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[Various sources. RBB.]
Perfect Okafor was at her desk in the UN building with Ken Hood, the British Prime Minister, when there was a sharp knock on the door and Paula Wilson entered in a state of some excitement.
‘Secretary General, excuse my rushing in, but you need to turn on the news right now!’ she said, backing out of the office and closing the door.
Perfect pressed a button and the large screen on the opposite wall came to life. Ken Hood swivelled his chair to watch. The telephone rang, and she answered it, ‘Yes, okay. No. I’m watching. Stop all my calls until further notice.’
The television was showing a live view of the front of the White House. The commentator spoke, ‘We still don’t have any detailed information as to what’s happening. There are rumours of a terrorist attack. To update you, at nine forty-four this morning, at the West Wing entrance, police arrived, followed by a SWAT team. They disappeared within. Since then we have heard nothing from inside.’
In the manner of all modern news programmes, they kept showing the same recorded video sequence over and over again.
Two police cars arrived, and uniformed officers spoke to security at the front of the building. There were four of them and they were obviously senior officers. Another two were in plain clothes and, although he couldn’t be seen clearly, one looked very much like the district attorney. They were ushered inside.
Next to happen was the arrival of the SWAT team. Eight fully armed men decanted from the SWAT wagon and were inside the White House in seconds.
That was the sequence. It was repeated interminably.
‘What the hell is happening?’ asked Ken Hood.
‘No idea,’ said Perfect who lifted her phone. ‘Susan, if any calls come in from the White House or the President, put them straight through to me. Thanks. Send Paula in.’
Paula Wilson entered the room and stood by the door.
‘You can watch this with us, Paula. It looks as if it is relevant to our membership,’ said Perfect as Paula Wilson planted herself on one end of a couch near the window.
The commentator was talking again, ‘We’re hearing that the President, the House Minority and Majority leaders and some industrialists are all inside. They were conducting a meeting. Harry McBride, the leading Democratic presidential candidate is also inside.
‘We don’t yet know if there has been some sort of attack or bomb. The SWAT team and police are still inside. None of the usual White House contact numbers are answering. No sign of any ambulances or paramedics.’
‘This looks bad,’ said Ken.
‘But what could it be?’ asked Perfect.
The British PM shrugged his shoulders and punched a number into his mobile. ‘Bill, can you try to find out what is going on in the White House. I’m in with the Secretary General. Thanks.’
The Secretary General’s phone rang. ‘Yes. No, just tell me what you know... that can’t be right... well who is saying that...? Yes... try to get some confirmation.’ She replaced the receiver.
Ken Hood looked at her and, despite Perfect’s ebony coloured skin, he saw a distinct paleness. ‘What’s up? Who was it, Perfect?’
‘A source in the White House which I shouldn’t have. He’s saying the President is under arrest.’
‘Arrest?’ said Ken, shocked at the news.
‘Yes, he’s being arrested, and the DA is currently in the room with the people who were in the meeting. He’ll ring me back when he can if there is more news, but the Vice President has called for a news blackout from inside the White House, so won’t be easy.’
Ken Hood’s mobile rang, ‘Yes, Bill... what is the source... okay... yes, if there is more information... see if GCHQ are hearing anything... right... okay,’ he said and hung up.
‘Same news,’ he said. ‘President is being arrested!’
««o»»
[From Bob Nixon’s autobiography and Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia files. RBB]
The meeting was progressing nicely. Each of the participants were preparing for difficult questions, particularly those which would deal with wealthy people having to give up their wealth for the good of the world.
Present were Majority House Leader Vernon Ledermann, Minority House Leader Tim Brownlee, Harry McBride, the leading Democratic presidential candidate, the President, Mark Deloitte, Melinda Worth, Wilson Greave, Peter Stone and me.
It was approaching ten in the morning when John Slimbridge arrived.
‘Why so tardy?’ asked the President.
There seemed to be a crowd of people talking outside the open door through which the Vice President had entered.
‘Things to organise, sir,’ said the Vice President. ‘Come in, gentlemen.’
Within a few seconds there were eight people in the room. Four fully armed SWAT soldiers, two uniformed police captains, the chief of police in plain clothes and the DA.
‘What the fuck?’ I said, rising to my feet. ‘What is going on here? We under attack or something?’
‘Mr President,’ said John Slimbridge, ignoring my questions, ‘you are about to be arrested for conspiracy to commit treason and, by special powers of Congress, I am relieving you of your presidential duties.’
‘Don’t be stupid, John. What treason?’ asked the President.
The DA spoke, ‘Sir, it has been brought to our attention that you intend to hand over the security of the United States to the aliens and this will also mean that numerous sections of the Constitution will be usurped.’
The chief of police stepped forward. ‘I am cautioning and arresting each of you in this room. You all have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to have an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you by the court. With these rights in mind, are you still willing to talk with me about the charges against you?’
‘Are you all fucking crazy?’ said the President.
‘Do you understand your Miranda rights, Mr President?’ said the chief of police.
‘This is ridiculous,’ said the President.
‘Do you understand your rights, sir?’
‘Of course, I do, but you have no cause to arrest me or anyone in this room,’ said the President.
I said, ‘We are working on a future relationship with the Galactic Federation which will then be put to the people. What right have you got to stop that process? Similar work is being carried out throughout the world. There’s a full UN General Assembly about it on Friday.’
‘Do you deny that you’re intending to hand over governmental power to aliens?’ asked the DA.
‘You cannot arrest the President,’ I said. ‘You can impeach him but cannot arrest him while in office and you haven’t got the authority to impeach.’
‘Not correct, Bob,’ said John Slimbridge, ‘I called on Congress this morning, in secret session, for special powers, as the President has become an imminent danger to National Security and the country as a whole.’
‘You did this without me being present?’ asked Vernon Ledermann, the majority congress leader.
‘You are one of the conspirators,’ said the DA.
‘You’ve concocted some sort of special arrest warrant?’ asked the President.
‘Not concocted, sir,’ said John Slimbridge. ‘It was an essential measure for the protection of the United States Constitution.’
‘What we’re doing is all part of the negotiations,’ said the President.
Harry McBride said, ‘There is no conspiracy here. This is a non-partisan committee looking at exactly the matters which might be involved in joining the Federation. It’s work in progress and is all being carried out in the name of the people of the United States of America.’
The Vice President spoke again, ‘I’ve taken part in some of your so-called meetings. You’re accepting what the aliens are saying without question. Starstruck comes to mind. You’re considering stripping people of their possessions and creating a communist state. You’re considering giving police and military powers to the Federation Enforcement Unit...’
‘But it’s all in the interests of the people,’ said the President. ‘What we get in return is a virtual utopia, including being welcomed into a Galactic Federation of almost a quarter of a million worlds. Are you saying we should ignore the opportunity, John?’
The DA spoke, ‘Sir, I must point out that all of this is against the Constitution and that’s conspiracy to commit treason against the United States of America.’
The Vice President said, ‘We couldn’t leave it until you’d invited the aliens to march in to take power. We had to act now.’
‘Chief Walker, take them away,’ said the DA.
‘You are not dragging me down to the station. I want my lawyer and the White House lawyer here, now!’ said the President.
‘Your lawyer will see you at the station, sir. As for the White House lawyer, he’s now working for the Vice President,’ said the DA.
‘This is all nonsense,’ said Tim Brownlee. ‘You can’t do this. The people will never forgive you.’
‘We the people, can do this,’ said the DA.
The President had been a linebacker for Notre Dame and, as the police captain tried to cuff him, he threw the man off as if he was a child, and said, ‘Don’t be ridiculous. We don’t need cuffing!’
‘If you all promise good behaviour, we won’t apply cuffs,’ said the DA.
‘You realise this is a coup by Slimbridge, don’t you?’ ranted the President.
‘I want all our personal lawyers at the station by the time we arrive there,’ I said.
‘We’ll do our best,’ said the DA.
‘Slimbridge! I will not rest until I see you locked up for life if you don’t stop this madness now!’ said the President.
‘Take them away,’ said the VP.
With looks of resignation, the nine of us were shepherded out of the meeting room. With my fellow accused conspirators, we left the White House and were taken away, in a police arrest wagon, to the Henry Joseph Daly Building.
Inside the wagon, the President said to me, ‘Did you see how the bastard took us out through the main entrance to get maximum press coverage?’
‘Indeed, I did, sir.’
‘Are we in trouble, Bob? Surely this’ll be overturned.’
‘I don’t know, sir. I’m worried that the VP has been working against you behind the scenes. I should have spotted it. I’ve let you down, sir.’
‘Let me down? Don’t be ridiculous! Neither you nor I believe that, Bob,’ said the President, looking around at the other prisoners.
‘Ideas, anyone?’ I asked.
««o»»
[This Italian TV debate was compiled from digital video material stored in Yol Hareen Trestogeen’s office. RBB]
Questioner, ‘How do we know we’re not leaving ourselves open to being conquered? After all, you’ll have millions of robots here who could suddenly be put on a war footing.’
Yol Ruud, ‘All we can say to counter that worry is to ask you to speak to other Federation worlds. Remember that there are almost a quarter of a million of them. None of those have been “conquered” as you put it.’
Another questioner, ‘Is it true we’ll be able to visit other worlds?’
Yol Ruud, ‘Absolutely. This time next year you could be holidaying on the planet of your choice.’
Another questioner, ‘It says in this booklet that we’ll have to speak Galactic Standard. I’m too old to learn a new language.’
Yol Ruud, ‘Not at all, madam. Anyone can continue to use their own language, but Galactic Standard is compulsory. It is taught using a system called esponging which involves wearing an eye covering device and pair of earphones for about an hour. You will then speak fluent Galactic Standard. The same system can also be used to learn other Earth languages, if you wish.’
‘Seriously? An hour?’
Yol Ruud, ‘Certainly. The same system is used in schools. Children first learn mathematics and then go on to learn biology, chemistry, physics and more. At university this can be developed into atomic physics, quantum theory, astronomy and other subjects – all provided using esponging. The benefits can be enormous. I took a course in painting, and while I’m no grandmaster, I thoroughly enjoy producing excellent pictures of my friends and family. I know that also requires learning skills and techniques, so it makes it a longer process than learning a language. Similarly, learning to use scientific methodology is more complex than just learning the principles. This is why universities will remain important.’