by Geoff Wolak
I glanced at Susan. ‘I wasn’t planning on being there, no. But, I think I should be; it’s my show, and my responsibility. Besides, I think Dark Star will get stroppy, and take chunks out of their arses.’
‘He’s programmed to defend us, to the bitter end,’ Tony said with a grin. ‘But Mobius is better. That computer made a real difference.’
‘The skill-matching computer,’ I said.
Tony nodded. ‘If you had some spare time, it could find you something to do, never a wasted resource. Fricking brilliant that thing.’
‘And your plans?’ Susan broached.
‘Take a break, go see the boys at Trophy, down a few beers.’
‘And your daughter?’ Susan nudged.
‘Is a tough old boot.’ He faced me. ‘She makes what you told me about Shelly seem like fun parenting! She’s more sensible than me, she remembers more than me, and she swears at me in five languages.’
‘I know that feeling,’ I quipped. ‘You eaten?’
‘No, so get some food on and spoil your wandering son.’
We spoke at length, the boys brought out and played with on the rug in front of the fire.
In bed with Susan, I said, ‘He raised a girl. Our lad … raised a girl, and did a good job.’
‘Five languages. She may be gifted.’
I reached for a data-pad. ‘Computer, find images of Toby Holton with adopted daughter Kuku.’
It took a few seconds, but up came a few images, Toby carrying a girl on his back, the girl appearing to be around six years old in the image. Another showed them fishing, a few taken at the zoo in New Kinshasa.’
Susan started crying, and I put my arm around her. ‘We missed all that,’ she sobbed.
‘Hey, he made a difference, and I’m proud of him for sticking at it. And raising a child at the same time.’
‘He’ll be forty six next birthday.’
‘That does sound old. Makes us seem old.’
Our twin girls arrived back from college the next day, something of a party held, the boys excited - and spoilt by everyone. It was good to have the girls back, and I remembered the happy times in San Diego, hot summer days that seemed like a hundred years ago, young Mary swimming down to fetch nickels.
As I was celebrating, the islands that made up The Azores on Seether were being invaded - by Navy volunteers from many worlds. Weapons instructors, fitness instructors, technicians, they all stepped through to the serene mid-Atlantic islands. Trucks carried across new scanners – with which to check the enlisted men and local people, as well as new aerial scanners and missiles. US Marines stepped through with laser rifles, old and new style, and were soon demonstrating them. The islands were alive with activity, men running every which way, stores being moved around, kit issued.
Just to wake them up, Slumber’s old ship made a fly by, scaring the crap out of most of the people that saw it. A few shots were fired up at it. It landed outside the Admiral’s HQ, on the grass, the hatch popped as guards stood around not knowing what to do. And out stepped a young Seethan pilot in a flight suit. He approached a stunned line of officers, including Forrestor, straightened, clicked his heels together and formally saluted.
‘Pilot Jim Williams, reporting as directed,’ he said with a New Kinshasa accent, a slow Creole lilt. ‘Ship is available for drills, sir. Your orders?’
Still a bit shocked, the Admiral saluted back, his officers exchanging uneasy glances. ‘You’re … a Seethan, yes?’
‘Yes, sir, but raised by humans, and security cleared.’
‘And … this ship of yours, it … flies in space?’
‘I’ve just returned from a sweep of the Gravity Well, sir. Our guests are ahead of schedule; they should be here in twenty two days.’
‘Oh. Does your ship … need fuel?’
‘No, sir, it absorbs the Sun’s rays through the skin. Would you care to look inside, sir?’
‘Lead on.’
‘It’s a tight squeeze, sir, I must warn you now. I’ll go first, crawl to the left after me, sir.’
With Pilot Jim Williams laying on his back, the Admiral peering around a corner whilst lying on his side, a Seethan gave the Admiral the low down on how the ship worked. Back outside, the Admiral assigned two guards to the pilot, and ten to the ship, leading the young Seethan inside for a cold drink. There, a Seethan stood and gave a lecture on what was known about Slumber, his people and their ship, the new scanners, the audience still a little stunned.
‘Excellent report,’ the Admiral offered at the end. ‘You know your stuff, and you present it well.’
‘Thank you, sir. And I’m at your disposal for exercises.’
‘Well, as soon as we’re ready, we’ll practise trying to spot that ship. In the meantime, take it easy.’
‘I’ll clean out the poop-tubes, sir.’
‘It’s a cramped ship, that’s for sure,’ the Admiral said with a smile. ‘Oh, son, you … met Mister Silo?’
‘No, sir, I was raised on a world that was isolated for a time, so that we could jump ahead. He’s on the world known as 1938-world.’
‘1938 world?’
‘He travelled back to 1920 on that world, and got the British and American armies ready to defeat the Germans and Japanese.’
‘We beat … the Germans and Japanese,’ the Admiral puzzled.
‘On some worlds, sir, the Allies lost, or fought to a stalemate; Mister Silo made sure that they won on 1938-world. On one of our linked worlds, a stalemate was achieved, and by 1984 the Japanese, Americans and Germans were all nuclear armed, with Germany dominating Europe. Mister Silo negotiated the peace there, sir.’
‘And … many of your people follow his advice?’ the Admiral broached.
‘On many worlds, sir, if you insulted him you’d be killed in the street. Have you not read his story?’
‘No, is it … available?’
‘I studied his life as part of my degree, to balance astrophysics and maths. I could give you and your officers a lecture on him if you like.’
And for the next three days, the young Seethan pilot gave a detailed account of Jimmy’s life, and journey, all three hundred years or so, the Admiral fascinated.
On the fourth day, US Marines burst forth at the airport, an escort for Jimmy. A bus was hastily arranged, and the Admiral was notified that Jimmy had arrived unannounced. Forrestor called his senior officers together, and they met the bus in a line. Stepping down, Jimmy shook the Admirals hand, soon being led inside, cold drinks offered.
‘We weren’t expecting you,’ the Admiral stated as he poured Jimmy a drink.
‘I figured I’d check on defences.’
‘You like to lead from the front.’
‘I don’t value my own life,’ Jimmy said dismissively. They sat and squared up to each other. ‘My secondary reason for visiting … is to discuss your future, since it’s not a clear path, nor a clear choice. You can’t stay here forever, and there are a few human communities that feel you should … be made to toe the line. A few Admirals of that opinion as well.’
‘And your … opinion?’
‘You’re out of touch with the rest of mankind, who are far more … liberal, with the exception of the country known as Texas.’
‘Texas?’
‘On one world, a post-apocalyptic world, Texas survived the war and has rebuilt, and now runs most of America. They enforce bible studies, they don’t like blacks or Asians, and they flog the parents of errant children – in the street and naked.’
‘Oh. And … you feel that we’re birds of a feather.’
‘You are.’ The Admiral blinked. Jimmy continued, ‘And you have a need for a home with a large population and a system of governance. And Texas, they badly want a navy. You see, the eastern seaboard of the States there is lawless, cannibals walking around, as well as dangerous militias. A navy would help quell it, and bring the cannibals and militias into line. That would mean sailing around to those locations, storming ashore, as well as
capturing surface vessels.
‘Texas could easily absorb you all, pay a wage, and give you a purpose. That purpose, gentlemen, would be to rebuild America, and make her great again – a twenty year project, twenty years of very hard work. You’ll lose men, but what price are you willing to pay … to reclaim America from chaos?’
‘Seems like a potential opportunity,’ the Admiral noted, nodding to himself. ‘But you’re already giving us plenty of help and supplies right here.’
‘Here is OK for twenty years, but I know how this world turns out, and … you don’t want to be here after that.’
The Admiral took a moment to digest that. ‘Oh. And … Texas has ships?’
‘They have ships, access to more just sat around rusting, many more. They also have helicopters, jets, transports, and Marines.’
‘And if we didn’t decide in time, would the decision … be made for us?’
‘It would,’ Jimmy sternly stated.
‘I see. You know, we’ve been having lessons on your life story, since I figured we’d meet sooner or later, and have this chat. Unfortunately, you hold all of the cards, and we hold squat.’
‘You have a Navy, and skills, and … pride and discipline. You have something to sell, and that’s the cohesion of your team. Texas will take you, and you’ll have a purpose, a noble purpose, and … you’ll be doing the job you’re supposed to be doing - and working for America. Right now you’re all AWOL.’
The Admiral stiffened, but resisted responding. After a moment, he said, ‘Would you … like to look around?’
‘At some point, yes. In the meantime, you, sir, pack a bag, along with a few officers, and we’ll go have a quick look at Texas.’
‘Go … have a look?’
‘A twenty-four hour trip, all quick and painless.’ Jimmy stood. And waited.
The Admiral and his officers eased up, and after a moment Forrestor named three men, bags to be quickly packed. Half an hour later, Jimmy was stood waiting at the portal as the Admiral and his team turned up in formal Navy “whites”, bags carried. They stared at the portal, unsure of themselves, and peered through at the people visible the other side, but soon followed Jimmy through.
‘You’re now on another world,’ Jimmy announced as they stepped past technicians.
Out of the prefab building they found themselves in, the naval officers stepped onto a similar airfield – only now overcast and windy, a large military transport jet sat waiting, its engines whining. A Texas Navy captain saluted, and arranged for the bags to be carried. Forrestor and his team were soon staring out of the windows like tourists as the jet climbed, surprised to find toilets and showers available, and four hours later they landed in sunshine in Houston.
Their hosts had organised an honour guard at the airfield, a quick inspection made, the Admiral soon sat staring out of a bus at clean streets, cars and buses, people walking along the pavements – people just out shopping.
He faced Jimmy. ‘You know, I this is my first experience of civilisation, I was born on the Azores to a naval father.’
‘The Azores are not too bad, compared to many places,’ Jimmy replied. ‘Rest of mankind on your world went cannibal.’
At Navy HQ, Houston, they stepped down from the bus to another honour guard, met by President Ted Samuels and his team.
Forrestor saluted. ‘Mister President.’
‘Please, come on inside,’ Samuels offered in his Texan drawl. In a cool and darkened conference room they settled about a large table, a highly polished table, many pictures of former US Navy warships adorning the walls.
‘We’re kindof at a loss as to why we’re here, although we know what Mister Silo has suggested,’ Forrestor began.
‘You’re here,’ Samuels began, ‘because you and your fine men are sat on a holiday island getting a tan … whilst there’s work to be done.’
Forrestor stiffened. ‘If there had been alternatives for us … we would have taken them. But we’ve maintained discipline and structures, law and order, and we’ve maintained our Navy traditions.’
‘And from what Mister Silo says, you’ve done well,’ Samuels noted. ‘Rest of the people on that planet all live in caves. They … gave up! And since you’ve stuck to your principals, we’re talking, and we have a need for men like you.’
He handed over a map. ‘That’s where our influence extends. As you can see, most of the east coast is not … under our influence, it’s the domain of savages and militias, and we lose a heck of a lot of men trying to clean it up. Mister Silo’s suggestion … is that an enlarged Navy would take the coastal areas, and work inwards, helicopter assaults. And the fact is - getting to some of those areas is only achievable by ship.’
‘And would all of my men receive a job offer?’
‘Can’t rightly promise that they’ll all get to sea, and in the same positions, since we need to fix a few ships first.’
‘We’re very good at fixing old ships,’ Forrestor said with a smile. ‘We’ve had … quite some practise.’
‘I reckon so,’ Samuels agreed, everyone laughing.
After a working lunch, Samuels showed Forrestor around Houston, followed by a quick aerial tour of other cities, Dallas having been destroyed in the war. That evening, they all enjoyed a formal state dinner, and in the morning Forrestor and his team visited the existing Texas Navy, what it was, reviewing a few ships – ships already known to Forrestor and his officers.
Whilst Forrestor and his officers were inspecting ships, Jimmy sat with Samuels for a quiet one to one. Jimmy began, ‘We need to discuss your future.’
‘My future, or the future of this nation?’
‘The nation, but they are one and the same thing – since it’s a dictatorship.’
‘I have it on good authority … that someone once said: a good dictator is far better than a weak democracy.’
Jimmy smiled. ‘I heard that as well, and I agree with it, which is why you’ve had so much support. But, there’ll come a time when the east is pacified and this country whole again, and that may be five to ten years from now, less with a little help.’
‘And when the nation is whole again…?’ Samuels nudged.
‘Then your fellow Americans, off-world, would want to see a weak democracy here, not a good dictatorship. Since they’ve been supporting you … they’d have a case.’
Samuels took a moment. ‘And your position?’
‘I like good dictators, but … the other American presidents are in the majority, and you would be an isolated example.’
‘Chinese and Russians here are de-facto dictatorships,’ Samuels pointed out.
‘But we expect them to be. We don’t expect The West’s leading example of democracy to be … not a democracy.’
‘Is there a way around States and Congressmen and Senators? Because we’d get nothing done. We’d go back to the old ways or party politics and corruption.’
‘True, very true. So, you’d need to find a way of maintaining a tight control, whilst appearing democratic. Why not … allow state representatives, but pay them a good salary – whilst outlawing any outside interests. Their income would be from one source only, and you’d enforce a death penalty for taking bribes. You could then extend that to town and city representatives. And, the first time that someone suggests creating a lobby group and professional lobbyists - you shoot the fucker.’
‘Clean politics, eh. Never been tried in America before,’ Samuels said with a smirk.
‘Democracy is not the issue, it was the way that the old American system developed; a rigid two party system, lobbyists, bribes, and politicians in bed with industry. If you can build the structures as they were supposed to operate - you’d have a decent system. Don’t allow a two party system to develop; politics is more complicated than just left or right.
‘A state representative fights for that state, whilst polling the people of that state first. And if you don’t do it soon, the internet will give you a great deal of grief; let peop
le vote on topics online. I think you’ll find that most of them are even more right-wing than you are.’
‘Seems to me that you have an angle here,’ Samuels floated.
‘If you were to develop a better model of an American system than the other American systems, those others would be … pissed at you.’
Samuels smiled and nodded. ‘That they would.’
On the flight back to the Azores, Jimmy and the Admiral spoke at length, plans made and discussed. The civilians on the Azores would be given a choice of where they would like to settle, and they could even stay on the Islands of the Azores - but on any one of several worlds, if they so wished. Families would be given a choice, but that choice would come a month after the enforced move to Texas. That way, the families could see what Texas had to offer, and may not be so keen to part company with the main group.
Splitting families would be an issue for enlisted men. As such, the enforced move would keep those families together for at least a month, if not three months. After that, very unhappy wives could petition for a move elsewhere.
Jimmy stood and waved as the Admiral stepped back through to his own world, a chaotic world of hurried training.
I headed back to Seether with three weeks to go before D-Day, and assured Susan that Slumber’s people would be toast very quickly. Still, I got a little grief. It was subtle, but it was grief none the less. I also made a mistake. Back at the embassy, I left a picture of myself on the desk, a picture of me, Susan and the two boys. The Seethan minders noticed it a day later, and queried it.
I was in two minds as to what to say. ‘There are a few Seether and Preether on our worlds, and I am raising two with my wife. They are called Klok and Chime.’ The minders sloped off, and I forgot all about it.
The weather improved a little, now just clear and cold, and football practice was back on in earnest. I checked in on all of the teams in turn, and arranged another tournament with a prize, the exact same format as last time, and scheduled it for that following weekend – weather permitting.
On the big day the crowds were again good, and three new teams played, the skill levels rising across the board. The President didn’t bother to come down this time, but many of his cronies did make the short trip, enjoying the free food.
