, which is the highest praise I can give to anyone. I have to search for the ones who attacked the American shuttle ship, I need you to help answer the constant incoming questions from Earth’s technology companies. They think they are talking to a technology development company, and to DARPA. They don’t realize the General and I are providing the answers.”
“Ah, this sounds like it will be fun for me. General, it might not be as fun for you. You will be exercising your mind like never before. I am interested to see how this engineered race responds and how it learns compared to the young on our world.”
“Teacher do not harm him. He is my friend.”
Chapter 18
While Kalteck was away, NASA succeeded in its Voyager 2 probe, which arrived at Neptune on its way out of the system. Kalteck raced ahead of Voyager, which was easy due to the speed differences. He ensured there weren’t any signs of alien ship debris or the bases he’d destroyed. He also had to reposition a few of his mines so the Voyager wouldn’t run into one of them and alert NASA when their probe was destroyed. He smiled in his ship that the humans had finally gotten a probe to fly past the outer planets and then out of the system. His largest concern with the Voyager was when it passed close to Pluto. There was currently a lot of debris from the ships and base he destroyed in Pluto’s orbit.
Kalteck used his tractor beams to collect the debris which he placed on a course towards the sun. The larger pieces of the destroyed alien base he sent on an elliptical orbit that would send that debris into the sun too. He didn’t have to worry about the destroyed fueling base in orbit over Jupiter because it was so small compared to the size of the gas giant, but he did make a stop to send the debris into Jupiter’s gravity well where it would be crushed.
Kalteck engaged his stealth mode and returned to fly next to the Voyager. They’ve done well for how backward they are. I cleaned up everything along its route. They’ll still believe they’re alone. What small-minded people. While the probe is flying in one direction, I’ve sent most of the debris towards the sun in the other direction. Hopefully, NASA won’t see anything unusual.
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George H.W. Bush was elected President in 1988. One of the first people he asked to meet in secret was Lieutenant General Everett Yahnig, “General, we haven’t seen each other for a very long time, not since I was first appointed to the position of Director of the CIA under President Ford. It is good to see you again.”
“Mr. President-elect, how may I be of service?”
“I would like to meet your friend. I have a number of questions for him.”
“He is currently off-planet. I can send him a message and hope he is close enough to receive it in a timely manner and will be able to respond.”
“General, you’ve served a very long time, since 1941. You must be what 70 now, and yet you don’t look a day over thirty, how is this possible?”
“Mr. President, I have good genes.”
“I believe your friend gave you something that slows or stops your aging. Is this true? Can he give it to others?”
“Mr. President, I’m sorry, but I have no knowledge of what you’re speaking about. “
President-elect Bush smiled and pointed to a chair for the General to sit in. “Yes, I’m sure you have no idea what I’m talking about. Let’s discuss the progress of your mission. You know that when I was the Director of the CIA, I was one of a very small group that had been read into your real assignment and the story about your friend and the assistance he’s provided the world. I’ve also read how he handles those who cross him. If the truth ever saw the light of day, many would consider him a murderer…”
“Sir, if the truth came out too early, it would destroy our world. The people of our small planet aren’t prepared to know for a fact we’re not alone. Our friend is concerned that while technological progress is being made, none is being made towards preparing the world’s people to understand and accept the truth that the cosmos is full of life. Let alone our real history.”
“President Reagan wanted to, but I stopped him. We discussed you and Kalteck many evenings, I think he enjoyed having someone he could talk to about the two of you.”
“Sir?”
“I agree with you that we weren’t ready, he was so excited by the wonders of space travel with your friend, he wanted to tell the world. Yes, we weren’t ready, and I’m not sure we are now. That’s one of the reasons why I want to speak with Kalteck. Please send him the message to return and see me. If I have to go to your base, I will. I would like to have the meeting before I take the oath. My travel isn’t watched as closely now as it will be then.”
“Sir, of course, you know about the black Secret Service department who knows the secret.”
“Of course I do and of Colonel Johnstone, who is retiring soon. We have to pick another to take his place, do you have anyone you’d like to replace him with? Of course, the last issue we need to discuss is you. It's going to be very difficult soon for a 70 plus-year-old general who looks and acts 30 to be seen around. I’m sure your friend told you, you have only a few options. You can change faces and your name. You can “officially” retire, but still be carried on our books. You can just have an accident. I think a plane crash where the fires burned up all of the bodies so no one would ever be sure. We’ll hold a nice funeral for you, you’ll be buried in Arlington.”
“How much time do I have to decide?”
“Until I take the oath. Can you manage that?”
“Yes. I’ve known this date was coming. I was preparing for it.”
“Everett, may I use your given name?”
“Of course.”
“Does your wife Liane know about Kalteck? Does she know he’s done something to you to slow or stop your aging? What a gift he gave you, a sip from the fountain of youth. What I wouldn’t give for a sip from those waters.”
“Sir, she doesn’t know about him. I was sworn to secrecy by President Truman that in America, only the President and those he listed could know the secret.”
“And in other countries?”
“The Chairman of the Communist Party in the People’s Republic of China and Russia. No other country knows. Kalteck didn’t trust many. When the question of the UN came up, he laughed and said never. He told me he’d burn the UN down before he allowed what he called the circus of clowns know of him and his story.”
President-elect Bush laughed. “I can understand his feelings about the UN. There are many days I wonder if we wouldn’t be better if we just kicked them out of New York and we resigned from the Security Council. We both know we can’t.”
“Liane is fine, thank you for asking.”
“She’s never been sick a day since Kalteck arrived, has she? And you can honestly tell me he didn’t give you or her any gifts?”
“Sir, I am not at liberty to discuss what Kalteck may have or not have given me.”
“Even if I order you to as your commander in chief?”
“Sir, you can do so after you’ve taken the oath. Before that, you’re not my Commander in Chief. You’re still outside of my chain of command. You will be until January 23rd next year.”
“I will for now, accept your answer. General. We both know he’s done something to you, hence think carefully before you answer my next question. Where do your loyalties lay? To him or to the United States of America?”
“Sir, my loyalties are with the United States, its constitution, and the people of this great planet.”
“Ah, how carefully worded that was. Is that why at certain times you assisted the Soviets over us? How do you account for that with your oath to defend the constitution?”
“I was saving the country and her people from certain death and destruction. Hence, I was fully honoring my oath. Sir.”
Bush laughed, “Always a wiggle word to get out of a sticky situation. You’ve become quite the law
yer, haven’t you?”
“No, sir. I’ve become what I was trained to be. I am doing everything in my power to carry out the assignment President Truman gave me.”
“I understand. I want you to continue to carry out that mission, even if you have to change names or for the outside world die. We’ll work together to keep you on the job. I can have the CIA make you a completely new and foolproof identity. All you need do is say the word. I, the country, the world can’t afford to lose you and your special relationship with Kalteck as we draw close to the date. Has the enemy schedule changed at all?”
“Sir, not that I’m aware of. The last Kalteck and I spoke of them, they were still due to enter our system between 2040 and 2050. That gives us around fifty years to master so many technologies that it boggles my mind.”
Bush sat thinking over Everett’s words. “We’ll make it. Look how far we’ve come from ’47. The two of you have done a masterful job. That’s except for that little mess in Vietnam…”
“It was to train us to fight an unconventional war. We failed at the task. He said we also failed in Granada.”
“Yes, I read the report, and I agree with it. Can I ask, did he have anything to do with the deaths of Stalin, Kennedy, or the other Russian leaders?”
“Sir, all I can say is, no comment.”
Bush nodded. “Promise me one thing, if I begin walking on the very thin ice, warn me before I cross the point of no return and falling in. Will you do that?”
“Yes, sir.”
“General, thank you for seeing me this evening. Please get back to me when Kalteck will be returning and when he will meet me.”
“Yes, sir.”
Chapter 19
Everett knew he had only a short time to make his decision. He decided to take a long weekend off to make his decision. Liane was very happy to have him home for three full days. Everett woke up early on Sunday morning, January 21. He slipped out of bed to make the coffee and begin making breakfast, when it was ready he placed it on a tray and carried it upstairs to the master bedroom, “Liane, wake up sleepyhead, I brought you breakfast in bed.”
He noticed she didn’t move, “Liane wakie wakie. I have fresh hot coffee.”
He placed the tray on the floor so he could lean over the bed and shake his wife. When she didn’t move, he began to sweat. Oh shit, not now. Please, God, not now. He felt her neck, no pulse. Damn it.
“911, what’s your emergency?”
“I want to report my wife is dead, she died in her sleep.”
“Address, please?”
Everett gave the 911 operator the information. She informed him an officer was on his way and he shouldn’t touch the body. Everett sat on the edge of the bed staring at Liane with tears rolling down his cheeks. It seemed only a moment later, there was a loud pounding on his front door.
Two police officers briefly spoke to Everett, who showed them to the master bedroom. “I only touched her to wake her, I was bringing her breakfast in bed. You can see the tray there on the floor where I placed it.”
One officer told the other, “She’s gone and by the look of it, been gone for a while. I’ll call the ME. Thirty minutes later, the ME pronounced Liane dead, “time of death, between 1 and 1:30 AM.”
Everett nodded, “We went to bed at 11 and fell asleep.”
The ME nodded, “She must have passed in her sleep, completely painless. I wish everyone passed that way.”
One of the officers took Everett’s statement and told him he didn’t have to come to the station. The ME told him where they were taking the body. Everett told the ME he’d make arrangements and get back to them.
The officers asked Everett not to leave town, “I’m a three-star U.S. Air Force General, I go where and when the President orders me to. Here’s my military ID.”
The shocked officer took a step back, “Sir, I’m very sorry. I didn’t know. I, we’re, very sorry for your loss. If you could just let us know if you leave town. Where are you based?”
“Outside of Vegas, Area 51.”
Both officers straightened up, hearing the name of the secret base. “I’m the base commander.”
Both officers stood at attention and backed away from the general. President-elect Bush called General Yahnig, “General, I just heard. I’m so very sorry for your loss. Can you travel to D.C. this week?”
“Yes, and I’ll make my own flight arrangements.”
“Ah, do I understand that your friend has returned, and you’ll be flying with him?”
“He’ll land at the base this evening. Shall we plan to meet you next Saturday at Camp David?”
“Are you sure you can handle this now?”
“Yes, I’ve been preparing myself for this for a while. She had no pain, she passed in her sleep completely painlessly. I hope I get to go the same way when my time comes.”
“Will your time ever come?”
“Sir, I have no idea what you’re talking about. We’ll see you next Saturday.”
“Does your friend eat our food? If so, join me for dinner?”
“Sir, it would be our pleasure, and he does enjoy our food. He loves our beer, especially from small craft breweries. He also likes rare steak and twice-baked potatoes, fresh salad, and very fresh fruit.”
“Excellent choices. General, if you need anything, you have my number, again my condolences.”
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Kalteck exited his ship with open arms to hug Everett. “Come, we will together celebrate Liane’s life. We don’t mourn our loved one’s deaths. We celebrate their return to the Creator of All. Remember, she was never ill, she felt no pain and had what humans consider a long life.”
Two six-packs of beer later, Kalteck asked, “Have you decided your fate? Your options are you may disappear from the public’s view, or you may be given a new face. Believe me, the nanites can accomplish this while you sleep without any pain or recovering time. Or, of course, you can retire, which is the path I hope you don’t take. I would miss you very much.”
“My friend I pledged to see this through to the end with you, so I can’t retire. That leaves me with the decision of either hiding which I don’t think I’d like or changing my face and identity.”
“I agree, we’ll discuss it with the President this weekend, and then, if he agrees, we’ll arrange your new identity so that on Monday you’ll wake as a new you.”
“I know it’s going to be a painless process, but I feel anxious about the change. Will I maintain all of my memories? Will I still be me?”
Kalteck laughed, “My friend, the only thing that will change will be your face, the nanites will change your fingerprints, your name, and I think we’ll have the nanites regrow your hair and change your eye color. Of course, the tone of your voice will also change, so people who hear your voice won’t think they know you. What’s inside of you will remain you. You’ll have all of your memories. Other than looking in the mirror, nothing will change. I think the most difficult aspect of the change will make sure every aspect of your new life and timeline in your military is in line. My AI has informed me your system has overlapping programs and paperwork which are highly confusing and, according to him, completely illogical.”
Everett laughed, “That my friend is a complete understatement. Will your AI be able to gain access to the Pentagon’s systems?”
“Gaining access isn’t the problem. The problem is the recreation of the many handwritten files and what you call performance reviews. My AI said your use of flattering words to say nothing or to say the opposite of their real meaning is an art form.”
Again, Everett laughed. “How can your AI forge handwritten paperwork and get them inserted into the correct files? Those files must be held in different offices.”
“They are. I have a very simple plan. I have an idea, your Colonel Johnstone is also going to retire soon. I understand he is being recalled to the Pentagon to brief his replacement. Why not give him the revised files to slip into the personnel office?”
“So? Isn’t the Colonel a master special forces operator? He should easily be able to break into the office and just slip the new folder into the files. He doesn’t have to remove anything. My AI can take care of hacking into your crude network. So all you have to do is create the proper forms and hand them to the Colonel. My AI will look for all of the files, once they’re located, we’ll send the Colonel to change them. I’ve done the hard work. I’ll take another beer.”
Everett sat in shock before he broke out laughing. “Okay, I’ll start the forms. All I need to do is settle on my new name. I was thinking of taking my mother’s maiden name.”