The sun is setting, a beautiful vermillon hue graduating into a gorgeous mauve with golden lined silver clouds speeding past, urged on by a steady, whistling wind.

I sit in a chair beside a pool which is reflecting the wondrous skies and has tiny ripples on its surface betraying the winds direction and intensity.

It occurs to me that moments like this are history's unrecorded moments, yet are some of the most beautiful.

The man partially reclining on a lounge chair beside me, the leader of the free world, also feels the magic of the moment.

"It's beautiful out here. Resplendant."

"Yes, it is. If you painted this sky the art world would claim it was unnatural."

"That's the problem with critics," the President replies, "they often can't see the truth."

The secret service agents are out of earshot, securing the perimeter of the large grounds and I notice the President visibly relax. Upon a small rattan table sits five Roy Rogers I have poured for the assembled and near them a large ice bucket.

In a semicircle with us sit the President's top men: Cheney, Rumsfeld and Powell.
A quick glance at Powell's face reveals a man in deep thought, his eyes alert and intelligent, which I find comforting and reassuring. As if he is in tune with my thoughts and my focus upon him he turns to me, smiles and speaks:

"I'll take one of those."

I hand the secretary his drink and watch him sip it with a measured motion. I can't help but recall the way he stood first to stand by this President and how loyal he has been, regardless of differences of opinion in certain matters.

Yet differences of opinion exist with each of us here, yet all are allied in our sense of duty, responsibility and the awareness that this Presidency has been very open to differing views and intelligent input.

The pools lights come on, triggered by a timer. The reflection of the sunset disappears and a cool icy blue now contrasts with the slowly darkening skies.

Cheney rubs his hands together, and I realize that it is starting to get markedly cooler.

As the winds rise carrying one of the first of the changing season's desert chills, I reach for a small remote control setting on the table next to me. I depress a small orange button which activates a series of electric heaters mounted upon metal poles around the sitting areas. Almost instantly a wave of heat hits the assembled and compensates for the desert winds' uncompromising nature.

"That's convenient." Cheney remarks as he turns to extend his hands towards the rushing heated air.

Bush turns as if just awakening from a restful slumber, "Remind me to get a set of these for the ranch!"

Rumsfeld sits up and addresses Powell who returns the attention focused upon him upon Rumsfelds inquiry.

"A fine job with Russia. That will make things a whole lot easier. The defense minister called me today and we spoke at length, he mentioned in passing an admiration for the 'devotion to which Mr. Powell set upon his mission to persuade us.' "

Powell smiles.

"Diplomacy is often successful when shared interests can be accomodated."

Rumsfeld and Cheney both break into a laugh at his remark, knowing full well that Powell has delivered a stinging rebuke to Russian self-interest in the form of a philosophical musing.

Of all the spoken tension which is supposed to exist between Powell and the rest of the cabinet - few seem to realize, or willfully ignore, that a common bond and sincere friendship exists between Powell and the rest.

Cheney stands up and moves his chair a bit closer to the heater.

"We got the House, and Gephardt is now working with us to help win the Senate.
The horsetrading has begun in earnest."

Bush starts to Laugh, and he speaks with a smile,

"Diplomacy is often successful when shared interests can be accomodated."

Everyone, myself included, erupt in laughter. Bush has redelivered Colin's stinging rebuke to address an equally self-focused group.

I am aware of how closely Bush listens to the remarks of those around him and find it one of his strengths as President - to listen to his team.

Bush turns to me, "Anything new, I should be aware of?"

"Not much has changed. Saddam remains unseen and in hiding. The further excavation and apparent expansion of the underground network in Baghdad continues unabated."

I reach for a dossier case resting beside my chair and pull out several satellite images and hand them to the President.

"Take a look at this truck convey spotted at 2am local time, last night. Several cement trucks unloaded their contents by flexible piping into the ground via one of several air intake ducts for the underground network surrounding the Palace. We believe Saddam is building many more underground research facilities to continue the bioweaponry program, unfettered should inspectors arrive."

"What about this one?" Bush says as he looks at the next image.

You're looking at incendiary devices being installed upon a oil derrick in one of the southeastern oil fields. They have installed these in broad daylight though, possibly due to the number which need to be installed, or simply for our benefit -knowing we would spot them doing this."

"And this one?"

"That is strange looking facility, which we have not yet been able to ascribe a definite purpose to. It receives much attention from Saddams agents who visit almost every other day. Could be biological research, could also be nuclear."

Powell speaks up, "Why do you assume it is a research facility? Couldn't it be yet another underground access point?"

"It could very well be. Traffic indicates that it would be significantly less used than the other access points, if it is one though. It could equally also be an execution area for political dissidents. At least four times in the past month people have gone in, in groups from state vehicles that we cannot identify as having gone out."

"Interesting. But what about the bodies? They would need to be removed?"

"There is a smokestack which blows smoke at irregular intervals. Could be an incinerator - or it could be a research facility with in-house residence for the scientists."

"Step us surveillance if you can. Do we have any ground forces which could visit the area?"

(20 minutes deleted ;-)

One of the clouds has decided to sprinkle small yet fierce bursts of wind whipped rain upon us. Bush finishes his drink and stands. The others follow suit. Two armored Suburbans, a white Cadillac Sedan and one of the SDAI modified Excursions are parked in front upon the curved drive.

I watch from the picture window as the secret service pop an umbrella and escort him into one of the vehicles and Cheney into another. The SS sniper finally climbs down from the roof as I can hear his footsteps lead to the edge plainly upon the asphalt tile roof.

Powell and Rumsfeld remain discussing other matters in the large den/library. I start a woodfire with wood held in an old vintage TNT crate used over half a century ago by the nearby Arizona gold and silver mines.

First a spark, then a flame erupts. As the wood is slowly transformed into carbon. I sit and watch as the desert winds rise enough to flow down the chimney and cause the flames to flicker.

The night is upon us and in a short while a new day will begin.

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SDAI-Tech1