The Empress spoke after a brief pause, “In light of everything that has been shown to you now, we have been left with no alternative but to take necessary action. I must stress that we consider this action to be one of last resort. We gave you an Ultimatum and warned you that there would be consequences in response to non-compliance, but these warnings were not heeded. We are therefore notifying you that as a direct result of your pervasive non-compliance, ‘escalated remediation’ including selective remedial threat removal, will be carried out as per the Ultimatum.
“Unfortunately, your planet’s accelerated environmental deterioration has forced us to invoke the Ultimatum’s ‘Remediation Escalation Adjustment’ provision. This means that the degree of remediation will exceed the original Ultimatum targets.”
The Principals sat motionless in their seats while processing the formal notification. Their worst fears had just been confirmed.
Their personal failure to prevent this exact situation weighed heavily on them, but they knew that it had not been through lack of effort on their part. Their support of the Ultimatum had exposed them to huge damage in terms of their reputations and credibility, which had led directly to their diminished influence. The world’s leaders and general population had been responsible for this, and now they would have to face the wrath caused by their recklessness.
Former President Jameson spoke for the first time, “Your Majesty, would you consider a genuine plea from us to extend the Ultimatum compliance deadline? It can be seen that noteworthy compliance was achieved by some nations and surely this alone should warrant reprieve. We can assure you that despite this delegation’s eroded power base, we will try to find a way to convince all other nations to learn from these areas of excellence, and implement them to achieve similar levels of compliance. A temporary reprieve would buy us much needed time to re-establish everyone’s commitment to the Ultimatum, achieve our targets, and avoid the remediation.”
The US President knew that her request had been made in vain but she had nothing to lose by asking.
The Empress responded, “I am sorry to disappoint you, President Jameson, but reprieve is not an option. Not even a single day can be spared for us to delay this remediation. This is why we informed you in our previous encounter that there was no margin for non-compliance, and we meant it. If we do not take immediate action, then your planet’s environment will falter and collapse. The remediation is not only for the planet’s good, but also for humanity’s own good too. Your future survival absolutely depends on it.”
Serena Harpon then spoke, “Your Majesty, the 12 of us were not strong enough to carry 10 billion people. I feel personally responsible for having failed my country and the planet. We were unable to unite the world to embrace the Ultimatum, despite proof of your existence. Denial is always the easier option when compared to facing hard fact. As you yourselves said three years ago, our species has mastered the rationalisation of the unacceptable.”
The Indian former Prime Minister followed on, “It has also been a very challenging time for me, as I have slowly grown to pity the very people I have for so long held in such high regard. As a collective species, we are a ruthless machine bent on incalculable destruction, and we have contrived all these superficial reasons why we cannot change our behaviour. As much as I fear the remediation that will follow, I am more fearful of what we would ultimately do to this planet if left to our own devices.”
These were both hard-hitting statements, but each had justifiable merit. The former President of Brazil then asked, “Your Majesty. When, where and how are you planning to carry out this remediation on our planet?”
The Empress responded, “The precise time of the remediation will not be divulged to you, but it will be very soon – too soon for you to be able to take any evasive action. As for its distribution: we can inform you that your Global Compliance Monitoring Agency non-compliance figures are sufficiently accurate to give you a fair indication of where remediation will occur. With respect to how the remediation is to be conducted: we are not at liberty to disclose any specific information, other than to say that the affected areas will undergo mass-transformation.”
The Principals took special note of everything she had said. Even the most obscure detail might help them save lives.
Edward Payton then indicated a willingness to speak and the Empress gestured for him to proceed. “Your Majesty, I would just like to thank you and your esteemed Chancellors for all the effort you have made in trying to preserve the human race, while also trying to save the diversity of life on Earth. Three years ago, you had the option to remove the human species in its entirety from the planet, and that would obviously have been the simplest route for you to follow. But you gave us a chance to prove ourselves … and we squandered it.
“The sad reality is that humankind only reacts when confronted with actual, or concrete evidence of catastrophic consequence. We defer hypothetically dangerous situations indefinitely and in this case, it has cost both our world and our own species dearly.”
He continued, “I would also like to make it known that although I would never wish to live through a remediation event, I appreciate its necessity. You must do what is needed to ensure the future prosperity of life on this planet. The people of our world have fooled themselves into believing that they are the victims here … but the true victims are every other living creature on this planet and the planet itself.”
The Empress and Chancellors all appreciated the sincerity of Payton’s words. The other Principals gave slow nods of dejected agreement. Payton was the only one who was prepared to voice the sentiments that most of them shared.
The Empress spoke, “The remediation that is about to be carried out will be tantamount to an apocalypse in humankind’s history. Your people are going to need you more than ever before, so be prepared to lead them. We only hope that positive reform will emerge from it, rather than further anger and defiance. I must add that the remediation will not affect any of you, as you all still have very important roles to play in this planet’s future. As such, we shall reconvene for a third encounter soon after the remediation has been concluded.”
“If anyone has anything further to say, please speak now, as we need to return you to your planet as soon as possible.”
The Principals looked around at one another before shaking their heads in unison. They were then informed that they had five minutes to themselves before being transported back to Earth.
Empress Aeryssia closed, “We urge you to stay strong through what is sure to be the most difficult life-changing experience ever faced by your people.”
The six Supreme Beings stood, bid the Principals farewell and then left the chamber. The expressions of the 12 showed a mixture of despondency and fear. They wished that time could stand still.
The five minutes that followed were used to discuss their limited options. Upon their return to Earth, their intention was to at least warn world leaders of the imminent remediation, even though the warning would achieve little in the way of mitigating what was to come.
The Principals agreed not to notify the media, as this could trigger mass panic across the world’s nations. This would only further complicate the impossible situation. The Chinese President suggested sending out an urgent notification to the 195 heads of state dignitaries via IntraGlobe, to inform them of this second encounter, warn them of the impending remediation, and also recommend that their governments place all their national security, defence force and emergency response personnel on standby. The Principals agreed.
The Chinese President went on to say that his nation’s full complement of Armed Forces had already been placed on high alert in expectancy of the remediation, thus ensuring their readiness for imminent deployment to offer emergency assistance wherever required around the world. He would initiate mobilisation the moment he returned. The former heads of state and league/union leaders all concurred that they would motivate for the same to be done when contacting their succes
sors. Beyond this, there was little else any of them could do.
With their five minutes up, the 12 Principals left the chamber through the exit which had reappeared in the wall. Half a minute later they were hyperglided back to Earth. The encounter had lasted exactly two hours.
11:00 a.m. Earth: United States – Maine (Jameson Country Manor)
It was now 11:00 a.m. and Sally Jameson’s husband, Harold, was in a state of panic. He had notified their state-provided Secret Service agents seconds after he became aware of his wife’s disappearance. They had immediately conducted a sweep of the entire premises and after 10 minutes of searching without success, they had notified the Pentagon. Harold Jameson and his wife had spoken about the possibility of this precise situation happening in the days leading up to the Ultimatum’s interim compliance review date, but when he was confronted by the reality of it, it was almost too much for him.
He re-entered the study, wondering when she would return from the second encounter, if at all. One of the agents entered to inform him that they had still not managed to locate her. Mr Jameson wasn’t surprised and stared through the bay window at the garden outside. At that very instant his wife mysteriously appeared sitting at her desk … literally out of thin air.
He shouted out in sheer relief, “Sally!”
He could see a contorted expression of strain and fear melded together on his wife’s face. This was foreign to him, even after 30 years of them being married.
He spoke as he approached, “I’ve been so worried about you.”
“I’m okay,” she said standing up slowly and steadying herself against the desk. Her husband hurried across to her and they embraced. No words were needed. He was hugely relieved to have his beloved wife back with him again, and they stood there for some time just holding each other tightly. They were inseparable, and a world without one another would be too lonely and terrible to contemplate. The two hours she had been gone had felt like an eternity to him.
The agent remained immobilised after the paranormal reappearance of the former President right before his eyes. Mr Jameson asked for him to excuse them for a few moments and to inform the Pentagon that the former President had been located and was in good health. The agent snapped out of his trance and left the office while talking into his radio.
Harold Jameson spoke hesitantly, “Sally … you were taken on board the spacecraft again, weren’t you?”
She could see that her disappearance had been very stressful for him.
She replied, “Yes. It was the second encounter we’d been expecting.”
“Thank goodness you’re alright,” he said to her.
She spoke, “The 12 of us were perfectly safe, but right now the whole world is in grave danger.”
“What did they tell you?” he asked.
Her voice was trembling. “They told us that humankind mostly failed to comply with the Ultimatum and that remediation is imminent …” She paused as she took stock of her own words, then pulled herself together. “I need to call President West right now!”
11:05 a.m. Earth: Jameson Country Manor
The former President grabbed the portable phone from its station and speed-dialled the White House’s priority number.
She was deeply relieved that she and the 11 other Principals had taken precautionary measures to relocate their families to safe zones. She only wished that more people had listened to them. Their families’ safety would at least be one less worry on their minds during this tense time.
Her call was answered after just four seconds.
“Good day, White House priority call centre. How can I help you?” asked the receptionist.
“This is former President Jameson. I need to speak with President West urgently, regarding a national emergency.”
“Certainly, Madam President. I shall direct your call immediately, please hold the line.”
An orchestral version of the national anthem then played into her ear while she waited. Two minutes went by … what could be taking so long? The anthem was muted and the line clicked back to life.
It was the receptionist again. “Madam President, I do apologise for the delay. The President has excused himself from a budget meeting and will be taking your call within the next minute.”
“I appreciate your assistance,” said the former President.
“My pleasure, Madam President. Hold the line and I will transfer you shortly.”
The anthem music returned. Jameson thought through her approach, which she knew would have to be as diplomatic as she could possibly manage. She saw President West as a thoroughbred, cut-throat politician who thrived on superiority and self-importance. She sensed that whatever tactics she used, the conversation was destined to end up in confrontation. They communicated on a first name basis, since both loathed referring to the other as president.
It was a full 30 seconds before the phone clicked back to life with her arch rival, Terry West, on the other end of the line.
“Sally, this had better be very good!” he bellowed.
His opening statement was curt, bordering on aggressive. They had fought with one another ever since he had taken office from her two and a half years earlier. From day one he had embarked on a brutal character assassination of his predecessor. He had battered her reputation, even calling into question her sanity about the entire encounter and Ultimatum saga. She viewed him as a pretentious and arrogant man who was more interested in furthering his own political aspirations, than pursuing what was best for his nation and citizens.
She spoke, “Terry … politics aside, we have a national emergency on our hands!”
“Not again, Sally. I don’t have the …”
She interrupted him, “Terry, you have to hear me out. The 12 of us Principals have just had a second encounter with the Supreme Beings. They have returned to Earth as promised, and confirmed that we failed to comply with the Ultimatum. They then informed us that …”
“Stop! Wait just a minute there, Sally. I’m not going to waste my valuable time listening to your outrageous extra-terrestrial stories again. This has got to …”
The former President cut him short by shouting down the phone, “Terry, listen to me! The Supreme Beings spacecraft is in orbit around our planet right now and remediation on a global scale is imminent. Stop whatever it is you’re doing right now and declare a national emergency. Then get yourself, your Joint Chiefs of Staff and your Combatant Commanders to urgent safety.”
“Speak English to me, Sally. What remediation?” he shouted.
She responded angrily, “Remediation is mass external intervention to deal with our non-compliance! Expect the worst … a global attack of some sort.”
President West was taken aback by her statement. He was not at all familiar with the Ultimatum since he had never taken it seriously.
He resumed his professionally calm tone, “Sally, what you’re saying to me is completely absurd. Extra-terrestrials from outer space coming to attack us, how can you expect me to entertain this far-fetched nonsense. I’ll be the laughing stock of this nation and the world if I take any notice of what you have to say. I will not embarrass myself at your request. Besides, even if it were true, why should we listen to the hollow threats of some supposedly superior beings that don’t even have the courage or decency to engage us in open negotiations before taking action?”
“Terry, you have to listen to me, there’s no time for games here. Don’t do this to yourself, or the nation that you have been entrusted to protect. You have been mandated to guard the people of the United States and I order you to do just that, or by God, I will have you thrown out of office for dereliction of duty. Fabricate some plausible story if you have to, but get yourself to safety immediately. Go ahead and verify my statements by contacting any of the other 11 Principals who shared the previous encounter experience with me. You know who they are. Phone the Chinese President first. He will give you full confirmation,” said Jameson.
West responded, “So th
is is what you’ve finally resorted to, Sally. Trying to weave me into your tangled web of deceit and science fiction in a futile attempt to discredit me while I’m in office. It’s not going to work on me, Sally. So I’m going to go back to my meeting now and put this whole conversation behind me … and to spare your reputation what little dignity it has left, I shall refrain from mentioning that this conversation ever took place. Goodbye, Sally.”
The line was cut. The President had just hung up on the former President.
11:05 a.m. Earth: White House – Scepticism
Terry West shook his head in irritation as he slammed his mobile phone down on the desk in front of him. He stood motionless in the private suite where he had taken the call. This whole nonsensical story about the encounter was just too much for his conventional mind.
He genuinely believed that the whole Ultimatum saga had been nothing but an inglorious farce, but for some reason, something deep down in his gut stirred, and he felt a creeping fear. Maybe it was the ‘dereliction of duty’ threat that Sally Jameson had just hurled at him. He closed his eyes, lifted his hand towards his face and rested his forehead on his thumb and forefinger.
After a full minute of contemplation he reluctantly picked his mobile up off the desk and speed-dialled his Chief of Staff. She answered within seconds and he relayed an instruction to her, then ended the call.
Moments later his mobile rang and he answered it. “Yes?”
It was his Chief of Staff. “Mr President. I have the Chinese President on the line for you as requested …”
11:05 a.m. Earth: China – Mobilisation
President Zhuge had been in his office for five minutes after returning from the encounter. During that time he had confirmed that all was in order after his two hour disappearance, and also given the command for his readied Chinese Armed Forces to mobilise for imminent deployment. He was to be collected from his office in five minutes time for relocation to the National Military Command Centre located beneath a mountain immediately west of Beijing. From there he would assist in the coordination and monitoring of his Armed Forces.
Wake-up Call: 2035 Page 37