“Oh, yes! wouldn’t you know? They work the late-night shift.”
“Surely, they don’t work, protecting you all the time.” Spoke up to Pauline, “When they do have some free time? I am available.”
“Is Charlie coming?”
“No. He’s too tired.”
They all laughed.
Is he still telling that ‘Two-tired’ bicycle joke?” asked Paul.”
“Only when Sara is not around. She threatened to kill him if he told it one more time in front of her. Seriously, Charlie is cramming for his finals.”
“Since my speech is set to be televised for the whole world to see, he promises to watch and listen.”
“How about Rose?” inquired Pauline.
“No. If she were here, you would have to tie her down to stop her from accosting one of the UN members. She is not a big fan of the UN. She thinks the delegates are carry-overs from the Inquisition period, whose past members performed investigation and torture of non-believers—a practice promoted by the church, centuries ago.”
“Notice how they always follow up with every speaker who comes before them with prolonged and intensive questioning? Look at their beady eyes, shrunken noses, and sour grape lips.” Rose is hoping I will levitate the whole ugly bunch and toss them out into the New York streets. The problem is I would if I could. But I can’t.”
“Seriously,” spoke up Paul. “how do you stand the pressure? It seems to me, you are acting alone, carrying the weight of the entire world on your shoulders. We do not want to lose you. You are the most wonderful sister in the entire world. It would break our hearts if something should happen to you.”
“Paul,” said Allison, “I certainly understand your feelings. I know you and the family worry about me. It would, likewise, kill me if I lost one of you. You are the most precious thing in my life. without my loving family, I am nothing. After tomorrow’s speech it is my plan to announce to NASA, that my space mission days are over. Someone else more qualified than me, can take my place.”
“Sounds great, but do you think NASA believes for one second, that there is someone out there with your qualifications? And do you think the officials of NASA, will agree to just let you walk away that easy?”
“Honestly,” said Allison, “No and No.” Allison Delivers Her Speech
Airports far and near New York City, were busy handling private incoming aircraft from around the globe. Mostly private jets packed with United Nations delegates, and foreign correspondents, all eager to learn more about the new planet's discovery. Every major hotel in NYC is fully booked. Loads of caviar and cases of champagne, rushed in to serve foreign dignitaries, expected to arrive in groves. Call girls, as far away as New Jersey, were encouraged to be available when events of this nature were about to take place: to expect business to soar for the next few days.
The press was so thick they practically stood on top of each other. People walking the street seemed to smile more with a little extra lift in their steps. Everyone appeared to know something big was underway, struggling to understand just what in the hell was all the fuss about. The typical New Yorker smug response: “So, we discovered another planet with intelligent life. So, what’s the big f…. deal? How does that affect me.” Astrologists were busy updating their charts trying to figure out where does this new planet fit into the Zodiac or does it. What goes up must come down. One could only speculate how long the euphoria of Allison’s space odyssey would last.
Standing at the podium, a nervous Allison began talking. “Honored members of this august organization, ladies and gentlemen and guests.” Members present, honored guests, and the rest of the world should know by now about a new discovery, verifying the existence of another, life-supporting planet. We are no longer the only planet in this Universe. The search of the cosmos—to search out outer space to determine if there really was another planet existing out there, containing life has ended with the discovery of a new planet named Zorbus.”
“The search is over; we know now we are no longer alone. A planet known as Zorbus, containing intelligent life, has been discovered. What is so amazing about this discovery? Not only is this alien planet, although smaller than ours, and perhaps a few million years older, has developed along the same path as our planet. Their culture, economics, and life-supporting organizations of their planet are very akin to our own. Their atmospheric conditions and weight of gravity mimic Earth’s. Planet Zorbus has survived the ugliness of what happens when you mistreat your planet, ignoring the damage we do to our environmental system which supports life.”
“An example: like our own planet, planet Zorbus went through a rapid period of growth, and at the same time, completely ignored the damage being done to its environment. Resulting in the staggering pollution of its skies, oceans, lakes, and rivers. As if this were not enough to kill a planet, misguided by its military leadership, planet Zorbus began stockpiling nuclear weapons.”
“The stockpiling of dangerous nuclear weapons and nuclear arsenals with no means put in place of safely disposing of the dangerous radioactive waste, which comes with a nuclear development package, leaving practically every nation (there were more than eighty-three at the time) armed to the teeth with some type of nuclear weapon. It was only a matter of time before a nuclear catastrophic incident was going to happen. It did. Destroying about two-thirds of life on the planet. It took, literally, thousands of years for anything, resembling civilization, to return to the destroyed planet.”
“Until the recent appearance of A-I robots, all eighty-three countries saw no need for any type of defense system. They thought the painful lesson learned from the past disaster was lesson enough. To survive without hostilities toward others, humanity must learn to be more patient and tolerant. To prove their dedication to this principle, a Supreme Council, consisting of delegates from all eighty-three nations was set up. The Council meets on a regular schedule to arbitrate disputes between sovereign nations.
“We often find that disagreements, commonly occur when one party of a dispute feels he or she has been wronged or injured by the other party. It appears, that despite what was just described, greed raised its ugly head. Since greed always has a way of controlling man’s heart, it is now playing a major role in the lives of the Zorbian people. Greed embodies itself in the form of a small cabal. The cabal of scientist using their own robotic technology in developing artificial intelligent robots-A-I- robots. Sadly, the cabal uses these same A-I robots as offensive weapons against its own people. A -I robots, used as a weapon, is now challenging the supremacy of the Zorbus Supreme Council.”
“As the first to land and explore planet Zorbus, the United States, as a peacemaker, must be careful how we approach the Zorbus leadership with our offer to help them with their A-I robot problem. It is highly possible, that the cabal that developed the A-I robots, may have completely lost control of their special offensive weapon. The A-I robots, through multiple replications of their smartest robots have become superior robots, replacing the older generations.”
Here are some remarks from a Zorbian scientist: The AI robots, with no interference from man, are setting up their own agenda. They no longer take commands from the Zorbian leadership.”
“Secondly, and most importantly, we must draft a sustainable trade agreement beneficial to both planets. A proven axiom: strength alone does not necessarily guarantee safety. The people’s quality of life enjoyed on planet Zorbus for many years is now under question. Illustrating explicitly the danger to all who refuse to pay attention. Not paying attention to the way our environment and our citizens are being treated. The question now becomes: What next? What do we do about Zorbus’ problem which someday may become one of our problems.”
Spoiler Alert: Commander Dawkins's original intent was to harshly criticize the UN’s record of keeping and maintaining peace around the world. This is what she initially intended to say:
“Our record of doing the right thing at the right time has been less than stellar. First, look back at the creation of the League of Nations in 1920. Its formation was the result of a document originating out of the Paris Peace Conference, under the direction of past President Woodrow Wilson. Its purpose: to create the formation of the first worldwide international organization designed to maintain world peace. Its creation floundered and failed in 1946.”
“The initial objective of the League of Nations: to maintain international peace and security. To protect human rights, deliver humanitarian aid, and promote the creation of sustainable international law was doomed to failure from the beginning. Though its formation was the idea of former American President Woodrow Wilson, his own government refused to ratify and accept membership into that organization. With the United States' refusal to ratify and with the outbreak of WWII, the League of Nations suffered a slow death, dying in 1946.”
“On October 24, 1945, at the end of WWII, the United Nations was formed. An international organization tasked to maintain international peace and security. Develop friendly relations among nations. Achieve international cooperation. Be a center for harmonizing actions of nations. Main purpose: to prevent war. Which is laughable when you consider the seven actionable wars we have had since its ratification.”
“I would further add, that the United Nations, like its predecessor, The League of Nations, as a peacekeeping organization, has failed miserably in its mission. I realize, that to save face and minimize the public bruises expected from an angry populace, a number of these ‘clashes among nations’ were classified as ‘police action. Not wars. As if using the polite expression ‘police action,’ somehow minimizes the senseless killing and waste of innocent life. Perhaps it is time for this less-than-austere organization to consider packing its bags and moving to someplace like Geneva. I am quite sure Geneva is used to having the heads of state, living like potentates there. Out of the limelight of their respective compatriots. I’m sure New York won’t miss you.”
“Thus said, the various outreach organizations developed under the umbrella of the United Nations, like World Health Organization, food, and agriculture programs, UNICEF., etc., should remain in place. But could easily be placed under a different governmental agency, replacing the UN. I can already see from the reaction coming from some nation-members of the Security Council, Russia, and China, to be specific, are not comfortable with my remarks. So be it!”
“This is not the time nor place for our country, the United States of America to allow rogue nations like China, Russia, and North Korea to interfere with our plans to establish a workable framework of cooperation to help save our mutual two planets, planet Earth and planet Zorbus. We simply will not stand by and allow these rogue nations to flaunt international law by setting up their own agenda in their approach to establishing trade agreements between them and planet Zorbus. Establishing their own colonies with the sole purpose of destroying their infrastructure for their own greedy purposes. This is an undertaking under the sole direction of the United States, and to remain so for the foreseeable future.”
“We, the United States have the intellectual knowledge to make Zorbus whole again. Without the help from other countries, like Russia and China. That is what we plan on doing—you can count on it!”
Allison, making the mistake of leaving a copy of her first speech in her room which a maid, in the pay of a shifty reporter, stole a copy. The next day, the reporter snake, published a copy of Allison’s official speech to the UN and a copy of the stolen speech----asking his readers to decide: which speech do you believe is the correct speech, the one that accurately reflects the United States real feelings in regards to its enemies, Russia and China? It took a lot of damage control to convince the public that there was no way to substantiate the accuracy of the reporter’s damaging report.
Previously, Allison, with advice from the UN Secretary-General, reminding her of the old adage, ‘you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar’ decided to modify her message, adding a more conciliatory tone. “This is what she ended up saying.”
“There has never been no greater time or need for all five members of the United Nations Security Council, United States, Great Britain, France, China, and Russia, to work together in helping another neighbor, or, in this case, planet if that planet has any chance at all of survival. It should be clear: by helping our newly discovered planet in its struggle to survive at this juncture, we very well may be helping ourselves.”
“If, as reported, these hostile A-I robots are left to continue their destructive path without interference, or disruption they may someday arrive at our own shores ready to destroy us. China, with its superior knowledge and work in robotics may be able to fight back. But, what about the rest of us? How do we overcome the strength of an enemy ten times stronger in robotic research than we possess on our own planet.”
The members of the UN Security were impressed that a speaker had come before them, personally acknowledging them as important leaders of a free world. Capable of wielding unlimited power. Not accustomed to receiving praise from a speaker but just the opposite: mainly sarcastic ‘barbs’ from speakers from different countries and organizations. Taken by complete surprise, each member of the Council in his private thoughts was thinking of how best to make this challenge work in their favor.
Boris Dmitri Koshechkin, Russian UN ambassador, whispered to one of his aides. “If the Americans are in fact inviting us to participate in these important international forums regarding the future relationship between our two planets, then we must make sure that Russia is the first to offer our flag of friendship to these people no matter how backwards they may be.”
