by Danny Dunn
Z5 smiles. Zaria 5 tells Z3 about the food distribution problems and lays out her solution. I have a design that will allow us to bag anything we want into small bags, and each bag is attached to a small parachute. I have designed a rack that is 40 feet long x 8 feet wide x 8 feet tall so that it fits into a C130 or larger.
On the ground, thousands of small bags of food are attached to small, inexpensive parachutes, and the top row level of the bags is loaded onto the rack. The next level down has a string that is just longer than the top row so that the second level hangs just below the top, and this is repeated until the last bags are on the bottom.
All of the bags are hanging onto rods that are tilted downward toward the back of the plane so that all of the bags will slide to the back. At the top front of the rack is a bar running widthwise that has small paddles located at each bar running lengthwise that support the bags. Because the bars are slanted downward toward the back of the plane, the bags are pushing to exit the back of the rack. The faster the bar spins the paddles, the faster the bags exit the plane. Every bag is supported by a small, inexpensive parachute that will lower the bags at a decent rate such that they will not harm villagers as the bags land. The release of the bags can be controlled from anywhere on the plane, and the operator can control on and off as well as the release speed.
Because we’re distributing smaller bags, we can tailor the release of the bags to fit the population of the villages. The waste, by the way, will be close to zero.
This eliminates the need for a central distribution point. There is no big score for the thieves. We can deliver to or around a village so that everyone has a fair shot at food. The weak get theirs, and the more members in a family, the more food for each member to collect.
If we have multiple racks, a plane delivers the food to as many locations as needed without stopping. And heads back. The empty rack is offloaded, and the new full rack is loaded, and the plane is back out in minutes. If they hurried, it could be done in one minute.
The other plus is that we don’t need to have everyone meet, which means the bullies won’t know when it is coming either. And again, the food will be so spread out, so stealing it will be too much work for them.
Zaria looks at Z3 and smiles. We have C130s, you have excess food for sale. Can Z5 buy from you?
Z3 says she loves it, when will you be ready for a first run, she asks Z5. How about 30 days. Sounds good. Now let's go see money bags.
Zaria walks Z3 and Z5 to Pong, and they tell her their plan. Pong says OMG, I love it. Watching the bullies and the thugs snatch food from the women and children always annoyed me. How much do you need? Zaria tells her $10 million, and you won’t see us again for a while. Zaria smiles. Ok, tell the Pongettes and tell me when it is working, I can’t wait to see it.
One more surprise, let’s all gather. Pong and all the Zs stand up on a small stage and begins speaking. Well, when I look around, I see so much goodness in you all. There is a new Zaria with us today, which is very exciting for all of us. And, well, Mother, if you could come up, please. Zaria walks up.
Zaria 2 pulls a medal out of her pocket. It is a replica of the coin that the Zari I citizens gave her for saving them. And puts it around Zaria’s neck.
Zaria 3 walks up to Zaria and puts a copy of the coin the Zarians made for her with Zari’s image on one side with the words Peace and Equality for All. On the back of the coin, there is an image of Zaria with the words Universe, Planet, Family, Self around the edge.
Then Zaria 5 was asked to present the last item to Zaria. It is a 3D printed 12 inches tall bust of them plus Zari and his parents. Zaria looks around and is so happy. You are such a nice family. You all make me so proud, and I am so happy with how all this is progressing. Please enjoy the picnic, and thank you again.
Tom and Zaria meet that night and spend the night together. They talk about many things. Zaria tells Tom about Z5s existence back on the other planet and her idea for feeding the poor. Tom says she has been here 1 day and laughs. That is an amazing idea. He asks if she will want to live in the White House. Zaria says, yes. Tom says Zaria, “I think maybe you are shy about talking about sex. Tom laughs, nervously, and smiles. Can I lead the way there? He says, please do. Zaria says, ok.
The next morning Tom is exhausted and tells her she is a sex-machine. Zaria says, and the best part is that I love, love, love it. Zaria adds that Pong made some very nice improvements, I must say.
In the morning they go at it some more and Tom runs to the bathroom saying he is going to hide in the bathroom. They are staying at Zaria’s, and she opens up the waterfall door. The whole house is filled with the sound of the waterfall, and Zaria is in heaven. She is just too much that Pong. Tom agrees and tells Zaria how much everyone loves her. All but American Presidents it would seem. But maybe we can fix even that.
Tom and Zaria work on Sunday and will be hitting the campaign trail on Tuesday. Monday, David sends two details out to clear hotel rooms. There are 7 stops between Tuesday and Friday, and it is going to be a long week for them. Tuesday morning, they cover Texas. And arrive in Dallas at 9:00 am.
The President is treading through a shit storm after being caught by Tom’s team. Since she was one phone away from the smoking gun level, the president knows she will not be impeached. One positive thing for her is that Tom isn’t a democrat. So, they are not as enthusiastic about taking her down as they might be if it were a two-party race.
Tom has another 50 possible candidates who are being vetted. Some of the Democrats want to jump over to his party. They are very liberal and are also sick of the political mess they are in. Tom welcomes their interest and believes that several will be good partners.
David and his team are all on high alert. They are leaving no stones unturned. They are using multiple decoys, use an even number of cars so that there is a minimum of 2 possible cars carrying Tom, but really it is four. They use the Zari bots whenever they can to draw fire. Tom is making sure that every hotel they select has no opposing buildings. To eliminate laser surveillance and sniper fire.
They added two more vehicles per location and bring their own fuel for the vehicles. Tom meets with candidates who want to join his team. One thing they have to watch for is spies. It is almost 100% that the other parties are going to have spies trying to join his party. Also, they are bringing their own food and drinks.
At every location, the crowds are very strong and enthusiastic. Everything is very upbeat.
Tom announces that he is adding an item to his platform. Education.
He says that after the debate, he spent time with some of the students from the university. They all had horrible stories about their friends who they call “the marginals.” There is a very large group of students who have done very well in school and have the grades required to attend a major university. Their parents are not rich, and so they are very much on their own should anything happen. For some students, it could be a death in the family, and they have to quit school, or they are in a car accident and all the other things that happen in life.
Then there is the student that is doing everything right, but the university prices them out of the market with their aggressive tuition price increases. So that by the time they are in their final year, the student is tapped out at the banks and is forced to drop out of college. And they have to take lesser jobs with lower pay because they do not have a degree. Now they are in a position where they have what is now a very large debt relative to the lower salary they will receive without a degree.
Since the banks were able to get politicians to add student loans to the list of debt that is not dischargeable in bankruptcy, these students have this on their credit. They can’t get a car loan; they can’t buy a home and can’t even get a lesser job at a company that considers bad credit a reason not to hire.
And now, the banks once again used their lobbyists to convince the government to cap how much an undergraduate student can borrow, which forces the undergrad students to bor
row from the banks. Ladies and gentlemen, this is just yet another money grab by the banks and needs to be stopped.
I am now adding to my platform that any college or university that accepts a student will freeze their tuition prices for the duration that the student is in enrolled in a college and is receiving a C average or higher.
Secondly, any student who incurs some kind of major event and needs time off, the university and the bank will put a hold on the account for up to 2 years and not the current 9 months.
Third, any undergraduate student that needs additional loans to complete their courses. The banks will allow that student to continue at the same loan rate with no cap. If they want that business so bad, then they need to operate ethically and not squeeze the student claiming they are high risk at the end.
Lastly, if I am elected president, I will seek an interest rate that is comparable to home loans. Personally, I believe the universities are taking advantage of this extra money, and I will address that too if I am elected.
Any questions?
Reporter 1 “is it true your company is building a university near your company site that will be free to the public?
Tom “yes, that is true; however, that is a bit different in that it is just something we choose to do with our own money. But we intend to make it an absolute showroom of our vision of what a university should look like in the future.
Reporter “, The president, has been trash-talking you pretty hard. Any comment.
Tom, yes, “sticks and stones, you reap what you sew, she made her own bed, and what goes around comes around. We all make our choices in life, and she needs to man-up and own what she did.”
Reporter 3 “there is a rumor that you and Zaria are romantically involved, care to comment. Who said that, the president?”
Tom, “ya know what. I promised myself that I would not tell a single lie throughout my campaign, and I am not going to start now. Yesterday we had a company picnic, and we both confessed to each other that we were in love with each other. I love the hell out of that woman. I am not going to deny how I feel about her. If it costs me this job, then so be it, and I would live this campaign knowing I didn’t sell out the love of Zaria for a job. Yes, we are. I love the hell out of her.
The cameras are clicking like crazy, and the networks are interrupting their shows to run this life.
So, let’s get it all out right now if you want.
4 “how long has this been going on?
Tom “Since yesterday at the picnic. I fell in love with her after I saw her movie. And then after her kids arrived, I got to see just what an amazing being she is, that really did it for me. But for her, it wasn’t until the debate. We talked about it yesterday. I had agreed not to bring it up until we saw how the election was going, but as I said. I am not going to lie about loving her for a job.”
Reporter 5 “did you consummate the relationship. That is absolutely none of your business.”
Tom looks over at Zaria to the side laughing, and Tom laughs too.”
Reporter 6 “Would she be staying in the White House if you win.”
Tom “I sure as hell hope so. And if she refuses, I will have to order the secret service to go get her.
Look, I understand none of this is in the playbook, but we are talking about beings that are loving and sweet. They are smart beyond imagination, and they just want to give in any way they can. So, I am hoping the country is ready for me being with her because if I am forced to choose, the decision is an easy one, and I really want to see this through.
The other two parties pounce on the news. The press on both sides starts hammering day and night that a vote for Tom is a vote for an Alien family where 3 of the 6 are Queens of their planets. They also say the Zari bots, everyone is buying could be turned against the world in a takeover.
The polls come out the following day, and Tom is 15 down points in the polls, but that still leaves him up by 20 points. Zaria is happy Tom didn’t lie about them being a couple, and they are both satisfied with a 15-point drop leaving a 20-point lead. They both feel Tom will get most of those back over time. Tom was doing extremely well with the younger voters and lost very few of those.
Tom makes an announcement. He expresses his appreciation for most of them, understanding his situation and maintaining their trust in him. He announces that he will not push another issue until he is successful in getting his entire platform approved and that if for any reason whatsoever, he waivers for achieving that goal, he will resign his position. He also announces that he is taking on Will Gilliam as his VP running mate. Will was a college roommate of his who went on to start a very successful software company, and he and I have discussed our plan, and that should anything happen to me, he will continue on the course I have set. It is the opinion of both of us that to get our political system back on track, fixing our voting system has to get back to where the voters are in control and not the other way around.
Will steps out and has a medium build and in good physical shape. He is a good-looking guy with a big smile that he wears a lot. He and Tom Shake hands, and Will takes some questions.
Reporter “Have you met Zaria before, and how do you feel about them being together.
Will “Personally, I think she is way too sweet, thoughtful, and smart for Tom, but as they say, “love is blind.”
Reporter 2 “Tom, are you announcing your running mate early because of losing 15 points in the polls since you announced you and Zaria are a couple.
Tom smiles and asks if she eats nails for breakfast. “No, I know Will from way back, and he was always going to be my running mate if I were to ever run. If anything, I brought him out later than I wanted just to appease the system. I am asking the country to trust me, and I want to give the country time to get to know Will so that you get the chance to see that he is as impassioned about getting my platform into law as I am.
Reporter 4 “So you feel that maybe there are more pressing issues Tom could be taking on?
Will “Our system is broken and is owned by the special interest groups, the politicians and the wealthy. Any politician standing up and making promises about how they are going to fix this and how they are going to fix that is just flapping their lips until we fix voting and how these guys are making their real money. Tom and I are both sound businessmen who both see that fixing our election process is priority number one. Until we have stopped the payoffs, bribes, and have stopped the quid pro quo, it will be business as usual. That means dramatically limiting campaign contributions, lobbyists, senate and congressional day trading, sneaking in stinky bills that ride inside popular bills has to stop for us to be able to sit down and take on the bigger issues.
Reporter 7 “did you just say that our politicians are corrupt?
Will “looks at the reporter and says, “what are you…New? Corruption happens in many ways, and these guys are going at it on all four levels as a comedian recently said. Not all of them, but enough of them to really screw up our country.
“Have you not asked yourself why anyone would not be excited about and do not embrace a 500% raise as Tom is proposing?
End Chapter 45
Chapter 46 – If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Kill ‘Em
I have a scoop for some enterprising journalist in the crowd today. I suggest that you look at bills 20224, 34657, and 26887 and determine how much money was made by the congressmen, senators, and their families and friends trading stock by the ones who voted yes on those bills. The numbers will explain why none of them are jumping up and down about Tom suggesting we pay them $2 million per year. Then look up what the money was spent on and ask yourself if that was good for the American people.
Have you not asked yourself or the other politicians why they would not support Tom’s entire platform? Note that they are all coming out with their own version of Tom’s platform but are cherry-picking the items that cut into their paydays, or that might cause them to not be elected.
Reporter 8 “Tom, do you feed him n
ails in the morning?”
Tom, “Tom put’s his finger to the corner of his eye and pretends to be crying of pride and says in a quivering voice, “that’s my boy.” And laughs. We are both tough as nails, and neither of us will be stopped until this is passed.
Tom and Will answer questions for a while longer, and they have to go to get to the next site on time. Tom is happy to have will onboard. The three of them get along great. Will asks is what he said was ok. Tom tells him it was all great. Except for Zaria being sweeter than me. Zaria says, ha. Will says he noticed Tom didn’t challenge Zaria being smarter than you. They all laugh.
Will does all the stops with them that week, and they talk about alternating weeks together so they can talk about things. Tom also wants Will to visit with every member running on their platform.
Every food back is in a small gunny sack bag 12 inches across x 3 inches tall and is sitting on a very small parachute. The Boeing C17 cargo bay is 17.6 feet wide by 13 feet tall x 80 feet long. The custom-made shelving system is 50 feet long x 8 feet wide x 10 feet tall. Up to 4 units can fit into a C 17 cargo. Each of the 4 units contains a set of conveyors that hold 4,000 meals per container. When two containers are positioned lengthwise, the conveyor act as one. There are ten rows of conveyors, and each is on an independent circuit so that they can be loaded and airdropped as groups or independently. To load the meals, a group stands at each end of the container loading a single row across and then rotating the conveyor 1 position, loaders int he back of the cart, load the top rows, and the loaders in the front load the bottom rows until every position is full.
Each meal weighs 10 pounds and includes rice and some vegetables. Including the containers, the 16,000 meals weigh 160,000 pounds, which is the exact cargo capacity of the C17 Hercules.
Everyone is excited, and they have their first containers full of food, and they are ready for takeoff. Z5 is on board, and riding along are Pong and Queen Zenthra. They take off and are headed for Darfur. The only people they have notified are the air traffic controllers and the government officials who absolutely cannot be trusted, which is why they notify them right before they take off.
