Chapter 8: The United Nations

We had booked into a hotel on East 45th Street, almost across the road from the United Nations building. The next morning after breakfast we returned to our rooms to dress in our finery. Brian and myself wore our dress uniforms. Kah, and Weem dressed in their long fine robes.

Leaving the hotel, we crossed First Avenue to enter the United Nations compound. After enquiring at the front desk, we were greeted by a young man who introduced himself. "Admiral Axon? My name is Gerald Grieves, I'm one of the assistant Spokespersons on the staff of the Secretary General. I'm afraid there has been a bit of a delay. When the Secretary General informed the President of the Security Council, they decided that it should be a joint session. It has taken a little longer to set up. Meanwhile, I've been directed to look after you and your party. Welcome to the United Nations."

"Thank you. May I present you to the leader of the planet Osmum, which orbits Alpha Centaurus B, This is Kah, and his daughter, Weem, also Ensign Crisp of the American Space Service."

After nodding at Brian, he turned to Kah and said, "How do you do, Sir. I'm afraid that I do not speak your language."

"That is quite all right," replied Kah, "We speak yours."

"Your English is excellent, Sir," said Gerald.

Kah had been looking a little smug as he addressed the Assistant Spokesperson, but was taken aback slightly by his reply.

"I thought that I was speaking American."

"They are almost the same, Sir. I think that it was George Bernard Shaw who said we were 'two countries separated by a common language'. Please, come this way."

He then led us through a door, which he unlocked using a key card. Then, via an elevator, we were escorted to an office on the twenty third floor. Opening the door, we saw that the rest of the party was already there. After about ten minutes of small talk, we were whisked away to the General Assembly hall. We were shown to seats off to one side at the front of the hall where we faced the mass of the members present.

There was the smart rap of a gavel as the President of the General Assembly called the meeting to order. He was flanked by the Secretary General and the President of the Security Council. After some opening remarks, he called on the President of the United States of America, who rose from where we were seated, and crossed to the speakers podium in front of the presiding officials.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I requested this opportunity to address you today, to report on the progress that we, of this Nation, have made in the exploration of deep space. Some time ago, a deep space drive was invented in one of our Universities in Arkansas. That drive was mounted in the wingless body of a Boeing aircraft. In their attempts to demonstrate this craft to an official of our Patents Office, they landed their craft in a Washington Park. This park was adjacent to the Washington National Airport, which I was visiting at the time. From where I was in the control tower, I could see the craft for myself as it took off. It rose into the air smoothly. Swiftly it was out of sight. There had been some communication with the control tower to ensure that there would be no interference with normal flights. I asked to meet them on their return, which I did. As a result of that meeting, I was invited to enjoy a short ride with them. You will now see the video of that excursion."

He took a sip of water as the screens on either side of the podium displayed the flight that he had taken with us. I had thought mistakenly that the video was an edited version which excluded our encounter with the International Space Station. He had forgotten the International part of the name and had mistakenly addressed an Australian, and an Englishman, as Americans. This lapse caused a ripple of amusement to run through the Delegates. I realised that the President had deliberately included this incident to lighten the mood of the meeting, and thought how I could do the same. The video ended with the landing on the White House lawn, and the President continued.

"You have seen how easily mankind can now move into space. It was felt by my Cabinet, that further development should take place as a National effort rather than as private enterprise. Furthermore we decided to inaugurate a Space Service analogous to the Coast Guard Service. This service is led by Admiral William Axon, whom I call upon now, to address you."

He descended from the podium as I approached it, and gave me a wink in passing. I looked out at the massed Delegates before me, and resisting the urge to shout to be heard at the back of the hall, I began.

"Ladies and Gentlemen. If you have not seen our web site, then I would advise you to do so. It will show you almost the full range of our explorations to date. Our initial target for exploration was the star system of Epsilon Eridani in the mistaken belief that a single star was a better bet than a multi star system like Alpha Centaurus. We were wrong. A planet of Alpha Centaurus is inhabited by beings who are the same as us, almost exactly. But the planet that they live on, is not their home world. That was destroyed by an atomic conflict which allowed only a very small fraction of their population to escape. From them we discovered that there were other people in the Milky Way Galaxy. Those others, in turn, showed us a Federation of some half a thousand inhabited worlds, in this arm of the galaxy. We returned bearing the Ambassador of that Federation, Kerl Rand."

I flung out my arm to indicate Kerl, and to beckon him to the podium. I clapped hoping that the Delegates would follow me, and they did. There was thunderous applause as Kerl mounted the podium.

"People of Earth, I bring you greetings from the Federation of Inhabited Systems. As Admiral Axon said, there are just over five hundred planets that are at least as developed as yourselves. There are about another eight hundred star systems that contain life. Some of that life is sentient, but less developed than yourselves. I am here today to represent the Federation and to ask, if you would wish to join us. I am not asking for an immediate decision as we are aware that you need to get to know us better. However, be assured that the invitation stands as you do become familiar with us. Thank you."

He turned and bowed to the three behind him to indicate that he had completed his statement. There was more applause, which Kerl acknowledged by inclining his head to the Delegates.

The President of the General Assembly spoke, "The meeting is now open for questions. I call upon the Delegate from Brazil."

"Mister Ambassador," I heard in my headphone, "what is the price of admission to your Federation?"

"It is several thousand years of servitude as the administrators of the Federation." There was a sharp intake of breath and a low mutter from his audience. Kerl continued, "Let me assure you that it is nowhere near as bad as that sounds. The benefits are enormous. It would mean the end of want and deprivation. The end of all conflict and regional differences. The Federation is run with a small surplus that ensures plenty for all. Your race would first become our apprentices. You would eventually be taking over the reins from my race, as Administrators of the Federation, until another race becomes ready to take over from you."

"The chair calls on the Delegate from France."

"Can the Ambassador tell us how the Federation is governed?"