“Yes Chairman Lao, you may choose to have any items totaling 145 trillion dollars placed anywhere within China,” Amanda said to Chairman Lao over the holographic monitor that Thor had made available for them.
“Ms. Sifford, that is more than the 10% bonus that was stated. Is there an additional price tag attached to the difference?” Chairman Lao asked.
“Due to your quick adherence to Adaline’s request and your utilization of portals to recall all of your forces and troops back to China within 12 hours, I have decided to round up from 144.1 trillion dollars to 145 trillion. I am sure this bonus will come in handy when reparations for any death or destruction of property that can be attributed to the Chinese military are filed by Americans in southern California. All we need from you is a detailed list of physical assets your country wishes. Or I can deliver 2,412,645.59 short tons of gold to your treasury and we can call it a day.”
“You can do that, now?” Chairman Lao asked.
“Chairman Lao if you would look at your desk please,” Amanda said as she waited for his eyes to glance down and they both watched as Thor created a penny-sized sample of copper, silver, gold, platinum, and a single diamond on his desk.
Chairman Lao reached down and touched and moved each to make sure they were real before he asked, “You could supply Aluminum, Steel, Titanium?”
“Chairman Lao, the metal you are listing are specific ingredients for weapons and such. I would ask you to also look at any other items you might need for your people and your infrastructure, but yes, we can provide any metal type at any hardness or conductivity. The only exception is weapons-grade nuclear material.”
“Very good, then we would like everything on this list,” he said pushing a sheet forward onto the desk, which Thor copied and created on Amanda’s desk. “The location we would like the materials and wealth to be delivered to is also provided.”
“Thor?” Amanda asked.
“Done,” Thor said.
“Done?” Chairman Lao asked.
“Done,” Amanda agreed. “I have been led to understand that Adam hinted about his capabilities but failed to detail them specifically, or there was a failure by individuals within the United Nations to understand what Adam had shown them. Portals Inc. holds proprietary rights to a technology that can create, modify or destroy anything within this Solar System. If you would like a base on one of the moons of Jupiter, within five minutes it could be built. Would you like a space station on the edge of the solar system with a portal to and from so that your scientist can study the Universe away from any Earth-born interference and return home the same day? That might take 30 minutes.
“You can do all of this?”
“Chairman Lao, we already have. Our only requirement for service is that the country making the request not be at war with any other Earth-based country, except as the defender. The Universe is quite large and the ability to expand out into it should appease any population issues. Additionally, as I’m sure you have noticed, there have been some fundamental changes to the way the Universe works. We are all part of the Multitude, which not even we understand what that means. Having been hit by one crazy revelation after another continuously for years we are hesitant to celebrate our inclusion.”
“You think we will be attacked by outside forces?” Chairman Lao asked.
“Chairman Lao, there is a portal to a Universe made out of water in the Bermuda Triangle. The recent changes to Universal Density and Sustainment have automatically removed the punishment that the Pelza Empire had received from a civilization much more powerful than them, and they were at least 1,000 years ahead of Earth technologically. We may see them again. Additionally, we believe the message about Universal Density being unlocked means that this Universe may now be able to grow. If that is so, then individuals within this Universe that do not grow will at some point find it impossible to live here. The little information Adam shared on the subject seems to indicate that it is much harder for individuals from low-density universes to live in higher-density universes.”
“How can we prepare for so many unknown variables?” Chairman Lao asked.
“I would suggest that you decentralize your military so that it can respond as necessary. If the planet comes under attack, everyone will be necessary. Portals Inc. will help with the rapid deployment of troops and equipment by non-waring countries to anywhere within their United Nations-recognized territory against alien or magical aggressors. It should be understood that some technologies and abilities can prevent us from using portals in certain areas.”
“Ms. Sifford, I must ask, what makes you, or Portals Inc, believe that you have any right to make requirements of other countries on the planet? Adam, whom we can both agree is your leader has stated that he will not utilize his technology against criminals and will let the world handle its own problems.”
“Adam will keep his word. Until he decides not to when the fate of the entire planet is at stake. This brings us to the next topic of discussion. Every individual that was killed by the Chinese military and every Chinese military member that was killed during your invasion is alive and well. We need to work out how to return those that want to come home back to your country.”
“Excuse me, I believe my English is failing, did you say every military member that was recently killed in action is alive?” Chairman Lao asked.
“Yes. We did a little bit of a bait and switch when military members were ‘killed’. Anyone that was mortally wounded on the battlefield was transported elsewhere and replaced with copies that perished. They were kept alive, healed, and now reside in their new homes. Some have expressed interest in returning to China.
“You did this for everyone everywhere didn’t you?” Chairman Lao asked.
“Adam kept his word. He did not interfere until they were about to die, then he had them removed to a safe location where they have been enjoying life,” Amanda said.
“I find this hard to believe, we have lost over a million people. If they were anywhere on Earth we would have heard about it
Amanda pulled up the number of Chinese Nationals currently on Trappist-1e from her interface with Thor and then said, 2,145,116 Chinese nationals have been saved to be exact. I know it is but a small percentage of your total army but this number is from everyone that died in India and the United States. It also includes those lost along your northern border with Russia. Also, you are correct, there is nowhere on Earth we could have hidden them that you wouldn’t have known about it.
“You put them on the Moon or Mars? You have the ability to provide for that many people in such locations?” Chairman Lao asked.
Amanda laughed, “To answer your question, yes, we could put them on the moon or Mars, but we did not. No, your people are currently on another planet, in another solar system.”
This time Chairman Lao laughed, “Other planets? Ms. Sifford, I was very good in my science classes at university. The closest solar system is over 3 light years away and any planet that could support life is probably not in that chaotic environment.
“Would you like to visit the world they are on?” Amanda asked.
“If they are on another planet, yes, I would like to see it, yes,” the chairman agreed.
“Very well,” Amanda said as she rose from her chair and stepped through a portal into Chairman Lao’s office.
As Amanda stepped through the portal one of the guards had drawn and fired his service pistol before she finished her first step into the room. The Chairman’s eyes went wide as Amanda finished walking through the portal while the soldier remained frozen in place.
“Thank you, Thor,” Amanda said as she walked up to the frozen soldier whose weapon was still out and pointed at the portal. The other soldier in the room had his hand resting on his sidearm but he had not drawn it yet.
“What just happened?” Chairman Lao said as the shock of what just happened finished.
“You have a very loyal member of the Communist Party here Chairman. Oh, don’t worry, I know you didn’t have anything to do with this. One of the reasons I wanted to come over here was to prove to you how much work you will need to do to convince other leaders of the party that it is in their best interest to work with Portals Inc.”
“Do I need to point out that Adam and Thor stated that they would no longer do what is being done to my soldier? Additionally, I saw him shoot at you, why aren’t you on the ground bleeding?” The Chairman asked.
“To answer your last question, The bullet never made it across the room. As for why he is frozen. Because he’s still trying to think of ways to attack. Additionally, the poison in his tooth has been rendered inert,” Amanda said as she moved over to the soldier, and removed the pistol from his hand. Very quickly she unloaded it, then snapped it in half. She probably could have done so with her strength alone but she had Thor put a crack through the gun which made it incredibly easy to do. She placed one piece of the broken weapon in one of the soldier’s pockets and the other in his other pocket, “No you will not get to kill me when you get free.
“Who are you talking to?” The Chairman asked.
“The soldier, he’s trying to think of ways to kill me, as per his orders. Let’s consider for a second if he’s successful. Barring the fact that I could wipe the floor with him, should he succeed in killing me, or any member of Adam’s family, Adam would not be pleased. What does that mean? Thor, do you have any memories that can convey to the Chairman how quickly Adam can handle bad situations?
“Recent, no. Only from, you know where.” Thor said.
“Anyway, this soldier is just following orders. He’s frozen so I don’t have to kill him, and he doesn’t get lucky and bring down Adam’s wrath. Besides, neither Adam nor Thor commanded him to stop moving, I did. Every member of Adam’s team can do this.”
“I see,” The Chairman said the looked at the other soldier. “When he is unfrozen, you are to escort him out of this room so that he may report to whomever his master is.”
Amanda waited for the Chairman to finish talking before she said, “If you’re ready let’s go check on your people.”
“No one is to fire a weapon at anyone from Portals Inc unless I personally rescind that order,” The Chairmans said.
“Yes Sir!” The other soldier said.
“If you would lead the way Ms. Sifford,” Chairman Lao asked.
Amanda had Thor open a portal into one of the offices in the city that had been set aside for the Chinese. She stepped through with the Chairman close behind as the portal closed behind her, then led him over to a large glass window that looked down on the city below. As they both looked down from the office window that was on the 15th floor. Their vantage point looked down on a park with a river running through it. Throughout the park, many Chinese people were sipping tea, eating or just enjoying the day under the bright red sun that was at least twice as large as Earth’s sun.
After a few moments, the Chairman asked, “How?”
“I should note that this is one of about 25 parks throughout the city. Also, some of the people here want to stay, though most of those people don’t have family back in China or they are orphans. Ironically a lot of you female soldiers are the ones that want to stay. As for how? This planet is under the rule that Earth voted against. This is our world so there will never be a vote here. Violence is not tolerated unless during sports or some other such event. Everyone here has access to all the news channels back on Earth as well as access to every book, game, or activity they would like to try out. If someone wants to go skiing, a portal will open and take them to a mountain resort we’ve created for them. If they wish to go scuba diving or flying, there are portals to those activities as well. If they want something, they need but ask and it is provided. When they are done, the items are broken down.”
“What about the other armies, or the people they killed?” The Chairman asked.
“As I said, no one died. Everyone here was thought dead, plus anyone that commits violence will be locked in their rooms for increasing amounts of time. However, no one on Trappist-1e has done anything. We’ve kept the various countries separated and they can have whatever they want. We’ve even offered permanent jobs to a few people to help with other projects in other cities.” Amanda said.
“Can we go down and look around.” Chairman Lao asked.
“Absolutely, you are completely safe here. Violence is stopped before it can start and those that will try will walk themselves through a portal to their rooms if they try anything. Though I don’t think that will be an issue for you. As I understand it, your soldiers are very loyal. One thing you should understand is that those that do not wish to go back to Earth do not have to. No one on Earth could come here without our help so no one will leave here without our permission. Additionally, if a single threat is made against any person’s family who decides to remain, by anyone in power, the family will be brought here before the idiots that try to use them as leverage know what happened.”
Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.
The Chairman looked at Amanda with a little bit of anger in his eyes at her presumptuous tone.
“Chairman Lao, this visit is for those members of China that wish to come home of their own free will. The ones that wish to remain literally gave their lives for China. Only our technology allowed them to survive long enough to come here and be healed. We will let them decide where they want to go, just like Adam let Earth decide not to have him in charge. As you will see for yourself shortly, they are not slaves and can do as they like, every day.” Amanda said as she led the Chairman to an elevator, which they rode down to the ground floor and then made their way outside.
They crossed a street and entered a park where they saw men and women sitting and enjoying the day. Some immediately rose to attention and bowed, which the chairman nodded to then gestured for them to do as they were doing. They walked through the park for 45 minutes until they came to an open area where a two-person antigravity craft was waiting. It looked like a Blackhawk fuselage without the propellors or tail and was surrounded by clear plexiglass.
“What is this?” Chairman Lao asked.
“Another proprietary technology from Adam. It utilizes an antigravity field to fly and it’s quite quiet. It also has cloaking technology so no one below us will be able to see us,” Amanda said as she got into one seat and waited for the Chairman to do the same.
Immediately the vehicle lifted into the air and headed in a long circuitous route around the city. For the next hour, Amanda flew the Chairman throughout the city where he could see the millions of people hanging out and just living their lives. Finally, she brought the vehicle to the roof of the building they started in and landed. As they stood and exited the Vehicle it dissolved into nothing.
“Everything is recycled?” The chairman asked.
“Everything is recycled.,” Amanda agreed. “I should tell you that there is plenty of room on this planet. Those members of your society that wish to can come here,” Amanda said. “We will not make that offer or cause unrest by doing so, but those that are not compatible with the goals of China could find a home on this planet.
“Would you trade for them?” Chairman Lao asked.
“Maybe I was unclear. Those that die from unnatural causes are brought here, healed, and released. Whether it’s in war or an accident. If a government decided to execute 100 people to make a point, we would bring those executed individuals here and revive them and let them live out their lives. The only individuals we do not bring back are those that chose to die of old age or those that commit suicide. Currently, we have increased the lifespan of everyone on Earth to at least 200.”
“You said on Earth, Aren’t the people here going to live at least 200 years?” Chairman Lao asked.
“My dear general, barring unnatural causes and unforeseen circumstances, everyone on this planet will live as long as they wish to. Of course, some crazy alien race could try to destroy this Universe like they destroyed my original Universe and we could all die tomorrow, but it won’t be because we grew old,” Amanda said.
“Living the life of an old man or woman forever doesn’t seem that appealing?” Chairman Lao countered.
“Who has told you that you need to remain old?” Amanda asked.
“What?”
“Who has told you that you need to remain old? Our technology can adjust the physical appearance of anyone. We can also revert your body back to the condition it was in when you were 18 or if you didn’t like that body because it was pudgy or fat we can make your body 18 and adjust your physiology to what you desire.
“I find this claim very hard to believe,” Chairman Lao said.
“Really? It is my understanding that your knees had arthritis in them and probably ached all the time, how do your knees feel right now?” Amanda asked.
“My knees? They’re fine, they haven’t ached in at least a week?” Chairman Lao said.
“Exactly,” Amanda said.
“So, you can make people young again?”
“We can, though we will not do so for anyone in a position of power. It should also be understood that what has been granted, can be taken away. As easily as someone can be made young we can return their body to its previous state, so leaving the government, then coming back after is not an option.
“Why would you do this?” Chairman Lao said.
“As I said earlier, we believe something else is coming. If humanity is going to survive we will need all the people of Earth to grow within the new rules that we all live under now. Fortunately for the peoples of Earth, a few of us have been through something similar. Even more fortunate is the fact that in the Universe I’m from, the Earth I was born on was much like your Earth was twenty years ago. The only thing we have to do is convince people that we have their best interests in mind. Unfortunately, we came into a Universe where the leaders of the United States were dishonorable and don’t live up to the standards set forth by the founding fathers.”
“Do you believe we had something to do with that?” Chairman Lao asked with a straight face.
Amanda laughed, “Chairman Lao, we know you had something to do with it. I believe Adam has been very clear that he knows everything that has been going on back on Earth since before he showed up at the United Nations. What he knows, I have access to right now. The better question would be, do we blame you? The honest answer is no. They set up the rules and you played by them and beat them at their own game when they thought they were so superior. Do not think that I am not cognizant of the fact that we could fall into that trap as well. The unfortunate truth of the matter is that currently there is no one on Earth that could engineer such an event,” Amanda said as she paused for a moment. “I could go on but I believe for now that you have all the information you need to go back and speak with your cabinet. I will be in contact with the exact number of people that would like to return to China.”
“I look forward to talking with you then Ms. Sifford,” Chairman Lao said.
A portal to the Chairman’s office opened and he stepped through. After the portal closed Thor asked, “You were a little talkative, weren’t you?”
“I was. Are Desirae and Clarence ready to head to Washington DC?”
“Yes. Are you sure this is a good idea?” Thor asked.
“Absolutely. While clearing the United States debt really didn’t cost us anything, the individuals in charge need to understand that there are consequences to being that stupid, or greedy.” Amanda said.
“What level of response would you like if security attacks us?”
“Just Immobilize them. Though, I don’t think anything will happen. In fact, I predict that they’re going to come with us voluntarily.
“I’ll take those odds,” Desirae said through a portal as it opened and Clarence and her stepped through. After that portal closed another portal opened into a congressional office for the Speaker of the House. Amanda, still in her silver-grey Business suit and high heels stepped through the portal with Desirae and Clarence close behind. Both were decked out with bandoliers of throwing knives under their suit jackets but otherwise carried no weapons.
Amanda stepped up to the startled receptionist as the portal closed behind Clarence, “Amanda Sifford, Chief Operating Officer for Portals Inc to see the Speaker of the House.”
“Ma’am? Do, do, do you have an appointment?” the receptionist asked with a stutter.
“No, but I’m sure she’ll see us, and she is currently unoccupied,” Amanda said.
Amanda’s last words finally broke through the woman’s shock as she said, You still need an appoint….”
The Receptionist’s words were cut off as portals opened in front of the three of them and they stepped through into the Speaker’s office. As Thor had told her she sipped brandy as she scrolled over a report she’d received from the CIA detailing all the materials that they’d noted popping up all over China.
“What! Who are you, she said as she started reaching for a red button on her desk.”
“Amanda Sifford, Chief Operating Officer Portals Inc, and these are my assistants Desirae and Clarence.”
The Speaker’s hand paused as she thought about it for a minute. “So you work for that traitor Adam,” she said with a sneer as she reached out and punched the emergency button.
Amanda sighed, “Plan B,” she said resignedly.
No sooner had she started to say the “Plan” than both Clarence and Desirae had jumped forward and manhandled the Speaker as they bodily lifted her out of her chair and stepped through a large portal that opened for them. As for the Speaker’s Brandy? Not a drop touched the desk as the brandy evaporated with the glass, which was remade on the desk, empty. A portal opened behind Amanda, which she stepped back through.
The portal in front of Amanda disappeared and she found herself looking at Desirae, Clarence, and the Speaker. She was still thinking about how fast they’d moved. Amanda knew that even with the level reset, their attributes made them powerful but watching Desirae and Clarence move so quickly had been impressive. They’d crossed the room and grabbed her before she could even respond. Her thoughts were brought back to the present as the Speaker started to yell.
“Traitors! I’ll have you executed for this!”
The speaker was about to continue when she froze in place and Amanda looked at her with a bit of disdain as she said, “Seriously, Are all house speakers complete morons. Before we continue, I want you to think long and hard about one question. Where are we right now?”
The Speaker’s eyes darted around the room she found herself in. Everything looked so shiny and new and reminded her of an airport observation deck. She looked back at Amanda, visibly trying to regain control of herself before she said tried to say, “I have no idea.” Which Thor allowed her to do.
A panel slid back as all four of them stared at two stars that shone off in the distance.
“Two stars?” The Speaker asked quietly.”
“Yes Speaker, two stars. We are currently in the Nu Draconis Star System approximately 99.4 light years from Earth. Oh yes, we are also in space.” Amanda said as a chair identical to the Speakers appeared near her and Desirae helped her collapse into it. As Amanda stepped in front of her with the stars as a backdrop.
“First, you are not in control. We brought you here to talk. We could have had this talk in your office but your dumb ass pushed the button for security so we’re going to talk here. Second, if the word traitor is ever uttered publically concerning any member of Portals Inc, this base will be the last location anyone ever sees you again. Third, the United States of America owes Portals Inc 131 trillion dollars.
The Speaker was resilient and adjusted to the new situation with very little distress, Thor was reading her thoughts and allowing Amanda to know what she was thinking.
“Thor a demonstration. A simple one. Make her step through another portal against her will please.”
A portal opened on the other side of the room and the speaker quickly stood, and walked through the portal, into the underwater base near Hawaii. She turned around and came back through the portal and sat back down in the chair in the same posture she’d been in before she got up.
“What the hell!” The speaker exclaimed.
Adam agreed not to interfere. You and your colleagues have screwed up America so badly that you owed China 131 trillion dollars. You all thought to wait and let things go. ‘The next generation can worry about it?’ Well, guess what, there will be no next generation worrying about it because you all are going to handle it. In fact, Thor, Joint Session, now. Please get every member from wherever they are on the globe and put them in the chamber. No cameras no cell phones no recordings. We are going to all have a little chat, so I don’t need to repeat myself.
“No one will come, no one will listen to you, “The Speaker said.
“If you truly believe that you have not been paying attention,” Amanda said.
They waited for a couple of minutes, while everyone remained silent. The Speaker glared as she tried to enforce her will against individuals that were unphased by her attempts. While she might have been a powerhouse politically she had never tested wills against individuals with attributes over 17,000. While not crazy high like Adaline’s attributes or ludicrously high, like Adam’s. The three of them had attributes that far exceed anyone on Earth. Compared to a normal human, the three of them were superhuman.
“They’re all there,” Thor said.
“Time to go back to Earth,” Amanda said as Thor took over the speaker’s body and a portal opened to take her to her seat behind the podium where people addressed Congress in the House Chamber.
Desirae and Clarence stepped through their own portals and appeared near the back of the room. Amanda stepped through a portal and walked up to the microphone as the speaker took her seat behind her.
“Good evening, so that there is no misunderstanding. The Speaker just arrived as you all did. I intended to contact the Speaker and inform her of the actions of my company and let her disseminate the information to all of you. Her actions garnered a reaction and now we are all here. Not to worry, this will be short and sweet,” Amanda said as she looked around the room at the faces of all the Congressmen and Senators. They could move their eyes but otherwise, they were all immobilized. She also knew they were quite angry.
“My name is Amanda Sifford. I am the Chief Operating Officer of Portals Inc. I am here today to inform you that our company, Portals Inc, has paid off the 131 trillion dollar debt to China that you owed them. I am also here to inform you that all Chinese soldiers, including sleeper agents, have been removed from American Soil. America is now free of the oppressive debt that each and every one of you had a hand in building, or at least not doing anything about.”
Amanda paused for a moment and formed a drink in her hand which she took a sip of before she continued,” For the 131 Trillion dollars that were paid to the Chinese, we want nothing. Yes, you hear me right, we want nothing. What you will want in the days to come are our services. For the United States to even qualify for our assistance there are only two conditions that Portals Inc will require from the American Government, these are non-negotiable and simple in their execution. First, other than the portals to the military bases on the moon and on mars Portals, Inc will not assist the United States in its attempt to reach out into the solar system and the space beyond unless an actual Budget that keeps this country out of the red is passed. You may be thinking no great loss. The Speaker and I just stepped through portals from our base in the Nu Draconis, a star system 99.4 years from Earth where we have a base. Portals Inc has already spread out and explored much further than this. The second condition is that the United States cannot engage in a war with a foreign power except to defend their territory as recognized by the United Nations. If you are waging war with other countries, Portals Inc will freeze all interactions until all military actions cease.”
After a moment, Amanda continued, “I’m going to sidetrack for a moment. It is not your fault that you do not know everything that Adam has done to protect the people of this Earth. It is not your fault that you do not understand the changes that the Universe seems to be going through. What is your fault is the debt you continued to accrue and the idiocy you have run this country with. Portals Inc will make available, to anyone that asks for it, a complete breakdown of where every single penny you receive comes from and where every single penny you spend goes. Your predecessors set up a system that allowed them to make a ton of money now by pushing the debt off into the future. You can no longer allow this to go on. What you will do, is this. You will start to govern this country or you will soon find everyone leaving to go to the worlds that we terraform and create for them with governments that take care of them.”
Now, I and my colleagues are going to leave. We will leave you here. To discuss things. Remember, everything is recorded. When you’re done talking for tonight just say the word ‘portal’ and a portal will open for whoever called for it that will take you back to where you came from. This is a one-time benefit for tonight only. If you would like that kind of versatility going forward, the United States needs to have a Budget and purchase that service from Portals Inc. One last bit of advice. Our corporate offices are off the planet. Trying to seize the assets of Portals Inc would not be a good idea.”
Amanda could have gone on for hours. She was so angry with every person in this chamber but there wasn’t a point. Three portals opened and then closed after they stepped through to her office on Trappist-1e.
“How do you think it went?” Desirae asked.
“Considering that they’re already shouting, ‘Who the hell does she think she is?’ not so well. I just don’t know what to do about that bunch of idiots. Some of them aren’t corrupt, but most of them are.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it too much,” Clarence said. “Just remember when everything seems to be going well, that’s when the crap hits the fan, every single time.”
Amanda laughed as Clarence helped put the day in perspective.