by Tori Harris
“I apologize for the interruption,” Crull said, still furious and now also justifiably concerned that a major breach of information security had just occurred. “I believe you were about to tell us how we should address you.”
“Yes, as to that, I am open to suggestions. I hope you will find me easy to communicate with, and not easily offended. In some cases, organizations such as yours suggest some sort of contest where the world’s children vote on their preference, but, really, can anyone here think of anything more tedious?” it laughed. “Some of your military members have taken to calling me ‘GORT.’ Now, you see, that’s a great example of the Human sense of humor. An apt reference, in my opinion … I love it.”
“I am truly sorry. I’m sure they meant no offense. I will personally make sure that does not happen …”
“Nonsense,” the Guardian interrupted. “As I said, I am not easily offended, and that reference is not only fitting, but it’s all in good fun. In any event, if you are looking for a Human-sounding name to call me, how about ‘Griffin?’ I’ll admit to being a fan of Terran mythology, and the Griffin was a majestic beast said to be the king of all creatures — part lion, part eagle. Like dragons, they were said to be known for guarding hordes of treasure and priceless possessions, which, in a manner of speaking, is precisely why I was sent here in the first place. Besides,” he chuckled, “there’s one on our flag.”
“A griffin? On the flag of the Pelaran Alliance? But how is that even possible?”
“Ah, well, I expect that will be one of a great many topics that symbolic anthropologists will be poring over for the next several centuries,” he said. “Without getting too far off topic, I can tell you that there are common threads among the mythologies and their accompanying symbols of most intelligent species. That’s especially true when the species have quite a bit in common. When you consider that symbology tends to arise from how people interpret the world around them, it makes sense that similar species would come up with similar symbols.”
“So you’re saying that we are similar to the Pelarans, then?” Crull asked.
“That, Madame Chairwoman, would be an understatement, but let’s handle one earth-shattering revelation at a time, shall we?”
“Very well,” she replied after a moment. “Griffin the Guardian it is, then.”
“Perhaps we should just stick with ‘Griffin,’ but, yes, that should work nicely. Now, about this time, someone will typically ask the question, ‘What happens next?’ so, if you will permit me …”
“That was, in fact, my next question,” Crull interjected.
“Induction into the Pelaran Alliance can be a bit tricky from both a societal and political perspective. That’s particularly true for a world such as yours where there is no worldwide governmental body, per se. That’s because the more enlightened civilizations tend to follow a path of self-determination, which implies that most people are reasonably happy with their current form of government. Well, that is, happy enough that they will typically resist any significant change orchestrated by someone they perceive as an ‘outsider,’ which certainly applies in this case.”
Christenson arched an eyebrow at this, but reserved comment for the moment. He was keenly aware that his one-word contribution to the discussion, while justifiable, had probably been foolish and ill-timed on his part. The last thing he wanted to do was provide Crull with sufficient cause to mount some sort of campaign to have him ousted from the Leadership Council. He stared at her surreptitiously for a moment and noticed that she was sweating profusely. Odd. He could think of a great many adjectives to describe Crull, but nervous was certainly not one of them.
“So,” the newly dubbed “Griffin” continued, “that is one of the fundamental reasons we insist that our Regional Partners — and by that, I mean civilizations like yours that are invited to join the Alliance — establish an organization such as your Terran Fleet Command once we begin the process of sharing our technological data.”
“Is there some sort of formal invitation process?” Crull asked.
“There is indeed. After we have concluded here today, I will transmit a series of documents that, together, constitute our official offer of admission. Most of them are simply informational, but there are also copies of the actual legal documents we typically use when inducting new members. You are, unfortunately, already familiar with the Alliance’s tendency to use rather legalistic documentation,” he sighed. “I do apologize for that. Honestly, if there is any one thing I think we can and should improve within our organization, it’s reducing the level of bureaucracy.”
Christenson pressed a button at his console, providing an indication at Crull’s lectern as well as on the floor of the meeting chamber that he wished to speak. She paused and stared at him for a moment as if toying with the idea of ignoring him completely. He was a popular representative, however, both publicly and among the other members of the Council. She also knew that, now that he had formally requested the floor, she ultimately did not have the authority to prevent him from speaking. Not yet, anyway.
“Griffin, I believe we have a question from the floor,” she said pleasantly. She then stared momentarily at Christenson through narrowed eyes as an obvious warning that he was on very thin ice at this point.
“I expected we might,” the Guardian replied. “I will do my best to answer questions for as long as you feel is necessary. I will tell you, however, that many of the questions you have now will probably be answered within the context of the documentation I’m about to provide. In any event, fire away … I’m guessing you’ll get tired of asking before I get tired of answering.”
“Thank you,” Christenson said, coming to his feet. “Assuming that membership in the Pelaran Alliance is something we, as a planet, would like to pursue,” he paused, taking the measure of his fellow Council members, “would you please take a moment to explain how we would go about the process of getting something like that approved? I’m sure you are aware that Terran Fleet Command has no authority along those lines, and, furthermore, Humanity has never even attempted to agree to something like that on a worldwide basis.”
“That’s an excellent question, Councilman Christenson, and does a great job of getting at the heart of the most common problem facing many prospective members. First off, yes, I do agree that Terran Fleet Command does not have sufficient authority to approve membership in the Alliance on behalf of Earth. You do, however, make decisions affecting the entire population of your world every single day, do you not?”
Christenson paused, not having expected such an immediate and direct challenge to the essence of his argument. “Within the context of our charter, yes, I suppose we do.”
“You do indeed. I will further suggest that your charter implies a significant level of latitude in making those kinds of planetary decisions. Just as an example, the vast majority of Humans believe that Terran Fleet Command is largely a scientific organization, and that your ‘fleet’ consists of precisely one unarmed frigate. I assume that the long series of decisions that brought you to that state of affairs was made without the need for some kind of mass, planet-wide voting process. Am I correct?”
The corners of Crull’s mouth turned upwards in a barely concealed smirk.
“Although I have not agreed with all of the decisions that have brought us to this point, yes, that is correct,” Christenson replied. “Other than our being elected, or appointed in some cases, to our positions on the Leadership Council, we do not require the approval of our respective member nations in order to make decisions on their behalf.”
“Oh, I would not expect any duly elected representative to always agree with the decisions of their organization at large. Nor would I expect the people you represent to always agree with how you choose to represent them. Such, dear Councilman, is the nature of government by proxy. In any event,” the Guardian continued, satisfied that the momentum of the discussion was now in its favor, “a few minutes ago, I mentioned self-determinati
on among individual nations. We believe strongly in this concept, be it at the local, state, nation, world, or Alliance level. Where membership in the Alliance is concerned, this can be accomplished in a variety of different ways, but the end result must be that the majority of Humanity as a whole must be in favor of membership, preferably by a two-thirds majority.”
“I doubt seriously you could get two-thirds of Humanity to agree that you even exist. So what do you propose?” Christenson asked, still holding the floor.
“Point well taken, Councilman,” he said agreeably. “Although there are historical precedents for a global vote, most nations on Earth are accustomed to some form of representative government. In cases such as this, each nation’s decision typically falls to the governmental body empowered to enact treaties on their behalf. In the case of your nation, for example, I believe the Senate will conduct the vote, hopefully based on the wishes of your people. Each nation’s decision will then be weighted in direct proportion to their population. Since Terran Fleet Command is generally seen as trustworthy by the public, I recommend you take a lead role in disseminating information so that people can make an informed decision.”
“I’m sure our membership would be happy to help distribute the information once we have had the opportunity to review it,” Crull spoke up, anxious for Christenson to sit back down before he managed to cause his second “interstellar incident” of the day. “I’m afraid that I have to agree with my colleague, however. The Pelaran Alliance has shown a level of generosity towards our world that we can never hope to repay. Still, I don’t have a great deal of confidence that the public at large will be particularly keen on the idea of membership. I believe many will see it as a threat to our world’s sovereignty.”
There was a discernable period of silence on the comlink as if the Guardian were considering how best to answer a particularly difficult question. “At the risk of concluding our first conversation on an ominous note, I feel it’s important for you to understand that no civilization has ever declined an invitation to join the Alliance. I suppose such a thing is possible, but would require us to examine a number of … shall we say … legal issues surrounding Humanity’s use of Pelaran technology. In any case, let’s not burden ourselves with such an unlikely outcome,” the Guardian said dismissively. “After all, the only reason your population might be concerned about a threat to what they perceive as your world’s ‘sovereignty’ is that they still labor under the illusion that Terra is an isolated island surrounded by an infinite, peaceful sea. For their own benefit, it is time they were permanently relieved of that rather childish notion. Leave that to me.”
Chapter 8
Earth
(The following day — worldwide data stream broadcast)
Twenty-third-century communications being what they were, practically any news or entertainment of widespread, general interest was available to most of Humanity in real-time. The lines separating various forms of popular media had long since blurred, resulting in a single, global communications network, readily accessible on devices ranging from the ubiquitous tablet to the wall-sized displays present in most homes and businesses. Accordingly, it took only a single call from an “unnamed Terran Fleet Command source” to one of the leading commercial news corporations in order to alert the entire planet that the Guardian was about to make its first public announcement. In an unprecedented feat of modern, global communications, over seven billion of the planet’s twelve billion Human beings (and two Wek) were watching live as the Guardian finally made “his” public debut.
The video feed began with an unassuming podium centered in the front of what appeared to be a tasteful, if somewhat plain, conference room — similar to those found in any corporate setting the world over. The only real decoration in evidence was the now familiar dark blue flag bearing Terran Fleet Command’s seal to the speaker’s left, and another, unfamiliar flag in the place of honor to the speaker’s right. At precisely the top of the hour, a door on one side of the room opened and a young, athletic-looking Human male entered and strode confidently to the podium. His appearance was neat, but rather casual. His hair and skin tone made his ethnic origin difficult to guess. In fact, like the multicultural avatars used for centuries to represent popular commercial products, his computer-generated visage was carefully crafted to look like all Human beings, while at the same time looking like no one in particular.
“It’s such an honor to finally have the opportunity to appear before you in person, so to speak, and communicate with each of you directly,” he began, flashing a disarming smile. “We’ve actually been together for a great many years, you and I, and I’m pleased that the time has finally come for the next phase of our relationship. You see, I have been right here in your neighborhood doing the job for which I was created since long before any of you hearing my voice today were even born.” As he spoke, the camera position and framing changed in a perfectly choreographed dance, highlighting his charismatic delivery and reinforcing the emotional impact of his words. “Nearly five hundred of your years have passed since I had the pleasure of seeing your beautiful world for the first time.
“Much more recently, over the past fifty years or so, my work here required me to make my presence known by sharing some of our technology with you. Since then, you have probably heard me referred to as simply ‘The Guardian.’ That’s certainly fine, and it’s an apt description of one of the primary reasons I was sent here. If you prefer something a little more personal, there are a few people who have started calling me ‘Griffin.’ This name is a reference to a creature from Human mythology that is remarkably similar to one used as a symbol for the Pelaran Alliance. Yes, I know the idea of being on a first name basis with, uh, well, with some sort of ‘thinking machine,’ might seem a little strange at first. That’s okay. I’m pretty easy to get along with and we’ll get used to one other in no time.
“Now, I’m guessing if I could allow each of you to ask your top three questions, one of the most common ones would be precisely what I’m doing here in the first place. That’s certainly a fair question. After all, this is your world and it’s easy to understand how my presence here might be viewed as an unwelcome intrusion. If you will indulge me for a few minutes, I’d like to respond to that question by describing my mission in a broader sense.
“You could think of my work here as having three distinct objectives or phases. The first was to act, as my original title implied, as your world’s guardian and protector. That part is fairly self-explanatory. Once your civilization was chosen as a candidate for membership in the Alliance, and I’ll get to that in a moment, my first priority was to protect you until you reached the point where you were able to defend yourselves. That brings us to my second objective. When I judged that the time was right, I began acting as your guide and advocate. The most obvious way this was accomplished was by providing the information necessary to accelerate your technological growth. I hope it doesn’t sound condescending for me to observe that your civilization has grown and matured in a wide variety of areas over the past fifty years … and not just where technology is concerned. You have worked together as a global society on a truly massive scale, and Terran Fleet Command is perhaps the most dramatic and visible evidence of your success.
“Finally, my address to you today is an example of my third role — acting as an emissary on behalf of the Pelaran Alliance. I will do my best to be transparent and honest with you in accomplishing this objective. For example, I can tell you without reservation that I hope to eventually convince you to become our newest member world. Simply stated, I think you’re ready, and Terra’s membership will reap tremendous benefits, both for you and for the Alliance as a whole.
“At this point, you might be thinking, ‘You’ve told us what you’re doing here, but not why you’re doing it. Why here? Why now?’ Well, as you can imagine, that’s a complex topic with more detail than I can possibly share with you today, but I’ll try to summarize as best I can. I’ve als
o started the process of making much more detailed information regarding the Pelaran Alliance available through Terran Fleet Command’s Leadership Council. I encourage each of you to spend some time familiarizing yourself with some of our history and how the Alliance is organized.
“As to why Earth was selected, there are a great many reasons. The Alliance takes the process of inducting new members very seriously, and there is an exhaustive process used to identify candidate civilizations and then vet them over an extended period of time to ensure a good fit. In our long history, no member civilization has ever left the Pelaran Alliance, and that’s largely due to our selection process. I won’t bore you with a long list of criteria, but we look at everything from location, to natural resources, to the intelligence and temperament of candidate species.
“In Earth’s case, one particular trait made your offer of membership much more likely. I have occasionally referred to you as ‘Children of the Makers.’ That title has a very specific and powerful meaning within the Pelaran Alliance. The Pelarans themselves are actually a single species that now reside on a great many worlds. When they first achieved faster-than-light travel and began exploring the galaxy, they chanced upon a world inhabited by a species with a genetic makeup that was nearly identical to their own. Even in an infinite universe, I think you will agree that such a coincidence is … unlikely, to say the least. Since then, many such species have been discovered. Sadly, even after millennia of study, the origin of these — what I believe you would refer to as Humanoid — species remains a mystery. Although a great many tantalizing clues have been discovered, the only certainty is that each of their homeworlds was seeded by some precursor civilization. The Pelarans refer to this parental species as the ‘Makers,’ and finding them remains one of our greatest aspirations.