The Divine Dissimulation [Complete]

Chapter 12 The Terran Council Meeting

The following day, the Terran Council meeting took place on the top floor of Europium Tower. The top-level was a giant glass dome with a 360-degree vision of the land below. At the height of 7000 meters, the sight range was 300 kilometres in every direction on a sunny day. The glass covering the levels were built to be bullet and explosion-proof as House Muller had many enemies among the general population. The levels below the top-level were filled with automated defensive weapon systems to shoot down any non-authorized incoming objects.

In the centre of the room was a table made of a type of wood that only existed in the Alpha Centauri system. This was to symbolise that House Muller was the only Terran faction, which had brought things back other star systems. The room also held several ornamental objects made from materials only available in the Alpha Centauri system to signify that House Muller was peerless when it came to space exploration.

Abraham scoffed at the concept of spending so much time and money bringing wood to Earth. Hans Muller, leader of House Muller and Chairman for the Terran Council, approached him

Hans Muller:

-          What's the matter Abraham, you don't seem to appreciate our priceless collection of interstellar materials?

Abraham Goldstein:

-          No. It must have cost a billion Terran Credits send this stuff back to Earth. Such a waste.

Hans Muller:

-          Yes, my great grandfather's legacy was not beneficial to our faction. Colonization of Alpha Centauri cost a fortune, but it has been paid now, and we get to enjoy this marvellous furniture.

-          Funny that you complain about the cost of space colonisation. The pre-meetings minutes state you want to build a new asteroid colony.

Abraham Goldstein:

-          Yes, but I determine that colony to be priceless from a scientific perspective. Science can be worth more than anything in the universe. A table, on the other hand, is just a table

Hans Muller:

-          Funny how you say that.

-          Science is only priceless to a company if they are the sole possessor of that technology. The technologies we developed for the Alpha Centauri expedition are our secrets. This beautiful table on the hand is for everyone to enjoy.

Abraham Goldstein:

-          Regardless my research facilities on Antarctica are more impressive than this table.

Hans Muller:

-          The rest of your factions seem unhappy with your research spending. How unfortunate with the murders at your Annual General Meeting

-          Regardless everyone is here, and our meeting is about to begin, hopefully with fewer fatalities!

The meeting started, and the delegates were seated around the table. The meeting was filmed, as an edited version was broadcast to the news outlets after the meeting. The cameras went on, and Hans Muller started his opening statement.

Hans Muller

-          Welcome to the Terran Council Annual General Meeting

-          We welcome our distinguished delegates and thank them for giving the council mandate to make decisions that are in the best interest for all Terrans.

-          First, I would like to send my condolences to my dear friend Abraham Goldstein for losing five family members during the Annual General Meeting of House Goldstein.

-          The council will help in any way possible to punish the heinous criminals behind these murders.

Upon hearing this, Abraham frowned and clenched his teeth. He had kept the deaths a secret, and now they were made public during a television broadcast seen all over the planet. The camera zoomed in on him, and he realised he was meant to say something.

Abraham Goldstein:

-          I am thankful for the condolences. The perpetrators of these heinous crimes will be captured and dealt with. Now let's resume with the issues.

Joachim Muller, the young and progressive CEO for House Muller, started the statement for the next issue:

-          Dear delegates. I am Joachim Muller, newly appointed CEO for House Muller.  I visited Mars a few years back and I noticed how much suffering there was. That is why I am allowing Agnes Bojaxhiu from One Humanity to speak via a hologram link.

A hologram of Agnes Bojaxhiu appeared in the room. She was a peculiar sight wearing dull and worn out clothes looking like a poor Martian. She addressed the delegates with an accusing tone:

-          Dear oppressors and fascists in this assembly!

-          The Martians are suffering. Their water is toxic, their food is scarce, and their workplaces are unsafe. Many of them even lack basic healthcare. But this can be changed if you sinners stop lining your pockets and instead spend money on helping Mars. With present Terran technology and proper investments, Mars can easily give 4 billion people a good life. It's not too late, repent your sins now and help Mars or forever burn in hell!

Hans Muller was furious and turned off the hologram:

-          Joachim, this was not what I expected when I granted you permission to lead this subject. Please leave now. We will talk about this incident later.

Before Joachim Muller had time to respond security personnel had already arrived to escort him out of the room.  After a brief pause Hans Muller spoke again:

-          I am genuinely sorry, gentlemen. When Joachim asked to make a statement, I could not imagine that THIS was what he had in mind.

Wong Cheng the chairman of House Cheng replied:

-          Apology accepted. I assume that Agnes will be deported to Venus straight away?

Hans Muller:

-          Yes, she will be detained and severely punished.

-          Next to speak is Abraham Goldstein who has made a special request to the Terran Council.

Abraham Goldstein smiled at Hans Muller and spoke:

-          I want that the ownership of the asteroids B528A and B528B are transferred to House Goldstein indefinitely, with an exclusion zone around it.

-          I plan to launch a ground-breaking new asteroid colony there and call it Eden.

Hans Muller:

-          The Terran Council can give you the asteroids, but we will not give you the exclusion zone. Mutual intelligence is the way to keep the peace.

-          On behalf of House Muller, I can promise you non-interference with whatever project you are planning as long as they are not a threat to us or Terran interests

Abraham Goldstein Chairman House Goldstein:

-          While it’s unfortunate that you feel compelled to spy on me, I accept your conditions

-          My project will improve conditions in our refugee detention centres on the moon. Resettling people to live on Eden under my supervision is more humane than sending them back to the war zone on Mars they came from.

Barry White CEO House White:

-          While I am happy for you to acquire some Martian subjects for whatever project you are planning, I am worried about the public’s reaction if this become public.

Abraham Goldstein Chairman House Goldstein:

-          My solution soothes the needs of those that want continued space colonisation and the needs of those fools that want us to close the refugee detention centres.

-          I don't think many Terrans would care if we resettled some of the Martians elsewhere.

Barry White CEO House White:

-          Very well, you have House White's approval to colonize B528A. Like House Muller, we promise non-interference in your asteroid research project

Hans Muller:

-          Very well, if no one has any objections, I declare this meeting finished.

-          …

-          Excellent. The Terran Council’s media department will have a press release ready by tomorrow. You are all urged to come to our press conference where selected members of the press are going to ask predetermined questions where you give predetermined answers.