Alien in the House

House.”
    “A lot of bills that Santiago insinuated deal with immigration and the definition of who’s an illegal alien and who isn’t.”
    “Right. It’s a bad time to have a heavily A-C populated district unrepresented.”
    “And they know they have A-Cs worldwide who consider that their home district, too.” All A-Cs, even those, like Raj, who were born and raised in another country, were U.S. citizens first. Those outside of the U.S. held dual citizenship where necessary—and they all called Dulce and Area 51 home.
    “Right.” Jeff swallowed. “So, the President is concerned because, as we know, they know more than the world is watching what goes on here now. The government can’t afford to look like they’re ignoring us or don’t care about us, or how we interact, or whatever political spin it is they’re all going for.”
    “They know at least an entire other solar system, plus God alone knows who else is paying attention to us. We can ask Mister Joel Oliver about the rest of the ramifications.”
    “Right. Glad he’s on your speed dial, because there’s more. The President and your mother called New Mexico’s governor. Normally, the governor doesn’t appoint an interim representative, but the President’s point blank told him to make an exception.”
    “Okay. God, I hope it’s not the guy who ran against Santiago, though it would make sense, since he’s interested. But he’s hugely anti-alien, and that will make things really uncomfortable for us.”
    “Yes, the governor pointed that out. Neither he nor the President want someone representing our district who isn’t pro-alien, in no small part because Santiago won, and he ran on a very pro-alien platform, so that means the people who voted for him are pro-alien, and they’re the majority. Santiago won by a wide margin.”
    “Check. So, what do the President and governor want us to do?”
    Jeff cleared his throat. “Well, it’s more what they want me to do, but you’re going to be involved.”
    “Edge of my seat, so to speak.”
    Jeff nodded, and spoke in a tone of utter doom and gloom. “They want me to fill in as the new representative for New Mexico’s Second Congressional District. Starting now.”



CHAPTER 36
    L ET THAT STATEMENT sit on the air for a few moments. “Um, what did James and Paul say?”
    “That my answer had better be ‘yes.’”
    “Oh. Serene?”
    “Said that she’d been shoved into a high-level role with less preparation and I could man up and suck it up.”
    “Oh. Did you ask your parents?”
    “Yes, in desperation. They’re thrilled. I think my mother’s already called the entire population to tell them about it. My father’s proud, I can tell.”
    “Oh. What about our politically inclined guests?”
    “Senators Armstrong and McMillan and Representative Brewer all agreed this was the right thing to do. Lydia even pulled herself together long enough to say she agreed as well. Your mother and father both are behind this idea a hundred percent, too.”
    “Oh.” Contemplated all the things I wanted to say. None of them seemed helpful.
    “Yeah.”
    We stood there in silence for a little bit. “Wait. How can you take this position when, like an hour ago, I essentially declared us in a state of war against the U.S.? I mean, I didn’t do that on purpose, but it was noted and reacted to like it was very real.”
    “I asked that same question, baby. Andrei mentioned an obscure clause in the original A-C agreement with Earth, that states if one of our ‘leaders’ consents to take a ‘political position of reasonable power’ within the U.S. Government, then American Centaurion will shift to become ‘closer to their new country of choice.’”
    “Does that mean we become the fifty-first state or something?”
    “No, but it alters our situation with the U.S. so that we can get mad, but we have to work it out in the same way Arizona has to work out arguments with New Mexico.”
    “Wow.”
    “Yeah. I have no idea how Andrei found that clause.”
    “Oh, I do. Olga. She’s probably had that clause handy since we moved in. Maybe longer.”
    “Yeah. Good point. So, my taking the position means we just solved any war issues with the U.S., potentially forever. Andrei did say that we have escape clauses in case the government turns on us.”
    “Well, that’s good. I guess.”
    “Yeah.”
    Stood there with a little more silence going. “You haven’t even been the head ambassador for a