Ancient Birthright (37 page)

“Now Joseph, two-hundred-thousand isn’t that big a deal. The government spends millions of times that every day.”

“That may be true, but it means that if the money is not recovered, I will have to lay off three of my support staff. You know as well as I that in this economy where government reported unemployment is approaching ten and a half percent, those staffers will not find other jobs. That will be three more people on the unemployment rolls just so some scam artist can wear sparkly bobbles.”

Joseph dropped into a visitors chair without waiting for the President’s permission.

“Sir, we need to start working together to generate a coordinated plan to get the American work force back on the job. We can’t keep letting jobs go overseas without doing something to alleviate the problem. We need to bring manufacturing back onshore and make it financially unattractive for companies to shift their headquarters to other countries. If they’re going to sell products here then a good portion of those goods should be manufactured here and the corporate tax base should be here to support our economy, not the Chinese, Japanese, or Korean economies.”

“I hear what you’re saying, Joseph, but let’s not make too many waves before the election. Why don’t you see if you can head off the FBI investigation until next year? After all, Joseph, the charges have already been paid, and it’s not as if it was your money.”

“Do you think that’s wise, sir? By then, the trail of who’s doing this will be even colder.”

“I think it’s best for the country, Joseph. The American people look to us for leadership and guidance. We don’t want to send the wrong message this close to the election.”

“I’ll think about it, sir.”

The President rounded his desk and ushered Joseph out the door.

“Have a good day, Joseph,” the President said with his best political rally smile.

I have to replace that Boy Scout. For some reason, he just can’t see the big picture.

#

“Duane, can I talk to you for a few minutes?” asked Jimmy Clark from the doorway of the barracks room. The sparsely furnished room held a double bed, nightstand, lamp and two easy chairs. Duane and Linda had shared this room in the enlisted barracks from the day they had supposedly escaped NRAO. The other family members were scattered in other buildings on site. Military uniforms and the basics of military protocol training made them invisible to all but a complete site-wide identity check. Duane could now salute with the best of the solders. Linda had a few more problems, but did okay as long as no-one looked too close.

“Sir, I believe you know I think the world of Terrie. I’d like to ask her to marry me if I have your permission.”

“That’s a little old fashioned. No, a lot old fashioned, but I appreciate your coming to me. Linda and I have been wondering what was stopping you. We expected you to ask her months ago.”

“I wanted to, but with the rush to get the families hidden from Agent Hooker and lay the false trails all over the country, I never felt the time was right. I assume from your response I have your permission?”

“Son, if you don’t marry that girl, and soon, I’m going looking for a shotgun.”

“I’ll go ask her right now...I mean immediately, sir.” Jimmy turned and walked into the doorframe as he tried to leave the room. He rubbed his nose as he looked over his shoulder to see if Duane had seen his clumsy move.

Duane just grinned at him and waved him from the room.

Linda stepped through the door. “I just saw Jimmy leaving, and he looked a little shell shocked.”

“Yeah, he asked me for permission to marry Terrie. It told him if he didn’t do it soon I was going looking for a shotgun.”

Linda chuckled as she came over and sat in his lap. “Papa, our little girl’s getting married. That’s the last of them. I just wish Beldon and Cindy were here to see this.”

“I do, too. They should be in range of the ISP satellites any day now. Maybe then we’ll find out what they’ve been doing. It’s been almost two years since they left on
Endeavour
. I hope my warning about the missiles got through, and they figured out a way to neutralize them.”

#

“Colonel Devers, we have received commit authorization from National Command Authority. Transmit the final course correction codes, arm the warheads and switch to terminal guidance mode after the final course corrections are complete.”

“Course corrections transmitted and warheads armed, General Stallz. It will be about ten minutes before the new course is established and stable. I will transmit the switch to terminal guidance at that time, sir.”

“Understood Colonel. Report when the terminal guidance command is transmitted and confirmed.”

“Yes, sir.”

Chapter-44

Intercept Two
: Transjump plus 7 years, 33 days:

Major John Rishly pushed back in his command chair and squirmed to relieve the pressure points that hours of wearing restraints caused. “How’re you doing, Soleene? Any course changes needed before we try catching the missile?”

“Everything looks good, John. Unless the missile fires a maneuvering jet, we should be able to lock it into the cradle in just a few minutes.”

Rishly reached out and stroked the instrument panel in front of him. Never in his wildest dreams as a teenage boy fantasizing about becoming an astronaut had he imagined himself in command of an alien craft millions of miles from Earth. The organic texture of the panel still astounded him. Even after months of training in a PTO, he had periods of jaw-dropping awe at the beauty of a ship that was grown, not manufactured from pieces of aluminum, steel and titanium. A ship that could heal itself if holed by a micro meteor.

Until activated, the panel before him looked like a brown-stained flat oak door lying on its side. A single touch of the power-pad and the transformation was astounding.

VH displays of navigational information, ship’s system status, and a live three-hundred-sixty degree view appeared. Radio and recording controls as well as the on-board navigation computer input pads extended back to a comfortable position beside his couch. The only object disturbing the integrated beauty of the craft was the command chair. He’d requested its removal from
Endeavour
and installation in the PTO,

“Did you have a chance to talk to your mate and girls before our intercept approach?”

“I talked to them about an hour ago. The girls kept insisting I quit work and come home. This past month has been hard on them. It’s the first time I’ve been away from them since they hatched. I think my mate is feeling the strain, too. He hasn’t had to deal with two active three-year-olds by himself before.”

“I understand what you mean. I got attached to Reedn, Tuuan and Dantee during our time together. They feel like my own kids. We had so little space on the
Endeavour
during our transit to join up with the
Universe Explorer
that it caused us to either hate each other or bond together. Fortunately, we bonded as a family.”

#

“
Universe Explorer
,
Intercept One
is approaching the target. Estimate three minutes to missile capture,” reported Pilot Davvie Garuu.

“Message received
Intercept One
.”

“
Universe Explorer
,
Intercept Two
is fifteen minutes from missile join up.”

“Understood Major Rishly.”

“…
Intercept One
has the missile locked in the cradle, beginning course shift.”

“
Universe Explorer
,
Intercept One
. Missile is attempting course correction. We are compensating.”

“
Intercept Two
, did you receive
Intercept One
’s last report?”

“Roger,
Universe Explorer
, we are joining with our missile now. Shit! Missile is maneuvering. We will have to wait until it stabilizes.”

“Message received,
Intercept Two
.”

#

“…
Universe Explorer
,
Intercept One
has established new course, initiating tumble spin maneuver.” Davvie fired the attitude jets that set the PTO into a fast tumble then added the jets to start the joined PTO and Missile spinning at the same time. The wild tumbling spin would ensure the missile controllers on Earth would have no chance to regain control of the missile. “
Intercept One
has released the missile and is recovering from tumble spin maneuver.”

“Message received,
Intercept One
.”

“
Universe Explorer
,
Intercept Two
is moving into position to join with the remaining missile…
Intercept Two
has missile capture, beginning course change. It will take eight minutes to alter the course to ensure the missile will clear the
Explorer
.”

“Understood,
Intercept Two
.”

#

The phone from NORAD’s operations floor rang. General Stallz snatched up the receiver.

“General, the lead missile telemetry indicates it has changed course and is tumbling and spinning out of control,” the Mission Commander reported.

“Can you regain control, Colonel?” Stallz asked.

“No, sir, the transmission delay makes that impossible.”

“What’s happening with the second missile?”

“It’s on course and stable. I’ve just transmitted the terminal guidance switchover.”

“What do you want me to do about the lead missile, sir?”

“Any chance the target will hit it?” Stallz said.

“I don’t believe so. Its new course will take it past the alien ship, sir”

“Once it’s behind the alien ship so the detonation won’t warn them, send a self-destruct command.”

“Will do, sir,” the Mission Commander said. “Sir, the second missile’s telemetry indicates it beginning to deviate from course. No on-board maneuvering jets are firing. Something external to the missile must be causing the course change.”

“The aliens must be doing something. Send the detonation command, immediately.”

“Detonation command sent, sir.”

Nine minutes later, the controller pressed his headphones to his ears. “Sir, I’m receiving a radio call on the telemetry channel.”

“Put it on speaker.”

“NORAD missile control this is Major Rishly, pilot of the shuttle orbiter
Endeavour
. We have joined with one of the two missiles launched at the alien craft and will modify its course to avoid the
Universe Explorer
. The souls on the
Universe Explorer
are completely peaceful and are not a threat to Earth. They are coming to negotiate for several common elements found in abundance on Earth—

Static blasted from the speaker.

“What’s happening, Colonel? Get the transmission back.”

“I can’t, sir. I think we just killed Major Rishly and destroyed the
Endeavour
. The warhead detonation command was received and executed.”

#

“
Intercept Two, Intercept one
, we observed a detonation in your area, are you all right?”

“Intercept Two please respond. Two do you need assistance?”

Chapter-45

Universe Explorer
: Transjump plus 7 years, 29 days:

The bridge of the
Universe Explorer
was crowded. Besides the normal bridge crew of five, all of the humans and the families of the intercept crews were jammed in to every available space. The humans had demonstrated their best sports stadium cheer when Davvie announced the success of the first capture.

Saigg had not observed this response in the humans before, but certainly understood its significance. Their exuberance was catching and soon the rather stoic members of the
UE
crew had joined in and added their yells to the celebration.

“
Universe Explorer
,
Intercept Two
is moving into position to join with the remaining missile…
Intercept Two
has missile capture, beginning course change. It will take eight minutes to alter the course to ensure the warhead will clear the Explorer.”

“Understood,
Intercept Two
,” Command Prime Garuu answered.

The cheering and hugs continued when the report of the capture of the second warhead blasted from the ship wide comm.

The noise level was just beginning to diminish when the next transmission was broadcast.

“
Universe Explorer
,
Intercept One
. Our instruments indicate only empty space in the area where
Intercept Two
and the second missile were located. We had a massive radiation front hit our ship a few demibeats ago…
Intercept Two
is gone.”

Those on the bridge looked at one another in stunned silence as the magnitude of the loss invaded the group conscience.

Soleene’s mate took his two little girls by the hands and led them from the bridge without saying a word to anyone.