Best Intentions

It didn’t take long before the Secretary-General of the United Nations called on Mark, inviting him to address a full session of the General Assembly three days hence.

“This is great, CJ. With the material you have prepared I should be able to give a good presentation. I just hope they will agree with what I feel needs to be done.”

“Records indicate that historically the United Nations has attempted much, but accomplished little. Do you believe that your aid will help them to be more effective?”

“I’m sure it will CJ. All I can do now is try to get them to listen and understand our message.”

When he was ready to leave, Mark asked CJ if everything was prepared aboard the ship.

“Affirmative, Mark. Everything is as you instructed. The vessel is now above the New York metropolitan area and I will hold position here while you are at the United Nations. The transport is ready for departure at any time.”

“Thanks, CJ. When my ship arrives at UN headquarters please bring it down in the plaza. I don’t want it to land though. Can you keep it hovering, just off the ground even with what is aboard? I want all the theatrical value we can get out of this. I’m going to be asking for a lot from them and I want them to see another of your capabilities.”

“Affirmative, Mark,” CJ replied as Mark boarded the small craft. “Coordinates are locked in on United Nations headquarters.”

CJ’s transport craft dropped out of the clear blue sky above Dag Hammarskjöld plaza as camera’s followed its silent approach. Mark made sure that CJ kept the ship visible during the descent.

The viewscreen in the front of the ship showed the huge crowd that had formed to see his arrival. Mark murmured to himself, “I guess we’ll see.”

Dropping down to within half a meter of the ground, the ship came to a halt. The ramp dropped down and Mark debarked, stopping to wave at the crowd. He shook hands with Bhan Jae-Sun, the current Secretary-General who had come outside to greet him personally.

Photographers snapped picture after picture of this historic meeting and the news crews’ video cameras took in every detail.

While shaking his hand, Bhan Jae-Sun said, “Welcome to the United Nations, Mr. Richards. It is a pleasure to have you here to speak with us.”

“Thank you for making the time to let me address the assembly, Mr. Secretary-General,” Mark replied as he looked out over the crowd.

The Secretary-General led him inside the main assembly hall and up to the central podium in front of the 192 member nations.

“I’d like to introduce Mark Richards. I’m sure that you have all heard of him by now. He has requested to speak with us today.”

There was a round of applause from the delegates.

Mark was nervous as he stepped up to the podium. “Thank you Mr. Secretary-General, Delegates. I’m glad to see that everyone could make it here today.”

There was some polite laughter from the floor and he thought, “as if anyone would just decide this wasn’t worth his or her time to attend.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, I’ve come here today to speak with you about our world, the problems we all face and what needs to be done to at least begin the process of solving most, if not all of them. As you know, an alien starship has come to our solar system from thousands of light years away. The sentient computer controlling the ship, my friend CJ, wants to help us with the issues we face.”

A person spoke up who turned out to be the representative from the United Kingdom. “Mr. Richards, what do you mean by ‘help us’, if I may ask?”

“Certainly, Mr. Ambassador. CJ’s ship sitting up there in orbit contains all the machinery necessary for planetary engineering. That is, altering the biosphere of an entire world. The Se’Tharian people who built the ship are very advanced in the fields of computers, medicine, power generation, environmental management, and of course space exploration.”

“Excuse me, Mr. Richards,” said the Secretary-General. “You say that it is an intelligent computer that controls the ship, no aliens are onboard?”

“I guess they don’t watch much TV around here,” Mark thought.

“That’s correct, Mr. Secretary-General. There are no aliens. CJ is the name I have given to the artificial intelligence that controls the ship. He possesses much of the Se’Tharian knowledge and advanced technology and is willing to use it on our behalf. The process of cleaning up some of the worst polluted areas on Earth has already begun, and technology has been deployed which will stop many of the effects of global warming.”

“Those are monumental tasks, Mr. Richards. How has all this been accomplished in so short a time?”

“A giant solar power array has been constructed in space between the Earth and the Sun. In addition to being capable of providing more than enough electrical energy for the entire world, it blocks a small fraction of the sunlight reaching the Earth, which will help moderate global temperatures. This will temporarily mitigate the effects of global warming until repairs to our environment have been made. The help that CJ can provide means that we can have a world free from the pollution caused by burning fossil fuels. Think about how much healthier and happier people would be with clean water and air.”

“Mr. Richards, you mentioned advanced medical technology. What kind of technology?”

“Well, Mr. Ambassador. Se’Tharian medical science uses miniature medical robots to effect repairs on a cellular level. It is completely adaptable to our human physiology, as I know from first-hand experience. You see, CJ used this technology to save my life after I nearly died in an accident. I was later able to utilize it to help some children right here in New York. I think those examples show the effectiveness of the technology, don’t you Mr. Ambassador?”

“Since this ship was built by an alien race,” the Secretary-General asked, “what happens when its creators come looking for it?”

“Well, as I said on the Everyday Show, CJ ended up here due to an accident. The propulsion system that brought him here from so far away was an experimental model and the scientists who developed it were killed when the accident occurred. Without that propulsion system, CJ has no way to return to his people or even contact them. There is just no way they could track the ship over the thousands of light years that it crossed to get here. Most likely they believe that the ship was destroyed when they lost contact.”

“How do you know, Mr. Richards that you have been told the truth?”

Mark sighed, knowing that it would come to this question eventually. “Well,” he thought, “better to get it over with sooner rather than later.”

“Our attitudes towards a first contact situation have been colored by our culture. The movies depicting aliens as either cute and cuddly, or as monsters say more about humanity than any aliens we could ever meet. The reality as I see it is that an advanced civilization needs to be able to cooperate in order to reach the level of technology that the Se’Tharians have, without killing themselves I mean.”

“But what if you are wrong?”

“Mr. Ambassador, I can’t imagine anyone sending starships hundreds or thousands of light years for destructive purposes or to steal another world’s resources. Any star system with more than a few planets contains enough natural resources for a civilization once they have the ability to tap them. Ask any scientist and they will tell you that our own solar system has enough material for tens of millions of years; even at the speed we waste them. The bottom line is, CJ does not want or need anything from us. What he would like is to return to his people, but he has determined that it’s impossible. Without the help he can provide, this planet is in serious trouble. We’ve been polluting our water and air and fighting wars over nothing. Our species won’t survive much longer if we keep going the way we have been.”

The representative from Germany spoke up. “What is the cost of this proposed help, Mr. Richards?”

“I will get to that, Mr. Koler, but first there is another matter that requires our immediate attention.”

“What is that, Mr. Richards?” asked the Secretary-General.

“I have a more tangible way to demonstrate just what CJ’s technology can do for us. One of his functions is to monitor the solar system for threats and his sensors have detected a big one. There is a near-Earth asteroid named 99942 Apophis. It was in the papers fairly recently as passing very close to Earth. There was previously almost no chance that it could hit Earth. CJ’s latest calculations indicate that something has altered its orbit and that it will hit the Earth in less then two years. That impact will occur in central Asia. The asteroid has a mass of three hundred million metric tons and it is traveling at forty kilometers per second. It would strike the Earth with the equivalent energy release of over seven hundred and fifty megatons.”

There was a collective gasp from the assembly and every member of the Chinese delegation jumped to their feet.

“Mr. Richards, you say this asteroid will strike my country? Are you sure of your facts? This would be a calamity of unparalleled proportions! What can be done about this?” The head of the Chinese delegation rambled off his quick questions.

“Relax, please, Mr. Quang, I have no intention of allowing the asteroid to strike the Earth. The point I was trying to make is that without CJ’s assistance, the chances of preventing this type of catastrophe using human technology without many years advanced warning is effectively zero.”

“The alien ship has the capability to prevent this tragedy, Mr. Richards?”

“Mr. Ambassador, I wouldn’t have brought it up if CJ couldn’t prevent it. I’ve been in contact with Dr. Enzo Fatelli of the Spaceguard Foundation and asked him to confirm CJ’s findings. He should be calling us here, soon.”

“Mr. Richards, a video call from Dr. Fatelli of Italy has come in,” said the Secretary-General. “We are having it transferred to the screens. Go ahead, Dr. Fatelli.”

“Hello, Dr. Fatelli, your timing couldn’t be better,” Mark stated.

“Bon Giorno Mr. Secretary-General, Mr. Richards. We have spent the last twelve hours tracking the Apophis asteroid and its orbital trajectory has most definitely changed. Previously the chance that it could impact Earth within the next one hundred years was zero. Our computers cannot predict it with perfect accuracy, but indications are that its new orbit will intersect with Earth’s in approximately six hundred days. There is no way that we can know where it will impact, but wherever it hits, it will cause complete devastation to hundreds of square kilometers, and severe damage for thousands of kilometers further. If it should impact near geologically active areas such as volcanoes or earthquake fault lines, the damage could be magnified many times.”

“Dr. Fatelli, thank you for your help. If you could continue to monitor Apophis, you will see a change in the situation soon.”

“Si, Mr. Richards, we will keep watch. Ciao, Mr. Secretary-General.” With that he signed off.

“So, Mr. Richards, what is it that you can do about this threat?” asked the Secretary-General.

“Mr. Secretary-General, Ladies and Gentlemen, CJ has dispatched one of his modules to rendezvous with Apophis.” Reaching into his pocket Mark removed a small device that he placed on top of the podium. “Let’s have a look shall we? Could we please bring down the lights in the room?”

The room’s lighting dimmed as the tiny hologram projector illuminated the area over everyone’s heads.

“What exactly are we seeing here, Mr. Richards?” asked the Secretary-General.

“Mr. Secretary-General, ladies and gentlemen, what we are watching is an image of the Apophis asteroid. The more regular object to the side is one of the modules that make up CJ’s ship. This transmission is live and from a small craft similar to the one I arrived here in. CJ has enhanced the image for better visibility.”

The huge asteroid, a solid mass of rock and metal, was far more massive though similar in size to the module. The irregular shaped mass rotated as it moved along its orbit.

Mark spoke into the air. “Ok, CJ, are you ready? Everyone’s watching so make it good!”

“Affirmative, Mark. The demolition charges have been positioned. They are prepared for activation on your command.”

“Ok, CJ. Please proceed.”

Everyone stared up at the realistic hologram that floated overhead when a brilliant flash engulfed the asteroid. When it had faded away and everyone could see clearly again only the module remained. Of the asteroid, nothing remained except for a thin expanding cloud of glowing dust that rapidly faded to invisibility. The projection shut off and Mark picked it up and slipped it back into his pocket.

“Well, so much for Apophis! Great job, CJ, and thank you for transmitting such a clear image for everyone here to see. I apologize for the blinding light though,” Mark said to his audience. “I didn’t realize it would be that bright. Could we have the lights back up please?”

The murmuring of multiple conversations faded as the chamber lighting increased.

“Please let me introduce you to my friend, the being responsible for destroying that asteroid. Better yet, why don’t you introduce yourself to these people, CJ?”

“Hello Mr. Secretary-General and ambassadors, my name is CJ. I am a seventh generation artificial intelligence. My functions include maintaining the Se’Tharian explorer class vessel now orbiting your planet. It is my pleasure to speak with you and to be able to render assistance to your world.”

The entire Chinese delegation rose and bowed in the direction of the podium. “Thank you Mr. Richards and CJ. Your action today will not be forgotten by the Chinese people.”

“Yes, Mr. Richards, that was a most impressive display. Could you tell us how it was accomplished?” asked the Secretary-General.

“CJ can do that better than I can so I’ll just let him handle that. CJ, would you please explain to everyone here what they just witnessed.”

“Six demolition charges were placed on the surface of the Apophis asteroid in calculated positions. When detonated, the directed energy was channeled downward into the asteroid body reducing it to particles which will burn up upon contact with the atmosphere.”

“Only six charges were used,” said the Russian ambassador. “What kinds of explosives are powerful enough to destroy an entire asteroid with only six charges, nuclear?”

“Negative, Mr. Ambassador. My standard demolition charges are generators which produce small quantities of antiproton plasma, in this case, point four seven kilograms. When combined with an equal quantity of matter they each produce approximately twenty megatons of explosive force. As they are directed charges, the entirety of the explosive force is into the material to be demolished.”

“You carry antimatter bombs, those are weapons! Why do you carry weapons such as those?”

“Negative, Mr. Ambassador. That assessment is incorrect. No weapons are present on board this vessel. The antimatter generators are tools with many uses. Demolition projects often require high yield explosions in areas where secondary ionizing radiation effects are not desirable.”

Mark spoke up. “I’m not surprised to hear that you think of these devices as weapons. That’s the mindset most humans have. How much of our own technological advancement has come during wars? Nuclear weapons and power, medical advances, and even the beginnings of space exploration have their roots in war. CJ was built by a peaceful culture. Their technological achievements are so far beyond ours that had they the same warlike inclinations we do, their world, Tharia would be a burned out cinder and the Se’Tharians would now be an extinct species. They have learned to cooperate with each other. Don’t you people understand? There is so much CJ can do for us as you have just seen, but there will be a price for what he can provide.”

“Yes, Mr. Richards, you have said that,” said the Secretary-General. “But what exactly is that price?”

“That’s simple. All you members of the United Nations talk a lot. You talk about ending war and worldwide hunger. You talk about the injustice in many countries around the world. Maybe it’s time to stop talking and do something. You need to lead the world into the twenty-first century.”

“Just what do you mean by that? We do what we can but there is only so much of which we are capable, Mr. Richards.”

“I don’t think you try hard enough,” Mark replied. “Don’t you all get sick of watching the strong brutalize the weak? There are countries that torture and kill their own citizens just to maintain either a bad regime or a flat out dictatorship. There are countries where warlords rule by brutality, or have no functioning government at all. War and destruction still exist everywhere you look, it never stops.”

“So you want us to bring down all the world’s dictators,” said the United States representative in a sarcastic tone, “is that all?”

“No, it’s not,” Mark replied, ignoring the baiting. “There are member nations right here sitting among you that use ancient traditions to imprison or even kill their own citizens to keep them in line. I would love for the world to come together, but would settle for a world where people are free to live their lives in peace without the fear of being persecuted for it. It is the twenty-first century, not the twelfth. It’s time for us to grow up and fulfill our destiny.”

Not surprisingly there were outraged yells from most of the delegates from the Middle East.

Mark just stood there until they sat down. “I don’t like bullies, never have and never will. You can’t bully me though so save your breath. America’s founding fathers had it right when they declared a separation of church and state. Religious leaders make poor statesman and you guys make my point for me.”

“You cannot dictate to a sovereign country how to govern its people! Do you intend to use force?”

“Don’t worry. I’m not planning anything like that.”

“Yet,” he thought.

“I’d prefer that everyone agree to the changes this world needs, but it isn’t necessary. What I want is for people to stand up and demand change. But if that isn’t enough, when solar generated electricity is almost free all over the world, the disproportionate influence you have due to your reserves of oil will vanish faster than a dried up well. You can either decide to move into the future with the rest of the world, or be left behind and isolated. It would be in your best interest to give serious thought to what I am saying.”

“You seem to be focusing on religion, Mr. Richards. Could you tell us why?”

“I didn’t intend to make this a speech against religion itself, it’s just the fact that it has been used to justify violence throughout man’s history. The point I’m making is; I don’t care what anyone believes in as long as it doesn’t result in the persecution of anyone else. You may have guessed that I am not a religious man, but what I do believe in is: ‘Do unto others as you would have done unto you’ and ‘Live and let live’, how about ‘Can’t we all just get along?’ Those all sound like good common sense advice to me and not religious dogma.”

“Do you know what the Se’Tharian people, beings that are capable of building such fantastic devices like the computer CJ and that spaceship, believe in?” the Secretary-General asked.

“From discussions with CJ, I gather that they once believed in some form of deity. But as they became more sophisticated most of their ancient superstitions fell away. Not to say that they don’t believe in anything anymore, but I think they are now more generally spiritual. The key factor I have learned about them is that they are peaceful, which seems to negate the need for any form of hardcore religion. Think about it, religion tells us to behave or else. Well, what if people behaved naturally? What need would there be for religion in that instance?”

Mark lifted the case he had brought with him and laid it on top of the podium.

“Mr. Secretary-General, I’ve told you what I want, and showed you what CJ can do for the world. There is some material I want to leave behind for the Security Council to review as soon as possible. I think it’s time the UN took a greater role in bringing peace to the world and CJ and I have developed some equipment that will help.”

He handed the case to the Secretary-General. “This case also has a built in communications device. It will make it easier to contact me.”

“Certainly, Mr. Richards. The Security Council will be meeting this afternoon and anything you leave with me will be presented. You’ve given us quite a lot to think about and discuss here today.”

“Yes, well, I’m sorry if I offended anyone here but this is a serious matter to me. I’m glad to have spoken with you all. Oh, by the way I brought a gift for the UN. It’s in my ship if you have a moment to come outside Mr. Secretary-General.”

Mark and Bhan Jae-Sun walked outside with many others following them into the plaza in front of the building.

“Ok, CJ,” Mark spoke toward the ship. “Send it on out.”

The ramp that had closed after Mark stepped out opened once again. A thin 3-meter square black palate floated out and was deposited on the ground in the plaza. There was a one-meter cube of silvery-white metal sitting on it.

“Well, there it is, Mr. Secretary-General.” Mark gestured at the gift.

“What is that, Mr. Richards? It looks like silver?”

Chuckling Mark said, “Not exactly Mr. Secretary-General that is Platinum. It’s around twenty-one metric tons of Platinum to be precise, worth something like $1.25 billion at recent market pricing. I thought maybe you could use it for humanitarian causes. You may need some help moving it though.”

Bhan Jae-Sun seemed quite flustered by the gift.

“I, I’m sure we can work something out, Mr. Richards. We can leave it right here for now as I don’t believe that anyone will be walking off with it. Thank you, this is a generous gesture. We will certainly put it to good use.”

Shaking his hand, Mark walked up the ramp of his ship, stopped and turned around in the hatchway. “CJ, give me some amplification please.”

“I have one more thing for you all to think about before I go,” Mark’s voice projected over the plaza. “I’m sure you think, as I did, that the Se’Tharian race that created CJ and his starship is thousands of years older than ours. Seeing what they have accomplished it’s an obvious assumption; but it is wrong.” Mark waited a moment to let that sink in. “CJ has done a timeline comparison of both civilizations and the Se’Tharian race is no older than ours. They just haven’t been killing each other off for most of their recorded history. They cooperate and live together without violence and war. Do you understand the implications of that? The human race could be just as advanced technologically as the Se’Tharians right now. That is, if we didn’t keep up the constant fighting among ourselves. We could be living on other planets and exploring the galaxy just as they do. Please think about that. I’ll be waiting to hear from you.”

With that Mark stepped inside the ship and the hatch closed, satisfied that he waited to mention the timeline comparison until he was outside so the news services present would pick it up.

“That should provoke some interesting debates,” he thought as the ship lifted into the sky and headed back to his home aboard CJ’s starship.