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Hyadeans had not as yet contemplated travel between galaxies, the distances to
them weren t as immense as Terran astronomers believed. The red shift had been
misinterpreted.
Okay, even if the supposed restrictions were wrong, how do you get the power,
when even nuclear fusion would be impractical for the superluminal velocities
that the Hyadeans said they achieved? Raw fusion only tapped into one percent
of the mass equivalent, the Hyadeans replied. Nuclear processes could be
catalyzed to be far more efficient, in a way comparable to chemical processes.
And there were other forces beyond those, anyway. The phenomena hinting of
them were there all the time, but Terran scientists too concerned with
protecting their theories had ignored or denied them when they wouldn t fit.
For the same kind of reason, the theory that life originated on planets was
wrong, that it evolved through natural selection was wrong, and the theory of
planets and stars forming out of rotating gaseous nebulas was wrong. What
about the theory of the Big Bang and the origin of it all? the Terran
scientists asked. The
Hyadeans didn t know. They hadn t really thought about it. Looking at the
claims the Terrans presented, they couldn t say they were all that convinced.
So much for all of that.
The aliens had little concern for big pictures, grand designs, or greater
schemes of things that went beyond advancing their immediate interests. They
discovered that humans, often to their own detriment, possessed unique
imaginative powers, unlike anything the Hyadean culture had known. At the same
time, Earth was fragmented into a patchwork of adversely disposed political
units with constantly changing patterns of alliances and rivalries, whose
leaders could surely benefit from Hyadean notions of efficiency and order.
Hence, a Hyadean market existed for Terran creativity; those who commanded
Terran
resources had a need. In other words, grounds existed for trade.
In the main, the Hyadeans became natural allies of Western governments and
financial interests faced with declining home markets and attracted by the
prospect of establishing profitable links to the alien economic system. The
supportive nations, including principally the United States, Western Europe,
and much of South America, organized formally into a Global Economic
Coalition, which became known popularly as the Globalists. On the other
hand, a group of reactionary nations, led by China and the southeastern Asian
region, desiring to preserve a position of growing economic strength, and
supported by the Arab states and much of central Asia in a tradition of
resisting external influences, established themselves as the Alliance of
Autonomous Nation States, or AANS. Largely because of their exposed geographic
positions, Japan and Australasia maintained positions of uneasy nonalignment.
The Hyadeans abandoned their stations in China and Asia to concentrate in an
enclave straddling the border regions of western Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru,
retaining the Australian base as a scientific field research station and
outpost. As the Western regimes became more openly committed to policies that
seemed designed to promote the advancement and enrichment of a favored few,
opposition movements the world over multiplied.
CHAPTER FIVE
T
Page 16
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
WO DAYS AFTER THE RECEPTION
at Cade s house, Neville Baxter stopped by on his way to LAX
airport before returning to New Zealand. He imported agricultural machinery
and was experimenting with installing Hyadean AIs for greater autonomy of
operation. Cade and Julia ate a salad lunch with him in the sun lounge
overlooking the rear of the house. It was a fine day with blue skies, and the
glass shutters were open, letting in air from over the water. The boat dock
was empty, Warren having taken the
Sassy Lady out to check some new navigation equipment. Baxter had appeared in
a light tan traveling jacket with plaid shirt, and a straw hat crowning his
ruddy countenance. As usual, he was in a jovial mood.
. . . so this Maori chief is sitting there while the tourists are taking his
picture old as the hills, wrinkles and white hair and he says, It s going to
be a cold winter. One of the women says, It s amazing! How do you people
know these things? The chief points across the street. White man stacking
wood.
Cade smiled, leaned back in his chair at the glass-topped cane table they were
using, and dabbed his mouth with his napkin before taking a sip of wine.
That s good, Neville. I ll try and remember it. We ll have to find an excuse
to come out and visit you some day.
Do that! Baxter enthused. We ll give you a great time. Balance the books
for the way you ve taken care of me here.
What time s your flight? Julia asked.
Not till three. But I want to stop by the mission and say so long to Vrel and
the guys. Dee too, if she s there. If not, say it for me when you see her,
will you, Julia?
Of course.
Baxter shook his head. Dee . . . there s one thing. How long has she been
going with Vrel now? At least since the last time I was over. It was a pretty
rare thing then with aliens, I mean. She s just . . . you know, does her own
thing, and to hell with what anyone thinks.
That s Dee, Julia agreed.
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