TEMPUS CHAPTER FORTY FIVE
Friendship is an arrangement by which we undertake to exchange small favors for big ones.
Charles de Montesquie
“As soon as possible set up a conference call between the Prime Ministers of Canada, England, and the President of the United States.”
“They are all available right now Cristian.”
“Great.”
“Prime Ministers, Mr. President good evening Thank you for accepting my call.”
“What should we call you?” asked the President of the US.
“For now call me Cristian. Out in the world you can call me what the UN called me First Leader.”
“Tomorrow evening at the Sarasota Hilton I am having a reception. I have need of a security force for the protection of the Guests and they will become my security detail after that. I have the need of twenty-one of your best men. Seven from each Country. At the reception, we will be announcing a new Space capable fighter. To be manufactured immediately. This is also an invitation for the heads of your military to attend.”
“Where will these aircraft be built?” asked the Prime Minister of England.
“I would like to know as well” asked the Prime Minister of Canada.
“I see where you going with this Gentleman. Contracts mean jobs for your people.”
“You are very perceptive Cristian.”
“Thank you Mr. President.” “I think that I will need you to supply some more staff to help decide that.”
There was a little chuckling at that comment.
“I think there may be more politician in you than you let on Cristian,” said Canada.
“Where would you like the military to be Cristian?”
“Send them to McGuire AFB tonight. I am afraid you will have to wake some people. Mr. President, I will have need of some armoured vehicles for the security forces, Prime Minister from Canada I will need a C17 and pilots for a few days.”
“Prime Minister from the UK I would appreciate some of your weapons ammo and gear for the security force.”
“Cristian it seems that Canada is footing the largest item requested.”
“All true Prime Minister. I am after all Canadian and ex-Canadian Military. It’s time for you to support your veterans. Would the three of you like to see my command centre? You would only be gone for a couple of hours at most.”
“Now?” asked the President.
“I can pick all of you up in the next twenty minutes. We can do a flyby of the ISS and the way over.”
“I am in,” said the leader of Canada.
“You mean we are going to go into space?” Asked the Prime Minister of the UK.
“Yes, we can have a look at what we are about to defend.”
“Well count me in,” said the President.
“I will leave here in a few minutes to the UK first. Then to Washington then Ottawa.”
“Do you want our locations?” asked one of the Prime Ministers.
“I know where all of you are. I will call you on your cells when I get close.”
“Lorelei I am going out to pick up a few guests.”
“Who is coming over Cristian?”
“A President and a couple of Prime Ministers. I will be back in an hour.”
“You are taking them into space aren’t you Cristian.”
“A little bit.”
“See you when I get back” He gave his wife a kiss and jumped into the Retribution” E3 what are you doing in here?”
“I overheard the conversation and thought you could use the company.”
“That was thoughtful.”
“Watcher take us to England.”
“Prime Minister please come in. Say hello E3.”
“Hello, Prime Minister.”
“Your guns talk?”
“E3 is much more than a gun.”
“Thank you, Cristian.”
“On to Washington.”
In a few moments, they were on the white house lawn. “Mr. President come on in.”
“Take off quick Cristian my Secret Service isn’t happy about this arrangement.”
“Watcher you heard him.”
A short hop over to Ottawa where the Prime Minister was waiting on the lawn in front of his summer house.”
“Gentleman please notice the box of Kleenex between the seats.”
Cristian blacked out the ship until they were in space flying beside the ISS.”
The tears flowed from the two Prime Ministers and the President. “Don’t be embarrassed gentleman everybody that has come up has done the same. Even Larry King.”
“My perception has forever changed,” Said the President.
“I have no words probably for the first time,” said the PM of the UK.
“Prime Minister you are very quiet.”
“Just enjoying the view Cristian we are above Canada.”
“Watcher contact the ISS.”
“I have Commander Wiseman Cristian.”
“Full audio Watcher.”
“Commander Wiseman this is Cristian Wolf I am off your port bow.”
Cristian thought the ship visible.
“Sir we watched the broadcasts earlier. We are all behind you.”
“Is there anything you need up here?”
“I think we are all good Sir. We have one man feeling a little ill, but okay so far.”
“There is someone here who would probably like to say hello.”
“Commander I never knew how beautiful our planet really was until now.”
“Mr. President is that you Sir?”
“Yes, Commander.”
“It is an honour to talk to both of you.”
“The honour is ours Commander. Be safe watch for the Lizards.”
“Will do Sir.”
“You can call me Cristian Commander. Commander, I am building a space capable fighter you interesting in flying one? Against the Lizards.”
“Yes sir. I will see you when travel back to the Planet. Is that okay with you Mr. President?”
“Absolutely Commander welcome to the Earth Defence Force.”
“Great name Mr. President I like it. Take care Commander we are on our way down.”
“Cristian I was just informed our man needs to get down to Earth for medical ASAP could be appendix.”
“Watcher can we use the shields to form a seal around the docking port.”
“I don’t think that will work Cristian.”
“Contact NASA and tell them I will need a suit.”
“Commander I am going to the surface to pick up a suit. I will be back in ten have your crewman ready for an EVA.”
“Watcher how are we doing?”
“The suit is ready at Canaveral Pad 39A.”
“Gentleman I need to drop you off In Florida for a few minutes.”
They arrived at Pad 39A The place where so many launches into space started out.
“E1 Stay with Our guests and Guard them.”
Three men helped him get into the suit and he took off again for the ISS. Watcher took the controls and parked the Retribution close as possible to the docking port. With the ramp open there was still five feet of open space between the ISS and his ship.
“Commander I am ready to come across.”
“Have you ever walked in space sir?”
“Nope”
“Hatch opening Cristian.”
“I am coming across.”
“Commander permission to come aboard.”
“Sir.”
“Who is my passenger?”
“Captain Gilmore.”
“Captain, how are you doing?”
“Been Better.”
“Let’s get you to a doc.”
The transfer went easy enough, the ramp was closed and Watcher took them back to Earth while Cristian took care of his passenger. “Watcher give him bots to keep him alive”
“Will do Cristian”
“Who is flying the ship, sir?”
“My pocket watch Captain. Don’t worry he is a great pilot.”
“Who are you, Sir? I am First Leader of the world Captain.”
“Oh.”
Back on the ground, the captain’s suit was taken off and he was loaded into a waiting ambulance. “Thanks for the ride sir.”
“Gentleman, you ready to travel on? E1 any problems.”
“No Cristian didn’t even spin my mini’s.”
“Thanks for watching them.”
“On the job,” said the machine as it rolled back on board.
“Can one of you help me get this suit off I have to get it back?”
“Keep the suit Cristian it is the least we can do.”
“Thanks, Mr. President might come in handy for emergencies.”
“Cristian I think you saved that man.”
“Just doing what needed to be done, Mr. President.”
“Gentleman I will be blacking out the ship for part of the journey. It is for the protection of my staff.”
Cristian entered the water he turned the ship transparent so that his passengers could have a look around.
“That was a killer whale Cristian.” said one of the P.M.’s. ” I didn’t see as many fish as I thought I would”
“ Evidence of our overfishing Prime Minister. Now you have seen the planet from above and below.”
“Is your base underwater?”
“Sorry I can’t tell you that yet. I had a modified F18 fire missiles at me a little while ago. Not even mentioning the bomb planted in a podium. You also learned there are still Lizards among us. Mr. President, there was even an internet rumour that you were a shape-shifting Lizard yourself.”
“Do you think that Cristian?”
“No Mr. President not at all. I would have ended you if we detected any Lizard DNA. I consider anyone disguised as a human a spy, assassin or saboteur.”
He blacked out the ship and flew at treetop level up through the canyons and back to the cave.
Everyone came out to meet the Guests on Lorelei’s order.
“Mr. President, Prime Ministers this is my Wife Lorelei.”
“Gentleman.”
Cristian introduced everyone in the cave to the three leaders including Nikola, Albert, Hawking, Raguel and Uriel. Then he introduced them to AC/DC.
“You know my press liaison, Larry.”
“Mr. President, Prime Ministers. Did he take you into space?”
“Yes and better than that he saved a man from the ISS with a bad appendix.”
“We will have to hear that story sweetie.”
“No story wife, a man needed a ride. I borrowed a spacesuit went into the ISS and brought him out and flew him to the surface. I did get to see pad 39A that was way cool. Albert how would you like to give our guests a tour of the facility. When you are done bring them into the cafeteria.”
“I know you made some food Lorelei?”
“I did I made Apple Pie with melted cheddar on top we had better hurry I think the band found one of the pies.”
“Awesome,” said Cristian.
The men got the royal tour and showed them where the Wolf Alliance was formed. They were told the story about our dependence on oil, Climate change, the polar bears and the rest of the story. About the future where the planet was completely scorched. The battle with the Lizards both future and past.
Then they all sat for Lorelei’s Apple Pie and had coffee.
“This is the most amazing pie, Lorelei.”
“Thanks, Mr. President my Husband likes it.”
“So I have heard him say.”
Everyone took time to pose for pictures. Larry took a few minutes to Interview them. So the world would know the story about the rescue and the words that were spoken in space.
It was time to take them back. Uriel offered to take them in the Probability.
“Uriel is Cristian always like that?”
“Like What Mr. President?”
“He cared more about saving one man that he didn’t even know, more than he did for his own safety.”
“It’s his way. He cares about people and he gets the job done whatever the job is.”
“I am glad he is on our side?”
“Me too,” said Uriel. After a time Uriel took the three leaders back to their homes.