22nd May
It was just minutes after her conversation with Etienne that Joan watched the image of President John Redman appear on the videolink screen.
‘Good morning, Mrs. Stanford,’ said the president.
‘What can I do for you, Mr. President?’ asked Joan.
‘I wondered if you have any further information on the whereabouts of our starcruiser or the Reverend Leadbetter,’ he said.
‘I’m afraid not,’ Joan lied. She thought that the president could be trusted with the truth. However, she had no idea if WAR were in a position to intercept this communication or even whether the president himself might confide in someone who was a WAR infiltrator.
The president looked uncomfortable. ‘I’ll come straight to the point,’ he said. ‘Our other starcruiser has also vanished together with the base commander of Area 51. It’s really very embarrassing. I don’t know what’s happening or who’s causing all of this.’
‘We have intelligence about activity by Worldwide Action for Righteousness in relation to the asteroid issue,’ said Joan, fishing for further information.
‘It’s possible they’re involved,’ John Redman replied. ‘We suspect they’ve infiltrated some American agencies.’
‘Perhaps you, Charlotte Goldman and I need to meet in person to discuss matters of mutual interest.’
The president thought for a moment. ‘I think we should, Mrs. Stanford; I think we should.’
~*~*~*~*~
Joan was worried as she walked back to her quarters after her conversation with the president. She was sure that he and Charlotte Goldman could be trusted but, by the president’s own admission, he seemed to have very limited control over the current situation.
She reflected on the words Lady Bracknell might have said to Mr. Worthing should similar circumstances have arisen in Oscar Wilde’s, The Importance of Being Earnest:
To lose one state of the art, black project spacecraft and weapons platform may be regarded as a misfortune. To lose two, and the base commander of Area 51, looks like carelessness.