Chapter 10

During the remainder of the week, and the weekend, I dealt with the various matters that my staff brought to my attention. I skim read the procedure for determining a currency exchange rate. Most of it addressed financial considerations that were not familiar to me, and I was definitely not qualified to address those considerations. I would have to turn it over to Kendrick and my financial support group.

Once I finished that familiarization process, I decided to begin writing the document that the Trade Guilds would need to familiarize D-Hoppers and traders with Earth, its customs, and its hazards. There was no rush to finish the document, but I wanted to put my thoughts down while they were fresh in my mind. I would not release the official document to the Trade Guilds until about a year before everything was in place to support trade between Earth and the Multiverse. I expected that to take at least another six to nine years, so between now and then, I had plenty of time to think about what needed to be said in the document, and how I should word it.

I believe the Guilds will view my trading business, and Sandy’s position as the Archer Conglomerate’s representative, as unfair competition since we would be established businesses by the time they were allowed to trade on Earth. I would have to discuss this further with Maribel. I supposed that I could put some basic trading policies and tariffs in place and allow limited trade on Earth in about five years. But once I opened the door even an inch, all of the traders would want to access Earth and to trade in the new market. Just another thing to think about.

I knew that the trading rights granted to me as the D-Hopper that registered Earth with the Multiverse, would permit me to trade on Earth for a minimum of three years without having to pay the import/export taxes, which I as the Ambassador would impose on trade. The three-year minimum for my trading rights was actually in effect until I, as the Ambassador, declared Earth open for trade. The longer I delayed allowing other traders to trade on Earth, the longer my unrestricted trading rights would be in effect. In theory, I could delay other traders from trading on Earth indefinitely, although I would have to provide suitable proof that Earth was not ready for contact with the Multiverse.

I owned ninety percent of the Archer Conglomerate, so I would benefit from allowing Sandy to sell Archer merchandise on Earth now. I could justify doing that as part of my trading rights if she were my partner or working for me.

However, the Archer Conglomerate is a publicly owned corporation, thus I do not personally own it. Logic says Sandy could sell Archer merchandise now using my trading rights if there was a business relationship between us. That would be within the guidelines Maribel gave me. However, logic and politics are not always in agreement. I will need to get a ruling on the type of business relationships we can have from Maribel, before I authorize Sandy to begin trading.

Then there is the matter of our doing business together when I allow other traders to do business on Earth. Maribel said that at that time, I could not own or control the business, but she did not say I couldn’t own part of it and allow Sandy to manage it. But by the time I allow others to trade on Earth, my net worth on Earth will be so large that I won’t need the income. It would probably be best if I sold my share of the business to Sandy just before allowing others to trade on Earth for I will be too busy with my Ambassadorial duties.

Hopefully we will have a Multiverse bank on the ranch by the time we start trade. Then I can transfer my Multiverse assets to Earth and not rely on an Earth income.

We were ready by 4:50 MST Monday morning for me to hop our party to the United Nations building. Bashira would be expecting us at 7:00 EST. We still had a few minutes before we had to leave so I asked Kim to join me in my office for a private talk.

“Kim, did you know that Sto keeps me informed about what is happening in my vicinity?”

“No, not exactly, I knew he could sense things and speak with you telepathically. Is that what you mean?”

“In part, but he can do a bit more than just sense things. He doesn’t pry, but he can pick up on other people’s thoughts from a distance, if they are radiated strongly enough.

“The other day, he picked up your thoughts about your gentleman friend in New York, and he thought it was something I should know about. From what he told me, you are angry with the man, but unsure if your anger is justified. If you want, Sto and I are willing to meet your friend. We’ll let you know what we learn from him.”

“I’m not sure, Doug. My not trusting other people has caused me to be disappointed in myself. But his behavior toward me has given me conflicting messages. I’m about ready to just walk away from him, but I am interested in him and I don’t want to be unfair to him either. If you and Sto are willing to meet him, I will arrange a meeting with him for later this afternoon.”

“Sto and I will be more than happy to help you, Kim. We should be done with Amir’s meeting by 3:30 this afternoon New York time. Perhaps we could have dinner with him at 5:00. That will give Sto and me enough time to form an opinion of him before we have to leave for Washington.”

“Okay, I’ll call him when we get to New York.”

Returning to the front room, I said, “All right, everyone, hold hands and move close to me so we can leave.”

After giving Betty, Carol, and Rita a quick kiss, I grabbed Cindy and Kim’s hands and hopped us to the United Nations building. Bashira was just outside the door with a large smile on his face.

“It’s good to see you again, Doug. I hope everything is going well for you.”

“Yes, Bashira. Things are busy and overwhelming at times, but we’ve not had any serious problems.”

“Good! Amir is waiting for us in his office.”

We followed Bashira to, and into the reception area of Amir’s office. After ensuring that there were no threats in his office, my bodyguards returned to the reception area.

As Cindy, Abby, Kim, Mike, and I entered Amir’s office, I heard him say, “Good morning, Doug. You are looking good, today.”

“Thank you, Amir. You seem well, also. I believe that you know everyone in my party?”

“Yes, I do.”

As we talked, Cindy set up her computer to take notes, while Bashira left to acquire the coffee we had requested.

“I have a favor to ask of you, Doug. A couple of months ago, Mozambique’s delegate approached Bashira with a problem. His country’s people have been ravaged for a number of years by a variety of diseases. Their medical personnel are overwhelmed by the sheer number of cases, and the patients keep returning with the same symptoms.

“The delegate recalled your offer of assistance to the people of Earth, and he was hoping that there might be something that you could do to assist their doctors. He also heard that you may be willing to sell Multiverse medical equipment and medicines here on Earth.

“Zimbabwe and Zambia are having similar problems. Their delegates heard that you may be willing to assist Mozambique with their problem; so we now have three countries, hoping that you will aid them with their problems. I expect that other countries will make similar requests of you, when word of their requests circulates among our diplomats.

“I was wondering if you would be able to aid at least these three countries with their problem. If you can, it may help me with some other problems we are having in some of the other African countries.”

“Amir, the Multiverse Government is willing to assist you with the problems in these three countries. Unfortunately, there is very little we can do, immediately. We have no medical personnel available, the Multiverse medical equipment displays use Trade Speak, and all of our medications and their directions are written in Trade Speak. Before we can make the equipment and medicine available to Earth doctors, we have to translate the Trade Speak into English. That will take time.

“I have made arrangements for a Multiverse doctor to join us here on Earth, as the Embassy’s Physician, in about two months. We will be bringing some medical equipment and medicines with us at that time. Once she is able to do so, I am certain that she would be willing to consult with the doctors in these three countries, and aid them in any way possible.

“Her equipment should be able to diagnosis the diseases afflicting the people of the countries. If we have medications that are better than those available locally, I will make sure that they are obtained and made available to the local doctors.”

“I am glad to hear that you will help, Doug.”

“Well, before you make a commitment in my name, there are a few related matters that we need to address.”

“Oh, and what matters did you have in mind?”

“Amir, our doctor’s time is limited so she will not be able to permanently support the nations’ doctors. The diagnostic equipment she uses, displays messages in Trade Speak, which is not a language that can be read by the doctors here on Earth. I am in the process of having medical equipment built in the Multiverse, for sale here on Earth; but our doctor needs to learn to speak and read English and become familiar with Earth’s medical terminology. Then she can work with the manufacturer in changing the messages displayed by the equipment and the labels of the equipment’s controls. Once that is done, Earth doctors will need to learn how to use the equipment, and interpret the displays. We can overcome these problems, but it will take time. The labeling and directions for the use of the medicines are similar problems.

“We expect resistance from Earth’s medical community, when we start selling Multiverse medical equipment and drugs on Earth. We have only made a few initial requests for information about the processes for having our merchandise approved for sale on Earth, but we have received the impression that the medical community and the governments of various countries ... especially the United States ... will oppose the sale of our medical equipment. We understand that the sale of medications will be resisted even more strongly by the drug companies.

“The Multiverse is willing to extend assistance to the people of these countries; but we also need to consider if the people, their medical communities, and governments are willing to accept that help?”

“I don’t know, Doug. The delegates represent their governments, so I doubt the governments would be opposed to accepting assistance. However, I am not certain that the delegates’ requests were from them as individuals, or if they were presenting formal requests made by their governments. I will have to have Bashira explore that further.”

Bashira had returned and had given us our coffee before Amir spoke, so he said, “I will look into that for you, Amir.”

“That won’t be necessary, Bashira.

“I wanted to present this request to you privately, Doug. If you were willing to help, I had planned for us to meet with the delegates for further discussion. It seems to me that you are willing to help, if the countries and doctors will accept your help. I think we should join the delegates if there is nothing further for us to address. We can ask if their requests were personal, or official, at that time.”

“There is one matter I wanted to talk with you about, Amir, before we left for Washington. This would probably be the best time to discuss it.”

“What did you want to discuss, Doug?”

“The Multiverse has a problem on one of our planets, and the President of that planet has requested my aid in resolving the problem. The problem is present on other planets also; but so far, no one has requested my assistance in solving it at those locations.

“I don’t recall talking with you about it, but the problem the citizens of the Multiverse have is with one form of sugar: sucrose in particular. If we consume a small amount of sucrose in its highly concentrated form, which is normal here on Earth, we immediately become addicted to sucrose. Sucrose is extremely expensive in the Multiverse, and if the addict does not get an adequate supply, their bodies slowly degenerate, and they eventually die.

“I was exposed to sucrose a short time after I arrived on Earth, and became a sugar addict. Fortunately, sucrose is plentiful and cheap here on Earth. I was able to develop a tolerance to pure sucrose, so now the effects of sugar addiction do not bother me. Of course that assumes that I continue to consume enough sugar to prevent the symptoms of sugar addiction from returning.

“Almost all of my people were exposed to sugar in the Multiverse. I brought them to Earth, so I could treat their sugar addiction. The treatment is not a cure. They need a constant supply of sugar, or the effects of sugar addiction will return and kill them. They can get the sugar they need here on Earth, but not in the Multiverse.

“Now on the planet with the problem, a group of criminals turned a number of young people into sugar addicts, and used them in the commission of a series of crimes. There are about thirty sugar addicts on this planet and I am planning on bringing them to Earth.

“At my request, Abby has contacted the US State Department for permission to allow these people to immigrate. Last week it was pointed out to me that they would be immigrating to Earth, not just to the United States. I thought I should consult you to find out if the United Nations might have a problem with them coming to Earth.

“What are your thoughts on this matter, Amir?”

“I was not aware of your problem with sugar addiction, Doug; but I can empathize with you over the problems it must cause your people. It sounds sort of like the effect heroin has on the people of Earth.

“On a personal level, I have no problem with you bringing people to Earth to treat their sugar addiction. However, your request creates a problem for me as the Secretary-General.

“When you informed me of your desire to present your credentials to the United Nations, your reasons for doing so seemed appropriate. I agreed to accept your credentials on behalf of the citizens of Earth, but all of the ramifications of your coming to Earth as an Ambassador of an extraterrestrial civilization, did not occur to me at that time.

“The United Nations is not structured nor authorized to represent Earth in diplomatic and economic matters on an interplanetary level. There is no organization on Earth that performs that function, so I find myself in an impossible position.”

Matt had been listening to our interchange, so he said, “Amir, you are right about the United Nations being formed to facilitate relations between the nations of Earth. It has no power to represent Earth in extraterrestrial matters.

“However, the United Nations is the closest thing Earth has to an organization that can perform that function. I suggest that you, as the Secretary-General, utilize Doug’s presentation of his credentials as the basis for assuming the responsibility and creating a group to perform that function.

“Your suggestion has merit, Matt. I will have to review the United Nations’ charter to determine if there is anything that would support or prevent us from assuming the responsibility for controlling the diplomatic and commercial relationships between Earth and the Multiverse.

“If I implement your suggestion, Matt, the main problem will be who in the UN should control Earth’s relationship with the Multiverse. Personally, I think it should be either the General Assembly or the Economic and Social Council, and the Security Council will undoubtedly make a play for taking on the responsibility. Everyone will want to be in control.

“The many aspects of relations with the Multiverse is a problem that the UN is not structured to address. The UN is divided into six parts and we may need to establish a seventh part to handle this matter. I’m thinking the best way for me to introduce this problem to our delegates, assuming there is nothing in the Charter to prevent the UN from assuming responsibility, is to introduce a resolution to the General Assembly for permitting your sugar addicts to immigrate to Earth. In the process, I can describe the full range of issues that our relationship with the Multiverse will create here on Earth. I can then suggest the need for a permanent committee or an organization within the UN that will handle all matters between Earth and the Multiverse. I doubt it will happen, but there is a very slim possibility of creating an autonomous organization that is separate from the UN.

“My introducing that resolution will undoubtedly set off an argument about who should be involved and how the matter of relations between Earth and the Multiverse should be addressed. Until we can resolve that problem, and push a resolution though the General Assembly, I recommend that you proceed with bringing your sugar addicts here. If this group of sugar addicts is on Earth we will probably grandfather their presence, so that they can remain here in the event the vote goes against permitting immigration. However, I don’t believe that will happen.”

I considered Amir’s comments looking for any potential problems.

“All right, Amir. That sounds like an acceptable way to approach this matter. Assuming that the United Nations will accept responsibility for representing Earth, and assuming immigration is approved, how will we go about future requests? I can’t see having to submit a resolution to approve an immigration request or visa, every time one or two people want to come to Earth.”

“That is true, Doug. It would not be an efficient way to handle the situation. How have you been doing this with the US regarding new people joining you?”

“We don’t have a process in place, Amir. Our sugar addicts will be the first people to come to Earth since I presented my credentials. Before that, I just brought them here based on a verbal agreement with the President. The only interface I have had with the US Government, in that regard, has been to obtain identification cards for them. Currently, we all have State Department identification, but we aren’t legally a citizen of any country on Earth. Ken suggested that I get United Nations’ identification cards after I presented my credentials.”

“This does not sound like a good situation, Doug. We need to discuss the matter of identification cards, immigrants, and your lack of citizenship further. To start with, I need to look into whether United Nations can issue you cards, and we need to come to some resolution that will enable you to bring people to Earth on a temporary basis, without making the approval process a major endeavor. If the people are to remain here for an extended period of time, or forever, the process will need to be a bit more formal, but without requiring a vote of the General Assembly. I doubt that United Nations can make you and your people citizens of the planet, so perhaps some resident status can be arranged between you as the Ambassador and the State Department.”

“Amir, I have a meeting with Secretary of State Boyd to discuss this and other matters. Perhaps it would be advisable for you to have a representative sit in on this meeting so we can discuss the problems and come to a tentative agreement on how to handle them in the future.”

“Yes, I agree with you, Doug. Bashira, since you know more about these matters than my other aides, I would appreciate you representing me in these discussions. While you are there, please extend my best wishes to the Secretary of State.”

“I would be honored, Amir. Doug, when are you planning to leave for Washington?”

“Kim and I have a dinner engagement with a friend of hers early this evening here in New York. I was planning on hopping my party to Washington once we finished eating. Perhaps you could join us at the restaurant and we can all leave once dinner is finished.”

“Where are you having dinner, Doug, and at what time?”

“I will get the details from Kim, Amir, and let you know. I will need to go home and pack a bag. Then I will join you at the restaurant.”

“Is there anything else that we need to discuss, Amir, or are we ready to meet with your delegates?”

It took the delegates a bit of time to gather in Amir’s conference room. We discussed their needs, and we talked about what the Multiverse might be able to do to assist them. It turned out that they were not presenting a formal request for assistance from their governments. Someone in each of their governments had asked them to explore the possibility of obtaining assistance from the Multiverse. They also acknowledged that we might encounter difficulty in introducing unproven medical equipment and medicines into their countries. We eventually formed a plan for how to proceed. It was not an ideal plan, and it contained many unknowns that we would have to address as situations arose; but it would have to do, for now. We were finished by lunchtime, so Amir and Bashira took us out to lunch at one of the better local restaurants.

Enroute to the restaurant, Sto thought to me, “Amir good man. Not trust Doug. Aid is test. Want see character. Want see reaction. Multiverse rules. Doug’s rules. Want see rule Doug use.”

“Thanks Sto. That is good to know. I can understand Amir’s concern. I would want to be sure of a stranger myself before I really trusted them. The aid Amir is asking for will be a good thing for the people of Earth. It is the type of thing I need to do to build rapport with the people of Earth. Let them test me all they want. I’ll do what I can, but I do have limits.”

After we were seated, Amir said, “I apologize for that situation with the delegates, Doug. The three delegates presented the situation to Bashira, and we understood it to be a formal request from their governments. I appreciate your willingness to work with them and their governments, so their people can receive adequate medical care.”

“That’s okay, Amir. Things like that happen from time-to-time.”

We were almost finished with lunch when Sto contacted me.

“Doug! Have problem! Two men talk killing man. Not us. Dark man offer money. Tall man agree kill man.”

“Where are they sitting, Sto?”

Sto embedded the image of the two men who were talking about killing a third person in my mind. Looking around the restaurant I saw the two men at a table across the room.

Kim noticed the change in my demeanor and looked at the men also. “Oh, Doug, the taller of the two men at that table is Mickey. He is the man we are going to have dinner with tonight. Do you want me to introduce you to him now or later tonight?”

“No, Kim. Don’t attract his attention. You were right about him, he is big trouble, and you need to stay as far away from him as possible. I’ll explain it to you later.”

“Tall man went Florida. Killed Florida man. Important lawyer.

“Do you know where in Florida he went, Sto, and who he killed?”

“Miami. Not know name. Big fat man. Important. Lawyer.”

“Okay, Sto. Did they mention the name of the man he is going to kill, or when the killing is to happen?”

“Tommy Nichols. Next week. Wednesday morning.

“Did they say where this is to happen?”

“Kill at home.”

“Have they mentioned their own names?”

“No.”

“I need everyone to keep your attention here at the table and not look around, or we may have trouble.”

In Trade Speak, I told my bodyguards about the two men across the room and about what they were discussing. I told them to be on the alert but otherwise to do nothing.

“Matt, if you can manage to do it without drawing attention, take a picture of the two men seated at the table across the room from us on your cell phone. One is a tall younger man wearing an open necked yellow shirt and the other is shorter in a suit. Focus on the tall man, but get a good photo of the other man also.”

Matt managed to take the photo and said, “Okay, Doug, what is going on?”

Without thinking, I said, “According to Sto, the tall man is a professional assassin and the short man is hiring him to kill somebody.”

Of course, everyone at the table responded by turning and taking a good look at the two men. Fortunately, the men were so involved in their meals and conversation that they didn’t notice our sudden interest in them.

Kim said, “Doug, are you sure about that? The tall man is Mickey Tulle and he is my friend. I know him and he just isn’t that type of person.”

“Kim, Sto heard their conversation and let me know about the potential threat they represented to us. He told me Mickey was in Florida to kill an important lawyer in Miami. My guess is that after he killed him, he came back to New York. That’s why he didn’t tell you where he was going or what he was going to do before he left.”

“I believe you, Doug, but he just doesn’t seem like that type of person.”

Amir said, “I recall reading about an assassination in Miami. The lawyer was Miami’s District Attorney and he had been threatened after successfully prosecuting a major drug lord.

“Do you know who he is planning to kill, Doug?”

“Yes, someone called Tommy Nichols.”

Bashira said, “Oh, Tommy Nichols is a well-known crime boss here in New York. I don’t think many people will miss him.”

“Kim, do you know where your friend is currently living.”

“Yes, I can give you his address.”

“Okay. When we finish eating, I think we need to pay a visit to the police.”

We finished our meal as quickly as we could, and managed to leave the restaurant without attracting attention. Amir wanted to go with us to the police and he used his position to get us in to see the Chief of the New York Police Department.

We explained what we had learned about Mickey Tulle and the other man to the Chief of Police and Matt showed him the photo he had taken. Then we had to explain how we had come by the information. The Chief’s questions seemed rather unusual to me, so I asked why the way we gained the information was so important. He explained that the police were aware of the plot to kill Tommy Nichols, and they were watching all three of the men. The two men we had seen would be arrested after Mickey Tulle made his attempt at killing Tommy Nichols. We were asked to not discuss this matter with anyone, until after the NYPD arrested Mickey Tulle.

Since we wouldn’t be having dinner with Kim’s friend, Kim called Mickey and told him that something had come up, and we couldn’t keep our engagement. She did a good job of maintaining a neutral tone to her voice. Bashira excused himself to go home and pack a bag, since we would be leaving once our business with Amir was completed.

Amir and I returned to his office, and finalized our discussion about the aid the Multiverse would provide. One of the things Amir described to me was the civil problems in many of the countries that make up the African Continent. He explained that he hoped arranging for aid for these three countries would give him more leverage with the other countries.

“Doug, there is one thing I am curious about regarding your sugar addiction problem. You told me that the humans on Earth were almost fully compatible with those of the Multiverse. If that is true, why aren’t those of us on Earth bothered by sugar addiction?”

“Amir, from what I have observed everyone on Earth is a sugar addict. The presence of so much sugar in your diets results in your not displaying the normal sugar addiction symptoms. Since everyone on Earth is a sugar addict, the people of Earth don’t recognize that they are sugar addicts. Sugar addiction is a normal state for everyone on Earth, so there is no problem.”

Bashira had not returned, so we switched our attention to the matter of Multiverse citizens immigrating to Earth. We outlined a procedure that seemed like it would work along with several options. Bashira and I would discuss the procedure with Charlie, tomorrow. After Bashira returned, Amir briefed him on the procedure, and I hopped us to our hotel in Washington.

We spent the night at the hotel and in the morning we went directly to the State Department to meet with Charlie and Abby’s boss Ryan Charles. Charlie only kept us waiting in his reception room for a couple of minutes. When we were shown into his office and our introductions and greetings were out of the way, my bodyguards returned to the reception area. I briefly explained why Bashira was with us, and Charlie said that it would be best to address those issues after we took care of our original business.

Before I could get started on repeating my request to Charlie, he said, “Doug, I have talked with the President about your latest request regarding a small group of Multiverse citizens immigrating to the US. We decided that since you are living in the US, and the United Nations recognized you as an accredited Ambassador from the Multiverse, you will be having numerous interactions with the State Department in the future.

“The President and I hadn’t considered it, but you and Amir are right that United Nations should represent Earth regarding people immigrating to Earth. However, United Nations doesn’t have a place for them to live. Therefore, it seems to me that the individual countries should have a major say in whether someone from the Multiverse should be allowed to live in their country. That means United Nations and the respective countries will have to work out an agreement for hosting Multiverse immigrants.