United Nations Recovery Base.

Greenland Iceshelf.

Half an hour and a short suborbital flight later saw seven powerful individuals land in front of the command building.

Colonel Allister was already waiting with an angry scowl on his face.

"Does that man have any other expression, or had his face froze that way long ago?" Lady Eleanore complained about the party chatroom.

"I've never seen anything but his angry puss." Lieutenant Andrew Price replied.

Captain McLean and the other military personnel saluted. "Sir."

"At ease captain." Colonel Allister returned the salute. "I see you've come back with more people than I sent you out for?"

"Yes, sir. May I present Ae'url Strike Group Leader of the Galactic Federation and liaison."

"Ma'am." Allister showed his best manners.

"Greetings Colonel Allister." Ae'url replied.

"Sir may I also present Joseph Rene Wilder of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service."

"You're our sys-admin..." Colonel Allister didn't know if the man was military or not so he left the question open-ended.

"That I am. But I'm only the sys-admin for this star system. Don't expect my influence to extend to the Galactic Federation Xerys network." Joe shook the colonel's hand, "Don't expect much out of a closed system administrator."

"Good to have you with us. The pressure from the top to find you have been tremendous." Allister explained.

"The Prime Minister has given me direct orders to help out the United Nations with any problems that are caused by the Xerys System." Joe again didn't salute.

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"That's good. We're going to transfer you to the SS American as soon as possible. The boys at the Pentagon are waiting for you." Colonel Allister cracked a rare smile. He had come through on an impossible mission. There might even be a promotion for this.

"Why am I going to the Pentagon. I thought I was sent to help out with the United Nations?" Joe knew that this was coming.

"Son the American armed forces are this world's first line of defense. The best possible Network to lead that defense is at the Pentagon." Colonel Allister believed every word he was saying.

"No disrespect colonel Allister, but my orders are to help out with the UN efforts. Nothing was said about becoming an American asset." Joe explained to the American officer.

On the party chat, Lady Eleanore said with a smile, "And the scowl is back. It certainly did not last long."

"If you will excuse me, Colonel Allister, I simply must check up on Clive." Allister waved her away. He didn't need the flirty Brit to muddy up these frigid waters swirling around him.

"Young man this has already been decided. You will be joining our team..." Joe stopped the man from continuing.

"Stop with the patronization. First I am the same age you are. I am not a young man. The arrival of the system has taken years off and thank you for the compliment, but it's still not enough to redirect me from the UN service. My orders from my government are clear. The Prime Minister himself gave me these orders. I am seconded to the United Nations. Now, what does the United Nations require?"

"I believe the hunt for the fragments would be the best place to start. The third fragment crashed north of a city called Dallas." Ae'url suggested.

"That's news to me. No one said anything about that yet." This was his UN mission after all. The recovery of the artifact. "Captain you are in charge of these people. I need to find out what's going on." 

Colonel Allister went inside the command building. 'How the hell am I going to explain this? Why hasn't the president explained to the Canadians what they are supposed to do?' he walked straight to the communications pit. Get me through to America." He ordered his tech geeks.

Base Hospital

Lady Eleanore walked in the front door and went straight to her fiancee's bed. "Get up you lazy bastard." She placed a kiss on his lips.

He slipped her the tongue. She was having none of that. her retaliation was to immediately invade his mouth. She completely dominated her lover.

"Do get up luv. Why are you still in bed?" She asked.

"Would you like to hear a story little girl?" He replied with a mischievous smile.

"Ooh. I love stories." She jumped on top of Clive and rested her head on his chest. "Alright. I'm ready."

"Comfy?" He smiled and hugged her close.

"Yes. Now please tell me a story." She requested in a little voice. She knew it drove her lover crazy.

The rest of her party arrived and saw the lovers lying in bed together.

"Should we not leave?" Ae'url asked, "I believe they are about to perform a mating ritual."

"This I gotta see." Andy pulled up a chair.

"Yes! Is a good show. I have seen it many times." Yuri pulled up a chair as well.

"We are not having the sex you stupid barbarian." Lady Eleanore yelled. Not that she was shy, and it's not like the voyeuristic pig hadn't walked in on them often enough while they were still at school.

"Nyet. I recognize position number seven. You are about to have vigorous monkey sex." He nodded his head in confirmation.

"Yuri I am about to tell a story," Clive told his oldest friend.

"No monkey sex?" He sadly asked.

"Maybe later, after the story," Clive told him gently. He loved that oblivious act. Yuri was a master at it.

"He tells good stories. We stay." Yuri nodded firmly again to Andy.

"Shouldn't we be getting ready to go to Dallas?" McLean asked. Obviously, he never heard any of Clive's stories before.

"Richard shut up and pull up a chair. Dallas will still be there when we get to it. We do have a spaceship after all."