A Speech Fo:R Unity

Gemu wasted no time over the cheering. His upcoming speech, needing to be released into the air.

"Take a look at the society Vitron has fostered," Gemu continued. "Back to the scrapyard. There isn’t a single computer that works in the data mine, because that’s all we have. Humans have difficulties finding employment. We don’t have the physical prowess or knowledge to complete the high-production jobs that computers do. So all we have to facilitate our existence is to work in the data mines—collecting old data from salvaged computers, throwing it back into the district’s Mother to produce more advanced ones."

The crowd waved flags. "Physical labor that no computer wants to do," Gemu said bitterly, "because it’ll depreciate them faster."

"95% of the pure human population is working, or has worked, in the data mines," Gemu said, his tone growing more forceful. "35% of hybrids have worked in the data mines. While 2% of machine folk have ever done such labor. Are you hearing what I’m building up to? We are marginalized!"

Gemu’s words struck a chord, the crowd fed back with rising emotion. They shouted to the stratosphere. “Gemu for good!”

"Vitron has killed us off economically!" Gemu shouted. "Notice how difficult it is to find food! Notice how many of us are walking around, grabbing at our stomachs! Our food sources are so limited. They have us working ourselves to death in the mines, and have no food to replenish our energy. Resources that we used to have have been eliminated under Vitron’s presidency. Land for us to plant crops has been destroyed. All while they live lives of luxury, suffering until we become a corpse."

The crowd roared, a collective shout of anger rising in the air. “Gemu for good!”

"Do you see where I’m building up to?" Gemu asked, his eyes sweeping over the crowd, his voice growing louder. "Vitron is economically attempting to kill all of us! And I know exactly why." The crowd was hanging on his every word now, leaning in, eager for the revelation. "It’s because we cannot be controlled. We are organic beings."

A gasp rippled through the crowd. “Gemu for good!”

"Look around," Gemu said, pointing toward the edges of the gathering. "You’ll see drones patrolling the cities that are considered high-risk. Yet you barely see them in areas with a computer-heavy population. Yet, here we are, surrounded by them. They call us high risk. Vitron is the one who instituted these drones. He knows what we are capable of. We are capable of fighting! We are capable of stopping the control of everything that computers have built."

A sense of empowerment brewed in the air. Bontly looked around, amazed. “Gemu for good?” He questioned.

Johe uninterested, commented. “Politics is such a bore. Vitron’s obviously gonna win. This guy’s unpopular.”

"We are willing to go to war!" Gemu shouted. "We want to live! We want our creativity! We want our freedom! We want an easy life! We don’t mind computers! But we do mind being socially and economically punished every single day!"

The crowd cheered, their voices rising like a tidal wave of emotion.

"We must enact our own change before we are driven to extinction!" Gemu’s words were like a rallying cry.

“Look at him.” Tackle said.

A`nother figure arrived at the stage—an officer stepped up to the podium, his presence calm and purposeful. "Here," Gemu said, stepping aside to allow the officer to take center, "I’d like to welcome hybrid cybersecurity officer Oshuko. He has a program, an ability that computerized individuals can develop through the manipulation of their data. He has volunteered to display some footage he found from cameras from the year 2015. This footage is from the defunct city of Tokyo. Only 45 years ago."

Oshuko, a chubby officer, took a seat beside the podium. His glasses gleamed as he smiled nervously, his hair spiky on top. He gave a little wave to the crowd, his face a mix of anxiety and excitement.

"Hi, everyone," Oshuko began, his voice shaky. "My name’s Oshuko, and I support everything Saicho advocates for! I wanted to do my part with my program, Projector. And, uh, showcase some really cool things I could find!"

With an exaggerated flourish, Oshuko grabbed a DVD from his pocket and, with surprising nonchalance, popped it into his mouth. The crowd gasped in confusion, watching as he swallowed the disc.

"What the hell?" Bontly muttered under his breath, eyes wide.

Oshuko smiled, opening his mouth wide. “Program: Projector.” A soft glow began to emanate from within him, and a stream of light shot from his mouth, projecting a video into the air in front of him. The crowd gasped in awe as the image materialized, revealing a bustling metropolitan city, filled with humans going about their lives.

"This is our city, from 45 years ago," Gemu said, his voice filled with reverence. "Before technology accelerated so quickly. Look at how authentic the world was. We were useful. We made the world go round. We used AI as assistants to help with projects, and we had businesses. But under the age of computers, and through Vitron’s presidency, that is all gone."

Everyone watched the footage in awe. Humans laughing, dancing in the rain, celebrating life. A world that seemed so different from what they knew now. “Thank you, Oshuko.” He said as the projection ended.

Gemu shouted. "It started with the introduction of AI. Then, came a dependency from us. And then—a takeover from them. Computers combined the former continents by force and split our world into four districts. They built supercomputers to keep creating them, D1, has the Revolving Actual Monitor. D2, is the home of Mother Ship. D3, is the home of Mother Brain, the only mother computer that creates hybrids, and D4, the host of Volcano Cyber. Today, we are nothing more than workers. They control everything! This is not what our world was supposed to be!"

He gestured toward the building behind him, a towering structure. "This building behind me is the Meridian Clock Tower. This is why we’re here, so close to the scrapyard.”

Tackle let out a gasp.

“This is the last remaining large human construct in the entire district. Just look at the imperfect bricks and weathered stones used to create this fortress. But it is not just a construct for it is a symbol of our capability. We are so much more than just people forced to work in the scrapyard all day like I did for many years. We are powerful. We are great. And if both humans and computers vote for me, I promise to ensure a world that prioritizes all and creates a union between us all!"

A tear rolled down Tackle’s cheek as she watched the speech, her hand trembling as she wiped her face. Shinku, noticing her distress, placed a hand on her shoulder, concern in his eyes. "Is everything alright?" he asked softly.

Tackle sniffed, wiping her eyes as she forced a smile. "I’ve always wanted to see this building. My mother always told me about the Meridian Clock Tower. But I never thought it was real. I-I’ve always wanted to see it."

Shinku stared at her reaction. As if he'd never seen such emotion before.

The crowd’s applause was deafening as Gemu finished his speech, voices roared. Bontly and Johe exchanged a glance, both surprised by the sheer emotion that radiated from the crowd. It was clear that Gemu Saicho had made a lasting impression on the humans. Instilling them with hope.

“Gemu for good!“ The crowd shouted over and over as the group began to depart. “I’ll be voting for him when the time comes.” Shinku smiled at Tackle. Tackle, smiled back.

Having long left, they rode through a desolate town, the streets empty.

"Are ya sure this is the right area?" Johe asked, squinting at the horizon, where the sparse buildings barely stood out against the flat landscape. "It looks like the boonies!"

Tackle, from the inside of Bontly’s panel. "Yes?! why would I have you drive into the middle of nowhere, you buffoon?!"

Johe groaned as they approached a tiny building sitting alone on the edge of the district.

"Stop here," Tackle commanded, pointing her hand out of the panel and motioning to the shabby structure in front of them.

Bontly, who was riding behind them, blinked. "Wow, this is a tiny building."

The building had a dingy sign that read, GRATTLES GROCERIES.

Johe parked the bike. "This is what you wanted? A grocery store?"

Tackle nodded, getting out of Bontly. "Yep.You three are going to help me get my groceries."

Johe responded. "You’re crazy. I’m not doing that."

"Okay, then," Tackle said. "You stay out here, idiot. Bontly and Shinku, help me out. I have a list."

"Yes, ma’am," Bontly said with a mock salute, walking inside. Shinku followed.

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Johe muttered, but Tackle had already headed inside as he began to smoke.