"We should be coming up on it now," an older uniformed man spoke as the small passenger plane began to descend toward the sea below them.
Clara didn't fully respond, but managed a nod and looked out the window of the plane. She could see the small series of islands growing larger as the plane descended. In truth, many of her thoughts weren't that optimistic. Buying a private island for Ran and for some of the more oceanic Animalians wasn't a bad idea and she and Robbie did seriously consider putting together the funds to do so, but they had also agreed that a real part of the agreement would also be to establish something that could be used as a tourist site. From what Clara had seen from the government's proposal for selling this island to Animalia, it wasn't immediately likely that they'd get much in the way of tourists.
While the US military had no further use for island in question, they didn't stop using it because they'd either found more effective bombers or fighters and thus didn't need as much space for them or anything like that. The island was part of the Enewetak Atoll and wasn't too far removed from the Bikini Nuclear test sites from the 1950s. The Air Force abandoned the base because they'd left it a nuclear waste dump and efforts to clean it in the seventies had only served to bury the radioactive material where it was, and the efforts made was so poor that from what Clara had found had left the entire area sitting on the edge of destruction and leaving the entire atoll poisoned. However, it was cheep and would at least give them a chance to give Ran a safe home to establish closer to the sea.
Clara glanced to Robbie and then to Rick before watching as the runway on the island came into view. They felt a subtle bump as the plane came in for and landing and began to slow down. When the plane came to a stop, the military officer who had been sent as a liaison stood up from his seat. As the plane slowed, Clara did notice that the apparent base was not run down as she had expected from the things she had read online concerning the general area.
"Welcome to Mieni Atoll," the liaison officer spoke with a sense of forced politeness, "Home to Nimitz Air Force Base... or what was Nimitz Air Force Base. One of the few bases in the Marshall Islands that the US received after World War II that wasn't used in the nuclear testing in the fifties."
"But the atoll isn't too far from the areas where testing was done," Robbie commented, "and according to ecological reports, local marine life hasn't been strong here."
"But it has been getting better," the liaison answered, "and most of the damage that exists is only a result of the testing done in the fifties at Enewetak and Bikini. Even by now, much of the residual radiation is starting to clean up. Supposedly in ten years, the sites where the tests were done will be safe for human habitation. Mieni was far enough away from the test sites that it is safe and the wildlife is stable enough to support a small handful of Animalians."
Clara glanced to Robbie who only shrugged and held Martha to him. Rick had come along with Clara as a dutiful mate and to tend to her in the early stages of her pregnancy, but he'd also come to provide what help he could regarding many of the more military related issues that this liaison probably wanted in exchange for the island. Martha had come along simply to stay by her mate's side, though of the four of them, Clara had noticed that she was the least comfortable with the decision. The liaison, tended to waffle between tones that were antagonistic or imperious, as though being human gave him the absolute right of authority over the Animalians, ignoring that Rick and Martha had been born human as well, and something that was borderline lecherous. Clara had the suspicion that Martha was fearful that this liaison might try to rape her for his own pleasure. Especially since many Animalians, not just those that were pregnant were beginning to be vaccinated so that they weren't still infectious after their uplifting or transformation.
The group then made their way out and down a provided stairway by ground crew. Again they found that the base looked far cleaner than was originally expected.
"If I may ask... if this base is safe from radiation, and the government of the Marshall Islands has let the US use the island... why are you selling it so cheap now?" Rick asked to the liaison as his brown eyes studied the black tarmac and the white square buildings that made up many of the offices, hangers, and other buildings built on the base.
"Because the nation needs complete and total patriotism to love the President without question and do whatever he says," the liaison answered, "and if that means deal making, then the President is not above doing it."
"So... in other words the potential cost for this island is our lives... or at least the lives of many Animalians," Clara said slowly, "When you know by now that Animalia is not interested in supporting humanity's wars."
"There are people far worse than the President," the liaison answered, "the forces of Radical Islamic Terrorism want to kill everyone and everyone MUST muster to fight them."
"I seem to remember your President as a candidate promising to have us killed or at the very least put in zoos and treated as though we were still mundane animals," Robbie said slowly, "we don't deny that there are other dangers in the world... but neither are we that willing to charge headlong into fights for those that have pretty plainly stated they have no intent of supporting us."
"That was merely political posturing to get control of people who aren't as sensible as the President," the liaison said quickly raising his hands and shaking them as though on the defensive, "you can't take that literally."
"I'm sure the Jews felt the same way in 1933," Martha said weakly.
"We AREN'T Nazis," the liaison said indignantly.
"Probably not," Rick spoke, moving to put himself between the liaison and Martha, "but to Animalia, your demands might make you come off as Barnum and Bailey. Animalia doesn't want to be circus pets to be gawked at or used as tools. If someone ultimately wants to volunteer... that is there business... but you can't just use our needs as a bribe against us."
"It's not really my place to make any demands, actually," the liaison said slowly, backing away from the male Mountain Lion Animalian, "I'm just following orders given."
"And I understand," Rick answered, "but Animalia isn't to be a recruiting office."
"We're willing to leave things open so that if an Animalian DOES decide to serve in the military the door is open," Clara added, "but we aren't going to mandate it."
The liaison then nodded, "Well... I suppose it best to show you around the atoll and what you'd be getting. I will also warn you you may have to deal with the Marshall Islands government more than the US government and this Shark Animalian will have to abide by the local fishing laws if he's going to be on his own."
"I'm sure we can manage with some tact," Robbie commented, "which Clara and I have found goes a long way in human diplomacy... and if the area is safe and we can get a tourist industry thriving for Animalians and humans and provide homes for any saltwater living Animalians in the long term... things should be fine..."