Star Traders

President Ahern was livid with anger. He turned to his Secretary of State and Attorney General.

“I want that woman’s head!” he roared. “No one talks to me that way! No one! Who does she think she is, anyway? I’m the President of the United States, for Christ sakes! Not some second class citizen from a third world country! Get a meeting with the Joint Chiefs! We’ll take care of that woman once and for all!”

The Joint Chiefs filed into the Oval Office and hour later. They sat and were served coffee and doughnuts. With napkins, it was noted by the President.

Admiral Jenkins looked at Marine General Atkins and raised his eyebrow.

“Gentlemen!” the President began, “Most of you were present when Captain Rice forced us to join her in her spaceship. You all were present when she exhibited complete indifference to our position as the leaders of the free world. Her threat to go to the Russians was completely uncalled for. Now I want you to listen to a recording of the phone call I received today from her ship.”

The recording was obviously edited to make the President sound a lot better than he did on the phone. When it was over, Admiral Jenkins and General Atkins again traded guarded looks at one another.

“I want a plan to capture that woman and that ship,” the President informed them. “I think it is in our national interest to have their power source and weaponry.”

This brought several nods and general agreement from the Presidents’ men and the majority of the Joint Chiefs. Not only did they think it was in the national interest, but in their own interest also. The existence of the spaceship was challenging their power. Mainly because they didn’t have one and this might be the only chance they will have to get one.

The plan quickly took shape. President Ahern would entice Captain Rice to return to an agreed upon landing place. The army would provide security for the landing. Upon landing and leaving the ship, Captain Rice would be detained and the ship would be captured. In case of a fight the army had been given instructions to win at any cost.

Admiral Jenkins scribbled on the top of his notebook as General Atkins watched and read the scribbling. The message was short. Just the number “72-3”.

Three hours later Admiral Jenkins, dressed in civilian clothes, walked into a small restaurant on E Street. The restaurant was designated “72” in the agreed upon meeting places for Lodge 16. Jenkins walked to a table near the rear of the room already occupied by another man dressed in civilian clothes.

General Atkins spoke first. “My God! If I hadn’t heard it with my own ears, I wouldn’t have believed it! That asshole is actually jeopardizing the only chance we have to beat these invaders!” A waiter appeared and they ordered coffee only.

“Some meeting, wasn’t it?” Jenkins said. “I knew he was a jerk, but this is blatant idiocy.”

“Fortunately we were at the meeting George,” Fred Atkins said. “How’s Mary, by the way?”

“Just fine, Andy. She’s up at the lodge with our daughter. She’s expecting, you know!”

“Mary?” Fred asked smiling.

“No, you idiot, my daughter is! This will be our first grandchild.”

“Congratulations. I have three of them and they’re more fun that our own kids. When they get nasty, we send them home and let the kids take care of them!” Andy chuckled.

The waiter brought their coffee and they spent a little time doctoring it to their own particular taste.

“So,” Andy began. “What are we going to do about this situation?”

“We probably should get hold of the committee at Lodge 16, but I think time is of the essence. I think our best bet is to get hold of Jayne and warn her of the intentions of Ahern. We have to keep her from landing and getting captured,” Fred took a sip of his coffee, grimacing.

“Damn! The coffee here is getting worse every day! This tastes like it’s been sitting there since breakfast!”

“Probably has!” Andy laughed. “This isn’t the most popular coffee shop in Washington, you know.”

“Good thing, too! It wouldn’t do to have us seen meeting in secret so soon after today’s action in the Oval Office.”

“I know. It’s too bad we couldn’t just dial up and talk.”

“You know the lines are tapped, and who knows about the cell phones?”

“So we have to act like cold war spies. Oh well. Can you get hold of someone who can get word to Jayne?”

“Yup,” Fred said. “I have a number for Eric the Younger. He’s back here at Lodge 16 for the next week or so. I’ll get hold of him from a landline as soon as we leave. He will get in touch with Jayne and tell her of the Presidents plan.”

Jayne didn’t need to get a call from Eric. She had retired to Lodge 16 and landed there soon after leaving orbit after placing the call to President Ahern. They were all relaxing in the lodge, including the Larn, who were enchanted with the place. The children of those in residence at Lodge 16 were also enchanted with the Larn. They quickly incorporated them in their games.

“Have the unloading of the Gravity Wells been completed on E-6?” Jayne asked Eric.

“Finished yesterday. We unloaded faster than you loaded from what I hear. We have them stored in warehouses On E-6.”

Eric answered the phone. It was on his private line.

“You’re sure?” he asked into the phone.

“That’s about what would be expected from him.”

“They did?”

“All of them?

“Keep up the good work, guys.”

Eric turned to Jake. “That was your Uncle Fred,” he said. “He had a meeting in the Oval Office. Jayne, I don’t think you know Fred Atkins. He’s a general in the Marines. He’s on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He just came from a meeting with the President. Boy! Are you in trouble! What the hell did you do to Ahern?”

“She put him in his place,” Jake said. “You should have been there! It was beautiful!”

“Beautiful or not, he’s pissed,” Eric said. “He just gave orders to have you detained and your ship confiscated. And if you put up a fight, to take any means to secure that ship.”

Jayne laughed. “How’s he going to do that when we are in space? They don’t have anyway to reach us.”

“Their plan is to entice you to land at the Whitehouse again and take you there. So when you call Ahern again he’s going to ask you to come back down to Earth.”

“I’m supposed to call him about the signing of the trade agreement I had dropped off yesterday. I gave him 48 hours to get it signed. I’m due to call tomorrow, about noon.” Jayne was thoughtful. Then her face lit up.

“Hey, Eric!” she smiled. “Want to have some fun with this?”

“Oh, Oh! Damn! I’ve seen that look before. What do you have in mind, Jayne?”

“I have a plan….”

“Another one? Oh, well, the last one worked.” Jake said.

“Do you have any extra ships lying around we could use?” Jayne asked Eric.

“You know we do. We have more ships than men right now.”

Jayne smiled. “Here’s what I want to do...”

ave they completed the