As always - All rights and Characters © Beverly Taff

“I’m tired. Please let me get some rest. Today we, the people of the world worked together. Men and women from all different races and religions saved the planet. Tomorrow I’ll tell you how we work together to save humanity.”

The whole world waited on what this amazing man had to say.

The next morning, Charlie stood at a podium outside the Darwin factory. He waited for the crowd to quiet down before he started.

“A poor man wanders out of the desert. He is dying of thirst. His wife is dying of hunger. Their baby needs medicine. He sees a man sitting on top of a mountain of water, food and medicine. He says, can I please have some? The man says no. I might need it.”

He paused and let this sink in.

“That man on the mountain is insane, greedy or just plain evil. That’s what billionaires and rich people like me have been doing for thousands of years. It is insanity. There is a misused passage in the Christian Bible; The poor will always be with us. This is only a matter of degree. We throw away huge amounts of food and medicine. Yet allow babies to die through lack of healthcare. People starve every day. This happens because we allow it. I’m saying no more. I will use my wealth to help the world. When I die, I would want people say, he helped ten million people, rather than he made five hundred billion dollars. Our greatest assets are each other. I plan to set up factories in countries that want my help. I'm embarking on the biggest ship building program in the history of humankind. My ships can be used to farm under the sea and access the most remote of areas. They can transport food and water to anywhere it's needed.”

There was a murmur growing in the crowd as his news was commented on.

“Please I’m not finished. I propose to offer my technology to all the countries of the world.”

This caused a surge of questions.

“I will get to that. Australia and Britain are the first members of the United Spacefaring Countries. We are inviting all the nations of the world to join the USC. To join you must agree to all our terms. Any country joining will have a vote on the USC council. Once you are accepted, you will be given ten anti-gravity vessels.

The was a cacophony of sound. Charlie pressed a button and list appeared on the huge screen behind him.

1)True equality. No matter what gender, relgion, race or sexual preference.

2)Peace, you must not be at war. (The temptation to use the vessels for war would be too great)

3) Your people must be given free healthcare. (The USC will offer help to countries after assessment)

4) Your people must not be in food poverty. (The USC will offer help to countries after assessment)

5) Any country using the technology for violence or harm will have their vessels disabled until they are investigated.

6) Any member must agree to continuing assessment of the above conditions

7)Charlie Sage will have an absolute veto on all decisions made by the USC.

There was an uproar. Questions were shouted at him from all directions.

“I know the healthcare part will be difficult, but many countries around the world already do it. The idea of someone dying because they can’t afford the drugs is as bad as someone starving to death.”

“Sorry madam? Who died and made me king of space? No one died, because I saved the planet. I’m not stopping anyone going into space. If they want to use my technology though, they will obey my rules.”

“Please listen. What just happened should be a wakeup call. We are vulnerable. If you want your history and your cultures to survive, we must go out there, amongst the planets. We may even reach the stars soon. We need to sort this planet out using the resources of the planets and the moons to expand humankind’s habitat. Humans have fought about resources and land since we first started to farm. Now we have almost infinite resources and land. It will be hard work, but we can do it.”

The questions ket coming.

A year later Peter was on Mars having a cup of tea with Charlie. Peter waited until the canteen had emptied out.

“Are you looking forward to the first full meeting of the USC Peter? It all went better than I thought. So many countries don’t want to be left behind. They were falling over themselves to comply.”

“I have my shadow friends spreading propaganda in the Feminist Republic. Sylvia Milbourn is in the running for president. I think she will agree to your conditions if she wins. After that the last few feminist controlled countries will probably fall. Making it a condition that any USC country can't deal with countries that violate human rights is ruining them.”

“Well nine members in a year is a good start Peter. Some of the scientists I meet at Darwin had an idea about looping around the sun and getting a huge gravity speed boost. They think we could get to Proxima Centauri in about ten years. There are a few plantes in the goldilocks zone there. It would need a huge ship for the supplies, but I'm sure I can figure it out. Hopefully we can get more of the lager countries to join next year. India should be joining in a few months, but I don’t think China will ever agree to the conditions.”

Peter glanced about to make sure no one could hear.

“Well played by the way. The whole thing. Genius.”

Charlie gave Peter a sideways glance.

“What do you mean Peter.”

“I may not be up to your level Charlie, but please give me credit. I've suspected for months now. You set it all up.”

Charlie laughed.

“What gave me away.”

“I watched the video of the asteroid. There was another explosion after it was diverted. That was the huge anti-grave engine you used to aim it at earth wasn’t it.”

“Yes, I was getting rid of the evidence. I thought I might have had to use it, but there was enough power in the ships to do the job. What I didn’t anticipate was all of Dawn’s engines blowing. I took one offline, but it still blew. Sylvia really did save me. Ironic really. Feminista's worst enemy being saved by a woman from the Feminist Republic. I bet Wilson soiled herself.”

“I also knew you wouldn’t have left your family on the planet if you thought there was any real danger.”

“Well it was worth it Peter. The world is slowly turning from dystopia to utopia. I had to get everyone’s attention. Chloe wouldn't talk to me for a week when I told her.”

“You certainly did get the world's attentiont Charlie. Oh, and I watched some of those twentieth century sci-fi videos you told me about. I love Armageddon, by the way. Star Trek was good too. USC? Good job you didn’t call this UFP.”

“Did you watch all the Star Trek series.”

“Nearly, not sure about the one I’m watching now though. Hardly any men in it. It’s like the ship is run by the feminists of the old UQ”

“Oh I know that one.”

They both fell about laughing.