The Rangers Are Coming (45 page)

              “Offer them a piece of the good life of America and throw in a mission to the moon, and I think we can convince any country to do whatever we have in mind,” said the President.

              “See how busy we are going to be the next 20 years,” laughed Arcadia?

              The electronics piece came together in spurts and periods of frustration.  The breakthrough came from the research lab at General Telephone.  The President had broken up their monopoly of phone service in the country by making them share all their network of lines with other companies.  This meant people could buy their telephone service from several choices, all competing with different kinds of services and prices.  What the President did not do was to break up the research arm of General Telephone.  In fact, he offered government contracts to develop the kind of microelectronics Arcadia wanted.  It took them five years to develop a silicon board with grooves, into which tiny transistors could be soldered into circuits.  Having an example from a cannibalized computer was a big help.  They knew it could be done they just had to figure out how and have the precision machinery built to assemble the boards and connect them in a series to talk to each other in the standard binary code of 1 and 0.  Then they had to learn to write codes to make their computers do the things they wanted.  The first thing they developed was a code to do writing on a screen and a complimentary piece of independent design to make a printer.  The elementary computer typewriter was the gateway for dozens of other applications.  Soon they had a computer that could do complex calculations, draw figures, communicate with other computers, and make a combined system that fit in a small box.

              The first time Arcadia saw the prototype she asked her computer tech, “How much of this did you give them?”

              “Just the basic computer,” said the tech, “They did all of this on their own by reverse engineering the whole instrument.”

              “Start them working on navigation,” said Arcadia.  “One of these babies has to find its way to the moon and back.”

              “Do you have a reliable rocket,” asked the President, when she told him?

              “We launched a 100 pound pod with a radio beacon into orbit last week.”

              “Boy, Arcadia, I’m beginning to believe we’re going to pull this off.”

              “We only have ten years to go, 1870 will be here before you know it.  Just so you know, I have Tony Carter working a separate plan with the Ottoman Empire that will run concurrently with our big project to consolidate the European powers.  My hope is both plans come together about the same time.”

              “Nobody ever said you weren’t sneaky, and think in networks,” smiled Gallagher.

              Arcadia encouraged the President and he drove everyone else.  In addition to the electronics, he was having companies built luxury buses, more roads, faster locomotives, and more power plants using natural gas being pumped and refined in a half dozen new refineries dotted around the continent.

              The schools were drumming into their student’s minds that the rest of the world was in darkness and it was the responsibility of America to bring them light and enlightenment to turn away from war and misery.  The students worked very hard, and went smoothly into the fields in which they were the most qualified, and started making contributions of their own.

              The cities were made beautiful with concrete, steel and marble.  They gleamed with colorful lighting.  The cities were compact to allow the general use of mass transit, but the homes of the people were spacious and comfortable.

              In the 1860s when American history had 600,000 men dying in a civil war over slavery, Americans where using the great transportation system available to them and spending their free time in seeing the wonders of America from half dome at Yosemite to the geysers of Yellowstone, to the breathtaking wonder of the Grand Canyon.  The price they paid was they worked hard, very hard, and felt they were serving the Lord on a mission of mercy involving the entire world.

         
41
 

Washington, D.C.

              It was Christmas time 1869, and most of Europe was celebrating the Holidays, in happy parties and merry spirits.  It was at this moment that 62 year old, President Charles Gallagher chose to begin what was called “Operation Awakening.”    

The Ambassadors of every major country in Europe, and Asia, including China and Japan, started the long awaited ball rolling.  They were all completely prepared and eagerly delivered their messages to the Prime Minister’s, Chancellors, Kings, and Heads of State of every country.  The list of recipients were carefully assembled to create the biggest impact on each country.  The message was personally delivered.

The Honorable Charles Gallagher, President of the United States is pleased to make the following announcement.

For nearly a century, the United States has been intimately involved in the economy of your country.  You have benefitted greatly with peaceful trade with our country.  We realize even though this process has been lively and active, the United States is one of the great mysteries of the world.  Our policy of privacy regarding our business and the means by which we manufacture the goods you enjoy has always been of great interest and speculation on your part and the part of your citizens.

As we celebrate Christmas this year, I have a personal gift for you and your family.  The time for secrecy has come to an end.  The United States of America will now be open for your personal inspection.  We extend an invitation for you, and your family to pay the United States a visit and see, what we have hidden for so long.

We guarantee several things.  First, your personal safety.  Next, an opportunity to view with your own eyes the rather extraordinary wonders we have accomplished.  Next, the prospect for improving your relationships with your neighbors that will provide an incredible boost in your national pride and honor.  Finally, we will be pleased to provide you with one million dollars in gold for your personal use. 

The United States is vast.  You can expect to spend 30 very busy days with us.  We will provide personal guides to show you and your family different aspects of our country.  This will be barely enough time to show you just a portion of what we have accomplished, and for you to witness sights beyond your wildest imagination.

Our open house will begin on June 1, 1870, at the White House, the Executive Mansion of the President in Washington.

We will be pleased to provide you with special transportation to the United States.

Please respond your willingness to attend our Open House via our Ambassador.  He has all the details of the protocol of your visit.

Welcome to the United States of America

Sincerely,

Charles Gallagher,

President of the United States.

              The invitation was artfully written.  It came as a personal invitation, indirectly sent to the one person who could claim preeminence in his country without mentioning that the same message was sent to at least 25 other world leaders.  It was incredibly seductive.  If there was one subject that dominated gossip in the world, it was the mystery of the United States.  Now came a carte blanche invitation to see everything.  The dignitary need not share the experience with anyone except his personal family.  No fawning ministers or other members of the court need be included.  Of course, there was also the money.

              Almost immediately, Gallagher started hearing back by radio from his Ambassadors.  The initial response was shock and surprise.  Gallagher had many conversations with his ambassadors.

“Mr. President, the Prime Minister wants to know why he has to travel with his family to a remote location in France to take advantage of this special transportation we have arranged.”

“What did you tell him,” asked Gallagher?

“The prepared script, Mr. President, I told the Prime Minister after a century of secrecy that he should be prepared for anything from the United States.  I have assured him he and his family will be completely safe and the experience we offer will be a very exhilarating.”

  “No doubt about that,” chuckled the President, “any other issues?”

“He’s completely befuddled with the clothing we’re supplying,” said the ambassador.  “He’s certain this wardrobe will not be nearly enough for a full months’ travel.  I have assured him this will be entirely adequate, and we have some space and weight limitations.  Also, the suitcase we’re providing is a total mystery to him. He’s not very happy, but he and his family are too excited to do more than complain.  I hope they still feel that way when they see that big airplane.”

“You have it hidden behind the big curtain with only the stairs and the entrance showing, don’t you?”

  “Yes sir, we were very careful about that.  What I’m really worried about is who else they see getting on the plane.”

“In the outfit we’re giving them to wear, they might not even recognize them,” said the President.  “Relax, Carl and enjoy the moment.”

Gallagher had quite a few conversations like that.  He and Arcadia enjoyed them immensely. 

“I’m glad the total party of country leaders and their families will all fit on one airplane.  Still, it’s 320 people, plus the crew.  The flight attendants will have their hands full.”

“I’m glad we were able to get the jet engines designed and the plane built in time,” said Arcadia.  “It will make the flight to Washington only about 8 hours.”

***

William Gladstone, Prime Minister of Great Britain, his wife Catherine, and their two youngest sons, 18-year-old Herbert, and 16-year-old Henry, were all uneasy.  Gladstone was wearing a blue, single piece coverall.  He’d never worn such an outfit before, but the shoes were very comfortable.  Catherine was the same. She felt very undressed.  The boys were wearing Dockers and light sweaters.  They had on very comfortable tennis shoes.  They didn’t feel uncomfortable at all.

The U.S. Ambassador escorted them personally.

The family endured the boat ride across the channel and were met by a good carriage that took them west and south from Calais and down into Normandy.  They turned off the road and on to another road that led toward a big house, but the carriage turned onto a hard surface that led to a large curtain with a flight of stairs and a door with a curved surface at the top of the stairs.

Men came forward and took the single bag that each member of the Gladstone family was permitted, away.  They were left with small shoulder bags the ambassador handed to them.  “For your journey,” he said with a smile.  “If you will just go up the stairs, an attendant will show you to your seats.” 

The family climbed the stairs, and went through the door.  A pretty young woman checked the paper the ambassador had given Gladstone as he said goodbye and shook his hand. 

“If you will just pass to the other side, you are in rows 10 and 11, seats A and B. Welcome aboard,”

The Gladstone’s looked down a long row of seats, there were two seats on the side, four seats in the middle, and on the other side of the craft was another aisle way with three seats against the wall.  There were windows all along the craft.  The family walked down the aisle and located their seats.  The boys went to the second row and Gladstone helped his wife across to the window seat.  Then he sat down in the soft chair.  He examined the shoulder bag.  It held a newspaper, a book, a bottle of water, a tin of pills, and two large chocolate bars.

Other people were already onboard.  Gladstone thought several of them looked familiar, but since everyone was wearing the same outfits he was wearing, he couldn’t exactly place them.  Everyone on the craft had the same looks of nervous anxiety and excitement.

In a few minutes the entire cabin was full.  There were many kids of all ages, with the wives of the political leaders.  Gladstone thought this herding of people was slightly insulting, but there didn’t seem anyone to complain too.  He glanced at his watch.  It was just 8 AM.

A smiling woman took an object on a cord and spoke into it.  Her voice could be heard throughout the cabin.  “Welcome to all of you distinguished guests.  As of this moment you are the guests of the United States of America.  I know you all have many questions, the main one probably is if the Open House is to be held at the White House in Washington on June 1, then why are you here on May 31?  Well, the answer is very simple we will arrive in Washington about 8 hours from now.”

There was a murmur through the cabin, but the woman went on, “My name is Mindy and I am the senior attendant.  If you watch, you probably have noticed you are sitting on belts that look like this.”  She held a small version of the belt in the air.  “This is your seat belt.  It goes around your waist and clicks together like this.  To remove the belt you simply pull up on the tab, like this.  Above you is a lighted sign that says please fasten seat belts.  Please do so now.”