THE MOMENT
"Aliens?" The secretary of defense paused on his way out the door. He turned and shook his head at the president. "There is no such thing, Sir," he said.
"WHAT!? That's ridiculous! Of course they're real! I'm the president and I demand to know everything we already know!" The secretary of defense nodded at the president's desk.
"You're about to," he said. "That's why I was leaving," The president whirled around to see a woman in a white blazer sitting on his desk. The blazer had a red sun logo stitched on the front breast and she had shoulder-length black curly hair. Her legs were crossed at the knee in white slacks.
"It's always nice to meet the latest one," she smiled down at him. "Hello, Mr. President, my name is Sol; I represent Sharp Development."
"Sharp Development?" As offended as the president was by her chosen seat, he knew how to keep himself focused on his priorities. It sounded like the name of a corporation. He walked around the desk and took his seat while wracking his mind the whole time. "That doesn't sound familiar, how much did you donate to my campaign? Are you here to lobby for something?" Sol grinned and hopped off the desk to be able to face him properly. Then, she shook her head.
"You're the newest president, so I'm here to explain how Ms. Sharp expects things to run. You were-"
"I decide how to run things," the president interrupted Sol. "And I've never heard of Ms. Sharp," he added. Sol giggled and shrugged.
"It doesn't actually matter," she said. "I believe you were asking about aliens?"
"Yes," the president nodded. She glossed over his mention of Ms. Sharp so fast that he didn't know what to make of it. But, it sounded like she said he was right; Ms. Sharp didn't matter. "What do we know about them?"
"The only thing there is to know," Sol answered. "Aliens from other planets do not exist," she said.
"That's impossible," he shook his head. "There's too much out there in the universe."
"That's the catch," Sol replied with a wink. "There isn't, actually," she said.
"What are you saying? Our solar system is alone? How can you know that?" he asked and shook his head again. "You can't know that."
"I can, and do. That's why we're having this meeting," she said. "Though, to be more precise it's not the solar system. Earth is the only planet that exists," she said. "In any universe." The president was shocked at first; but, he was even more intrigued by the last phrase.
"What do you mean 'in any universe?'"
"Alternate universes exist," Sol answered. "An infinite number of universes exist; but, Earth is the only planet in each universe."
"We've been to Mars!" The president said.
"Have you?" Sol grinned. "Or did you send machines somewhere into the void to transmit data back to you?"
"Who are you to be making these claims?" The president shook his head. He didn't want to believe her as much as he already did. And, beyond that, he just didn't want to be wrong. "How do you know Earth is the only planet? Why can't your data be faked?"
"I don't have data the same way you do," Sol shook her head. "I have it straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak. It's how the universe was created. Intentionally," she explained.
"Created?" the president stared at her for an extended moment. Then, he narrowed his eyes. "You're saying you work for God?"
"I'm saying my boss created this multiverse and she prefers the name: Ms. Sharp. Now that you know there are no aliens, can we get to how you're supposed to run things here?" she asked.
"Absolutely not," the president shook his head. He stood and leaned forward with both hands on the table. He locked eyes with Sol and tried to look as aggressive as a portly, balding, old man could in an ill-fitting suit. "I won't negotiate with a low-level lackey. I will run things as I see fit until I meet your boss. If she really is the creator, why did she send you? Why can't she just make things run the way she wants to?" Sol giggled and shook her head.
"It's generally not a good idea to question Ms. Sharp, for a variety of reasons," Sol said. She flicked her wrist up at waist height as she answered. "But, I actually can answer those questions for you." She raised both hands and began wiggling her splayed fingers in the air as if she was typing on an invisible surface.
"Delegation is an important part of creation," she said. "No one creator can do everything; it's important to know that. That also answers your other question," she kept her eyes on his as she typed.
"She sent me to make sure things run the way she wants." She finished her sentence with an emphatic tap on nothing in mid-air. The president's body shimmered with a white glow for a moment. Then, a new man nodded at her from the same spot. He was more trim and with more hair on his head and fewer wrinkles.
"How can I help Sharp Development?" Sol smiled at him.
"It's always a pleasure to meet you Mr. President."