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[Taken from various sources. RBB]
The news that President Spence and other high-profile individuals had been abducted and then shot down by terrorists, filled the news media, from papers, through television, and the internet.
However, very quickly indeed, it became clear that the party had been arrested by order of the Vice President under mysterious circumstances. A number of members of Congress were complaining they’d not been told about the motion to replace the President. It came to light that the abduction was from police headquarters in Washington and that it might have been the FBI and Secret Service involved.
Questions were asked and it didn’t take long for the general public to realise that something was badly amiss. Within twenty-four hours there were cries of coup and insurrection.
Crowds marched upon Washington, surrounded the White House, and acting President Slimbridge had to call in the army for protection. Large hastily made placards and banners were on display and the world’s media was quickly at the scene.
JUSTICE FOR DEMOCRACY and STOP ILLEGAL POWERGRAB were popular examples. As it became more common knowledge that the coup had been staged by Slimbridge, more aggressive chanting could be heard. SLIMBRIDGE MURDERER, JAIL SLIMBRIDGE and SLIMBRIDGE OUT.
No one saw who threw the first stone, but it was soon a full-scale riot.
Slimbridge needed to quell the uprising, but time was short. He was due to arrive in New York for the momentous vote on Federation membership that afternoon. He would have to get the veto out of the way first then set about calming the situation.
Marine One collected him from the White House lawn and, with a military escort of four gunships, he set off for the United Nations in New York.
The complex was surrounded by more jeering crowds. As Marine One came in to land, the army had their work cut out. They were not just stopping the demonstrators from entering the complex but had to part those same crowds to allow the various heads of state to arrive from their embassies and hotels.
The Secretary General, inside the building, was in final discussions with close colleagues regarding the organisation of the vote and Ambassador Moroforon and her aides were assisting as best they could.
Paula Wilson knocked and entered the room. ‘President Slimbridge is in the lobby and wants a meeting, Madame Secretary General.’
‘Put him off, Paula. Tell him I can’t be contacted, and he should take his place in the assembly hall,’ said Perfect Okafor.
‘I’ll do my best,’ said Paula, closing the door as she left.
Paula Wilson must have been convincing as, at two minutes to one, acting President Slimbridge took his seat behind the desk sign which read “United States of America”.
Several members of the Security Council and leaders of other large countries had tried to speak to him as he crossed the auditorium, but his secret service detail refused to permit anyone to get him alone. It was clear he did not want any conversation.
At one o’clock, Perfect Okafor entered the General Assembly room and took her place near the main lectern. The aliens followed her onto the stage and sat in a group to one side.
The Secretary General stood, walked to the lectern and brought her gavel down upon the ancient oak structure, causing a sound like a rifle to echo around the arena. Silence descended.
‘I call this meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations to order,’ she said.
‘It is pleasing to see so many heads of state participating in this historic event. Also, here on the stage, are Ambassador Garincha Dela Moroforon, Yol Slindo Merofort, and Ya Heldy Mistorn representing the Federation.’
It was noticeable that the flying cherub was on best behaviour and sat quietly and immobile on the table in front of the powder blue ape. Two other aliens sat behind the Ambassador.
‘Also present today, we have representatives of Abkhazia, Kosovo, Northern Cyprus, Palestine, South Ossetia, Taiwan, Vatican City and Western Sahara.
‘The motion before us is as follows. It also appears on your monitors.’
She picked up some papers and began to read.
‘The motion is that the peoples of Earth should, collectively, enter detailed negotiations with the Galactic Federation, with a view to membership of said Federation. That the heads of state of each country shall be consulted and informed during each stage of the process and any problems then materialising will be resolved to all parties’ satisfaction.
‘Is the motion understood?’
There was general agreement from around the auditorium.
‘Any clarification required?’
No one spoke and the assembly sat in silence.
At that moment, the main door burst open and a detachment of UN soldiers positioned themselves either side of the entrance. A suited individual entered the room and stopped in front of the soldiers.
He shouted, ‘This United Nations Military Detail is here on behalf of the International Criminal Court, to arrest Vice President John Slimbridge on the charge of “The Crime of Aggression”, in that he did, unlawfully, attempt to usurp the post of President of the United States of America, with the intention of disrupting the work of this lawful General Assembly of the United Nations.’
Shocked silence sucked any chatter out of the assembly.
««o»»
[This earlier Australian debate was compiled from digital video material stored in Yol Hareen Trestogeen’s office. It took place in Melbourne. RBB]
Questioner, ‘What are you going to do about people cheating the system?’
Ambassador, ‘In what way?’
‘People who horde cash or possessions.’
Ambassador, ‘Well, there will be quite a long transition. We’re suggesting three years for people earning more than the average to come down to average earnings. Someone earning a million per year will find it has dropped to six hundred thousand at the end of year one, then three hundred thousand, then, as the fourth year begins, the same income as everyone else.
‘Of course, a large family can each hold the maximum number of afeds at a year end, but that is a legal practice.’
Questioner, ‘But what about those who cheat?’
Ambassador, ‘Every afed is identifiable wherever it is obtained or spent. The system cannot be cheated, and at the end of each tax year people will forfeit anything they hold over and above the permitted limit. Again, it cannot be cheated. There is no cash. The surplus is automatically reclaimed by the state.’
Questioner, ‘There is always a way to cheat, by taking income in goods or gold or anything other than currency.’
Ambassador, ‘You are talking about corruption there and that is monitored by policing robots. They’ll spot any suspicious transactions and will prosecute. It’s also unnecessary. Everyone will have sufficient money to buy more or less anything they want, so why try to get more by cheating? All you do is risk punishment.’
Questioner, ‘Gold. They could horde gold.’
Ambassador, ‘For what reason? Gold can be purchased from Veroscando and many other worlds where it is as plentiful as coal. Once you are in the Federation, commodity prices will tumble because there is always some world where the most precious materials are plentiful. Emeralds are sought after on Earth. One of the gas giants in the system of Blurel has a moon where emeralds of all different colours can be picked up on the beaches. The Federation will change the perspective on what is valuable and what is not.’
Questioner, ‘And diamonds?’
Ambassador, ‘I don’t know a world where they are plentiful, but there will be one somewhere.’