AmEarth

TWENTY-FOUR

That October morning in New Zealand was marked by unusual weather. The summer had arrived faster than in previous years, and the night air was barely chilly. As soon as the first rays of sunlight emerged, even the slight morning dew was immediately evaporated by the heat. Modern air-conditioning had made life tolerable, but the swings in temperature on the remote island constantly kept the inhabitants on edge. The AmEarth embassy compound had state-of-the-art equipment to maintain a luscious garden, despite these climate challenges.

Behind the glass walls of the dining room, a few baby kangaroos spied on the group of humans arriving gradually to the buffet table. Breakfast was laid out in silver settings with plates of scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon, assorted pastries, French toast, and pancakes. Sergio had to be pried from his bed, as he was not only jet-lagged, but also exhausted by the emotional meeting the previous evening and the ridiculous Supercomputer Committee telephone call. Sergio needed to convey the events of the meeting to Peter, but he needed to do so privately.

During the limousine drive to Wellington’s city center, where Peter would deliver his speech, Scott remembered that Sergio had gone to meet his daughter the night before.

“How’s your daughter?” Scott asked.

“Yes, of course. What is she like?” Peter echoed, eager to take his mind off the speech looming before him.

“This is her,” Sergio said.

Sergio swiped a picture onto his wafer and pressed the play button. A short video of his daughter played on the limousine monitor. She was a beautiful girl with red flowing hair and a magical smile. She looked at the camera shyly, as if she were being forced to allow the filming because it was her father asking for it. Behind her was the dining room/living room of Robbie’s flat in downtown Wellington, which looked luxurious.

“What’s her name?” Scott asked.

“Marianne,” Sergio replied proudly.

The short video ended, and by that time they had arrived at the city center. The mood outside was both festive and sour at the same time. The streets had police line fencing and many citizens were flocking rows deep along the streets, hoping to get a glance at the president of the world. It was evident that half of New Zealand was relieved to finally join AmEarth, while the other half was still bitterly independent and resentful of the invasion, although it had been a peaceful one. The members of New Zealand most affected and outraged by the AmEarth annexation were astronomers, but that was a minuscule segment of the population.

The city plaza was filled with people; the bodies stretched as far back as the bridge that led to the ocean. Large screens provided video and audio of the live event in the plaza, throughout the side streets, and across the globe. This would be Peter’s first major speech since the Columbia University speech on reproduction; having it come from New Zealand made it particularly special, so it would be widely disseminated. Neil Chen Tyson and the Supercomputer Committee were monitoring this speech with more care than any other in their history. Peter had skirted alien issues in other speeches and had therefore appeared truthful, but this time, the alien threat was front and center on the topic block. Before getting out of the limousine, Peter dismissed everyone, including Scott, and stayed behind with Sergio.

“You look like shit,” Peter told him.

“What do you expect? I think I only slept for an hour!” Sergio replied. He brought out the kit with the contact lenses from his pocket and handed it to Peter.

“Make sure no one is watching,” Peter said.

“You’re clear. Do it now.”

“Okay.”

“If they make you cry, make sure you’re saying something emotional.”

“Shut up!”

Sergio chuckled, but immediately contained himself and changed the subject to something more serious.

“Peter, not to add any pressure, but Chen called an emergency meeting of the committee last night in a bid to replace you before your speech. Interestingly, before I could object, Redford threw a wrench into it. He said that he would not vote immediately. I guess he didn’t think that it was an emergency,” Sergio explained.

Peter had placed the lenses in his eyes and was squinting while looking down, trying to summon up tears to moisten the lenses. They covered about a third of his eye and felt uncomfortable, but manageable.

“Did you vote?” Peter asked, slightly distracted.

“It never reached a vote, but I’m sure that Chen will keep at it.”

“I can’t deal with that right now,” Peter said,

Sergio shrugged in agreement.

Handlers were tapping at the glass windows of the limo, implying that they needed Peter. He left the limousine and squinted into the sun. He could see normally and in a few seconds, he forgot that he even had the contact lenses on. Peter walked to the podium that held the teleprompter and microphone; the dreaded camera feeds were leering at him from every angle. Different groups around the world would pull these feed images into their programs to detect any lies. The warm summer air of the southern hemisphere still felt strange to him, but he welcomed it after the bitter weather in New York. He waited to be introduced by the prime minister.

“I want you all to know that I have personally met Peter Johansen and I must say that he is a grounded, intelligent, and compassionate human being with a beautiful family and a good heart. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the supreme president of AmEarth, Mr. Peter Johansen,” Robert announced grandly.

“Thank you, Prime Minister Smith and all the people of New Zealand—or should I say, Kiwis!” Peter began.

Some cheering was heard, followed by some light booing.

“I am officially here to welcome New Zealand to the community of AmEarth. I know that this is a controversial decision to some of you. New Zealand is not the first country to go through a transition like this—in fact you are the last. Without you, AmEarth has not been whole and completely safe. If anything, the duty of a civilized government is to provide safety to its citizens, which is why AmEarth has been so keen on having New Zealand join us. Finally, we can confidently tell the world that we are safer today than we have ever been in the past.”

Clapping erupted from the crowd, and Peter quieted them after a moment with a raised hand.

“AmEarth will not endeavor to change your culture, your values, or your way of life.”

More clapping was heard, and he was pleased to hear less and less booing with every statement.

“Change will only be felt in some aspects of your life, but we believe that this will be a positive change. For instance, you will automatically join the World Center for Disease Control and its registry, allowing you to receive valuable medicine and proven techniques to fend off illnesses. With your inclusion in the WCDC, many of the remaining diseases will be eradicated from the planet.”

Peter paused, but the clapping didn’t start, so he quickly moved forward.

“AmEarth will employ all military personnel and able-bodied men and women who need work to complete the World Protection Project, commonly known as the WPP. That is the honeycomb structure that AmEarth has been building in the exosphere. We intend to finish the honeycomb protection grid around the Earth as soon as possible. This will not disrupt civil society and life will continue here in this pristine and beautiful part of the world, just as it always has, but you will have the added benefit of full employment. Other former countries plagued by unemployment and underachievement are now prospering societies within the AmEarth global community. All new employees of the WPP begin a mandatory training that lasts from twelve to twenty-four months, depending on the current education levels of the individuals. The employment is immediate, so in any given year, AmEarth is educating millions of people and improving their livelihood, even when they leave the WPP for civilian life. This core AmEarth education is mostly science-based, but also has history and humanities in its program. It is curated by top educators from around the world and also prepares our young men and women for basic AmEarth concepts, such as respect for all races, respect for life, and respect for our environment.”

He paused, and the applause was even stronger. Full employment was one of the most popular perks of AmEarth.

“Your elected prime minister has accepted the position of world minister of parks and wildlife, with its headquarters in New York, but he will remain here until you elect his successor. You will always have democracy and your elected leaders, as well as the same court system and legislative branch. New Zealand will also have a representative voice in the central government and a legislator of your choice will join the legislative branch of AmEarth in New York.”

He paused for effect, but a heckler’s voice carried loudly through the silence.

“Why did you take over the observatories?”

Peter hesitated, undecided whether to respond or continue with his script. He decided to wing it.

“The gentleman has asked me why AmEarth took over the observatories in New Zealand. It is perfectly logical that if our threat is coming from space, we should control all observation and access points to space. In the past, observatories had no military value and we appreciated them as sources of scientific knowledge and discovery. Today, however, they are our first points of defense against a threat that could decimate our species.”

Clapping ensued, making Peter feel good about his spontaneous oratory skills. He had put the heckler in his place without coming off as arrogant. He continued his speech.

“AmEarth has valued the New Zealand dollar at a rate of 337 to one Orb. All of your currency will be exchanged at this rate in the banking system as of tomorrow, and for the next three months, your paper and coin currency can be redeemed at your nearest bank. Therefore, I urge you all to exchange your notes and coins before they become null and void. If you have family members who do not bank and save in their mattresses, I also encourage them to understand that things are changing. However, make no mistake, there has never been a complaint from people who have joined the Orb monetary system. The Orb has a savings rate of six percent and inflation is pegged at two percent per annum worldwide. Everyone can now save without the fear of inflation or the devaluation of currency. Savings are an integral need for our society, and through them, we can have an appropriate credit system to ensure the funding of projects and businesses. These political and economic advantages should not be taken lightly, as they represent the epitome of human economic achievement.”

A smaller round of clapping ensued, but Peter had expected the financial details to be less exciting.

“From now on, all alien threats are the responsibility of the entire human race and we are finally closing the gaps. Together. This is the necessary union of our species, as we have a common enemy and purpose. Our life as a species will prosper as we join together in common causes. You will all be better off tomorrow than ever before in your past. Not only has the alien threat united us as a species, but it has also made us better and more efficient. We can now unite to protect our precious resources, keeping them viable and renewable so that we can be the best species in the universe.”

Some heckling was audible.

“There are hundreds or thousands if not millions of alien life forms in the universe; this is a statistical and scientific fact. We cannot know their intentions or technologies until contact is made. To date, there has only been contact with Kepler 3763, home to an alien species that for years we believed to be friendly. Now, we know that they are a threat, but there may well be other hostile aliens in the universe with even more advanced technologies. It is not only fear that motivates AmEarth, but also survival and smart thinking. We know the types of weapons they have deployed and the recent success of the WPP. Now, it is a race to close all gaps in the honeycomb to prevent the worst-case scenario from occurring. We need to lead the universe, so if we don’t move forward, we will regret it.”

“We must also remember that our unified human race has managed to reverse the trends of global warming and overpopulation. Diseases and epidemics have been eradicated through central planning. New trends point to humans living longer and better throughout their lives, which is good for all mankind.”

Another round of applause interrupted his speech.

“Medicine has improved for all, not just for a few, and humanity has recognized the importance of every single human life in both legal and social terms. Humans are no longer discriminated against, and there are no more boundaries separating countries to create unfair differences between us. The rule of a single law in the world is proving to be the most effective tool that mankind has to ensure our well-being and happiness. As we speak, new directives are being written and vetted by ministers from all over the world, like the reproductive responsibility directive I recently announced, which legislates the duties of reproduction as a subject of great importance. We are in a long-term trend for the better.”

Clapping ensued once again.

“Let’s celebrate the potential of every single human on this planet and give them what they need to live a successful and productive life. Welcome to AmEarth! Now, it is your turn to welcome AmEarth into your life.”

Peter finished to resounding applause and he waved broadly as he exited the stage. That is where he found Sergio on his wafer. He motioned subtly that they should talk. Sergio covered the wafer microphone and whispered to Peter.

“They just called another meeting of the committee. I need to attend to see what Chen is up to.”

“Go ahead.” The pair walked to a waiting limousine, and Peter sat down, keeping quiet while Bulatov joined the meeting.

In New York, ex-president Chen Tyson sat in the Supercomputer Committee room in the AmEarth Tower. General Redford and Director Kanter were there with him, as well as enough other members to constitute a quorum, regardless of whether Sergio participated. In one PiP screen Sergio appeared, looking sleepy and disheveled, although this was hardly noticeable to the attendees, as he always looked slightly unkempt.

“To all those joining us, we are still waiting on the lie-detection score from President Johansen’s speech, which just ended. Please bear with us,” Chen announced to the members.

They waited patiently and quietly for Essie to deliver the results.

“Number of lies: 0” Essie said.

“I can’t believe it!” General Redford sputtered.

“That’s impossible!” Director Kanter said.

“Either he is the best liar on Earth or he’s not human. His performance was flawless,” Chen said softly, almost to himself.

“I’m going to verify this,” General Redford said as he grabbed his wafer to call someone.

“Yes, this is Redford. Let me speak to her. Mary, did you hear the speech? And…Really? That’s what we’re seeing here as well. Okay. Thanks.” Redford hung up.

“Well?” Chen said.

“Same result. Zero lies.”

“But that’s impossible.” Chen said and turned Essie off.

“We know that he’s lying. He even asked the computer about the temperature on Kepler 3763. We all saw it. This is some kind of trick,” Chen muttered angrily.

“The software would not fail completely. If there is a trick, it’s not from the computers; it’s from him. Only a deep emotional disconnect can fool the computers, and even then, there would be some false positives. I have never seen a zero score. It is statistically impossible,” Director Kanter insisted.

“He is a liar of psychopathic proportions! I called this meeting to discuss the succession, as I expected Peter to fail miserably. Sssie was expected to weact negatively toter after wits speech as t this…I never imagined.” Ex-p was practically speechless.

“It might be good,” Redford suggested.

“How? He knows,” Chen snapped.

“So did you, and you became ineffective. Computers could read you like a book. Now we have a president who can be effective. Who cares if he knows? The computers apparently think that he doesn’t, and as long as that’s the case, I can live with that,” Redford stated.

“He is right, you know. This is a particularly sweet solution, because we don’t have to put on an act in front of him the whole time,” Director Kanter added.

“But my resolution would inform Essie of what the situation really is,” Chen ventured.

“You also wanted to strip him of all his dignity. Your resolution is like an impeachment, as if Peter was a traitor whom you then pardon. It would turn him into nothing,” Redford argued.

“He is nothing. I made him,” Chen shot back.

“You are wrong in voicing these opinions. Peter has been loyal and efficient. Look at how well he handled the crowd in New Zealand. If anything, he’s exceptional. You haven’t been able to deliver a speech like that in years.” Director Kanter said.

“What are you trying to say? That I’m just jealous? You insult me, Larry!” Chen’s face was crimson.

“Please, gentlemen,” Redford said loudly. ”Control your emotions. Peter is effective, so I do not see a need to inform Essie. We have a president whom the people like and trust. He is also an excellent liar, so let’s celebrate, rather than shoot AmEarth in the foot unnecessarily. We need a good communicator for the sake of AmEarth!”expr

“All those in favor of keeping Peter in his position, say aye,” Chen declared suddenly, feeling that he had lost this battle, but perhaps not the war.

“Aye!” Every member present, whether virtual or in person, consented. This included Sergio from the other side of the planet.

“So your resolution is off the table, Chen,” Redford announced.

“I understand. It is withdraw.” Chen said, defeated.

Neil Chen was furious that this young nobody had somehow figured out a way to fool the computer. phen had been removed from his cherished position by the very sSpercomputer that he had helped to create years ago. Neil Chen’s reign could have been the start of a dynasty but instead it was now in the hands of a completely ordinary man. He disliked his shift tut of the limelight and into the secrecy of the Supercomputer Committee. He itched to find out how Peter had done it, if only to satisfy his own curiosity.

Sergio looked up at Peter as he turned off his wafer and smiled, smiling widelhad become the world’s most powerful man thanks to Ramirez-Bulatov’s special effects handiwork in crafting him the perfect set of contact lenses. He owed more to New Zealand than he imagined, as it had been at Weta Studios that Sergio had learned his craft.

“The contacts worked,” Sergio announced happily. “Essie scored you a zero for lies and Chen withdrew his resolution to remove you. You have the support of the Supercomputer Committee!”

“This calls for a celebration!” Peter said.

“I don’t know if Chen will stop. He sounded furious!” Sergio cautioned.

“Let’s worry about him later. I want to take out the lenses and go for a drink!”

What Peter hadn’t considered was that this computerized lie analysis did not occur solely at the high level of AmEarth, but also in many communities around the world. Different organizations had the software to detect lies; some were journalistic, some legal, and some were certain wealthy individuals and corporations. Across the globe, the zero score for lying shocked experts. Among the holders of this software were rebel forces that also looked for clues in speeches from the government. In fact, there was one particular rebel group only an island-hop away from New Zealand, near Mount John University Observatory.

Deep in a remote ravine at the end of a narrow country road, this rebel group had camped out at an old farm belonging to the well-known astrophysicist, Oliver Cook. At that location, wafer communications were impossible because the nearest transmission towers were miles away. The only communication was through a satellite dish that gave them access to the Internet. They knew that former President Chen had constantly been lying, especially when talking about aliens or their technology.

Oliver Cook, who had been released by AmEarth after the take-over of the observatory as they had no evidence to hold him, now sat in his country home with Pat Jackson. They speechlessly watched as their computer flashed a zero score over Peter’s frozen image. The speech had played on a large monitor in the Arts-and-Crafts-style living room of the ranch house. Pat played and rewound the highlights regarding the aliens and was baffled once again by the computer’s response. To the side of the TV, on a bookcase, were pictures of various people, among them Robbie and Marianne.