The problem West had was he lacked any responses that would help the president feel safe.
He decided to go into a stall tactic.
“Madam President, we are currently working on a security solution that will prevent what happened with Marshall Hail from ever happening again.”
The president offered a constricted smile. It flashed across her face like a snake strike and vanished.
“And, in the meantime, while you’re working on the problem, what am I supposed to do? Never leave the confines of these white walls?”
The president was drilling down to the heart of the problem, and she was putting West into a box. He realized that there was no way to get out of it without stating the obvious.
“I regret to say that I think that is the best option, for the time being.”
“You’re kidding me?!” Weston asked.
West didn’t look like he was kidding. He looked deadpan.
“I wish I was,” he responded, looking the president square in her eyes.
He continued, “Until we can determine a way to keep laser-connected drones from communicating with one another, then there really isn’t much we can do to stop them from penetrating the White House grounds. I’m sure we will come up with a solution, but it will take some time. In the meantime, we request you don’t walk outside without guards at your side. But, we would prefer you don’t walk outside at all.”
The president appeared anxious and angry.
“It is unacceptable to be a prisoner in the land of the free. I refuse to spend the remainder of my term indoors.”
West nodded his head in understanding, but he knew that this was a new level of protocol that would be enforced, not only for this president, but also for presidents to follow. It was like Kennedy being shot in his convertible-style limousine. Never again did a president ride in a limo without its top up. West liked to look at the positive side of things. Hail had pointed out a major flaw in White House security. And he had done so before the president’s life or anyone else under Secret Service protection was jeopardized.
West was upset that Hail had put him in this objectionable situation, but he was grateful that it happened with Hail and not an armed drone flown by a terrorist.
Frustrated, the president told West, “That will be all,” and the man stood and exited the room without further comment.
Philippine Sea — Aboard the Hail Nucleus
In the conference room of the Hail Nucleus, the video conference began. The three video screens showed three young faces. The Committee consisted of senior pilots from four of Hail’s cargo vessels to discuss requests from those living and working for him. In attendance for The Committee meeting was Jason Wilson, a nineteen-year-old from the Hail Proton; Lillianna Cordova from the Hail Atom and Ross Knight from the Hail Electron. Sitting in front of the screens was Marshall Hail as well as Alex Knox representing the Hail Nucleus.
For more than a year, this group had been meeting each quarter to discuss the needs, wants, and requests from Hail’s younger crew members. Prior to the formation of this forum, e-mails were sent requesting things (new activity, sport, store) which Hail would then personally respond to because he received only a handful of suggestions or requests per week. As more of the young adults were offered sanctuary and opportunities aboard Hail’s fleet, he soon became overwhelmed when the handful of requests transitioned to hundreds of requests per month Yet, he still wanted all voices heard. Thus, The Committee was created to bring forth the suggestions and requests to the forum.
Each year those under twenty years of age voted The Committee chair to represent their ship. That chosen person brought forth, on a quarterly basis, requests, complaints and suggestions to The Committee.
“Let’s bring this meeting to order,” Hail told The Committee members.
Each of the committee member’s eyes glanced down at notes they had prepared.
Hail asked Wilson, a good-looking black kid, “What do you have for us today, Jason?”
On the video screen, Jason consulted his notes said, “I don’t know if this is possible, but many of the crew members on my ship are interested in having a garden.”
Hail was surprised by the request, but then he had become accustomed by some of the stuff the kids on his ships requested.
Wilson continued, “As you know, most of our young crew never leave the ship, and to be honest, they never get to see stuff grow. A few of them became entranced with a potato they discovered in the galley. The potato had fallen behind some boxes and began growing roots. Just about everyone on our ship had to visit
the potato; you would have thought it was a pet. A few of the youngest crew members became depressed when the potato turned into mush and died.”
Hail’s mind had already begun to process the request. “Would it even be possible to designate an area on each of the cargo ships where tons of dirt could be hauled aboard to make a garden?“ It certainly couldn’t be laid right on the deck without rusting out what lay beneath it. But maybe they could lay down a protective barrier of some sort.
Hail said, “OK, let me discuss this with Renner and see what we can come up with.”
On the screen next to Wilson, Lillianna Cordova spoke up.
“I have kind of a similar request.”
Lillianna was of Spanish descent with dark brown eyes, a thin face and long jet-black hair. “I know this sounds kind of crazy, but I’m just going to put it out there because Hail Atom’s crew really wants it.”
Hail was afraid of the request, but he asked, “And, what would that be?”
“They want a horse.”
Hail started laughing and The Committee members joined in, except for Lillianna. She looked embarrassed.
Lillianna responded, “Well, they want a horse, but I think they would be happy with some sort of pet. A dog or a cat maybe.”
Hail was still laughing and said, “Well, I’m glad they didn’t request an elephant, so we are going in the right direction.”
Still uncomfortable, Lillianna said, “So, I guess a horse is a no-go?”
Hail calmed down a little and told her, “I didn’t say that. But a horse is a big responsibility. A horse needs to be shoed and combed and cleaned and fed and watered. Off the top of my head, I don’t know where they would ride it.”
Lillianna said, “The crew thought it could be ridden on the running track that loops around the perimeter of the top deck.”
As a matter of meeting protocol, Hail never shot down a request during the meeting. He felt it might impede his young crew from bringing up things he would never have considered, let alone thought about. There was a lot of time to say no in the future, so Hail said, “Well, let me think about the horse. I don’t see any reason why the crew can’t have a dog and a cat. Heck, maybe they can have a few of them.”
On the other end of the video stream, Lillianna smiled, and the meeting continued.
He asked Hail Electron’s committee chair, Ross Knight, “What do you have for us today, Ross?”
Instead of answering, Ross started laughing. The rest of The Committee members started laughing, understanding the request about to be asked was going to be a doozy.
Ross composed himself, and with a smile still on his face, he asked, “Well, I don’t suppose there would be an area on the ship large enough where we could drive a car.”