Disclaimer: I do not own Zootopia or any of its characters, they all belong to Disney. Rated M for sexual themes.
Of Things to Come
Chapter 19
Washington, D. C. – White House West Wing dining room – Friday, March 31, 1989 8:34 am EDT.
"Mr. President."
He and the first lady looked up and a figure in armor standing in the middle of the room. For a few moments it seemed as time had stopped. Then several shots rang out and all the bullets passed harmlessly through the hologram. They continued on across room and all but one buried themselves into the plaster of the far wall. That other one stuck a pipe and ricocheted at an angle. The President heard a meaty thwack and from the corner of his eye saw the first lady being to fall. He caught her and pulled her close.
"Eshu!"
A moment later he heard a grunt and looked toward the Secret Service agent who was now on the floor with something large and furry standing over him. It reminded him of a rabbit. It looked back at him and then at the First Lady. It and then a second one soon stood beside them.
"My name is Eshu and I'm a doctor," it said and looked at his unconscious wife. "May I examine her please."
He looked at the blood on his shirt and then back at Eshu.
"You're a doctor," he said.
"Yes and I've treated many humans before."
He hesitated for just a moment.
"Of course go ahead."
"Thank you."
He easily lifted her and set her onto a mat that the other had spread onto the floor.
"It's ready," she said and handed him the scanner.
For a moment he looked back at the President.
"This is my wife, Risa."
The President watched. He knew that very soon the rest of his Secret Service detail would arrive and he didn't want anything else to happen.
"Mr. President," the person in armor said, stepping up beside him, "I am Fleet Admiral Judith Wilde. I'm sorry..."
He held up a hand to stop her.
"I understand," he said, trying to keep his attention divided between his wife and her. "He shouldn't have fired unless you were threatening me or my wife. And obviously you weren't just standing there."
Judy's eyes drifted toward Eshu for a moment as did the President's.
"He's the best doctor in my fleet."
"Soon more of my security will be here and want to stop them before anything else happens."
"Could I help?"
"No," he said and now heard distant running feet.
He stepped toward the door and Eshu stood.
"If I don't get her to my sickbay in the next five minutes she going to die."
This time he didn't hesitate.
"Do what you have to, but I'm coming with you!"
He just touched the knob when it pulled out of his hand and the door flew open. Everyone froze for several second and then the President saw the men raising their weapons. He unhesitantly stepped into what would have been the line of fire and felt a hand try to push him aside. With a rush of adrenalin he swatted it away.
"Stop!" he shouted. "Put those weapons down!" They hesitated for a moment. "Now!"
They looked at the President's face and followed his order.
"Mr. President," the head of his security detail said.
"Colonel Mohr!" he said, knowing the White House doctor would have come with his security detail when the gunfire had been reported. He pushed through the men and a moment later stood before the President. "Follow me."
Eshu, carrying the First Lady, and Risa just behind him disappeared into the wormhole. The President followed with the doctor.
"Mr. President!" the head of his security detail shouted.
The President stopped and looked back.
"Three of you follow us!"
The five men stepped though and the wormhole closed behind them.
Sol Oort cloud – Zootopia III – Friday, March 31, 1989 8:42 am EDT.
After the last man stepped onto the deck they heard a pop and as one they turned to see the wormhole collapse. Then the machine that had generated it began to power down.
"Gentlemen, please follow me to sickbay," the woman said in accented English. "The Admiral and the Captain will be meeting you there in a few minutes."
They started toward the door and heard heavy footfalls behind them. The lead Secret Service agent surreptitiously glanced back to see two armor figures. Then the door slid back in the wall to reveal four more.
"Marines?" the President asked.
"Da," their guide said and tapped her forehead. "Yes, they're our escorts."
"Russian?"
"Yes."
"Not Soviet?"
"Never!" she said vehemently and muttered something in her language.
Then the marines started forward and the group followed.
"When we get to sickbay will Colonel ... Dr. Mohr will be able to help?"
"I'll ask," she said.
"Thank you," he said.
Two minutes later entered sickbay and it looked like nothing he remembered in his Navy days. To his eye it looked like a large modern hospital's emergency entrance. A few people, not all of them human, waited to be treated.
"Mr. President, please have a seat and I'll go find out about your wife and ask about Dr. Mohr," she said and when to the desk.
He looked around and found a few empty chairs in one corner. He and Dr. Mohr sat and his Secret Service detail took their positions around him. A few minutes later a man in uniform came through the door and the President noticed the marines stand a bit straighter. He spoke to one Marine for a few seconds and then turned to the group. He was stopped by the head of his security detail.
"May I speak to him?" the marine asked and the President rose.
"You may," he said.
"Mr. President!" Secret Service agent began and he held up a hand, silencing him.
"Mr. President, if I might say I wouldn't let just anyone walk up to the Fleet Admiral in a situation such as this."
The head of his security detail gave him a sidelong glance. The President sighed inwardly.
"Thanks for the advise," he said and smiled for the first since this mess had started. "So you're in charge of the marines?"
"General Joseph Brown," he said and extended a hand.
"George Bush," he said and took the proffered hand. "So you wanted to speak to me."
"I heard what happened and was on my way up when the Admiral contacted me," he said and release his hand. "The Admiral will be delayed for about ten minutes."
Just then their escort returned and they all turned toward her.
"Dr. Mohr may go back now," she said and smiled.
Sol Oort cloud – Zootopia III – Sick Bay #27 – outside treatment room #4 – Friday, March 31, 1989 8:49 am EDT.
He thought being the White House physician would be interesting when he first took the job, but this was far beyond what he'd imagined. He was now positive that he was on spaceship, after seeing the individuals in waiting room and meeting his guide who was furry and had only one eye and four arms.
"Do you speak English?"
"I am learning," she said, taking out her pad and unlocking it. "This will translate. You'll meet Eshu in a few minutes." She looked at her pad. "He and Risa are almost finished with the female human."
"Barbara Bush," he said unconsciously and his guide typed on her pad. "She had a gunshot to the chest and they finished this quickly!"
"Over the last year we've had a great deal of experience treating humans with gunshot wounds."
He filed way that bit information for later.
"You're a doctor."
"Yes, Eshu and I work together," she said and smiled. "Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Ejoja and I'm female. Most humans I've met always wonder and then are too embarrassed to ask."
"I'm Lawrence," he said and put out a hand. She took it and shook. "My people don't do this, but I've met many humans."
He filed way another bit of information. Then they turned a corner and he saw two tall furry people just stepping into the hall. They looked the same as the ones he'd seen stepping through whatever brought them here.
"Eshu, Risa, this is Lawrence, the human doctor," she said and they both looked at him.
"Dr. Lawrence Mohr," he said and extended a hand.
"Good," Eshu said and shook. "Come, let's go see our patient." Lawrence was relieved that he'd be included in her treatment. "Currently I've placed her into a deep sleep."
"Really."
"This was a great deal of trauma for a person of her age," he said and began walking back the way he and Risa had come, "Fortunately the bullet was low velocity and the ricochet slowed it even more, but still cracked her sternum. A bone splinter had nicked her aorta and using nanofibers they were able to quickly close the wound."
"What are nanofibers?"
"Very small machines that work at the molecular level."
"Sounds like science fiction."
"I suppose to you it might."
"It would and it does," Lawrence said and chuckled.
"Not to sound pretentious, but we are more advanced in medicine than you humans here are currently," he said and smiled.
"Actually it does, but I certainly do believe you," he said and smiled.
"Also, I dealt with some of her other medical problems."
"Such as."
"She had a few minor spots of skin cancer, Graves' disease, arthritis, and of course her body's age related degeneration."
"Her body's age related degeneration," he repeated hesitantly.
"I've introduced the nanofibers into the rest of her body and they are currently in the process of repairing her individual cells," he said and watched the human's eyes grow large. "In three days their work will be complete and then I'll remove them. This will help her body in the overall healing process. She should appear as she did thirty to thirty-five years ago."
Sol Oort cloud – Zootopia III – Sick Bay #27 – emergency waiting room – Friday, March 31, 1989.
George was having an interesting conversation with Joseph when the Admiral entered the emergency room. They both stood and the General came to attention.
"You're a Rabbit!" he said, without thinking.
"Believe it or not Mr. President you're not the first human tell me this," she said and he chuckled.
"And I'm Nicholas Piberius Wilde, Captain of the Zootopia III and yes, I'm a red Fox."
George would've know with certainty that these two were married without knowing their family names.
"Mr. President, I must apologize again..." she began and he stopped her with a raised hand.
"As I said before I understand."
"I assume you need to get in touch with your people," she said, "or would you want to go back to the White House. I mean after Eshu has finished and reports on her condition."
"I do need to get in touch with the White House."
Judy took out her pad, touched the screen a few times, and handed it to him.
"Vice President Quayle will answer in a moment."
"How...," he began and Judy only smiled.
The President sat and everyone stepped away to give him privacy. They spoke for a time and then he handed back the pad.
"Keep it," she said and returned it. "I'll get another."
"But don't you have your personal things on it?"
"No, I transferred them to the ship mainframe before I gave it to you," she said and smiled. "You'll find it's simple to operate and you'll also learn a great deal of information about the Alliance from it. The only thing is that only you can use it."
"How?"
"Let's just say the moment you touched it it knew you," she said and winked, "and it also has a very sophisticated artificial intelligence on it. It can be operated by voice and can either reply by voice or text. That's up to you."
Then he looked at her and then back at the pad. He grinned and to her he looked like a boy who gotten everything on his Christmas list. He sat and son simply lost himself in the device.
Everyone looked up when Eshu, Risa, and Lawrence entered from the treatment rooms. George set the pad aside and hurried toward them with his Secret Service detail right behind. Eshu smiled as the human looked at him with expectant eyes.
"Mr. President, she is healed and is currently asleep," he said and patted the man's shoulder. "I suggest she rest and take it easy for at least week and then she can go back to Earth."
"Can I see her?"
"Certainly," he said and George walked beside him.
Sol Oort cloud – Zootopia III – Rabbit Garden Friday, March 31, 1989.
"You could've spent the night," Judy said.
"No, I need a good night's sleep and I'm kinda interested to see your house."
"I think you'll find it very interesting," she said as the internal shuttle stopped.
The walk was a short one and they stopped before and unassuming door.
"This is your house?"
"Let's say it leads to it," she said and smiled. "After you."
Without thinking he reached for the door.
"Sir," the head of his security detail, "I'll go first."
"Of course," he said and took a step back.
The man opened the door, stepped through, and stared.
"My God!"
The President followed and stepped up beside the other man. The other two Secret Service agents followed and blocked the door. They all heard Judy giggle as she gently pushed through them.
"The Rabbit Garden is 50 miles long, 30 miles wide, and a mile high," Judy said, starting to walk toward her house, "and all of it is forest, Rabbit burrows and farmland. Follow me."
The men stood there for a few seconds, stunned by the view and Judy pronouncement. Then hurried to catch up. The others behind them entered and followed along at a more leisurely pace. After a quarter mile they walked beside first field which was currently planted with cabbage. The group of Rabbits, Mellin, and humans that were working the field stopped when they saw the Judy and came over to talk. The Secret Service agents stood in front of the President.
"Judy!" Thomas said and hugged her.
"How's the cabbage?"
"Growing good and we don't have to worry about cabbage worms."
"We have some new guests," Judy said and indicated the five men.
Thomas stepped toward them was blocked by one of the men. The President put a hand on the man's shoulder.
"Gentlemen, I think we're among friends here," he said and stepped past the man. "I'm George."
"I'm Thomas Green," he said and shook hands.
"You live here?"
"For about a year now since my parent died in the earthquake."
"Earthquake?"
"In California, but that's the other Earth."
"Other Earth?"
"Actually there's now three," he said and watched the man's eyebrows rise. "There's yours here in this universe, the one were Judy and the other Animals and most of the humans here came from, and the third one is on the other side of the portal in our universe. I think the year is 2976 there. Right Judy?"
"Yes," she said.
"Sir, what year is it here?"
"1989."
"It's 1942 on my Earth."
George looked at the others and they nodded.
"I'm Anna and this is my husband Yuri Nimchuk."
Yuri extended a hand and George took it.
"I was in Dachau after we surrendered to the Germans."
"You were in the Red Army."
"I was a corporal," he said and frowned. "The damned Russians forced us into the Red Army and then the German surrounded us. We Ukrainians shot all the Russians we could find, found the Germans, and threw down our rifles. We weren't going to fight for that bastard Stalin! Right now he's sitting in a prison the Alliance built on my Earth's moon. I myself would have shot him, but after thinking about it maybe it's better that he'll have work for the rest of his miserable life on that airless rock!"
George knew in his heart that these people were telling the truth. He looked at Judy and she just shrugged.
"You were going find out the truth soon or later," she said and touched his pad, "and all the information is right there."
Sol Oort cloud – Zootopia III – Rabbit Garden – Judy's House – Saturday, April 1, 1989 10:06 am EST.
His good night's sleep was shot to hell as finally put his pad aside at 5am. When he woke at the tap on the door the clock showed 10:06am.
"Come!"
"Breakfast is ready," Judy said as the Secret Service agent opened the door. "Also, Eshu called and said Barbara will be here at noon. Oh, here's some clothes for you." She sat a cardboard box on the dresser. "Best hurry! Lots of things are happening today!"
She pulled the door closed and he stretched and slowly got out of bed. He glanced at the pad for moment and quickly dismissed the thought. He opened the box and smiled as sorted through the clothes – blue jeans and flannel shirts. God, he hadn't worn clothes like this since he'd got back from the Army! He quickly showered and shaved and then put on the clothes. A Secret Service agent opened the door for him.
"Sir," he said and took point as they walked down the hall and descended the stairs.
Halfway down they met Nick just on his way up.
"You're lucky," he said and smiled. "Judy saved you some blueberry pancakes."
As they reached the bottom of the stairs something small red and furry with long ears ran between their legs and up the stairs. George laughed.
"This is going to be an interesting day," George said to no one is particular.
Then as they turned the corner into the kitchen the lead Secret Service agent walked into a Cheetah, bounced off, and landed on his butt. Golden eyes scanned them and then came to man sitting on the floor.
"You must be the new humans that Judy told us about," he said, extending a hand and helping the human up. "I'm Rex."
"Are you from Zootopia?" George asked.
"I and my mates came from 2976 Earth with Joan," he said and saw the questioning looks on their faces. "She's Eshu's mate."
"I thought Risa was."
"Joan is human and his other mate," he said and smile. "Come, she's here with Eshu and I'll introduce you."
"I didn't know either Earth had intelligent animals from what I read."
"I was just like the Cheetahs you have on your Earth until about a year ago when I, my mates, and cubs were changed to be like the Cheetahs on Zootopia."
"How?"
"You need to talk to Joan and Eshu," he said and turned. "They can explain it much better than I can."
Sol Oort cloud – Zootopia III – Rabbit Garden – Judy's Kitchen and Lawn Saturday, April 1, 1989 11:47 am EST.
The Cheetah was right. They could and did explain the process in great detail and so much so they lost him in the first five minutes. Also, Nick was right about the pancakes and he was extremely glad that Judy had saved enough for him and his secret service detail. Judy's children also kept underfoot literally and after breakfast he had a good time playing with them. Her human children, Sofia, Ann, and Mike, played with them too, keeping him from being completely overwhelmed. But like all good things it had to come to an end since soon enough it was nearly noon and Eshu and Risa returned with Barbara.
"George!" she exclaimed from her floating stretcher.
He ran to her, forgetting everyone and everything else and pulled her into his arms. The kissed and after a time they heard a giggle. He assumed it was Ann and when they'd come up for air found he'd been correct.
"Let's get her up to your room," Eshu said and smiled, "She still needs to rest."
"I really wanted to see this garden!" she said and lay back in the bed.
"And in a few days you shall, but you need to rest," Eshu said and patted her arm. "Your body is going through some changes."
"You know my hands don't hurt anymore."
"Because I cured your arthritis."
"Among other things," Dr. Mohr said, looking at Eshu.
"Doctor is there a problem?" The President asked.
"Let's discuss it privately," Eshu said.
Sol Oort cloud – Zootopia III – Rabbit Garden – Judy's guest room, Saturday, April 1, 1989 12:12 pm EST.
George and Barbara looked after them as the door closed and then they looked at each other. He smiled first.
"I know what you thinking," she said and smiled.
"No you don't."
"She's going to young and beautiful..."
"You are beautiful!"
"George, I'm a sixty-three year old woman..."
"And you're still beautiful to me," he said and she rolled her eyes.
He smiled again and then leaned over and kissed her cheek. She giggled and hugged him, pulling him onto the bed.
"Remember you're suppose to rest," he said and she swatted him, "and hitting the President is a crime."
She stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed.
"So it that the way a sixty-three year old woman acts?"
"No, but it is one who going to be in her late twenties."
They laughed, cuddled together, and soon fell asleep. Later they woke to a tapping on the door.
"Time for supper," Judy said as a Secret Service agent opened it. "Would you like to eat here or in the dining room?"
Barbara looked at her husband and he only smiled.
"Am I allowed to walk down the stairs?"
"Eshu says no so I brought along some help," Judy said and Nick stepped through the door. "My husband'll give you a lift."
"A lift," she said and Nick smiled.
"If you'd permit me," he said and lifted her into his arms.
The First Lady chuckled and wrapped an arm around his neck.
"Aren't you a handsome Fox."
"And I can tell you truthfully that many females agree with you."
Judy snorted and Barbara laughed. Nick turned and carried her out of the room. Judy looked at George and then followed.
Earth - Chinese Military Headquarters – Peking, China – Saturday, September 12, 1942 11:02 local time.
General Chiang Kai-shek was certainly glad that those meetings were over. The leaders of all newly independent Asian counties, large and small, had met in Peking for two weeks to settle border disputes, make trade agreements, and to accept the Alliance's help in repairing the damage from the recent war. They all readily agreed to accept the colonists from the Alliance after his government showed them the improvements the Animals had made in food production in China. For the first time is centuries China was now almost able to feed itself with the help of millions of Rabbits from Zootopia and the herbivores from other worlds.
Even with the independence of Tibet China was now larger after taking more than half of Siberia during the war and keeping it as reparations from the Russians for giving arms to Mao Zedong's Communists for the last twenty years. They'd killed millions of Chinese citizens who simply didn't want to be communists. Mao and Stalin could both rot in their lunar prison forever for all he cared. Communism was now dead and if he'd anything to say about it would stay dead forever! Also from the Japanese he demanded and received reparations for the four years of war that they'd inflicted on China, also killing millions of its people. This included every military aircraft from the Japanese Air Force and Navy, tank and truck from the Japanese Army on Chinese soil, every ship from the Japanese Navy, and every island in the Japanese Empire except for five home islands: Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku, and Okinawa.
Now with help of the Alliance and the Human Federation he was going to modernize China with all the factories that the Japanese had built and workers they'd trained. Already twenty-one of desolation plants had come on line in the last year and pipelines to carry the fresh water they produced were currently being laid across China. Within the next year with the vacuum energy technology every village and town would have power and the things that used it. The first thing he'd ordered was radio stations be built across China and that every village and town would have at least one radio receiver. Now nowhere in China would have to wait for weeks to hear governmental and other important news from around the world.
Certain worlds in the Human Federation volunteered to send teachers and build schools so that everyone who wanted to could learn to read and write. Later when he met and spoke to them he'd found that most of these worlds had been originally been settled by people from China. Of course they knew that he wasn't the General Chiang Kai-shek of their Earth, but they did show him great deference. He didn't let it go to his head, but did have long talks with them. The last man he spoke to was a teacher like the rest, but also a historian.
"General it has been a great pleasure to speak to you and I thank you making the time," he said and bowed. "I have brought a small gift from our world if you'd accept it."
"Your people are going to help China greatly," he said and smiled. "Of course I shall."
The man smiled and guards opened the door and several men wheeled in a covered bookcase. The man had an interesting definition of small, he thought. It was placed against a wall and the historian opened it. He stepped over to have a closer look.
"This is a history of China on our Earth from before the Xia dynasty to the formation of the Human Federation," he said and ran a hand along the book's spines. "I have marked places in several volumes that I think you'll find interesting."
"We always learn from history," General Chiang said and touched several of the books.
"But somehow we end up making the same mistakes over and over again," he said and smiled.
"Please thank your people for this gift," he said and offered his hand. "I shall read these and only endeavor to make new ones."
Both men laughed and his visitor bowed again and then left. That had been six months ago and he'd learned a great deal from those books and how they applied to the reports from the new Earth that the Alliance had found on the other side of the newly created portal. That's why today's meeting was so important. A few minutes later a guard knocked and opened the doors. Six humans and one alien entered and he stood to greet them.
"Field Marshall Rommel," he said and took the man's hand.
"General Chiang, thank you for inviting us," he said and gave a small bow.
"I've read of your defeat of the British in Egypt," he said and smiled. "It was brilliant!"
"Thank you sir," he said and smiled. "At least until the Alliance intervened."
They both looked at the single alien and she shrugged.
"I was just following orders," Lax said and grinned.
"A great many people who said that are now residence of the moon for the rest of their lives," Field Marshall Model said.
"And good riddance," General Chiang said and chuckled. "All except for one man."
"Führer Speer had retired from politics and I've heard now is writing his memoirs," Field Marshal List said.
"So now I'm guessing you must be wondering why I asked you to come," General Chiang said.
"Enough that we all actually did," Model said.
"We have a job for you and your men," General Chiang said, indicating Lax.
"General, we're not mercenaries," Rommel said.
"But you and I were trying to accomplish the same thing – ridding this world of communism," he said and sat back in his chair, "and we succeeded with a great deal of help from the Alliance. But now I find it still exists and is apparently thriving on this new Earth. Don't you think we should do something about it?"
The Germans looked at each other for a time and then coming to a mutual agreement, they nodded.
Sol Oort cloud – Zootopia III – Rabbit Garden – Judy's lawn, Saturday, April 1, 1989 5:31 pm EDT.
Nick set the First Lady in the lawn chair and then adjusted her blanket.
"You know Nick, I could get use to this," she said and squeezed his hand, "but I think my husband might get jealous."
Nick chuckled.
"You never know."
She laughed.
"So are you in charge of taking care of me today?"
"Well Judy is busy being the Admiral..."
"And George is busy being President."
"So now that we're alone," Nick begin and winked at her body guard," how would you like to meet a friend of ours?" Nick noticed them looking around. "Look up." He watched their mouths drop open and smiled. "And yes, that's a Dragon."
He whistled and it folded its great wings and dropped toward the ground. When it came close it opened them again and lightly touched down. Both humans could only stare and he smiled.
"We discovered them just as another race we call the Civilization Destroyers were in the process of committing genocide on them," he explained. "They're intelligent and transport people and cargo between the gardens." Nick casually walked over and scratched under its chin. "Good flying?"
"Yes," he said and leaned into Nick's hand. "There is a new world for us to fly?"
"Probably, but not yet," he said, patting the Dragon. "Come and meet some new humans." Nick turned and the Dragon followed. "We call him Draco."
"Can I touch him?" Barbara asked and sat up straight in her chair.
"You can even talk to him too."
Nick noted that her bodyguard moved so he stood beside her.
"He'll let anyone touch him?"
"Scratch under his jaw and he's you friend of life," he said and Draco lower his head. The Dragon purred in pleasure as she did just that. "Maybe in a few days he'll even give you a ride."
"Really!" she exclaimed and her bodyguard looked somewhat alarmed.
"There are even riding straps and saddles built for passengers," he said and looked at her bodyguard. "They can carry up to eight people and cargo too."
Nick smiled at the look on the man's face and apparently the First Lady noticed too.
"Maybe George would like to come along too," she said, glancing at the man who was doing his best not to flinch.
Sol Oort cloud and Earth – Zootopia III – Rabbit Garden – Judy's Guest Room and Washington, D. C. – White House Oval Office, Saturday, April 1, 1989 3:37pm EDT.
"Mr. President, I wish I was in your place," Vice-President Dan Quayle said and smiled.
"Me too," the President said deadpan.
There were chuckles around the room and Dan felt his face grow warm.
"The Secret Service guys found this pad computer exactly where you said it would be," he said and leaned closer to the computer, "and I'm the only person that can use it. If anyone else touches it it just shuts off. Before this meeting I did a bit of reading and this Alliance is enormous and technology they have is amazing. There's just so much here I could just get..."
"I know I was up reading to 3am the first night," the President said, cutting him off, and sighed. "Now how are things going?"
"You have a really bad flu and are confined to bed," he said and then grinned, "and I've assumed your official duties. You should see the Press – they're losing their minds."
He laughed.
"And word of the shooting hasn't leaked out?"
"No sir."
"Good!"
"Remember the French President in coming next week and things are starting to happen in China according to the latest intelligence briefs from the CIA."
"Just what we need now."
"And you know Gorbachev's going be there is May."
"That's just icing on the cake," he said and grimaced, "and of course at some point in the not too distant future the Alliance will want to establish relations with us... I mean humanity."
"We're just lucky that they contacted us first," Dan said and then thought what had happened. "Mr. President, I didn't mean..."
"Barbara's fine and is completely healed," he said and smiled. "As you may've guessed they're way ahead of us in medicine among a great many other things."
"Mr. President," the Secretary of State James Baker said and Dan turned the pad to face him, "we need to think how we're going to introduce the Alliance to humanity and how they'll react."
"The Russian and Chinese will probably go ballistic that they came to us first," the Vice-President said.
"James, you and I mean just you see what you can come up with, OK."
"Yes, Mr. President."
"And everyone please do NOT let this get out and do NOT tell anyone outside the White House, OK."
"Yes, sir," they all said and meeting broke up, leaving Dan alone in the Oval Office.
"So Dan, how are you doing really?"
"It a bit overwhelming," he said and then shook his head. "No that not true, it's actually a bit scary!"
"I think I know how you feel," he said and rubbed his face with both hands. "Like when President Reagan was shot."
"But at least I know you're coming back!"
"It is kinda nice here," he said and they both laughed. "Just think when I'm out of office and provided we'll have good relations with the Alliance maybe Barbara and I could visit this Zootopia place. Hell maybe I'll even get my own ship! According to my pad there are literally thousands of billions of habitable worlds and they're discovering more each and every day!"
"Sounds like you'd like to do a bit of exploring."
"To go where no man has gone before," he said and they both laughed.
"Remember now it's 'to go where no one has gone before'," Dan said and both laughed again.
Sol Oort cloud – Zootopia III – Rabbit Garden – Judy's Guest Room, Sunday, April 2, 1989 8:37am EDT.
George woke and stretched and nothing hurt. Experimentally he moved his hands and fingers in ways that that were usually a bit painful. Then he tried several other things that usually hurt too with same results. He quietly slipped out of bed without waking his wife and went into the bathroom. Then he turned on the light and looked in the mirror.
For a time he was struck speechless and reached up touched his scalp. The gray in his hair was now completely gone and his hairline was no longer receding! A light fuzz had sprouted where yesterday it had been just smooth skin. There were still wrinkles, but not nearly as many as yesterday. He ran his hand over his face and smiled. Now what was happening to Barbara was obviously happening to him. Not that he minded, but now he wondered how and why. But first he really wanted to show his wife.
"Barbara, it's time to wake up," he said and lightly shook her.
She inhaled deeply and her eyes opened. She looked him for a few seconds and cocked her head.
"George."
"Who else."
She laughed.
"You look so..."
"And so do you," he said and took her hand. "Come with me."
He led her to the bathroom and stood her before the mirror. She ran hand through her hair which now had now lost most of its grey. She looked closer and face was tighter and like her husband most of the wrinkles had gone too.
"I thought this was only supposed to affect me."
"Me too, but I don't think I'm going to complain."
"We need to talk to Eshu," she said and then giggled. "I certainly don't want to end up a teenager."
"Now that might me kinda interesting."
She gave him a playful swat and laughed.
"I need a shower," she said.
"Me too," he said and smiled.
Later Nick knocked on the door and carried her down to breakfast. Halfway through Eshu and Risa showed up. He took one look at him and George immediately found out what a surprised Mellin looked like.
"How could this have happened?" he said to himself.
"Ellie," Judy said.
"Ellie," Eshu repeated.
"So who's she?" Barbara asked.
"My world's guiding Artificial Intelligence," she said and attempted to contact the AI with her own. "She has a mind of her own."
"Judy, Nick, Eshu, and Risa, good to hear from you," she said as her words appeared in their minds.
"You took control of Barbara's nanofibers," Eshu stated.
"Of course and I then gave them to her husband."
"Why?"
"To give them a second chance together," she said and chuckled. "I'm been studying organic life a great deal and your bodies have many flaws, but they are quite adaptable to change."
"You should've at least asked first!" Judy said mentally.
"You right, but don't think they'll complain."
Judy sighed and looked back to George and Barbara.
"Ellie spread the changes to you Mr. President."
"I wish she'd have asked."
"I told her the same thing," Judy said. "Do you want it reversed?"
George looked at Barbara and then smiled.
"No," they said together.
Sol Oort cloud – Zootopia III – Rabbit Garden – Judy's Kitchen and an internal shuttle, Sunday, April 2, 1989 8:51am EDT.
After breakfast Barbara insisted on helping Judy wash the dishes and of course Nick and George dried them. Judy noticed all the Secret Service agents looked offended at the President and First Lady doing such menial work and she smiled.
"How are you feeling today?" Judy asked as she handed the last dish to Nick.
"Quite well."
"How would you two like to take a tour of my ship?"
"I think that would be interesting," Barbara said.
Everyone looked at Eshu.
"If she doesn't have to walk too far," he said. "I can get a wheelchair for her."
"I've been carrying her up and down the stairs," Nick said and smiled at the First Lady. "I don't mind if she doesn't."
Barbara only smiled and then looked at her husband.
"Let check in the White House first, but I don't see why not."
"And you were in the Navy during World War II."
"I flew a Grumman TBF Avenger," he said and Judy cocked her head. "It's a torpedo bomber. I got shot down once too and had to bail out. Boy was I lucky to get picked up by a submarine!"
"Then I know where we're going first."
The shuttle ride was short as usual and Nick carried the First Lady as always.
"You're really enjoying this, aren't you," George said and smiled.
"Oh I don't mind," Nick said and chuckled. "She's light as a feather."
Barbara laughed and hugged Nick. Then he looked at George and winked.
"No," she said and her eyes twinkled. "I just hate being carried like an invalid by a big strong handsome alien Fox."
"Now you're going to make Judy jealous," Nick said and hugged her.
The Rabbit snorted and took George arm and walked past them.
"Some of us have to act like adults."
"True," George said.
The Secret Service agents just kept walking, each wondering how they ever gotten stuck with this duty. The marines were use to the Admiral and the Captain's peculiarities and just smiled. The elevator doors opened, letting off several fighter pilots, ground crew, and maintenance workers. One of them was the CAG (Air Wing Commander), accessing the group for a moment, saluted the Admiral and Judy returned it.
"Commander Taggar."
"Fleet Admiral, everything..."
"You're a Ris!" Barbara said excitedly and smiled. "I saw a picture on my pad."
Nine feet and half and a ton of a sentient feline turned and regarded the human female in the Captain's arms.
"I am," he said and cocked his head. "Are you injured?"
"Not now, but Eshu said I should take it easy for the next few days while I heal."
"Ah yes, the Mellin doctor," he said, nodded, turned back to the Admiral. "Fleet Admiral, everything is ready as you requested."
"Excellient."
"Please follow me."
Sol Oort cloud – Zootopia III – Fighter landing bay #42, Sunday, April 2, 1989 9:15am EST.
When the elevator door opened a thousand different sounds flooded in. The marines went out first and then the lead Secret Service agent went next while other two stayed with the President and First Lady. Commander Taggar simply strolled out like he owned the place and then stopped and waited. The lead agent made a signal and the President and First Lady where lead out by the other two agents followed by the Admiral, Captain, and lastly the two Marines.
"Commander please led the way," Admiral Wilde said and the group followed along.
The Ris first led them to the right side of landing bay were several dozen fighters were parked. The President continued and walked around the closest fighter with the Commander and the lead agent beside him.
"This is our standard single seated fighter," he began and rested a hand on it. "It can operate in space or in the atmosphere of a planet. It has four railguns, two pointing forward and the others rearward which can be controlled by the pilot or the onboard AI. It carries eight missiles with antimatter warheads and one plasma rifle located in the nose. It also has layered electromagnetic shields which can deflect small asteroids up to a meter and incoming weapons fire up to twenty kilotons."
"And if the asteroid if larger?" the President asked.
"The AI would immediately take over, depending on its proximity, and dodge it or using the plasma rifle then destroy it," he said, looking at the fighter. "Usually the onboard sensors are precise enough to detect debris far enough away that the pilot can make the necessary the necessary course corrections before the AI must intercede. Space, even an asteroid belt, is not full rocks in close proximity like you may have seen in the movies."
"I think I know which movie you thinking about and I always thought kinda ridiculous myself."
"Would you like to see the cockpit?"
"Yes, of course."
Several crew brought over steps and soon enough the President was not just looking at the cockpit, but actually sitting in speaking with the AI.
"Looks like he's have a good time," Judy said to Barbara.
"He does," she said and then looked wistful. "He misses flying and since he's President he can't."
"Well maybe I just can do something about that."
When the President was back on deck Commander Taggar lead them to a different part of the landing bay were much larger ship awaited them.
"This is a small troop carrier and can hold up to five hundred personnel, their equipment, and cargo," the Commander said and started up the rear ramp.
The group followed and sat in the seats in front of the cabin as the Commander continued to explain the many uses of the multirole spaceship. George thought odd they called it a small troop carrier. It didn't look small to him and when he was in the Navy he'd actually served on ships smaller than this thing. When the Commander finished Judy stepped beside the Commander.
"So how you all like to go for a little ride?" she asked and smiled.
Sol Oort cloud – Zootopia III – Fighter landing bay #42 and deep space, Sunday, April 2, 1989 9:37 am EST.
At first Judy thought the lead agent was going to have a have a stroke and then he objected.
"Sir, we're already on one," Judy said and smiled. "It's just a much larger one, but still a spaceship with all the inherent dangers." The man's face twitched. "Now we could wear armor if you like. It's not the same armor as the marines wear in combat or the one I was wearing when you first saw me, but it is just as safe." She glanced at one of the marines whose mouth twitched up. "It's up you."
"I think it would be kinda neat to wear armor," Barbara said and giggled.
"Well then I guess it's settled," George said.
Armor brought to mind something bulky, but what Barbara saw wasn't. It looked like thick material with a helmet.
"Why'd come in here?" she asked.
"To enter the armor you'll need to remove your clothes," Judy said and watched her begin to blush. "I could show you what to do and then leave."
"No, you don't need to," she said and smiled. "I'm just being silly, I guess."
Barbara looked at herself in the mirror and was a bit surprised at the changes. She could tell she'd lost weight, but now she that her skin had tightened and her muscles were more pronounced. It looked as if she'd lost twenty years already and thought she could see some of the changes occurring as she watched.
"You look...," Judy began, trying to think of the most diplomatic way to say it.
"Not like a fat old woman."
Judy tried best not to, but laughed anyway. Barbara joined her and then looked at the Rabbit and smiled.
"You're beautiful," she said.
"I'm just an ordinary Rabbit," she said and her ear came up and then turned pink.
"You're just being too modest," she said and winked. "I can see how the males look at you."
"Let me show you how to put it on," she said, changing the subject. Judy touched her armor and split down the front and Barbara jumped back in surprise. "Now do the same thing to yours." She did with the same result. "Now it's configured to your DNA. Turn around and step back into it like this."
Barbara watched her and then stepped in and put her arms in the sleeves. The armor closed and then became form fitting.
"It's like a second skin!"
"Take a look in the mirror."
Barbara did and felt her face grow warm.
"It's a bit tight."
Judy smiled.
"A bit revealing too."
"It is."
"We want the males to keep their minds on what need to be doing and not us."
Barbara laughed.
"That would be best."
"I'll make some adjustments," Judy said and Judy's AI contacted the armor's.
A few seconds later they looked in the mirror and were satisfied. When they returned to the main cabin the others were making preparation for departure. Judy strolled toward the President with Barbara walking beside her.
"Mr. President," she began.
"George."
"George, please follow me and I'll show you the flight deck."
Judy took the pilot's seat, her Fox the co-pilot's, and Commander the navigator's station. She began powering up the ship and Nick turned back to the George and Barbara.
"George, please in the flight engineer's seat directly behind Judy and Barbara you may sit in the weapons officer's station beside him," he said and she hesitated. "Don't worry it's been disabled, but you may touch the screen and watch what's going on." Then he looked at the Lead Secret Service agent. "Please sit behind me at the observer's station." The man sat where Nick gestured. The other two waited just inside the door. "I'm sorry, but you'll need to sit in the main cabin with the marines."
They left and the door shut. Then the engine's pitch increased.
"Now the ship's AI will fly us out of the landing bay," she said and sat back to watch.
Three minutes and eleven seconds later Judy placed a hand back on the controls as they passed through the electromagnetic shield which kept the air in the landing bay. She flew the ship away from the Zootopia III and when they were one hundred miles away she cut the engines and spun the ship to face it. The starship's exterior still filled the forward observation screens in all directions.
"How large is your ship?" George asked, see nothing, but metal in all directions.
"Current we're one hundred miles away and in twenty seconds will five thousand."
She spun the ship again and re-fired the engines. As promised when they reached the specified distance she performed the same maneuvers. The three humans gasped.
"It looks like the Death Star," Barbara said.
"It's actually a bit larger, but we don't have a Super Laser," she said and chuckled.
"But you do have weapons," George said.
"Yes, but we haven't had to use the deadly ones that often," she said and handed control to the AI. She turned to face the others. "When we fought the Civilization Destroyers we learned how to disable their ships and then simply render them unconscious. On the Earth in my Universe it was exclusively ground warfare with air support so the shipboard weapons were simply unnecessary."
"Currently you're exploring."
"I'm in charge of surveying this Milky Way and other smaller ones nearby."
"Were the Civilization Destroyers here?"
"Yes," she said and sighed. "We went to their planet first and they had just made it into space, but their religion of universal superiority had never developed here or in the 2976 Universe either."
"That's a relief."
"I'd hate to have to fight them again," she said and then smiled. "So let's go watch my ship eat an asteroid."