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[Taken from Paula Wilson’s minutes and Hareen Trestogeen’s recordings. RBB]
Several of those present jumped in fright as the giant flatfish in a sparkling cape materialised before them in the middle of their Security Council meeting.
‘Ambassador. Welcome,’ said Lara, who was first to regain her composure.
‘Yes, welcome to London again,’ said Prime Minister Church.
‘We were just discussing you,’ said Lara.
‘I have decided to provide a little more help to you. However, you must be aware that I am actually breaking diplomatic protocol, as the Federation Cabinet has stipulated that no one should contact you at this time.’
‘You most welcome,’ said President Yang. ’These meetings confidential. We will not be talking of your visit.’
‘Our problems are enormous. Some we can deal with, but others seem insurmountable,’ said Lara.
‘Frankly,’ said President Olov, ‘we do not know how to deal with America. We’re all trying to build upon your aid in famine areas, but we can do little more.’
‘Ambassador,’ said Maureen Church. ‘We are learning more about the factions which do not want us to join the Federation and their reasons. We cannot run roughshod over their opinions. They believe that the Federation would be bad for Earth. Free will and freedom of speech is more important than helping the many. Work is a right, not just a way of creating a living. Workers socialise as well as make things. They create worthwhile environments for people to enjoy. These are the views of many in the United States particularly, often the more insular groups who rarely travel abroad and are set in their ways.’
’Zere is also a serious attitude zat ze Federation, it is a communist regime and you are ’iding planets vere zere is virtual slave labour and shortages of consumer goods,’ said President Ramseur.
‘Please sit,’ said Lara.
‘These seats are not comfortable. It is not important,’ said the ambassador.
Paula quickly left the room and two men entered with a sofa.
‘Peter, Barry, do not discuss the ambassador’s presence. Not with anyone. Government secret,’ the prime minister said very seriously.
They both confirmed they wouldn’t and left.
My staff all know about secrecy, but we usually brief them if something unusual is happening and your presence could not be more unexpected,’ said Maureen to the ambassador. ’So, I thought I’d better emphasise the need for confidentiality.’
‘I understand,’ said the ambassador who took a reclining position on the sofa. Paula provided him with a jug and glass of water.
‘The attitude of the American citizens,’ said Lara, ‘is probably borne out of decades of fighting communism and communist states. In fact, they even consider socialism to be as bad.’
‘It is very difficult for us to dispel such viewpoints,’ said the ambassador. ‘The only way is to take these people and let them loose on our worlds. They would soon find that there is no coercion in the Federation. However, that may not have come over clearly under Ambassador Moroforon.’
‘May I speak?’ asked Paula.
‘Please do,’ said President Yang.
‘I was with Secretary General Okafor and Ambassador Moroforon and many of her team when we toured Federation worlds. The system came over very well, but it is human nature to be suspicious of anything which challenges your current thinking,’ said Paula.
‘So,’ Prime Minister Church continued, ‘if your view is that the Federation is communist, nothing you see will change your mind and, if you feel strongly anti-communist, you are likely to think that things are being hidden from you. It is classic conspiracy paranoia.’
‘But how do we deal with it?’ asked President Olov.
‘Ambassador. My name is Malcolm Gorman and one solution does come to mind.’
‘Fire away, Malcolm,’ said the prime minister.
All eyes turned to the defence secretary. ‘Would it be possible for the rest of the world to join the Federation and leave the United States as an independent nation. They could trade with other countries, but would not be compelled to adopt any of the economic systems. Frankly, North Korea operate like that right now. Could it be a way out of the impasse?’
The ambassador adjusted his seating position and drank from his glass of water. ‘What you are suggesting would be unprecedented.’
‘But if it solves ze problem?’ said President Ramseur.
‘It would mean that they continue to run their economy as they do now. They would be isolated from our technology. I cannot envisage such a relationship,’ said the ambassador.
‘Why not?’ asked Presidents Olov and Yang almost simultaneously.
‘What about travelling to other worlds? Would we allow that?’
‘Well, Yol Ambassador, it might let them realise what they are missing,’ said Prime Minister Church.
‘This is so radical, I will need to take some time to think it through, but thank you Mr Gorman. You have opened up an interesting new idea,’ said the ambassador. ‘Goodbye,’ he said and vanished from the room. A gentle pop announced the vacuum being filled.
‘Oh. I had other questions,’ said President Olov.
‘Me too,’ said the prime minister. ’The next time we encounter the ambassador, we must let him know that we have a string of questions.’
‘Oui, zat was most unsatisfactory,’ said President Ramseur.
‘Thinking about Mr Gorman’s idea, how would it work for the rest of us?’ asked the secretary general.
There seemed a better humour in the room all of a sudden, as if the back of the situation had been broken. Knowing the Federation were available, even if only occasionally, provided relief to everybody.
‘There’d need be strict borders,’ said Che.
‘And some sort of exchange rate between ze afed and ze dollar,’ said Phillippe.
’There could be a rush of people wanting to leave the USA to enter Federation territory. We’d need an immigration system,’ said Marat Olov.
‘I don’t think the Federation would worry about that, actually. In fact, I think they would welcome it,’ said Lara.
‘And there could be some wanting to go the other way,’ said Maureen.
‘Would that be likely?’ asked Che. ‘If life is so good in the Federation, why would people want to give that up to live in the USA?’
‘People wanting to keep their personal fortunes. Our oligarchs for instance,’ said Marat.
‘I wonder what the Federation’s view of that would be?’ asked Malcolm. ‘Would they be able to take their wealth with them?’
‘Might not bother Federation,’ said Che. ‘They so enormous, small leak in economic system in one of a quarter of a million planets hardly cause run on the afed. It be like us being concerned about economic status of single apartment block in Beijing.’
They all laughed. Che continued, ‘Have to transfer personal wealth from afeds to dollars. What would dollar be worth? A few oligarchs buying dollars would have interesting effect on dollar value.’
‘I don’t see how zat would work,’ said Philippe.
‘But the Federation don’t seem to like to ban anything, do they? Surely, they’d want to allow people to leave, if the USA would have them,’ said Lara.
‘I can certainly see why Yol Trestogeen wants to take his time considering the possibility. Good thinking, Malcolm,’ said Maureen.
They talked on late into the afternoon and the conversation remained just as lively at the UN dinner that evening.
««o»»
[Taken from notes kept by Dr Melanie Rogers. RBB]
‘I can see the structure easy enough,’ said Carol Swinford, ‘but these printed circuits are finer than anything we are capable of producing.’
‘Yes,’ said Dr Rogers. ‘Medibot, we use EUV, extreme ultraviolet light, to produce our most advanced chips. You are obviously using something even finer. What’s the process?’
‘Let me examine some of yours,’ said the robot.
Jorg scurried off and returned with a glass container holding a number of unencapsulated chips. ‘Here,’ he said, handing over the dish.
The medibot lifted the dish to his eye and they watched as the lens structure moved back and forth in the eye socket.
‘You have a built-in microscope?’ asked Brian Talbot, the chief executive of Sibernek. He’d come down to see what progress had been made.
‘Yes, Brian,’ said the robot. ‘We need them for microsurgery.’ It continued to move the glass dish from side to side and then flipped over some of the chips and examined the other sides.
‘What process has been used to make your chip?’ asked Dr Rogers, tapping the microscope she was examining.
‘I see how you have used EUV to etch the silicon,’ said the robot. ‘It is only the scale which is letting you down. These chips have circuits around fourteen nanometres wide. Ours are much smaller.’
‘What does that mean?’ asked Brian.
‘Fourteen nanometres is getting close to atomic dimensions,’ said Jed. ‘We thought we were close to the limit.’
‘And the Federation chips are how much smaller?’ Brian asked.
‘It is the circuits rather than the chip itself. At least a factor of fifty. Even our electron microscope has difficulty showing the pattern,’ replied Jed.
’So, Medibot, how’s it done?’ asked Dr Rogers again.
’Not easy to answer,’ said the robot. ‘I can see the circuitry, but cannot figure out the manufacturing method. I’ve never had to examine something so small before. I think you will need to speak to the manufacturing plant themselves.’
‘And where is that?’ asked Brian.
‘On Opwispitt. It is the third planet circling Estrangel.’
‘I thought you said you could help us make this,’ said Brian.
‘I believed I could, but now I see that I can’t. However, you can make them using your EUV system, but they will be larger and not as fast. It will still be a huge improvement over what you are currently producing... if this is a good example,’ the robot said, laying the dish of chips on the nearest bench.
‘Let me know if you get any further. I’m returning to my office,’ said Brian Talbot impatiently.
Dr Ross passed Brian Talbot in the doorway and got short shrift. She came over to the others.
‘What’s eating him?’ she asked as she laid a globe shaped device, smaller than a tennis ball, on the bench.
‘Oh, he’s just annoyed we’ve been unable to make progress on the chips,’ said Dr Rogers and explained what the medibot had said.
‘That’s the motor, Medibot,’ said Dr Ross, pointing at the globe-shaped object.
The medibot picked it up and examined it. ‘Very good. It looks as effective as mine. Let me try it.’
The scientists watched as the robot disassembled his shoulder, allowing the arm to hang loose while two of his other arms attached his original shoulder motor to his bicep area with some tape. He then picked up the globe and positioned it into the vacant spot, soldering some temporary connections into place and slotting the arm and collar bone connecting shafts into place. He performed a number of functions with his arm, shoulder and hand on that limb.
‘Very good,’ said the medibot. ‘I can feel the difference. It doesn’t move quite as easily, but certainly does the job. I’m impressed.’
‘Excellent,’ said Dr Ross. ‘We’re on the right track with the motors then?’
The robot handed her the joint and refitted his original. ‘Yes,’ it said.
‘What causes it to feel different?’ asked Jorg, keen to reach perfection.
‘Materials,’ said the robot. ‘The main ball component in our joints is made from an alloy which needs no lubrication. I don’t know its exact composition, but that is the only reason your joint is not as good as my original.’
‘Okay,’ said Dr Rogers. ‘At least we know we’re making progress, despite disappointing the boss.
‘It really annoys me,’ protested Jed, ‘the way Talbot breezes into technical meetings, stirs everyone up, destroys chains of thought and then disappears as if he’s had some major influence on our deliberations, when all he’s done is cause distraction and confusion.’
‘He’s the boss and has earned that right,’ said Jorg.
‘With respect,’ said Medibot, ‘that is one of the disadvantages of having people in charge of manufacturing processes.’
‘Wow!’ said Dr Rogers. ‘That is quite profound.’
‘Not really,’ said Medibot. ‘Our production managers are fully conversant with everything the sub-robots are doing and making, including the latest technology. A living person who is trying to perform that function, quickly discovers that he is overwhelmed by innovations and can no longer keep up with the technological developments and so becomes a less effective manager as time goes by.’
‘That is so true,’ said Carol.
‘Okay. Let’s move on to those schematics,’ said Dr Ross. ‘I’ll feel a lot happier when we’ve managed to construct something close to your sophistication, Medibot.’