Chapter 11

Several of the Golden Amazons who took part in the African operation met their SAS and Irish Special Ops friends when they arrived for their visit to An Clochán. The group spent two days visiting An Clochán, reminiscing and just generally having a good time. While they were there, they were given a tour of the facilities, including the operational areas.

“Cathal,” said Calvin, as they toured one area where Star Fighters were being built, “Is it possible to get a ride in one of these?”

“Not likely, not in one of these,” replied Cathal, “not unless someone wants to ride on the wing. Let me check with Flight Operations, since we do have a few dual-seat versions. However, it is my understanding that they are pretty much in constant use.”

“Why would they be in constant use?”

“Ah ... you have your Intel hat on.” With that, Cathal laughed, along with several others in the group. “As some of you probably figured out, we use the dual-seat version for the second step in flight training. Our first step is a fully-functional flight simulator. The second step makes use of dual seat Star Fighters, flying from Dóchas.”

“But, why the constant use?”

“We have only built enough two seat versions to meet our current training needs. Our focus is on building operational craft.”

“Considering you will have 5 large ships, you must need a lot of pilots.”

“Quite a few. Each of the Dóchas class ships will be similar to a reinforced, or a battle ready, CSG.”

“A CSG?”

“Yes.”

“That is a lot of people!”

“Yes, based on your frame of reference.”

“Calvin, FOC just told me that we should come up to Dóchas after dinner and spend the night. That way, they can give short flights for those who want them.”

“For all of us?” asked Calvin, with an amazed look on his face.

“Yes, we can give each of you a 20 to 30 minute ride after dinner. Since we don’t have a proper flight-suit for you, some aspects of the flight will be limited.”

“Why would there be a limit?” asked Cathal.

“Star Fighter pilots are normally in a capsule totally immersed in a liquid. For these flights they won’t be. Without the cushioning fluid, the operating limits are significantly reduced.”

“Okay. Now what I’ve seen makes sense. Anyway I am sure everyone will take you up on the opportunity. But you just told me it was doubtful, because of lack of time.”

“FOC modified flight schedules so that they would have a block of time available.”

“Everyone will be together at dinner, so we can tell them then,” responded Calvin.

“I think everyone knows,” said Cathal.

“What?”

“The escorts with the rest of your group have already told them.”

“Your instant communications ability still astounds me.”

“Our telepathic exchange has a lot of benefits, once you are comfortable with it. When my clan helped me enable mine, I had trouble sorting the information. In some respects it is like having a conversation in a crowd, with occasional comments from others. The nice thing is you don’t have the sound volume to deal with, so filtering the information is easier because it is clear.”

“You have mentioned mind-linking with your spouses. How does that fit in with telepathic information exchange?”

“You ask a question that is not easy to answer in words. When you mind-link with another it is a total sharing of thoughts, ideas, feelings, and sometimes senses. It is telepathic in nature but at the same time much, much more. The depth of the sharing varies with the circumstances, but it is always there.”

“I am not sure I would be comfortable with that level of closeness.”

“When I first learned of mind-link, I had some reservations as well. I can assure you I have none now. We need to head for the shuttle port.”

It was a quiet walk as Calvin was deep in thought.

Sarah, Rusty, Siobhan, Conan, Maureen and Brandan met Elaine Shonnesy, Uachtarán na hÉireann, Rónán óCeallacháin, the Taoiseach na hÉireann and the group with them, as they arrived on Dóchas. After introducing key members of the three Command Staffs to Ms. Shonnesy, Mr. óCeallacháin and those with them, the visitors were shown to their quarters. They would overnight on Dóchas, before going to An Clochán the following afternoon to overnight there.

After visiting their accommodations, the Command Staff representatives gave the visitors a tour of Dóchas, beginning with the observation platform.

The visitors were speechless as they looked out the windows. On either side of them they could see traffic to and from Eagle and Phoenix. Sarah pointed out Earth, and told them that the telescope would give them a better view. They chatted and answered questions as each visitor spent some time at the telescope. After their time at the observation platform, they continued on a tour of the ship, many times stopping to answer questions or chat with crew members. One stop was where the children were playing and studying. Joyce invited one of the teachers over to answer questions.

The last stop was on Dóchas’ bridge. Upon entering, each of Sarah’s Clan went to their consoles and signed on. As they did, each of the console displays came alive. The activity fascinated the visitors so much that they stood still while their attention shifted from one place to another. At last Ms. Shonnesy said, “I don’t know the significance of the displays, but the vista is awesome. It must really be a thrill to command this ship.”

“It is awesome,” replied Joyce. “Just as awesome as being a part of this family and my clan.”

“I don’t understand,” said Mr. óCeallacháin. “You distinguished between family and clan in a way that I find confusing.”

“For us, a clan consists of our spouses and children. Our family is all of us, all those on the ships and at An Clochán.”

“I didn’t know you had children,” said Ms. Shonnesy.

“Most of them were with the teachers when we visited that area of the ship. The others were in another play area.”

“I hope I get a chance to meet them.”

“They have dinner with us, so I am sure you will see them this evening.”

From the bridge they went to the conference room, to review their itinerary. When they arrived there, the remaining members of the three Command Staffs joined them. Based on what they had seen, the visitors asked for a few changes to be made, since they wanted to see more of some areas.

“Ms. Shonnesy and Mr. óCeallacháin, have you seen the videos that describe our history and physiology?” asked Maeve.

“I have only seen part of them,” replied Ms. Shonnesy. “It seems like each time I start, something interrupts me. I liked what I have seen and you are to be complimented, since they are very well done.”

“I’m afraid I have to admit that you’ve done better than I have,” added Mr. óCeallacháin.

“Thanks. Would you like to see them all the way through, now?”

“Yes,” replied both.

“I should warn you that we may restart the videos after a few moments.”

“What? Why?”

“They are shown as 3D holographic displays. Sometimes it takes visitors a while to look past how the presentation is being made, and to see the content.”

“In that case, please restart them when it is appropriate.” Just as Ms. Shonnesy stopped speaking, an image formed to begin the first presentation. Once the presentations had finished, Sarah’s Clan, with the assistance of Maureen’s and Siobhan’s Clans, spent the next couple of hours answering questions.

When the questions tapered off Mr. óCeallacháin said, “I feel we owe you an apology for our incessant questioning. If the roles were reversed, I don’t believe I could have lived up to your standards or poise.”

“Thank you, but we see no need to apologize,” said Aoife. “All of us see your questions as an indication of genuine interest in us. However, the longer we answer questions the less time you have to explore.”

“Yes, that is true,” responded Ms. Shonnesy. “I would like to chat some more, but some of those with us would like to wander around.”

“First, I need to remind you that you need to be with a crew member when you go roaming.” Several of their guests started to speak, but Sarah held up her hand while continuing, “We do this for your safety. Our safety procedures rely on telepathic communication. We live in a hostile environment, so when there is an emergency our response must be immediate and communication has to be perfect.”

“Some of the Irish Special Ops didn’t need escorts,” replied a woman in a sarcastic tone. Both Ms. Shonnesy and Mr. óCeallacháin frowned on hearing her comment.

“That is correct,” replied Sally. “Some of the Special Ops members could hear us telepathically. We told them that they could wander around on their own, but we recommended that they have a crew member accompany them. All of them followed the recommendation, since they found they could see more that way.”

“Oh, that makes sense as you wouldn’t need to really remember the floor plan. But telepathically receptive?”

“Yes. They think of it as intuition.”

With that, the group split into smaller groups to explore Dóchas, meet crew members and chat. Sarah, Aoife, Siobhan, Maureen, Maeve and Rusty spent most of their time with Ms. Shonnesy and Mr. óCeallacháin.

At dinner, their visitors had just arrived in the dining room when Sarah’s Clan came in with their children. When the children saw the guests, they headed right for them. Sarah’s Clan smiled as they watched their children. They knew that their children would be polite, but they also knew that the afternoon’s questioning would soon be reversed, with the children asking the questions. After a few moments, Sarah and Maeve went over to the guests and their children.

“I see you’ve met our children,” said Maeve.

“Your children?” asked a woman in the group.

“Yep. They are ours, all 66 of them.” Maeve eyes twinkled as she watched the woman’s expression. It was clear that she didn’t know how to respond.

“There are thirteen women in our clan, and each of us has had at least one set of quads.” The woman’s eyes got real big. “In our presentation this afternoon, we did indicate that we have a propensity to have one or two sets of twins.”

“Wow. How do you care for them?”

“We have several young ladies assisting us. We help each other, plus we have a telepathic link with each child, so our bonding is tighter.”

“It is apparent that they are well cared for and they are so comfortable to be around. That is a first for me, as children usually make me nervous.”

“Thank you,” said Sarah. “Ms. Shonnesy, Mr. óCeallacháin, the buffet will start in a few moments and, as our guests, we would like you to go first. You are welcome to sit with us, but we will not be offended if anyone decides to sit at another table.”

“Thank you. I would like to join your table. Let’s eat! I’m hungry.”

When everyone had finished dinner, Sarah and Maeve started their evening discussion by introducing President Shonnesy, Prime Minister óCeallacháin and the group with them.

President Shonnesy, Prime Minister ÓCeallacháin and their group visited An Clochán the following day. It was even busier than their visit to Dóchas had been. The Command Staffs all thought that their guests were enjoying their time there.

They were gathering for dinner when Ms. Shonnesy said, “You know, I am puzzled.” Her comment caused conversations to stop. “Why did your family choose Golden Amazons for your species name, rather than Órarduine? It seems that a Celtic like word, Órarduine, is much more appropriate.”

“I thought I saw you scouring the library,” said Aoife, causing several to chuckle.

“Today, I think we would all agree with you,” replied Maeve. “Since we made the choice to use Golden Amazon, we have learnt more about our heritage and language. At that time, we were trying for a phrase that those on Earth could easily grasp, while still being literally correct.”

“I agree with Maeve,” said Tara. “I think it is something we should revisit. Now that all of us are more comfortable with our adopted language, we should use Órarduine. Thank you.”

“It has some subtle advantages. Using Órarduine sets you apart as being from another world,” replied Ms. Shonnesy. “Setting yourselves apart from humans is to your advantage. As an Órarduine, it would be more difficult to justify the claim some are making that you should be considered an aberration of human genetics. I agree that Golden Amazons does characterize your species, and is a good common term, but I believe Órarduine is a better choice.”

“We’ve heard of the issues you had in the US regarding the scheduling of concerts,” said Mr. óCeallacháin. “We believe we can solve one of those problems, if you are interested and think it will help. The issue we believe we can trump is the passport nonsense. Ms. Shonnesy and I believe we can do this by issuing each of you Irish passports.”

“That is very kind of you,” replied Sarah’s Clan. “It is something we will need to discuss.”

“Take your time, as while it appears to solve one issue who knows how they would react,” responded Ms. Shonnesy. “To do this we will declare you to be Irish citizens with a unique category, which will give you all legal standing to hold the passport.”

“We will respond in a few days. Again, we appreciate the offer and will very likely accept.” Sarah said, then added with a grin, “Are there any uninhabited islands nearby that we could use?”

“I am not sure. If you do find one we may have to adjust the definition of ‘special’. To complete the passports we will need the appropriate data and a photo.” As she was speaking Maeve, Tara and Siobhan looked at each other and smiled, which was soon mimicked by the others in their clans.

As the group finished cleaning up from dinner, Maeve, Maureen and Siobhan went up to the front of the dining room at An Clochán. Tonight was their turn to host the after-dinner discussion. “Good evening,” said the three, in unison. “As we think all of you know, we’ve had visitors for the last few days. So before we begin our evening discussion, we would like to offer Ms. Shonnesy and Mr. óCeallacháin an opportunity to speak.”

“Good evening, Golden Amazons,” said Ms. Shonnesy. “It gives us great pleasure to be here. We have enjoyed our time on Dóchas, and here at An Clochán. All the sights and experiences cannot be easily put into words. I will long remember this trip and I am sure those with me will as well. I am also sure that some of us will try to write about it. I fully expect those writings to fall short of the experience we felt.

“Several of us were able to spend some time in your library. A fascinating place. One thing I found puzzled me, and I shared it with the Command Staffs earlier this evening. From my readings in the library, it seems that the name Órarduine is a much more appropriate name for you. You should consider using it as your first choice. Why? Because it sets you apart from Earth’s humans. You are certainly different, and I mean that in the nicest and most sincere way.” She went on to talk about different sights and experiences that had made an impression on her and those in their group.

“I wish to thank all of you again for the invitation to visit Dóchas and An Clochán, as well as the hospitality you have shown us. We appreciate the effort made to ensure we were able to see everything we wanted to. Initially, the idea of having escorts concerned many of us. Now, everyone is glad they were escorted, since otherwise you might still be looking for them. Our experiences confirmed that you are as open, caring and honest as we thought. Many of our group, including myself, were shocked at first by the nudity. It did not take us long to realize that it was just another way of dressing.

“You did our country a great honor by holding Beyond the Stars Choir’s first concert in Dublin. The music you shared with us was fantastic, and we enjoyed every minute of it. It is clear, as the songs and sounds we heard indicate, that there is a strong Celtic link between us. We hope you will come again to share those sounds, in concert, with us.

“You have some unique directives for interacting with other worlds and cultures which seem to work very well for you. Ireland has, at times in the past, been subjugated by other countries. In this light, we hope that many governments on Earth look at your directives as an example to adhere to.

“Your interaction with the governments on Earth shows both your adherence to those directives, and their flexibility. The episode in Fuda, Africa, is I believe, an example of the flexibility you have in following those guidelines. I sincerely hope I did not tarnish the evening by mentioning it. All of us are thankful that you provided the SAS and our Special Ops forces with assistance in rescuing those held there. Many who have learned of the incident were shocked by what happened. It is clear from that incident, and after closer inspection of others, that slavery is still prevalent on Earth. It is just no longer as obvious, since it caters to peculiar tastes.

“Órarduine or Golden Amazons, we feel blessed to have you as friends,” said Ms. Shonnesy, as she ended her comments. “On behalf of our country, we welcome you to visit us any time you have the opportunity. We hope the opportunity will occur frequently.”

As soon as President Shonnesy finished speaking, the crowd stood and broke into wild applause that lasted for several minutes.

“Thank you for your kind words,” said Sarah. “Our visits to both Dublin and Clifden were outstanding. You have a very beautiful country, and I am sure we will visit from time to time.

“Mr. óCeallacháin, you are welcome to speak.”

“Thank you for the opportunity. I don’t believe I can express our view and impression of you and this visit any better than Ms. Shonnesy has just done. Thank you all for the opportunity to be here and get to know you. We hope that you will visit us again.”

“Thank you. I am sure we will be visiting Ireland again.”

“Who has the first question or issue for this evening’s discussion?” asked Siobhan.

Keriann, Chester and Kelly, of Keriann’s clan stood, and said, “President Shonnesy, it is an honor to have you visit us here. All of us believe, as you indicate, that there is a strong similarity between the language and music of Órarduine and the Celts. We don’t see any indication in our library that the Órarduine were here when the Celtic culture was in full bloom. It is indeed unfortunate that those who came after the Celts did not preserve the knowledge and history of those times. If that was available now, perhaps we could divine the source of our commonality. In any case, we believe our Irish grandparents are ecstatic with our good fortune in being here.”

At the close of Keriann’s clan’s remarks, applause began again, indicating agreement with their comments. When the applause had ended Ms. Shonnesy stood and bowed to Keriann’s clan, clearly expressing her appreciation.

When it quieted, Siobhan looked around the room for others who wished to comment, then said “Gwen, it looks like you’re next.”

“Based on what our clan has learned of our heritage over the last year or so,” said Gwendolyn of Sabrina’s clan, “we propose that we use Órarduine as our preferred name, and continue to use Golden Amazons as a secondary equivalent.”

“Yes,” came several voices. The discussion lasted for several minutes before a decision was made to move forward using Órarduine.

Sarah, Maureen and Siobhan walked Ms. Shonnesy and Mr. óCeallacháin back to their quarters. As they walked back, they discussed some of the differences in the way the Órarduine interacted, compared to Humans. It was clear that they were having difficulty accepting the idea that collaborative minds could function without stifling creativity.

The next morning, representatives of the three Command Staffs rode back to Ireland with their visitors. The route Alpha1 took gave their guests an opportunity to see some unique views of Earth, after giving them a close-up view of the International Space Station.

The visit by the Prime Minister of England, Mr. Bartlet, was in some respects a replay of the visit by Ireland’s President and Prime Minister. Two members from each Command Staff met the visitor’s shuttle in Dóchas’ hangar. Sarah and Aoife had just completed introducing those with them when Prime Minister Bartlet said, “I feel like we are playing second fiddle to the Irish.”

“You can if you want to,” responded Aoife. “We have a slightly smaller version of the fiddle Ms. Shonnesy used.” It was very quiet for a moment, before the laughter began.

“Aoife, you’re quick,” replied Mr. Bartlet, “and thank you. It is my preference that we keep this visit as informal as possible.” Several members of his staff squirmed upon hearing his comment.

“Let’s show you around, beginning with your quarters,” said Siobhan.

“This should be interesting, since there are a few in this group that don’t believe Calvin’s report.”

“Ah, so your group came to verify Calvin’s observations,” replied Aoife with a smile.

“They think so, but I don’t think they are up to it.” The comment prompted several visitors to laugh. “There are several ‘experts’ who claim, that what is in those reports is not possible.”

The tour of Dóchas took considerably longer than expected. This was due mostly to the kidding that went on almost continuously. By the time they headed for the bridge, most everyone had relaxed. Tara had watched the reaction of the visitors to seeing a naked crew member pass by, and the subsequent attempts by some to look without looking. She almost busted out laughing a couple of times when one almost tripped, because they weren’t watching where they were going.

The group was very quiet when they stepped on to the bridge. The visitors were looking at the different consoles there when Aine, Brigit and Creidne shimmered into view. The sudden appearance of the three women shocked the visitors.

Sarah said, “Mr. Bartlet, let me introduce you to Aine, Brigit, and Creidne, who are key advisers to our command and security teams.” Mr. Bartlet and his wife greeted each of the women. Once that was completed, Sarah introduced the three to the rest of the visitors.

“I haven’t heard those Celtic names in many years,” said Mrs. Bartlet. “If I remember correctly, Aine is associated with summer solstice, while Brigit and Creidne are noted warriors in Celtic lore.”

“For Celtic lore that is correct,” replied Brigit. “It seems that the associations seen in Earth’s Celtic lore are very narrow, or emphasize only an aspect of the person’s abilities.”

“Brigit, right?” asked Mrs. Bartlet, and Brigit nodded. “I agree, but isn’t that true for many of the people individually noted in history. I think much of what we know today about the ancient Celts was distorted by the religious practices and leaders that came afterwards. It seems that all religions promote a belief in God, as long as it is their version, or view, of God.”

“Based on what we have learned of Earth’s development, your comments are probably understated.”

“Even her understatement,” said Mr. Bartlet, “would cause a firestorm in the newspapers. Thankfully, there aren’t any news media here.” Several of their hosts chuckled, causing him to glance at them. “Well, there aren’t, are there?” he asked with a worried expression.

“Not here, but we do have a group of reporters in our Communications department. They worked for Grand View’s newspapers and TV station before joining us.”

“Oh, my.” Several members of Mr. Bartlet’s group were now looking very concerned.

Seeing the anxiety building in the group, Sarah quickly said, “Relax. This group of journalist’s only reports the news, and they are very careful to stick to the facts. If they editorialize, you will know it.”

“How did they get here?” exclaimed one of the visitors. “I didn’t know there were any reporters here.”

“They are the four of the newspaper reporters who were covering the investigation by James MacFarland into the ‘Chosen Ones’, and nearly became victims.”

“Oh, I remember that. They are the ones who covered the visit here by the Grand View newspaper editors. Hmm ... if I remember correctly, they still write stories about the Golden Amazons for the Grand View papers.”

“Yes, they do,” replied Siobhan. “You will probably see them at dinner this evening. They very conscientiously check the facts in their stories before they are submitted for publication.”

“I remember reading some of those stories, now,” said Mrs. Bartlet. “They were some of the best news articles I ever remember reading. Wasn’t there a problem with the publication of one story?”

“Yes. One of the papers in reprinting a story, changed it to sensationalize the topic, in an effort to draw more readers. The result was that they found themselves in court, and, effectively blacklisted. The whole incident apparently caused a significant drop in their circulation.”

“Blacklisted?” replied the Chief of Staff. “I didn’t know that could be done.”

“My phrasing was “effectively blacklisted” which, in this case meant a loss of trust that they would abide by their contracts. The reprint contract states that any factual errors in the reprint increases the price of future reprints. The amount the cost goes up is proportional to the number of errors, and their severity.”

“I am surprised that any reprinting is done at all, since the cost could become prohibitive. At the same time, it could be a goldmine for the owner of the article.”

“You should talk to the editors of the two Grand View papers, I am sure they can tell you more. The articles are transferred electronically, to ensure an error-free copy arriving at the re-printer’s location.”

“Let’s go to the conference room, so we can go over the rest of your itinerary.” With that, the group left the bridge for the conference room. Shortly after arriving there, more members of the three Command Staffs joined them.

The itinerary gave them a full day on Dóchas, and at An Clochán. This was in addition to the partial days spent traveling.

On the last evening at An Clochán, Sarah offered Prime Minister Bartlet the opportunity to speak. He surprised everyone by asking Melinda if they could tape his speech.

“Mr. Bartlet, we had planned on it,” she replied causing a shocked look on his face. “We do it solely for our archives. Are you implying that you would like for us to release it to Earth’s media pool?” She paused a moment, then added, “Your staff can view it first if you want them to.”

“No, we don’t need to preview it.” His quick reply caused several on his staff to wince. “There are not many...”

“I understand,” replied Melinda before he could say more. “We will only release your comments, and some highlights of your tour, with a voice-over. We will have a copy for you in the morning, and you can ask the settlement AI to play it in your room when you get up.”

“Thank you.”

“Golden Amazons, or more correctly Órarduine, thank you for the invitation to visit your ships and An Clochán. This has been the most exciting trip I have ever made, bar none. My wife feels the same way. I believe that it is also true for the others in our group. None of us ever thought we would have the opportunity to venture beyond Earth’s atmosphere. Dream of it, yes, but none of us ever expected to actually be on Mars, much less in a settlement, and to experience the style of life you have here.

“Before we came, I called Elaine Shonnesy and Rónán óCeallacháin to ask about their visit to Dóchas and here. We talked for some time. They were very pleased with your hospitality, and very impressed by what they saw. From my perspective, I feel like their comments were possibly a little understated. I am glad we talked before coming as I believe it prepared me for the experience.

“My wife and I have enjoyed the freedom to roam around and see anything that sparked our interest, whether it was here or on Dóchas. During those walkabouts, we had the opportunity to talk too many of the residents. You are definitely a unique people. I understand why many of the young people you hired have chosen to stay and become Órarduine. The conversion is amazing, so simple yet so complex. In the short time we have been here, our experiences have confirmed everything you’ve portrayed in the DVD you gave us about your background. Having watched it several times, and visited here, I suspect you have also understated a number of things about yourselves.

“Yes, I watched it several times. Why? Science fiction is my favorite reading material. Many times in our history, science fiction has given us glimpses of our future. This is most easily seen in hindsight. By association, what I saw tells me that many aspects of Earth science fiction have a nugget of truth in them. However, we should bear in mind that all of our science fiction literature has been written by Earth-bound authors, which biases it with human characteristics, personalities and failings.

“The people of England send their heartfelt thanks to you for assisting the SAS and Irish Special Ops forces several weeks ago. Without that assistance, they could not have accomplished all the good they did. Several of the SAS soldiers you worked with on that operation wrote glowing reports of their visit here. Many of them would like your assistance on every mission, though they realize that is not likely to happen.