Alizar and the Crisis
An Alizar Adventure
By F. Darnall Daley, Jr.
Book Cover Designed
by Ikuborije O. Opeyemi.
www.fiverr.com/crea8tive
Copyright © 2017 F. Darnall Daley, Jr.
F. D. Daley & Associates
All rights reserved
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
List of Characters from the beginning
List of Characters from the Crisis
Afterword
Dedication
Dedicated to our daughter-in-law, Kelly Ahearn Daley, who has made our son so happy and has introduced her two wonderful sons, Lane and Reed, into our lives. Not only that but she invites us regularly for Sunday dinner!
Other books by F. Darnall Daley, Jr.
The Commissioner’s Corner – A collection of inspirational essays
MyEasyJobSearch.com – How to get a job in the 21st Century
(With F. D. “Dale” Daley. III)
The Adventures of Alizar – The Beginning
The Home World depends on us. From orbit to orbit at each dawning through all our lives we live to serve the Home World.
The People’s oath to the Home World
Chapter 1
3rd Planet
I am Alizar el Shelamus XCVII. I started my ninety seventh journey into this life late in the afternoon of the 127th dawning in the 3,686th orbit. My rebirth was otherwise uneventful and, as is the custom among the People, she-who-released-my-soul, Elith Alimay Botarus LIII brought me up to date on the events in the world since I was Alizar el Shelamus XCVI.
I had sincerely hoped that in this life I would not be involved with the affairs of state. In many of my lives I have been involved with trying to complete our mission in this star system. That mission is to make sure that the elements that the Home World needs to build the star drive engines are shipped from this star system to the Home World.
Worrying about these things and attending meetings is work that interferes with my preferred life’s work – being a mathematical philosopher.
But a quiet life was not to be. Early on I discovered that the young he-alien in the dwelling of the aliens that were keeping me was a potential beta. I wakened him with the ritual, Weckspringe. Soon thereafter I found myself attending a high council meeting as the moderator.
We all owe all our life and our allegiance to the Home World. We are all, after all, the People. We know that the preferred method of exploitation of a planet is the quiet method. We infiltrate slowly over thousands of orbits. The aliens do not know we are here and we take great pains to be sure they don’t learn of our presence. The minerals and metals we deliver to the Home World are critical to its existence. Now that our efforts here are beginning to show progress, they must continue. If we don’t meet our quota, there will be consequences. If we don’t produce, we will get visitors from the Home World. They will then decide if we have a stable situation. The third planet in this star system is rich in the minerals we seek. The asteroid belt between the forth and the fifth planets also holds much future promise. The aliens here will eventually discover how to exploit that resource. If the visitors from the Home World decide that we don’t have a stable situation and that the situation can’t be rectified, they may decide that other methods need to be employed. Those methods involve extreme force. In theory, we don’t care what methods are required. As I said, our allegiance is to the Home World and to the People. However, all our lives have been here. We have lived and worked here for thousands of orbits. In a sense, we’ve gone native.
Ours is a strange situation. The Home World has conquered thousands of star systems. Their method is subtle but very effective. They don’t come with armies. They plant invasive species. Species invented and developed just for that star system. We are that invasive species. We collect the metals that the Home World wants and needs. We don’t need any overseers. We can’t help ourselves. It’s in our DNA. We’re like a bee hive. The Home World can wait thousands of orbits for the hive to produce honey. But once the hive starts producing, if the production falls off, the farmer will want to know why. Someone besides the supply ship captains will come to investigate. From the rumors we have heard, we know this will be someone from the Inspector General’s office. They will decide if the hive can be made productive again. If not, they will clean out the hive and plant a new species of honey bee in the hive. But this won’t matter to us because we will all be dead. Aliens, alphas, betas, gammas and deltas alike. All will be dead. With no hope of a reincarnation.
Chapter 2
(187th dawning of the 3,687th orbit)
3rd Planet
Sabian Wolfe looked around the room. The Presidential suite was indeed presidential; the 200 square meters of living space would house a large family on Ganymede. All the furnishings were elegant. A liveried butler had let them into the suite. Sabian’s friend and comrade, Jared Coleman, entered the room and walked to the bar to help himself to a drink. The libations here on the 3rd planet were much more varied than they were used to on Ganymede. It was almost two dawnings since they had arrived on the 3rd planet. Fortunately, they had started to teach their muscles to grow stronger before they left Ganymede or the crushing weight of the 3rd planet gravity would be unbearable. Wolfe resolved that when he returned to Ganymede he would be more diligent about doing his daily exercises. You never could tell, he might need to come to the 3rd planet again.
The butler, James, entered the room. “Gentlemen, there is a breakfast buffet in the dining room. Help yourselves. If you want anything that you don’t see, let me know and I’ll get it.”
The rest of the members of the high council entered the dining room as Wolfe and Coleman got there.
[Breakfast guests, good dawning. Let’s eat our breakfast and then we’ll discuss our plans for the high council meeting,] thought Walter Karnaugh.
[Breakfast guests, good dawning], was the chorus of responses from the others.
The hotel had put out quite a spread. Scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage, glazed cinnamon buns, kippered herring in tomato sauce. Everything was beautifully displayed on elegant serving dishes. The guests from Ganymede didn’t touch the herring; they got too much fish at home.
As everyone was finishing up Karnaugh thought, [Breakfast guests, it’s Walter Karnaugh. As I recall, we have five problems we have to resolve at our meeting this dawning. The first is the spare parts that haven’t been delivered from Montana Mining Machinery. I’m going to propose that Liz and I visit them in a few dawnings and see if we can’t expedite the shipments. We should get a good reception. It turns out that I’m a large shareholder in the company. To enhance that I suggest we ask for a quote on an additional
50 mining machines. If we don’t get the answers that satisfy us, then we’ll have to take additional action. What that action needs to be will depend on just what we’re told. In the end, we may just have to take over the management of the company. To prepare for that eventuality, Claude, perhaps you could find out what other betas own stock in the company.]
[Breakfast guests, it’s Claude. I’ll have my office check on that.]
[Breakfast guests, it’s Walter. The next question is increasing our output from the 3rd planet. Ku Chang, what’s your thought on that?]
[Breakfast guests, it’s Ku Chang. I believe that I should turn over the China operations to my assistant and go to Australia and see what we could do there. For the foreseeable future, the political situation in China is what it is. I don’t see any way forward that will allow us to change that. By continuing to work our contacts there, we will periodically get some metals that we can ship to Montana for transshipment to the Home World. On the other hand, if we go to Australia we can take advantage of a more open society and the new mines that are opening there.]
[Breakfast guests, it’s Walter Karnaugh. I believe that’s correct. Why don’t you propose that at the high council meeting and we’ll all approve it? I’d also like us to investigate seabed mining. Claude, would you investigate possible contacts for us in the sea bed mining business? Perhaps we can find someone who would let us visit their operations. A plausible story would be that we’re potential investors. Also, Claude, can we do something at Polycorp? It seems to me that it would be to our advantage to have an United States-based refining and mining operation.]
[Breakfast guests, it’s Claude Applebee. I believe we can. Since Polycorp appears to be having financial problems, we should see if we can acquire the company. I’ll propose that at the high council meeting and we’ll get approval to make an offer for the company.]
[Breakfast guests, it’s Walter Karnaugh. The last issue is output from Ganymede. Jared Coleman, if we solve the spare parts issue, will we be able to get production and shipments from Ganymede back on schedule?]
[Breakfast guests, it’s Jared Coleman. I believe that that’s the case. Sabian, what’s your feeling on that?]
[Breakfast guests, it’s Sabian Wolfe. If we get the repair parts, I believe we’ll be OK. We should also build an inventory of spare parts and purchase some spare machines. We don’t need high council approval to do that. You talked about getting a quote for new machines. I’ll make up a list of spare parts need and place an order. Of course, I’ll coordinate that with the other mine owners.]
[Breakfast guests, it’s Walter Karnaugh. I think we have our stories straight for the high council meeting.]
Chapter 3
(187th dawning of the 3,687th orbit)
3rd Planet
I surveyed the room as People began to file into the large conference room in the Grand American Hotel in Salt Lake City. Not everyone who was attending the high council meeting would be here. Our ability to link mentally made physical attendance unnecessary. The most obvious long-distance attendees would be Jared Coleman/Thomas Adolphus and Moemen Dascur, his alpha companion from the Ganymede Station. And yet here he was along with Sabian Wolfe/John Kaatoe, a mine owner from the Ganymede station. Moemen Dascur had been left behind on the theory that a trip to such higher gravity would be too much. Likewise, Ku Chang/Paul Eratus and his wife from Inner Mongolia would find it inconvenient to attend in person. Ironically, it was easier for the People to get to Salt Lake City from Ganymede than it was from China.
The room began to fill and when the appointed hour came I announced, [High Council Meeting, I am Alizar el Shelamus XCVII. I am a mathematical philosopher and I am in my 97th life. I am the alpha companion to Walter Karnaugh/John Prymuus XLIX. I have attended 273 High Council Meetings. Is there anyone here who has attended more? If not, as is our custom, I will take on the burden of meeting moderator. This being the 10th hour as agreed at our last session I call this meeting to order.]
[High council meeting, I am Walter Karnaugh/John Prymuus XLIX. I am recently awakened. Alizar is my companion. I have attended 217 high council meetings. Is there anyone here who has attended more? If not, as is our custom, I will take on the burden of Chairman of the High Council. Alizar, with the formalities out of the way, let’s see who else is in this meeting.]
Each of the attendees went through the formal ritual of introducing themselves to the meeting. For telepathic people, this formality is necessary. While each person’s thoughts have their own voice and mental image, it is necessary in meetings and other large gatherings to announce who you are and who you are addressing. Betas, of course, all have two names; the first being their name in this life and the second being their real name that they have carried through all time.
Council chairman from Ganymede, Jared Coleman/Thomas Adolphus LIX
Moemen Dascur LXXIII – his alpha companion, from Ganymede
Sabian Wolfe/John Kaatoe XXXVIII – Mine owner on Ganymede station
Elizabeth “Liz” Mosby/Jane Ceekundah XXXII, a lawyer with law firm of Woodward, Woodward and Leumond and her alpha companion Laketa Godeswanger XLIX.
Claude Applebee/Paul Acacius LIX – Managing Partner in the law firm of Woodward, Woodward and Leumond from his office in Philadelphia
Dan Baldwin/Dick Draakoe XXVII – Sheriff and Coroner in Felix County Montana and his companion Nirpaul Hassan LXXXIX.
David Carson/David Cletus XXII – Station manager and supervisor of the Felix County space station and warehouse compound and his companion Marc-Andre Blenheim from his office in Montana
Inner Mongolia Agent, Ku Chang/Paul Eratus XXXIV, his wife, Meng Li/Jane Alcanda XL and their companions from their home in Inner Mongolia
Marus Dithnar CCII from Reading, Pennsylvania.
[High council meeting, it’s Alizar. I call on Walter Karnaugh.]
[High council meeting, it’s Walter Karnaugh. Our first topic of discussion is the crisis created by the non-delivery of repair and maintenance parts for the electric mining machines on Ganymede. These parts have been ordered from Montana Mining Machinery, Inc. I believe that the time for emails and phone calls to resolve this situation is over. Since I am the largest shareholder in this company, I propose that I visit them and try to expedite the shipment of the parts we need. If that doesn’t produce immediate results then I think we must consider taking over the management of this company. We’ve got too many eggs in this basket not to have complete control. David Carson, can you provide me with copies of all the orders and correspondence that you have on the ordering of these parts?]
[High council meeting, it’s David Carson. Yes, I’ll do just that. The orders are in the name of Jupiter Mining, Inc. and Satellite Mining, Inc. Those are two shell companies that we used to order the machines originally. How long are you going to be in Salt Lake City? Should I FedEx the documents to you there?]
[High council meeting, it’s Walter Karnaugh. We’ll be here at least two more dawnings; so yes, FedEx them to me here. Do we know if there are any betas working at Montana Mining Machinery, Inc.?]
[High council meeting, it’s Claude Applebee. Yes, there’s a Ralph Steinmark/Mike Pakkeer working as Manufacturing Manager.]
[High council meeting, it’s Walter Karnaugh. OK, as I said, I plan to be in Salt Lake City two more dawnings. Let’s plan my visit to our friends at Montana Mining Machinery, Inc. for the morning of the 4th dawning. Claude, why don’t you see if you can arrange a meeting with this Ralph Steinmark in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, sometime late on the 3rd dawning? He can give us the lay of the land, so to speak. If you could arrange to be at that meeting also, we could talk about what we would need to do to take over the management of the company.]
[High council meeting, it’s Claude Applebee. That sounds like a plan. Do you know yet where you’ll be staying in Harrisburg?]
[High council meeting, it’s Walter Karnaugh. No, I don’t know yet but I’ll let you know as soon as I make the arrangements.]
>
[High Council Meeting, it’s Alizar. It would seem we have a way forward on the issue of spare parts. If everyone agrees, we’ll move on to the issue of output from Ganymede. Jared Coleman, will getting the machine parts that are needed to get the machines up and running solve the production problems?]
[High Council Meeting, it’s Jared Coleman. Yes, I believe it will solve the immediate problem. In the long run, I believe we need to order additional spare machines and develop an inventory of spare parts. Sabian Wolfe, I’ll ask you to take the lead on putting that list together and sending it to David Carson. You’ll also need to work on quelling the unrest among our captured aliens on Ganymede that this situation has caused. You’ll probably also want to continue your every dawning exercise program in case you need to come to another meeting on the 3rd planet.]
[High Council Meeting, it’s Sabian Wolfe. I’ll take care of it.]
[High Council Meeting, it’s Alizar. I believe that the only remaining topic is what to do about production and shipments from the 3rd planet. Walter, would you like to discuss this?]
[High Council Meeting, it’s Walter Karnaugh. Yes, I would. Ku Chang, you’ve suggested that we should look for other alternative supply points outside of Inner Mongolia. Do you have an assistant who could take over your operations? If you do, would you be willing to relocate?]
[High Council Meeting, it’s Ku Chang. Yes, my wife and I would be willing to relocate. I have an assistant that could take over for me in China. Are you thinking that we should go to Australia and look for supplies there?]
Alizar and the Crisis: An Alizar Adventure (The Adventures of Alizar Book 2) Page 1
