"It's coming together," Kit gave her his sheepy look.
        "Ready for another song, huh?" and she started her new one
about her first home and the man she wanted to build it with, smiling
his way.
        Well, it was one beautiful day in their neighborhood. And Spring
was all sprung in at their altitude. Jess and Kit sat on their old Navajo
blanket by the pond and played her songs along with the others. And
the ladies were all glorious with their hooters and all on display. Fiesta
was muy grande. Felecia and Julio disappeared for awhile. And Essy
and Wally's son, Phil, went on a walk too. It was feeling romantic up
there.
        Pute was putting together a list of the ways to say "peace" in all
the languages of the world when our two went back to the cabin to
take a pee together and check in with their electric partner. Jess typed
in greetings and compliments on his great work. Well, they wanted to
more than just pee together, but had Juliet to protect and didn't want to
be rude, so rejoined the festivities. They realized, though, that it really
was getting to be time to get the trip plans together.
        They slipped away to the cabin again when Flee and Juli came
back and could watch the barn for them. Pute had a message from
Sundance. It was the Memorial Day message to the Oval Office,
which included, "...and don't forget the Native People who died just
for being in America first, besides for America.... We can go to the
Moon and beyond, but we're still not grown out of war, military and
the insidious humanicide. We're supposed to trust you leaders to run
things right for us. But we can't trust you if you can't even respond
to us. And this is one of those things that enough people will do
enough for - like ending the Cold War. It's the funding. And we
don't have to fund unneeded militaries any longer. Peacekeeping
can be done for a small fraction of the cost now wasted by countries
on militaries. Militaries, except for one to keep peace, should be
against the law. And we will fight for those laws to be established.
And we will build on the end of the Cold War to end all of war and
finally have a world - a civilization - that's sane...." And the guys
held each other as they read the rest of the message.
        After a congratulatory message back to Sunny, Jess called
Ginny and Craig and talked happily about them all seeing each other
at graduation, but she wouldn't give them any specifics on how long
she could stay. Flece came in after and called her folks. Then the
guys in Alaska told them everyone there was great and biz was
buzzing with wall-to-wall vets, though Wi razzed, "what, you guys
need more war stories?" They had also bought a P-47, a
WWII-vintage fighter, that a guest had flown up, Elaine informed
them. They called Aileen, Amelia and Allison after that, and the
vibes got them so sexed up that they had sex with Alli over the
speaker phone. Juli came into the cabin to check on Flee and was
more than a little startled after she had called him into the bedroom.
Flece took his clothes off and pulled him onto the feathers with
them.
        Jess got another idea for the Execs and typed it into Puter as
Felecia kept Juli occupied in extracurricular activity. Jessy checked
with Kit on her message and he nodded, and she sent it - asking the
Xecs to consider proposing doubling up on the trillion a year, more
or less, that would be savable, and budget $2T a year for the WPG
for five years. And collateralize it with the Moon and Mars - the
parts that wouldn't be "awarded" countries out of prior claim.
Though to hell with that, she typed in, the US doesn't need any
more. Of course, that's a conundrum in itself. We always want
more, so we always need more. But the US could waive its rights
to the other planets, as could other countries, and not complicate
things. She suggested to Sundance that it was all just fodder for the
next day's message and finished by saying they could say that the
governments either had to lead Civilization forward to the next step
or get the hell out of the way and miss their chance at history. And
she was done and layed into Kit and they joined Flece and Juli in a
jolt of ecstasy.
        "No one can know, no, Huli," Felecia advised (about the sex).
Julio agreed, nodding his head, then layed back into her flesh.
        Meanwhile, Pute was picking up White House chatter about
the President and his political aides being interested in the new Gold
barons out in New Mexico. For campaign contributions, at least,
having learned about it from Treasury. But the WH couldn't get any
names out of their computers, except a "BR" and some corporate
names, and the Ovalteers had not a thought that their barons could
be involved with the WPG or WPO. The Prez put an operative on
it to get names.
        Uncle Bill was on their side, though the guys didn't know that
yet. He was no military man. He wanted a big place in history. Bigger
than his impeachment, for sure. Of course, that wasn't even Monica
Gate back in '95. Anyway, he wanted to get in touch with the WPG.
But he was hog-tied. No surprise.
        Our four went back out to the fiesta. And none of their guests
had learned anything that they didn't want them to know, Jul and the
others seeing to that. But everyone was talking about the news going
around - word of mouth, on the internet and on the radio - about a
new government or something. It had been in Kit's plan that at least
one government would leak it out. Pute had figured that out. And
those few had. So the battle to end military insanity was enjoined.
        Well, the horseshoes, the radio and the party banter was
keeping everyone pretty much entertained. Then the guys got the
Memorial flower planting organized. All around the pond. Everyone
got a flower to plant, which was fun because they were all drunk or
stoned, or both. Then they lit off some more of the fireworks using
another ceremonial puro. There sure were enough of those suckers.
        Jess and Kit went to the cabin again to see how Pute was
coming. And while Jess was taking another pee, Kit asking her if she
had a bladder, he told Puters to look for a cabin class twin to buy -
immediately pronto - in either Santa or Albuquerque.
        Everything was still ahead of schedule at the concert, they
learned when she rejoined him, fund collections over a quarter
billion with the sales of the "Village" album and other albums by
individuals or groups, new groups of stars being formed for the
occasion. Contributions were coming in faster every day. There was
also an army of police around the Village and the Rez, but the Navajo
were being more successful in getting and keeping them out, claiming
their sovereignty. But then the police were starting to hassle everyone
driving in, checking for drugs and such, and the Navajos were
working on backing them off. The police weren't giving up, but were
moving further and further down the roads. The States of Utah and
Arizona were going to court over jurisdiction. But the place was filling
up despite all that. And the concert was ten days away!
        Most of the workers at Monument were Native Americans.
They were getting some employment and good money, for a change.
And the Nation was getting paid out of the fund for rental of their
land besides a share of the gate. The Navajo felt plenty good about
their role and response, and Native musicians were very popular
around the Village, Robert Mirabal and others leading the "Indian"
music. The Spanish world was united, too, behind Julio, Gloria
Estefan, Santana and others. It was "magnifico, exitante y fresco".
        Just for kicks, Pute showed them their phone bill for May: over
$42,ooo, spread between all the corporations, almost all from Pute's
cyberjugglenautics. Jess just laughed and shook her gorgeous head.
        The concert fund had already had significant impact on the 25
to 27 or how many wars always going on in the world - used to be,
anyway - somewhere. They kept digging into it all with Puter as they
layed on the bed. They were getting medicine, clean water, food,
clothes, blankets and stuff to children - and adults - in the war zones,
refugee zones and starvation zones. And there was a new army of
volunteers. Joni, Julio and some other perfomers were still overseeing
it all, along with Navajo leaders, and they were all over TV, giving
interviews and such. There was also more coverage of the trouble
zones, since it had all been made so public. The light is always
helpful.
        Meanwhile, though, Bill and his fellow Oval suits were "ordered"
to investigate Joni, Julio and the other visible leaders to see if they
were part of the WPG or O. Who "orders" the President, you might
ask? This particular person was just "repping" for a "consortium" of
very wealthy, very powerful white Anglo-Saxon Protestant old men.
        Bill privately told the "rep", though, that they had already
checked them out and were convinced they weren't part of it. He was
lying his way out on that bough, but wanted to protect two of his
favorite stars, even if they were a part of it. Ole WJ was stepping up!
        Well, the "rep" was surprised. Did not believe Bill. Ho, what a
leap. But didn't press it there or then. When he told his "clients",
though, they told him to get their own investigations started. Puter
wasn't getting all that yet. But it was part of all that had been
happening that Memorial Day.
       Jess and Kit were talking, and asking Pute, about how the WPG
announcement might go. And she talked about maybe trying to get to
Bill. Maybe with that phone number he had given her, she mentioned.
"Right, unc?" she smiled Cody's direction.
        He gave her a gentle poke and they tossled a little as they had
Pute check how secret their Gold find actually was around the
government, to see if the agents might have it, plus wondering if BR
could get the government on breach of contract and get them some
of their tax money back. Hah, sure. Surprisingly, they thought, they
learned that the word had only gone up the command chain from
Treasury, at least as far as Pute could determine. And Bill had
already made a call to his Treasury Secretary, asking for descriptions
of the people that had been at the ranch during the pickups. And not
long after, he had been getting memories of Jess from the dinner and
the meeting that day in the White House. And remembered her
mention of ending military and something about infra-red, oh yeah,
that flatulation joke, his famed memory then taking his brain to Wiley
and Orville, so he thought of calling them to ask about Jess and her
"uncle".
        Well, Cincy would be waiting for them at graduation or the
Cincinnati airports, or both. They knew that. The dang agent who had
begun all their trouble, Kit thinking out loud about what if they hadn't
gone to the Sky Galley, dammit. They wondered if the agents were
going to try to take them into custody, or just Jess, all of them, or
what. So they were talking about all the possible plans.
        And, man, if they had lost or broken Puter, or if he had had a
crash, they would have been in deep fecal matter. Kit got the new
computer out of the cellar, set it up in a bedroom corner and got it
going that very hour. They christened her "Cygirl", and Kit connected
Pute up to "mate" her with all the programming. And their new couple
had the holojectors to use if they wanted, Kit also bringing up one set
of those and connecting it up. Putey had made it to Heaven too!
        While Kit went to pee, and Jess yelled something to him about
"...old bladder...", she saw some news on Pute. NSA had received
word from the P - Bill, personally - to find out who the World Peace
Government was. Well, Puterific had also checked and, yep, Cincy
had received that word and was comming with DC about how sure he
was that Jess, Felecia and that old dude were involved and that they
would have them on the morrow. And those suits had decided to
keep that just between themselves so they could get all the credit,
definitely on a rush about it. Cincy was filling DC in on everything he
knew about Jessy, surprising her how much he did know.
        Kit came back into the bedroom and she filled him in. Well, that
was a downer for him. Cincy had also heard, and was telling DC at
the moment, that Jess was out at Four Corners working on the concert
prep, but had also made some calls from Alaska. End of that report.
        "I have to cancel..." she said truly sacrificially.
        Kit thought 'what a girl', but then knew what was right. As usual,
it was the hardest route. "No way," he told her. "That's a life
experience I'm not going to let you miss. We can beat 'm. They don't
have a clue that we know. We already have Romeo there. We've
gone through at least five escape plans. You are valedictorializin',
majesty. No buts. No ifs. Or ands." He sounded confident. But there
were a lot of things that had to go their way, they both knew. They
were going up against the pros. But he really didn't want her to miss
the event, besides wanting to test taking it right to the agents before
they really had anything on the girls. And she didn't want to miss it
either, and kissed and hugged him happily. And that's what it was all
for, for him. They went back outside arm in arm and got some
lemonade to drink. Honest. Sobriety shouldn't hurt.
        Maria said to Jess, "I wish I could hear your speech tomorrow,
Jessica."
        "I wish we had room in the pla..." Jessy started to answer, then
turned to Kit, "uh, hey, Hotey...how are we getting there?"
        "Chippy's on the look for a plane now," he answered.
        "Oohh. When...?" wondering when he snuck that in on her, but
jumped ahead, "hey, though, we could lease a jet for Ri and Hul and
everyone!..."
        "Good idea, precious," Kit immediately got her drift of having
even another escape plan. One with a jet.
        "Well, that is an idea now, isn't it?" Mari smiled, turning to
Julian, "why don't we, Huli?"
        "If that's what you want to do, mi bella, I'm all for it," Jul
answered. And Ria kissed him sweetly.
        "Hulio could fly out with us," Jess kept thinking. Flee looked at
Juli, he looked at her, and they both smiled.
        "And Ev and Stef," Kit added, knowing how many seats they
would have, looking over to Stefi and Evan, and they smilingly said
'sure'.
        "And Phil could come with us," Es petitioned.
        "Looks like we better get ourselves some planes," Jess added.
        "Well, we'll have to ask Wallace and Junior and the guys to
watch the place while we're gone..." Kit said, then realized the guys
might take a look under Juliet's tarp. But they loved trust. And
people they could. And all their brains simultaneously flashed
through the awe of their Platinum discovery and Wallo's and his
family's pending surprise.
        "Uh, si, 'migo," and Julian motioned with his head to Wally for
him to come over from horseshoes.
        "Let's let them be surprised on the Platinum, though," Kit said
to Jul under his breath, "uh, but ask him to keep the family out of the
barn."
        "Got 'cha, meeg," Jul smiled back and walked Wallo to the side
of their cabin to ask him privately, away from the other guests. Wall,
of course, was right there for them on it. He and the boys would
stay up there, as Julian asked, figuring when Jul told him about the
barn that it was because the plane was back. And there was still
Silver in the mine, he also thought, to keep others from finding out
about, happy for the call to serve.
       "Is there room for Sonia and 'Milio?" Ri asked when Sonia came
over to the guys still on the porch.
        "Yip," Kit smiled, and Sonia asked what they were planning now,
and was excited to hear and tell Emilio.
        "A veritable entourage," Flece smiled over to her best friend.
        "Verily veritable. Ain't it rad, 'miga?" Jess gleamed back.
        Then they all went over to their barby and cooked up some more
meat, fish, chicken, baked potatoes and veggies for everyone and
passed around some more puros from the pounds of the best Mex
Jul had ever bought. More expensive than their Gold, per ounce, well,
at retail, and about the same as the Plat, they laughed about. And
Jimmy Buffet was playing on the radio they had cranked up on the
porch. "She Came Down From Cincinnati..." he was singing.
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