Ally or Alien: A Sci-Fi Novel
presentation."
    The Stryker representatives thanked him and walked outside.
    Taurus waited for them to shut the door. Before he traversed the doorframe, he reversed and reconnected with the president’s gaze.
    "One last thing."
    "Yeah?"
    "Our Commonwealth is divided and plagued by hopelessness, sir. Having an outside enemy such as the alien will unite our people once again. Doesn't matter if you're transhuman, classic, liquid or a mixed migrant. When faced with an alien threat, we're all citizens of the AC, fighting together. Imagine the impact that can have on your campaign—you can be the man that unites us again."
    The president sipped his coffee but paused halfway through the motion.
    He didn't react nor reply, but Taurus could swear there was something in his eyes.
    A glow…

11
     
    "You what?"
    The Newtype representative said the next day, back in the president's office.
    She sweated and looked as if a nugget-sized meteor had punched her artificially-straightened face. Taurus stood next to her and suppressed his grin. The president sat in his office chair and intertwined his hands.
    "I've pondered the situation and realized we've treated the alien case too lightly. I mean, we're talking about a potential hostile life form that has invaded our solar system. Surely this matter deserves our full attention."
    "But we already agreed on letting the Newtype handle the life form."
    "But what if our friends really can't deal with the threat? What if that...thing grows so fast it devours their territory like that ship we saw getting shredded? Better strike the enemy while it's still vulnerable. We have a commitment to protect our citizens and the people of the free world."
    Sounded like a textbook example, but Taurus loved every word of it.
    The Newtype rep shifted her pose.
    From alpha to beta.
    "Mr. president, you promised to never use an AC military presence on Newtype territory again."
    "Frankly, I can't remember ever saying that."
    "But that was only two weeks ago."
    Lucas C. Wright wiped his right palm like a magic mirror filled with answers.
    "I'm the president of the American Commonwealth. I have to be flexible to cope with each challenge efficiently. Of course my opinion will change when I receive sufficient intel. And with the new updates available, it’s clear we're dealing with a dangerous life form that could wipe us all out. If that's not a pressing issue, what is?"
    Taurus nodded an approving smile.
    Thought—well delivered, at last.
    Oh politics.
    The Secretary of Space Defense was beginning to love 'em.
    All credits go to Doreen, of course.
    Even that pesky representative had to realize she was on the losing end here. With a defeated tone, the woman said, 
    "So what do you want me to do, sir?"
    "I want you to go to the Newtype embassy and negotiate a deal that lets a team of our specialists board Mars to gauge the alien's threat level. That is all."
    The representative almost fainted. She needed to grab the chair's ledge to support herself.
    "Sir, isn't that a tad too aggressive?"
    "Why? We're not sending troops, just a few of our guys to check out the situation. If your friends at the embassy want to further discuss the issue, let them know that I'm available 24/7 on my VIP channel. This can be a great opportunity for both of our races to work together again."
    Judging by the representative's dismissive expression, she seemed to believe otherwise. The rep flicked a disturbing glance at Taurus but the president waved his right hand.
    "Everything settled? Good. You can reach me on my private channel. Now please leave my office, you two, I have a presidency to protect."
    He waved his staff goodbye and focused on his holo-feed. Taurus stepped outside and met the Newtype rep back in the hall. The woman was walking back and forth and flailed her arms around. 
    "You did this."
    Taurus played the clueless bystander. Disarmed his voice and sent the representative a smooth shrug.
    "Did what?"
    "You swayed the
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