by Geoff Wolak
Unlike my original world, China would not receive the electric battery technology, America would, at least for seven years, and Gilchrist made sure that coal-oil was played up, old mines reopened. If he produced enough coal-oil internally, his deficit would look even better.
The weeks rolled on, and looters were still shot, but fewer and fewer each day, Marines from the future placed on rooftops with laser weapons. The streets were slowly reclaimed. The police had a massive task, a task of working through the backlog of cases and claims, hundreds of thousands of bodies to catalogue across the states, most having been murdered. Gilchrist suggested a general amnesty, given what Clayton had done, but the local police and politicians were having none of that. Those citizens known to have killed others, or even killed police and soldiers, would be brought to trial.
Reporters and cameramen returned from 2048 on Gilchrist’s world, my old world, and relayed amazing tales and amazing images, especially from Africa, Russia and China. Some had even journeyed to the Moon base to take snaps. New Kinshasa was shown in detail, its quality of life detailed. And journalists stopped to puzzle Jimmy’s statue, explanations given. But Hal and Hacker had been spotted in the history books, and now questions were being asked. They decided to go public, but had little real choice about it.
‘People of America, voters and citizens,’ Hal began, Hacker at his side. ‘Those reporters travelling to future worlds have come across a story, a story about myself and Senator Jim Lebante, suggesting that we … are time travellers. Well, we are time travellers, and are both well over a hundred years old.
‘We came here many decades ago, knowing what the future of this world would be, and about the Zim invasion. We did not wish that invasion to take place, but we could only act according to our given remits, handed to us, and so we worked in the shadows; preparing, watching, and making ready for when the day came that our associates would arrive.
‘I can confirm that I am quite human, my name is correct, my DNA, I am a US citizen - but that I replaced my younger self after the Vietnam War. Since that time I have lived the life that was requested of me by those we worked for - as we made ready for the war. The timing of the war was critical, and I sent signals to the people from the future at the correct time.
‘We did not set out to benefit from our knowledge of the future, we gave up our lives on another world to spend many decades here working hard behind the scenes, keeping an eye on President Clayton and the Zim; I had to pretend that I liked the bum, all the while knowing what he would end up doing. We … are spies, sent here to watch Clayton, and to call in the others at the right time, but we are also US citizens, and we were elected fairly.
‘Ours has not been an easy task, and it has been a long hard road. We acted as the eyes and ears of the others, and gave reports, reports critical to the war. I have no regrets about what we did, I love my wife and my kids, and I love my country – whether it be here or in another dimension. We would like to stay on doing what we’re doing, and we can bring a great deal of experience to the job; we know what problems this country will face in the future.
‘To the voters of Arizona and Massachusetts … we say this: if you wish us to leave we’ll step down at the next election, but we wish to continue the fight, and we wish to continue to fight for you – the voters. Our futures are in your hands, as they should be.’
An opinion poll, taken a few days later, suggested that only thirty percent of those voters were in favour of the impostors. A nudge would be needed. Jimmy read the detail of what was happening, and formed an idea - or two. Maybe three. Reporters from various agencies were continuously moving back and forth between the worlds now, and Jimmy arranged for many to have a free safari trip around Africa; Kenya, Somalia, the DRC.
They stayed at River View by the sea, River View by the actual river, Mawlini, Mogadishu, and New Kinshasa, all the while amazed by the reverence shown when talking of The Prophet. None could have missed the books detailing Jimmy and the rest of us, and several saw the films of a quiet evening in the bush, little else to do but listen to randy crickets.
Being the curious reporters they were, and sniffing out a good story, the story of the decade - a story that eclipsed the war itself, they probed deeper and got all of the facts. Complete copies of “The Long Voyage: The Jimmy Silo Story” made it back, soon on cable TV of a night, many a news hour dedicated to this unusual tale.
Being a sneaky shit, yet one with a plan, Jimmy released details of the Seether to the press on Clayton’s world, and an account of the battle that took place overhead – the detail previously kept secret. Baldy’s Moon base was described, film shown, and the detail was patched together, the people of America and the wider world soon aware of a three hundred year old time traveller.
Images were leaked of Jimmy addressing the leaders of the linked worlds, Jimmy talking to them like they were children and telling off a few of them. I smiled when I saw which particular selective footage was being seen.
But the greatest effect had been caused by the fact that most US citizens had expected to be killed, and the post-apocalyptic versions of America portrayed in Jimmy’s story touched a nerve, a raw and angry nerve. Time and time again Jimmy’s character tried to fix things, only to see a nuclear war break out, and he always ended an episode by riding across Montana on horseback by himself, a look back as he crossed the Canadian border.
The one odd thing, was that many people watching the TV images of disasters affecting other worlds considered that they would not happen here. After all, this was a different world. Only a small number of people realised that these disasters struck every world in the same way, but that small number were the rich, and the well advised. Building projects in Hawaii were slashed, many properties put on the market.
In some states, and with some cable operators, the full series of films on Jimmy’s life had been shown end to end, and were starting over again, and it was dawning on the US electorate just who was in charge, and who had taken charge during the Zim war. Copies of the Rescue Force Films, The Baardheere Incident, Operation Rwanda, Cassie Come Home, they were all released, closely followed by the key film, that of Hal’s life story. Those opinion polls needed revising upwards afterwards, and were soon being revised every day.
Jimmy had to get his story across first, then Rescue Force, and finally Hal’s part in things. Hal’s credentials were out there for everyone to see, and everyone loved a hero. This all happened at a time when sick relatives were coming back from the edge, where the shops were now full of stocks - prices actually falling, when oil prices were falling, law and order being established, electric cars and buses being tested. Jimmy had a plan and a schedule, and the old master was working the theatrical magic.
The feel-good factor was just about to give the average American citizen an orgasm when Gilchrist announced a visit by Jimmy, scheduled for a few days ahead. Many reporters from this world had, naturally, tried to interview Jimmy, but such requests had not been met; he was an illusive character, and a busy person, always on another world somewhere. That just made the hacks want to interview him all the more, which was what he had hoped for. Timing, was everything.
Gilchrist prepared the lawn at the rear of the damaged White House, stands for the press and dignitaries, security tight, many TV cameras allowed to set-up. By accident, which I laughed at the timing, a computer-generated cartoon of the Battle of Zim was released, and it miraculously found its way to that world first, a very accurate depiction of what had happened and an accurate timeline.
US citizens caught it prime time on many channels, since it was of great interest to everyone, as well as factual. Few had known exactly what had happened during the news blackouts, and there was a great thirst for the full story. I sat and saw the film with Susan, who was still nagging about the danger I had been in, and when I saw the cartoon craft shooting through the atmosphere at great speed and into space I realised how much danger I had been in – and what I had put Susan through.
The film showed the countdown to intercept by the Zim, the appearance of Toby, then of Selemba, finally of the Seethan High Guard, the tension palpable. Watching it, I was tense, and I had damn well been there. It was an action movie, many stealth craft shooting up others, and finished with Lobster’s Rifles roaring down a hill to attack the Zim, wounded soldiers seen limping home, the dead carried back in body bags.
Hardly anyone in the States had failed to see the film – which would have out-grossed Star Wars if it had been shown in the cinemas, and now they all knew what had happened, it was out in the open.
On the big day, people stood lined up ready on the White House lawn, the sky thankfully free of rain, Gilchrist standing alongside Hal and Hacker, his team behind. Foreign news crews had been let in, a very long line of TV cameras waiting, a square made up of US Marines from the future.
Gilchrist checked his watch, and waited for a portal to open. Jimmy had other plans. As the press and dignitaries stood there, the temperature dropped slightly and the ground darkened, most figuring that clouds had moved across. But it soon became apparent that the sun itself had dimmed, an eclipse beginning.
Gilchrist turned to an aide with a puzzled frown. ‘We expecting a solar eclipse?’
‘No, Mister President.’
People peered upwards, soon registering a dull rumble, which became a growl, tremors felt through feet.
Gilchrist turned to Hal. ‘I have a feeling … that the showman is about to arrive.’
Hal hid is grin, badly.
The roar increased, and the sun darkened. The sun suddenly came back to full strength, people blinking, the roar ended and a new sound took over, that of high speed craft whistling through the air. Our craft were silent, and deliberately so, so this had to be deliberate.
Fingers were pointed, a diamond formation of orbital craft appearing, standard sized and baby craft alike, almost fifty of them. The diamond formation whistled past, broke-up and formed a square in an instant, and circled around, morphing into an arrowhead, followed by a representation of a fighter jet. Several craft broke away as the rest suddenly disappeared, smoke turned on; red, white and blue. They fell down to Earth as if peeling an orange, passed each other at little more than a hundred feet over the White House lawn, and spiralled upwards wrapping their smoke trails around each other like courting insects.
The main body reappeared, now in a line, smoke turned on. When the smoke was turned off, and the craft disappeared again, a huge Stars and Stripes was left hanging in the sky. Hal and Gilchrist exchanged looks.
From the south, what appeared to be an old B17 bomber approached, but was actually our craft in tight formation. Hal and Hacker laughed, pointing. The B17 dropped a bomb, and it actually looked like a bomb, bulbous and green. It whistled as it fell to Earth, getting louder, but disappeared at the last moment, Gilchrist and many others now laughing. A few reporters picked themselves up from the dirt, feeling silly.
Next, a giant stork carrying a bundle appeared, the bundle dropped, but that bundle morphed into the Seethan ship from the future we had travelled aboard during the battle. It slowly descended, and finally landed. Seethan crewmen stepped out in blue coveralls, followed by Jimmy stepping down in a suit. He stepped across to Gilchrist and shook his hand, Gilchrist still smiling, before shaking hands with an amused Hal and Hacker.
Gilchrist introduced his team, and Jimmy worked his way along the line asking questions, meeting many of the interim government members. Finally, Jimmy took the podium and faced the bank of cameras.
‘People of America, President Gilchrist, thank you for inviting me to visit – I hope you enjoyed the show. This is not my first visit to this country, but it is my first visit at a time when the people of this country are smiling, are well fed, and are secure – something that we are all thankful for.
‘My first visit here was made in orbit, and I understand you’ve been piecing together what went on. What did go on may be a shock for many of you, and many of you will – quite rightly – be concerned about how close you came to an uncertain future; I had a plan, but there were no guarantees. But you can be certain that I and my team would have died fighting for you. You may be on another world, but we are all part of the same human family.
‘And you see the pilots behind me, the ones that look like aliens? Well, they’re part of that family too. They were created in a lab, by humans, by mixing human DNA with fish DNA. They look very different to us, but so do many of those watching this broadcast. Chinese, Japanese, blacks, Red Indians; they all look different, but where I come from we’ve learn to look beyond the skin.
‘And as some of you have been piecing together … these funny looking fish people, the Seethans, fought in the skies above you recently. They didn’t know you, but they fought for you, because you and they are a branch of mankind; the Zim are not part of that family. What you have also been piecing together, is that Queen Selemba fought in that battle, as well as a group called the Seethan High Guard. That group are from a time well into the future, descendents of Queen Selemba, who was raised by us.
‘People of America, some time ago I discovered a dead human world, and on it I found the emerging Seethan population. They had basic technology, but they were surviving and progressing, and they seemed to be on a path of advancement. I decided not to unwind that world, but to allow this new species to flourish – with a little help from us.
‘A few short weeks ago, that species returned to those who had taken pity on them, and to those who had nurtured them, and stood ready to save us from attack. Without them, we might not be here talking about it.
‘On this world, and on many worlds, the continent of Africa was neglected. I took pity on Africa on many worlds, and I nurtured that continent, until the people of Africa reached their true potential, and became an economic super-power in their own right. On our linked worlds … Africa is rich, peaceful, and secure. Education standards are very high, employment good, the streets clean and safe.
‘People of America, most of the ships that fought in the battle high over this land were made in Africa, by African workers, designed by African scientists. And the brave soldiers who attacked the Zim on the ground were all African Rifles, many killed during the fighting.
‘There are many different peoples and races in this country and on this world, that just need a helping hand to reach their full potential, as the infant state of America eventually reached its full potential – a late starter compared to many of the developed nations of this world. And that late starter was founded by immigrants from many nations, not just by white folk from Britain and Ireland.
‘Your strength … came from your diversity, but how has that diversity evolved? You have black neighbourhoods, rich white neighbourhoods, Hispanic neighbourhoods, and this recent crisis demonstrated very well just how you don’t get along with your neighbours when things get tough, and how much you distrust you own politicians and your own political system.
‘Your political system, and your President, led you to towards ruin, and that President sent ships to another world - populated by humans – and tried to end all life on that world, a genocide beyond belief.
‘Voters of America, your elected President tried to kill six billion people, including everyone in America on that particular world, a stain that will remain with you, and your political system, for a long time. On the world where we discovered the Seether, all human life had been wiped out by a flu virus, a virus developed by the CIA in a lab. Perhaps now … is a good time to take a long hard look at yourselves, and where you’re going.
‘But despite what your President did, and tried to do, we don’t hold the people to account, and we’re here to help. Likewise, we don’t hold the Zim species to account for its leaders, or the actions of some, and we will develop peaceful relations with them. Your war with Japan ended with you winning, but you did not exterminate the Japanese race, and now the Japanese are prosperous and peace-loving – after benefiting from your assist
ance after the war.
‘Citizens of America, you came close, very close, to losing everything, because your political system allowed it. Your President lied to you, but there was no way to challenge him, and your constitution allowed for states of emergency, and a clampdown on the press. That … will change. President Gilchrist is a man that has already proven himself for two terms on another world, and he will watch over you as your system is reformed, the hope being that this could never happen again.
‘Lobbyists will be banned, donations limited and monitored, your elected officials watched like hawks for bribes and for conspiracy. If you have a problem with that, just think about what President Clayton did, and how scared you felt not knowing if you could feed your family next week, or if you would be dead next week.
‘Never again must a US President be allowed to act the way he did, and you can be sure that if one comes around I’ll be back, because this is not just about you. Your President tried to kill me when he realised that I was trying to stop his activities on other worlds, and he tried to kill an entire world.
‘People of America, before we found out about the Zim working with President Clayton, the other worlds were making ready to make war on you, to bomb your cities and destroy your military in retaliation for what Clayton was doing without your knowledge. You all now know what weapons I have at my disposal, and what forces. Those forces may well have been aimed at you, here. Never again must that situation be allowed to develop.
‘So we will be making a few changes, and we will be keeping an eye on you, and we will be helping, because we don’t want to repeat this twenty years down the road. President Gilchrist will alter your system until such time as you – the people – are confident about your federal government, and confident about your President, and confident that no one is fooling you or lying to you. When that day comes, we can leave.
