Solarans 1: The Gift From Aquarii
Page 15
The Russian President turned white and said to his security advisor, "Andrei, do you have the list?"
Andrei was pointing excitedly at the book he was carrying. He said,
Pavel directed some questions to Andy to pose. So Andy continued,
The Russian President nodded affirmative so Andrei continued.
In a few minutes, Aston said,
Alarmed, Andy almost shouted,
The Russian President noted,
Andy chuckled and said,
After return to the ship, Aston commented,
Andy agreed,
All laughed.
Chapter 12 - Warning
# Day Thirteen at Turner Lake #
# Thursday, June 23 #
Jim asked Bill, “What time is the plane due to pick us up tomorrow?”
“Noon sharp. I would expect them as much as 15 minutes earlier but not more than that. They try to keep to the schedule they have arranged and the weather is good. We have not used near the fuel we expected so we might want to take those home today and bring back empties so as not to cause any questions. Same for a lot of the unused food supplies. Clean up will be pretty easy with the capabilities this group now has. The Ivanovs and the Petrovs can go up to the ship until we are at home. The Carters and Larsons still have three days left on their rental so they have agreed to be on standby if anything should come up and the Ivanovs and Petrovs have agreed to help.”
“Most of the clean up we can do tomorrow morning. So Andy, what is on the agenda today?”
“I think some more clean up exercises would work nicely. We need to do some more in Africa and the Middle East. This afternoon, our time, I think that we should touch bases with China. They have been tolerating and even encouraging the North Korean antics. I think its time that they are told that the North Korean activity is not acceptable.”
“You think they are going to buy into stepping back?”
“I do not know. Seems to me we have to give it a try. The one thing we can do is to isolate them but that is not the best option. It really depends on what are their goals and the means they wish to take to get there. I am hoping that the demonstrations we have already provided give them pause to think. In the meantime, Aston has a long list of criminals that need attention. Aston can prioritize our targets to let us be a bit more efficient. We can go out in teams of 2 and wreak some corrective havoc on them.”
“Sounds like a plan and some fun. I am ready.” For the next four hours the Solarans intervened in numerous attempts of mayhem all around the world including an attempted murder at a convenience store in suburban New Orleans, the ambush of a police patrol car in South Carolina, a suicide bomber in Cape Town, South Africa, a terrorist raid on a mission in Uganda, an armed robbery of a bank in Berlin, Germany, an attempt to bomb a police station in Belarus, a crazed man with a katana in a crowded Tokyo shopping center, another bomber in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and, 502 other incidents of varying degrees of violence and threat. By now, anything done by the Solarans was big news. The press was having a field day trying to figure out where they came from. Most who heard them were convinced that they were from their own country, so the disinformation practice on country of origin appeared to be working.
After a rest break, Andy noted, “It is about time to see what we can do with China. I wonder how they will take this. It’s not like we have a lot of choice. We can’t ignore the 1,000 pound gorilla in the room.”
“Well I suppose there is one way to find out. Who do you want with you this time?”
“I was thinking, Mom and Dad, Jim and Maria, Gus and Barbara, and Pat and me using our usual entry, invisible and then transparent with all communication mental.”
They went to the Chairman’s office and used their usual means of a first visit and then used transparent mode.
The Chairman said,
Andy chuckled and went on,
Andy reacted in surprise,
“Well Mr. Chairman, I am happy to hear this reaction. Perhaps this is an opportunity for you to find other ways to resolve difficulties with the Americans and others. I suspect that they might be receptive given the close call they have just had. I think you would think less of us if I did not say that we will be continuing to watch actions of all parties and are prepared to intervene rather forcefully if we believe it warranted.>
Andy laughed and responded,
The Chairman laughed and replied,
They returned to the ship and Andy said, “That was surprising, did I miss something somewhere?”
Jim responded, “I suspect we all did, but thinking back on it, that was a plausible reaction. The question remains, is it true? I hope it is, but we will have to keep an eye on how this shakes out.”
“Well I could use another dip in the lake and then another try at the monster cutthroat. Anybody else up for it?” Most joined him.
As they were swimming, Aston alerted Andy, Jim and Pat, that Paulo and his family were on the ship. Jim, who had not changed to swimming gear, said he was going to try a little surprise for them. He teleported to the home of Paulo's parents and asked if they would like to see their son? The response was no surprise so he told them he was going to take them there. Paulo's mother said "una momento" and ran to her kitchen where she removed items from her stove, put them on a large tray and covered them in a large towel-like cloth. "These were Paulo's favorite when he lived at home."
Jim transported them back to the cabin and explained where they were. He then told them that he would get Paulo, who did not know they were there. Jim and Pat transported up to the ship and said hello to Paulo, Rosa and little Estela. Estela immediately ran to Pat and Jim said without preamble, "My friends, I have something for you to see. Please take my hand, Pat will bring Estella." They transported to the cabin and parents immediately embraced him. There was not a dry eye to be seen. Paulo introduced his Rosa and Estella did her own introduction. Estella ran to her grandmother saying "Abuela, abuela, te amo."
Rosa was surprised and said, "How could she know?"
Jim replied, "It does not matter, it just is and what could be better."
Paulo said, "Papa, these are my very good friends."
"Ah, my son, you have extraordinary friends, they are Solorans and you too are a Solaran, are you not."
"Papa, why do you say that?"
"Because the Solarans do not reveal their identities to others who are not Solarans and yet here they all are looking like normal human beings and not disguised as one would expect. What other explanation could there be?"
Andy spoke up and said, "Señor Martinez, you are absolutely correct. Would you care to join our ranks? We would be delighted to have you and Isabella with us."
"¿Es eso posible? Excuse me, Is that possible?"
"Yes indeed, our ship has examined you and tells me you are both good candidates. Jim and Paulo can explain what this means. Why don't we all go up to the ship and Aston can help with the explanation." They did so. Both parents wanted to become Solarans and received the implant. "Paulo, how long can you stay?"
"I must report for muster tomorrow morning at 0800. I have also made a decision not to re-up. I want to finish my degree work and go for a Masters in Forensic Science Technology. It seems to me that would be interesting and challenging work. So far I have done all of my college work on line and I would like to finish up the same way. That gives me a lot of flexibility as to location. Thanks to the aid you have provided, I can finish my degree and my Masters and contribute to the Solaran efforts. My enlistment is up in two weeks so I have put the house up for sale. We expect to follow Jim's suggestion and move here."
"Outstanding, tonight is our last night at this cabin and I think we should have an end of vacation party and dinner. We have loads of food and much to be thankful for. We have had a pretty successful few weeks, put a lot of criminals where they belong and averted a nuclear incident. We have to do a bit of planning on how to deal with issues as they arise and still not arouse suspicions with our 'day jobs’. For now, Aston can triage and prioritize our efforts. We can use an alert system to respond. We should be able to respond to routine alerts, if there is any such thing, without too much dropping through the cracks."
Bill said, "Pedro and Isabella, I have something for you to think about. Donna and I have been discussing an idea that might interest you. You currently have a nice little curio shop in your home town. We think that skill set will work pretty nicely with a similar set up at the lodge/hotel and condo. If you are interested, we would like to sponsor you for immigration to this country. You would have a nice condominium next door to your son and his family and a nice little store on the shopping level of the condominium building. We are expecting this to become a tourist destination so you would do nicely there. What do you think?"
"Señor, this would be a dream, My son, would you indeed live next to us?"
"Si, papa."
"Then Señor Bill, this is something we would very much like to do."
"Ok then, we will get the paperwork started tomorrow. I think I will see what the General can do to help smooth the way."
"How would you like to see the place where many of us will be living? We will have to be careful to not be seen since there is still work going on in the area. But Aston will warn us when to be quiet."
"Let's do it."
More than a few of the others were also interested so they all went. They went to six different units so as not to crowd any one of them. The condos were all 4 bedroom units with an office and large living and dinin
g areas. They were about 2,800 square feet in size and the ones viewed were on the seventh floor. The view was a spectacular view of the marina, the Lynn Canal and the Chilkat mountains.
Jim said, "We are about 30 miles from downtown Juneau and about 20 miles from the airport and the shopping available there. The units are ready to move into now. They are very well sound and heat insulated. There are four levels of parking below the shop level. Access is very secure. Plus Aston is keeping an eye on things so that nothing slips by."
After a quick tour of some units, they returned to the lake to prepare dinner. Josè joined them.
Paulo commented to Rosa, "I know it is just my imagination because my family is all here, but I keep smelling those wonderful sweet corn cakes my mother used to make for me when I was young."
About then, Isabella handed her son a plate with one of the sweet corn cakes she had taken from her stovetop about a half-hour earlier and said, "Se refería a uno de estos? (You mean one of these?)"
His eyes widened. "I cannot remember when my emotions have been on such a roller coaster ride. Thank you Mama, thank you my friends. This is all real."
Little Estella came over to her father, eyeing the sweet corn cake. Her grandmother laughed and said that she already had two of them. Paulo shared the cake with his daughter anyway. Later that evening, everyone returned home.
Chapter 13 - Back Home
# Day Fourteen at Turner Lake #
# Friday, June 24 #
By 9:30 am both cabins were clean and excess supplies returned home. All gear was packed and all were in their correct cabins. The rest went up to the ship and would transfer to the homes of the others when they arrived at their residences. This would only be for a few days, when the moves to the condominiums would start. There were only two alerts while they waited for the plane, one in the Netherlands and one in Denmark. Both were defused without injury to those threatened.