Authors: Niko Perren
Tania let her audience digest what she’d just said. This is it. Ruth’s gambit. This is where I finish off Juarez.
She wavered. The silence started to stretch. “Do it,” Witty mouthed.
Ruth’s words, from long ago. When you stop feeling guilty. That’s when you know you’ve gone too far. They’d tried to find politicians to support Pax Gaia. But they’d failed. And without political support, even today’s great wave would crash against a unified wall of governments, and roll back to where it came from. Tania had to create a crack in that wall. Even if it was an illusion.
There’s no other way. Tania faced the camera and raised her voice. “Minutes before this show, I was in a call with the Presidents of South Africa, Indonesia, and Brazil.” Lies! “These brave leaders agreed to set an example by holding national referendums on Pax Gaia. And they are calling on other governments to join them.”
Cheering filled the room.
A technician scuttled to the desk, and whispered something to Witty.
“The police have arrived,” Witty interrupted. “If you’re in the LA area, this is your chance to make history. Our address is on your screen. Help us stay on the air. Show the world that President Juarez does not speak for America!”
The broadcast switched to an outside view. Police vans were roaring in from all sides, sirens flashing. Officers poured out, pulling on riot gear. The first officer climbed the stairs and tried the door. Locked. He kicked it. Hard. And stumbled back hopping on one foot.
“Common mistake,” laughed Witty. “The doors are steel with a wood veneer. Sometimes my fans get too enthusiastic.”
The lights dipped, then came on again. “Oh, and we also have our own power supply and satellite links,” said Witty.
According to the number on the back wall, 1.2 billion people were now in the room with them, hanging on every word. “This is the most important day in history,” yelled Tania. “Today, we prove that we can work together to save our planet. Go to your government centers. Show your leaders that you want to follow the brave example of South Africa, Indonesia, and Brazil. And equally important, if you live in South Africa, Indonesia, or Brazil, show support for your government’s courage.” She imagined Mbani, screaming at the TV as supporters poured out onto the streets of Cape Town to thank him. He won’t call my bluff, though. He’s an opportunist, and I’ve made him a hero. But some day, I’ll owe him a favor.
Words poured out. “Jie’s dying for this.” Tears streamed and Tania didn’t care. “It’s 2050! Why is every city on Earth not surrounded by parks? Why are education and childhood nutrition not basic rights? Are the few dollars we save on food subsidies really worth the potential of an entire human lifetime?”
“Tania. Tania!” Witty was shaking her arm. “Look.”
The police had pulled out a laser cutter, but a crowd had gathered to protect the doorway, already outnumbering the officers two to one. Every moment more people poured in. The officers, unsure, fell back into a defensive line.
“Don’t be spectators!” urged Witty. “This is history! Take to the streets and watch me on your omnis. Make this the greatest public uprising our world has ever seen. You can be part of this moment!”
“Follow me,” Tania told the technicians. And with one of them recording her through a handheld, she jogged down the hallway, through the lobby full of celebrity photos, and to the front door. Bruno was guarding it, watching the outside video feed. “Are you sure?” he asked. “There are a lot of cops outside.”
“This revolution belongs to all of us,” said Tania. “Just like the shield does. I need to be out there.”
Bruno nodded and unlatched the bolts. Tania stepped outside, emerging at the top of the short stairway. Amazing. Even in the minute it had taken to run through the building, the crowd had doubled again. The police had set up a barrier across the street, and they stood together, shields locked, paingivers clenched in their gloved fists, faces anonymous behind the mirrored glass of their visors.
I’ve seen this before. In New York, when I first met Ruth. Tania recognized the coiled postures. They’re just waiting for an excuse.
Power sizzled through her, an almost tangible force. A few words and I could fan this situation out of control. Make the police attack unarmed civilians, with the whole world watching.
Waves of movement rippled through the crowd as people continued to arrive. Men, women, teenagers in absurdly tight jeans, whole families even, the children still groggy from having been dragged out of their beds. A young Asian boy walked past with his father, and for a moment Tania thought it was Jie and Cheng.
Atrocities. Police brutality. Do it, Tania. Kick the wasp’s nest. It’ll get us even more sympathy. Sometimes it’s worth committing a smaller crime to prevent a bigger one.
She saw an officer charging up his paingiver. She filled her lungs. And then the anger faded. I’ve pushed this far enough. If we can’t win with what we’ve done already, then we don’t deserve victory.
“This is a peaceful protest,” she bellowed. “Please don’t provoke the officers. The police are not your enemy. They are here to do a job. Do not threaten them.”
The crowd turned, and a deafening cheer rose from the street as they recognized her. She raised her hands for quiet, but as she started to speak, an amplified voice from one of the police cars interrupted her.
“Miss Black, you are under arrest. Help us avoid a confrontation by turning yourself in.”
“Officers, do you really want to support a President who would sacrifice the planet for her own personal gain?” Tania shouted. “You have families too. Lay down your paingivers and join us.”
Cheers from the crowd. Mingled shouts of “Join us, Join us, Join us” chaotic at first, then synchronized, a four thousand person heartbeat. Then one of the masked officers threw down her shield and paingiver and stepped into the crowd. For a moment, people edged back, and then the crowd roared with appreciation. Another officer joined. And then another, spreading confusion through the ranks.
“Today, we are the law!” shouted Tania.
At those words, the police line collapsed. A few more officers joined the crowd, but the majority retreated into their vans, unsure what to do next. The crowd filled the street, dancing, cheering and celebrating. And every moment more people arrived. The female police officer who had first broken ranks weaved through the clusters of “350” shirts, shaking hands, hugging people. She reached the bottom of the stairs, and stepped up to join Tania.
A wisp of red hair stuck out from the visor’s edge.
“Ruth?”
Tania could hear the laughter in Ruth’s voice. “When have I ever let you down?”
JIE SPUN SLOWLY in the cabin’s center to the sounds of a Beethoven string concerto. He’d been trying to synchronize his revolutions to the spacecraft’s thermal rotation, so that he could watch Earth move from porthole to porthole. But Earth had gotten ahead of him again. He pulled his arms closer to his chest, reducing his moment of inertia to increase his spin rate.
Three days. And not a word.
‹I feel like a roasted chicken,› he said out loud. Talking to himself. Breaking the silence.
Earth passed by the window.
There were worse ways to go. Like the cancer that had killed his grandfather, before gene therapies had turned the corner on the disease. I just wish I knew how it would end. Whether I actually made a difference. He had another flash of Cheng, screaming in pain at the hands of some nameless government agent. ‹We don’t want to do this to you, kid. It’s your dad’s fault.› Jie tried to kill the thoughts, but they just retreated to the darker corners of his mind, like wolves shrinking from a fire.
‹Hello. Hello. Mellow. Yellow. I’m a happy fellow!›
The radio stayed silent.
Jie opened the snack box and dug through protein packs, candy bars and chips. Nothing inspired him. What I’d give for a greenhouse tomato. He closed the lid and returned to his spinning.
Spin.
Spin.
‹Dad?›
Voices now. By the time I hit Earth’s atmosphere, I’ll be
…completely…
…mad.
‹Dad?› The voice was more urgent now.
‹Cheng?› Jie flapped like a startled bird, scrambling to reach a wall. He pulled himself around and turned off the music. ‹Cheng? Are you OK? Did they hurt you?›
Seconds passed as the signal crept through space, light speed reduced to a leisurely stroll.
Please…
‹I’m fine Dad. Some men took me and Mom to a hotel and wouldn’t let us leave. They yelled at Mom a lot. But yesterday they got really nice all of a sudden.›
This is a hoax. They’re simulating Cheng’s voice. They’ll ask for the shield password soon.
‹What did we see on our first day diving?›
‹A reef shark,› said Cheng. ‹It scared us out of the water. And we also saw whale sharks later. They were huge! And we saw lots of insects the next day, in the forest. We… we’re going back there, right Dad?›
‹Who else is with you, Cheng?›
Another agonizing delay.
‹Mom is with me,› said Cheng. ‹We’re in the control center. And Tania Black is conferenced in.›
“Afternoon Jie,” said Tania. “You won’t believe what’s happening here. I’m currently on a plane to Washington to testify to an emergency hearing of the House Judiciary Committee. They’re gathering evidence to impeach President Juarez.”
“So you and Ruth are OK? I was really worried. I didn’t have a chance to warn you, and I put you in so much danger.”
“It was pretty scary for a while,” said Tania. “But we’re OK.”
“Yes, everyone’s fine, Jie,” said Zhenzhen.
He could hear the note of sadness in her voice.
I’m not fine. Far from it. But he didn’t want to go there. Not yet. “Tell me everything,” said Jie.
Tania poured out the week’s events. “Pax Gaia is going to be run by qualified scientists, using computer neural nets to allot shield time. The deal is not sealed yet, but 140 countries have either pledged support, or promised referendums. South Africa was first.” Jie thought he heard a smile in her voice. “President Mbani called me thirty minutes after the Witty Show, and offered his full support. He said to thank you.”
Earth drifted past the window again. “I wish you could see this,” said Jie. “Earth is so beautiful from here. Moon is on left. The west coast of North America turned into the light an hour ago. The clouds are as bright as fresh snow.” He wiped at his tears with the back of his sleeve before they could float into the cabin. “I am glad we earned other chance to save it. I am so glad.”
‹Sorry to interrupt, Jie,› said a new voice. ‹Can you turn off the manual controls and give us access to the ERV? We’d like to assess your situation.›
Is this a trap after all? His fingers hesitated. But even if it is, what good will it do them to get control of the spacecraft now? I’m doomed. They can’t kill me a second time. He pushed the wire into the receptacle. The video screen awoke.
Cheng waved at him. ‹Dad. You grew a beard!›
THE HELICOPTER PILOT let go of the controls, allowing the computer to take over the flight. He leaned back to bump fists with Tania. “I’m not supposed to talk to passengers, but if I don’t say something, my kids will never forgive me. Dr. Black. You’re a hero.”
“I’m having a hard time believing this,” said Tania.
Washington lay paralyzed below them, traffic lined up like some pregrid rush hour. Protesters had come in from as far away as New York, switching to cars once the hyperloops had filled up, emptying their own cities of transport even as they overwhelmed Washington. The sidewalks swarmed with pedestrians who had abandoned their paralyzed vehicles, all streaming towards the Capitol Building, like pilgrims to Mecca. The Washington mall was solid with bodies.
The helicopter swooped over the white domes of the Capitol Building and landed on a lawn that was separated from the crowds by a police cordon. An agent searched Tania with a handheld scanner, then hurried her inside and down the polished marble hallway to the hearing chambers. A white-haired woman waited just inside the doors. She smiled, and shook Tania’s hand. “I’m Geraldine. Ruth’s counsel. I’ve kept her out of jail more than once. I’ll try to do the same for you.”
“I appreciate it,” said Tania. “Not that I need counsel. Juarez can’t spin this. No way.”
The Judiciary Committee was already filing in behind the curved judge’s benches. Behind them, paintings of robed men and women peered out from a wood-paneled wall heavy with flags. Tania and Geraldine walked past the rows of observers who packed the spectator seats: congressmen, senators, other faces she half recognized.
“Where are the press?” asked Tania, eyeing the empty back gallery.
“The committee closed the hearing,” said Geraldine. “No press.”
Justice behind closed doors. Tania felt the first stirrings of worry. Powerful Washington insiders watched Tania pass, scowling, eyes narrowed. This is more hostile than I expected. Maybe Ruth was right to insist on Geraldine’s presence.
President Juarez and a team of six legal advisors occupied a wooden table at the front of the room. They’d pulled their chairs into a semi-circle with the President at its focus, huddled in conversation, backs to the audience. A man in a black suit shot Tania and Geraldine a contemptuous glance, as if they had no right to share a room with the President. Paul Smith. The fucker who tortured me. Juarez didn’t even bother looking in Tania’s direction.
Tania and Geraldine hurried to the witness table as the committee took their seats. The room fell silent. Only the black-robed chairman remained standing. “This meeting of the House Committee of the Judiciary will come to order. Due to the extraordinary nature of this weekend’s events, the House Committee on Rules has passed special resolution 77183 authorizing an expedited hearing. We are here to determine if there are grounds to proceed with an investigation of impeachable conduct against President Juarez. This is a noble duty, of the greatest importance to our democracy. As servants of the people…”
Oh. Save me. The chairman droned on for nearly ten minutes about the nobility of public service. Then, one by one, all 35 committee members followed in his footsteps with repetitive, self-serving speeches distancing themselves from the scandal. Hours passed. Tania tried to focus, but could feel herself nodding. She’d slept for 12 hours straight after the stims had run their course, but it wasn’t enough.
Another pill will fix it. She felt a tingle of excitement at the thought, like tiny fingers running through her hair. One more, just to get me through today. Stims aren’t addictive. All the drug companies agree. Tania poured herself a glass of water.
***
Tania felt a kick on her shin and snapped upright. The speeches had ended, and Juarez was standing now. She seemed relaxed, convivial even, as if at a barbecue with friends.
“I thank the committee for allowing me to clear up these allegations,” she said. “We need to get this behind us so we can deal with the opportunities that have opened up in the last few days. I can confirm that Tian Jie has reset the password on the shield control hub. We can easily regain access, of course, but it will require an expensive launch. In order to protect taxpayer dollars, we tried to keep the matter quiet so that we could resolve Mr. Tian’s grievances. But now that Tania Black chose to make her inflammatory claims on the Witty Show, that is no longer possible.”
The chairman banged his gavel. Tania recognized his face. A bushy-eyebrowed creature from a family that had been producing governors and the occasional president for longer than anyone could remember. Should he be running this? I thought he was friends with the President.
“Thank you for clarifying that, Madam President” said the chairman. “But this committee is investigating the allegations that you purchased under-performing real estate, and then sabotaged climate agreements so that you could use Tamed Earth to increase its value.”
Juarez drew herself to full height, facing the chairman squarely. “Ridiculous. This summer, I helped craft a plan whereby we’d accept shield guidance and environmental targets from UNBio. Doctor Black herself signed off on this. That plan fell apart because the international community didn’t meet CO2 commitments. And because UNBio, under Doctor Black’s guidance, made unscientific decisions about sulfuring. Her decisions led to Hurricane Martha.” The audience grumbled angrily. Juarez shook her head. “I had to act.”
“So you deny the land purchases?” asked the Chairman.
“No.”
The audience murmured excitedly. Tania sat forward.
“No?” asked the chairman.
“Of course my first reaction was to dismiss these claims as another part of Tania Black’s personal vendetta against me.” Juarez looked down, her mouth taking on the apologetic frown perfected by generations of philandering family values conservatives. “Sorry, this is difficult for me…”
Tania clenched her glass of ice water, drawing calm from its coolness.
“Yesterday morning my lifelong friend, Vice President Jack Stiller, came to my office. He admitted to the land purchases. He wanted an extra layer of food security for the United States. In case the international cooperation that I was fighting for failed to materialize. And since I was so preoccupied with protecting the planet, he didn’t want to burden me with his concerns. He raised money himself, using his political connections to secure investors.”
Juarez paused, as if collecting herself. “My administration believes in small government. The Vice President felt that in this situation private initiative would work best. A lapse in judgment. By a patriot.”
“Surely he stood to profit enormously from an environmental collapse,” said the chairman.
“Since I wasn’t involved, I don’t know the details,” said Juarez. “But the Vice President is an astute business man. He doesn’t take needless risks. He told me that had the July accord been successful, he would have turned the land into ecological reserves to earn environmental credits. It would have been profitable either way.”
“So you deny personal involvement?” asked the chairman. “Your name appears on the documents.”
“I was not personally involved. The Vice President and I have overlapping business interests from our time in the defense industry. My name often appears in his dealings.”
“And the other names?”
“More cross-holdings, I expect. The Vice President and I both agree that he showed terrible judgment. But he worked alone. There is no conspiracy. His action has been twisted into something sinister by opportunistic political foes.” Juarez shook her head. “I’ve accepted Vice President Stiller’s resignation. He’ll cooperate with the investigation by providing financial records.” Juarez raised her hand, holding up her omni. “With your permission, I’ll send you the data now.”
Excited conversation filled the room. Tania had to let go of her glass so that it wouldn’t break in her clenched fingers. This can’t be happening. Is Juarez really claiming that she knew nothing about this? That the whole web of corruption was the work of one noble man who got overzealous in his love of America?
The President looked at Tania for the first time, brimming with serene confidence. “Mr. Witty and Doctor Black should have verified their claims before making them public. Now, the Vice President’s poor judgment has become an international embarrassment. This is why we have the Truth in Politics Act: to protect politicians from such libel.”
It was all Tania could do not to hurl her glass at the President. The chairman glowered. “Doctor Black? Why didn’t you check your information?”
Geraldine squeezed Tania’s arm. “Plead the Fifth,” she whispered.
“It’ll sound like I’m the guilty one,” said Tania indignantly.
“Just do it!”
“If I may,” said the President. “Doctor Black’s actions were illegal, and unethical. And her false allegations certainly violated the Truth in Politics Act. But she has somehow enabled the international cooperation that I myself have tried so hard to achieve. I hope you are lenient with her. And I can assure you, that I plan to seize the opportunity that Doctor Black has provided us. Once we regain control of the shield we’ll throw the full resources of the US and Chinese governments behind Pax Gaia. It’ll still be our shield of course, but we’ll do what the world wishes.”
“Doctor Black?” asked the chairman.
“Counsel advises me to plead the Fifth.”
***
The committee filed out of the room, leaving Tania and Geraldine huddled at the table, struggling to hear each other over the noise.
“I don’t get it,” said Tania. “How did Juarez cover her tracks this quickly?”
“How?” Geraldine scowled. “She’s the President. And half her cabinet is involved in this. As well as some of her better-connected opponents.”
“So the VP takes the fall, and she pardons him at the end of her term,” said Tania. “But surely if the committee investigates, they’re going to uncover the truth. Juarez’s documents won’t hold up. Will they?”
“You don’t think the President can fake a paper trail?” asked Geraldine. “Besides, the guilty have confessed. Why investigate, when the truth could be so much messier? When the truth could find you looking in the mirror?”
The recess dragged on. Ten minutes. Then twenty. After an hour the committee filed back in.
The chairman scowled. “We’ve examined the records,” he said, shaking his head in disapproval. “Due to the confidential nature of the financial information, we’re classifying the documents for 150 years. But they support the President’s testimony. Doctor Black, you’ve made harmful allegations, with no evidence. Do you have anything to say in your defense?”
“Plead the Fifth again,” said Geraldine.
Juarez smirked from across the table. Paul Smith pointed his finger at Tania and cocked his thumb.
Fuck this. Tania rose to her feet.
“The Fifth,” Geraldine hissed. “Tania!”
“With all due respect sir, the President is lying. There must be thirty people in this room who can confirm everything I’ve said. But they don’t dare, because she’s shown how ruthless she can be.”
The room growled like an angry beast. “Order. Order!” yelled the chairman.
“Are you insane?” Geraldine, hauled at Tania’s arm. “My client pleads the Fifth!”
Tania twisted loose. Geraldine put her hands to her face in despair.
“Where is your courage?” Tania shouted. “Do you really think anything has changed? Juarez is trying to destroy your planet for her own enrichment. Your fucking planet. Your home. And you want to let her off? You want to give her back the shield, so that she can finish the job! Look outside. Look at what’s happening on the streets. We have an opportunity to change things!”
“Arrest her,” yelled the chairman. Security guards sprinted from the back of the room and seized Tania by her arms. She struggled to free herself, but they twisted her off her feet and dragged her towards the door.
“Wait!” boomed a stentorian voice. The room fell into shocked silence. A man in his midforties, with jetblack hair and goatee, stood up four rows behind where Tania had been sitting. “I can confirm all the allegations.”
Juarez’s smile turned plastic. One of her lawyers jumped to his feet. “I object! This isn’t some kangaroo court where everyone with a grudge can take turns slandering the President.”
“New evidence should be submitted to the committee through proper channels,” agreed the chairman. “I promise you, we’ll look at it.”
“You promise, do you Jackson?” The man chuckled. “Would it make your job easier if I went for a solo walk by the river tonight? I saw what you did to that poor woman in New York.”
The chairman’s face flushed with anger, but his earlier confidence had faded. “Security!” he yelled. “Arrest him.”
The two guards holding Tania looked at each other in confusion, not sure who they should haul out first.
The goateed man held up his omni. “I’m the President of Terillium Holdings, and I’m broadcasting my confession live to eNews. President Juarez hired me to broker the land purchases. I have records, including taped conversations up to last night.” He looked at the chairman. “Do you remember, Jackson? You and the President discussed arranging a helicopter crash for Doctor Black.” He made a show of pushing a button on the screen. “There. I’ve just sent all the documents to eNews, in case you need a transcript to remind…”