Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 40274 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 201(@200wpm)___ 161(@250wpm)___ 134(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40274 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 201(@200wpm)___ 161(@250wpm)___ 134(@300wpm)
“Oh. Humanity. You want to give advanced tech to housewives and people living in mud huts. I’m sure they’re in a position to implement it. You need us and people like us. You need powerful people with access to political sway and technological implementation. We own the social networks. We control the flow of electricity, and money, and…”
They are arrogant, but they are not technically wrong.
“We do need powerful people with technological infrastructure and political sway. But we don’t need you, specifically. If you are too selfish, too petty, and too interested in your own egos to save the species, you can be replaced.”
They are, of course, aware of what happened in the initial rapture. That was no mistake or accident. It was a show of power, and an act of mercy and justice.
“You’re going to bring us up to your spaceship and threaten us, alien? You disrespect us this way? Why, I oughta…”
As far as diplomacy goes, this is not going well. The billionaires are aggressive in their defense of the notion of their importance. I wonder if irrelevance might frighten them even more than poverty, which they have no way of understanding.
“Oh my god, just let me hit him,” Jessica mumbles under her breath.
Jessica
I’ve never seen Cir look this pissed. I’ve only known him for all of a week, though, so maybe I’m just seeing another side of him. After Ricky, I’m highly aware that men are never what they seem. Even the most shiny and glowing creature of pure goodwill might turn out to be a monster.
It’s interesting that though I see this clearly, none of the rich fuckers across the table seem to have any real concept of the danger they’re potentially in. I know I’m supposed to stay quiet, but I can’t. I just can’t. Sometimes when you’re in the presence of stupid, you find yourself hopeless to resist retorting.
“This dude sucked every asshole up into the sky the second he got here, and you’re sitting here testing him because he’s not giving you the secret to eternal happiness to keep for yourselves?”
The billionaires look at me. They are men of every creed and race, gathered here before the alien’s grace. I wonder if what I said made some impact, but then one of them opens his bearded mouth and addresses a question to Cir.
“You let a woman speak?”
Guess not.
“You defile and disrespect us. You will regret this, alien man.”
He says alien man like the most heinous slur possible. All six of them get up and file out of the room with their heads held high. They look so ridiculous attempting to out-staunch an alien like Cir, who maintains gravitas in the face of their petulance.
The last billionaire tries to slam the door behind him, but it thwarts him by closing softly and elegantly instead. Cir and I are left looking at one another.
“That did not go well,” I venture to comment.
“It’s how it usually goes,” Cir says, breaking into a smile the moment they are gone.
“It is?”
“Oh, sure. You think people used to being rich and powerful take the loss of that status easily? Oh no. The tantrums are normally much more dramatic. I expect their behavior to deteriorate further before it improves.”
I realize that Cir knows how to deal with bad behavior. That’s why he knows how to deal with me.
“Let’s talk about you,” he says.
“Me?” I put on an innocent face.
“You weren’t supposed to say anything. You were supposed to listen, take notes, and…”
“I know,” I interrupt him. “But they were being such assholes. At least I didn’t hit anyone this time.”
“True. It was a slight improvement, but it didn’t help.”
I give him a wide-eyed look. “Am I in trouble, boss?”
I am hoping that I am too cute to be in trouble. I know he doesn’t like the billionaires. Who could. He can’t blame me for saying something to them. Anybody would say something to them. Most people would probably say a whole hell of a lot if they had the chance to confront the people responsible for so much fuckery. They’d at least ask for some money, probably.
“I couldn’t help myself,” I say. “You should probably keep me away from them. I know that might make it hard for me to do the job I am supposed to do, but as much as I try, they just piss me right the fuck off.”
Cir gives me a stern look, his handsome face so absolutely fucking intimidating. I cower away a little, wondering if I’m in shit.
“I’m sorry,” I say. “I know. I fucked up. I’m really sorry. Please don’t fire me.”
“I’m not going to fire you,” he says, letting a slight smirk escape. “You’re too damn cute to fire. I’m going to marry you.”
I grin, feeling warmth wash through me. Cir’s words make me feel very treasured and cared for. I don’t dare to imagine that he loves me. How could he? I’m not on his level. I’m not an advanced alien.