ONN BREAKING NEWS: Adam Caine’s Statement To The Sol System
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Originally Published on April 9th, 2494
Orbital News Network/Grant Jones Reporting
The broadcast starts showing a podium, in the background, flags with the ARES emblem as well as two armed guards are shown. Finally, a black-haired man with red optics makes his appearance and addresses the audience.
“Good evening, Sol System. My name is Adam Caine, Founder and CEO of Advanced Research and Experimental Systems. For the past few days, I know and understand many things have happened and most of you are not entirely sure what those mean and how your lives will be affected, I am here to hopefully clear any doubts you may have.”
The man waits for a few seconds before resuming.
“Throughout the course of humanity, there have been many key moments that have defined our history. Many of those moments have been lost after the devastation brought by the Transcendence War, we lost our identity and a big portion of our meaning. What we didn’t lose, is knowledge of what happened to bring us where we are now. In the year of 1945, the United Nations was created, to give every country on Earth a voice and a seat in a council that would rule over international interests. With time, this organization gained power, influence, and wealth, and it became a defacto form of global government. In the early 2030s an opposing bloc known as the Coalition of Progressive Nations was born when they felt that the UN was outdated and too restrictive. This eventually led to a series of conflicts that culminated in the Transcendence War. The survivors, that is, those who managed to flee a dying Earth, were many who had been part of both the UN and the CPN, and together with several influential and wealthy corporate executives, created what we know today as New Geneva. A council to rule every corporate entity, eliminate governance as was known, and create a new way of life, where corporations can be classified as Megacorporations, Standard Corporations, and Small Corporations, and ruling above them all, New Geneva, calling the shots, and gaining more power with every passing day”.
Caine lets the audience absorb those words as he continues.
“When the United Nations was conceived, it made sense, it helped countries, and it promoted international cooperation, as well as the creation of many other international and global organizations. The principle of these organizations was simple: Cooperation. But with time, and like many who are in power, the United Nations began to gain more influence and it also began to fear the power they had amassed for decades. The Coalition of Progressive Nations was introduced as the evolution of that same principle. A bloc that supported all kinds of technological testing, development, as well as commercial expansion. Many of the oldest corporations active today can be traced back to the time of the Coalition, at least, any early conception of them. The times changed, and the UN was failing to adapt. The CPN held too much power too soon and as a result of these differences, the Transcendence War happened, and New Geneva was brought into existence, an organism that has ruled over the Sol System, and has defined the path moving forward for everyone to this day. Much like the UN, and the CPN, New Geneva was originally conceived as a centralized form of government to lead the survivors of the Transcendence War into a new way of life, far from our home, and into the stars, and for a time, New Geneva did exactly that. But with time, just like it happened to the CPN, and the UN before it, corruption and complacency took over New Geneva, and instead of being the beacon to guide humanity, it became an iron fist, a ruthless form of governance that created two polar opposites: Those who had everything, and those who had nothing. Until now.”
Caine gives the audience some time, as he prepares to get to the point.
“As you have surely heard, Michael Nikolaidis has stepped down as Elder Councilor of New Geneva. Mr. Nikolaidis has served most of his life under New Geneva and has been serving as Elder Councilor for about six years, he tried to preserve the principles that once made New Geneva a shining light, but he has failed. I am here to inform you that as of today, New Geneva has been officially disbanded.”
Whispers can be heard in the background, as Caine prepares to resume the statement.
“As you may know, Earth Site 0041Z is the most secure location in the Sol System, ARES, Armitech, Matsumoto, and Network Systems Incorporated have a joint contract for the location. A cataclysmic event five years ago brought chaos to the region and forced our hand to stabilize it. In our long stay, we have done research around the area and found the remnants of a Transcendence War era organization known as Special Projects Division: Section One. While I won’t go into full detail as to what this organization was and what it represented for Earth, I will reveal this: Through data compilation and recovery, as well as access to their digital fortresses, databanks, and servers, we learned more about the final days of Earth as was once known, as well as the corruption and greed that cause its destruction. We also found the real risks and threats that the entity you all have come to know as the Blackwall represents, and we have decided to do something about it, we have decided that we won’t invite another Transcendence War, we burned our home once so we could escape to the stars, where will we go once the stars themselves are gone?”
Caine continues after a few moments.
“We resurrected Special Projects Division: Section One, or simply Section One for short, we studied the technology and knowledge they hoarded, and we acted upon it to protect our way of life from the horrors trapped beyond the Blackwall. The seven decades of constant nuclear bombing on Earth, and the horrific mutations that roam our former home, are not the biggest threats. The new Section One, formed by ARES, Armitech, Matsumoto, and NSI has taken the task of containing those horrors and studying ways to ensure they remain contained. That in itself involves risks, any barrier, no matter how tall, how thick, how strong, or how well designed, will eventually break down. To avoid any kind of damage for future generations, we have decided to take action now, through some controversial means, we have come to understand much of the Blackwall, what’s beyond it, and some of its denizens. This will not bring about an instant and certain end to any potential threats, but it is a start. The advancements we have made wouldn’t have been possible if New Geneva kept their continuous restrictions and corruption, always looking to monetize any kind of technology that has been recovered, no matter how moral or immoral, and no matter the risks we may face. And so, with New Geneva gone, I can finally reveal to you all the significance of those communications that were leaked after the terrorist attack on the Armitech Branch Office in Cocoon Station. New Geneva did not see the threats, but NSI’s projections indicate that without the proper attention, the Blackwall would have ceased some time ago, and life as we know it, would be vastly different.”
Caine changes his expression, from somber to somewhat neutral.
“As for the disappearance of New Geneva, what exactly does that mean? How is life in the Sol System affected? New Geneva will no longer determine how corporations act, how much they pay, how long your work shifts are, and how many days off a year you get. Corporations owning Planets, Space Stations, Colonies, or Sky Cities, will be calling the shots, they will be the government. They will regulate the flux of corporations, and businesses, and they will also take the responsibilities that should have been taken by New Geneva. At the same time, we have discussed changes that some will find hard to believe, and some will definitely hate. While these will be officialized, we’re promoting a revision on working shifts, healthcare plans, bonuses, vacation days, and all kinds of advantages we once had, so long ago. This means that any corporation meaning to do business will have to compete with other corporations. People will no longer have to sign away their lives with Loyalty Clauses ensuring that they remain loyal to a corporation for decades, and for the first time in over a century, you will see changes in your work environment. Are we confident other corporations will enact these changes willingly? No. But I am confident that when they see you, the people, freely looking for options, they will realize that they have to make themselves attractive to you, not the other way around. You will be given the power to choose, you are the privilege, not the corporation you’re working for. And if that means that the corporations have to spend millions of credits offering decent bonuses, facilities, retirement plans, and shifts? So be it. Corporations have been making bank for centuries, it’s time they spend this bank on the most important resource in the Sol System: You.”
With a brief smile, Caine nods and continues.
“As for those of you who have decided to strike out on your own, Ripperdocs, Medtechs, Engineers, Mechanics, on behalf of Advanced Research and Experimental Systems, I’d like to announce the release of several support programs for you. No longer will you have to rely on second-hand materials to patch your patients up, no more risk of possibly contaminated or expired drugs, and no bugs or trackers on software, augments, or replacements either. I will put all this on a contract, and I will ensure that you get the best materials and become a viable alternative to corporations. No longer will you be an outcast for preferring the service of a ripperdoc or a street doctor. If you want to work, you’ll be given the same fair chance corporations get, you’ll be given the chance to grow on your own and get as far as you want to get. Will other corporations offer programs like these? Probably, although I confess, I am getting a headstart on this, so my friends on the heights will need to prepare their programs as well.”
Caine clears his throat before continuing.
“The development of technology has brought us many wonderful advances, among them, new organisms and entities such as Mutants, Synths, and Replicants. I am well aware of the struggles these lifeforms have faced, it has become a point of contention for many, as well as a heated topic for discussion: Should you be equal to Humans? Equal to Cyborgs? Just because you were created, assembled, or born different, does that mean you will forever remain subservient? Will you always be part of the same system that has defined our way of life with no change in sight? I’ll tell you what I believe, I believe things have to change, and I believe you have the right to decide.” Whispers and rumors are heard before Caine continues.
“This will take some time, as I believe we all have to agree to all changes big and small, but I believe that a Synth, a Replicant, and a Mutant should be given the same privileges, benefits, and obligations that Humans and Cyborgs have. My initial pitch is very simple: If you have served for five years, you will be given a choice: Continue serving until you no longer want to, or decide to become an autonomous entity, in which case you’ll be recognized as such, you’ll be able to own property, your vehicles, even start your own business if you so choose, or failing that, deciding where or who to work for. I cannot guarantee these changes will happen right away, but I promise you that we will be actively discussing these changes and you will be informed every time there’s an update. And then, when the day comes this resolution will be announced and officialized. You will be free, you will be given the choice, I give you my word.”
More rumors and whispers are heard, and Caine simply nods and resumes the statement.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I know there are many questions concerning my return, faking my death, and the reason for these announcements. And I promise you that there’s an explanation that, while on paper it sounds simple enough, it’s not as simple to express, so I will do my best to be brief and concise, as I realize I’ve spoken for too long already.” He takes a few seconds, breathes in, and nods.
“Let me start by saying that I am not exactly a good person. My documented life will show you that I started working security on a Sky City some time ago, I was the image of the stereotypical corpocop: You have a quota, you gotta meet that quota. I also was a mercenary, a corposoldier on Mars. I have been stabbed, shot out, and even blown up a couple of times. I honestly have lost count. By definition of the word, I killed people for money, I killed Martians and drove the survivors to reservations on their home planet, and I hunted the elusive Ghost of Mars for over a year in the Martian Clanlands. At the same time, I found myself in an unlikely scenario, with a few very talented people, I started Omega Systems, and I studied, and learned several trades related to Cybernetics, we even created our AI that got us a lot of attention, in the end, I was happy to see I could do well designing weapons and wielding them, I had the opportunity to design ground and air vehicles, and even some ships. In time, we seized the day and grew to become ARES and… The rest is history. Where am I going with this? Let’s rewind the clocks to when the Mars Wars took place, while the Sol System had its eyes on the Red Planet, I was dealing with issues of my own: Several assassination attempts, each bolder than the last. At first, I could take care of them without losing focus on the War, but these attempts became more and more persistent, so I realized that the best way to deal with these attempts and find out who the culprit was, was to disappear, I had to “die”, so to speak. What better stage to make it happen than the climactic Battle of Olympus Mons? Martian Natives converging with unknown mercenaries and storming ARES headquarters, with thousands of casualties, among them Adam Caine, the play was carried on marvelously, and I had the chance to do my own investigation.”
He waits for the audience to absorb the information before resuming.
“I was an investigator in my youth, as corpo security, finding patterns was my thing, and even when it comes to high profile assassination attempts, there is always a pattern, there’s always a thread you can pull and unravel all mysteries. I have been working with my fellow corporate leaders for a long time, we are of the same mind: Things have to change, and a series of radical changes like the ones I’ve just announced, as well as the many more to come in the coming days, weeks, and months, those will not be easily adopted, and not many will be as easily accepted. We expect that. One thing I learned from the Martian Culture is that complacency will be your undoing, you need conflict and constant movement to live a better life, you need to always push yourself to be better, and our hope, MY hope, is that with these changes, we can provide a better life and fairer shots. Will we be working with everyone and anyone? That is my wish, but I understand the hesitation and reservation, there are many burned bridges all around, some of which may be mended, some of which may not. But that doesn’t mean we will stop trying”.
He finally sighs and smiles briefly.
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for your time, I won’t be answering any questions at this time, but expect more changes and announcements in the future.”
With that, Adam Caine leaves the podium with several journalists taking notes and trying to squeeze one or two questions.