by John Ricks
“The commander set that up?”
Marian laughed. “No, she ordered Maggie to do it. The commander is not very good with computers. She can run them, but programming and fixing them is not her forte.”
“You said all resources?”
“Yes.”
“Home … Shop … do not harm anyone under any orders given except mine at this time. Order Five is for watching and reporting only.”
“Understood. Shop powering down Stingers and destroyer.”
“Home powering down lasers. Weapon systems powering down. Satellite weapons powering down.”
Marian’s eyes went wide, and her mouth hung open as she looked at me with astonishment. I put my finger to my lips and said, “Don’t tell.”
Colleen brought Melanie into the house. “Freddy, this is Melanie Orgonna.”
Melanie looked at me and smiled a little. I put out my hand, and she took it. “Thank you for getting me away. Please don’t harm my boss.”
I said, “It’s not up to me. Please tell Katie that you’re all right before she blows a gasket and takes it out on that general she has under her gun.”
She looked blank for a second, and I could feel Katie relax just a little and the pain recede from the general, as the gun was backed off enough to allow the blood to flow to the back of his head again.
The commander was just about at the helicopter, and she was still fuming. When she came up among the generals, she saluted the admiral and turned to the president. “I have only one question, Madam President. Please give me a reason why I should not shoot these two right here and now. You received my orders to them. Any person affiliated with the army who sets foot within ten miles of Freddy is dead, and so is the general in charge of them. I thought that order was simple enough.”
I was shocked. I looked at Colleen and asked, “Did she really send a death threat to the army?”
“No, it was more like a promise. I’d like to know what’s going on, Freddy. Please repeat what’s being said.”
“The president is about to answer.”
“Commander James, please believe me when I say that I am the one who invited them here. I need this straightened out before it comes to bloodshed. It was very upsetting to receive their spy back with changes to his anatomy.” I giggled, but she continued. “These two are the top generals in the army, and I don’t need a war between the army and the navy. The losses on both sides would be extreme and would destroy this country.”
I pathed to Katie, “Quick—tell the commander that I just said it would be a quick and very one-sided battle.”
“Commander? Freddy wants you to know that it would be a very quick and one-sided battle.”
The commander turned back to the president. “You want Freddy to invent a way to take us to the stars. Let me tell you that he hates violence, but Katie tells me that he thinks the army would lose very quickly, and the navy would have few, if any, casualties. I’m not looking for a war, Madam President. I’m trying to do my job.”
“I understand, Commander.”
“I’m not sure you do, Madam President. Several months ago, I learned that Freddy believes the world is in big trouble. He’s building something that will protect us all from what he thinks is total destruction. He works himself nearly to death. He doesn’t need these army-related distractions, and I’m going to make damn sure that he doesn’t have them anymore. I owe it to you, the country, and the world.”
“He knows about the meteor, then?”
“Yes, he does. I only have a feeling; hopefully, you have more to tell us.”
“It’s big, Commander. The size of California, with ten times the mass. It’s estimated that it will just miss Earth, but it’s big enough to change our rotation and push us out of orbit. All life will stop. We didn’t know until we started using his scanners. They clearly show the beast.”
Colleen looked at me, startled. “Is this true, Freddy? Are we about to be hit by a huge meteor?”
“Oh, not for another two years. Wait until you get to scenario number sixty. The big problem is, I only have six more months to stop it, or even I won’t have the ability without causing other problems.”
“Then you’re attempting to do something?”
I looked at her and said quietly, “Why do you think I’ve been working so hard? Do you really think I enjoy working three or four days without food or rest, over and over again, for months?” I looked back outside. “Quiet now, please.”
The president said, “We have nothing that can stop it. We could fire all our missiles, but even if we could hit it, which is not likely, we wouldn’t move it one inch. Not at the speed it’s coming. Commander, it’s moving faster than the speed of light. Very few people know about it, and we need to keep it that way. We’ve looked at everything and everyone. Freddy is our only hope, and the world can’t afford for him to be sick in bed due to the stupid, foolish, childish maneuvers of the army. I came here to reassure Freddy that I will—and that these two generals will—make sure that he gets anything and everything he needs. Any help …” She had tears in her eyes. “These two have come because they are willing to give their lives, right now, if that will get Freddy back to work. If it will make Freddy believe us, then I’ll take that gun and shoot them and me right now. We have loved ones too, and we’re scared. The vice president is ready to take over if we don’t return, and his orders are to help you in every way possible. Please, Commander. Let me talk to Freddy. Let me beg him to help us.”
“What do you think, Freddy? I know you’re listening.”
I pathed to her, “She’s telling the truth, and the generals are with her on this. Ask her if I can look deeper.”
“Freddy wants to know if he can have permission to look deeper into your mind, Madam President.”
“Yes, anything.”
I paused, thinking.
Melanie asked, “Aren’t you going to look?”
“Katie, please tell her that I don’t believe in raping minds. If she’s that willing for me to look, then I don’t need to. And tell her for me: welcome to our home.”
The commander called, “Stand down, and resume normal duties for visitors. Madam President, Freddy says that he doesn’t need to look into your mind. He can see you’d let him, and that’s enough. He also says welcome to our home.” She moved back to the generals, and as she allowed them to stand up, she said, “I’m sorry, sirs, but you understand.”
“We understand, and thank you. Please tell Freddy that we’re very sorry for frightening him, and thank him for not ordering our executions.”
“He would never do that, General; that’s my job,” she said with steely eyes. “You’re alive because Freddy says that the president is telling the truth and has welcomed her. That means it would be slightly rude to shoot the people she brought with her. On the other hand, please understand that I don’t trust you, and you will be watched at all times.” She turned to the admiral and said in a pleasant voice, “Nice to have you aboard, sir. Everyone, please come up to the house.”
Yellows said, “She is a Black. No wonder it was so difficult to grab her.”
Everything went black, almost. I sensed the little Yellows’ astonishment, and then it all went black completely.
Gray said, “Difficult! She killed eighteen of our best in the attempt. We should have never let this ‘Commander Susan’ go. A Black is the only creature that can kill our royalty. She has that ability and would have used it with her royalty, or ‘president,’ and they would allow it. She can only be a natural Black.” Gray looked at me differently. “He has been surrounded by Blacks for years. The Grays renounce calling him weak.”
Green said, “Our Reds are often surrounded by Grays but never Blacks. That would drive them to suicide. Yet he considers them pen mates.”
The little Yellows said, “We don’t think we understand their re
lationships. Theirs seem to be far deeper than ours. Please, let us continue.”
Chapter 14
Apologies
They headed toward the house but had to pass the two shuttles to do so. The president was impressed, and so were the generals. One said, “It’s too bad that the navy gets all the ships.”
The admiral asked, “Do they actually fly in space?”
The commander replied, “You need to ask Freddy that question. Just for your information, not everything Freddy has invented is for the navy. But it will take some talking to get him to trust you enough to let them loose.”
I pathed, “Now, how did she know that! Katie?”
“Yes, Freddy?”
“Are you peeking into my mind?”
“Stop thinking out loud when you’re inventing. You know I can’t block yet.”
“Remind me to teach you.”
“Thank you for saving my niece.”
“You’re welcome, but next time, let’s warn the commander first.” I showed her why.
She laughed one of those “thank God it didn’t happen” kind of little laughs.
Everything must have been too much, as my legs gave out. Colleen grabbed me before I hit the floor.
“What’s wrong, Freddy?” Melanie asked, worried.
Colleen said quietly, “He needs to sit down. His little legs are very weak after all that work, then worry, then depression, which caused him to sleep for the last four days without food or water, and now all this excitement. It’s a wonder he’s been able to stay standing this long.”
“Was I really asleep for four days?”
“Yes, Freddy, and we were very worried. I’m going to leave you here with Maggie. You need some water, so I’ll be right back. Don’t you dare argue with me or tell me that you’re not thirsty.”
“But I’m …” I saw a look of stubbornness cross her face and knew that I’d lose this time, so I said, “Thanks.”
She smiled and left for the kitchen, saying, “That’s better.”
She came back out in less than a minute. “Dinner is almost ready, so Cooky won’t let me ruin your appetite, but she gave me this for you instead.” It was cherry Kool-Aid, which is my favorite. “She says the sugar will do you good.” She handed a second glass to Melanie.
“Thanks, ma’am,” Melanie said.
“You’re welcome, young lady. So you’re Katie’s niece? What are you doing here?”
“I can answer that.” The president had just come inside with the admiral, the commander, the two generals, and half the SEAL team. “Hello, Freddy. I want to apologize face-to-face for my failure to put a stop to the army’s interference. I’m very sorry.”
I tried to stand up, but Colleen put a hand on my shoulder and said, “He’s weak, Madam President. If he stands up right now, there’s a good chance he’d fall right back down.”
I put my hand out and said to the president, “Still friends?”
She happily took my hand. “Still friends and hopefully always will be. As you know by now, this is Melanie Orgonna, and she’s a telepath. Freddy, when you showed us your ability to read minds, the government started looking really close at how they could protect me.”
“I would never harm you.”
“Not protection from you, Freddy. With you, we were very lucky. We had a kind, morally stable American who wants nothing more than to invent and build. This is a quote from the FBI report I received on you: ‘A kind kid who would never harm anyone intentionally.’ Think, though—what if it was a spy? What if the telepath was from a hostile country, or what if he or she had no morals regarding scanning my mind? This country would be in deep trouble. The FBI had no solution until you gave us one.”
“Me?”
“That’s right. When you came to see me the last time, you said that I should have my own telepath to help me know when someone was lying to me.”
“I remember that very clearly. It was just after the meeting with those congressmen. They lied a lot.”
“Yes, they did, but because you were there, they had to tell the truth—and every bit of it. That saved us a lot of trouble and made honest men of them all—for at least a little while. The FBI decided to find someone with this capability, so they did a nationwide search. Freddy, you wouldn’t believe how many people can receive or transmit using telepathy.”
“Being a telepath, yes, I would.”
“That’s true, but you know that most are not strong enough to actually do anything with it?”
I said, “Most people burn themselves out and can never use it again. When emotions run high, like when telepaths become hurt or come close to dying, those people transmit with everything they have on a wide range. They don’t do it on purpose. They don’t even know they can. It just happens. Others who are especially close to them receive just enough to understand something has happened. I’m sure all of us have heard of people who have known that someone close to them was in trouble, even if that person was across town. Many people have this experience but usually only once with an individual, as the individual burns himself or herself out on that initial burst of sending. That’s why I need to stay away from big cities as much as possible. My shields tend to come down a little when I sleep and relax. Each time they burn themselves out, I hear it and wake up. It drives me nuts.”
She smiled. “That’s exactly how we found most of our candidates to be. We looked for people who complained that they were hearing things. We put some of them together and found out that a few could talk with each other telepathically. Some could only receive, and some could only transmit. On that initial search we found only three who could do both. We were too late for all three of them, as they were already insane.
“The FBI started looking into children then. Over the last six months, we’ve found hundreds of children who have potential. Melanie, here, is the best and most stable. Freddy, she has already pointed out several people who are telepaths who were spying on us. We’ve been using her to clean up this issue. I take her with me to most meetings. She is still underage, and there is a protection group that is monitoring us very closely to ensure we don’t take advantage of her or any of the children. They stay with their parents whenever possible, and now that we know what to do, we’re doing things to ensure they don’t go insane also. These kids are a national resource, and we need them desperately, now that we know that other countries are doing the same thing and using them as spies.”
Katie came in and put an arm around her niece. They were talking mentally, bringing each other up-to-date.
The president continued. “One of the things that Melanie brought up was just what you said. The city is no place for a child telepath to live. We’ve moved many of them and their families out to the country, at the government’s expense.” She looked at the generals. “However, I’m being rude by continuing this conversation. We can talk about this later. Right now, I’d like you to meet Chief of Operations General Alan Slaven. He is the top rank in the army.”
I looked at him coldly with eyes narrowed.
“Dr. Anderson,” he said. “I am truly sorry that in the past I have not been able to maintain cooperation in my ranks. Please be assured that steps have been taken to ensure that this will not happen again.”
“I like that, sir, and I like your use of the word ‘I’ versus ‘they,’ which means that you’re taking responsibility for what has happened. That makes me feel like the problem may be over. I hope it is and will treat it as such, but please understand that you’re going to have to earn my trust.”
“I understand, and I think I would feel the same way, Dr. Anderson. Let me introduce you to my second in command, General Raff Tankman. He and his family have been in the army for seven generations.”
I looked at him. “You poor man. You have my sympathy.”
Susan smiled inside but said, “Freddy, don’t be
discourteous.”
I bowed my head and said, “I’m sorry, General. It was just such a good setup line, and I couldn’t help myself.”
The general smiled at the commander. “Well, sometimes I feel the same way. It’s difficult to live up to the expectations of others when your family history is full of heroes.”
The president said, “This is Fleet Admiral Martin Pinn.”
I put out my hand. “Nice to meet you, sir. Do you think I could talk you into helping the commander find some really great pilots? I need some with very quick reflexes who can work in three-dimensional situations with no gravity. We’re going to need a large complement of people to run my destroyer and all the toys that go with it.”
“Nice to finally meet you too, Dr. Anderson. Yes, I’ll help in any way I can.”
“Great! I’ll show you what I mean.” I tried to get up, but my legs were still wobbly.
Colleen guided me back down onto the chair. “It can wait until you’re better. Calm down, Freddy. Stop getting excited. The admiral can wait until tomorrow to see your toys. You can discuss them with him tonight after dinner, if you want, but you won’t be going outside to do anything until I think you can stand up on your own.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I saw the commander flash Colleen a sign. Colleen helped me stand and said, “It will be time for dinner soon, so let’s go wash up. You didn’t get behind your ears very well, and I need you to concentrate on slowly finishing that Kool-Aid.”
I put my arm around her waist and said, “I’ll be right back. It was very nice meeting all of you.”
Once I was upstairs, the conversation changed. The commander started off. “Admiral, Freddy’s very easy to get along with and loves to show people his ‘toys.’ The problem is that he doesn’t know when to stop. I’m sorry.”
