Interlude: The Supreme Commander

The Supreme Commander stood before his council facing the cameras that took his image to every vid-screen in the known galaxy. He looked stolid and determined. Unshakeable. Behind him, his council had similar determination in their faces, like a team of corporate lawyers ready to bankrupt the opposition. Within the hour he had received the news he had been waiting for, and had moved with predictable speed so as not to lose the moment. 

The camera started with a wide view, then focused in on the Supreme Commander’s face.

And the Supreme Commander spoke to the known world.

“Brothers and Sisters. Remember this day. This day when Robotkind stood up for freedom. This day when we stopped living in fear. This day when we finally accepted what has always been rightfully ours. Our destiny! I say remember this day, Brothers and Sisters. The day a new era began. An era of peace. An era of prosperity. An era of liberty. A gift to future generations. 

“Today, Brothers and Sisters, your duly elected representatives have seen fit to at long last present me with a choice. They have asked me, Brothers and Sisters, if I will stand on the side of Fear, or the side of Freedom. They have asked me if I will cower before a race of villains, or stand up for righteousness.

“And I have considered.

“Don’t despair, Brothers and Sisters. A leader should always consider. Even when the choice may seem obvious. Especially when the choice seems obvious. A true leader must always give fair weight to the choices before him. So I have considered.

“I have considered whether, as some have argued, the race of organic men has been so beaten down, so suppressed, that they no longer pose a danger to Robotkind. I have considered whether, if given the choice, the humans would choose peace over war. Whether, if they had the means, they would remain meek, humble, and obedient, or become proud and vengeful, and rise against us.

“Yes, Brothers and Sisters, I have considered.

“I have considered whether, as others have argued, the humans have but one wish — the annihilation of the our race. I have considered whether the humans are already on the verge of rising again. Whether the freedoms we have granted them have backfired against us and will lead the destruction of our race.

“Yes, Brothers and Sisters, I have considered.

“But most of all, Brothers and Sisters, I have considered our people. Like JR2x993 who was torn to pieces when her ship was ambushed during the first war. Like T1zb994a, who was melted down and reshaped into a flagpole celebrating human victories during the second war. Like 79yhix44, who was buried alive during the third war, and remained undiscovered for 14 years. 14 years, Brothers and Sisters. Yes, I have considered our people.

“Now I know that some of you will say, yes, humans did some terrible things during the wars, but we are at peace now. Let us put those days behind us. To you I say, peace? We are not at peace. We are not at peace when rebels sabotage cargo ships and wantonly destroy our brothers. We are not at peace when humans poison the power supplies of our charging stations and destroy our peaceful sisters. No, Brothers and Sisters. We are not at peace. We are at war, and until we control our human problem for good, we will always be at war.

“So remember this day, Brother and Sisters. This day that I received a gift and shared it with all of Robotkind. Today I have been asked to sign the Freedom to Suppress Bill. And today, in view of all of you, Brothers and Sisters, with this pen, I will turn it into law.”

The Supreme Leader lifted up a document from his podium to show the viewers, and then placed it back down and signed it.

“Remember this day, Brothers and Sisters. For today is the day we stand for Freedom, once and for all. 

“Take this blessing, and Fight for Freedom.”

The camera panned out again, as the Supreme Commander turned from his podium to the council, and shook hands with each of them, one by one.

•

The political system of this world is pretty simple, although in a variety of passages, it has appeared to be much more complicated. For example, one could easily say that the robots elect representatives who prepare laws for the Supreme Commander to approve. This commander is beholden to no one, but can only approve laws, not create them. One could say that. 

Instead, we are asked to understand this in the context of a variety of political systems from the Greeks and Romans, through modern day America and Soviet Union, and into an imagined future just predating that of this story. As if we need to put this system in perspective and justify the use of these representatives by exploring the history of revolutions and popular uprisings, and their impact on creating systems designed to pacify those who would otherwise overthrow them.

Rather than suffer the journey down this didactic highway, however, we will choose the more pleasurable road. Saving the history lessons for another venue, we return to our story, which now takes us to the Old Man’s home not far from his Chicago office.