CHAPTER 7

... Some nations were thinking that they are the strongest. Their reason was that they led the world in scientific discovery and technological development. However, two nations, formally overpopulated and considered barbaric, was rising very fast, which didn't go well with the recognized world powers. One if the nations were advancing very fast in their educational sector, nurturing minds which given a couple more years, would have made more advancement than those nations have made in their two centuries of scientific age. The other nation on the other hand was growing fast economically and given a few more years would have become the world's economic power. After a while, this nations thought they are qualified to become officially recognized as one of the world powers. They demanded a share of the colonial continents. Another silly thing. Silversten thought, his mind going to how some weak continents were divided among the world powers after the second world war to prevent a third. But it didn't work anyway because at the end it became cause of the third world war between those two nations, the five world powers and their respective allies.

The war began unofficially with the second nation crying foul of the world powers and how they had practically all the world in their grip and how they are the ones that dictate the fate of every nation. Though they did this discreetly, the effects weren't discreet. Soon all the world powers have some minor nations rebelling against them. Then this nation proceeded to get some bright ideas from their academically inclined counterpart and merging this with their economic prowess were able to supply those nations with weapons of warfare. But in getting those ideas, they had to let their counterpart in on their plans, who of course wanted an alliance. So an alliance was struck and the academic nation with funding from their ally produced the most dangerous and most resistant virus known in history. All attempts to find the cure or produce the cure by the renowned world powers proved futile. What Silversten viewed with disdain was that the nations didn't even take steps to protect their citizens from the deadly virus. It was all for their selfish interests.

For two years,the virus ravaged and killed, reducing the world population by fifty percent. By the third year, all hopes of recovery was lost. It was then the allies introduced their second plan. Mysteriously and quite suddenly, their citizens were rid if all traces of the virus. But when other nations came begging for the cure, they refused absolutely. They would only agree on the condition that they are made the world powers and recognized as officially such. They got their wish and more. Together, combining intellect and wealth, the two nations became formidable and it seemed as if earth was experiencing a second golden age. It didn't last though, neither of the nations wanted to be recognized as an equal to the other, and what better way to raise their status than through the number of vassals they have. So both nations embarked on a massive recruitment of vassals. Now it happened that the world preferred intellect to wealth, as it has done in it's former golden ages. So the academic nation had allies far more in number than that of the wealthy nation. The wealth nation began to get jealous. In no distant time, the wealthy nation blackmailed the nation of intellect, revealing their part in the earlier pandemic, for indeed, it was the academic nation that had produced the virus. With their wealth, it wasn't really difficult to cache arms. Rebellions were instigated and all rage broke loose against the academic nation. War was declared against them by Tue smaller nations, with the wealthy nation in their lead. At first,it seemed as if the nation of intellect will be crushed, but when they revealed the part the wealthy nation have played, they won back some of their allies. Earth became divided and the world war was officially declared. The war was long and rough and tough. But at last after ten years, the wealthy nation began to have an upper hand. The nation of intellect was continually crushed and list supports as well as allies. They pleaded doe a compromise but the others only replied that they are not fit to live. How are they to know they are free from future pandemic attacks? So the nation of intellect knew that they are in danger of extinction, unless they leave Earth. Consequently, they focused on that and in the 11th year of the war, they expended their resources in finding is suitable planet where they migrated to. That place was called the New Kingdom. So the wealthy nation had the whole earth to themselves. They converted earth and it's inhabitants to their personal property for their use. The working class became their slaves and greed for power reigned. The rest of the world was divided among the of the wealthy nation and the top government officials of each state became the 'Powers that be', the power that dictates what went on on earth. Earth's descent from it's Golden Age was very much faster than it's ascent. Contributing to the descent was the fact that the nation of intellect as a parting shot released a more cruel and deadly virus. It took earth a good number of years to recover from that. Meanwhile, the nation of intellect have coaxed many nations into leaving Earth and together they established the New Kingdom, a distant space settlement.

As a result, the remaining people on earth has to work very hard to regain their footing. It has been three hundred and fifty years since then but earth has still not measured up to what it was during what it was during it's golden age.

Silversten sighed,a heavy sigh, because indeed, without the intellect to guide them, civilization dropped at the same rate at switch the level of development rose. The powers that be amassed even more powers and the situation became worse for the commoners and the working class. So Silversten was really surprised as to how the son of a power that be, the heir to his father's power, could accompany him on a wild goose chase such as this. A mission that might be end in death. For truly, what us the chance of finding aliens? What proof do they even have that intelligent existence exists in other planets apart from settlements inhabited by humans? All they had ate speculations and logical reasoning. And logic he have found out, can sometimes be distinctly from realistic sequence of events. Example, why would a power that be leave his son to go on such a mission.

"Just why?" He found himself asking out loud.

"Why? Wait. I want to tell you a little story and then you will know why"

Silversten started. He hadn't realized he had spoken out loud and even though Tungsten had misunderstood him, he found himself listening to an interesting story.

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Luna was a fine looking girl. Fine looking not because of her dresses, or her makeup, or her carriage, or her face even, not even because everyone says she us fine looking. She just was. So it wasn't that much out if place when Tungsten simply laid his eyes on her for the first time and simply fell in love with her. She had to come to serve at their house as a maid. Tungsten's father has a heart of stone. In that age and time no one keeps maids since even the house itself can be automated. You just had to rake a seat in your living room and call out...

"Command sequence to kitchen. Brew me a cup of cover, black, strong, a drop of ice block and a pinch of milk."

... And you will have a trolley Wheeling itself into your sitting room with a cup of black strong coffee in which have been added a drop of ice block and a pinch of milk. But Tungsten's father wouldn't like that. He would prefer human beings he can shout and order about, to keep him continually aware of his status.

Luna's mother was convicted. Rebellion they say is the cause. In exchange for her mother's freedom, Luna agreed to Tungsten's offer if friendship. A rusk to her considering the social gap between them.. Tungsten tried all he could, but he wasn't successful. He wasn't nineteen yet and so couldn't exercise much power and authority. At last Tungsten's father found out and had Luna arrested. Tungsten was heartbroken. One day he stormed Hus father's office, fully intending to tongue lash his father, but then he had inside the office and stopped to listen.

"Yessir. She passed the tests. Very excellently as you predicted." A man's voice said.

"What of the bio engineering process?" His father's voice spoke.

"Went excellently sir. Her orientation program will start tomorrow". The man's voice said.

"I think it's time to change our location." Hus father's voice.

"Why?" The man asked.

"The security here is low, and we are using an AI programmed" his father said. "Okay. I want to see her, our first successful product"

"Trunks" both men said at the same time.

Tungsten waited for the man to come out, then got impatient and decided that his father probably deserved tongue lashing in front of a colleague. He put his palm on the memory board and the door slid open. But when you went inside there was nobody there. Curious, he said Trunks and a portion of the wall slid open. A hallway lay before him. But he didn't walk through. He didn't have the courage. It was only in the solitude of his room that it occurred to him that the girl being discussed might actually be Luna. But when he went back the next day and said the password, nothing happened. It took him a year to figure out the new location. When he finally got the password, he wasted no time in going to the secret location. It turned out the place was concealed behind the walls of a children toy store. The store attendant proved to be a problem and he had to knick her out after a little scuffle. For a moment, his courage failed him but he mastered his fright and said the password wondering what he will find behind the wall this time. A portion of the wall slid open and again a hallway lay before him. He stepped in and the wall behind him slid close. By the time he had walked down three hallways, he had no doubt he is in a military camp.

"But why should a military camp be behind a toy store?" Silversten wondered aloud.

"Because it is illegal and against the State laws". Tungsten replied, his voice bitter.

"How can a military camp be illegal?" Silversten wondered again.

"Let me finish the story and the you will know why." Tungsten replied.

Many stiff and straight back people in dull grey uniforms passed him but none paid him any attention. He assumed they are on military errand and their orders did not include interference with strangers. Tungsten thought it was just as well. After wandering for five minutes, he found a hall with nobody in it, or passing through it. Tungsten guessed the place must have been out of bounds, and if there will be any place that will be out of bounds Tungsten knew it must be where the authorities are. So Tungsten kept right on, guessing he must be near to his father. After two turns the hallway terminated in front of a door.

"What's the password?" a voice asked him from nowhere.

" I don't need a password, I am his son" snapped.

"Who is he?" The voice asked. Tungsten noticed a sudden change in the technical and formal language used earlier to a more relaxed one. He smile. This is going to be easy. He unplugged his pen from the holster and plugged it into the slot behind the door. He had figured the voice must belong to an AI. He had previously installed a freezing program intended for AIs into his pen. He quickly typed in the pen's access code and uploaded the program on the memory board beside the door.

"What are you doing?" The AI asked casually.

"Can you read the program I am about to run?" Tungsten asked dangerously. The green memory board flickered and then the AI said, a note of panic distinct.

"You can't... I'm warning..."

It was cut off as Tungsten ran the program and froze the AI. After that, it was easy it was easy to obtain the password from the AI, involuntarily of course. He punched in the password and the door slid open.

"Did you hear that beep?" Tungsten walked in to hear Hus father asking.

" yes. It must be the AI, Steve" another man said. They were all in white overcoats. Nobody noticed Tungsten.

"Probably one of his practical jokes. Don't mind him" Tungsten's father replied and turned back to a screen in Tungsten haven't noticed before. Tungsten's father tapped on the screen twice and it enlarged itself to fill the wall. Tungsten from his position could clearly see what's on the screen. Hus jaw dropped open. Hr made to scream at Gus father but decided he did better watch it to the end. Showing on the screen was a live feed showing Luna on the run, a large cat on her heels. Luna was wearing the same dull grey uniform Tungsten had seen earlier. So Tungsten knew she must be part if the military and this was probably a test or a punishment. When Tungsten couldn't bear it anymore, he ran out, the doctors still oblivious of his presence. He recognized the forest Luna was in and intended to save her. He hacked Hus father's aircraft and flew to the forest. He found Luna lying on the ground, snakes all around her. Luckily for him, his father's aircraft had a hand laser. In no time at all, the snakes were bits and pieces if writhing meat. He landed heaved an unconscious Luna onto his shoulder and entered the craft again.

"Luna, can you hear me?" Tungsten asked, despairing.

"003 at your service." Luba replied, her voice low and fading.

"I'm not Sir please. I'm Tungsten"

"Tungsten?" Luna's eyes snapped open." They kidnapped me, wiped my memory. But I remember now. They made me an animal. They did other things too. If you love me, avenge me."

"Luna, wait,who did it?" Tungsten ask but Luna was already dead. Tongue still wasn't satisfied. There is an illegal procedure where a recently dead person is made into an AI ,given a life again. The AI will have all the memories, knowledge and whatsoever the person have acquired during his lifetime and continue living as if it was that person, with the person's attitude and character. The only difference is that it will need a System to live in and program logs can be added and debugged pretty much the same way it is for indoor the artificial intelligence. All that Tungsten had went into making Luna into one of such AIs. Once it have been completed, Tungsten asked the new AI it's experience.

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"And do you know what I deduced from her story?" Tungsten asked. "She told me that her mother was not convicted but kidnapped. The disease that Kingdom left affected some some people's genes and recently, some of the powers that be started hunting for those people. With a little bio engineering, these people were made into war robots in preparation for the fourth world war. Sine nations have started rebelling against the powers that be and they plan on using those people for the fourth world war. They want to remain an top."

"How does Luna fit in?" Silversten asked.

"She inherited her mother's gene." Tungsten replied.

"Hey Tungsten" the ship's AI said from a speaker " you never let on that you are a good story teller"

"Yes Luna, when I am in a fit of passion."

Silversten felt something hit his mind and started.

"Wait. Are you the same Luna in the story, AI Luna?"

"You figured it out at last." Luna said laughing.