Flight of the Maita Supercollection 3: Solving Galactic Problems Collector's Edition (77 page)

So I'm to tell
Mi to do that, he thought and the pictures stopped.

Jak was aware
he was clinically insane. It was what he meant when he said his
past would disqualify him from being National Chairman. He had
known of his insanity for his entire life. While Hal had hidden his
mental abilities Jak had hidden his mental instabilities. The glamp
twigs were somewhat psychoactive and helped him with the
communications between the parts of his mind. Insane or not,
problems such as the microwave cure thing were solved with
frightening regularity by the process.

He was a man
who was truly of two minds.

The alien
Mentan had two minds, but one would think only in cases where the
first was blocked or impaired. It had told of a frightening
experience when it was knocked unconscious and its second mind took
over and took it back to the ship and safety. Jak's second mind was
likely to interrupt at any time. He had learned to control his
actions and could even see right through the pictures and hear
above the lower levels of the sounds in his head, a process he had
been forced to learn early in life. He seldom held direct
conversations between the two minds as he had just done, but it
wasn't a new experience by any reckoning.

He stood and
stretched, then went to the labs. There was a declared festive day,
but it was most unlikely Mi Yinn would honor that. Any excuse to
overwork herself would suffice. She wasn't there so he went to her
room to find her with Hal. He explained there was something he must
discuss with her before the signing ceremony and Hal would be
welcome to join them.

"You're going
to be named the National Health Officer at the ceremony, then Far
will sign the document. That'll mean you'll hold the office until
the new government's seated and can vote you out or in. I have no
tiniest doubt you'll be reconfirmed, though. Considering that your
husband will be chairman you may choose to have him select someone
else.

"There won't be
anything else for you to do for the rest of your life once this
plague thing's past, I imagine, but you'll have to think about what
has to be done – how the cure will be handled. There'll be millions
of details. The finding of the cure will be announced at the
signing. Sop and I have made copies of the entire process, how to
make the machines, several hormone compounds, how to use the
machines and the injections – every small detail – and have sent
them out to every country on the planet and to every doctor who was
helping in the international research. Implementation and methods
will be up to you here and the rest of the world will copy.

"I'm sorry, but
we had to dump it on someone and you're most qualified.

"Here's what
we'll have Enn say. We may be out of line, but we feel you'll have
to be steered because a scientist can seldom be practical, in our
experience.

"Now, Enn will
lead the parade to council chambers where he'll first announce you
as the new health officer and will then explain to the people this
must be done before the signing or we'd have to delay it until a
government's seated – and that would mean a hundred days before we
could begin doing anything about the plague. The hands of
government would be tied.

Next,
we'll...."

Announcement

The parade
started at the capitol building, wound the four blocks to the
council building, up the steps where the council members were
seated to one side of the room with as many of the public as could
fit on the other side. The case containing the constitution and the
ratification verification was carried down the open center by one
man and one woman chosen at random at the beginning of the parade,
symbolizing the fact that this document – and therefore the
government – was the "property" of the average citizen.

Enn Far walked
behind these two, who didn't know what to do now that they had
arrived. He quietly said to carry the boxes to the top of the
stairs and place them at the desk there, then to move to each side
of the desk and face the crowd. He handed the woman a sheet of
paper and said to wait until he was seated and to read it loudly,
facing the television camera at the back in the center aisle. They
went up, they placed the boxes and then turned outward. Enn took
the seat and waited until the cheering died slightly, then held up
a hand for silence and nodded at the woman.

"Enn Far!" the
woman shouted nervously. "This is the Constitution of the Nation of
Klarstenland.

"We, the
citizens of Klarstenland, demand that you sign this document and
that you and your successors from this day forward do follow each
article therein contained.

"We fully
dedicate our faith in this document and in you as its protector.
Never forget for one moment that you represent all the citizens of
this great nation and that we trust in you to do those things
demanded of you by our constitution!

"We, the
citizens of Klarstenland, do hereby charge ourselves for now and
for all time to be vigilant in protecting this, the document that
establishes government of law, by the people, in fairness and
justice, ever to be responsive and responsible and representative
of our wishes.

"Enn Far, will
you now sign this document for the protection of all future
generations of all citizens of Klarstenland?"

She looked more
nervous as Enn Far stood.

"Citizens of
Klarstenland. I bow to your wishes and join with you in my oath to
be ever vigilant to protect all citizens of this greatest of
nations under the provisions of this document. As acting chairman
of the council I do hereby swear my purpose to be the protection of
the government of laws hereby established.

"I will sign of
free will and proudly!"

The cheering
was deafening and went on and on. Enn moved to sit at the desk and
held up his hands for silence. It was almost ten full minutes
before he had it.

"Citizens of
Klarstenland, I must do one thing before I sign this document.

"I have sworn
to protect this nation and feel this is a thing that must be done
to reach that end. Once I sign this document no one may be added to
the government until it is seated. That is law.

"That will be
one hundred days from today! I hereby announce elections and will
speak further of them after the signing.

"We are at a
critical period in our history when a truly terrible plague is
devastating our great nation and our world. We cannot allow a lack
of direction in any matters medical to be with us for one hundred
days. Not for one more day.

"As acting
Chairman of the Council I hereby and with these words do contract
and appoint Doctor Mi Yinn as National Health Officer of
Klarstenland. This I do in honest belief there is none other nearly
so qualified as is she.

"The
constitution states all such contracts are held valid until such
time as the new government, elected and seated under its
provisions, withdraws them."

He sat and
quickly signed the document, then stood to wave it, holding it high
and in clear view of the cameras.

"We are now a
constitutional government! I hereby and with these words declare
the seated acting council to be the only legitimate interim
government of Klarstenland for a period of time not to exceed one
hundred days. Ninety nine days from today at exactly noon I will
swear in an elected government! That government will meet in first
session at dawn one hundred days from today. That is now the
law!

"I further
decree that this date shall be called Constitution Day from this
time forward. It shall henceforth be a day when we pause in our
daily lives, businesses and government to contemplate the meanings,
promises, duties and rights brought to us each by the document, to
examine those things we have said and done in the past years and to
ask ourselves if we have in truth diligently acted out our
responsibilities of vigilance in protection of these things for
which the Kroon race has fought so long and which were hard
won."

There was a
fifteen minute roar before he was able to quiet the people again.
He soon grew tired of calling for silence and finally stood,
waiting, until he had reasonable order.

"Citizens, the
voting places are established. You have used them to ratify this
document. They will have much use in the next one hundred days.
Much good use!

"This document
gives you many rights and it gives you many responsibilities. You
may not have one without the other! Along that path lies
disaster!

"I will
faithfully abide by the responsibilities I am handed and you also
must abide by those responsibilities that are yours. We each have
our clear duties.

"I want each of
you to think carefully of who would best and most honestly
represent you in your precinct area. You are to go to the precinct
house and you are to place that person's name for commons. This is
your duty under the law!

"There will be
a person in the areas marked on the maps there who will be placed
in nomination for elite house and the most deserving and honest
person in your opinion in the nation will be placed on the
nominations list for chairman. This is your duty under the law!

"I place the
name of Hal Korr, discoverer of the 'A' serum, historian, scholar,
teacher and the most decent man I have ever met in nomination for
chairman.

"This is my
duty under the law! In fifteen days we will have a first vote on
the most nominated names on those lists. The two names receiving
the most numerous recommendations in each field will be carried on
the voting lists in the next election, which will select both the
commons representative and the elite. The commons house will be
elected in a system later to be explained.

"On the ninety
fifth day from today we will hold the national election of
chairman. I will seat and swear in the new government as I said,
ninety nine days from today. You will be...."

His aide came
onto the stage with a handcom and a very nervous look. He was
terrified, but he had his orders.

"It's Jak Tall
from Long Island. He says to tell you it's an urgent national
emergency!" the aide whispered.

Enn took the
com and said, "Yes?"

"Repeat after
me at the top of your shouting ability," Jak demanded. "WE – HAVE –
THE – CURE!"

"We do?" Enn
squeaked incredulously, even though he fully expected it in one
part of his mind.

"We do! I've
just dispatched the helicopter with full particulars to every
single country on this planet!"

"The plague!"
Far shouted. "The plague is cured! We're saved!

"I'm talking
right now with Jak Tall on the islands! We have defeated the
plague! WE HAVE THE CURE!"

The place
turned into chaos. The suppressed fears died, to a great extent.
People were dancing together and shouting in pure joy. Enn Far lost
all control of the crowds and didn't care. He sat on the steps and
cried in pure joy and relief. It was more than an hour later before
any semblance of order was restored. Enn discussed in that interim
what came next with Sop and Jak. He went into the small chambers
behind the dais, sat at the desk there and again cried unashamedly
in his relief.

When he went
back out later it was already arranged that Mi would speak to the
nation over the television link, acting as National Health Officer.
Enn introduced her as her picture came onto the large screen. She
was seated at a desk with Sop to one side and Hal to the other.

"Citizens of
Klarstenland, I am speaking as National Health Officer. I was not
aware I held any such office until Chairman Far told me so a moment
ago. I have read the constitution and know the powers I hold.

"I feel this
will make it much easier for us to get this plague behind us
forever.

"First, let me
say the cure is a two-part thing. The first part is the synergic
hormone compound that historian Dr. Hal Korr discovered. The
subject is injected with the combination we call M fourteen and is
three hours later placed into a chamber with a device that was
invented by Jak Tall, whose signature on the constitution is so
well-known.

"One short hour
later there is a second injection of M fourteen.

"That's it!
You're cured! The plague is dead!

"It will take
approximately three days before the machines can be produced and
all doctors instructed in their use. This will be done through
television link. We are most fortunate they are a slight
modification of a commercial unit used in many household
appliances. This saves us time during which the race may well have
suffered irreparable damage.

"A television
link has now been promised which will be used by Jak Tall to
instruct all who have experience with those units to be used. You
will be instructed in the methods of modification.

"As National
Health Officer I must suspend the rights of free movement and of
assembly starting tomorrow, so everyone go to your homes. The
prohibitions start at noon tomorrow. I am sorry this must be done,
but the lives of each of us on this entire planet are at stake and
the time of the suspensions will be short. I promise this to you. I
would never take such a step lightly.

"The total
success of this operation will depend directly on everyone being
tested and all those infected treated. If even one person is missed
it will start again. That is our danger.

"The new
detector test for the antibodies takes a total of six minutes. I
think no one will object to six minutes of their time that may well
be their only hope of life for the next sixty years or more!

"You must stay
in your homes for three to five days. We will arrange for
house-to-house movement of doctors and testing equipment. Each
person will be tested. Those with the plague will then go directly
to a central area for treatment. Only one day after the treatment
you are cured. The contagion is gone and you may move about as you
please, though you will be asked to avoid direct contact with
anyone not already having the treatment. Twenty days later all
those who did not receive the treatment will be retested to
ascertain they had not been exposed and not had incubation time.
Only those having contact with any who test positive at that time
will be under any restriction whatever from that point forward.