make that quite clear to him upon your return,' Moore told him.
'Well, sir, I will take your proposal back to the governor, but he will not be happy with the tariffs still being in place. After all, my primary mission for this long trip was to have them at least temporarily suspended to enable our economy to catch up with the demands that the U.S. military buildup is putting on it. We are having to reinvest into our infrastructure at too great of a pace to afford these taxes, Mr. President.'
'Just tell Donnie to hang in there, and maybe we can get Congress to sway on them in the next session,' Moore promised.
'I see, sir' was all the response the poker- playing ambassador would say. Moore and Sehera led the ambassador back to the Oval Office for some final discussions and preparations for the press conference. They decided to tell the press that discussions were positive and ongoing. Or at least that is what Alonzo had led Moore to believe.
'Ladies and gentlemen of the press, of the country, good afternoon,' President Moore said as he looked into the camera and then at Ambassador Spellman. 'Our friends from the colony at Ross 128 have been patient in their understanding of the current need to post tariffs on the imports of goods and services into the Sol System in order to maintain our strong national resolve in protecting this colony as well as all other colonies and territories of the United States of America from outside attack by the Separatist rogue system at Tau Ceti. I have assured Ambassador Spellman that although Tau Ceti citizens may feel that they are no longer part of the United States, they are merely being misled by a few mad people who are fueling the Separatist sentiments and the entire movement. At no time in the past twelve years, now, or in the future, will the United States government accept the secession of Tau Ceti. And hopefully, with the resolve of all of the colonies, territories, and states of the Union, we will soon resolve these difficult times. I have asked the ambassador to speak to you today on behalf of his people at Governor Brown's request and approval. Ambassador.'
Moore held out his arms, gesturing to the colonial ambassador at the podium next to his on the lawn of the White House. Photos were snapped continuously, and video and holo streams were being fed across the Sol System and out to the stars. President Moore clapped his hands, signaling to the press corp to do the same, and once the applause settled, Ambassador Alonzo Spellman cleared his throat and looked down at the podium briefly as he started to speak.
'Mr. President, First Lady, I thank you for your most gracious efforts today.' Spellman raised his head, turned, and nodded to the president and offered him a gracious smile. Then he set back into a solid pose behind the podium and looked as if he were waiting for his AIC to post a speech in front of his vision in his mindview. Then he began again.
'Ladies and gentlemen of the United States, after a long negotiation with President Moore today I must relay the following as the status of the colony at the Ross 128 star system and all citizens there. I'm here for the purpose of announcing to you all, Congress, the Senate, the White House, and to you citizens, that I have satisfactory evidence that the Ross 128 colony and the citizens of Arcadia, by a solemn ordinance of her people in a convention assembled of systemwide representatives, has declared our demand of tariff cessation or separation from the United States.' Spellman paused briefly for his words to sink in.
Moore had known that the representatives had granted the governor wide discretion to seek tariff relief, removing virtually all of the usual congressional oversight. But separation? Was the governor overstepping here, or had things really gotten that bad on Ross 128?
'Under these circumstances, of course, my functions are terminated here as an ambassador for the governor of the United States Colony of Ross 128, and I appear only as an ambassador for the governor of the free star system of Ross 128. It has seemed to Governor Donald Brown of Arcadia and myself only proper to give the president of the United States one last chance at holding our allegiance. After our negotiations today, it is clear that this is never going to happen. Therefore, the governor and I feel it necessary for us to say something on the part of the people I here represent, on an occasion as solemn as this, for our colony has been a part of the United States for over a century.
'Governor Donald Brown and I desire to make certain that it is known to the people of the Sol System that Arcadia has always advocated, as an essential cornerstone of
