Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 Chapter 7

   The first meeting after the arrest of Kendra was to provide a lot of
data.  Carlton, David, Jackson, Kelly and Dana were there as well as John.
For John it was learning time, he felt.

   Carlton started this, and was glad to go first.  "The DNA John wanted
ran allows us to identify those from the other dimension.  There are three
major issues that show up in their blood.  If you were given a transfusion
from one of them it would kill you, and fast.  It would cause liver and
renal failure within ten minutes.  We know this because it has happened
three times in the past.  DNA tests were not known until we came here." He
waited to see what if there were any questions.

   With none coming, he continued, "We have arrested fifty six more, based
on the DNA matches.  All were on this island.  The group was the religious
one that Kendra belonged to.  So we are spending our time now looking for
additional data.  Each home has been searched, and we have found a lot of
odd reptiles.  The snakes we found had toxins in them that, once in contact
with an open wound, would kill fast.  Found in your foodstuffs were some
toxins that, if one of you were sick, would have killed you.  Nothing else
has been found from all the stuff we tested.  That pretty much answers the
science side of my report."

   David was completely shocked.  "How did we miss this?"

   "You didn't miss anything David, I did.  We were making decisions so
fast it just never got covered.  I should have followed that one and didn't
do it.  So the blame is mine."

   John wanted this stopped.  "Stop the pity party right now!  These kinds
of errors happen in big moves like we made.  But we found it, and have
hopefully fixed it.  It does give us a lot of data for our project, and
that's the important thing now."

   Kelly decided to break this up some.  "I now have Kendra's background.
She came from the small island, and it is said she lost her parents.  She
worked as a holy woman here for a number of years.  She was never related
to the King, and was hated by him.  It was her pushing that caused him to
sell the islands, and she most likely poisoned a lot of the food.  The King
took his own food but his crew, it seems, died first."

   The woman was a good liar and he had bought into her story.  "Well, she
had me fooled and I accepted her lies."

   "Daddy, she had us all fooled, and she was really good at not showing
her real emotions.  That is, until you started pushing her."

   David knew that John's gut had acted up once more.  "If your gut keeps
working we might solve this little issue.  The general has started drugs
being used to question the people arrested.  He is using two of his native
troops to work with him in the questioning.  They really do hate these
outsiders, while we are well accepted, as you have impressed the people. 
It is the first time they feel they really have a leader who cares about
them."

   "I do care, David, and will continue to do so.  We're here at their
sufferance, so it is just reasonable to be caring and giving with them. 
Yes, their King sold me the islands and his right to rule them.  But that
doesn't mean all the land and resources belong to us.  They must be shared
and used wisely for the good of us all."

   "They said they have never been this well off before.  The reason for it
is your coming and ruling them so well.  Honesty was always a virtue to
them and it is a main part of our laws.  They were promised one day a great
leader would assume power here and make them very well off.  It was up to
them to be sure they stayed that way.  So you have lots of people saving
money, and educating their children.  We have set up trust areas for native
born people on every island.  It should provide new land for them over the
next hundred years."

   "What happens if they don't stay on the land and want to, say, teach?"
This was a new area for John.

   "We have a fund that will give them the money equal to the land value,
so they can buy a home.  It is well funded, and will continue for many
years.  The native born will do well here.  Our people are buying their
homes, and at low interest rates to boot.  So those who were born here
should have the advantage in buying a home."

   "You guys did well structuring that.  I completely approve of everything
you said.  I think they need to know you set it up."

   "That is where your wrong, boss.  We did exactly what we though you
would do.  So our question was always, how would John handle this?  We made
the decision, but using the logic you taught us.  So the decisions were
really yours in every way.  The people need just one person to focus on and
follow, and that's you.  So don't confuse them with minor issues." David
finished winded.  But the people around the table were applauding his
speech.

   "OK ,I get the message and will back off.  Now, do we have any more data
on the other dimension?"

   "Yes, we know for a fact it has less oxygen than here, and are setting
up buoys to measure the gases and any airborne particles.  We do know
exactly where a hole opens, and it happens at the full moon each time, two
nights on either side of that moon phase."

   "That's a nice start.  Where did that information come from?"

   "The two books with the skin cover.  I've had one man reading and doing
a translation of it for us.  He was completely shocked at the information.
That area was a main fishing ground for most of the islands' small boats.
He wondered just how many of the people from here are there now?  I did a
search and it seems they lost around three thousand fishermen each year. 
So you can see the decline of the population was caused by that job."

   "How many have they lost since we came?"

   "None, as I stopped the fishing until we checked out the losses.  Then I
had a big factory boat that caught the fish and processed them.  So small
fleet fishing was just not profitable.  That big boat is highly automated.
A computer sorts the catch and rejects small fish and unusable ones.  It
brings in just what can be processed in one hour.  The rest swim in a tank.
The fish is scaled, gutted and fins removed before cutting it into steaks
or frying size.  Then our packers handle the fish to get packages of the
right size before freezing it.  Of course they also inspect every filet. 
Each type of fish is ID'ed before processing it.  If the package says tuna
that's what is in it."

   "You seem to have the fishing down to a science.  Now what about the
fishing grounds that the people previously used?"

   "They're OK, but not the best we have.  The reason the better areas were
not fished, I think, was because of Japan's willingness to sink ships going
there.  Some of the fishermen admitted that after their ships were sunk. 
They sunk many ships from the islands.  But company policy would not allow
the ships to pick up survivors." David was upset with the policy of the
companies in Japan.

   "That I'll handle and quickly.  The Emperor owes the people an apology,
and repatriations if any of our people exist in Japan.  He will pay for
lost husbands.  So get me a count as close as possible.  I have a talk
coming with him tomorrow." John knew just how he wished to play this.

   "I see something you're not talking about?"

   "Yes, and I'm not going to discuss it yet.  When you have an idea you
don't discuss it like it has already happened.  There are still issues for
me to solve before I even open my mouth." John stood his ground, and David
quickly got the point.  He had once more gone too far.

   Dana bailed him out.  "How many of the company ships did we sink before
they moved out of our waters?"

   "There were three, and we picked up every person on them.  They were
told to move off the ships in lifeboats, and then the ship was sunk.  The
crew was picked up and taken to a confinement camp.  We returned them to
the company once agreements were signed."

   "David, you get me the data I need.  Carlton, organize the warehouse
items for inspection and let Kelly know when you're ready.  Kelly, organize
the people to come in and review the artifacts.  Dana, try your best to
make some progress with the girl as she, I think, is the key here?"

   After they had left Shelby brought in coffee and a roll for him.  "This
feels like old times, John.  I love where we live now, and this place is
like a palace to me."

   "Just don't get into the idea that it is one.  There are many apartments
here, and some are used others are not.  The families all connect here to
the dining room.  Part of this place is office work areas, and part living
quarters.  Once more the government is run from here, and not some office
in the city.  So we have space needs most would not have.  I have had
dinners here, and meetings with some foreign dignitaries.  We don't accept
many of those, and I don't look to bring many up here."

   "I have noticed other than Japan, we don't see other foreign ships at
all."

   "We have a trade agreement with them.  They buy and sell our goods to
any nation interested.  That way we don't have a lot of people coming here
wanting what we have.  It, I hope, will prevent fighting a war to keep
these islands."

   "Is that possible, John?"

   "We're all living like kings compared to most of the world.  There is
food, clothing, cars, farm equipment, electronics gear and almost anything
you could want to buy.  The nice thing is, you can afford to do that as you
have work, and are being paid.  Looking at the rest of the world, that is
not the case any place else.  The poor have almost nothing, and the middle
class has little.  Just the rich are surviving, and not as well as they
would like.  So they are always looking for places to assume power, and
take over using their money.  Most don't have a lot of gold or silver, so
their money is often worthless outside their country."

   Shelby could see just how bad it was out there.  "Since you rescued me I
have never missed a meal, or had any real wants that were not handled.  We
people tend to forget just how good life is here for us.  I think we all
need to be kicked in the butt every once in a while, to wake up and see
what we have, and others wished for."

   That hit a note John liked.  "I pick up a few news feeds now days from
countries that are a little better off.  Places like Japan, China, Russia,
India and the likes.  It might be worth showing our people what life is
like there?  It definitely is hard, and millions are dying."

   "I often wonder what happened after we left Johnstown?"

   "It got real ugly, and things have not gotten any better.  There are no
lighted cities anymore, and you can see bands of people roaming the
countryside.  Simply put, I believe it just reverted back to the jungle it
was before."

   Shelby left and John started back to his planning.  The trick was going
to be getting everything he needed from Japan.  He called his bank manager
in Japan.

   "Yes, John, what can I do for you?" The man's English was very good, so
that is what they used.

   "I want to hire some people for very good jobs.  But they would need to
move here, and become citizens.  They are mostly scientific and technology
positions.  As you know, we don't pay high wages here, but people live very
well because of our gold standard."

   "Money of any kind, with a long term job, is much wanted here.  I assume
you need people who speak english?"

   "For this, yes, and it would be good if they were educated in the US.  I
am sending you the list of openings and requirement.  It will be on your
fax connected to us.  The people will be moved by the ships coming to pick
up commodities.  Use our permission from the Emperor for any who question
what your doing."

   "Hai, it will be done as you wish." He slipped back into Japanese.

   John hung up the phone and just sat back considering his real needs. 
His list of fifty well educated people with skills in several areas would
help his people here.  The fifty families would be easy to handle.  He had
his town built in much of the Japanese style of high fenced in yards and
houses.  Being home was a place just for family to enjoy, unless they
invited others.  So people from Japan would enjoy this city.  The one
difference was the gate for bringing your car into the walled area.  It was
really a garage, and you had to pass through the door to get into the yard.
It did look like a gate, and when it opened it was a closed area for
parking up to three vehicles.

   These people would add the knowledge on dimensions needed in the
planning.  The others were to help the space program with ways to launch
without using rockets.  So he was tasking in many different directions now.


   All of a sudden the noise level grew so loud he was shocked.  He could
feel the air vibrations in the office and hear a loud noise coming from
outside just above the balcony.  He knew it was a helicopter from the
sounds the blades made.

   He walked out and looked up, and just twenty feet up was one of the
slicks.  Someone was dangling from a rope and harness while holding a
smaller man who was struggling like mad to get free.

   Carlton walked in and saw John standing on the balcony.  "Five minutes
ago that would have been very unsafe, boss."

   "I assume there was a reason for the noise, and it most likely had the
problem solved.  So what happened?"

   "One of the searchers on the beach saw someone climbing on the side of
the mountain.  She called Jackson, and he went into a panic mode and
started the ball rolling.  He's trying to find out how anyone got to the
top of the mountain and started coming down?"

   Another chopper came in and one person swung out and dropped down,
picked up a rifle and a pack, was hauled back into the machine and it left.


   "That must have been the weapon and pack for that attacker.  I have a
bunch of sensors for Jackson to plant on the mountain around your home. 
Anything human will set them off, and for other life forms they will
indicate what they picked up.  Jackson needs some help, as nothing under
human control is fool proof."

   "After the household staff thing I don't think I'll argue with you.  But
I'll bet this has something to do with those arrests!"

   "Oh, I'm sure you're right.  General Zane is getting lots of information
for us now.  The native boys have been very successful at questioning those
arrested.  They're not being gentle with them, and have scared them badly."

   That made John really wonder?  "OK, how do you scare them, they know
they're under arrest?"

   "They threatened them with the same methods used in the other dimension.
They would be skinned alive, and get to watch their skin made into a map.
One of the female prisoners told one of the guards they didn't know how to
question, and explained the way it is done there.  Once the threats and
tools were there, it went a lot faster."

   The idea of doing that to a human was repulsive to him.  But the map and
book covers now made sense.  "What a bunch of barbarians that culture is.
The more we learn, the more I want to destroy it."

   "I'm in agreement with you, but there are some good people there, also.
They need protection and aid."

   "Send me a transcript of the interrogation of this last intruder.  Be
sure to calm Jackson down, and keep him focused on planting the sensors in
the ground out there."

   After Carlton left, John headed to the hot tub for some relaxation.  He
had almost fallen asleep when Dana and Kelly came in, showered off, then
got into the tub.

   "Well, husband, we leave you for a few minutes and there is all kinds of
excitement."

   "Did something happen?" John just played it cool.

   "You're at times a smart ass husband.  But I know you were in your
office and walked out on the balcony and watched it.  Why does everyone
want to kill you now?"

   "Maybe because I'm looking at going to that other universe and changing
the power structure?  Some way they know who I am, and are fighting back."

   "Does that mean we become an armed fort?"

   "No, but it means security becomes much tighter.  Now I need to call
Carlton as I just had an idea hit me." He got out and dried off, dressed
and headed to his office.

   "Carlton, I need you to move security to the next level.  I want every
person checked for RFID seeds and everyone showing up at the LNG terminal
and oil products loading area cleared one by one.  Hand and eye scans are
required.  Do the same for people going out and hold any who have cheated
getting in.  Track their readings and see where they went.  We just might
be coming under attack."

   "I'm on it, boss, and will let you know what we find."

   John headed to dinner and some relaxing time with the family.  The
dinner was a nice one as was normal for Mrs.  Minch.  Finally, she came in
with a box and sat it beside John's chair.

   "I have no idea what this is, but it was in my kitchen.  Whatever it is,
it's not for cooking food, I know.  The box was sealed so I opened it, and
it looked like some kind of electronics item."

   "That's fine, Greta, I'll handle it, and get Carlton to check it out."

   Once dinner was over John picked up the box and headed to his office
with Kelly, Riko and Dana coming behind.  He opened the box and lifted out
some crude electronics assembly out.  There were containers and chemical
bottles inside as well.

   John picked his phone up.  "Carlton, you would be shocked at what your
people missed finding here?"

   "Don't do this, John, we caught two people trying to go into the LNG
terminal with small explosive devices.  Now you say my people missed
something at your home?"

   "Yep, they sure did, and Mrs.  Minch found it.  She said it for sure was
nothing to cook with."

   "Do I need any more people?"

   "I would suggest someone with a good knowledge of old communications
equipment."

   The family looked over every piece of this device and made some
discoveries.  Then Carlton came in with his tech.

   "Carlton, would you look at that, it is so old can't believe it exists.
It uses a battery using vinegar as he acid solution."

   "What kind of signal range does it have?"

   The man considered this for a time.  "Maybe fifty miles at best.  More
likely thirty would be reasonable."

   John had listened to this.  "What about off the top of the mountain?"

   "From there I would say one hundred miles.  But they would have to have
a good big copper antenna to do that."

   "They have five days a month they could possibly communicate, and use
this equipment to do it.  This island is the one they must have, as the
rest are too rural to fit their needs.  But I want them all to our west
watching the shore at night, every night.  Any heat signatures coming in
are to be picked up and fast.  We need to put together a signal we can send
out over this and use it to misdirect them."

   "I'll get the general started questioning to find out who was doing
this. Then we'll get the information on how it was used, and what codes if
any were involved.  By the next opening of the dimension gate we'll have
this running.  Every citizen is being checked now for a seed matching with
hand scans.  It seems they knew enough to cut out a seed and use it to get
on base.  They taped it on their skin.  We have two dead bodies out there
someplace.  So all security areas will also require a hand scan from now
on."

   "Take the equipment with you and set up a way to assure a good signal. I
want to scare the hell out of them.  Whatever bodies we have freeze them
and one day we will place them in a boat for the dimension to shift and
send them back."

   Carlton was laughing and it was infectious.  "Boss, we'll also tattoo
their faces as that is a sacred area of the body for them."

   "As long as it creates fear I really don't care.  Two can play this game
and I think we are smart enough to cause them a lot of things to worry
about.  So start some people on counter warfare and see where we need to go
from there?  People from there, once they have been sucked dry of
information, are of no use to us.  That is my decision on the policy.  If
they wish to attack me fine, but where my family is they made an error."

   They could see John was pissed.  "Boss, we'll get every drop of
information we can from the prisoners and then decide how best to use them
for psychological warfare."

   The girls had said nothing during this entire conversation.  "I for one
don't want to know any more.  So I'm leaving." Dana walked out of the
office.

   "Sorry, daddy, mom has no stomach at all for violence.  Here is a woman
who can tear you apart and she doesn't like fighting?  We need to be sure
the message sent is one they understand loud and clear." Kelly was now in
her adult mode.

   John looked at Riko and had to ask?  "Little one, what do you think?"

   "We need to kill as many as we can or they will keep sending people to
try to kill my daddy." That was firm and to the point.

   "Well that makes the management side 100% in agreement." Carlton was now
smiling as he said that.

   "Take the stuff here with you, and rig what you need to pass on the
information we want them to have." The two men boxed up the stuff there and
the tech carried it out.

   "Boss, it's going to be an interesting period in time.  We have about 28
days until the next cycle where the gate opens.  I have no idea how many we
have here now, but we will get them, and fast." With that he left the room.


   "Well, ladies, how about my reading to my favorite munchkins?"

   Each grabbed a hand and pulled him to Kelly's bedroom.  The girls
undressed and got into PJ's and crawled into bed together.  They seemed to
sleep more together than in separate rooms now days.

   John read to them for a good hour before the eyes started closing.  He
put the book up, kissed them both and headed out to his room.

   "I assume they're both asleep?"

   "That is for sure, dear.  My two pissed off little girls finally calmed
down some."

   "I noticed Carlton was really on edge tonight."

   "Well I'll have to take the blame for that.  He and David are getting
tired of my gut feelings being so accurate.  When I left the tub after we
talked I ask him to raise the alert level as we were going to get hit.  He
had just done that when two men were picked up trying to enter the LNG
terminal with explosives."

   "OK, what gave you that idea?"

   "Your comment about becoming an armed fort.  If they can't attack here,
where else would they do that?  To be able to do that they had to kill two
men that worked at the terminal and remove their seed RFID.  But now the
DNA, hand and eye scans don't match the seed number.  We are going to have
to double check everyone.  Those who don't belong here must be weeded out,
and quickly.  As much as I dislike it, we are in a war."

   "How is that possible?"

   "They have, over ten years, taken over thirty thousand people from these
islands' fishing boats.  Once we came, they have gotten no more.  You heard
David's report this morning.  I think that did get someone mad.  Then my
thinking about going there with a strong fleet worried them.  We are far
stronger than they are, and much better armed.  Our religion here is a real
one, and I don't think they have one there."

   Dana could see this was a war, and she was now in it also.  "We'll need
to fight to win, as I could never accept the way they live.  It seems
living like we do does not please them, or the women we had working here
would have left the their cause long ago."

   John snuggled into Dana and held her tight.  They were like two peas in
the same pod.

   That next morning they showered together and dressed for breakfast.  It
was the normal beautiful day here.  Dana had said nothing since they got
up, and John knew she was churning something over in her mind.

   Once in the dinning room Leigh Anne hugged John.  "My sick lady said I
needed to come down and eat with my family.  I've learned a lot about
her's. It seems she's part of a royal family that ruled a small area in
their dimension.  They were taken over by what she called, the Graff's?  I
am not sure exactly who, or what they are yet, but I'll know more later. 
From what I understand, she was sent here with family money to buy food for
their enemies.  That was the demand placed on them to be kept alive.  She
said she had around 121,000 coins, and hoped to buy a couple shiploads of
food."

   After eating a little she continued.  "She's told me a lot about her
people, and much of the others around them.  But most of their lands are
ruled by what she calls bad people.  In her estimate, the good are about
one in ten."

   "Take her out on your balcony and show her the aircraft carriers at
anchor.  See what she thinks of them.  Tell her I am considering sending
one of them, a few aircraft and a small defensive fleet to her dimension.
Then see what she has to say.  But make sure she knows if I go, a lot of
bad people are going to die."

   Back in his office, he picked up the phone and called the Emperor. 
"Good morning brother, I hope you're well?"

   "It's always nice to hear from you.  I have buyers for all your LNG, at
good returns for both of us.  It seems China is in a war, and not getting
any gas from the northern countries bordering Russia.  So they and India
are looking for the LNG in large quantities.  Our deal calls for silver,
gold, rice or other trade goods.  One bad item supplied will cost them any
more shipments.  So gold and silver must be 99.  99 pure and food 100% high
quality.  Other trade goods must be agreed to well before the shipments,
and tested here.  You will get your many sizes of copper electrical wire
for the aircraft, and other ship uses, that they were very willing to
trade."

   "Excellent news, and well negotiated by you and your people.  Now I need
your input on a new issue.  As you know, there is another dimension here,
and we have a gate near here between us and their world.  They've started
sending people through to kill me, and destroy our trade port.  I believe
it's time to show these barbarians just how bad an idea that was."

   "Theyve tried to kill you?"

   "Yes, two different times now.  Last night they tried to blow up the LNG
port, one of your ships and the port storage tanks with explosives.  So
what they are doing will affect us both."

   "This must be stopped, and fast."

   "I'm considering sending one aircraft carrier, with a small fleet, into
that dimension to fight.  But I'll need additional officers and crewmen to
do this.  We don't have the people to handle staffing the full fleet."

   "Call Admiral Suzuki, tell him what you need, and we'll delivery them to
you.  Do you need ships?"

   "That would be a problem for you, as there will be no place there to get
fuel.  We'll only send nuclear fueled craft, as they won't need additional
fuel at all.  Ships will not be the problem for us, having enough men to
handle the fight, and women to feed, nurse, and clean for them, will be."

   "As I said, tell Admiral Suzuki what you need, and we'll do it."

   "Thank you brother, and I'll have Admiral David Weathers call and work
it out.  He will be commanding this mission, so he knows exactly what he'll
need.  Having been a Navy Seal, he does know how to fight."

   Now the Emperor was impressed with David's training.  "What does he know
about ships?"

   "He has supervised the rebuilding of all our ships, led our fleet's
command ship and over seen the training of our personnel.  He graduated
from Annapolis, and is, first of all, a complete Naval officer.  But if you
would like to send your ships, we would be happy to fill your tankers, and
hope they can make it on what fuel they have?"

   That stopped any more comment.  "I heard your looking for scientist and
engineers."

   "I have fifty jobs open for fulltime staff members.  We're looking first
for people who returned from the US, as your people don't accept them
well." He knew the Emperor's bias here.

   "Yes, that would be a good way to handle that problem.  If they were
citizens of the US, feel free to recruit as many as you wish."

   "That was why I used the agreement you gave me, to exempt them from
customs and passport needs."

   Now the Emperor was trapped in his own decisions.  "Who started the
China Russian war?"

   "I guess I did, brother.  They had troops heading to the Vietnamese
border, and I had to stop it before they were fighting India.  I did make
sure Russia believes they started it, so does China.  China has no more
rocket launched nuclear devices, and few bombs.  Their Navy is gone
completely.  So, all in all, we are much safer now than before."

   "Brother, you are one brave and lucky man."

   "I assure you luck had nothing to do with it.  It was well planned and
executed.  We don't gamble like that, we knew what each action would do and
how it would be seen.  If you needed plate to build a ship, they could not
supply it, because they can't make it anymore."

   The Emperor knew this man was smart, and one who had zero limits in
today's world.  "If you need anything more just call me, brother."

   There was little the Emperor could do for him, really.  But John
appreciated the shield he provided.  He called David and passed on the
number and name of his contact in Japan.

   "Look, David, this guy is going to try to assume control.  Shut him down
fast.  If he won't follow instructions, advise him that I will be calling
the Emperor, and demanding his firing."

   "I get the feeling you think the military wants control?"

   "Yes, but for different reasons than you're thinking.  Some leaders are
seeing power possibilities if they can come out on top of the military.  It
would allow them to control the Emperor, and through him the people.  They
would become modern day Shoguns in Japan.  That is not going to happen."

   "How do we get the kind of people we really want?"

   "You're going to take a carrier to Japan, and have our security people
interview each proposed individual.  My main worry is having good munitions
staff for arming aircraft, deck crews and engine room people.  Not only
will we interview their offering, but we will also interview others who
just come to the ship.  Each person will have to supply their ID card and a
hand scan at the interview.  Anyone who tries to fool us will pay a major
price."

   "I see you're not going to play with them at all."

   "Nope, and tell the Admiral for every time he tries to screw me I'll cut
up one of his aircraft.  When I run out of them, I'll start on ships.  So
if he wishes to deplete his country's ability to defend itself, just try to
screw me."

   "This guy must be bad news."

   "His personal aircraft is always parked outside his window at the base.
If he screws with you just call the techs, as they have his plane in the
sights of one laser.  They will cut it into pieces.  But don't play with
him, and damn well don't allow him to play with you.  All business, and
very professional, is the order of the day."

   "The message is received loud and clear.  I'll get ready to handle this
turkey, and get that over with.  But I'm worried he will do his best to
screw us once we go to Japan to interview people."

   "He will submit all personnel files to our bank manager.  Those will be
checked out by police and security people in Japan before we get them. 
Then our security people will also check the fingerprints and records.  If
the ink is not the same age as the file they are rejected with cause."

   "My main worry is going to be the troops they give us."

   "Remember what Dana did to their best fighter?  Our troops can also do
that to them, So they don't want to piss anyone off.  We'll prove out each
one in hand to hand fighting before they are accepted.  But never tell the
Admiral where this fleet is going, do you understand?"

   "OK, now what about females?"

   "Offer to bring wives and families for the time of the assignment.  I'm
having one ship fitted out with small cabins for families.  We'll be using
just one fifth of the standard crew so there is a lot of extra room on that
ship."

   "There I see some real trouble, people are going to fight over a woman."

   "With no drinking on the ship it should be no problem.  Japan has always
been a feudal society, and some of that carries over even today.  But they
are the educated end of the races we will be seeing in that other
dimension. My gut says that if you looked back a thousand or ten thousand
years you will see Japan in that dimension."

   Now David better understood John's plan.  "You're going to turn people
related to them, back on them."

   "Some are going to choose to stay there as well, so hopefully they'll
raise the education levels of the better people?  It might one day open
real trade." Now John was just thinking out loud.

   "Boss, I have to get this done and off my plate before I get sick.  I'll
let you know if I have problems, and just how bad they were."

   David didn't like verbal confrontation, but he knew that was what he was
going to have to do with this admiral.  So he got with it and made the
call.

   It took going through three secretaries before the Admiral come on the
line.  "Hai."

   "Cut the crap, Admiral, I don't have time for your silly games.  Have I
made myself clear?"

   "Do you know who you're talking with?"

   "Yes, the man whose plane I am cutting up outside your window.  Once
you're done watching that, then I'll tell you exactly what you're going to
do.  Have I made myself clear now?"

   "Why are you doing this?" You could hear panic in the Admiral's voice.

   "Because you don't follow your Emperor's orders well.  You are no
Shogun, and there will never be one again in your country.  What your
seeing is exactly what happened to China.  So screw with us, and watch your
country become a non player in world affairs."

   "What do you want?"

   "OK, keep playing the games.  I will simply tell John of this and let
him demand your termination by the Emperor.  Good day, Admiral."

   "Wait, I didn't mean it that way."

   "Most assuredly you did mean it exactly that way.  Having you lie to me
just pisses me off, so I'm going to refuse to work with you.  The Emperor
will have to appoint someone more responsible to deal with me.  Good day."

   David called John and spelled out the way it had gone.  Of course John
had expected it.

   "I have the news media, in Tokyo, broadcasting the Admirals disrespect
for the Emperor's orders.  People are being advised of the needs to be
filled, and where to e-mail the resumes and files.  They're all required to
go in and have their hands scanned at the bank before being invited for an
interview.  I have people I know and trust who will check them out in
Japan. So simply get your carrier out to sea, and you'll have people to
interview when you get to Tokyo."

   "I'd like to have a sub and two cruisers with me also, as we have no
fighter aircraft on board."

   "David, it's your Navy, so handle it.  I assure you, if it gets screwed
up you'll have your ass on the griddle."

   "Sorry, boss, I know better." He hung up and started assembling his
fleet to go to Japan.  With twenty pilots who flew F/A 18E Super Hornets,
and thirty six planes, he decided that the training time might be very
helpful.  So he ordered the pilots to the ship with twenty planes, once it
was at sea and ready to recover.

   He flew out on one of the old slicks and was set on the deck.  Moving to
the bridge he watched, once in position, the twenty fighters come in and
land.  Each was sent below for refueling and inspection as soon as it
landed.  They had not been flown in some time and needed going over.

   It took some time to recover the twenty and get them below, but he now
had teeth on this beast.  The problem was lack of deck crew needed for
complete flight operations.

   The Marine captain came on the bridge and saluted David.  "Sir, we have
a one hundred and fifty man security detail ready to guard the ship."

   "Fine, son, use fifty men per watch, and run four on,eight off watches.
Later we may have to change that, with the people recruited in Japan. 
We'll just have to wait and see?"

   "Yes sir, I will see that is carried out." The young officer saluted
once more and left the bridge.

   "Well, David ,it looks like we have one squared away Marine." The
captain was laughing now at the look on David's face.

   "God, I am going to my cabin and just relax.  Let me know if we have
weather or other problems in front of us."

   "Will do David, just get your hyper drive in check for now.  This trip
is not one you wanted to take, I can see that.  I'll send the mess boy to
bring coffee, and see if you want anything to eat."

   It was not long before the knock on the door came, and a girl stepped
into the main room.  "Boss, what can I get for you besides this coffee?"

   "What the hell are you doing here, Dink?"

   "I'm the one going to embarrass the troops who think they can fight. 
But I will also be your bodyguard on the trip.  If we have any problem
children, they might just wait until we sail to try to act up.  But I'll be
going with you once we are ready, as I speak the native language and can
read it.  So boss, you're stuck with me."

   "Dink, I'm in no way, stuck, with you.  I'm pleased you're here and
going with us.  We need all the skills we can get going into that dark
dimension.  How much do you know about it?"

   "Carlton let me read General Zane's reports.  I have read the history,
such as it is, on that dimension.  I'll function as security officer for
you once we leave our dimension.  So I'll be recruiting people from all
over the boat as eyes and ears while we are interviewing."

   "Do you have a place to work from?"

   "I have an office, with my room behind it.  No one comes into this area
without passing security first.  We'll be scanning and placing RFID seeds
into everyone we accept.  Their records will be in that room's computer. 
Our people I am not worried about, but the new ones worry me big time."

   "How are you going to keep food and water supplies safe?"

   "We will, of course, scan everyone going into those areas, access will
be limited to trusted people.  The transport system for food going into the
cooking areas has been automated, It won't take people to select and move
boxes, frozen food or meats to the kitchen areas.  All food will be cooked
in our kitchens, and eaten in the dining halls.  There will be two food
lines, one for us, and one for the Japanese."

   "If someone causes some suspicion can you track and watch them?"

   "Yes, and hear everything said in any area.  Our book of rules says that
anyone caught putting our people at risk will be turned loose with a boat
and 6 days food and water.  No trial, and no questions asked.  This is
going to be very dangerous and we don't need others making it any worse."

   "Where have you been training for security?"

   "General Zane has that group, and I was assigned when I got here.  My
ability to quickly learn the native language, and how to read, it moved me
up fast.  I was moved to a native scouts team.  Our team did a lot of the
locating of those who came to our islands, and did not belong.  We
questioned them in the field first, and we broke many of them.  They sent
us to others that had come as well.  My team rolled up over sixty of their
agents on the outer islands.  We were brought to the main island when the
crap hit the fan with John."

   "I had't heard about the people on the outer islands.  Why?"

   "If it became open knowledge it would have caused killings, and driven
some underground.  No one knew we had the sixty.  Our next stop was the
main island, where we were finally ready to go after the leaders.  But your
job was the Navy, and sea protection.  Carlton was responsible for the
ports and technology areas.  Had we known that the checks had not been run
on John's staff, that would have been done first.  But the general was not
here then."

   "You don't have to defend yourself to me, Dink.  I felt bad about the
failure myself, as did Carlton.  It was our failure, and not the generals."

   "If you had run them it would have shown nothing, really.  You would
have gotten one or two, and that's it.  Only the DNA test could prove who
was from the other dimension.  We were very close to knowing just how it
worked when you got your break."

   "Nope, it was not us, but John.  His gut was acting up once more."

   "We had found the difference in our captives, that made running a search
on the main island a requirement.  But Carlton beat us to it."

   "It makes me feel better that security was almost there when we jumped
in.  Now how about having dinner with me down in the officer's mess?"

   "But I'm no officer."

   "It's my Navy, so you are now.  Let your people handle the enlisted
ranks, and you follow the officers.  I want you on my staff during this
mission.  So you're now a Lieutenant, JG and here is your rank insignia. 
Get your name and rank placed on all fatigues, and get new Naval uniforms.
Ship's security will report to you, as will your own people."

   "Sir, are you sure you want to do this?  You know I'm not qualified to
be a Naval officer.  I'm a year away from having my degree."

   "Dink, I need one person here I can trust completely, and you're it. 
We've been friends since that little incident in Johnstown.  So humor me,
and help me get through this nightmare."

   Now Dink was surprised at what she saw, David was scared to death of
what was to come.  The unknown had him completely worried.  "Boss, it's
just that I didn't want to embarrass a friend, but if you'll guide me I'll
do the best I can."

   That was all David could ask of her.  "Thanks, Dink, I really needed a
friend.  Now lets go eat, and don't worry about your fatigues right now. 
Strip off the insignia above your breast pocket and we'll go without anyone
knowing your position." He handed her his knife, and she turned to the wall
mirror to do the job.

   John was sitting at the dining table watching Shelby and Mrs.  Minch
talking about the house.  "Ladies, I did't design this, or ask for it to be
built.  It seems it was built on an old palace design used thousands of
years ago.  The whole royal family lived in just one palace.  But they were
far more like the school for the royal children than this one.  That was an
old palace used by a royal family once."

   "Why did they build this one?" Shelby was now in questioning mode.

   "It was, it seems, Kendra's idea and she sold it.  She wanted one place
the ruling family would be, and where she had access to them all.  She had
heard about my farm house, and knew she would not be needed in that type of
living quarters."

   "I hope she doesn't survive questioning."

   "Oh no, I want her to survive, as she's going back with the fleet.  They
will all go back where they came from.  Of course, they'll be in cages, and
chained in place."

   "That is at least one idea I can support."

   "The thing that went wrong was, our life styles were very different from
theirs.  It caused confusion and no idea how to read us.  The fact that my
family was close knit was so different from their world, they didn't know
how to deal with it.  Here, people were not looking to undermine me like
happened in their world.  We all seemed headed in one direction, and at one
goal.  That caused mass confusion and finally they began to show their
colors.  That was when I started pushing Kendra over errors she had made
with me."

   "I'm just glad to be back here with you guys.  I didn't like working in
the city.  We saw a lot of the Japanese ship's officers.  They were not a
nice group.  They seem to feel we were all waiting to get into bed with
them."

   "That I will handle and fast, Shelby.  I didn't know anything like that
was happening here."

   "It is, and some girls have been raped by them.  By the time security is
notified the ship is gone."

   Now John was angry and he was going to change this.  "I'll handle it
right now."

   He went to his office desk, Kelly had followed him and sat beside the
desk.  "Carlton, I want a notice put up that no crew members will be
allowed off any ship.  This is due to rapes committed by Japanese sailors
here in port.  Once we have all of them back here to punish, we'll look at
once more allowing crews off ships.  Send DNA prints for every rape victim
to the Tokyo police with that notice as well."

   The anger was loud and clear.  "Will do, boss.  That issue was on the
agenda for the next meeting we were to have.  I have two rapes we got word
of today."

   "No ship leaves port until we have the rapist/rapists, and I mean none
leave.  If one or more has gone they will be brought back at once.  Trading
with us is based on our trust and that has been broken.  So advise Tokyo
they are to send no more ships, as none will be allowed or loaded here."

   "I will have it done in no time, boss."

   "You're really mad and it shows big time, Daddy."

   "I guess I am, and it is that damn idea they are better than the rest of
the world, it is an attitude many men in Japan have.  That, I believe,
comes from the other dimension."

   "You will have time to check that out later.  Once David gets his
reports back here you'll know more than most about that group."

   "My dear, to accomplish that we still have lots of planning to get
done."