Chapter 8: More Visitors

The successful diplomat will find himself/herself in a posting that is either dull as dishwater — having settled all important issues — or all too active, as when his or her culture and the culture of the nation he or she is ambassador to just don't mesh.

Mike was becoming bored. This, as far as he was concerned, was good for the family but not necessarily good for his career. Right now, it also was not that good for his sanity either.

Nature abhors a vacuum, however, and the vacuum in Mike's life was about to be rather rudely shattered.

It was at his daughter's 13^th birthday party. She had been at school for a couple of months now, and had begun making friends there, as had Micah at his school. The restaurant's banquet hall was now filled with fourteen screaming, giggling Grade 7 girls and a handful of parents. Lynn and Micah were enjoying a pleasant afternoon at the beach.

One of the two waitresses leaned over his shoulder and quietly let him know that there was a call for him on the vidphone. Yuki was on the other end of the line, looking scared, and holding an envelope with a red border.

Envelopes were rare — most communications were by e-mail. Red trimmed envelopes were used by the Solaris Federation bureaucracy only for those messages which were extremely sensitive.

"Mike, the Lister just showed up in orbit — unscheduled. They stopped just long enough to drop this envelope off with us. It's addressed to you. It says 'for your eyes only'. They told me they're holding in orbit until you've read it and can reply."

"Right. I'll be right there." He regarded the yelling mob in the next room for a second. "Do we have anyone kicking around that can take my place beside my wife at Millie's birthday party?"

Yuki looked just offscreen, and started chattering in Japanese on another vidphone line. "Tsumugi-chan says she'll be happy to go. Her apartment is on that street, she'll be there in five minutes."

"I remember her! Good, if it's only five minutes I'll wait here for her."

He returned to his wife, and let her know he was handing her off to Yuki's friend. While he was waiting, he realized that Yuki hadn't dialled Tsumugi, she must have had a line already open to her. If so, that was yet another instance of Yuki trying to anticipate her boss' needs and desires, and being prepared and organized.

After the handoff of duties (and comforting Millie), Mike raced out the door to find the Embassy limo hovering at the curb, already waiting for him. Yet another one of Yuki's touches. What Mike didn't know was that Yuki had figured that Mike would have forgotten about the restaurant tab, and was arranging payment.

At the Embassy, Mike tore open the envelope, to discover a single piece of paper: "Contact the SFS Joseph Lister as soon as you read this. Use Signal Encryption Code 42. Aide Yuki Kawamori authorized to accompany you."

Alone in the Secure Communications Chamber in the Communications Room with Yuki, he sat before the video screen and typed the necessary commands for an encrypted link with the orbiting hospital ship. The screen lit up and the picture slowly stabilized, revealing five figures.

The ship's compartment on the other end of the line held Captain Jane Ordman and Lieutenant Parker, whom Mike and his family had met a couple of months earlier. Another officer with a Communications divisional badge also sat at the table. To Mike's astonishment, the other two in the compartment were Solaris Federation President Lucy Yamashita and Minister of Foreign Relations Thomas Kinkade.

All five were dressed. All but one flinched at the sight beamed at them from planetside. Mike was suddenly acutely conscious that both he and Yuki were as naked as jaybirds, indeed as the room didn't have a table in it, they were giving the others a full-frontal view. The communications officer was staring at Yuki in open-mouthed astonishment, Lieutenant Parker was calmly waiting for his superiors to start the conference (as befitted a junior officer who was also a naturist and hence used to the sight of naked men and women), Captain Ordman was turning bright pink, TK was trying to suppress a snicker, and President Yamashita was mouthing "Oh, my, God" and staring at her hands in rapt fascination.

Somebody had to start this conversation, Mike decided. "Mr. President, what an unexpected surprise," he said as naturally as possible. "Welcome to Spica II. If I'd have known to expect you, I would have arranged for a meeting with the First Minister and her cabinet."

"We'll be contacting her soon enough," assured Lucy. "First, we need a quick word with you."

TK took over the conversation. "The ceasefire you worked out between the Galactic Federation and the Triumvirate is working well." He was still struggling to keep a straight face.

"Spit it out, TK. You didn't come all these light-years to congratulate me on a three-months-old truce, and to let that comms officer ogle my aide."

Peters elbowed the communications officer. "Chuck. Eyes," he hissed. "Remember I told you — look at their eyes." Captain Ordman glared at both her officers.

"Well," hemmed TK, "It's about that ceasefire. They want to formalize a peace treaty between the two sides. They decided that the best place to formalize it would be in neutral territory, and the best place to do so would be on whatever planet you are currently assigned to, in your presence. Apparently both sides look quite fondly upon you."

"Um, thanks, I think." Mike considered the implications for a moment. "On whatever planet ... as in ON whatever planet ... Oh, boy."

"Yes," nodded the President, rapidly regaining her sang-froid. "On whatever planet."