"World ... Executive?"

Kate Stewart gave this man a tight lipped smile. The Senator was one of the more powerful members of the American power structure. Hardly anyone in his country or beyond it could recall his name or face, and that was just the way he liked it. This man had realised early on in his career where to place himself for maximum influence for minimum ingratiation with such unpleasant people as voters, and not only grabbed power but irreversibly cemented himself within the tangled web. For him, elections were a formality, and supplication to his very existence a physical law.

Which was why she was seeking his endorsement of UNIT's new scheme. No matter who held the White House, the Congress, this man would remain. This man would be heard, no matter who's ears were present or yet to be instated.

"... that's right. We ... we, this planet, this species, needs to create a new emergency power structure in case of catastrophic alien incursion or event. Rather than navigating around various governments or private entities, we need a broad, straightforward mechanism to co-ordinate..."

"I agree."

That shut up her carefully written speech. "... well, that's ..."

"I agree with the principle. However ..." The Senator put down the dossier. "... the practice? You intend to give, unconditionally, the whole planet, to one ... well, I was going to say person, but ..." He lifted out a section that was sparser than Kate would have liked. "... someone who was not born on this world."

"The man who has, and has the best chance, of saving this planet."

"I know. And if I ever met this ... Doctor, I would shake him by the hand, I would thank him from the bottom of my heart. But please understand my gratitude does not mean I would assist in giving him a virtual kingdom unimagined by Hitler, Stalin ... Caesar, Alexander the Great ..."

"Only for the duration of the emergency."

"And how many tin pot third world dictators have been, and currently are in power, for the duration of any emergency?"

Kate took the section in the Senator's hand, and turned it to a particular page. "How many tin pot dictators run from their gilded palaces?"

The Senator was about to retort, but saw the part that Kate was pointing at.

"... he turned down a planet?"

"An empire beyond all our worst leader's dreams. And he ran in less than a minute." Kate leaned in. "This dictator I'm proposing to hand the whole planet to, will disappear before the threat is over." Kate smiled. "And everything returns to normal."

The Senator frowned, tapping his fingers, before speaking again.

"... World President. Make it look like an upgrade rather than ... a complete takeover."

"Of course."