Chapter Two

Chapter Two

The world erupted in chaos, governments tried to cut their nuclear weapons but nothing work. They were forced to consider that Mura – Jie would do as she threatened if they didn't get a man and a women to the United Nations within her forty-eight hour time limit. For the first time in Human history, every single nation worked together to get their representatives to New York City and the United Nations. More developed countries would send their military airplanes to pick up the representatives from more remote countries. They even brought in leaders from countries and regions that were in dispute. They brought in tribal leaders from even the most remote desert and jungle just in case Mura – Jie counted them as well.

When the day arrived the leaders were all assembled in the biggest hall in the United Nations waiting for Mura – Jie to show up. Normally they would have had guards waiting to snatch her up the second she showed up, but they were taking no chances. They sat in the room together all of them apprehensive, scared and intrigued about what would happen. When Four PM rolled around and Mura – Jie didn’t show up they were all tempted to leave, but again none of them were willing to risk anything going wrong.

Then, a poof of crimson colored smoke appeared in the middle of the room and there she was, standing at around six foot tall, wearing a traditional Red Indian Sari. She looked around the room and smiled. She laughed at the astonished looks on the dignitaries faces as she twirled in a circle to get a full view of the more than two-hundred people assembled in the conference hall. She walked over to the only empty seat in the room, which was located right in the front of the room on a sort of make shift stage, and sat down.

“I am very glad to see you all can follow directions. I didn't think you could do it. I thought you would brush me off, as the American’s would call me, a terrorist. I know how much you hate giving in to threats. Good you realized I don’t make empty threats. If even one of you failed to show up I would have destroyed this planet, and let you all die slow painful deaths. It would be the least of what you deserved.

“Now let me begin by explaining a few things to everyone assembled here. You are not the only sentient species in this Universe. There are more species out there than you have numbers. Every planet or moon or asteroid, or special body with sentient life or the capability to support sentient life get a guardian, a Watcher. You got me. Now I mostly just watched as you maimed and murdered each other for no other reason than because you can.

“I was, I wouldn't say content, to let you keep on killing each other, but as it seems I've forgotten, Humans are a very curious species and you decided you wanted to explore space. I figured I have a few more centuries before you found anything worthwhile, but your probe went through a special distortion and was spit out further into space than it ever should have gone. But that is OK, I have decided, for some time now, to reveal myself to you, this just moved my time table up.

“A Watcher, which is what my species is called, is charged with keeping a species safe from outside influences so they can develop as their nature dictates, until the species starts looking towards the skies, then we are allowed to show our selves. When I first got this planet and saw the first human like species start to develop, I had hoped you would grow into a peaceful, artistic species. Man, was I ever wrong! You’re a very violent species, and I refuse for the other watchers to meet you until you change.

“Now, before you start getting upset, think about your history. How many of your species have you killed in the last hundred years? The last two-hundred years? The last thousand years? Can you even count the number? Are you even aware of the number? Would you want to meet you? I didn't think so.” As she spoke, the humans in the room with her went from looking intrigued, to looking dumbfounded. Many of them had never thought of Humans in that way.

“Who are you to judge us,” John asked, finding his voice. “Yes we have warred, and killed, and done despicable things, but we have learned from them. We have grown from those mistakes, we have become the species we are now because of those mistakes. In fact we are still learning from our mistakes, and it is our right to make mistakes. We have a saying here, ‘To err is human’. Without making mistakes we can never change as a species,” John spoke with passion, but Mura – Jie’s face didn't change from the cynical smile she had had since she arrived.

“Exactly,” she said, “You are flawed, but your flaws are not your problem. Your mistakes are not your problem. Your problem is that you solve all your disputes with violence. This is something that has not changed in the thousands of years I have been watching your species. In fact you have just developed better ways to kill each other. Faster ways, more painful ways, and worst of all…easier ways. The nuclear weapons that I control at the moment was created with technology that should have been focused purely on finding ways to save lives, or better your technology, or just better your lives in general, but you just wanted to kill people.

“Humanity is a blood thirsty species and I wouldn't wish you on my worst enemy. You cannot change my mind with heartfelt speeches, so save your breathe and don’t try. I am giving you an ultimatum. I am going to give this planet ten, no fifteen years to sort itself out. I will even allow you to continue trying to find ways to travel into space and visit other planets. You are NOT allowed to go near, or send any kind of messages to the planets that your probe has found.

“During this time I will monitor you closely, closer than I ever did before, and if I find that you are no longer savages I will help you develop better ways to get to those planets. But here is the catch, if you are still as bad as you are today, I will wipe your species, and your species alone, off the face of this planet and leave the way open for other species to gain sentience. Don’t underestimate me. I will not tolerate tricks, or traps, or anything of sort or I will destroy you. You have fifteen years Humans. Make them count.”

Mura – Jie disappeared leaving behind a crowd with no idea what to do with itself. Suddenly phones began to ring, and leaders got calls saying that all their people had been witness to Mura – Jie’s speech, and her ultimatum. After those calls ended they got other calls from their weapons specialists telling them that they had control of their nuclear weapons again. They were grateful for that, but they were well aware that she could still destroy them at any time. The leaders looked around, and began to talk. They needed a plan to accomplish what it is Mura – Jie wanted, while still keeping what it is that made them human.

As the delegates left the room that night to return to where they were staying, a box appeared with each of the attendants name on them. They opened the boxes to find in each one a snow globe, with a timer in it. Counting down the fifteen years. Mura – Jie was not going to let them forget they were on a deadline, and that fifteen years could pass in the blink of an eye.