Chapter 14

The secret government base on the moon was the first to detect the incoming alien ship. Just mere weeks ago it would have fired on it, but the situation had changed since the destruction of the meteor. Now the base was simply listening into radio communications between it craft and the lunar colony traffic control center. Lunar colony was giving the large ship instructions for coming into a orbit on the far side of the moon. They were putting them there because that was where the largest platforms and nearest shuttles were to transfer them to the colony surface were at.

Ever since the construction of Jebidiah’s Hope had begun. The colony had pressured LDC/Whitten to make the permanent space station and maintenance facility on the far side of the moon, for cosmetic reasons, they liked their view of Earth and space to be visually unobstructed. The fact that it would help with outward bound travel, was the only reason Sean gave into the request.

The ship now in a stationary orbit locked onto the platform, and proceed to complete the docking sequence. They were greeted by an awaiting shuttlecraft and were whisked down the colony surface. They had been granted a limited license to mine on the lunar surface for whatever minerals they would require to refuel their craft as a payment for the destruction of the meteor. Once on the surface they were greeted by Sean and the President of the United States and the Secretary General of the United Nations. All considered this an especially important moment for the relations between different peoples.

The president’s advisors had been evenly split on their advice to him. About half thought that this would be his crowning achievement and would ensure his legacy of peace for generations to come. While others were telling him to expect deceit and to be on defensive. Too guard the freedom of the nation. All of the Senate and House of Representatives were telling him to get concessions and trade agreements, as well as assurances of being left alone and free of any imperial threats from conquest.

He simply wanted to meet the person responsible for saving the planet from destruction, and personally thank them for their actions of heroics. He also was very aware that he was the first president to have the privilege of officially greeting aliens from another planet. He of course had to keep in mind that any weapon that destroyed that meteor, for a peaceful purpose, could be, and probably was used for an aggressive and a destructive means as well.

The rub was he had seen the advance briefing from the lunar colony, his people had told him that those onboard were academy students, who were on their final exam, when trouble forced them to shut down most of their systems and search for an element that was supposed to be in great quantity on our moon, they were not invaders, per se. But if they were like our military academy students their first loyalty would be naturally their home planet, and if we presented too weak a target they might determine us to be a simple conquest. And presumably academy students do not use their military’s most advanced, nor their most well equipped vessels. So that left him with the problem, if their weakest, or presumably their less advanced ship could do that much damage, what would a full battle-ready warship be able to accomplish, he shuddered to think.

Sean and other dignitaries greeted the visitors when they disembarked. They offered them a quiet and comfortable ride to the reception planned for them. After the formalities of protocol had been met and after some libations and food served Ry’Clif asked to speak to Sean and the other leaders in a more private and less formal setting. They were ushered into a lounge with comfortable couches and were made to feel at home.

Ry’Clif became a bit less unguarded in his speaking. “First let me thank you for the rights to mine the Inothorzium, and for the use of the facilities to refine it into a usable fuel. We understand that you don’t have the proper technology to tune it the proper harmonics and frequencies, but are grateful for your research on the subject. That simply means we will only be able to travel at speed of light without any multiples, but that alone will cut a 300 year trip to a 2½ year trip. Let me personally tell you I believe that a payment of some sort should be given to compensate you for the mineral, and it’s processing. I know you offered this as a payment for the destruction of the meteor, however that was truly a gesture of humanitarian aid. I am not an official diplomat, but I believe that I can accomplish this because of my special position as Crown Prince to the Obsidian Throne, Emperor in waiting to the Central worlds and the Representative to the League of Free Systems

Sean was visibly shocked by this statement. The president nearly choked, on some water he was sipping on.

“Secondly, I want to stress, we mean your planet no harm. We are not here for any advance scouting purposes, nor are we here to force you into slavery or anything else you may believe us capable of. We respect life, and try to preserve all forms of it. To be honest with you, we are not in a position to conduct warfare if we wanted to. My father has inherited a very near bankrupt system.

We have come out a costly hundred year war, that many cannot remember why, let alone by whom, it was started. I am telling you this for simple reasons. You have to realize we are truly not wanting a war or to rob you of your resources; and lastly the political ramifications of this discovery will send ripples thru the galaxy.

“What discovery!” Sean and The president both interrupted at the same time.

Ry’Clif continued. “You don’t yet realize what the construction of that colony ship of yours means. On the most simplest of terms you will be able to jump off this planet of yours and colonize new worlds, but in the bigger scheme of things, you will finally be contacted by the League of Free Systems to be admitted, on a provisional basis at first and then as a limited member, but if you continue and are able to develop FTL on your own you’ll be given a full membership, there are currently 100 full members out of the 250 member systems.”