by Geoff Wolak
‘Now, to my right you’ll see two of my people, Hal and Hacker. They were selected for this mission because they’re American, because they can be trusted to stick to a long and difficult task, and … mostly because I know I can trust them. Neither wants money, fame or glory. If they did, they could be selling themselves on the after-dinner circuit back on our worlds. Instead, they chose a twenty year assignment to help you.
‘Both men have proven themselves time and again, in war and in peace, risking their lives to help others, not seeking reward, and they’ve been doing that for a long, long time – both have earned a rest. They are men that I place complete faith in, and so can you. They … can’t be bought, bullied, lobbied, or threatened – by anyone. How many of your other politicians could you say that about?
‘Not only are they above suspicion, they are fighting for you, and for this country, already nagging me for trade deals and technology. That’s what you need, you need people fighting for you, not fighting for votes, their own popularity, or to line their own pockets. This country needs a new generation of politicians – a generation of honest politicians.
‘Once this country - and the nations of this world - reach a peaceful state, we will show you great wonders that will enrich your lives. We can open the trade doors, we can offer you technology, and we can guide you through the problems that we know lie ahead for you; earthquakes, plagues, droughts, floods, political upheaval. For this world to make it 2025 in one piece will take a miracle, but that miracle is at hand, and we are offering it to you. To reach 2025 in peace and stability you need only trust us, and earn our trust in return.
‘Behind me you will see three men I trust, and my representatives here; President Gilchrist, Hal Becker, Jim Lebante; the best people for the job. If I trust them, so can you. Thank you, I’ll answer questions after lunch, and you will all – members of the press - get a chance to ask questions. Thank you.’
Gilchrist led Jimmy off, and to the hotel for a spot of lunch, as well as some plotting and scheming. After lunch, Jimmy was introduced to one of Clayton’s former cabinet members, the Education Secretary.
‘So, you still have a job,’ Jimmy noted as he shook the man’s hand.
‘I wasn’t party to what Clayton was up to, that he kept between himself, the Vice President and the Joint Chiefs. It wasn’t something that we spoke of openly, and I quit my post when I became suspicious of what was going on.’
‘And how do you see yourself?’ Jimmy asked.
‘See … myself?’
‘Do you consider yourself a patriot?’
‘Of course.’
‘Tell me, what exactly is … a patriot?’
The man took in the faces of Gilchrist and Hal. ‘A patriot is someone who loves his country, will work for that country, put that country ahead of his own needs.’
‘And do you think that those people born in this country, and who receive its protection and benefits, should all be patriots?’
‘Yes, of course.’
‘So … if you had been born in Nazi Germany … you’d have supported the regime, because it was the regime?’
‘Well … no.’
‘Should not a person born in a state … blindly support that state?’ Jimmy posed.
‘No, not in some circumstances.’
‘So, someone born in America could have a different view to the leadership, and to the system as a whole? Would that make them a traitor?’
‘Well … no, not a traitor.’
‘If the Republicans are in office, is a Democrat unpatriotic - especially in a time of war, if he disagrees with that war?’ Jimmy asked.
‘Unpatriotic no, but there are times when everyone should rally behind the leader.’
‘Like in Hitler’s case,’ Jimmy floated. ‘And in Clayton’s case, and that of … Stalin.’
‘Those are extremes.’
‘You just came within a hair’s width of being completely destroyed. Do you not, perhaps, think that this patriotism thing is a bit stretched, and that people should make-up their own minds – not blindly followed the flag. Is a militia in the hills unpatriotic because they’re suspicious of the federal government, or are they voters … entitled to their opinions?’ The man took in the faces. ‘Did you say that you love your country?’
‘Yes, of course.’
‘Do you love the projects in south Chicago, and go visit to embrace the blacks there?’ Jimmy waited. ‘Do you love the vast number of white trash living in trailer parks? Do you love the Hispanic descendants, the Red Indians, the kids with tattoos on their faces? Do you love each and every one of those groups, and spend time with them.’
‘No, of course not.’
‘But you said that you love your country, and – like a wife – you have to love all aspects of her, not just her smile. But you don’t love the black militants here, and you don’t love the white trash in the trailer parks, and you don’t love the Hispanics. Together, they make-up more than half of this nation. So what, exactly, do you love? Do you love middle class white people who live in nice houses, and the rest of America – beyond the gated complex – doesn’t exist? What is it that you claim to love? Is it the system, the political system, Democrats and all? Seems to me that your love of the country is just an over-used phrase, and your idea of patriotism is warped.
‘No one should ever blindly follow their leaders, we all have brains with which to think, and we can all vote against that leader – that’s called democracy. And speaking out against that leader, even in a time of war, is not being unpatriotic. A patriot is someone who puts state ahead of individual, the danger being that the guy steering the state is a madman. And someone who loves his country is not someone who loves his nice house, his golf club and his family. Someone who loves his country also loves the blacks, and the Hispanics, and the white trash.
‘Maybe, someday, you’ll mature enough to understand some of this. I doubt it, but with the drugs we have you could live forever, and maybe in a hundred years time you’ll stop spouting overused clichés, and realise just what your saying.’ Jimmy walked off, leaving the man stood there, and started on the next man. The boys on the hill would be getting an ear-bashing today.
An hour later, and Jimmy sat down with a network’s senior political correspondent, a white-haired veteran.
‘Mister Silo, thank you for granting us this interview, I appreciate that you’re a busy man. Starting with that, I understand that you have a role in the politics of over ten worlds.’
‘Yes, I’m directly involved with that many worlds, and more now. But I hold no elected office, I am … tolerated by leaders of each world, who each know that the people trust me more than their elected officials, and I act as a kind of … safety net. On some worlds, I’ll sit down with a political leader if I feel that they’re acting unreasonably – either to their own people or to other nations, and you could say that I spend most of my time settling disputes as an independent arbiter.’
‘Except when you’re fighting a war against aliens.’
Jimmy smiled. ‘That does happen from time to time, to lift the tedium of day to day politics.’
‘And you flew into space, in a combat craft, and challenged the Zim directly - at great personal risk.’
‘What value is my life, compared to the millions that may have perished? For me, that is a simple equation, although my wife wouldn’t agree with that sentiment. She does try and lessen the risks I take.’
‘You went up against these Zim, but now you’re assisting them … we understand.’
‘Yes, we are assisting them, and at great cost to us. They, like you, had a leadership, and they, like you, were fed a story. I saw a political leadership, not a referendum by the Zim for an attack on mankind. If an Hispanic man attacks you and kills your family, you don’t make war on Mexico, or hate all Hispanics. You don’t judge a nation on the actions of a few people, not unless you are some dimwit racist – or someone who believes what the press are telling you.’<
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The interviewer took a moment. ‘Do you believe that reform is needed in the media?’
‘When President Clayton was stirring up panic and fear, and ultimately playing on people’s patriotism, the dumb media outlets here reported the stories because they were sensational, provocative, and that makes for good ratings. There’s nothing quite like scaring people to keep them watching, and the advertising sponsors happy. If the media here had balls, and believed in democracy, then Clayton would have been questioned, not had his face on the ten o’clock news. Still, maybe someday the journalists here will grow a pair, and stop being such cowards.’
The interviewer blinked.
Jimmy added, ‘The problem is also that the media is a business, looking to make a profit for those they serve, and those they serve are often rich Republicans. Good ratings are sought, not the truth, and your media often reminds me of the blind coverage that Hitler enjoyed in Nazi Germany. There was a time when the job of the media was to act as a social conscience and to question your leaders. I guess that ended when news reporting became about ratings, not the facts.’
The interviewer shifted on his seat; he had his own boss to report to, and his ratings were an issue. He changed tack. ‘You’re rumoured to be over three hundred years old.’
‘Yes, I am, and I originally benefited from drugs developed by your Air Force after a nuclear war, the idea being that those with the drugs would operate better in areas of low-level radiation. US serviceman were experimented upon by their superiors, a great many dying in agony before the drugs were perfected, drugs which ultimately allowed me to keep going. I’d like to think that their deaths served a useful purpose.’
‘And … you made many attempts to fix the time lines of worlds that you travelled to.’
‘I made six attempts before I got it right, before I managed to balance and juggle all of the aspects of human history – politics, the economy, disasters. And that blueprint will be used here, on this world.’
‘And what do you say to those … that may see such a blueprint as taking away our right to choose and to govern, and govern democratically.’
‘I’d say that they were idiots.’ Jimmy waited.
‘Is it … not the right of people here to choose elected leaders, and to allow them to make choices for us?’
‘It is, up to a point, because we – and now many of you - know the future of this world. In a few decades, a strain of the SARS flu virus will kill hundreds of millions of people. The AIDS virus will also kill hundreds of millions of people. Earthquakes and tidal waves will strike America, killing millions.
‘Who in this country … wants the democratic right to blindly walk into such disasters, and see tens of millions of Americans die unnecessarily? If I know that you will get cancer in five years, should I tell you about it, cure you of it, or should I leave you with your god-given democratic right to just get on with your life in ignorance till the day comes?
‘We know your future, and we’ll not sit by whilst many of you die. We have a cure for the diseases, we know when and where the earthquakes will strike, and we’ll help you get ready for them. We know where the oil is, the gold, the metals, and we’ll help you mine it. We know what regions will suffer droughts, monsoons, and which volcanoes will blow.
‘And we’ll help you whether you damn well like it or not, and only a fool would refuse such assistance. What leader, what idiot who likes the sound of his own voice, wants to suffer the loss of half his population simply because he wants the right to choose, the right to govern. But why not let the people decide. Hold an opinion poll: those who wish to live, and to see their kids grow up, say yes, the rest say no.
‘Your former President Clayton was a dinosaur compared to our politicians. Our political leaders don’t lie and cheat, and they don’t start wars. They do what’s best for the electorate, not what they think … might be best for the electorate, or for their own image.
‘Clayton saw the Zim as an opportunity, a political tool that he kept quiet about. He used the Zim against the Russians, something that he should have been commended for; he brought a kind of imposed peace, a step back from nuclear war. But he also used the Zim to advance America ahead of other nations, and he used them to listen-in on his NATO allies.
‘Clayton had the opportunity to send someone back through time, and to alter the past of this world, but he didn’t do that because he wanted to serve two terms and be remembered. He chose a path that was best for him as an individual, not best for the people. And your politicians often forget that more than fifty percent of the people here are black, Hispanic, or living in low cost units or trailer parks. The white middle-class make up a small percentage of Americans, but they are the people that you – the media – and your elected officials concern yourselves with.
‘But the poor people don’t watch this show, and they don’t buy the kinds of products you advertise in the commercial breaks. They … are the forgotten masses, most of who don’t bother to read the broadsheet newspapers or watch the TV news. But this is a democracy, one man one vote - remember, and those voters matter. They should not simply be ignored as being too poor to influence politics, and a small slice of your pie chart of viewer demographics. One man, one vote. Democracy is not about rich people having more votes, but unfortunately it is about rich people influencing direction. If you’re not careful, you’ll end up with another Clayton in office.’
‘Are you willing to give us any … specific detail of dangers that we face in the decades ahead. Is the detail seen in the film of your life story guaranteed to happen here?’
Jimmy took a moment. ‘On other worlds, we were accused of not giving enough advanced warning of disasters. Some argued that the people had twenty good years, others argue that they should never have built houses in a particular area knowing that a quake would strike. So I will give you one warning right now, since the situation was handled very badly on other worlds – handled badly by the federal government. What was in the film will apply here. In the year 2017, the Hawaiian Islands will suffer a quake, and not a single person will be left alive afterwards.’
The interview straightened. ‘That’s certain?’
‘Your world is geologically identical to ours; only people and politics vary.’ Jimmy continued, ‘The resulting tidal wave will slam into the west coast and millions will be killed, the damage great. You have till 2017 to make some plans, unless of course you desire the right to make your own choices, in which case you can just try and forget what I just said … and sleepwalk into disaster.’ He held his hands wide. ‘The choice is yours.’
‘Mister Silo, tell us about the place called 1938-world. I understand you intervened in the Second World War.’
‘On most worlds, Britain and America won the Second World War, but on some worlds they lost that war, or fought to a stalemate. I wanted to be sure that America won, and did so with the least casualties, so I took my team there – back to 1920. We worked behind the scenes for decades, and developed advanced weapons ready for the war – which was won with limited casualties, German and Japan defeated.
‘I took the decision to interfere, and I took away the rights of the elected governments of the day to govern. I took away their right to lose thirty million killed in the war.’
‘And we understand that you handed a large sum of money to Hitler?’
‘I did, a very large sum. I paid him to allow the Jews to leave, and I created a Jewish state ahead of time. On that world Israel is peaceful, no wars fought. Did you … have any particular objections to that?’
‘No, no,’ the presenter quickly got out. ‘Mister Silo, thank you for your time.’
After the show, the shock waves reverberated around America, but especially around Hawaii and the west coast, where businesses were already closing up. Gilchrist was kind of relieved, because he could not be accused of dithering on when to confirm to people that the disaster would be mirrored here. The next day, Jimmy made a point of being seen with Ha
l and Hacker as they toured various facilities, and he endorsed them every chance he got.
Before leaving Washington, Jimmy met with the Chinese Ambassador, the man stunned both by Jimmy’s fluent Chinese, and his knowledge of the man and is family. Straight from the Chinese Embassy, Jimmy popped down to the Russian Embassy, and impressed them as much, assurances given that Russia and China would be treated fairly.
In Britain meanwhile, Big Paul was introducing Timkins and his assistant to the serving British Prime Minister. Plans were being made, schemes hatched, British companies soon seen to be heading for the Congo and into Kenya. A portal opened in Mawlini, and Rescue Force staff stepped from one hot and dusty airfield to another.
Mac appeared through the teams as people took in the run-down base. ‘I’m thinking about a hotel, with a rooftop bar, and a cold beer of a warm afternoon.’
Smiling, the teams began to assemble tents.
Cowboys and Indians
Arriving back in Trophy, I found Jimmy at the house. ‘Now I know you must be seeing my wife.’
‘She needs some company,’ he quipped. ‘What with her old man always away enjoying himself.’ I sat, and he took a moment. ‘We have a problem.’
‘Oh?’
‘Seems that Dr Singh just found out what some of his people had been up to, and … they deliberately sent a bunch of Zim craft to a world they dialled at random.’
‘What?’ I gasped. ‘They … they could be anywhere!’
‘We have the logs, and … we’re going through them. We’ll need to dial a few worlds to see if General Custer saw odd flying craft at the Little Big Horn.’
‘Jesus, they would dominate a time line if they went back.’
‘And scare a world into World War Three if they appeared in 1980,’ he solemnly pointed out.
‘How long till we know?’
‘I have everyone working in it, but in secret. May have an idea by dawn.’