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He draws me to him and kisses me once more. “You look great.”
An hour later, I arrive at my destination and get through the security checks. I’m not kept waiting long. Peyton strides in, her blond hair coiffed to perfection, a warm smile on her face.
“Melinda, it’s good to see you!”
I stand and shake hands with her. “Likewise, Peyton. It’s been a while.”
“Come on through, I’m sure we’ve got lots to talk about. I know we’ve had our weekly video chats, but there are things that can only be discussed in person.”
I follow her to her office and sit on a dark leather sofa. Peyton settles herself down in an antique armchair to my right. Without further ado, we get into the nitty gritty of my debrief. Peyton’s aide, a serious looking young man, sits to one side, taking down the minutes of our meeting. We’re interrupted several times with calls, a few from the President herself, but we manage to get through the business at hand. I give her my candid and considered report on our relations with the alien races we’ve so far made contact with—the Venorians, of course, the Driskians and the Krovatians. There are a few other inhabited planets that we’ve discovered through our contact with the Venorians, such as Sarax and Klix, but these are considered too risky for us to approach at this time. I set out my views on which direction we should be heading, what potential advantages we could gain from further engagement with these planets and a little on the possible threats.
As the meeting is winding down, I look for an opportunity to discuss my own future plans. She presents me with it in her next question, “So, Melinda, I know you’ll soon be coming to the end of your term on Mars. Have you had any thoughts about extending it? We’re all aware just how critical you have been to our interplanetary relations, and we would hate to lose you.”
I decide to make my pitch rather than answer her question directly. “Peyton, thank you for asking. I’m keen to continue putting that expertise to good use. The past three years have given me valuable insights into interplanetary politics, and one of these is that we have to tread carefully. As we’ve seen with the Venorians, these alien races are hesitant to share their more advanced technology with us—who they see as a backward planet—but with careful nurturing of the relationship, we’ve been able to make headways. For example, the improvements we’ve been able to make to our space technology, enabling our ships to travel more quickly over longer distances, are the direct result of over a year of cautious negotiations between ourselves and the Venorians.”
She nods. “And you, Melinda, were at the forefront of these negotiations, as we well know.”
“What I would hate to see,” I continue, “is those efforts wasted because someone less familiar with the intricacies of these negotiations were put in charge. I see interplanetary relations as something very long-term. First and foremost, we need to develop the relationship between ourselves and these planets, and build the trust. The fruits of careful relationship building will be reaped further down the line, but impatience with the process could set us back decades.”
“I couldn’t agree more. So, does that mean you would be willing to carry on as our ambassador on Mars?”
Now comes the more difficult part. “I see my role evolving beyond that. Through careful effort these past three years, my team and I have been able to build a solid foundation on Mars, enabling someone else to step in and take over. From my perspective, the next frontier is establishing diplomatic missions on these alien planets, starting of course with the planet Ven. I have already built strong relationships with the Venorians, and I know how to work with them. Not to mention I’ve also got a good friendship with Martha Reynolds, Krantor’s mate, and an important inside track for us with the Venorians.”
Peyton frowns. “So, you’re looking to lead the Earth Federation mission to Ven. I have to tell you, Melinda, that there are several other parties interested in that position.”
“So I hear, but I hope I make a strong case for my candidacy.”
Peyton smiles. “That you do. If it were up to me, no question you would be top of the list. However, there are other considerations at play. Some have argued that it’s time for a fresh face to lead the diplomatic effort.”
“Someone such as Lucas Rivera?”
“You have good sources. There is the argument that continuing to have you lead the negotiations with the Venorians is not in our best interests. Having the same face as the spokesperson of humanity could become a hindrance rather than a help.”
My hackles are up, but I try to stay focused. “It’s important to remember that it is not just me that’s been at the forefront of the negotiations, but a whole team of the brightest and best. Our track record speaks for itself.”
“I hear you, Melinda, but there is also another issue. As you know, this is a mission of the Earth Federation, not simply the United States. There have been rumbles that our next ambassador to Ven should not be an American. The Europeans have put forward their own candidate, and the Chinese have thrown in their support behind that person. Since the US has been at the forefront of the technology that has enabled us to build the Mars colony, we have a lot of clout and could insist on our own candidate. My reading of the situation, however, is that the President feels we should cede on this particular appointment, and focus our efforts on future missions.”
My heart sinks. “Is it a done deal then?”
“Not quite, but a decision should be made by Friday. I will personally relay the gist of this conversation with the President and make representations on your behalf. Knowing your interest in the position could sway things. No promises though.”
I can feel the meeting drawing to an end and try to think quickly on my feet. “You say the focus would be on placing Americans in future missions. Any idea what those could be? The Driskians?”
“Possibly. I’m not at liberty to disclose the information with anyone yet, but Melinda, if the Venorian mission does not come through, I’m confident there will be other avenues of interest for you. That’s all I can say for now.”
I stand, knowing the meeting is over. “Thanks, Peyton. I appreciate it.”
I return home in a pensive mood. I’m not one to wallow in disappointment. Already, my mind is jumping ahead to those other avenues Peyton mentioned. It’s been nearly a month since I returned from Mars, and quite possibly, some new information has been relayed to Peyton that I have not had access to. There are only two other alien races with whom we’ve made contact, the Driskians and the Krovatians. No humans have been to their planets yet, as they are much further away than Ven in our galaxy. Our contact so far with these two races has consisted of video calls mediated by the Venorians.
Without Venorian spaceships, there is no way we could travel to these planets. There has been talk of human missions to these worlds, but as I said in the meeting, these negotiations take a long time. The Venorians are not simply going to invite us to travel on their ships so we can visit other planets. It makes me wonder what possible conversations have been going on at a higher level than I’ve been privy to. My understanding was that missions to Krovatia and Driskia were years away, yet Peyton made them sound a lot more imminent.
I spend the rest of the afternoon going over all the information I have on these two planets. The Driskians are a reptile-like race whose slightly alarming physical appearance belies a deeply peaceful nature, or so the Venorians assure us. Their planet is hot and dry, though not arid like Mars. There are lakes and oceans, as well as cooler uplands where most of their agriculture takes place. They trade in minerals, such as dorenium, which I understand is an important energy source used to power spaceships and other industrial processes.
My knowledge of the Krovatians is more limited. All I know is what I’ve heard from Pravol, Treylor and Shuban. I know that the Venorians are in the process of negotiating a diplomatic mission there, but I’m assuming humans have not been invited to the party. Or have they?
Reviewing this information now, I come to the conclusion that it must be Driskia that Peyton has in mind. I try to imagine myself living among a race of lizard-like people and feel a sense of excitement tinged with disappointment—excitement at exploring a new frontier, but disappointment that I won’t get to live on Ven, which I’ve heard so many good things about. And I guess another few years of sexual abstinence lie ahead of me. Perhaps I should invest in a new set of vibrators—or even a sex bot.
I’m in the kitchen, chopping up vegetables, when Wyatt gets back from work. He comes straight to me, wrapping me in his arms. “Hey there beautiful, how did your meeting go?”
