A Trial of Time- India/US Transference.

Chapter 6: Regal Sight V2

As the group made their way to the helicopter, the four men looked around the base in awe, taking in the sights. However, it was General Eisenhower who noticed something.

"Mr. Perry, if I could ask you a question." General Eisenhower started, making the man turn to him, "Is this base always so... busy?"

"Well... We are having another plane landing in a short time. So they are preparing for its arrival." Perry said.

"And who might they be?" Foreign Secretary Eden asked, as Churchill hoped it wasn't the Germans.

"Uh... It's the Soviets." Perry said. Churchill gave a quiet breath of relief.

"You got in touch with the Soviets too?" General Eisenhower asked incredulously.

"Well, it was more like our US Navy bumped into the Soviet Navy up in the Bering Strait, which soon made its way up both command chains. Apparently, they were wondering why there was a sudden stop in supply shipments and assumed the Japanese sunk all of our ships. The folks from the Russian Embassy helped us in acting as a third party during a short meeting in Alaska, after which they decided to send Foreign Minister Molotov, who is leading a delegation."

"Good. Good." Churchill said approvingly. "If I may be so bold to say, I am completely willing to wait for the Soviets and leave with them."

"Are you sure?" Perry asked. "The car would be comfortable."

"Not to worry, young man." Churchill said, dismissing Perry's concerns. "If nothing else, standing up would certainly help me after that trip through the Atlantic."

"Very well." Perry said, before he had a brief conversation with a member of the Secret Service, who nodded and then left while he spoke in his earpiece.

"I guess we're lucky for the fact that we don't have to wait so long." Perry said three minutes later.

"What makes you say that?" Ambassador Winant asked.

"The Soviets are landing." Perry said, as he pointed to the distance and everyone turned to look in that direction.

Prime Minister Churchill and Foreign Secretary Eden watched with piqued curiosity as a large, long bodied plane with two jet turbines began lowering its altitude almost silently before it touched the ground. That interest soon turned to disbelief when they saw the words 'भारत' (Bhaarat) and 'India', along with a symbol that Churchill and Eden recognised as Ashoka's Lions between the two words. The plane was white in colour, save for the spaced orange and green stripe below the windows, the Air Force roundel and the tricolour flag on the tail.

"What aircraft is that?" Ambassador Winant asked.

"That's the Boeing 777-300ER, custom made in our Boeing facility down in Texas for VVIP Transport of the President, Vice-President, and Prime Minister of India. Its usual call sign is Air India One." Perry answered. While the reactions of Eden and Churchill were varied, the former in disbelief, and the latter in concealed anger, General Eisenhower looked contemplative as he digested this new information, already trying to figure out how could this India, independent, if he read between the lines properly, be helpful in their fight against the Axis.

Meanwhile, the Indian Boeing 777-300ER was already taxiing towards the same area where the group was waiting. That's when Perry spoke again. "From the passenger manifest I was given by the Indian Embassy before I came here, the plane is carrying a delegation from the Soviet Union led by Foreign Minister Molotov, officials from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs and the British High Commission to India, which includes the High Commissioner himself."

'Good. Maybe someone will be able to explain this Independence nonsense to me then!' Churchill thought, as he tracked the large aircraft with his eyes.

"Wait a minute." Eden started. "Why didn't personnel from the British Embassy to the United States not come here with you, Mr. Perry?"