Weapon - Consolidating
#8 of Weapon
Back again, with more from the General, as always, votes, comments and favs are very much appreciated, comments in particular.
"With the results of the referendums held in the propositioned countries being kept secret, and the deadline for their answer looming, the world is watching, glued to their screens to witness this world first attempted coup."
-
I was typing at my terminal, throwing in the odd reply asking people to clarify their thoughts or to try and push the conversations to a more interesting direction. I was, of course, posting under a pseudonym, the effect would be ruined if it was known I was the one doing the typing.
One guy, a junior reporter for the Times, whose job it was now to sit and watch my thread all his working hours, or so he said, and report to his boss, liked to pass the boring times by having political conversations.
Tonight, however, he was waiting as I was, for the calls that would shape the future of the world, the deadline was in two hours, and it appeared they were going to leave me sweating. He began our usual late night chatting with:
'Gah, what are they waiting for, the people have voted, what can be the hold up, aren't all governments just supposed to be servants to the peoples will? /sarcasm'
After a few minutes I replied.
'You have to understand, there will be some politicians who will be made redundant if this goes ahead, and we both know there is nothing more loud and influential than a politician facing forced retirement'
After a little more banter back and forth, my intercom buzzed, "Sir, the Canadian Prime Minister is on the line."
"Patch it through." I replied.
The screen changed to conference mode, and the little red light lit up automatically at the bottom, isn't automation lovely?
"President Walters." The man on the screen greeted me.
"Prime Minister Hooper, its good to see you." I answered.
"You will not think it so good in a moment, our country has respectfully declined your invitation to join. The people have spoken." The man said.
"Interesting, considering the vote was fifty eight percent for the action..." I pondered, just then the screen cut off, dropping me back to the background.
"Lieutenant." I said, depressing the intercom. "Did the Prime Minister end that call or did our system drop it?" I asked sweetly.
"It was dropped from the other end, Sir." He replied.
"Thank you, carry on."
I turned back to my screen, thankfully hidden from the camera, and the flood of comments was amazing to watch, outrage over the Canadian government making such a call despite the peoples vote, some claiming my sources must be incorrect, others questioning whether the Prime Minister even looked at the results at all.
I posted another comment,
'Anyone know the phone number for the the Canadian Prime Ministers department? Maybe phoning him would get a strait answer? * looks back at the video * Oh well, maybe not :P'
I laughed at the replies, this was almost as much entertainment as watching television.
"Sir, the next call is coming through, its Australia and New Zealand together." Came the intercom.
"Send it thought." I answered.
"Prime Ministers, its good to see you." I said, as soon as the screen divided for the call.
The two greeted me in return, then the New Zealand Prime Minister nodded to their Australian counterpart.
"We talked, and decided that one of us could not go into this without the other, so it was decided that the votes for this opportunity would be totalled across both countries, the results will be followed."
The woman paused, making me wait it out, this was the biggest game of poker I had ever played, and we were about to show our cards.
"The countries of Australia and New Zealand have approved the plan for integration, given some requirements from your end madam President." My heart nearly skipped a beat, this was going well, two of the biggest primary producing countries in the world just agreed to join up, I had to stop patting myself on the back to listen to their demands.
"One, New Zealand will continue to be off limits to nuclear warships except if its vital to our defence." The New Zealand Prime Minister stated.
"Two." Their Australian counterpart took back control. "The sharing of military equipment and training between the new armed forces of the United States." I wasn't worried so far, but they continued. "Three, our states will become akin to your 'counties' and each of our countries will have the same status as one of your states, each to be named as they were, and each given the same level of law and control of their own selves as your states would. Of course each of us would require more state level government than your states, primarily due to size, but I am sure things can be arranged."
I held my breath, waiting to see if there would be a fourth, after a few seconds passed with no further action from the pair I decided to continue.
"Well, on behalf of the United States of America, I welcome the first of our newest countrymen and woman, all citizens of your countries will be given citizenship in the United States. I thank you for your time, my people will begin talking with your people about paperwork and such, but I invite each of you to dinner on the eve of the closing of our borders, to celebrate this new strength of our people."
The two gave their assent and begged that they would have much work to do after the call and requested my permission to end the call, which of course I gave.
The call finished and, if I thought the comments were overwhelming after the Canadian answer, this was phenomenal.
A Japanese official tendered an apology via a non-video phone call, but gave assent to their country joining the Union, with similar provisos as Australia and New Zealand.
South Korea accepted our offer, on the requirement that we assist in dealing with North Korea, of course I told them if they were a state of the United States of America, having a hostile nation on its borders would be of the utmost importance to me.
Pakistan was more interesting, shortly after the call began the light faded in the picture and someone ran into the room and punched the President off the screen then sat down in his place.
"Excuse me, madam President, but we appear to be having some difficulty having the peoples voice heard at this point in time, the problem is resolving as we speak..." The new man said as someone else crossed behind him in the background and carried off the Prime Minister. The picture brightened back up again. "I am General Bulleh Shar, and I have just seized control of the capitol pending a full re-election. My people voted almost overwhelmingly in favour of this union, yet the incumbent was going to, much like his Canadian counterpart, turn down your deal. It is with all due respect that I accept the agreement pending a second full referendum in three days time, would this be suitable for you, Sir?"
Damn, this man was smooth as silk, but it sounded like the excrement had launched into the rotary atmosphere circulator, so to speak.
"Whilst my deadline was non negotiable, extreme circumstances call for extreme measures. You have another week to show me the results of your peoples vote, I want all the raw data, if I believe that the numbers have been massaged in any way, shape, or form, I will deny your application. I expect to hear back from you within a week, General. Good day."
I looked up at the camera, "Well, that could have gone better, or worse. Time will be the judge of me." I shrugged and got back to my work.
The redacted document I was currently scribbling on and working through were yield and area calculations for dealing with a particular thorn in the worlds side, I wouldn't use nukes again, that would be unforgivable, but if I had enough 'daisy cutters'... I re-worked my equations.
The intercom again cut through my thoughts, "Sir, the Russian Prime Minister is wanting to speak with you."
"Patch him through."
I turned to my screen, "Greetings Prime Minister Putin, how may I help you this evening?"
"First, President Walters, I wish to congratulate you on the first expansion of the American Empire in nearly forty years, and the first of such magnitude in its history." The man said, smiling brightly.
"Whilst I appreciate the sentiment Prime Minister, I have to ask, why are we talking, you could have just sent a letter." I replied, trying to divine his intentions.
"Oh, but letters are so impersonal, and I couldn't resist asking, what next for your Empire?"
"Its not an empire." I told the ex-KGB man, "I am merely trying to secure my countries hold on its property and more importantly, its security."
"Oh, I am sure that is one way to look at it. Anyway, good day Empero- oh you will forgive me, President." Bastard, he knew this was going live, he just wanted to put a different spin on it. Oh well lets see how his country, and the rest of the world do for a fiscal quarter, with no US exports.
Phew, as I QQed on my journal, the amount of research this is taking is staggering. Nearly half my time writing is spent re-reading political infomation and verifying facts. Oh how I wish I could have just written another story about people killing things ;(