by Paul Phipps
“Sarah, every single one of our vessels can destroy this planet with ease. We cannot, will not, let that sort of power be accessible to just anyone. To join the Terran Space Navy is a total commitment.” At that point Ansel told her of the length of the enlistment contract, the average age that members of the TSN could expect to live to and all of the other things that being a member entailed. The Truth Verifier that he had placed on the table between them continued to glow blue with his words.
They continued to talk some more and were becoming very comfortable with each other. Eventually it had to end. Ansel held up his hand and said.
“Excuse me, I have a call I need to take care of. Commander Webster/ Comm Mode: “Yes Belle, what is it?”
Belle/ Comm Mode: “Commander we need to depart in the next half an hour to meet your 0900 Eastern appointment with FOX/CNN in New York.”
Commander Webster/ Comm Mode: “Thank you Belle, I’ll rejoin you shortly.”
Ansel returned his attention back to Susan Cavendish, “Sorry about that, Belle was reminding me that I have an appointment for an interview with the media in New York and that we must leave soon to make it on time.”
She smiled at that and then asked. “How long do I have to make my decision about joining the TSN?”
Ansel smiled back, “That is entirely up to you. It is a truly life changing decision. I am trying to come up with a different method that would give the prospective applicant a probationary period of two or maybe even four years before requesting a full enlistment. That probably will end up be the default method in the future, it will give the applicant a longer time period to learn about us and what it entails to become a full member and it will give us the same opportunity to discover the true character of the applicant.
But for the present moment that method isn’t ready or in place, the commitment is a difficult decision especially for those with family who may not meet our requirements.”
Sarah Cavendish just smiled at that. “I have no living family nor did I ever marry, the few men I could have stood to be married to, were already taken by the time I met them. Life hasn’t always been easy but I am still pleased to have lived it the way I did.” The lady in the wheelchair said calmly and without any doubt.
“Will you let me enlist today?” She added with a smile.
Ansel chuckled at that. “Certainly! But don’t you think you should get your affairs in order first?”
Ms. Cavendish smiled sadly and said. “This cottage is a Council Flat, the furnishings are theirs also. All I have are a few clothing items and some mementos. I can be ready to leave in an hour.”
Commander Webster/ Comm Mode: “Belle can we leave in an hour and still make it to New York On time for that Interview?”
Belle/Comm Mode: “Yes, but we will have to do a high speed sub-orbital course instead of the more leisurely one you had asked for earlier.”
Commander Webster/ Comm Mode: “Then that is what we will do. Comanche, are the townsfolk still absorbed in watching Belle?”
Comanche/ Comm Mode: “Most of them are still by the cliff side. There are three news vans with satellite communication capability there now and the local IGD’s are picking up a lot of speculations from the people. None of which is anywhere near correct for your information.”
Ansel grinned and said, “Would you accept my assistance in getting your things?” to Ms. Cavendish.
She in turn smiled impishly, “Certainly, an old lady always appreciates a fine young man to carry things for her.”
* * *
After bringing Ms. Cavendish on board the Belle and having shown her around a bit on their journey across the Atlantic, Ansel brought her to the Med-Center and showed her the Bio-Med Gel-Cell in one of the Sick-Bay treatment rooms.
Once she was told what the treatment room would do for her she gratefully allowed Ansel to assist her into the Gel-Cell.
“Belle, how much longer until we are at the Network building?” Ansel asked as he entered the Bridge.
“We will be arriving in seventeen minutes Commander. Air Traffic Control has been notified of our arrival and that we have no one to pass through customs.” The Belle answered him politely.
“Anyone disagree with your proposed flight plan?” Ansel asked curiously.
“No Commander, at least not yet. Perhaps they don’t have an appreciation for my size yet?” The Belle said mischievously.
“Probably not,” Ansel said with a laugh, “Seriously though, ask for a spot above New York Harbor. I’ll take Comanche over to their studios and do the interview there. The new Mayor would probably appreciate the courtesy of not scaring the populace or causing a traffic mess downtown. At least more of one than usual.” He laughed again.
* * *
“And now tonight on Hardball Redux your Host Sean Davis has as his special guest Commander Ansel Webster of the Terran Space Navy!” The hidden announcer’s voice came from hidden speakers across the stage. The lights came up and there were the two men sitting on the Stage.
“Good Evening Commander Webster.” Mr. Davis started out.
“Good Evening Mr. Davis.” Ansel told him politely. Ansel had placed a truth verifier on the arm of the chair he was sitting in and it was plainly visible to the cameras recording the two men.
“Thank you for coming onto Hardball Redux, I know you are a very busy man so I will make this quick for you. Your briefing and interview with Muammar Ibn Hussad our reporter from the Dubai Bureau was quite amazing and very informative.
It’s been over two weeks as of today since that interview; can you tell us what has been occurring in the IUR?
“In general terms, not all that much, the blockade shield is doing its job admirably. The Iranian populace is going about its daily business, so far rationing of food, fuel and electricity is in effect by the government. There are no protests and there is a sense of calm for the most part.
We have evacuated most of the foreign nationals to the M1 moon base and they are going to be quarantined for at least six months. In fact I believe your network as well as others has conducted many interviews with the evacuees. So you are aware of their situation and the conditions they find themselves in.
The TSN has had only two actions so far involving our search for the Bio-War Weapon known as ‘Shaitan’s Breath’. Both resulted in fairly large portions of the Province of Iran being placed within tighter Blockade shields. We have requested aid from the United States in containing and investigating the one known deliberate dispersion of the ‘Shaitan’s Breath’ Bio-War Weapon. The government of the United States directed the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases to assist in that effort and we are very, very grateful for their assistance.
The second action involved the blockading of the original developmental laboratory and the nearby towns. We have been in contact with the civilian leadership of the towns and have acquiesced to their request to remain in the area. We had only one demand in return and that was to place monitoring devices throughout the sequestered area so as to monitor the populace for a breakout of infection.”
“Excuse me Commander Webster; you are leaving the population in a contaminated zone?” Mr. Davis asked incredulously.
“Yes we are, they were informed of the dangers and that ‘Shaitan’s Breath’ is a universally fatal and untreatable disease. They were told that we would evacuate them to the moon base if they so desired. They decided to stay there; it is the TSN’s position that unless there is a danger to the race as a whole we will leave the people alone to decide their own destinies.
And in this case the developmental laboratory is also shielded and a scan of the surrounding landscape came up negative for spores. So they have an excellent chance of not being infected and of rejoining the IUR in six months or so when we remove the Blockade Shield surrounding their towns.” Ansel answered him.
“Thank you for that clarification, Commander. I have a different question for you, is your vessel over the New York harbo
r the same one that was reported in English airspace earlier this morning?”
“Yes it is, Mr. Davis.” Ansel replied back with a slight smile.
“May I ask what you were doing there?”
“Yes, you may ask, but I’m not going to say why.” Ansel replied with equanimity.
The shows viewers got a shot they had never before seen, Sean Davis opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water. And then the network went to a commercial.
“Welcome back to Hardball Redux with your host Sean Davis.” The announcer’s voice came through the hidden speakers once again.
“Tonight my main guest is Commander Webster of the Terran Space Navy. Now please welcome my next guest Imam Mohammed Muqtader of the New York City Council of Islam. Good Evening to you Imam Muqtader.” Mr. Davis told his guest with a large smile.
“Good Evening Sean, it’s good to be back on your show with you.” The Imam told him.
Ansel studied the Swarthy bearded man with his fat face partially hidden by the beard. The man had piggy eyes that just made Ansel’s skin crawl to look at. All in all Ansel decided that he didn’t like the man and that he was also a very dangerous man to cross.
He watched as Sean Davis and the Imam chatted back and forth amiably and kept a bland face on so as to hide his feelings. Ansel did smile to himself as he watched the truth verifier blink red and blue as the two men continued to talk.
After a few minutes the two men turned their attention to Ansel and started to ask some very pointed questions.
“Commander Webster, why did your organization attack a sovereign nation and an Islamic one at that. Was it because you have a vendetta against Islam?” The Imam snapped suddenly at Ansel.
Ansel started to reply, “The nation of the Iranian Unified Republic was in the process of implementing a plan to kill..
At that point the Imam leaned forward and started to yell at Ansel, “Lies, Lies you attacked them because they were a bastion of Islam and wanted to spread the word of Allah to the world.”
All the while Ansel was watching his truth verifier pulse a bright red at the words of the Imam, finally he picked it up and held it in the palm of his right hand in front of him so that the cameras would have a good shot of it while the Imam was yelling at him.
Once the Imam got through with his accusation, he looked surprised that Ansel wasn’t getting upset or even trying to speak over him. In his experience that was how things were done on television shows like this one. Then he focused on the red pulsing pyramid of the Truth Verifier.
“What is that thing in your hand, Commander Webster, a weapon? Are you threatening to shoot me or commit violence!?”
Ansel smiled and said “Yes, it’s a weapon of sorts. And it’s the best kind to use on people like you. It is a TSN Truth Verifier. When it glows or pulses a blue color it means the speaker is telling the truth. When it pulses a reddish color the speaker is lying.”
The Imam jumped up out of his chair and yelled at Ansel, “Are you calling ME a liar!”
“No, Imam Muqtader I am not calling you a liar, your own words are calling you a liar.” Ansel told him.
And just like that the Imam snapped, He howled, “Allahu Akbar!”, and sprang for Ansel’s throat with his hands outstretched into claws.
Ansel went into Slow-time and watched the man move toward him like he was moving through Molasses. He considered the various things he could do and decided that the best thing would to just get out of the man’s way. And with that decision made, he rose from his chair and side stepped to the right of the charging Imam and out of slow-time.
And watched the Grand Imam slam into the chair and flip over it to crash upon the floor of the studio.
Two burly guards came through the side door of the studio, brought there by the Producer’s quick use of the panic button on her console. They attempted to gather up the Imam, who was having none of that. He swung at them forcing them to take a few steps back and then he turned toward Ansel and screamed. “You will die! I will declare a Fatwa that your death will bring glory to Allah!”
Ansel stood there looking at him with a calm look on his face, and held up the truth Verifier to show that the Imam’s last words had been the truth. “Imam Muqtader, for a religious leader of a religion that calls itself the Religion of Peace, you certainly are a violent and bloodthirsty man.”
With that pronouncement the Imam screamed again and rushed Ansel once more, taking the guards by surprise. Only this time Ansel didn’t get out of the way of the Imam. He waited until the Imam was in striking position and then he grabbed him and placed the Imam over one knee and proceeded to give him a spanking on National Television. Chastising and telling him of all the things he had done wrong just as if the grown man was a child. In only a few minutes the Imam was crying and wailing like a little boy begging for mercy.
Once Ansel was done with the spanking he placed the Imam in the custody of the guards and told them to get him out of there. And they obeyed the command voice of Commander Webster almost to the point of saluting and escorted the crying man out of the studio.
Ansel straightened the sleeves of his uniform and turned to Mr. Davis who was standing open mouthed and staring in disbelief at what he had just witnessed.
“Next time Sean, screen your guests better and if you or they ever attempt to yell or speak over me again then you and your show will be banned. No member of the Terran Space Navy will ever come here or speak to you again. Also I have recorded this entire episode and if you or your network attempt to edit out what has occurred then the raw footage will be placed on the TSN.ORG Website. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes Sir, you are coming through loud and clear, Commander.” Sean Davis said a little bitterly.
“Don’t take it personally, actually I like you and the good work you do. I just find that making things clear at the outset tends to eliminate misunderstanding later on, don’t you agree?” Ansel finished up amiably. And all of the time the truth verifier glowed a cheery blue until he placed it back in its special pocket of his uniform.
Sean Davis nodded his head and said, “Yeah, you’re right, I just don’t like being dictated to, especially on my own stage.”
“Me neither, so let’s agree to cut this part out. I don’t mean to embarrass you at all. In fact I am looking forward to next time, think you could have Sasha Burns as a guest? I loved her dissertation on the roots of the Second Civil War.”
“I’ll see if I can arrange that for you Commander.” Sean’s producer said from off camera.
Ansel stood there for a few minutes and then said, “Tell you what, for your safety and the so called dignity of the Grand Imam let’s not air that portion of the recording. He seems like a very vindictive man and although he can’t touch me, he can hurt you and your network.
Let’s just tell him to straighten up and fly right or his followers and you-tube-max will get a copy of him being spanked.”
Sean Davis smiled a bit at that and said. “Thanks Commander Webster, I appreciate that.”
Ansel then told him, “By my clock you need about twelve more minutes of video. Do you have anyone else to bring on? Or would you prefer to just ask me some more questions?”
“Can you wait a bit? I think John Sparks is in the building. Mind you, he is really critical of the TSN but he is also a fair man and will listen to what you have to say.”
“That’s fine with me. I’ll use my truth verifier so that he knows when I say something I’m not lying to his face. Also please make sure that he knows I will not stand for him interrupting or speaking over me. It’s not courteous and shows contempt for the one being spoken to.” Ansel told him.
As the crew scurried around to find Mr. Sparks, Ansel ambled over to a woman who was off to the side and watching the proceedings. “Excuse me, do you know where I can get a drink of water around here?”
She looked at him bemusedly and said “Sure, follow me.”, and showed him to a side door. After going down the hallw
ay that was outside she led him into a small break room where she pulled out two bottles of water from a refrigerator and sat down at a table expecting Ansel to join her there.
“That was a very impressive display of strength and dexterity with the Grand Imam. How did you do it?” She asked candidly.
Ansel just smiled and said, “Trade secret.”
At which point she laughed, “Good one! Ok then, Commander Webster, why did you ask for an interview today?”
“My staff has been analyzing the various News broadcasts and we believe that some organizations are starting to just make up things out of whole cloth. So we decided to let you ask your questions directly and answer those that we could.”
“What about the questions that you don’t answer?”
“Some I can’t answer because I just don’t know the answer and I won’t make up something that sounds good to the ear but is totally false. Others I won’t answer, because I won’t answer them.”
