Chapter 288: The birth of the Eden Union

The day Pauline Mackenzie appeared before the NMWA, the whole world was in turmoil. Everyone, from the northernmost shores of Saramir to the southern shores of Laurentia, wanted to finally know what was boiling in the pot. Nobody was stupid enough to think that the Queen of Prettania was going to challenge the whole NMWA on her own. It would have been crazy. No, there must be something under it, it was obvious. And everyone was pawing with curiosity. When Pauline's car appeared in front of the NMWA building, the queen was literally besieged by journalists. However, there was no answer to their questions from her. The security guards had wasted no time and had removed the curious as kindly as possible (so to speak...), forming a passage in the crowd through which the queen was able to reach the building. As soon as she reached the common room the eyes of all present turned on her. Pauline noted that many of them did not belong to the representatives of the various nations, but to the leaders of the nations themselves, who had come to personally attend her speech. She walked to what was normally Grace's seat and she sat down on it. After that, she didn't say a word and didn't look at anyone for several minutes. In the end, it was the President of the NMWA who spoke: "Queen Mackenzie of the Prettania Kingdom, please explain. We are all eager to know the reasons that led you to take an act contrary to the NMWA's choices" It was then that for the first time Pauline spoke: "Very simple. Because I realized the stupidity of that order!" A buzz rose in the room in front of such a strong statement. 'A point in my favor' Pauline thought satisfied: as a politician, she knew that nothing convinced people better than aggressive communication. "Do you know what I saw when I left my building and walked the streets of my cities? Death. All I saw was death. My people were dying of hunger all the time! Until a few days ago, there were children dressed in rags grouped in the alleys, who instead of going to kindergarten and forging the adults of tomorrow, were fighting bloodyly for the possession of a piece of bread! In almost all neighborhoods, primary services were rationed: water, electricity, heating... some families could not wash themselves, others even did not even have water to drink and were forced to transport entire tanks from the shops to their homes! And I'm not even mentioning the increase in suicides caused by depression and despair, or death from fatigue due to the fact that rising prices forced people to work as mules for up to eighteen hours a day! And all this why? Because we, who are safe and warm in our buildings, have been pursuing a meaningless war for years, which is doing nothing but eating our countries one piece after another!" Many of the assembled people lowered their eyes. The situation was the same everywhere, after all: the suffering of the people of Prettania was the same that any people on the planet underwent. Therefore it was easy for political leaders to sympathize with Pauline. "This was the situation in my country! In the end I decided that I had enough. Why, I wondered, why had none of us ever tried to talk to dinosaurs before opening fire? Is our pride really so important that it justifies all this suffering? Do we really want to go back to being the dominant predators at the cost of millions of human lives? What is the point of fighting the dinosaur threat, if our own people are continually dying of hunger, and soon we will not be able to guarantee even the most basic services?" Pauline continued in an increasingly loud tone. "So I decided to take the risk. I have tried it all. I crossed the sea and entered the Great Republic of Beleriard, and you know what I found? Did I find hunger, sickness, suffering and slavery? No! What I found was a nation where the coexistence between humans and dinosaurs, the same ideal that Lord Sobek has been pursuing since the beginning of this conflict, had come true! Not only did I find the restored forest and thriving cities, but I saw things no human could ever have imagined. I've seen dinosaurs roam the streets free as if they were ordinary people, work with humans, eat in restaurants, and even teach in schools! And do you think he saw fear in the eyes of humans? Not at all. I didn't see a single trace of terror, just smiles and friendliness. If you don't trust it, know that even I didn't believe it at first, and I thought it was all a deception. I unleashed my best spies to find out if there was anything underneath. Instead, what I discovered was quite another. I looked for poverty and I found abundance, I looked for disease and I found extraordinary advances in the field of medicine, I looked for hunger and I found an almost infinite amount of food. By working together and putting their differences aside, humans and dinosaurs have been able to build a world that suits everyone in the Great Republic of Beleriard. They combined their knowledge and managed to achieve that delicate balance that allows both to exist together with each other. I have never seen a more flourishing country than that, and was the credit perhaps to some special resource? No! Simply, the Great Republic of Beleriard, and especially President Jersey, understood long before all of us that living together was a much better choice than fighting to the death!" Even though they were several meters away, many of the listeners felt the urge to take a step back. It almost seemed that their instincts perceived the fragile middle-aged woman who was Pauline Mackenzie as an absolute danger, as if suddenly a tiger had appeared instead of her. "And then I met lord Sobek in person" the queen continued. "I don't remember ever feeling so small in front of someone. Not only was her size beyond imaginable, but when she opened her mouth and spoke for the first time, I felt even smaller. I was in effect a dwarf in front of a giant. I have never heard a human being speak in that way, and I would never have believed that such a wise being could exist in the world. All this time we have always been the first to attack his people, the first to want war, but do you think he reproached me? No! Do you think he ever mentioned revenge, even though he had every right to claim it? No! Do you believe that in exchange for peace he requested onerous conditions? No, not at all! He wanted nothing but the cessation of hostilities! And why on earth? For the simple fact that, unlike us, he is aware that this war will never benefit anyone! He, as well as all dinosaurs, don't care about borders and dominance! They just want to be left alone! The only thing that Lord Sobek asked me to have peace is to try to open our hearts and minds a little and try to understand that living with other creatures is not weakness, it is strength! And I can't blame him after what I saw in the Great Republic of Beleriard! We have the possibility of creating a world without hunger, without wars, without disparity, and the only thing that prevents us from doing so is our blind pride, which still after years convinces us that it is possible to go back to before Henry Wu created the Mother Cell! But I tell you, even if it were possible, I would not go back, because the world that we have the possibility to build together with the dinosaurs is much better than the one we had! By uniting our minds, we have the ability to defeat disease, gain unlimited energy, open the doors of space for us, and perhaps colonize new worlds! And we want to give it all up for what? To have again a role of absolute predators that we can no longer obtain except by destroying everything on this planet, including us?" Pauline slammed her hands on the armrests of her chair, so hard that she hurt herself and the noise boomed all over the room, and she jumped up with her eyes flaming: "Do you know where the food she has currently solved comes from? the problem of famine in my country? Come on dinosaurs! Using the powers of the Mother Cell, Lord Sobek has created miraculous plants that can provide endless food! And do you know what he did? Did he keep this power to himself? No! As soon as we made peace, he donated hundreds of those plants to my country so we never had to worry about food again! Because? Why give up such an advantage? He could safely keep the secret to himself and use it to control us, but he didn't! And I'll tell you more: not only did he donate those plants selflessly, but in the Great Republic of Beleriard he also put the best scientists, both humans and dinosaurs, to work so that they could steal the secrets of those plants and learn how to clone them, so that they did not depend. more from him! Because? Because Lord Sobek doesn't care about ruling! He doesn't want to reign over the world! If this war ends tomorrow, Lord Sobek would be happy to retire to any den and spend the rest of his life growing flowers! What Lord Sobek wants is only to create a world where his and our people can live together! It's so difficult? Is it so tiring to dig a hole and bury the hatchet? And again... by uniting their minds, humans and dinosaurs have made great strides in the medical field in the Great Republic of Beleriard. In just three years, I am one step away from creating the cure for the terrible diseases that plague us every day, such as cancer and parkinson's disease! And then, the methods they discovered by studying those magnificent plants would be very useful for quickly terraforming and colonizing other planets, opening the doors for space exploration! All this and much more, at the price of ignoring our differences and finding a way to coexist!" Normally, if someone had said such words, the whole world would have taken him for a madman; but strangely, no one couldn't take Pauline Mackenzie seriously. The light of her in her eyes, her confident tone, her authoritative posture, everything about her portended that she wasn't talking nonsense at all. "And so why? Why, I ask myself, are we engaging in an aimless war? I'll tell you: because all this abundance first presupposes a change on our part. Change our mentality and, above all, our way of life. And unfortunately among us there are people who do not want to change; not because change is not possible, but because changing would mean giving up that position of absolute power that they had conquered. It would mean accepting that we are no longer invincible. And so, these people who nestle among us like spiders, use their influence and power to keep this NMWA voting to continue the war. These people prefer to send millions of soldiers to die and make billions of human beings suffer from hunger and famine, rather than understanding that they have to give up that little bit of extra control they had! How would you define a person who, rather than accepting reality, prefers to keep anchored to an erroneous belief, even if this makes others suffer? A spoiled child? So why are these people instead called respectable leaders, and sit in their inviolable armchairs acclaimed by the people, instead of being deposed and replaced with someone more sensible as they deserve?" That dig certainly did not go unnoticed. Many of those present wrinkled their noses at those words, knowing that this was a direct attack on them. In particular, the leaders of the other four superpowers squinted at those words in anger. No politician liked to feel attacked, even if not directly, especially by accusations so serious that many of those present knew not to be braggart at all. Pauline paused for a few seconds, then continued: "This NMWA was created to keep the peace and create a more united and more equal world. It seems clear to me, however, in the light of recent events, that this ideal has not been respected at all. I have no intention of allowing the corruption and imposition that are rampant within this room to continue to infect us like an inextinguishable plague. It is clear to me by now that our NMWA is no longer functioning as it should, therefore, this will be the last time I or any other representative from my country will appear here. I, Queen Pauline Mackenzie, declare that immediately and perpetually the Prettania Kingdom officially abandons the NMWA!" This time there was no talk of buzz, but of a real jolt on the part of the entire room. And not only in the hall... the whole world, faced with that declaration, shook like a bell struck by a clapper. Everyone who was listening, from those gathered at home in front of the television to the crowds gathered in front of the big movie screens, gasped at that statement. Never had a nation dared to leave the NMWA. The international organization was now so deeply rooted in society that it was unthinkable that anyone could dare so much. The NMWA was what had held the world together for decades, it was inconceivable to imagine abandoning it. Pauline didn't seem touched by the fuss she had caused. "The Prettania Kingdom will never attend the NMWA again. We have no intention of supporting a corrupt, class-based system that puts the interests of the few over the well-being of the many. But I cannot, in all conscience, leave humanity in the hands of this organization which is literally eating it from within. Therefore, I intend to found a new international organization, a fairer and more equitable one, which will put the welfare of citizens above all other goals. I formally declare the birth of the Eden Union!" Another shocking news, and another fuss that followed. The people gathered in the room began to tremble and look at each other, some shocked, others furious, others still worried. Create a new international organization? It seemed like a crazy project! "Right now my staff is sending each nation the organization of the Eden Union and the requisites necessary to enter it" Pauline continued. "Anyone who wants..." "This is outrageous! You can't do it!" shouted the emperor of Almagna rising from his seat. Pauline looked at him with disgust. "Why not? Is there a rule that prevents my nation from leaving the NMWA?" It was a witty reply. In fact, there was no such rule. No one had ever thought of creating it, because no one had ever wanted to leave the NMWA, since leaving meant seeing the trade routes closed by all nations and thus leading the country to bankruptcy. The emperor knew this, and felt a lump in his throat with anger; however he was not willing to give up. "Nobody will stop you from leaving the NMWA, even if this decision is very stupid, but you cannot found a new international organization! To do this, at least two nations are needed!" "Well, in that case I'll satisfy you, emperor" Everyone's faces turned to the one who had spoken. He was the president of the Republic of Valiante, a small independent town close to the Prettania Kingdom. He was a rather old man with several wrinkles on his face, with almost no hair and big glasses on his nose. "The Republic of Valiante also abandons the NMWA. I hereby declare my country's adhesion to the new organization" The Emperor of Almagna was shocked, certainly not expecting that implication, but he was soon even more shocked when another man stood up. "The same goes for the Principality of Goanesburg. I hereby declare my abandonment of the NMWA and joining the new organization" Another, this time a woman, stood up. "The Grand Duchy of Angolus also abandons the NMWA and declares its adhesion to the new organization" "Even the Democratic Republic of Matal does the same" "Also the Federal Republic of Bastia" "Even the Kingdom of Milias" One after another, the leaders of countless nations stood up. First ten, then twenty, then thirty... very soon it became more than a hundred. The whole world was shocked to see so many nations abandon the centuries-old international organization to join Pauline Mackenzie. Of course, that was all part of Pauline's plan. The queen of Prettania in the previous days had secretly contacted all the leaders of the countries that were most closely linked to her kingdom. She had explained the situation to them in detail and convinced them to follow her. It hadn't been difficult: the possibility of solving the famine and energy crisis in their countries, not to mention the gluttonous idea of the single market, had caused the nations to accept without thinking twice after Pauline had shown them proof that they could keep its promises. Almost all those nations were now desperate and this, coupled with the fact that they still did not know of the danger posed by nuclear bombs, had meant that they seized the apple the moment it was thrown at them. Now, Pauline was no longer just a queen who had abandoned the NMWA and who made absurd statements: the Eden Union was a concrete reality, and had taken shape right inside the rival organization's building! The leaders of the superpowers were shocked. They certainly didn't expect such opposition! It was one thing for one nation to leave the NMWA; in that case, with the right propaganda and a few threats, it was possible to prevent others from following it. But if more than a hundred nations left the organization, then things changed! Within minutes, the NMWA had lost more than one sixth of all the global nations! Pauline smiled satisfied looking at the shocked expression of her rivals. Even though she knew she shouldn't have, she was happy to see them motionless with the expression of someone who has just received a beating on her head. "As I was saying, anyone who wants to join the Eden Union will receive the following guarantees: solving the problem of hunger, open borders without any customs duties, peace with the dinosaurs and economic aid to restore their countries to their former glory. The new organization will be completely different from the NMWA. There will be no impositions by the strongest nations on the weak and the weight of the word of all will have equal value. To enter it there will be inexpensive requirements that I have already allowed myself to send to all the nations of the planet, and that the leaders of each country will be able to read and disseminate when they wish. Therefore, now all I want to do is appeal to those nations that have not yet joined the Eden Union: I ask you to think carefully before deciding who to side with and to reflect on what is best for your peoples, not for yourself. If you want your people to be saved from famine and put an end to this horror that has plagued us for years, then you know what to do. The doors of the Eden Union will always be open to everyone as long as they show they really care about their people. That's all I have to say, so I take the liberty of saying goodbye. I have nothing else to declare before this NMWA" And having said that Pauline turned and walked towards the door. Many of her called her, the reporters pawed to ask him questions, but nothing could stop her. Immediately after her, the leaders of all the nations who had sided with her followed her, leaving the rest of the NMWA, especially the superpowers, with an inch of their faces. That was the day that posterity remembered as the actual birth of the Eden Union, the organization that would mark the turning point in the history of Eden.