Fifteen minutes later, Ortega entered the small SCIF not far from her private quarters. Already seated at a small round table, Vivek Basu gave her a wan smile. She nodded in return and sat down, sinking into the plush chair across from the old man.
Ortega noted how Basu sat with a straight back, his withered hands clasped on the table. His gray hair, thin features, all pointed to an advanced age. Basu was the oldest member and leader of the secret, five-person Technology Committee. Chairman since secession, which included the early troubled years of the ROAS, under his leadership, she knew the Committee almost never failed to reach a unanimous decision. When disagreement did occur, Basu, the brilliant billionaire and renowned philanthropist, was the tiebreaker. Now, the single greatest crisis facing their young country confronted them, and Ortega was surprised when Basu turned the topic towards her.
“Julia, to save our nation, you agreed to the US extradition demand. In effect, you offered your life. Speaking for the Committee, thank you.”
She appreciated the sentiment but doubted Basu or any of the five oligarchs on the Committee would’ve agreed to their own extradition on a false murder charge. Staring back at Basu, she understood the oligarchs represented the economic might and technical ability of the ROAS, and she owed her position to their support. Still, their presence gnawed at her. More of an oligarchy than a true republic, they called many of the critical shots for the ROAS. Combined, they provided the guiding and driving force behind the country’s economic and political policy. Each ran a technological empire and, together, comprised the backbone of the nation.
On behalf of the oligarchs, when Basu had approached her two days earlier and suggested she accept the US terms as a last resort, she had little choice in the matter. But as SALI predicted in advance, thank God, her acquiescence was ignored. Now, it was obvious the US had greater ambitions than her own show trial. “Mr. Basu, I’d do anything to preserve our nation.”
“Your willingness speaks volumes,” said Basu.
Looking at the old man and his deep-blue eyes, Ortega felt mixed emotions. She both appreciated and resented the man. On the positive, three decades prior, Basu along with the other oligarchs were key in securing a peaceful secession. Since then, they had steered the nation to keep their high-tech global profits coming while still supporting politicians like her that insisted on implementing a domestic progressive agenda. But it was never easy, and she often found herself begging Basu to support increased taxes and revenues. And now there was war, and they were ill prepared. She recalled the history.
Thirty years ago, to achieve independence from the US, the ROAS had accepted many concessions. Among those, the ROAS agreed upon strict limitations on the size and scope of its military, including a nuclear ban. Also, the ROAS could develop emerging military technologies but couldn’t keep or export those to any other nation except the United States. In the never-ending race for advanced weaponry, the other Great Powers, China and Russia, distrusted the exclusive arrangement between the US and the ROAS, but it persisted. Those early decisions were now haunting her. But back then they’d little leverage.
On the heels of ROAS succession, a Great Powers Agreement between China, Russia, and the US was ratified in a not-so-secret manner. Since then, the Great Powers had shared a bond. All were nationalistic and believed in the merits of sovereignty. Together, they met and came to a general agreement. They left the United Nations, making it defunct, and agreed on a general principle of staying out of each other’s way for mutual success.
By implementing advantageous trade and business agreements, by force if necessary, and not stepping on each other’s toes, the Great Powers prospered. As agreed, Russia expanded its weight throughout Central Asia, and Eastern and Southern Europe. Along with Saudi Arabia and Israel as allies, Russia came to dominate the Middle East. China’s influence extended across the rest of Asia and most of Africa. China’s ambitions were only checked by a series of conflicts with India, but sooner or later, it was expected India would fall. Japan remained isolated and was a hollow shell of its former economic self. The US, meanwhile, held military sway over most of the western hemisphere, focusing on expanding its interests in Central and South America.
The Great Powers Agreement for two decades had acted as a bulwark for mutual gain, and the balance of power between them held.
Throughout, the ROAS avoided confrontation while it continued to develop and sell the world’s most advanced technology solutions to all comers. Canada and the ROAS absorbed millions of US citizens that fled the US government after secession, straining resources, but still, the two countries thrived. The remaining liberal democracies in Northern and Western Europe swung hard right and demurred to Russia. Australia and New Zealand survived through isolationism.
Then, ten years ago, Basu and his incredible technology firm unveiled stunning advances in advanced artificial intelligence and everything changed.
Given the name Sentient Artificial Life, or SALI, at first the US demanded this latest AI technology from the ROAS and claimed it fell under the exclusive advanced military supply agreement. Basu, and the ROAS, resisted and withheld the technology while making even further rapid advances.
Fear prevailed. Advanced AI, as demonstrated by SALI, was a great disruptor. To blunt the potential threat, the Great Powers came together and issued global restrictions on advanced AI and associated military technologies. Bans on autonomous weapons usage, including cyber and space warfare and severe caps on AI technologies, became a global decree. Any country failing to comply, the Great Powers threatened, would face severe economic sanctions and military retaliation.
Further, the Great Powers forced the ROAS to abandon and destroy SALI. No choice in the matter, Basu agreed, and observers witnessed the destruction along with all associated technical documentation. In a small act of retribution, the ROAS stopped all military technology development, and no longer would the US gain that advantage. The US responded with a trade war, but the ROAS held steadfast.
For the last decade, the restrictions held and the balance of power between the Great Powers maintained. Around the world, with the fear of artificial intelligence technology lingering, the global ban slowed the overall pace of technological innovation.
This arrangement, for almost a decade, worked. The Great Powers continued to expand, but as always, distrust and a hunger for superiority kept relationships icy. And now the US had attacked the ROAS, changing everything once again.
Her remembrance was broken by the soft voice of Vivek Basu. “You appear tired. I know it has been a tough day, but please bring me up to speed on current events.”
“Yes, of course,” she replied.
First, she explained how the press had got the message out. Yes, the country experienced a disastrous day with the execution of Felix Manuel and the fall of Mesquite, but the ROAS remained defiant and strong. She mentioned several news clips, all of which highlighted the heroic video of Staff Sergeant Lisa McMichael. Aids reported positive public feedback as the video of the female grunt with the missile launcher gave a face to the struggle. Buoyed by the news, Ortega felt confident the citizenry would sustain their government as it fought back.