by R E Kearney
Komfort nods her head in agreement. Ubica just yawns.
Inside SPEA’s capital building of Tarawa, the trio continue to screen Evoil until he is safely inside the magnetic elevator. Above the first floor and sliding sideways on the third, with sighs of relief, the shielding three relax and step away from Evoil.
“I don’t believe that any of this nonsense is necessary,” Evoil loudly complains. “There is no way that I am afraid of any of these weak geeks.”
Ubica steps toward him with a low, guttural growl. He straightens to his full height of six foot six inches and flexes his massive, muscular arms. Evoil quickly looks away from him and starts talking to Robert.
“Why do we have to talk to this lady-leg-licker?” Evoil grins, imagining that he is witty. “We’ve got Komfort. Let’s stop wasting time. Find this Pion person and end this Russian nonsense.”
“Lady-leg-licker! What do you mean by that?” Komfort angrily demands.
“Lady-leg-licker. You know.” Evoil nods accusatorily at Komfort, “Lesbian…She couldn’t be running this place if she isn’t.”
“You ignorant, chauvinistic homophobe! Dame Gutefrau is not only married to a man, but she has two children, as well. How dare you!” Komfort lunges toward Evoil menacingly. Ubica extends his arm blocking her.
Swoosh, the elevator door opens silencing their dispute. Robert immediately escapes the elevator into Gutefrau’s outer office suite. Komfort follows. Evoil suspiciously scans the room before he slowly enters.
“Summon me, if you need me. I’m staying in Abaiang.” Ubica quietly disappears behind the closing elevator door.
Within seconds a Service-bot arrives offering them food and drink. Komfort and Robert happily accept. Evoil grumbles and refuses.
“Well, when do we meet the great Gutefrau?” he snarls impatiently.
“How about now?” the tall, blonde-haired and majestic Dame Gutefrau suggests as she exits her office accompanying two men and a woman.
Gutefrau warmly shakes the trio’s hands. “John, Jennifer, Harlan, when you are ready we will fly you around the islands, so you will better understand the environment. This is a major decision that you are considering. So you need to know everything. The good. The bad. And all of the possibilities.”
Evoil glares angrily at the three departing visitors before sliding in front of them blocking their departure. “Hey! I know you. What are you doing here? Why are you talking to this scheming swindler?”
Startled and surprised by Evoil’s unexpected appearance, for several seconds the trio freezes in shocked silence. Finally, Harlan recovers his voice. “Business. This is business. It doesn’t concern you.”
“Doesn’t concern me? Doesn’t concern me! Leaders from three of my country’s largest companies are here secretly dealing with this…this…this she devil.” Evoil advances toward the trio with a questioning look, “Why? Why now John? When America needs you the most?”
John slowly shakes his head. “It’s simply survival Economics. For our companies to survive, we must leave. We have no choice. Abaddon has America simultaneously at war with itself and at war with the rest of the world. We simply cannot afford any more of your holy wars. Abaddon and his wars have turned the world against us. We’re losing our markets and we’re losing our best workers. America is bankrupt.”
“It’s US against the world!” Evoil irately exclaims. “Don’t you understand? President Abaddon is fighting to preserve our Christian American way of life! How can you abandon him? Especially now, with the Russians…”
Insulted, Harlan interrupts, “We didn’t abandon him. He abandoned us! He’s distorted our democracy into demagoguery. He converted the President’s bully pulpit into a pulpit for bullying. Before Abaddon and his science denying Righteous Rightists’ persecution, the US led the world in inventions, innovations and intellectual property products. Now, the US leads the world in science suppression.”
Seething and sputtering Evoil searches for a response to Harlan’s attack.
“For me, it’s different than Abaddon’s constant wars,” Jennifer unemotionally explains, attempting to cool the situation. “As you know, my company is a corporation based on converging technologies for improving human performance. Well, it’s simple. My corporation cannot continue to operate in a nation governed by individuals who deny science while acclaiming children’s fairytales about Noah and his Ark, and Jonah and his whale as factual truths. Abaddon and his radical fundamentalists are imposing their fables of the past upon the present to deny the future. But, my organization will only flourish by believing in science and the future and ignoring superstition. I simply cannot remain in an America galloping backwards. Do you understand?”
“Oh yes, I understand. I understand that your duplicitous treachery will be reported. I also understand that you three are seditionists under our new Strategic Industries Retention act. But even worse for you, I understand that you will lose everything when your company’s assets are confiscated and you are imprisoned for treason and conspiring with our enemies.”
“Well, then you have made our decision easy for us. Haven’t you?” the woman calmly continues, as she slips past Evoil to activate the elevator. “I look forward to our tour, Dame.”
“Jennifer, I suggest that you and Harlan remember that you both still have families living and working in America,” Evoil loudly threatens, stabbing his finger at them. “We know where they are. So consider well just how difficult you want your families’ futures to be. We will destroy you! Just like we’re going to wipe this den of thieves into the sea.”
John and Harlan stride toward the elevator. Evoil slides into their path again. This time they do not stop. As he passes, Harlan elbows him hard in his ribs. Evoil grunts and flinches, but says nothing. He refuses to look at the three as they disappear into the elevator.
“I must contact Washington immediately,” Evoil announces to Gutefrau when the trio is gone.
“Sorry. All our communications are down at the moment,” She denies him with a disarming smile and an unbelievably calm composure in response to his screamed threats.
Although he has just met her, Robert immediately recognizes that Gutefrau is somebody special. He has heard her dubbed an altrocentric leader who possesses a special emotional intelligence. Some others described her to him as emotionally stable, intellectually open, self-aware, and willing to pause and reflect on matters. But always, everybody completes their description with the same warning - just do not make her angry. She is a calm spring day that can suddenly whip into a deadly tornado, he was told.
Waving her hand, she walks toward her office. “Come on in. We have things to discuss.”
Inside Gutefrau’s suite, a three-dimensional, terrain map of the island nation formerly known as Kiribati, now known as the state of SPEA, stretches across a large table in the room’s center. Miniature artificial island models dot the map.
Robert leans forward examining the terrain. “I recognize the model for Venus and the University Island here on Kiritimati, but what do all of these other artificial island models represent?”
“Our new neighbors, US corporations, can’t seem to escape America fast enough. We are visited daily by different corporations.” She points at Evoil. “I won’t tell you the names of the organizations with him here.”
Evoil snarls and clenches his hammy hands into fists.
“But all of our biggest islands have already been claimed.” Gutefrau identifies one island after another on her terrain map. “Artificial island construction is almost complete on Tabuaeran, Teeraina, Tabiteuea, and Nonouti. But, as you will notice over here, most activity is occurring here on Tarawa, which was Kiribati’s capital before the native’s fled.”
Robert circles the table. “I count twelve artificial islands under construction, not counting the University Island and Venus.”
“So twelve more companies are deserting America during our time of trials?” Evoil growls an
grily.
“Actually, this year there are more than thirty major US corporations joining our sixteen member SPEA family. Several corporations involved in the GNR technologies of genetic engineering, nanotechnology and robotics are seeking technological convergence and cross-boundary partnering by affiliating and sharing one artificial island. They’re pursuing knowledge externalities.”
Evoil sneers, as he waves his hand over the model. “And this shall be known as the kingdom of Gutefrau. All hail Queen Gutefrau!”
Gutefrau chuckles. “Thanks, but no thanks. We’ve agreed to implement a different plan. We’re calling it bounded autonomy. It gives each corporation or each group the freedom to act with as little bureaucracy as necessary. We assume that will create the flexibility that we need to respond to the increasing complexity of our world today and tomorrow. We’re all planning to work together because we know that our corporation will be more productive the higher the average knowledge stock of our neighboring corporations. It’s a mutual aid situation with a philosophy of you help me and I’ll help you.”
Robert studies Evoil’s reaction. The confused grimace on his face indicates he does not comprehend most of what Gutefrau just explained. Gutefrau and Komfort also note his bewilderment.
Patiently, as if instructing a child, she continues, “So, you see, since we live in a results-oriented environment focused on the future, we need to develop an increasingly diverse workforce. We recruit men and women of all ages and from all cultural, ethnic and national backgrounds. We need and want star performers regardless of their sex, religion or national origin. Results matter, not…”
Evoil explodes, “Oh bull! All I hear are your lies and excuses for firing hard working, Christian American men and hiring illegal immigrants and atheists. Blasphemy! Your only goal is to destroy America and our Economy. But, it will not work. We will bury you.”
“You just don’t understand, do you?” Komfort charges back into the fray. “Only as an independent, secular state is SPEA free of feckless fools determined to retard human progress. SPEA is not the first US corporate organization to exit the US, nor will it be the last. SPEA is merely the latest of many techno-optimists following the suggestions of futurist Balaji Srinivasan to build an opt-in society, ultimately outside the US, run by technology. The battle is over. Your old ways lost. This is the digital age. Your time of institutionalizing ignorance and hate as law has passed. No matter how hard you fight it, sectarian corporate states and borderless Cyberstates are the future. You and your type are making the US the nation time passed by.”
Evoil thunders, “I refuse to sit silently as atheists and sectarian humanists threaten the foundation of religious liberty, criminalize Christianity, and demand that Americans abandon Biblical principles.”
Gutefrau dispenses with her tolerant calm. “SPEA. No, not just SPEA. The world cannot survive in the cyber future governed by illogical and irrational old men who rely upon instilling ignorance and superstition to survive and control the foolish and stupid. SPEA and the growing number of corporations joining us here seek to build societies that are diverse and cohesive while promoting an easy and relaxed multiculturalism, whole celebrating a core identity that everyone feels is their own.”
Standing tall and advancing toward Evoil, Gutefrau’s voice stabs deep into him, “SPEA is based upon people capable of unfettered scientific thought and we do not care from where those people come. Because of you and your science denying leaders, we can no longer find the scientists we need in the United States. We cannot prosper, cannot excel, and cannot advance strangled by prohibitive, backward, xenophobic immigration restrictions. For SPEA to survive we must immigrate scientists to conduct cutting edge, envelope-busting scientific research unrestricted by laws written more than two hundred years ago.”
Having finished her scolding, Gutefrau sucks in a long slow breath. She places her hands on her hips, bows her head and exhales. For several seconds, she remains with her head bowed saying nothing.
Straightening, she runs both of her hands backward through her long hair pulling it away from her ears, then she allows it to flutter back. Her square jaw set. She has reclaimed her poise. “Robert and Mugavus, I apologize. I wish you had not witnessed that outburst.”
A mischievous gleam sparkles in Komfort’s eyes. Her lips curl into a mocking sneer. Having witnessed her ability to torture people she does not like with taunts before, Robert anticipates Evoil is about to become the hapless target of her jibes.
“Where are you from?” Komfort innocently inquires, as if attempting to salve Evoil. “I don’t recognize your accent.”
“Arkansas. Piggott Arkansas.”
“Oh, no wonder I don’t recognize your accent. I don’t believe anybody from Arkansas has ever visited SPEA or Venus before. Too backward. Too ignorant. It’s one of the stupid states.” She stabs.
Komfort twists her needle a little more. “Anything ever come out of Arkansas except moonshine and inbred idiots? I understand in Arkansas it’s the kin you like to touch. Which of your cousins is your wife?”
Evoil’s jaw clenches. Red anger floods his face. Robert hears him suck in a deep breath and then quietly count to ten.
“And where are you from?” Evoil snarls through gritted teeth. “I don’t recognize your accent either. Except I can tell you’re not an American.”
“I was born and raised in Estonia. Narva Estonia. Ever hear of it?”
Evoil pounces, “Yeah, I’ve heard of it. You bet I’ve heard of it. We had to save your tiny country from Russia. Instead of trying to destroy us, you should be praising America. We suffered more than fifty thousand casualties saving you.”
“My family was killed!”
Robert understands that this is exactly what Komfort desires. Her opportunity to vent. To spew her years of pain and hate onto Evoil.
“You turned our conflict into conflagration. More than three hundred thousand casualties in Estonia alone. And why? So Abaddon’s buddies could sell more petroleum products.”
Komfort shakes her finger at Evoil, “We saved you! Robert and I saved you! Russia’s robots were crushing…”
“Enough Mugavus. Enough,” Gutefrau sternly silences her assault. “I cannot allow you to lose your temper any more than I can allow myself. Ok? Ok. Let’s end the personal attacks and begin planning how we can resolve our mutual problem.”
Gutefrau motions for everyone to take a seat at a round table. She directs Robert to sit between Komfort and Evoil. To his left, Komfort seethes. To his right, Evoil fumes. He uneasily and uncomfortably separates the two snarling tigers. He is the meat in the middle.
“What is our job here? Are we preventing a war, ending a war or starting a war?” Robert wonders aloud, “or fighting a war?”
“Good question Robert. Only Pion knows for certain,” Komfort replies more to Gutefrau than Robert. “And I’m not certain that she fully realizes her situation”.
Evoil immediately objects, “Who is this Pion and what do you mean when you say that you’re not certain that she fully realizes her situation? Is she an idiot?”
“No, she is most certainly not an idiot. Pion is a high functioning woman with autism spectrum disorder. She and Robert and I were teammates during the Nordic War. She is highly intelligent with some social impairment in a subtle form as her only disability.”
“Wait. Did you say she is autistic? Do you mean she is one of those hand flapping screechers?” Evoil flaps his hands and wobbles his head wildly. “Oh no. No. No! I ran into some of them in a satellite intelligence unit. They deliberately disregarded my orders. I would order them to do something and all they did was sit for hours in some, weird, trancelike state or stared at the lights or rocked when they weren’t making high-pitched squeaks and flapping their hands. They are worse than worthless.”
“If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism. Everyone is a unique individual,” Robert hastily interjects. “I lea
rned that working with Jay Hawk. One of the smartest and most dedicated individuals I ever met.”
Gutefrau glowers at Evoil while speaking to Komfort, “Mugavus, is Pion that savant programmer you are rehabilitating from her Nordic War PTSD type injuries by assigning her to work out in the field?”
“Yes. She is doing much better. She is a productive SPEA citizen.”
“I understand. That’s very good. I’m pleased with both of you,” Gutefrau extends Komfort her maternal congratulations. “But, I’m also concerned that involving Pion in this conflicted environment again may reverse her progress. I don’t want us to jeopardize her mental health. So, is it absolutely necessary that we involve her?”
“Yes, unfortunately I believe it is. For reasons I don’t feel free to discuss here and now, Pion is the key. Without her, I fear another full scale war is inevitable.”
“Ok. So she is the key. She has to be involved. Let’s get her involved. Where is this Pion?” Evoil impatiently demands.
“She is not here. She is in the field. We will depart in two hours to meet with her. We’ll travel as just three SPEA citizens traveling for business.”
“Oh no! Not me. Make that two SPEA apostates and one, proud to be an American, Christian crusader.” Evoil puffs up like a fighting rooster, “Are we going into harm’s way?”
“Quite possibly. There is a rebel tribe in the area that is associated with ARTAS. But, if we don’t…”
“ARTAS? Now they’re a nasty group of murderous infidels. What types of weapons are we taking?”
“No weapons. We are still traveling as SPEA citizens, not US crusaders. So Evoil, you’re going to have to use your brain and actually think. I know that will be difficult and painful for you.” Komfort sharply derides Evoil, “Since we are requiring you to reason and not giving you weapons either, in more ways than one, you will be totally unarmed.”
“So you have a plan?” Robert inquires hoping to forestall another argument.
