Chapter 21

Oh man, I wonder if we should give everyone PicoBots so they can feel this good waking up! And have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE not having to shave every morning!

I do my morning ritual and Sam comes in to tell me everything is running well. There are no problems with the Recyclers or the OFR, and the Byorn refinery is running smoothly at 35% capacity. I ask Sam if there is any reason for us to up the capacity and she says not at this time.

Sam informs me that E confirmed for Tuesday at our office building and both Mr. Li and Dmitri were interested and would be there as well. I say it sounds good to me and that we’d go over the lists we made once again before the meeting.

“Sam, are you and the girls ready to go to Texas? The land of big cowboy hats and bigger belt buckles! They say everything is bigger in Texas! Hahaha.”

Sam groans saying, “You really need to work on that DD, but yes we are ready. The seminar is being held in a renovated shopping center so we’ll transport to the parking lot and walk to the entrance.

The seminar is using all 3 floors of the shopping center and has a large variety of information and display booths covering pretty much everything a person could think of in regards to ranching and farming.

One of the most interesting discussions was not taking place at an information booth but at one of the “rest areas” where people could sit and have a coffee.

The topic of discussion was about opportunities to start over debt free on Arkadia. People questioned if the prices listed on the website were guaranteed, could they move back to Earth and their old property if they didn’t like living on Arkadia, and what would happen to their property here on Earth while they were in Arkadia?

“Sam, have these questions been asked on the website?”

“No, they are not DD. As a matter of fact, there are no questions concerning ranching or farming on the website.”

“Ah excuse me for interrupting but why haven’t these questions been asked on the Arkadia website? I know any questions asked do get answered.”

An older gentleman looks at me and responds “Well DeDeus, yes I recognize who you are. Can I call you DeDeus?” I nod my head yes. “I figured with all the questions you were asking of the various Associations, that a lot of your information concerning ranching and farming was based on “hope and a prayer”, and not on personal experience.”

“You are partially correct Sir. Will you introduce yourself and may I call you by your name or I will continue to call you Sir if you prefer.”

“Forgive my manners DeDeus, I am Ray Stevens, please call me Ray. What do you mean I’m “partially correct?”

“Please to meet you, Ray. Please call me DD. I say you are partially correct because you are right that I don’t have a lot of personal experience in ranching and farming. That is why I asked questions of the experts. I asked all those questions because you, and ranchers and farmers like you, know better than I would what you need to operate successfully, and I want everyone to have the best chance to do so.

However, while the projections listed on the website are not based on my personal experience in the industry, they are based on averaged and projected costs to produce a product. These costs include everything related to producing a product including salaries and wages for workers. This end cost is what is listed on the website and while not guaranteed, I think they will be very close.

So I say you are partially correct in that I don’t have experience in the industry and have asked a lot of questions, but these questions weren’t solely what prices were based on. Does that answer that question?”

“Ok, I can understand that. What about leaving our properties here while we go to Arkadia? What will happen to them and what if we want to come back?”

“In answer to your question about wanting to move back to Earth, everyone will have 11 months to decide whether they want to stay and live on Arkadia or move back to Earth. If a person decides they want to move back to Earth, Arkadia will move them back at that time. After the 11 months are up you would have to stay on Arkadia until whenever trips between Earth and Arkadia happen, and I cannot say when that would be.

What happens to your properties on Earth would depend on what you did with them. If you sell them to someone here on Earth there is nothing Arkadia can do. However you can sell them to Arkadia and pay off the total amount that is owed against the property, then should you decide at 11 months to move back to Earth, you can buy the property back for the same amount Arkadia paid you for it. If you decide to stay on Arkadia then Arkadia will own the property on Earth and do with it what we want.

Are there any other questions I can answer for you while we are here?”

“Yes sir, my name is Roberto Lopez and I have a question. What does it mean on your website that if I buy the ranch or farm on Arkadia that I don’t OWN the property?”

“Well Roberto, I’ll tell you straight that you will own the ranch or farm and everything associated with it but you won’t own the actual land itself. You can take the animals with you if you move, you can take the buildings apart and take them with you if you move, but can you take the land with you? No, you can’t, as there is no way for you to do so. That is why I say you won’t OWN the land. You will however have use of all the land for as long as you own the ranch or farm.

Do you see now what is meant by that statement?”

“Yes I do but it doesn’t seem right not to own the land too. I do like the plans and layouts you have on the website though and also that everything will be new and shouldn’t need to be replaced or repaired right away.”

“If there are no other questions Sam and I will leave you now and go wander the seminar some more. I hope we see some of you onboard the StarCruiser ready to go to Arkadia. I believe you will love the planet and the area around Guardian City that’s been set aside for farming and ranching.” I shake hands with Ray, Roberto, and a few others, then Sam and I take our leave.

Sam and I wander around the different booths and eventually have the chance to talk to people from the various Associations. They all liked the fact that I used the information some of their members came up with in regards to the farms and ranches. I told them that their members had the experience and knowledge to know what they needed, I didn’t, and that’s why I contacted them. I’d think myself pretty stupid to ask for advice from experts and then ignore it.

There wasn’t anything else we wanted to see again so I had Sam take us back to the J&J. There was nothing that needed urgent attention so I read some more of Arkadia’s and the GCAPs’ histories until Sam and I go over our list of things needed for Arkadia one more time and then I call it a night.

Tuesday morning we head down for the trade meeting with E, Mr. Li, and Dmitri. Everyone arrives on time and after some polite chit-chat, we get down to the business at hand.

As I thought, there was very little difference in what each country was looking to trade for though there was a big difference in what each country offered in return. As I expected there would be.

It was funny to see each country add to their list what another country had asked for that wasn’t on their list though.

After 4 days of back and forth, we had an agreement in place that each of us was happy with. Each country would receive specific Arkadian technology and what was more important, the theories behind the technology.

Could the theories be weaponized or lead to them becoming a spacefaring nation? Maybe, though it would be because of how they expanded on the theory and thereby of their own making.

Arkadia got what we needed though not everything in the numbers we wanted. So all in all it seemed each of us was happy. Now they had to take it back to their governments for approval. I knew my government would approve hahaha.

We each grab a pen and I quickly ask Sam to make sure we get photos of our signing the documents. She assures me there will be photos and video.

We quickly sign each agreement then double-check to make sure each has 4 signatures and 14 pages. Yes, that is right the whole agreement is only 14 pages long! We joked that it might get rejected because it is too short!

I remind them I’ll be posting the agreement in its entirety on the Arkadia website at midnight.

Now let’s go see if there are any press outside. We head for the doors and it is quiet when we open them and step out and down in front of the media.

“Good morning everyone. We, meaning myself representing Arkadia, E representing America, Mr. Li representing China, and Dmitri representing Russia, are very happy to tell you that we have come to a Trade Agreement between Arkadia and each of the countries they represent.

Each of us is happy with the agreement and believes that our respective governments will be as well and approve the agreement as we have written it. We did joke that it might be too short at only 14 pages long to be approved!

We have agreed that Arkadia will provide certain Arkadian technologies and the theories behind said technologies, and in return, each of these 3 countries will provide Arkadia with specific types and quantities of Earth flora and fauna.

As you can see by what I hold in my hand that it is not a huge document. It really is only 14 pages long! I hope that the politicians responsible for accepting or rejecting the agreement will be able to do so without trying to make any changes. And that’s all we are asking of them. To either accept the agreement as is or reject it. It is our hope they accept it. I know Arkadia will be accepting it.

I will tell everyone that the complete agreement will be posted on the Arkadia website tonight at midnight. Now Sam will point you out and we will answer your questions as best we can.”

Sam points at a reporter and they ask, “What type of tech will Arkadia be providing?”

“Arkadia will provide Stasis, Medical, AI, and Communications tech. There will be photos and videos of the various equipment the technology is used in on the Arkadia website tonight.”

Sam points at another reporter who asks, “E why are you part of this and not someone with more experience?”

E steps to the mic, “firstly, there is no one with a lot experience in negotiating with an alien civilization, even though DeDeus is from Earth, and we can see with the Confederacy how well the last administration did. Due to our familial friendship, I was asked to contact DeDeus and see if he would be interested in Trade talks with our Government. DeDeus mentioned to include Russia and China in the same talks and from there, things moved quickly and you now see the 4 of us here in front of you today with a mutually beneficial agreement.”

Sam points at a reporter but my friend Jimmy starts yelling questions. None of us respond but he keeps yelling and no one does anything to shut him up. None of us say anything as we turn and re-enter the building.

“Wow, he only lasted 2 questions!”

We say our goodbyes and Sam and I transport back to the J&J.

“Hey Sam, if everything is under control and there are no immediate needs, what say go back to Arkadia for awhile?

Maybe ask Larry and Sara if they want to come for a week and Sara can see the actual Orphanage while Larry sees Guardian City. Why not give each of them a call and see if they want to go for Chinese food tonight and we’ll ask them if they’d like to go.

I know I mentioned going before but it seemed like there was always something to do.”

“Going to Arkadia sounds great DD! I’ll call Larry and Sara right now and see if they want to join us for dinner tonight.

Oh, you’ll like this DD ... Larry answered Sara’s phone! It seems the 2 of them have hooked up! And yes they will join us tonight. Sara did ask if Bob, Mandy, and Sandy could come as they have been helping her a lot. I told her it would be ok if they came too. Did you want to invite them to Arkadia as well?”

“Sara and Larry got together? Cool! Sure Bob, Sandy, and Mandy can come to dinner tonight and to Arkadia with us, the more the merrier! I’m kidding! Please don’t invite the whole neighborhood! Let me get changed and we’ll head out for dinner.”

We were the first to arrive at the restaurant so I asked the Hostess if they could seat 10 of us together, far from the entrance if at all possible. She said there was an area by the far corner walls open but we would have to move some tables together. I tell her that is fine and she asks us to follow her.