04

We all must talk

The wide-open octagonal spike linking all areas of the lunar complex together, was the meeting point for every representative that was tasked with speaking for their respective population groups. The Tau Cetians, despite having limited numbers of people to carry out the task of providing protection and ensuring order, relied upon the sealable nature of the complex in order to keep the numbers of individuals in the central area down to only those needed to speak for their groups. It made things less fraught with tension, but only to a limited degree.

Now, it was time to get everyone's opinions on the table, and let everyone in the complex know what was at stake for the future of humanity. Davidson had called the time of the meeting, and ensured that people had enough time to call representatives from each of the groups housed in the complex.

The time of the meeting arrived, and the octagonal space was filled with participants. In the inner circle stood Davidson, Stephen, John, Ship Commander Miradima, and an accompaniment of Tau Cetian people among their number. The Tau Cetians would keep quiet, looking over the proceedings, while Davidson and his crew would preside over the discussion.

"Thank you all for attending," Davidson began. He had been coached extensively over the last few years on how to vocalize what he needed to talk about, and he had no idea that the skill would be needed for something like this. "As I'm sure many of you are aware, we are no longer on Earth.

"I called you all here, because we need to talk about what will happen to our species in the future. As many of you have experienced, we have a very powerful enemy to contend with. No-one-"

"What enemy are you talking about?" an obnoxious, deep yet weasel-sounding voice issued from close to the central zone of the gathering. "I'm sure you've noticed we have several."

Davidson narrowed his eyes, looking toward the source of the voice. To him, it sounded like it was from the East coast of the United States. "I'll ask now, that you hold all of your questions and remarks until the end. I'll field questions after I've explained our situation to you."

Thankfully, the antagonist did not speak up again at that moment. Davidson continued.

"Again, as many have no doubt experienced, we have a very powerful enemy." This time, he paused, gauging people's reactions. He was met with stares. Some of them were skeptical. Others were downright unconvinced. Many were nodding, no doubt having seen what Davidson was referring to. "In addition to this enemy, which I'll provide more information on at a later time, we also have to contend with the fact that Earth cannot harbour life for the long term while the atmosphere is in its current state."

"What are you talking about?" another from the same cluster of people asked derisively. "We're alive, aren't we?"

"How long do you think that would have lasted?" Janet suddenly retorted heatedly. Davidson winced. This situation had the potential of getting out of control quickly. "Did you get a good look around you when you were down there?"

When there was no answer, Janet glared at every one of the people in front of her. It was clear that she was keeping her temper in check.

"Well? Did you?"

"What's there to look at?" the speaker retorted. "Lotta rubble is all I saw-"

"Exactly!" Janet almost bit the man's head off. "Rubble. Trash. Skeletons of buildings long past their collapse. But where was the last place you saw anything green?"

There was a momentary pause, before anyone spoke up again. "Well, I saw an oil container that still had flecks of green on it..."

Davidson had to use all of his willpower to stop from laughing at the absurdity of the comment he had just heard.

"Not what I meant!" Janet snapped back at the man. "Grass! Trees! Bushes! When was the last time you saw one of those?!"

"What are those?" the same man asked.

Davidson could hardly credit what he was hearing. It was highly unlikely that all plant-life had completely died out more than thirty years before, and this individual looked like he was at least that old. "This is getting us nowhere," he interrupted before Janet could respond to the man, causing her to glare at him. He ignored it. "If you need reminding of what the ecosystem should have in it, then we can do something about that."

Davidson then pointedly ignored questions such as "what's an ecosystem" as this would otherwise take essential time that they needed planning the next stages. "Here's what I want to do next.

"I want you all to select a representative from your group who can read and write, who speaks both English and whatever native language you all speak, and who can control themselves in a heated discussion. Once you have that representative, have them all move to the front of the zone here, and we will begin arranging a meeting to discuss what needs to happen first."

It took several minutes, with a lot of jostling and heated remarks, but eventually, almost a dozen people were arrayed in front of Davidson.

"Of all those now standing in front of me, are any of you functioning in a leadership role?"

Only one of them confirmed that they were indeed in charge.

"The rest of you, arrange for your group leaders to join us up front."

Once everyone was organized into their respective groups, and the leaders of each respective group, along with their translators, were all present, Davidson was finally able to conduct his meeting.

"Thank you all for your participation," he began.

"I'll get straight to the point. We are facing a crisis. Our entire species is now endangered, and if we don't do something to repair the damage soon, then humanity ends with the current generation." He paused, giving time for all of the translators to finish explaining their words to their colleagues. "Our home planet has been terribly damaged by our wars and our unchecked abuse of the environment. By that, I mean the air we breathe, the water we drink, the plants we should have been seeing, all of that is no longer able to keep us alive.

"All of you are now in an emergency shelter designed to keep us alive for a short period of time only, and so we must decide what we need to do now, to fix things, and we must decide quickly."

Davidson knew that someone would be compelled to speak up at this point, and he left enough time for everyone to have that chance. It was only fair at this stage, that people get their concerns and fears out at this stage, in order to settle them down enough for what he was about to announce.

"Much of what you speak is beyond our understanding," a man with an East Asian accent spoke, translating for his colleague, an older man who looked battle hardened yet non-confrontational. Davidson suspected he was from China, maybe even one of the Korean nations. "I understand this. Our world is dying. We are in a shelter to protect us. We do not know where, but you tell us we do not have long to act before we can no longer stay here. Is this right?" Davidson nodded. The translator nodded back in acknowledgment. "What can be done?" he asked, translating the question for his colleague immediately afterward. The older man nodded sharply.

"Much can be done to prevent this from becoming the end of our race," Davidson replied with conviction. "It will ask for much of us. We will all have to change how we are used to living."

"Please," one of the other representatives spoke up in somewhat timid a fashion. "You mention changes. What do you mean?"

Davidson acknowledged the questioner with another nod. "How would you describe the way you have lived your lives so far?" he asked in return.

After a brief discussion, the questioner responded with a rather harrowing tale of survival in a world where scavenging was all that anyone could do to ensure their survival, where infant morality rates were close to the high nineties percentage, where the average life expectancy was a person's thirties, and where no-one ever reached the age of fifty any longer. It was clear that this experience was mirrored right across the surviving populations represented in the room.

Having access to even the basic emergency infrastructure in the lunar complex must have seemed like luxury in comparison.

Taking the time to hear everyone out, Davidson addressed each translator in turn, asking them all the exact same question. The story was the same for everyone.

"I'll begin by pointing out the good news for you all," he began, pausing each time to allow the translators to do their job. "You will no longer need to scavenge, or fear for where your next meal will come from, or how to stay clean and healthy. All of your basic needs will be taken care of, from today forwards."

"Why would you do this?" one of the English-speaking members of the group demanded, not even waiting for the other groups to finish translating.

Davidson did not answer immediately, but held up a hand to give time for the translators to finish. Only one other representative echoed the question at that point.

"We're doing this, because too many people have died trying to survive the way you have all lived so far. This cannot continue, so we're changing things to make sure we all survive."

"So what's the catch?" Someone with an accent from the East Coast of America demanded forcefully. "No-one does anything unless they want something in return!"

Davidson waited for the translation that he knew the others had made of the speaker's statement before answering.

"You are right," Davidson said firmly. "In return, we need you to all work together to secure our future. We aren't giving anyone a choice. You either work with us, or you don't get to benefit from our accomplishments."

"What does that mean?"

"You'll get specifics when we are ready to communicate them to you all," Davidson barked at the speaker, sick of the man's insistence at not giving the others a chance to translate their exchange. "We are in it for our survival, people. This is not up for discussion, the decision has been made. You will abide by the rules that will be set down from today forward, whether you like it or not, and if you disrupt this meeting again, I'll have you thrown out."

"Don't bother," the American said. "We're leaving."

And with that, three people stormed out of the general area. Davidson took no chances, and immediately turned to one of the Tau Cetian guards-people. "Have them watched at all times," he spoke quickly but quietly in the Tau Cetian dialect their people used.

"Yes Davidson," the guard replied tersely, and departed immediately. Davidson continued the meeting, promising to work on the details of their next steps and to have everything ready to tell them all in two days.