Alien Tango

and A-Cs in the short and the long run.
    Most of us had lived at the Dulce Science Center prior to this, and Martini and I continued to keep quarters there, in what I called his Human Lair. But we spent at least half the time in Caliente Base as well, since the younger generation were still considered religious refugees by the American government.
    We were in the main conference room in Caliente Base, which was on the tenth floor of the complex. A-C complexes went down, not up, so we were deep underground. But A-C technology was quite advanced and the lighting made you think you were seeing the sun. Well, in the day. In the wee hours of the morning we were now in, all the lighting did was make you tired.
    We had all of Alpha and Airborne teams with us, as well as Kevin Lewis, who was my mom’s right-hand man in the P.T.C.U. and assigned to a permanent position within Centaurion Division. He was a gorgeous black guy who looked like he’d been a professional athlete. He had a great smile that included incredible teeth, and he was loaded with bags of charisma. He was also happily married, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t allowed to look at him. Sometimes I could do it without drooling, too.
    With Kevin’s addition, it meant there were three women and just an entire roomful of hunky men with us. I loved briefings.
    “Can’t you people do something about the lighting?” Chuckie asked. We were sitting in the romantic glow I loved when Martini and I were in the midst of an all-night sex-a-thon. Trying to have a meeting like this was, at best, difficult.
    “No. Like we’ve already said.” Christopher’s snark was on high. “Caliente isn’t as sophisticated a base as Dulce.”
    “Define sophisticated,” Chuckie muttered.
    “Look, it doesn’t matter.” My necklace was off my neck and sitting in the middle of the conference table, which I knew upset Martini emotionally, even though he understood the need logically. “We can all see it. It’s pretty much an exact match for the light show from earlier tonight.”
    “So, you really think this means we have visitors coming?” Kevin didn’t sound as freaked out as everyone else. Maybe it was because he was already married.
    “Yeah, I really think so. The timing works out.”
    “Very much so,” Chuckie agreed. “We just need to know if they’re friendly or hostile.” I got the distinct impression he didn’t believe Martini had no conscious knowledge of what was going on or how this was being accomplished.
    “Well, they’re from Alpha Centauri, and they exiled us here. I’m betting on hostile.” Gower sounded upset, just like everyone else.
    “But, why?” This question was from Lorraine, one of our only two other female agents. She was a bit younger than me, and had gotten involved during my first outing with the A-Cs, aka Operation Fugly. Like all A-C women, who I thought of as the Dazzlers, she was beyond gorgeous. She was also beyond nice, and one of my two best girlfriends in the A-C community.
    “I’m with Lorraine. I don’t see why it’s a negative.” Claudia was my other A-C female operative and friend. She was about my age, winsome and brunette to Lorraine’s buxom blonde, just as nice. They were both also scientifically brilliant and excellent medical technicians. I could sprint and hurdle and do some kung fu. Somehow, they reported to me. And didn’t mind.
    “Why so?” Kevin asked. He was taking over, subtly, which was okay with everyone in the room other than Chuckie. Technically, the C.I.A. reported dotted line into the P.T.C.U., and we all liked the P.T.C.U. a lot better.
    Lorraine shrugged. “So they want to come out for Jeff’s wedding. I think it’s nice. About time they acknowledged that we’re all here and alive and doing the work they should be helping us with.”
    “They put up the PPB net to keep us from leaving the solar system, hell, to keep us from leaving the inner planets.” Martini sounded as angry as he looked. “These people aren’t our friends, they’re our enemies. It’s about time we accepted that.”
    “Paul? What does ACE think? This is really a time when we need his expertise.”
    Gower nodded, twitched a bit, and then the ACE voice came out of his mouth. “Jeff is right. But Lorraine is right, too.”
    Silence. We all looked at each other.
    “Um, ACE? That’s it?”
    “Yes.” Gower twitched and blinked. “One day, supposedly the palsy will go away. I think ACE is confused, Kitty. He