“Mr. President, everything is in order for your presentation.”

“That’s great, Mac.” The President responded. “Are the other National leaders ready as well?”

“They’re all beginning their own speeches at the same time as ours.”

“Good. Thank you. Clear the room, I need a few minutes.”

“Yes Sir."

Abram Johnson sat behind his history desk in the oval office, wearing a charcoal suit, as the various aides and Secretaries filed out of the room. President Johnson, had your typical presidential look, tall, stately, and clean cut. A man who was driven to be a leader, serving as president of his local high school, Governor of Florida, and finally securing his life-long dream of becoming commander-in-chief.

He stood and walked toward the window, as the last person left the oval office, his shoulders slumped.

Today’s events had been set for 3 years, and yet he still believed he and the rest of America weren’t prepared. Just in the last week he’d had multiple brief’s reporting potential risks: new weapons, economic fluctuations, religious uprisings, and alien pandemics just to name a few. He sighed at the thought of it.

Chirping came from his desk. Immediately tensing, he moved to withdraw a special phone that only he had access to.

“Hello.”

“Hello Mr. President, this is Agent Travis.” A serious baritone responded on the phone

“Hello Travis, what does Obelisk want?”

“Mr. President, I just wanted to say good luck today.”

Abram seriously doubted that. The agents of Obelisk, no matter what nation they came from, were always called about something. “Thank you, Travis. We’ve got everything ready for the upcoming announcement.”

“Good Mr. President. I’m certain it will be a day to be remembered in the history books.”

There was an awkward silence between the two men when the Agent spoke again.

“Well Mr. President, I wanted to know if you’d had a chance to weigh the proposition of the Yashdid?”

Abram thought for a moment. It made sense for Travis to contact him now, just before he was announced to the country about the alien visitors. The Earth's new ‘friends’, the Yashdid likely wanted to move quickly.

“That proposition to offer them habitable locations in order for them to help us advance with our current technology? Travis, you know better than anyone that, I can’t unilaterally make that kind of decision for this country. I'll need the support of both parties. And don’t bother calling this an immigration issue, this goes well beyond that.”

“Mr. President, I’m only gauging to see if you would be in support of it. Especially if new laws were proposed in the legislature.”

It was clear to Abram that Travis already had a few congressmen already in his pockets. He cursed to himself silently. Travis was still supposed to be loyal to the United States, not some alien race and overblown universal game.

“Travis, right now I have to make the biggest announcement since pearl harbor. We can talk about it later.”

“Of course, Mr. President, I didn't mean to interrupt your preparations. I just you might want to know that the agents from China and Russia have already reported their countries will be offering full cooperation with the Yashdid. If they get ahold of certain space and energy techs before we do….” Agent Travis didn’t need to finish his thought, the president understood the situation. “Good luck, Mr. President.” the agent ended the phone call at that point.

Abram Johnson, President of the United States slumped in his chair. Of course China and Russia have already agreed, it didn’t even need to be said, it was the logical conclusion. However, his instincts screamed at him every time he thought about those alien’s building permanent structures on American soil. But if the United States rivals did it…

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his office door. He immediately sat up, returning to his previous presidential bearing. Mac, his secretary over ‘special foreign relations’ walked in. We’re ready sir.

Minutes later The President of the United States was being broadcast to the entire nation.

“My fellow American, I wish to announce today that we are not alone in the universe….”

***

We have a great legacy as adventures and explorers, always finding the courage to overcome insurmountable difficulties and challenges. It is my hope and prayer that we can pull together as a human race, united in this new adventure.”

“Turn it off.” Clark Tenson sat in a large wingback leather chair, his eyes reading through a recent only half listening to the president’s announcement. He was unimpressed by the banal speech mostly filled with empty platitudes about human greatness. Clark was not interested in such meager words he was more interested in actions and results. And from his recent report he wasn’t getting either.

His secretary, unsurprised by the president’s announcement. turned off the television, which then smoothly ascended into a ceiling panel. She sat, notepad sitting beside her employer. The room itself was large, paneled in exotic woods. A mini bar sat in one corner, a drink from any number of the liquors there might cover her yearly salary. Along with her, a number of men and women sat in various chairs in his office, half listening to the president’s speech

“Any word from Carmen about the energy shortage?”

“No sir. There doesn’t seem to be anyone who has the ability to transform the nyamisium into vervetic energy at this point. He’s only been able to locate one individual with the ve generator mutation, however, that individual is currently employed by a foreign entity. He’s following up with a lead in the United States” The secretary responded quickly.

“Tell him if I don’t get results soon, I’m going to have to look for a new asset.”

“Yes sir.”

“Give me an update on the weapons division.”

A plump man, who’d been eyeing the bar, shifted in his seat to respond. “Our scientists have been making progress to adapt some of the energy weapons to electrical energy. Some of the smaller arms will likely be completed before the month is out. There is a concern battery weight will be a problem. There is hope that we can adapt some of the larger ordinance and mount them on larger platforms.”

“Good.” Tenson turned to a lean woman in a white overcoat. “Where are we at with ship design?”

“Not good sir. We’ve already expended the VE energy you allocated to us in trying to reverse engineer the systems. We’ll need more in order to continue testing. Frankly 90% of the materials are unknown to us. We can analyze the alloys used in production, but reproducing them is beyond our means. We need more information from the exploration task force to be able to move forward.”

It was as Tenson predicted, though he didn’t like it. Money and resources, it's what it took to be successful. Money, he had, resources on the other hand, that was proving to be a challenge for all his current projects.

A beeping came from his wrist. A communication device, cleverly disguised as a Rolex. Wordlessly, his secretary arose and ushered out the executives from his office. Clark activated the device, projected in front of him was a creature from another planet.

It stood at human height, with four limbs, and a head. But that is where the resemblance faded. Their flesh resembled crude oil, it ungulated disturbingly across their bodies. They were near faceless with only two black dots, he assumed were eyes and a black empty whole for a mouth.

Clark had initially wanted to vomit when he first saw them. However, he quickly checked his gag reflex after learning what they’d had to offer.

“Hello Tenson.” It gurgled.

Tenson bowed respectfully “Hello Phla, I am honored by your presence.”

The mass shivered, which unsettled Tenson.

“The Yashdid are making overtures to your government leaders to secure lands on your planet. This is unacceptable.” The figure continued. “Your recent development of cosmos electrical weapons is required. I will send you a list of where you can send shipments of such weapons. Our allies need to resist the Yashdid invasion. You already know what is at stake.”

Tenson could only nod. He understood who had all the negotiating power here.

“Excellent, and in return we will send you ample units of VE in order to complete your ship research.”

The figure disappeared.

Tenson would have let out a stream of curses had it not become blazingly obvious that his alien business partners had listened to his most recent conversation. He’d need to find a way to protect his communication in the future.

For now though, the arrangement had solved one of his problems. Tenson didn’t need to worry about VE for the moment.

*****

Alan sat with his family in their living room, the incoherent and stunned babbling of news analysis’s trying to break down what they just heard. It wasn't the first time Alan had heard the speech. He felt much the same today, as he felt the first time he'd heard it. Hope. He truly bleieved that humankind could thrive in this new world. Of course this time he'd actually known about alient races.

His father was the first to speak. “Well, it’s not like this has been to much of a surprise to this family. I’m just surprised the government could keep it a secret for 3 years.”

They all nodded.

Alice, Alan’s sister was furiously typing away at her phone, apparently believing that she was best to commentate on the day’s events. "I just want to know why these Yashdid gave us the cosmos tech to begin with."

"Dad your suprised our government kept it a secret, I'm wondering what kept all the other nations in line. I mean it wasn't every nation, but he did mention China, Russia and a few other powerhouses were were in the know, like Japan, India, and Germany." Alan's older brother chimed in.

Alan’s mother sighed and gave Alan a side hug, “I’m just grateful to have a son with such good foresight.”

“Thanks Mom, but we’ve just gotten started.” Alan had been working the whole week, making preparation on Kragga. Completing construction, helping to organize Shelley’s employees, and making final preparations for the VE generator. Nick and Adrian had been scouting the local area and had even made a few visits to the alien outpost on the edge of the wastes for supply runs. Even his brother and father had made the trip to Kragga. His brother becoming part of the medical team and his father sighing up with the engineers. The Callisto Corporation employees had been shocked to learn that they had such unique and useful knowledge and skills.

His phone buzzed, and saw a text from Shelley, asking when he’d be heading back to Kragga.

“Oh is that your girlfriend?” His mother commented.

“Mom, it just Shelley asking me about work.” He tried to respond calmly, but couldn’t help but blush slightly.

“So what now son?” His father interrupted.

Alan looked up from his phone. His parents, siblings, and stepsister all looked at him intently. Their eyes carried a weight to them which he’d never felt before.

“We go to work.”