While John’s aide-de-camp was delivering the press briefing on the recent operation, Aron, Nova, and the other AIs were in VR overseeing an important milestone in their unification plan.
“And with that, our preparations are complete,” Aron said, then stretched his arms above his head, limbered his neck, and heaved a yawn. Even with his enhanced constitution, going through iteration after iteration of proposed government structures had exhausted him.
And that was after they had already gone through a number of think tanks composed of veteran political minds in Lab City to remove inefficiencies and reduce the chances of power grabs and coups. Then, after all of that and before presenting them to Aron, Nova ran them through millions of simulations to spot any remaining flaws and smooth them out.
Aron turned to the newest AI and asked, “What do you think of the plan, Gaia?”
Gaia was the latest “chief” AI and would take up the responsibility of managing planetary affairs, acting as Aron’s plenipotentiary representative when he was absent or otherwise unavailable to handle the day-to-day running of the new unified humanity. She was inhumanly tall, standing at around 7’1”, and gracefully slender. She had a modest bust, a slender waist, and hips that only seemed large in comparison to her waist. Long, wheat-golden hair cascaded from her head to the middle of her calves, ending in curls in the last few inches that looked almost like ocean waves. Long ears tapered to a point as they peeked through the curtain of her hair. Her face was angular and sported high, chiseled cheekbones that tapered down to a small chin, and she had lively almond-shaped eyes with verdant green irises that sparkled with a hint of whimsy and held a deep, abiding wisdom within. She was dressed in a golden gown that left her right shoulder exposed and draped down to her right ankle, with the hemline tapering up to the middle of her left thigh, leaving most of that leg exposed as well. It was embroidered with realistic leaves and flowers, with mountains, rivers, and fields of grass, wildflowers, and crops with all kinds of animals moving around the dress, almost as if it was a world that they inhabited. Her ivory skin glowed with a golden hue and small fairies worshipfully flew around her, acting as her attendants and carrying adorable little clipboards that they took notes on as she spoke.
Her aura was lively, refreshing, and gentle, making people around her feel like they were relaxing in a clear forest meadow, listening to an orchestra of birdsong backed with the percussion provided by a burbling stream and fish swimming around in a nearby pond.
[It looks good, but will need constant updates and tweaking as people grow more used to it and loopholes begin appearing. But for now, I think this is currently our best option,] she replied in an ethereal voice.
“Well, we have to start somewhere, at least, and we have a schedule to keep,” Aron replied.
[Yes. We have two weeks remaining in real time if we want to complete the new constitution before January 1, 2018. It’ll be the first step in our unification of humanity and a great milestone in history.]
Nova broke into the conversation Aron was having with Gaia. [Sir, it’s time for your press briefing.]
Aron nodded and began his abbreviated logout procedure.
......
A minute after John’s aide-de-camp left the podium in the press room, Aron stepped into the room and stood behind the empty podium to deliver his prepared speech.
“For too long, the innocent people of Central and South America have lived in fear of the vicious drug cartels. For too long, those same cartels have propagated violence and spread their poison to every corner of the Earth. That ends now.”
The display behind the podium showed brief images of cartel plantations, processing facilities, and people loading shipments of wrapped “bricks” of drugs into cargo containers.
“Drug abuse affects hundreds of millions of people around the world, and not only those who become addicted to them. Their friends and families suffer along with them, healthcare facilities are overwhelmed by the health issues that come along with substance abuse, and entire communities are held hostage by violent street gangs that peddle the poison for profit, spreading them among our most vulnerable population and targeting those least capable of resisting.”
The screen switched to an image of a sickly-looking heroin addict in the final stages of heroin addiction, then cycled to the same man in a hospital bed surrounded by his grieving family. The image disappeared, replaced by a chart that showed the economic impact of substance abuse on families, then a video played in split-screen format, showing a drive-by gang shooting from outside and inside the house, as well as an innocent bystander gunned down while sitting at her own dining room table eating a modest dinner with her children.
“What you have just seen is a brief display of the consequences of allowing drugs to spread unchecked through communities across the world. If it was just the gang members themselves and only gang-on-gang violence was being perpetrated, I would say ‘good riddance’ and refrain from interfering.
“But that is not the case. Gang violence overwhelmingly targets the innocent. For every gang member that is seriously injured or killed in gang warfare, sometimes dozens of innocent bystanders are implicated in their infighting. So I am here today to serve two notices: first, I have plucked the cartel thorn from the flesh of the rest of the world....”
The screen display switched, showing picture after picture of burning poppy and coca fields, production and processing facilities exploding, and ARES troopers leading shackled cartel members out of their homes, offices, and entertainment venues.
“And second, I am here to sincerely call upon the rest of the world to aid in the ongoing fight against drugs and drug-related violence. Anyone affected in any way, whether you are suffering and living in fear under the thumb of a street gang or just have a quiet meth lab in the basement of a nearby home....”
The screen displayed a brief video of a man wearing a set of white painters’ coveralls and chemical protection gear, including a respirator and eye protection, running out of a house in a suburban cul-de-sac shortly before the entire home he ran out of erupted in a violent explosion.
“And I mean anyone, can submit an anonymous report on the Pangea social media app. Those reports will be investigated and prompt action will be taken to resolve the problem.
“If your local governments cannot, or will not, act, then I will. I hereby announce that the charitable organization I founded, the Coeus Foundation, will be opening up a free clinic in every neighborhood in every country in the world. They will offer free or reduced-price healthcare to those in the most desperate need of it, not restricted solely to the health issues caused by substance abuse.
“Furthermore, I hereby direct the Coeus Foundation to build and staff drug rehabilitation facilities that will offer 100% coverage across the entire world and humanely assist addicts in breaking their addiction to the poison that kills not only them, but their families, friends, and neighborhoods.
“And finally,” Aron stared into the camera, his gaze steely and his expression grave, “I issue this warning to the transitional governments: if you do not act, then I will.”
