One week later:
In Muktara, the capital of Huja, the president was posing with group of teenage essay contest winners for a photo-op. The photographer took several pictures and the president was shaking hands with some of the winners when his aide came in. "Sorry for the interruption, sir, but the King of Ikaria is on the Green Line. He says it's urgent."
"All right, fine. Tell him I'll be just a few minutes." As the aide left, he said to the students, "Sorry, kids, but duty calls. He's been bugging me to buy those magazine subscriptions for months now." This little joke brought several appreciative smiles and chuckles from the teens as they were politely escorted out the door. After they had left, he sat at his desk and pressed the green button on the console. The viewscreen dominating one side of his office came on and His Royal Majesty, Defender of the Three Rivers, Keeper of the Gem of Iumir, Josephus the Third of Ikaria appeared. The president gave his best friendly smile. "Your Majesty, what can I do for you?"
The king was obviously under a great deal of strain. "Mr. President, is this line secure?"
"Of course it is, Your Majesty," said the president as his aide came in, out of the king's field of vision. The president made a barely perceptible hand gesture to the aide to stay hidden from the king.
"Forgive me, Mr. President, I know you take your security seriously, but it is of vital importance that this be kept on a need-to-know basis."
"I understand that, no offense taken. Now, what's this all about?"
"Mr. President, it is nothing less than a disaster! Starting about a week ago, various trouble spots have been popping up all across our planet. It started when the center of our capital suffered the collapse of our tallest building, followed by fighting in the surrounding area."
"Fighting by who? Terrorists?"
"We suspect some sort of criminal gang. No one has claimed responsibility."
"Some sort of criminal gang. Could this involve the Amarnut syndicate?"
"The building that collapsed was the suspected headquarters of the syndicate in the area. We strongly suspect some rival group is attempting to take over here."
"Your Majesty, surely your own forces can handle this."
"But that was only the beginning! The next incident was in the neighboring city of Funja, where a toxic waste spill caused a cloud of batrazine gas to cover the metropolis. We had to evacuate the city and surrounding area."
"Well, what makes you think that this spill and your collapsing building were connected?"
"The Amarnut syndicate also owned the warehouse where the toxic substance was stored. The day after that, street fighting and looting broke out in two other areas, and just two days ago the central control station for our weather satellites was destroyed. Since then, we've experienced civil unrest in every major city, thousands of casualties, and serious breakdowns to the transportation system. We are facing collapse of the planetary government! It would mean civil war!"
"Well, what do you want from us?"
"Mr. President, as the leader of the people of Ikaria, I formally request military and humanitarian assistance. My world is caught in the most dire crisis it has ever faced."
"You're asking us to assist you in restoring order across the entire planet. That's a lot to ask, Your Majesty. It would mean sending troops."
"I understand that, Mr. President. The situation has grown beyond the capacity of my government to handle."
"I'm not sure you do understand, Your Majesty. Now our armed forces are the equal of anyone's in the galaxy, but this sort of duty isn't what they're used to. I'd have to send in the troops to restore order across the planet, and they aren't trained as policemen, they're trained to kill the enemy. It's possible there may be casualties, especially if your people don't know we're there to help them."
"I will make an address to the people. I will let them know that you are here on a humanitarian mission and they are not to offer any resistance. Of course, you'll have the full cooperation of our armed forces."
"Well, Your Majesty, you know we're fighting all over the galaxy in our campaign against the Amarnut. Quite frankly, we're spread kind of thin."
"Mr. President, please. Our planet is your nearest neighbor. Our fight is your fight. And once order is restored, perhaps we can find a way to deal with the Amarnut."
The president didn't miss the monarch's choice of words. "Perhaps?"
"Perhaps. But nothing will happen if we can't put an end to this chaos."
"Right." The president punched two buttons on his desk and checked the file that came up on his screen. "Your Majesty, the fleet battleship McCarthy is on maneuvers near our common border. With your permission, I can send her to patrol your space and beef up your external defense."
"That would help, Mr. President, thank you."
"As for ground forces, let me talk to a few of my generals. I can get back to you in, say, four hours?"
"Very well, Mr. President. I will be waiting for your transmission."
"I'll talk to you soon, Your Majesty."
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The Lovely Angels were in their ship, in conference with Chief Gooley via interspace tachyon transmission. Gooley held up a small plastic bottle. "Angels, do you know what these are?"
"Anti-acid tablets, Chief," Kei and Yuri answered in unison. They had seen this bottle before.
"Yes. Do you know how many I've taken in the past week?"
"Uh, a lot?" Kei asked.
"Correct again. Now, listen carefully, because this is the big question. Do you know why I've been taking so many?"
"Look, chief, we're sorry that—", Kei began before the chief cut her off.
"Do you know why I've been taking so many?"
"No, Chief Gooley, why have you been taking so many?" Kei asked in resignation.
"Because I'm disappointed in myself."
Kei and Yuri looked at each other, caught a bit by surprise. "Why's that, chief?"
"Because, a week ago there was a small planet with a stable and thriving, albeit backward, society on it. Then you two arrive. Today, that very same society is no longer stable, no longer thriving, but instead is on the brink of absolute collapse and anarchy. I'm disappointed in myself," the chief took a deep breath, "because I was actually surprised by this turn of events. I actually fell prey to the delusion that maybe, just maybe, this time it wouldn't be quite so bad."
"Chief, you know how the media overhypes everything. It's really not that—" said Yuri, but the chief wasn't listening.
"I mean, it's you two. Every single mission of yours has ended up in disaster. Why did I think I could go against fate?"
"Chief, I wouldn't say every single mission—"
"I suppose we should be happy that the planet itself is still intact. Or was breaking it apart into asteroids next in your agenda?"
Kei and Yuri remained silent. They knew that nothing they said would make this any better, and it was best just to let the chief get on with his rant.
Fortunately, it looked like Chief Gooley had finished. He took a deep breath, and then asked, "Anyway, were you at least able to find Vido Zulga?"
"Chief," said Yuri, "we rousted every single Syndicate hang-out we could find. Plenty of Syndicate goons, no Zulga."
Kei spoke up. "Yeah, according to everyone we talked to, he hasn't been around for at least six months. Of course, he's very good at staying hidden, so that doesn't mean he wasn't here."
Gooley stood up and walking around a little, as he always did when he was pondering a problem. "I suppose Hujan Intelligence could have gotten it wrong, but they're usually very good, and the president was so sure."
"So, what now, Chief? Do you want us to keep looking?"
"Oh, no!" Gooley sat back down as he remembered he was still angry with them. "Stay right where you are! Am I correct in assuming that the airport you're parked at is still more or less in one piece?"
"Oh, sure, chief. It's fine."
"Good. Do whatever you have to to keep it that way. Hujan forces will be arriving in a day or two."
"A day or two?!" Kei burst out. "What's happening, an invasion?"
"The Republic of Huja, at the request of the Ikarian government, is sending troops in to restore the order you two have so efficiently destroyed. They've asked for you to stay and share what you've learned, and I figure it's the least you can do, considering they're pulling your butts out of the fire! So, until further notice, you are to remain on Ikaria and assist the Hujans in any way they need. Understood?"
"Yes, Chief." The viewscreen winked out.
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