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"Learn from this, Lem. You can't act rashly. You can't hire thugs to--"
"This is not one of your damn life lessons, Father! Or if it is, it's so twisted and demented that I don't want to hear it. You used me. You used her."
"You used her first, Lem. Don't forget that. We both know why you came to my office and approached her."
"It wasn't like that."
"It was, Lem. Your heart might have gone pitter patter eventually, but you were playing her for your own gain. What's that American phrase? The pot calling the kettle black?"
Lem waved his arms and stepped away. "I am finished with you. Done. I don't know why I ever wasted time seeking your approval. You were never going to give it anyway. It's no wonder Mother left us. It's no wonder she's crazy. How could she not be if you treated her like you treat me."
Ukko stood erect and straightened his coat. "Are you done throwing your tantrum now?"
It was such an infuriating thing to say, so condescending, that Lem couldn't form a response.
"You're upset, Lem. My e-mail tactic with Despoina may not have been ideal from your perspective, but love was the reason for Simona's disloyalty to me. So it was her love that I needed to test. Simona would be eager to give you proof that might end your relationship with Despoina. I needed to see if her loyalty to me was stronger. It wasn't. Had I known you have would reacted the way you did, I would have taken another approach. We both made mistakes. As for your mother, yes, I probably drove her to her mental state. You're a little old to be having that eureka moment now, though. You should have reached that conclusion about twenty years ago."
The makeup artist had left her mirror on Father's desk. He picked it up and examined his hair. "As for being done with me, well, that's a problem. Because I clearly can't give the company to you if that's going to be our relationship."
He set down the mirror and faced Lem.
Lem paused. "You'll never give this company to me, Father. You never intended to."
"I'm giving it to you now, Lem. I'll put all my stocks in a blind trust. You have plenty of enemies on the Board, however, so I'd advise you to clean house and set things in motion to remove people. Ramdakan can help. He's an expert at that sort of thing. He can tell you who the snakes are, and I assure you we have plenty. I'm as gentle as a butterfly compared to some. Also, I'd recommend putting Benyawe on the Board. We'll be deemphasizing our mining operations and putting a greater emphasis in innovation and shipbuilding. That's our future, Lem. Lots and lots of military ships. We'll be outfitting most of the International Fleet."
"What's the International Fleet?"
"I'll show you. It's time to make history, son."
Father led them from the room. Maxwell was practically coming out of his skin, he was so worried about the time. He checked his holopad four times during the brief elevator ride down. When the doors opened and they stepped off, they found themselves in one of the holo rooms. The overhead lights had been dimmed. A crew of technicians was making final adjustments to the rig of lights and holoprojectors in the center of the room. Ukko paused to shake hands with the twenty or so reporters on Luna who had come to witness the event. Natasha, the makeup girl, brushed Father's cheeks with a light powder.
Maxwell got everyone into position. Father stood off to the side in the darkness. The crowd quieted. The technicians removed their ladders and disappeared into the shadows. The holofield beneath the projector glowed to life.
The heads of five people appeared in the field. Lem recognized a few of them. The secretary general of the United Nations was in the center, a Brazilian woman named Silva. The others were the heads of China, Russia, India, and NATO, who was an American. Secretary Silva spoke first. She greeted everyone who was watching this historic announcement via holo. She explained that each member of the holo was sitting in his or her own headquarters and speaking to reporters gathered at each site.
Silva then spoke for ten minutes on the need for a united global military consisting of soldiers from every nation on Earth. This International Fleet would be led by two experienced military leaders with a track record of working with international troops and resolving global conflicts. The position of Strategos would be responsible for the overall defense of the solar system. "This duty would go to Lieutenant Colonel Yulian Robinov, who is currently serving as the chair of a council of international military leaders also known as Strategos, from which this new position derives its name." Robinov appeared in the holo alongside the others, with his name and title suspended in the air beneath him.
Secretary Silva continued. "Robinov's international peacekeeping force known as the Mobile Operations Police, who will serve as a model for the International Fleet, was recently responsible for ending the atrocities in China and bringing this horrific war to a close."
The second position of Polemarch, she explained, would be responsible for the construction, maintenance, and operation of the International Fleet's warships. "That duty goes to Major Khudabadi Ketkar of India, whose careful leadership fostered the alliance of Indian Para Commandos and the Chinese military, and who ended the Formics' gas attacks and helped turn the war in our favor."
Katkar appeared in the holo.
Silva welcomed him and then continued. "Creating and maintaining a defense through the International Fleet is a monumental undertaking that will require the resources and efforts of everyone. All nations must join in a united effort to protect our planet from future attacks while maintaining global harmony and peace. This council therefore proposes the formation of a global Hegemony. This Hegemony would consist of member nations committed to protecting our planet and the human race. Member nations would maintain their current system of government; but in global matters they would counsel with the Hegemony, who knows no borders and whose only interest is the planet as a whole and all of its inhabitants. Hegemony offices would be dispersed around the world so that Formics couldn't destroy one capital and thus our global government. We would move the Hegemon's core staff from city to city but never in the capitals of China, Russia, India, or the USA.
"No man is more qualified for the position of Hegemon than the president and CEO of Juke Limited, Ukko Jukes."
A small holofield encircled Father's head where he stood, projected down from a shelf above him. A large floating holo of his head appeared to the right of Secretary Silva.
"As a citizen of the moon," Silva said, "Ukko Jukes represents all of humanity and not any one nation. His devotion to the people of Earth is indisputable. His dedication to our safety, unquestionable. His vast success and experience in the private sector makes him uniquely qualified to handle the heavy logistical demands of building and mobilizing an international fleet. What we are proposing will be the largest undertaking in human history. To lead that effort, we require a hegemon who has proven he is capable of managing operations on such a massive scale.
"The United Nations will vote on this measure tomorrow during our general session, followed by a ratifying vote within each member nation. It is our hope that all nations of the Earth will join this united effort to prevent the atrocities that occurred within China. Never again should one nation suffer alone."
Silva then gave the floor to Robinov, Ketkar, and Father, who each gave brief prepared statements. Lem barely heard a word they said. His mind was reeling. Father as Hegemon, the supreme leader of Earth. It seemed so obvious now. Father had been orchestrating this from the beginning. That's why he had met with the woman from the state department and other dignitaries and officials since. And of course the United Nations would vote unanimously tomorrow. Father would never agree to participate unless he was certain of the outcome.
The holo ended. Father stepped forward and took questions from the reporters present. When asked if he intended to lead both the Hegemony and the company, Father said, "My new responsibilities as Hegemon will consume all of my time. It would be an injustice to the people of Earth not to give them my complete focus and attention. I have asked my son Lem to function as president and CEO in my stead, a recommendation I am confident the Board of Directors will ratify. My son is the most tenacious, brilliant, and fearless man I know. You saw some of that, no doubt, in the vids and accounts of the final battle. I can't express the terror I felt to see him put his life in such danger. Lem is all the family I have. The thought of losi
ng him was almost too much to bear. My heart goes out to China and every parent in the world who has lost a child or loved one in this horrific ordeal. And I give you my solemn promise, should I be elected Hegemon, I will do all in my power to ensure that we never lose our sons or daughters to an alien threat again."
