Deep Space Settlement - 11. DSS Chapter 11

A few days later, Lucas received a message from the Capital, to inform him that he is being summoned to Ganymede to meet with the High Council, and so he packed a bag, and the shuttle was ready and waiting for him when he stepped on board and they set off for Jupiter, three days of travelling away.

When Lucas stepped out of the shuttle, once it had arrived at Ganymede, Quinn was there to greet him. “My Lord, it is good to see you again, do you have any idea what this summons is about?” Lucas said to his good friend.

“No Lucas I don’t, I too have been summoned, so we better get it over and done with, so we all know what it is all about” Quinn replied, with a hint of a smile.

“We are aware of your involvement with the establishment of a new Earth Base on some remote islands in the North Atlantic Ocean of Earth, and we commend you for all of your hard work Mr Durham, and of your proposals to the United Nations for a more central and independent location of the United Nations.

We the High Council have come to a decision that affects what has been proposed, and that is that we will no longer have any involvement, in any way with the United Nations of Earth.

We will keep our Earth Base on the Sahndrol Islands as you call them, but from now on you will remain based at the Space Academy on Mars, and we will have a new representative located at Earth Base, that being Dr Martin Lenegan.

We will be concentrating on our own settlements on the outer planets of this solar system, and your point of contact will be with here at the Capital, is that understood Mr Durham?” the High Council Chairperson announced.

“Yes Ma’am, I understand, and I am greatly disappointed that we are not trying to mend any disagreements with the people of Earth, instead of just running away from them” Lucas responded.

“If you are not careful, Mr Durham, you will find yourself without an official posting, and you will have to be relocated to another position,” the Chairperson said. “With due respect Ma’am, I think it stinks, and I hereby resign from any posting with the United Republic of Planets, and I request transportation back to Earth, so that I may find another form of employment in my home country of New Zealand” Lucas replied.

Quinn looked over to his friend, shocked at hearing what Lucas had just announced. Are you really sure, this is what you want to do?” Quinn as softly, “Yes, it is mate, my decision is final” Lucas replied.

“Very well Mr Durham, we shall transport you back to New Zealand on Earth, you will have no claim to the Sahndrol Islands, and are to have nothing to do with the United Republic of Planets from this day forth, good luck” the High Council Chairperson stated, and the council meeting was closed.

After just two hours at the Capital, the shuttle left Ganymede, with just the crew and Lucas onboard, and after a very long and lonely three days of travel, the shuttle landed at Royal New Zealand Airforce Base, just north-west of Auckland, having contacted them four hours before arrival, to give them some warning.

Once Lucas had stepped off the shuttle and walked towards the waiting Airforce Jeep, the shuttle took off and headed straight out into space, and Lucas sadly looked up, realising now that this was probably the last time that he would be travelling into space. “Mr Durham, I believe?” one of the airmen asked Lucas, as he watched the shuttle disappear out of sight.

“Yes, that is me, and I am a citizen of New Zealand, and a former crewman of the Deep Space Project” Lucas responded, “Our commanding officer wishes to speak to you” one of the Air crewmen replied, as they stepped into the jeep.

An hour later, Lucas Durham walked out of the office a little stunned, with a new job, as Deputy Director of Operations at the International Space Federation Headquarters in Geneva, which meant that he may be able to travel into space, up to the Luna Base on occasions after all, which he was very happy about.

Meanwhile, at the Earth base in the Atlantic Ocean, Martin Lenegan had settled into his new home, and new position on the Sahndrol Islands and he had just received word from the International Space Federation, on the appointment of Lucas as the new Deputy Director of Operations, which he transmitted up to the capital at Ganymede, so they are aware of the situation.

The United Nations are about to vote on the proposal brought to them by Lucas Durham when they were notified by the New Zealand Representative to the United Nations, that the proposal was now rescinded.

As Mr Lucas Durham was no longer a representative of the United Republic of Planets, and the High Council has now terminated all future projects that were being proposed. They were also informed, that with Mr Durham now back on Earth, he has accepted a position with the International Space Federation, based in Geneva.

The United Nations went ahead with their vote in regards to the relocation of the UN Headquarters, no matter, where it will be located, and with a 2/3^rd of the General Assembly, that being 129 members, required to pass the motion, the final count of votes, was 145 for the motion for the UN Headquarters to relocate, which was 3/4’s of the 193 members, a resounding yes for the move.

It was also decided to request the United Republic of Planets to reconsider their decision to cancel their offer of building a new UN Headquarters, using the plans that had been submitted, with the sale of the current UN Property in New York, to assist with all moving costs involved.

When this request arrived at Earth Base, Martin Lenegan reluctantly forwarded the request to the capital in Ganymede and waited for a response from the High Council.

Much to his surprise, when the response came back from the high council, it was to say that they had decided to continue with the promise made by a former representative of the United Republic of Planets, with assistance with building materials and construction of the new UN Headquarters building, and all they needed was a location.

Lucas was in his new office in Geneva, when his administration assistant buzzed him, “Sir I have a priority call for you, he would not give me his name, only that it was on an urgent matter” the admin assistant said through the intercom, “Put them through thanks Anna” Lucas responded with a frown, wondering who it may be.

“Lucas Durham speaking,” Lucas said after picking up his phone, “Hello Lucas it is good to hear your voice again” the voice that he knew very well said. “Lord Lenegan, this is quite a surprise” Lucas responded, “Not really considering that the United Nations voted to go ahead with relocating the UN headquarters, and putting a request to us to rethink the decision to cancel the offer to build a new UN headquarters.

I have just had word that the High Council has agreed to keep the promise to assist with providing building materials and construction teams to build it, and they are now the UN is asking what are the locations that are available” Quinn said.

“Well sir, there are only two locations that are immediately available, that being Sahndrol Islands in the North Atlantic that are part of Sahndrol, and patrolled by the Canadian Airforce, and Bermuda, just south of there, which you know as part of the United Kingdom unless the Australian government makes an offer to make land available on the Cocos Keeling Islands” Lucas replied.

“Very well, I will ask them and see, can you send a copy of the land that you had acquired on behalf of Sahndrol on Bermuda, to Director Lenegan at Earth Base, so we can look at the land area, and we will have a look at all of the locations to find the best one that is suitable for the new UN Headquarters,” Quinn said, “Yes sir, I will do that for you right away, goodbye,” Lucas said and he ended the call, not wanting to chat any more than was necessary.

Quinn was a little put off by the sudden ending of the call, but he decided to let the matter pass, and he sent a communication to his father at the Earth Base, to let him know that if the Australian government allows it, that the Cocos Keeling Islands is one of three proposed locations for the UN Headquarters, with the other two being the Sahndrol Islands and Bermuda.

When news came that Australia refused to offer some land on the Cocos Keeling Islands for a new UN Headquarters, the United States offered Wake Atoll, as a new alternative, with the islands to be handed over to the United Nations, as its on free Territory, if the site is accepted, with operational long runway, and plenty of locations available for a new building site.

When that offer was made, the local Bermuda Government said that they had rejected the two proposed sites at Morgan Point and Cross Island, but it did suggest two alternative locations, one at Paget Island near the airport and the other at Pembroke Park, close to the capital of Hamilton.