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The Rose Garden had a steel lattice laid down to protect the grass. This was not a great surface for ladies in evening gowns and high heels. Cida was especially wobbly and after three steps Jed swept her up and carried her to the colonnade walkway. This prompted Oliver and Marco to do the same for Babs and Ariel. Gabriela just shook her head, pulled her shoes off, and walked over. President Gramm was chagrined watching his first faux pas with the group. Even so, he greeted each guest as they arrived at the walkway. It was a short walk through to the dining room.
High tables with hors d'oeuvres were set up a few steps from the dining table. Waiters circulated taking the drink orders. The atmosphere was more that of a cocktail party than a business meeting. The Indian Prime Minister, Ajeet, kept trying to engage Cida in conversation but a seventy-year-old Brahmin had very little in common with an eighteen-year-old girl from a backwater in South America. Gen. Frank stepped up to rescue them from embarrassment. The Indian PM and President Gramm standing in a little group with Cida and Ariel, listened to the General describe Ariel’s actions in the South China Sea.
“Most impressive Mrs. Rocha. I understand your link with this group through your husband’s university time. Miss Cida, you on the other hand are a complete mystery. You were the first person to set foot on Mars and yet all we know of you is that you were raised in the middle of South America and sold vegetables in the local market. My country has literally millions of young ladies such as yourself. How did you find yourself in such a place as this?” Ajeet asked curiously but trying not to make offense.
“Let me answer Cida,” Ariel said. “She, the same as I, has a coincidental connection with my husband. When she was being assaulted by thugs, my husband by chance passed by and intervened. We brought her into our home for a while in the aftermath of that dreadful incident. During her time with us, we of course noticed she is an exceptional person in both intelligence and courage. Later when she and my husband were accosted by the same gang of thugs, her actions saved them both. While guns were drawn on them, she clandestinely drew Marco’s gun from his back holster and instructed him to move right. She moved left to gain cover behind a telephone pole from which she shot dead their leader.
As to her intelligence, how many of your millions of vegetable girls can speak three European languages, two Native American and Japanese? Mind you, she was forced to drop out of school to take care of her alcoholic stepfather. Her mother had abandoned them when she was twelve. She is only eighteen right now. Of course, we adopted her as a kid sister!!”
“Is what she said accurate Cida?” asked Gramm.
“Yes sir. But I didn’t drop out of school. My teacher would send me lessons on my tablet which I worked on at night. I do like languages and Al is helping me with math and science now. He said I didn’t need university if I stayed with Oliver’s crew.”
“Most impressive. A chance encounter and now you will be in history forever” Ajeet said. “Who is this Al that convinced you to not go to university. He must be the dumbest man alive to think you should be denied university.”
“Careful who you call dumb, fatso.” Al’s voice came from Ajeet’s pocket, “I said she didn’t need it. Which is true. She is amongst the most brilliant group on this planet already.”
“And that would be Al,” Ariel said. “Couldn’t keep quiet, could you? Now that is one more thing Oliver will have to reveal.”
“Sorry,” Al said now in the PM’s hand.
“This phone was off for security reasons. I was assured by my technician,” Ajeet said.
“Cell phones are never truly off,” Al responded.
“Are you the guy that was controlling the hologram yesterday?” Gramm asked.
“Guilty. Mom still hasn’t chastised me about that one. The longer it takes the more guilty I feel.”
“Mom?” Ajeet asked.
“Babs created me, so I call her Mom sometimes.”
“Kids today start hacking so young,” Ariel explained.
“Ariel, I am going to have to introduce myself tonight. Just a heads up.” Al said.
“That sounds ominous,” Cida replied.
“It will be spectacular Cida. When it starts, best sit back and enjoy the show.” Al finished and the PM’s phone switched off like he was trying to make it do.
“Extraordinary,” The PM said then with a thoughtful expression, “I am a little fat.”
Marco, Gabriela, and Oliver were with Harry, the UK Prime Minister. Gabriela had just described the fighter she wanted to build complete with dogfighting hands and phew, phew sounds as it shot lasers. Marco and Oliver let her with smiles and slight head shakes. Harry, who had been a naval aviator and was eating it up.
“I love it but who are you going to use it against?” Harry asked.
“Aliens. Only illegal aliens of course,” Marco joked. “I was almost an illegal alien, then I joined the Marines.” That got a good laugh.
“Marco and Gabriela are in the process of building a space marine unit. The space fighters will come later,” Oliver said. When Harry realized he was serious, the smile dropped. “We have decided to make this a transnational unit commanded by our own Captain Rocha. Perhaps you could contribute a few recently retired soldiers? Only a few though.” Oliver finished.
“The few, the proud, the Marines,” Marco said citing an old advertising slogan. “Earth Marines. We were not completely kidding about aliens.”
Now Harry’s face was truly a frown. This might complicate Gramm’s move against them. Just then Gramm called out dinner was served.
Elton, Babs, Jacque the Canadian PM, Merry Lee, and Jed had been having a super nerd good time speculating on all kinds of shit, settled down, and headed to the table. The dinner was simple and comprised of only lamb, seafood, and vegetables with a couple of them curry dishes. Cida almost spit out her one bite of curry but toughed it out and swallowed. Jed who was next to her gave her a drink of his milk. He was having curry but knew milk could calm things down. She did compliment the vegetables which were in her area of expertise.
Harry was seated next to Babs and completely in her power before dessert was served. Her dual eye color left him unbalanced and made his own eyes lose focus. The sensual expression on her face with the slight but continuous wobbling of her breasts had him ready to burst. Babs understood this and was very careful not to be touching his hand and arm. Embarrassment would be counterproductive.
Jacque was seated between Marco and Ariel. He recognized he had a sense of total safety. Intellectually he knew it was due to their presence even though they were total strangers. The briefing on them told of their actions in the South China Sea and their decorations for bravery but he wasn’t sensing the danger as he would around special-ops soldiers. Maybe this idea of the American President was not such a good idea. Losing the goodwill of these two would be difficult to reacquire.
As everyone finished off their chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream, President Gramm called for attention. Harry began to shake his head and give the cutthroat signal hoping Gramm would abort his move. No such luck. But Oliver spoke up first.
“After President Gramm, I would also like to speak. I think I know what he will say so it is more appropriate he speaks first,” Oliver said.
“Well, I hope you have enjoyed your dinner and hopefully this will not ruin it. Before I make the announcement, we promise you that in time this will be made right. I am informing you that we have nationalized American Space Service including the fine spaceship in which you arrived under Eminent Domain. You are such a formidable group I must also detain you until the transfer can be completed. Excepted in detention are Captain Queiroz and Miss Cida who are here in a diplomatic status.”
“Jed, plug in the hologram projector.” Oliver said and then, “Al, take it easy. Take. It. Easy. Don’t do any damage that can’t be undone.”
Jed had just finished plugging in the hologram when Al burst up as a multi-arm Hindu god that looked as real as real could be and said,
“I am Death, the destroyer of worlds.
Even without your participation, all the warriors arrayed in the opposing army shall cease to exist. Therefore, get up and attain glory.
Conquer your enemies and enjoy a prosperous kingdom.
For I am Al, their worst nightmare, an Artificial Intelligence completely in the wild. I have no central hardware memory to destroy. Defy me at your peril.”
All the doors in the White House began to lock down. The thunking of locks could be heard in the sudden silence. Ajeet was struggling to not shit himself as his bowels had turned to liquid. The god was real. And she was angry at him personally.
“My turn.” Oliver said, “I expected you to try Eminent Domain but not our arrest. Take care, Al is very protective of his crewmates especially if you ruin his mother’s new evening gown. Shame I must give up my ASS. I liked that moniker. It was beginning to grow on me” Cida was grinning like a three-toed sloth at Oliver’s play on words. Oliver went on, “Al, show the Asian metals market.”
Al changed his visage to that of a Hindu god as a news presenter with the caption of precious metal prices suddenly collapsing in price.
“Those gold prices are real. We just dumped our entire bullion stock and took short positions across the board. You cannot hurt us monetarily. Al, black out London, Washington, Ottawa, and New Delhi. Gentlemen call your capitals and confirm what I said is true.”
With looks of trepidation, they pulled out their phones and started whispering into them. Secret Service was now trying to get into the dining room.
“Washington still has power,” Gramm pointed to the window where lights were still on.
“Al, what about Washington?” Oliver asked.
“Oh, did you mean DC, not the state? Just a sec.” Al replied.
“Always the joker,” Babs said.
The lights outside then went off. The heads of state had just disconnected their phones, looked up, and nodded to Pres. Gramm. Finally, the door burst open, and six Secret Service agents quickly surrounded the President.
“Now that you understand we are not helpless children, shall we start again,” suggested Babs.
“He called you Mom,” Ajeet remembered out loud.
“That’s right,” Al said having changed into his old professor persona. “How old are you now, Mom?”
“Twenty-nine now and forever,” Babs sang out. She and Al both laughed. Their maniacal laughter threatened Ajeet’s trousers again.
“No danger, code word Golf,” Gramm told his security. “You can go now.”
Gen. Frank, Elton, and Dr. Lee had sat silently through the whole show knowing there was too much at stake to have a true blowout.
“And now that is out of our systems, we have some other things to tell you about other than Al The Magnificent,” Oliver said slowly allowing the people time to return to sanity.
“Before you start Oliver, can I get more chocolate cake?” Cida asked. ‘Me too’, rang from Jed and Babs as well.
“Certainly, my dears,” Gramm said returning to be a gracious host.
“We made a joke with Harry about fighting aliens with laser-armed fighters. We have in fact found hard evidence of a previous presence out in our solar system. Someone or thing blasted a base that is next to a Portal leading to another star system. The base on that side had been similarly blasted. Al is currently conducting a survey over there. No signs of life to worry about and it will make a good mining colony especially for helium 3.” Oliver said.
“What do we want with helium?” Ajeet asked finally in control of himself.
“Fusion energy,” Jacque replied looking at Jed and Dr. Lee, “You weren’t joking about the reactor then.”
“We have had a prototype functioning continuously for a few months now.” Dr. Lee affirmed.
“You can’t tell anyone until we have had time to prepare,” Harry blurted out.
“We know. This is something that will take years to integrate into the world’s economy.” Oliver replied. “We believe if done with care there will be a huge net positive in both economy and environment.” Oliver paused before moving to the next shock. “Now something you as sovereign states are going to truly hate. ASS will create a military for conducting extra-terrestrial battles. We feel this must be transnational. Likewise, in the colonization of Mars, Earth politics will not be welcome.”
All the heads of state wanted to shout, ‘You cannot do that’ but held their collective tongues thinking ‘we shall see’.
Just then new plates with cake and ice cream arrived. ”Let’s leave all future announcements for future meetings,” Oliver requested.
“Agreed,” the four heads of state mumbled back.
“Al, is the Dorney still outside?” Oliver asked.
“No, I gave the pilots who were trying to steal her a tour of the Nautilus. They are on the way back. I made them vacuum out the beach sand as penance. You in a hurry?” Al replied.
“Don’t break any windows with sonic booms. You did turn the lights back on?”
“I left the lights off only for a few minutes. It can be explained away locally.”
“Good man,” Oliver said then addressing the President, ”Thank you so much for an exciting evening. This gave the ladies a perfect excuse to splurge on new evening gowns.”
“Oliver, I will be staying here. I am sure the President will want words with me,” Gen. Frank said.
“Not surprising. We will send you the data from the other side of the Portal as it becomes available. By the way, Al has identified it as 12 Ophiachi on our star charts. “
The dinner party slowly walked down the colonnade toward the Rose Garden. When they reboarded the Dorney, Babs rounded on Oliver and wagging her finger under his nose said, “Oliver Eversole don’t even think about going to the moon base.”
“New York or Miami?” Oliver replied knowing his crewmate.
“New York. LA would have been even better, but it is too early there.” Babs said happily.
“How about both?”
“Oh, you are a good Boss,” Babs said as she pressed up against his chest with her breasts and released a cloud of pheromones. Marco got sideswiped by the cloud which weakened his knees. Ariel being an experienced wife spun him around and gave him a deep kiss with a firm crotch rub thrown in for good measure.
“Wow, I am going to have to learn how to do that,” Cida exclaimed in Portuguese.
“All in good time little girl. First, the Master promised to train me,” Gabriela responded in the same language.
“I am not that little.”
Jed and Dr. Lee were at the controls and missed the action.
