excerpt from a CIA listening device placed in the White House, Oval Office.... "Uh, Mr. President... we have a new image from the Phoenix Lander, I think you should see this." "Oh goody, I like those outa space shots... you know, I think afta I'm President, I'd like to take a trip inta space, you know on the space Skuttle... jes like John Glenn did. After all, I am a fighter pilot." "Ah, yes sir, but first you should have a look at this." "What the Hell? Is that a flying Saucer?" "Uh, well, technically yes. We've identified it as a D-Noe Class Destroyer from the Vay-Gas Empireum." "Vegas? Vegas has a space program?" "Uh, no sir... it's Vay-Gas... they are an extraterrestrial community, currently at war with the Reen-Oh Confeditorium." "Vegas and Reno are fighting? That's in Nevada, right?" Uh, no sir... remember that Star Wars Movie... well, these are two Star Empires sort of like that. They've been engaged in hostilities for quite some time now." "A real star Wars? How long have they been fighting?" "By our estimates, about 856 years." "856 years? but that's uh... almost a century." (deep sigh heard) "Uh, yes sir... the thing is sir, under the Tyco Treaty, they aren't supposed to send warships, either side sir, are not to send warships into our space, just the regular supply vessels." "supply vessels? I don't follow you... are we supplying weapons to these Space Fellas?" "Uh, no sir... both sides purchase goods from Earth to ship to thier Lounges, things like ballpark hot dogs, disco music... uh KC and the sunshine Band are really big in the Reen-Oh discos ....., Canadian Beer, Scottish Haggis... that sort of thing." "Uh your losing me.... a Star Wars, and nobody invited us?" "Well, sir... we are kinda already inviolved. See, both sides consider Earth to be an Outlying Lounge..... owned by neither side, an independent operator.... it provides a certain amount of safety..." "And why wasn't I told about this Star War when I took office? How long have presidents known about this?" "Well, do you remember when President Reagan talked about if alien invaders came to Earth, how that would unite mankind in a common cause?" "reagan? oh right, Daddy's boss.... uh yeah, sure... I remember that speech...." "Well, we told him and then he made the speech... after that we didn't tell any other president about it... we felt that we could cover it up by falling back on the Tyco Treaty." "Okay.. fine, but why are you showing this to me now? And do we have any other photos of flying saucers?" "Plenty of pictures, sir. The reason I'm showing you this one is because it was captured by the Phoenix Lander, and someone leaked it to the press." "Oh... I see, now we have to admit that there's aliens out there.... I've only got a few months of glory left..... so, what do we do?" "Uh, well, sir... we can doctor the photo a bit to make it look like a computer generated image and release it on the Web, on one of those 3D Graphics sites... make it look like who ever released it was just a very good computer artist.... that should forestall any commotion....." "good, get on it..... and get on that Shuttle idea of mine.... see if I can get a different space suit then all the others... something with a cape...." "Uh, yes sir... I'll get right on it...." The Lounge Wars, Chapter 13, The Strange back in the Lounge after a short sojourn into the light.....nice to be back at my regular table with all my friends.... schmoozing with the talent.."Frankie, Dino, Sammy... come on over , have a seat...." good times! comments welcome, please enjoy!