Counsel Meeting
To Space or Not To Space
Counsel Meeting
Tituba – Supreme Commander (Bombay Cat)
Jules Verne, Boost, and Toby – “The Three Tuxedos”
Bach, Beethoven – The Scientists
Theodore Roosevelt – Assistant to Scientists
James Patterson and Buck Rogers – Three Tuxedo’s Advisers.
Django, Cobain, Ginger, and Mr. Boots – Security for the Three Tuxedos
Donna Noble and Toppie – advisers to Supreme Commander Tituba
Bagheera and Shanti – Coolville
Last time we met, we saw a major council meeting in Tuxedo Junction, and Supreme Commander Tituba herself opened the session by addressing the attendees across CATNET. Mr. Verne and the leaders of Coolville look eye to eye as they prepare to hear what the future of their country and planet will hold for all concerned.
The first to speak is Mr. Teddy Roosevelt, as he prepares to open up the proposal that Mr. Bach and Mr. Beethoven bring to the table. “Gentlemen and ladies who join us across the CATNET, our scientific teams have been looking at all possible solutions, including your choice, Mr. Bagheera and Mr. Shanti, to weather modifications. Our findings show this will affect more than your land and, in the end, do more harm than good. We have found another option that could and would benefit not only you, but even those beyond our planet that could also be duplicated by you on our sister worlds, Mr. Bach or Mr. Beethoven?”
Mr. Bach comes up next. “Thank you. The solution we are talking about is to move your primary growing area offshore, but still under your full control and jurisdiction. There are two islands to your west, approximately thirty-six times units by cat boat. We would help you establish your growing facilities and work with you through your first planting. After that, we would be there to assist with research, monitoring, etcetera, as we are now.”
Mr. Beethoven continues, “By following the plans as our team has laid them out, you would have full production back up in two seasons and could expand for planetary export by your third and fourth seasons. Once you have full systems running here, it would be possible to take these systems and practices to our sister planets to expand production.”
Mr. Bagheera and Mr. Shanti look at Jules Verne once again, and seem to communicate with him silently. After a few units, Mr. Verne nods as if to confirm what they have said privately, one to another. The next words are “Cats, prepare your plans and your teams” from Mr. Verne. With that, we set all our plans in motion. As time passes, we find ourselves watching cat boats and freighters fly between Coolville and the new island to put to their use in producing catnip, and the other organic ingredients needed for the ever loved cat treats that come out of the factories at Coolville.
Unknown to Mr. Bagheera and Mr. Shanti, they are about to have visitors. We look north from the factory to the spaceport, and we see a terrestrial cat boat with “The Three Tuxedos” seal on its doors preparing to land. All five cats and their four guard cats transfer from the royal launch over to ground cars and head to the factory area to see how production is proceeding regarding the reduction in raw materials.
As the entourage approaches the warehouse and factory area, they see air freighters pulling up to some warehouses and being loaded with equipment that looks like it has not been used since the farms on Coolville were first started. Other freighters are being loaded with seed stock, while others are being loaded with planting and Terra farming machines that look like they were right out of a Buck Rogers movie. As things start moving out and ships prepare for departure, Mr. Toby and Mr. Patterson suggest that the team head out to the new islands to see the start of Terra farming in preparation for the first planting. Mr. Boost and Mr. Verne agree, and Mr. Verne gives orders to the guard to prepare for departure as they head to the ground cars.
In a matter of units, the Royal team is in the air, following the first of the freighters to the new islands. As they approach, they already see cats hard at work preparing Terra farming equipment. Mr. Verne is running numbers in his head and finally says, “From what I see, the cats of Coolville should be planted in seven turns of the sun and should be harvesting the first crop soon after. I would say we have solved this problem before it becomes a disaster.”
Or have they solved it? “The Three Tuxedos” and their advisers are looking down on new land where a major crop of the planet is being moved. Where the land should be ready for Terra Farm, and the ground planted in seven turns of the sun. Everything appears to be going smoothly. So what could go wrong? Machine issues? Weather issues that caused this move originally? Something from outer space?
As Jules Verne and James Patterson start looking around the new land, a message comes in on the CATNET through Buck Rogers. It’s a special flash from the Supreme Commander. “Mr. Rogers, both my assistants, Ms. Noble and Ms. Toppie, just received messages from our sister planets saying they are monitoring traffic beyond our area of space. It appears we are heading into more trouble if the traffic is true.”
“What is traffic showing to be the trouble, Supreme Commander?”
“We appear to have space junk of some type heading toward our three planets. Ms. Toppie has been keeping tabs on a couple of our exploration ships, and they say we could see it on our scopes in just a couple of rotations of the sun. This is on top of crop relocation. This will divide our scientific teams again.”
“Thank you, Supreme Commander. I will let Mr. Verne know shortly and have our teams on standby.”
As Mr. Rogers catches up with the group, he is trying to figure out the best way to let “The Three Tuxedos” know about this additional problem. He will also have to see how it might affect what is happening here at the farm. “Mr. Verne, we have a new situation developing that “The Three Tuxedos” need to know about. The advisers to the Supreme Commander are monitoring traffic between our sister planets and a couple of exploration teams in space. They are talking about some space junk we may have problems with.”
Jules Verne stops, turns, and sits down, staring directly at Buck Rogers.
“What does that mean to us right now, Mr. Rogers? We see space junk passing us on a regular basis.”
Mr. Rogers replied, “This is different, primarily because of the size of the field. It looks like it is coming right at all three planets and is heading on a collision course, not a course to bypass us. Ms. Toppie says our ships are having to move thousands of space units off their current courses to avoid the field. And they have no idea of their origins. As soon as Cat’s Paw can pull in behind the debris field, they will start looking closely at what it contains and try to figure out a way we can fight it before it gets too close to Catdromida. “
OK, Buck, keep us posted and do not take my cattitude personally. I know you are just reporting and keeping us up-to-date. Tell Ms. Toppie and Ms. Noble to keep us in the loop, and thank them for their meticulous work. As soon as we finish here and get back to Tuxedo Junction, I will want to get together with Bach, Beethoven, and Teddy to find out what they know and what we might do to protect our world. It appears this will now become priority one.” With that, the team finishes its inspection, then heads back to Transparent and back to Tuxedo Junction.
As the team heads back to Tuxedo Junction, Buck Rogers gets regular updates. As he gets them, he lets Mr. Verne know what he is told and keeps the Security Team informed, so DJango knows what is going on and what he and his team will need to do to protect “The Three Tuxedos” and their advisers. As they prepare to land, Jules Verne looks over at DJango, Ginger, and James Patterson. “When we land, go down the stairs and immediately activate the war room. We will meet you there shortly. Buck, advise the Supreme Commander and her advisers as to what I am doing, so they have the option of joining us there. Boost contact, Bach, Beethoven, and Teddy. Have them meet us in the war room.” As each cat gets their orders, they nod to acknowledge them and start planning what to do when they land.
Terra Farming and planting new islands. Space Junk is heading towards Catdromida and its sister planets. Activating the war room. What’s going to happen next?
To Be Catinued