by Danny Dunn
The rebel commander yells out that it is an ambush and to return fire. Every truck throws the tarp off the truck, and there are 2 machine guns in the back of every truck, and they have RPGs. Before they can launch a single RPG, the drones dart them, and the Generals men kill the vast majority of the rebels. In just a few minutes, the rebels are surrendering, but the general wants no part of it and has them gunned down.
The situation is under control, David has several bots look for fakers and crawlers, and then they leave too once the general has the situation fully under control. David reports to the General and tells him that as far as he is concerned, this was the General's idea and his victory. The General thanks him and tells David how much he appreciates their help. David says that it was in the name of Peace and Equality for All and appreciates his help as well.
Pong is seeing and hearing everything and tells everyone how nice it is to have them all.
That is the last they see of the rebels, and Zaria 3 finishes up the wells over the next 3 weeks. The wells will serve water to over 5,000 farms and grow enough food to feed over 1,000,000 starving villagers.
When they leave, pong leaves 2,000 drones for reconnaissance and protection. Any time they see suspicious activity, they contact the Pongettes, and the Pongettes help them when necessary in battling the trouble. Pong leaves enough resources for each of the 250 well sites to recon their areas and to defend themselves using drones and the weapons they confiscated from the rebels. The word gets out that the farmers are not easy targets and are left alone for now. David has them fully trained on the weapons before leaving and teaches them some basic tactics for dealing with intruders. Pong replaces all of the tires that were popped by the drones and donates the vehicles to the villagers to use for farming.
Pong leaves a team of 500 bots to help out for a while, and everyone else heads home. Everyone is very excited about their first P&E victory, and the mood is very joyful.
They land on their own new runway, and Pong is feeling very happy with everything. She has her family there. The company is doing great, and she got to spend time with Joe and get to know him better.
Pong talks to Z4 and tells and asks her to let QZ that if there is anything she wants to do in terms of work or making a product to just say the word, and we will fund it.
Pong cuts a deal with Gary. They move the Radio Telescope facility to the ranch at Pong invests another 200 million in new and additional equipment. They are half a mile away, and the Zarias love having them around.
Zaria 1 builds a beautiful lake with trees, small boats for fishing. Zaria suggests they install a hang-gliding facility, a long zip line that ends with you getting dropped into the lake, and building a mall under one of the mountains also serves as a shelter. Pong agrees, and they buy a few digging machines and get it going.
Zaria 3 meets with Queen Zenthra, and Queen Zenthra is so happy. She says that yes, she has an idea for an even faster 3D printer that would actually help the production of the bots and a couple of planet-friendly energy products she wants to market and says that she appreciates it. Pong sets up an office for her on the property and gives the queen full access to the R&D facility.
Pong has new bodies for her family, and they are all amazed. This is their first 1-piece body and features hundreds of very significant improvements. Zaria pretends to cry and says, “she is so my favorite.” The others laugh and say, yeah.” The Zen master says we will see. Charlie Wilson’s War. Excellent movie, by the way.
End Chapter 39
Chapter 40 – You Would Be So Much Better Off Just Calling Their Mothers Whores.
The CEOs from the big five AI companies unite and meet with Pong, Tom, and Steve. The big five have decided that Pong is monopolizing their industry, and unless she gives them her code, they will file a suit to drag them through the mud.
Tom tells them they have no grounds. Monopolizing isn’t illegal. Unfair practices, once you become a monopoly, is what is illegal. We have been nothing but extremely fair in that sense. The big five tell Tom that he is naïve. All we have to do is file the suit, and your life will be hell. Pong stands up for Tom. Tom isn't naïve. He is thoughtful, kind, and generous, and you mistakenly see that as a weakness.
Pong adds, “Clearly this is a shakedown since your only claim so far is that you will file a suit and our life will be hell. Tell us one thing we have done that is actionable in terms of breaching FCC antitrust laws.
The leader of the big five replies, “We both know that isn’t the point. What we say doesn’t have to have merit in court. It only has to imply you might be doing something wrong, and then you will be buried with bad press, court hearings, and who knows, maybe you end up having to pay us some of those billions you are raking in. Plus, the fact that while the president might have deemed you a sentient being and might have made you a citizen, the fact that you are an alien dominating our planet with future technologies may not sit well with a lot of people hearing how mean and nasty you are to us, everyday folks.
Well, it looks like you hold all the cards gentleman and what is your price today for us doing nothing but helping you to develop your products so far.
#1 says, “We want a billion each to develop our own products.
Pong smiles, “What state are you from.
#1 replies they are all from California. Pong smiles. Sometimes it is best to be silent and thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.
1, Here is a list of 9 companies that have near-monopolies. Going against us is going against them, and I don’t think those companies and their elected officials are going to like what you are saying about their biggest campaign contributors. Being a monopoly isn’t illegal. Acting like a bully once you have achieved a monopoly status is what is actionable.
Pong adds, “2, Tom, what does our dealer contract have to say about conduct as it pertains to collusion and blackmail. Tom replies, “It doesn’t like either of those Pong, and it says we have the right to terminate the contract of any of our partners should they participate in either one of those illegal activities.
Pong says, “All those that feel these gentlemen have broken one or both of said clauses of our contract raise their hands. Pong, Tom, and Steve raise their hands. Gentleman, your letter of termination will be on your desks when you arrive home.
3, You are in the great state of New Mexico, where it is legal to record face to face conversations without prior notification. We have recorded this meeting, and quite frankly, I am positive what we have heard, and recorded constitutes blackmail and collusion since there are five of you blackmailing us. I am also sure that since the amount you have demanded a total of $5 Billion, the charges will be for the maximum level of said crimes. If we hear one word from any of you or your companies, or agents of your companies that is inaccurate, we will file lawsuits against you, and the release of the tape of this conversation will be part of our evidence.
4, The statute of limitations for blackmail in New Mexico is 3 years. I am positive that our local criminal professionals who love, love, love us being here, will agree that what has happened here today constitutes blackmail and collusion. Any further activities on your part and we will pursue filing charges for blackmail against all 5 of you.
As Chairman of the board, I am requesting the Tom and Steve cancel any orders you have in the house and to refuse all future orders from your companies.
We are done here, gentleman. Tom calls security and has them escorted off the property.
Steve says, “I think our first meeting in our new facility went well. Wow, you two are fierce. That was fun to watch. I like the name Pong, but I think Perry would be a great choice of names for you as well.”
Pong says, “Ok, what is next. We might as well get all the negative stuff out of the way.”
Tom and Steve look at each other. Tom looks at Steve and says he wants him to tell Pong.
Pong turns and stares at Steve. Steve tells Pong that they just got in an order from the US government for
250 thousand bots, 1,000,000 software packages, and 2 million computers. The total order is $118 billion. The annual licensing fees are $11.8 billion per year. Pong asks who was working the account? Steve tells her it was Tim all the way and that he cold-called it. And that is just the department of transportation. He says there are more to follow.
Tom looks at Steve. Steve smiles and tells pong this will pretty much guaranty us to hit $200 billion in orders received this year. Wow, pong says, how absolutely fantastic.
Pong brings in David, Joe, and Michael.
They all sit down. Gentleman, I had no idea we were headed into that mess. I am really sorry, and I promise that it won’t happen again. David, given the line of work my sister is taking up. They are going to see a lot more of that throughout the world. I want you to put together whatever you need for a group of bots to handle every boots-one-the-ground activity for operations like that starting right now. Had we lost Michael or Joe or any of the other team members, I don’t know what any of us and especially your families would have done without you. Thank you for doing it and not complaining, but, well, it is not what you are here for and not what you will be asked to do in the future.
They smile, thank you, Pong.
Pong asks Tom if he has ever considered running for President. Tom smiles and tells Pong that being the President of the United States has been a lifelong dream of his.
Pong has a long conversation with Tom and tells him how his mother and Zaria tried for ten years to move the gage for 10 years and never got the arm to even wiggle a little. Pong tells him that she wants to make meaningful change and to push Qari’s model. I want to start the conversation with you, Tom, about getting the voters to start to see there is another way to live. Pong tells Tom that it is way more important to her than winning the first time around. We would be out to win Tom, but the message is important too. She hands Tom what she calls a get in the door list and tells him if we were just to accomplish these things that there would at least be a chance of change.
Tom, like I said, we might not win, but the people will hear our message.
Pongs list
Starters list
Increase Senator and Congress salary from $174,000, per year to $2,000,000 per year who agree to the following;
No insider trading
No family and friends profiting from insider information
No contribution of over $100
No CPACs for 10 years
No politician can vote on a bill if the bill where there is a conflict of interest.
No lobbyists for 10 years
Election changes
Easy voting law – voters show driver’s license and do an eye scan and thumbprint and vote. The voter's ID or Driver's license is immediately registered, and that person is checked off. Period.
Home voting is allowed. All schools provide voting stations
All malls provide voting stations
No more districts on national elections. Except for local representation elections and local propositions
51% of the popular vote wins period for 10 years
Voter fraud is punishable by a minimum of 5 years in prison and a fine of $1million per vote
Bill voting changes
One bill – one issue, no hiding pet projects inside other bills.
No bill is to be over 20 pages long
Every representative vote on every bill unless they are recused by a committee.
Every vote by every elected official is published daily
No one is exempt from war - if there is a war and your kid is of age and is physically able, they are going
Student loans are at prime plus 2%
If there is a government stoppage congressman, senators, and up don’t get paid for the duration of the stoppage, not then and not later.
All government is to be cut by 10% in the first 4 years – no exceptions.
Tom, this may or may not be what you want, if this is not what you would feel having as a platform, telling me so is fine. Pushing this is a tough sell, and you would experience a great deal of grief, but these are the things that would be the first steps toward giving the citizens a shot at tipping the scales and taking back control of their country.
It is Sunday, and the offices are empty. Zaria 1 gathers 6 of the new single-piece bodies and calls all the Zs in for a new body. They each do their backups and hook up to receive their new bodies, including Zaria 1.
They are ecstatic and are running around dancing and testing out their new limits.
Zaria tells Zaria 1 that Zari would be so happy to see us all here trying out new bodies. That was a ritual of ours. He would sit and tell me to show him what I can do. I would do flips, make amazing ballet moves, and after I did everything, he would tell me he wanted flying. “Where is the flying, he would say, and we would both laugh and have such fun. This is such a move forward; it is hard to even describe how much advancement is built into this. The others chime in and are so impressed. QZ asks if she can bring one home, they all laugh. But you can bring the design home. Queen Zenthra asks if she is sure. Zaria 1 says, of course, are you kidding. No problem.
Another year passes, Zaria 1s company is going to hit 2 trillion in sales, making it the largest and most profitable company on the planet with profits of over $1.5 trillion. The RT is up and running on the ranch. Zaria 3 cuts a deal in the Philippines. She buys a rebel infested southern island, for cash and her time as a consultant to fix their transportation woes. She spends much of her time building the island, which the family helps out with. Her mother goes their often to make suggestions.
Zaria 2 is drilling wells around the world with her team security team of 1,000 bots, five each C4 cargo transport jets, plus the help of the group back on the Pong-pound. Zaria 3 has drilled over 5,000 wells in a single year and has provided water and food for over 3 million people. Time Magazine makes Zaria 3 their “person of the year.”
Queen Zenthra introduces planet-friendly products and is having a great time competing for business. Several of the products are wave-based, and Zaria 3 places a large order for her island.
Pong patents her material mixing concept and absolutely dominates in the 3D printing world for the more complex product manufacturing. Nothing even comes close in the robot arena, and thanks to their software security measures, that won’t change for another hundred years.
Tom agrees to run on Zaria 1’s platform with the understanding he will be his own man when it comes to how to get it done. Zaria 1 is excited and agrees. Z1 is like a little kid, and she is so happy.
Zaria is happy as well and wants to help in any way she can.
Zaria doesn’t have her own project and is happy to be a part of this one. Facing the senate with Zari seems like yesterday, and she gets to give Qari’s plan another shot.
Zaria and Zaria 1 discuss running for president with Tom. They make sure he understands he is picking a fight with every politician, lobbyist, special interest group, and most of the millionaires and billionaires in the country. Calling their mothers whores would get them far less riled up that announcing this platform. Tom says he knows and tells them not to worry.
Zaria tells him, ok, let the games begin. And they all do a high five. Only the Zarias know about this, so it is going to come as quite a surprise to everyone else.
Tom suggests. Zaria, how close is your movie to being released.
Zaria “OMG why didn’t Zaria 1 and I see that? It is perfect, perfect, and perfect.
Zaria gathers a team of 100 bots, and together they launch their movie in theatres, on Netflix, Amazon, Apple, and directly on-line. It is the most downloaded movie of all time. It is the number one movie for 2 straight months. The move grosses over $2.8 billion in 3 months. After they complete their commitments to the distributors, Zaria contributes $500 million to Zaria 3s foundation and releases her movie free to the world.
Two years before the next presidential elections, Tom announces he is running for the office of the President o
f the United States.
Standing beside, Tom is his friends, family, and Zaria. Tom puts his platform up on the wall. This is my platform, he says. I will win or lose based on this platform. If you want business-as-usual, vote for one of the two usual parties. If you have had enough of their nonsense vote for me. I am running as an independent because I want to make sure I am not in any way considered to be aligned with either of their parties. If you vote me into the office, you are voting on this platform. I understand I am making a lot of congressmen, senators, special interest groups, lobbyists, and most of the top 2% livid by rocking their boat, but who I will not make mad or disappointed are the citizens of our great country who are working their butts off every day trying to care for and raise their families.
As far as I am concerned, this is what it will take just for the citizens of this country to have a chance at taking back the control of our great country. If I were to get this all passed while I am president, then I will die a very happy man. I would love to do more, but I think we need to make sure this gets done before we talk about anything else.
Questions?
Reporter 1 “will you maintain your position as CEO of Pong-Bots?
Tom “As of today, I am taking a leave of absence and will use my own money to run for president. As you will see on my financial statements, I was worth $14 Billion before Pong arrived here on earth and am now worth $45 billion. Win or lose, I will be funding my own campaign and will spend as much of my money as I think is needed to get my platform passed. I will not be taking any donations from anyone and will not be forming any CPACs of any kind. I will put my expenses up on my website as well as the campaign contributions received, which will be Zero.
Reporter 2 “how much influence did the Zaria’s have on your list.”
Tom replies, “Zaria, Zaria 1, and I have been discussing this for a while, and we each came up with pieces of this list. Qari, the mother of Zaria’s creator, was a very famous economist who came up with a modeling software her husband wrote, and it predicts very accurately how various economies develop and where they end up. It was shocking to me and downright scary to see how precise her modeling software tracks with their capitalist economy and with ours. At the end of 300 years, their ½ of 1% owned over 80% of the wealth.
