He paused for a few seconds while they took it in.
"If the Generals did not restrain their armies in that final hour, then we would not be here today, together and united, to celebrate our victory over terrorism."
The threat of nuclear war was felt worldwide for over two weeks before the truth was finally confirmed. Terrorists had finally achieved their objective by acquiring two nuclear devices, each smuggled in through the black market.
Corruption and greed had once again been the root cause for evil, humanity had reached its all-time low.
Islamic Terrorists and their Arab nations once again were singled out by the American and British forces. A massive armada converged in the Middle East and stood ready to obliterate and avenge the destruction of New York and London. It was national pride, and blood would be spilled. However, the Arab coalition quickly declared a Holy Jihad on Israel if any of them were attacked. To further add fuel to the flames, Israel was not likely to sit back and do nothing. They raised the stakes by launching their own nuclear missile into the Sinai Desert as a clear indication that if any of the Arabs attacked Israel, it would be total annihilation for them. Not only would they flatten the five Arab nations around them, they would bring Middle East oil production to a virtual standstill. It was no idle threat; they flexed their muscles, and the world held its breath. Hundreds of ships, planes and submarines from all over the world moved to their positions for the first strike orders. But the orders never came, and thank God no one blinked. When the news finally broke that the opposing armed forces had been ordered to stand down, humanity breathed a collective sigh of relief. That single event crippled economies worldwide and stock markets froze as consumerism ground to a halt.
"Yes, we came close to another World War, but since then we have set up measures that would prevent it from ever happening again. With the exception of the USA and China, the United World of Nations now controls all remaining territories and the stockpile of nuclear weapons." Vargän himself had much to do with the negotiations.
"Hopefully, within the next few years we can convert them to more peaceful means, like fuel for power stations and our extensive space program. We are going to convert weapons of war into instruments of peace! So much has already been achieved, and let me just say, in such a short time because we have all been crying out for change!" Vargän said.
Vargän himself had attended the official launch of the main command module which was used as the assembly point for the construction of the UWN's first orbiting space station.
"No longer is there famine within our borders. With our vast resources we have set up feeding programs in all the countries that are in need. Our humanitarian efforts reach across the globe to regions in and out of our control. We have systems in place that will not only feed the hungry, but also enrich their communities, and enable them to feed themselves. All deforestation in the Amazon has been halted, and in addition, we have planted millions of acres of forests worldwide. All our great industries in the UWN follow a strict code of conduct towards emissions of fossil fuel and harmful chemicals into the atmosphere. Water security is paramount and we have implemented tighter control over this valuable resource. Our oceans are strictly controlled, our atmosphere monitored from our extensive satellite system and the new UWN space station. We are using state of the art technology for the preservation of our planet, the only one we have."
The roar of the crowd and their energy was contagious with people shouting praises and becoming increasingly euphoric as Vargän built them up, one stage at a time. Everything Vargän said made sense. In a way, he was saying what they all believed in.
"Standing together in unity makes us the strongest of all Empires that have ever existed. It’s our responsibility and task of rebuilding and restoring the damage done by our fathers who lived in ignorance before us. We are now the guardians of our planet and its survival is paramount to the survival of humanity and our precious eco-systems.
With one voice we are heard above all other voices ever spoken, because we speak as one in love and unity, of compassion and conservation.
Our nations have become one, we are bound together, no matter if you were born in Africa or Siberia, in Brussels or Brazil, we are all brothers and sisters, and we are friends. What affects you, affects us all as your suffering is our suffering, your needs are our concern. You are not alone; we stand together because only then do we have the power to achieve greater things," Vargän said proudly, the audience hanging on each and every word.
This was history in the making.
He was on a roll and could talk all evening; Vargän had strayed a little from his speech. But it was good to say what was on his mind.
"Already we are networked, like organs of a living body; the blood supply of commerce is our economic unity. Electronic trading is our currency, instant money anytime anywhere thanks to the convergence of our information systems. The ISIS networks have secured communications and e-commerce on all levels, and our industries outperform all others. We now have the world’s largest economy, due to our combined population of five billion people.
The UWN has the largest standing army, with the greatest military technology and hardware the world has ever seen. I feel it's mankind's greatest achievement and the pinnacle of human progress. We should all be proud to call ourselves citizens of the UWN and gladly take up our duty to build a New World Order."
Vargän was now at the summit of his speech. He was center stage again, and the Generals in the VIP section of the Security Council were watching their leader with renewed interest.
They had all been in meetings with Vargän and they knew what was required of them. No one negotiated like Vargän, as what he said made so much sense, and that in itself gave him a power to persuade others that his way was the right way. It all came about because he was a man for the people, more powerful than any General could ever imagine.
Yet it never went to his head; he always remained humble, always kept his focus on the true purpose, and that was saving the planet from countless decades of abuse. The scientific evidence all pointed to the grave situation planet Earth had been placed in. Only one species to blame, and that was the human race. With the extreme greed of capitalism and a blatant disregard for future generations, humanity had plundered the earth’s natural resources and damaged the fragile eco systems that keep it all alive. If the planet went spiraling into another ice age, then all would be lost. Humanity's very survival now hung in the balance. The next few decades would be the defining moment.
Certain liberties would need to be forgotten if humanity wished to survive. Custodians of the planet would now be called upon, and those who opposed would be a liability. It was not the establishment of a better society; it was establishing one that would survive on a planet already showing signs of change. It was his time to crack the whip, and no better time had come.
"However, some outside the UWN still follow a pathway of greed that will ultimately lead to destruction, and this course of action we cannot, and will not tolerate any longer.
This world of ours will not survive with a nationalistic or imperialistic cancer; we call it 'Exclusivity'. Actions affect those around you; the cause and effect scenario has placed us in this predicament in the first place. The time has come for drastic measures, humble sacrifices and civil duties."
Fear was always the driving force that brought a quick shift in human reasoning, and to use it from time to time was perfectly acceptable to usher in a new and brighter future.
"The time frame our scientists first predicted has now been re-calculated using new evidence. Earth is currently showing signs of dramatic climate shifting. She is in a very fragile state and once she turns, there is nothing we can do to stop or even slow down the processes that will put us firmly back into the next ice age. Scientific research has indicated it could happen rapidly, the earth could virtually freeze over within a decade or two, and that means extinction for all of us. We are at war once again, but it's with
each other, it’s with ourselves, and our old way of life," he said.
A silence unlike any other followed, it was true and everyone knew it.
"Within the borders of the UWN there are still some of our members who are violating the environmental protocols set down. This will not be tolerated any longer. As I address you, three million additional UWN Peace Keepers have been deployed and are given the mandate to react and to enforce environmental policies with immediate effect. We will deal with those countries outside the UWN more firmly; those who persist on the dark, destructive way will in no time be shown the light, as what effects one, affects us all."
Many stirred in their seats, they understood what this meant.
"The UWN will bring the change that is needed for the survival of the human race; you have my word on that."
This time the auditorium took a little longer before it erupted in applause and cheers. Yes, some remained silent, they had witnessed this kind of speech before, even if it made sense, the signs where disturbing.
After the main speeches were over, Vargän Barchevski and his high command left the auditorium. Yet, the excitement was contagious and he could still hear the distant chanting of Vargän! Vargän! Vargän! Other speakers would address the assembled elite, but they would only echo what he had already said. He had officially set the ball in motion and the wheels of change would now begin rolling.
Once inside his private helicopter, with his family by his side, Vargän began to relax, if that was at all possible. He knew whatever decisions he made affected not only his political future, but the very lives of everyone on the planet. He shuddered at the thought. Hopefully he could bring in enough positive change before his term as the President of the UWN ended next year.
Lucia Lombardi was pleased with the outcome. His superiors had positioned him well and he was sure that if Vargän followed his advice then he would be a valuable asset for the Brotherhood. His vision for humanity was noble at least, but with or without Vargän the agenda had to be implemented. Lucia too would receive a gift from his Order, as they always took care of their own.
Chapter 5
I will resist you all the days of my life, until my blood runs cold.
I will never take the mark and do as I'm told.
I stand as a martyr before my Lord. - (PRM Graffiti)
Within Cape Town's vast city network grid, more than six million people lived and breathed. A human hive that never rested, pulsating to the hustle and bustle of modern living. Within the grid were a multitude of access points, permanently monitored by facial recognition cameras and tag scanners. The dreaded Zone Police were deployed at all crossing points. They were charged with keeping the citizenry in check using portable scanners to instantly verify their identity and status. Crime had virtually dropped overnight since the system became operational. All public arenas were heavily policed with ISIS scanners, automatically checking all within its reach. Those who had infringements were swiftly detained. Propaganda posters and subliminal signs had subtly changed the opinion of those caught in their spell.
Manipulating the masses was essentially selling a lifestyle with all of its trimmings to a brainwashed working class who had been sold into a form of financial slavery. Consumerism was the new religion that drove the machine of industry and greed.
Kate Baxter looked up from her work station at Julia, her assistant, who carefully placed the café latte at the corner of her desk. Everything and everyone had its place, which was part of the Baxter Philosophy.
Born on the 16th of July 2000, Kathryn Elizabeth Baxter had an impressive pedigree. Her breeding and accent alone spoke of first world British elegance which all the money in the world could never buy. Head-hunted for her brains and her beauty, she came at a very high price, and the DGM Group paid dearly. The placement agency's exceptionally high fees incorporated all relocation costs; and Kate Baxter was worth it.
Her specialty was analyzing new trends and social opinions to forecast future mind shift changes based on her assessment from the ISIS network, driven by data gathered from the Social Media Phenomenon which meant she analyzed profile data and chatter to forecast future trends.
Kate’s bright ideas and concepts, it seemed, always impressed the corporate executives who would always try to lift the bar as they manipulated the market share to dominate a selected market. In the end, it all came to down to profit margins and who controlled the mind-set of the consumers.
There was only so much a person could manage. Her teams would research, compile and upload all relevant material to Nexus 3, a state of the art Media server, where footage could be easily retrieved throughout the extensive ISIS network. There were no set office hours, most worked on the go, from home or on location. The fast-paced production schedule became a lifestyle choice; some reveled in it, and others sank down and imploded.
Kate started to feel a change in her mind-set; she began questioning everything from her relationships to her career choice, to even her faith in God. Not that she believed in a traditional God anyway, but in a Higher Purpose. When it came down to it, the big question was really: 'what was it all about?' She felt like a fake, doubting herself and her industry more and more each day. It all seemed pointless.
At 29 it was time for a change, and she knew it.
Her thinking patterns had already begun to change since her breakup with Warren. Another one of her foolish ideas……… just a temporary separation to put things back into perspective. But weeks turned into months, and now it was all gone, nothing to rescue or rekindle. The flames for Warren Kruger, a local fashion photographer, had all burned out. Kate used to be the 'wunderkind' of the agency. Once, at the top of her game, she could predict trends and demands before they happened, but that too had begun to change.
One prediction was as clear as day: she would need another fix. And soon! With a high pressure job came demands on the body and mind no average person could handle, not without some form of stimulant. For Kate, AKA was her drug of choice. The signs of withdrawal came swiftly for Kate when she realized her chain of thought had begun to drift once more. A side effect of AKA as the stimulant effect begins to wane. The fact that Kate only managed two hours sleep last night also played a role in her lapse in concentration.
Julia began to irritate her to no end. Now, newly appointed as a Research Assistant, she was trying to worm her way further up the corporate ladder. Her voice at times would go on and on, in a pitch a little too high and annoying. Slightly attractive in the common sense, her recent promotion was thanks to Jason, and no doubt, the numerous favors she deployed on the ever-so-suave Art Director, who thought himself a gift to womankind.
They deserve each other, Kate thought to herself.
"If you cannot do it properly, then rather don't do it at all," Kate snapped at Julia, who still stood at her desk, waiting. Her gift of the café latte was an acknowledgment of failure.
"Many people will kill for this job, remember that the next time you forget to download the updates! Oh, never mind, I'll do the Adidas campaign myself. Best you get back to filing your nails or something!" Kate said, turning to face Julia who now stormed out of the office in a tiff.
Let her cry, Kate thought.
It seemed necessary and her duty, to put that little prima donna in her place, as she had used her selected charms on more than a few of the men in the office. Nothing bugged Kate more than women who used sex as a means to achieve success, especially in a liberated society. Kate pretended everything was right as rain, but she knew sooner or later everyone in the office would be drawn into another bitch fight and sides would be taken. She had no energy for it today.
Her craving started escalating and she knew there was no way she would make it through the day without it.
Time to get out of here, she thought.
Within a few minutes she was on her way and could not wait to escape the confines of her office and the germs that circulated in it. Kate hated the city more these days than ever before. Ofte
n, in crowded spaces, she would hold her breath as long as possible to avoid breathing. Yet the thirty floors in an escalator to the street level was a little out of reach.
On street level it was a completely different world, a place she did not belong in anymore. 'If clothes maketh man', then Kate Baxter dressed like the Princess of Prada. Her outfits alone cost more than some people earned in a month. A fashionable protection barrier and mask to the world. Yet, inside she was still fragile and struggling to stay on top. Every now and then she admired her reflection in the windows as she made her way down to the platform.
Cape Town had embraced the global standard for all major cities and had its own monorail. All private motor vehicles were restricted to the outer zones. Cape Town still kept that old charm, attracting thousands of tourists each year. Most of the major terrorist organizations still operated, but somehow Cape Town was a neutral zone, much like Jerusalem these days.
Walking towards the security check-point, Kate lifted her designer iBand for scanning. Another liberty lost in the fight against terrorism. Most of the major cities were divided into security zones, tightly controlled and monitored. Very few private vehicles had access to the inner city, except the very rich and powerful.
As she walked her hips had a natural sway, ever so seductive to any who watched. Kate was by no means just an ordinary girl. Her shoulder-length hair had over the years been virtually every color under the sun, but she had returned to her natural dark brown.
Looking the right part took effort, especially when most people still judged books by their cover. The Zone Police became aware of her presence before she was even close; after all they were just boys in uniform. All dressed up, with bullet-proof clothing and guns at the ready.
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