THE ARRIVAL OF THE ROMAN EMPEROR
The German Chancellor had been informed about the Roman Emperor's arrival in Berlin through the famous Berlin Tegel Airport by Italian aircraft ahead of time so that he, together with the rest of the Coalition, could plan how to welcome him to Germany without raising any tensions between Germany, C.O.P.E. and Rome. As such, it was decided that the police together with some new robots would monitor the areas surrounding the airport and the Bundestag, lest the Emperor was assasinated by socialist or nationalist fanatics.
One day before his arrival, the news were announced to the German people, and many were ecstatic. It was going to be the first time after many years that a head of state visited the Federal Republic. Of course, as predicted, many were those who were enraged at his arrival, as they thought Rome needed to perish.
Once the Emperor was in Berlin and the perimeter had been secured, a journaist, after being properly checked in order to follow the standard safety protocol, from Deutsche News arrived on the scene and began taking an exclusive interview from the German Chancellor.
Chancellor Robin Kellner
Good Day Herr Kellner, this Adam Thomas of Deutsche News and I am here reporting live the arrival of the Roman Emperor, while the audience has some questions that ought to eventually be answered. Can you please tell us, for how long did you know about the Emperor's arrival?
The Coalition and I were aware of it for a long time, but tried to keep any information from spilling out because we feared a possible attack that would try to take the Emperor's life, and as such threaten Germany to enter war.
So there is nothing else going on behind these perimeters, unlike conspiracy theorists have been claiming?
Well, the truth is that we also wanted to test our new security robots and their integrity.
Since you brought up the cybernetics program, what are your plans for it and in what direction do you see it going?
The way I see it going is that of robots eventually being indistinguishable from humans. I don't even understand myself why we would still call them "robots" and not humans in the future, as our name, homo sapiens, indicates our ability to think. Once robots acquire the ability to think and help our scientists in the laboratory, what's stopping them from being called "humans"? Their different structure does not remove their bond with humanity, but rather strengthen it.
But what about the unemployed? Even though some have been re - educated by the government - sponsored seminars, not all will be able to do so.
In the future, people will not need to work and have all the time for their entertainment and self - education. An idealistic socialist will tell you that robots will need technicians in the future to repair themselves. A realist capitalist will tell you that robots will be able to fulfill that role themselves.
Since the UT proposed in their pre - electoral political promises a science competition in Germany for young and old, and since the UT is still in the Coalition, will the government take steps to do what the UT promised?
We are currently divided on the matter. The UT believes that these competitions should be state - funded, while the NLP thinks that technological companies like Holzer Industries and Megasoft should be allowed to fund them and the innovations of the contestants themselves rather than the state, which should have a rather... nominal role in the costs.
Will the cybernetics program be shared with other countries?
Unfortunately, no. We had an offer by the Gethic Hand to share the technology with them through a common - research pact, but doing so would risk humankind not because of the Gethic, but because of the innate technical and ethical challenges these new technologies bring. We are aware of the dangers of these new technologies, and that is why we must contain it as much as possible while it is still in its first steps.
Regarding the French conflict, what will you be doing?
Germany can do nothing more than stand by and hope for the best. We will support whatever decision the French take, as long as no blood is shed.
Thank you for this most interesting opportunity to learn more about the Government's plans.
You are most welcome.
The journalist leaves the secured perimeter, and the Chancellor and Roman Emperor are escorted to the Chancellor's Mansion just outside Berlin. There the two speak about cybernetics - related issues and watch the Star Trek episodes and Movie ," The First Contact", that the Emperor brought with him. Then the German Chancellor turned to the Emperor, and spoke:
" While I certainly liked the movies you brought to me here, as these people were quite ahead of their time, I still must disagree with your concerns. First of all, the Borg were not human, but rather alien. Science fiction represents symbolically the hopes and fears of humanity. As such, I do believe that this represents more of a hope of humanity overcoming the dangers of these technologies, rather than embracing them. As such, I disagree with your concerns over this technology, but I agree that we, as politicians, scientists and Germans, will do our best to negate all the dangers that might occur from them. "
