“Hmmm, I’m afraid my schedule is booked, perhaps we could meet in June, but August is better?”
“It’s a matter of some urgency. Do you realize that all your atomic bombs are missing?”
“No! You are mistaken. That is not so. You’re lying, American.”
“I’ll call back in thirty minutes. ”
“Kim, this is Charlie Haines again.”
“How did you know about the thefts? Did you do it? They were located in seven separate locations, inside the missiles. Only the sealed plutonium was taken. And how do I know this is Charlie Haines? You’re speaking Korean.”
“ Do you have a computer with web access? Log onto CharlieHaines.com/Charlie. That’s C-H-A-R-L-I-E-H-A-I-N-E-S-dot-C-O-M-slash-C-H-A-R-L-I-E. I’ll wait.”
“Yes, I’ve done that.”
“OK, now you can see me talking.”
“Yes, I can see you. So tell me, how did you know of the thefts?”
“Is March 5th at 6 PM good for you? We will explain everything to you. I’d like to bring my wife and the Supreme Being.”
“What?!?”
“My wife and the Supreme Being, God, the Almighty. We’re coming unarmed. Can you be available?”
“That was very funny Mr. Haines. We will discuss your theft? I thought you never met with people, even your American President.”
“I’ve been making some allowances lately. We will discuss the bombs and a number of other topics. I will be arriving at the lawn of your spring residence at 5:45 using my flying car. Please make sure your staff is available as well.”
***
After a check for metal and bombs, David and Phyllis were ushered into a large office. Kim Jong Un was seated behind a large mahogany desk with many pearl inlays, he was flanked by three of his aides and two guards, who stood. Three seats were waiting for David’s group. David and Phyllis sat. David wore a black sweatshirt. On the front, it said ‘Personal Messenger of God’, there was a picture of a cherub with flowers and a small bow and arrow. On the back it said, ‘The voices in my head tell me what to do’. Both were written in Korean.
Phyllis: David, wipe your silly smile off.
David: Yes dear.
Phyllis: I know you’re nervous, but we have to talk them out of committing suicide.
David: I know its just nerves; their lives are in our hands.
After a long pause Kim Jong Un spoke. “I thought Charlie Haines and his god was going to come. Who are you? I can have you imprisoned for embarrassing the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.” The two guards bore side arms, although they were standing ramrod straight, their hands were touching their pistols.
David opened a notebook computer and handed it to one of the aides. David then nodded and spoke. “You realize that as the greatest inventor in history I need to keep my identity secret. I’ve disguised myself as an old man on television. You can see him talking on the computer. He is sitting next to my wife on the screen.” David faced his wife and started to grin, but stopped and looked back at Kim and Choe Yong-rim, one of Kim’s aides. Kim Jong Un looked back and forth at the screen and David. David felt a shudder of fear wash over him.
David continued, “I am the person everyone knows as Charlie Haines.”
“How did you do that?”
“One of my inventions, my many inventions. Let me get to the point. Your time is limited and quite precious.” David grinned at the sick joke. “I’d like to introduce you to Chee’our’i, the Supreme Being.” David took back his notebook computer.
David: Time for the fireworks.
Phyllis: Yes dear. Take that grin off. David, your laughing is just a defense mechanism.
David: I know, I know.
As David said the words, a blue-green tinged non-terrestrial tree appeared where the third seat had been. The branches brushed the ceiling and roots crushed the marble parquet floor. The only sound was that of the fallen chair. While all eyes were on Chee’our’i David kept his eyes locked on Choe Yong-rim, the nominal Premier of Korea. David nodded solemnly.
The tree spoke, the leaves fluttered and there was a smell reminiscent of anise and cardamom in the air, “I am Chee’our’i. You will announce to your people that on March 23 at five PM I will speak to them. I will appear at every church, temple, auditorium, arena, public meeting place or open area throughout Korea and the world. They will know where. I will offer immortality and a promise of life to all who wish it. Tell all your people, including your guards, prisoners, and those overseas to return to their family by that date. That day will be a time for family and no work. Their Supreme Being will speak directly to each.
“The only restriction I have is that killing of another human is no longer allowable by anyone other than my avatars and me. This is true for murderers, armies, or the courts. I ban all Bombs and lethal weapons of mass destruction. This ban applies to the lowest private or the leaders of countries who authorize the killing. All of your bombs and landmines were destroyed. I will also judge if a leader is indirectly responsible. A smile or a nod can command as strongly as a word. If you say, ‘get rid of that nuisance in any way possible’, and they murder a person, then you are responsible. In return, I offer you, and all your people life, youth, and perfect health for what you would consider eternity. You can, of course, refuse immortality or terminate your own life at any time. However, the prohibition against murder is still in place.
“For people who elect to live, there will be no new births, unless your government and the world government approve. That will control over-population and pollution. That is man’s law, however. I will also make available a true system of justice, where I will grant judges my omniscient knowledge of the defendant and the criminal act so they can judge any crime. Those leaders that allow this will find their country 99.8% crime free. I will send your leaders a copy of this proposal. You can refuse this.
“You may want to think of the implications of perfect health and no new births on your economy. The US President will be shutting the stock markets and is removing all foreign bases. You have three weeks. Do you have any questions?”
Kim Jong Un screamed, “Guards.” Four armed guards appeared through an open door behind Il.
David stood and moved in front of Chee’our’i. David was frantically trying to stop a future. “Kim, Chee’our’i is the Supreme Being. You can’t kill HIM, but you can accidentally kill me. Kill me and HE will kill you. ‘Thou shalt not kill.’ He means it. Please. You have to listen to me. HE will kill you. HE has shown me this.” David turned to the guards. “You shoot and God will destroy you. Please, I beg you. Just think of what will happen. Listen, if you shoot, then there won’t be any guards here. The Premier will be unprotected.”
Phyllis reached out and held David’s hand. She quietly said, “What my husband is saying is true. Chee’our’i has shown us the future. Don’t kill yourself.”
Kim shouted, “This is a stage illusionist’s trick. I shall prove it. DESTROY THAT TREE.”
Chee’our’i calmly said, “One of your shots would have accidentally killed the entity you know as Charlie Haines. If you fire, you, and your guards who shoot, will be smoked.”
David moved his body to protect Phyllis. “It’s real. Think. It would take seven hours to dismantle each missile, take the plutonium out, and put the missile back. That’s at least 2 shifts of your guards. At EVERY bomb. There were no reports of anything suspicious. No change in your guard schedules. This is your palace. No one could ever get in with a twelve foot tree. This is a solid three ton tree.” David swung his computer at the tree. The computer screen flew off and shattered. Keys rained over the floor. “It’s real. This can only be the work of a god. Don’t shoot. The bullets will bounce off and hurt people.”
“YOU LIE. This is a trick. Fire. Fire. Shoot now. Fire, fi…”
Three guards brie
fly fired. Three submachine guns clattered to the floor. Where Kim Jong Un and the three guards had stood, four pillars of smoke appeared. Black dust slowly fell to the floor and a white gas cloud rose and rapidly dissipated in the air. The room was suddenly forty degrees colder. The single guard who had not fired, stood there blocking Chou Yong-rim body, dumbstruck.
“They are now primarily carbon, oxygen and hydrogen atoms. You may keep their remains for Internment. Chou Yong-rim, you are now the leader of this country. Do you have any questions?”
“N-no, my Lord God.”
“If you have any questions pick up the phone and say my name, Chee’our’i. A transcript and video of this meeting is on your desk.”
David and Phyllis left. David’s shoulders hunched, at least he saved one person. The tree disappeared, leaving a hole in the marble floor. The next country on their list was China. David hastily forwarded a video of this meeting to all the world leaders. Maybe he saved more than one life today. What if he stood in front of Chee’our’i, instead of by Phyllis. If only …
***
March 23rd was the end of an unusual week. It seemed like half the world was traveling home. At 11 AM, authorities closed the airports. All businesses closed. Throughout the world, the temperatures were in the 70s, even at the Polar Regions. At noon, the sun disappeared, although a diffuse light lit the sky. David did not pay attention to the brief announcements that the sun was no longer present in the sky, not visually, nor gravimetrically. The news was dominated by talk of God by theologians. By 3 PM, radio and television went off the air. The Earth darkened. The only exceptions were beams of light that lit up a number of churches, temples, auditoriums, arenas or public meeting places. David knew that one lit the Dunwoody Reformed Jewish Temple.
Phyllis appeared in the bedroom, leaning against the doorframe, on her finger hung a suit. “No sweatshirt today. You’re wearing a suit and tie. I had one made.”
***
They drove with their lights on toward the synagogue. Looking up David saw that the stars were everywhere, except where beams of light plunged earthward. One nearby beam of light pierced the sky, spotlighting the Jewish temple. In the distance, he saw another beam of light some fifteen miles away. David and Phyllis left their car at the side of the road and walked the last five blocks in the over-crowded streets. David knew this site would have forty thousand people. No police would give a ticket today.
By the entrance to the temple, David saw a sixty-foot blue-green tree. It was awash in flames. He knew that no tree existed there this morning. The rabbi was standing to one side of the tree, he was moping his head from the heat. It was almost 5 PM. The crowd was talking among themselves in a hushed voice. Many people were crying. Many were wearing yarmulkes and Jewish prayer shawls. Women wearing burkas and men on prayer rugs were also among the praying masses.
At exactly 5 PM, in a clear voice David heard, “I am Chee’our’i.” David saw the flame on the tree leap up. Although he saw people’s mouths moving, only Chee’our’i’s voice was heard. The voice continued, “In ten days from now, I will start the process which will enable you all to live in perpetual youth, free of all diseases, and resistant to most mortal events, such as drowning, dismemberment, poisons. I shall give you a choice. Resistant does not mean immune. You may live as long as you wish, in perfect health, with the youth of a twenty year old but without new children, or you may choose to age, have children, and die.
“There is only one rule for all, whatever you choose. Similar to one of your ten commandments, you are not allowed to kill any other human. Whether by rage, by greed, or by command of any leader – you shall not kill. If anyone attempts to kill, I shall smoke you and the one who requested it. The victim will live. This law applies to all people, even those who choose to end their lives by old age or disease.
“For those that accept life eternal, unless your government authorizes it, you will not be able to have any more children. Your Earth cannot support it. If you decide to live forever, you might not be allowed to conceive with your mate. Eventually the unevolved will have a cap on their numbers also, set by the governments.
“If you want to accept the gift of immortality, all that you need to do is abstain from alcohol seven days from now. You may decide not to take my offer now. I will offer life two more times, two and four months from the first transition. If you want more information, you may log onto www.fda.org, they will tell you about the transformation. Questions?”
There was a long period of silence, then David heard a youngster ask hesitantly, “Cherry, you said smoke, didn’t you mean smote?” The child’s voice must have been amplified by Chee’our’i.
Chee’our’i said “Smoke.” A light appeared on a second tree. The tree was present one second, and the next it was a sudden white fog, which quickly rose and disappeared into the air and a cloud of black fell. The temperature suddenly dropped ten degrees. “The tree is now atoms. The water in the tree became atoms of hydrogen and oxygen. It absorbed heat freezing the water vapor in the air. That is the white cloud. The black are the carbon atoms falling. Smoke. Any other questions?”
A man asked, “what about the other commandments?”
“They are meaningless now. I have no need for your devotion or worship. I ask for no vows. You are completely unimportant to me. Those priests who claim to speak for me, lie. I don’t care who or what you believe in. I don’t need your respect or piety.”
“Since your parents will be as young as you, you can honor them or not, as they deserve. You both shall be adults.
“If your government agrees, which it eventually will, I will allow a trio of Human jurists to judge any crime based on the laws of man. I shall give the jurists my knowledge of the crime. They will know what was said, what was done. They will then listen to all parties. They will judge guilt and punishment. For crimes in America, one judge will be American; the other two will be from different countries. Anyone can easily request justice. Lying and theft are human crimes and are subject to human laws, although I will provide to the jurists, the truth.
“Finally, adultery will not be possible. At rebirth, I will link you and your youthful mate. You can sexually love only each other. Only I or my avatars can end the marriage.”
Another man asked, “Avatars?”
“Two people are currently being guided by me. More will follow. In three hundred years, the first human will be smart enough, by my standard, to make complete decisions about the human race. In three thousand years, the avatars will be on their own. I shall only visit occasionally.”
A young woman asked, “I’m young, I always planned on having a couple of children. I can’t?”
“For those that live forever, I will eliminate the biological urge for children. If you feel that you must have children and if you, and your issue would rather die in 75 years, you can elect to refuse life. You also would condemn all your future children to death. Eventually, your government will resettle you and your children to your own private communities. If you want to refuse the gift of life, drink any alcoholic drink in seven to ten days from today. You may also doom your children less than seven. However, you may not force, by deed or threat, older children to their death. If you abstain alcohol, you choose life and ten days from today you shall go into a death-like re-growth state. The time to reawaken will depend on your current health. You will be reborn closer in appearance to twenty years of age and continue to improve. Children will take months, infants will take a year or two, the elderly will take months. But all will look like they are twenty.”
“But I lost my leg in Vietnam.”
“It will be regrown. All body parts will regrow.”
“Are you God?”
“That is a question you alone can answer. Do I have the powers of your God, omnificence, omnipotence, omnipresence, omniscience? Yes. Did I create this universe? Yes. But I am not Thor,
Isis, the Holy Father, Lord Ganesh, Jehovah, Allah, or any other deity in your history. Only humans look like humans. My original form is a variant of what you see. Specifically, I am not the God written in your bibles. Some of it was good human advice for its time. Some of it men wrote to expand their power. Some of it is no longer acceptable, like murdering the children of your enemy or selling your grandson into slavery, because your son saw you drunk. I did not write it. Men did. However, I am the Supreme Being, the almighty. Whether you call me God or Chee’our’i is irrelevant.”
“I have a bad back.”
“It will be healed and thirty times stronger than in your prime.”
“Will I live forever?”
“All beings have the right to end their own lives. You could blow out your brains or incinerate your body. The sun will eventually burn out destroying all remaining life on Earth. However, death will never be for illness, whether physical or psychological.”
“No children, does that mean no sex?”
“Just the opposite. Orgasms hold mates together, the glue of the union. Your average day will be like your June 22nd 2001. Your wife will have 10% more orgasms than you.”
The man grinned while turning beet red.
A policeman asked, “You said most of us will be in a death like state. What about criminals breaking in and harming us?”
“If they harm you fatally, they will be smoked before you are injured. Non-fatal injuries will be healed before you awaken. In the next few days, I will contact all criminals telling them of their future crime and its consequences. I know the past, present, and future. I know where they are and what they will do. Given the ease for a victim to get a hearing, certain justice and retribution, repeat offenders will be very rare. In the future, with knowledge freely available, people will live honorably in order to control their reputation. Remember, if you commit a crime, it will remain common knowledge a thousand years from now.”
“What about divorce?”
“If a couple requests a divorce, it will be granted after ten days. However, one of life’s lessons is cooperation, moderation and commitment. In 7.4 years from now, one couple in this assembly will fight. An arm will be broken. The jurists will separate the couple for sixty days, prohibited from contact. After twenty-seven days, each will independently beg the jurists to commute their sentence. Beg. The jurists will grant it. The couple will never strike each other again. It will be national news.”
Counting Up To Infinity Page 31
