by Clyde Key
* * *
Everett Lane was at the Kingman Army Base when he took the president’s call. An aide summoned him to the conference room with the large wallscreen, and President Litton’s weary face already stared down at him.
“Are you alone?” asked Litton. “I want this to be a private conference.”
“We will be in just a moment.” Lane waved the aide away, and when the door was closed, he spoke, “Yes, Ms. President?”
“I’m thinking of another reorganization, and I don’t want it to come out wrong. I also don’t want to give the wrong impressions to anybody. I want your carefully considered advice before I do anything because I believe your thinking is probably more like my own than anybody else’s.”
“I hope so, Ms. President.”
“Before I do anything, I want to know how Colonel Halloran is doing. Have you heard from him?”
“Yes, Ms. President. Ed—the Colonel—is doing surprisingly well. They really have some amazing medicines today. Ed had an injection as soon as he came back into Kingman yesterday and his heart started healing immediately. His doctor says he is actually in better health now than before the heart attack.”
“That’s great! But is he able to come back to work any time soon?”
“I’m not sure about that. Ed says he feels good and wants to come back right now, but the doctor wants him to stay off a few more days if there is any chance of excessive stress.”
“I’m happy to hear that—at least the part about staying out of action, I mean—because it will make it easier to do what I have to do.”
“Which is?” Lane’s eyebrows arched.
“Which is that I want somebody in control who will be willing to walk the middle. Everybody except you and me holds extreme views. Halloran doesn’t trust any aliens and Sisk believes they are wonderful but misunderstood. Either view may be the most accurate, but I expect the truth will be somewhere in between. I think I want you in control, Mr. Lane.”
“In control of what, Ms. President? The army or AABC?”
“Of both, Lane. I’m going to create a new cabinet position for alien affairs. Halloran will report to you and so will Sisk. Will you agree to take the job?”
“Of course, I will,” said Lane. “How do you want to break the news to Ed and Arlene?”
“I’ll take care of telling them. I want you to get started figuring how to deal with Congress.”
