Chapter 46: Lily’s First Time

It didn’t take the teens but a few minutes to have us a few miles off shore. Once we were out to sea, they were all dismissed, leaving only the adults and myself in the salon.

“It’s your nickel,” I told Lord Birney.

“What I am about to tell you is covered by His Majesty’s Official Secrets Act. You may not reveal anything that is said this afternoon to anyone, anytime, anywhere without facing serious prosecution. You may chose to leave now if this offends you.”

“I don’t think so!” I said quickly. “We’re not playing that game. You can take your ‘official Secrets Act’ and leave, or I’ll just toss you overboard now!”

“I beg your pardon!” Lord Birney said stiffly. I don’t think that anyone had ever stood up to his bullying before.

“Look, this is my boat and I did not invite you here so you could wave your British Secrets Act under our noses and have us make ludicrous promises about never revealing what you choose to tell us,” I said. “Tell us or leave, but don’t ever pull that shit on me again!”

I think maybe Lord Birney figured out that he had just made a big mistake!

“I think maybe ... I have used that phrase a little too often,” he started. “First of all, my name is not Lord Birney. That name is a pseudonym for whoever currently heads a little known British Investigatory Tribunal, charged with investigating reports of alien contact,” Lord Birney started. “We report only to His Majesty or his designate.

“Back in 1973, The HMS Charles Adams made port at William’s Town to make some minor emergency repairs, and accordingly, the crew was given 48 hours shore leave. Two junior officers and the Executive officer wanted to try scuba diving in the beautiful Caribbean waters and hired a boat and a guide. While they were diving, the three witnessed a small flying craft approach at high speed and after stopping and hovering in mid-air not far from their boat, the craft dove beneath the water never to return.

“One of the junior officers happened to be taking 8mm movies of their diving adventures and captured the whole episode on film. The three officers then dove on the spot where the small craft went under, the depth being only 10 meters or so, thinking they might rescue any survivors. However, they found nothing.

“When they returned to their ship, they dutifully turned over the camera and the film, along with signed eyewitness reports to their Captain, which were then forwarded on to us. From then on, we have watched the area, and have noted many unusual occurrences, enough to lead us to believe that we might be witnessing the actions of aliens, but were never sure what they were doing.

“Last Saturday, during the heavy rains caused by Hurricane Nolan’s passing close by, an object appeared in the same exact spot and did the exact same thing, hovering for a moment and then diving into the sea. It was caught on infrared, thermal, and high definition night vision video cameras.

“That was when I first called Governor Connley in the Bahama’s, trying to find out what he might have on hand to investigate this anomaly for us further.

“That’s also when your name came up,” Lord Birney said as he turned to face me. “Of course, you know much of what has happened since. What you may not know is that we have taken possession of the three prisoners you sent to Jacksonville yesterday morning. They are currently in stasis, on their way to a clinic in Australia, and our scientists are preparing to do a thorough examination.”

I just nodded my head. They weren’t my problem anymore, and I sure wasn’t one of those who would be upset by proof that there are aliens amongst us.

“We also know that the chest of radioactive elements you removed from the site in the Bahamas is now in a highly secure vault under a mountain on the Swiss-Austrian border. And that the unknown ship you disabled yesterday has been boarded by teams from the Charles de Galle and is under the control of the French Task Force.”

“Incidentally, we found it abandoned, except for four badly burned corpses. However there appeared to be a large device that my crew thinks might have been some type of artificial intelligence, badly burned, in the middle of the forward armory,” added Admiral de Gasparin. “The ship is so illusory that we dared not leave anyone on board and currently have it under tow.”

“You think it is some type of giant illusion with substance?” Captain Tony asked.

“We don’t know. We are studying it from a distance, hoping it will stay together until we can reach the Naval base here on Grand Turks. We have two teams of investigators flying here now from France and Great Britian to go over her,” Admiral Tom replied. “We found it uncanny how much she looks like the World War Two Battlecruiser Hood.”

“Alex, Admiral Bouchard, under much duress has given me some examples of the power that you have wielded against American Naval and Air Forces. And your President has warned repeatedly about ... er, ... getting on your bad side, as he calls it. He seems aware of what you can do, but would contribute nothing towards this endeavor except the cooperation of American forces, facilities, and supplies.”

I just nodded. I was glad to know that Admiral Craig and the President were on my side and playing this close to the vest.

“We believe this to be an opportunity of ‘First Contact’ as they call it in the cinema. Does what you can do relate to that first contact? And can you tell us what to do?” Lord Birney asked.

“So!” I thought. “That’s what this was all about!”

I sat there very still as I considered all my options. Then I stood and offered Lord Birney my hand, as if to shake hands. Out of reflex, he took my hand and I immediately zapped us to the underwater cave on Exuma point.

The generator was shut down when we got there and it was totally dark. But it started right up when I touched it. The lights also came on.

“Lord Neville, Earl of Salisbury, do you swear on your families honor that you will reveal to no one what I am about to show you?”

“How ... how do you know my name?” he asked abruptly. I was wondering that myself, but it had come when it came and it was obviously true.

“Do you swear?” I asked again, a little more heatedly.

He hesitated. I could see him turning it over in his mind. He wanted to know, but was afraid he could not keep the secret. The honor of his family name, an honor that was hundreds of years and scores of generations in the making, was deeply ingrained in him.

“Never mind,” I told him. “I can see that this kind of secret would literally tear you apart. And I can’t have that.”

Lord Neville was scared. And I was about to make him terrified.

“To answer your question, ‘First Contact’ has already occurred. And as you put everything together, there should be enough information for the world’s leaders to come together and form a plan. My suggestion is that you be prepared to welcome any visitors with open arms because nothing you currently have in existence on this world now, can stand up to what even one extra-terrestrial could do to this puny world.”

Lord Neville looked at me in disbelief. “Is there nothing to stop them?” he asked. I thought he would have trouble believing in aliens on earth, but he was more troubled by his own absence of power to deal with them. They were no longer the big boys on the block. It was a hard reality to swallow.

I shook my head slowly.

“That cannot be!” he stated.

“But it can...” I told him. Then I pointed to the wall where the hidden stairs to the surface lay.

“Watch!” I commanded as I zapped the wall a little above the opening and a large cave-in ensued. “By-the-way, that was your only way out of here, unless you can swim underwater for a long time without breathing.

“Bloody Hell!” he exclaimed. “What did you do that for?”

“So you could understand how I immobilized the USS Freeman Gosden and seven other American naval vessels, two FA/18 Hornets, and a submarine. You also now know why there were four burned corpses on the Hood-look-a-like. My power is immeasurable and my range unlimited.”

“Oh, my!” he exclaimed.

“I can also do other things as well. Why don’t you ask President Dexter about how I healed his wife of cancer, or my bodyguard how I healed her of radioactive poisoning?” I was almost screaming.

The Earl of Salisbury slumped down, but continued to follow me with his eyes.

“Tell me, did you ever believe that your quest to find an alien living on earth would lead you to this?” I asked.