The Project

A Story by Rachel Williams

Unlike times gone by when members of one political party would sit quietly or even boo while a President elected from the other party delivered his speech, there wasn't a single person not standing and cheering on the House floor or in the crowded gallery as the President shook hands with the Senators and Representatives who were lucky enough to be sitting along the path to the podium.

The applause and cheers continued for several more minutes as the President stood behind the podium and signaled for all to be seated.  Finally the cheers died down, and everyone took their seat to allow the President to deliver the speech which was being eagerly awaited by an entire nation.

Security had been kept tight and no leaks had been made to the press. So while the country knew the topic of tonight's speech they were waiting eagerly to hear the details of what the President would report.  After making the usual greetings to Senators, Representatives and other dignitaries the President greeted the American people and began to speak.

"Good evening. As I worked this past week to prepare to speak to you, the American people, I was struck time and time again by the importance of what I have to report and what we, as a nation, have accomplished following what can only be described as the darkest time which has ever faced any nation.

I found myself thinking back to the days when I was a child growing up in a dangerous, frightening world, and I realize that my being here tonight to deliver the news that you are all waiting to hear represents an achievement unparalleled in the history of the world.

Throughout time, other societies have stood on the brink of chaos and destruction and were destroyed by those forces.

For the first time, a society - OUR society - has been able to develop the tools necessary to attempt to push itself back from that brink of destruction and try to restore all that is good and worthwhile within us. 

This is a moment which, as a child, I never dreamed could happen.  And now I have the honor of having been granted your trust and support and I am proud to be able to stand here today and declare that we have succeeded.

Throughout the history of our country, Presidents have stood before the American people and dedicated themselves and our nation to overcoming overwhelming challenges and obstacles.  My predecessors have led our people in fights against poverty, disease, tyranny and bigotry and have challenged us to conquer space and the fears that have led nations into wars throughout history.

I have the honor of standing before you to announce the achievement of another dream - one which very few dared to dream 50 years ago but which has today been fulfilled.  But even as we begin to enter this new era we must never allow ourselves to forget the millions who have suffered so terribly at the hands of the demon which we have now managed to conquer."

At this point, the President paused and looked up into the VIP section of the Gallery.  The President's mother was sitting there in the front row.

"We should also remember the struggle and efforts of those scientists who, out of their own personal pain and suffering, had the vision and determination to see that this future was possible and start us down its path."

At that point the House chamber erupted in applause as everyone stood and turned to the Gallery, honoring the President's mother and her colleagues.

"Without their dedication we would not now have the technology which has made us once again a civilized society.  But the dedication of these scientists would not have been enough without the dedication of you, the American people, who endured the most difficult times in our nation's history and had the courage to embrace this technology.

It was not an easy task.  There were many who did not see the necessity of the difficult choices forced upon us during the early years of the Great Terror."

As she spoke, the President allowed her mind to wander to her childhood.  She remembered the reports of violence which flooded the news almost as vividly she remembered the stories her mother had told her of a time before the Terror, when children could play outside and women were able to be alone in public without fear of attack.  "It was worth it," she thought.  "It was worth all the suffering to allow our children to experience a safe world again."

"It was worth it," the President repeated to herself as she thought about the grandmother she'd never known but whose name she bore proudly.  The grandmother who'd been a victim of the violence which had almost destroyed our society.  "For you, Grandma," she thought as she remembered the stories her mother had told her about the gentle woman who'd done so much to try to save children from the Terror.

"But the Terror kept growing and the Project offered us our only hope.  It was a hope that came with a terrible price, however, and we all lost many loved ones during the early years of the Project. And while we mourn their loss, we can now be comforted by the knowledge that at no time in history has there ever been a safer time for our children."

"Some may mourn those who died because of the Project," the President thought, "but I won't waste a tear on them."  She allowed herself to remember the news reports of child abuse and rapes which became more and more frequent until it was considered commonplace to hear another report of a group of 9 or 10 year-old-boys who'd abused and murdered another little girl or opened fire on their schoolmates.  "I have no tears for THEM," the President thought.

"My fellow Americans, thanks to the dual technologies of the Williams Laboratories F-chip and M-chip, which for the past 30 years been implanted in every American newborn child, immigrant and over 80% of the remaining population of our country, I have in my hand a report from the Attorney General of the United States which shows that in the last year, crimes against children and women have reached an all-time low of 221 incidents throughout the United States."

This time the cheers were deafening and the applause lasted a full 12 minutes as the 535 women Senators and Representatives leapt to their feet along with the rest of the people in the crowded building in celebration of this triumph.

"Additionally, it is my pleasure to report that for the same period, M-chip terminations have fallen to less than 2 per 10 million.  Our projections are that by the end of this year, the M-chip termination rate will have been reduced to approximately 3 per 100 million."

Throughout America women cheered and cried in relief as the good news continued.  Women hugged their boyfriends and husbands and sons.  Sisters and daughters cried with relief as they hugged brothers and fathers, knowing that they'd finally be free to sleep without their doors locked and without something sharp hidden under their pillows.

"It really worked," the President thought proudly as she thought back to the many days as a child when her mother would explain the importance of her theories and research and how it could be used to turn the world a safer place for them all.

The F-Chip, implanted in every female, with its neural link and ability to transmit sensory data, including images from the cornea, over a tamperproof wireless link.  And the M-chip, implanted in every male, with its tamperproof unique transponder number which would be detected, recorded and transmitted by the F-chip along with the rest of the evidence in the event of any abuse or assault on any child or woman.

She'd thought her mother was dreaming when she'd go on and on explaining how the technology could turn the world into a safe place for women and children again.

The President also remembered the first time she heard a description of the still theoretical M-chip's other capability.  Upon confirmation of the accuracy of the evidence transmitted by the F-chip implanted in a girl who'd been attacked, the M-chips implanted in the boys or men who were responsible for the attack would receive a signal during the night which would trigger a short-circuit of the criminal's brain.  It would be painless, but they would never wake up.

As a child the President thought it was nothing more than her mother's fantasy of revenge.  But years of hard work and research turned that fantasy into a reality that became society's last hope.   She remembered the devastation during the initial phases of the Project when so many men and boys were struck down. 

The ranks of America's business and financial leaders were reduced to a fraction of their size, and the country's political leadership was all but eliminated.  Families mourned publicly as fathers and brothers and uncles and sons never awoke from their sleep.  But children were freed from the fear and terror that had been haunting them and women were called upon to assume the roles which had been most often denied to them.

"My fellow Americans, our homes and streets are once again safe for children and women to walk and play without fear, and we are about to begin to raise an entirely new generation which will grow up without threat of physical, emotional or sexual abuse and violence."

Thunderous applause.

"The murderers, rapists and child molesters who have destroyed so many lives have finally been removed from our society."

Thunderous applause.

"Our children and their children will once again be able to play outside without fear of abduction, abuse and exploitation."

Thunderous applause.

"Women of all ages will be able to walk outside alone without fear of assault and rape."

Thunderous applause.

"And now, as we raise the next generation of Americans, we, as parents, can sleep soundly with the knowledge that our husbands, sons and the men around us have been instilled with the values which will ensure our safety and protection and which will keep them safe from the possibility of M-chip termination."

Thunderous applause.

"Once again we can tuck our sons into their beds at night and we can sleep without fear that they will have failed our society and be taken from us during the night."

Thunderous applause.

"Those who have not been freed of the desires which would make them want to hurt children or women have seen firsthand the punishment which they will not be able to escape.  Those who have not been able to control their desires have already paid the price for their weakness."

Thunderous applause.

"However, as we celebrate our success, we must not let down our guard.  As good as today's news is we cannot relax the procedures and laws which have allowed us to achieve this dream.  We must constantly guard the future of our daughters against the danger which threatens them.

For this reason, I am pleased to report that in a special joint session of Congress convened earlier today, both houses passed and I have signed into law a 50 year extension of the Gender Safe Environment Act."

Thunderous applause.

"As part of this law, Congress has also approved additional funding for further research, development and education to help the men in our society free themselves fully of the instincts which threaten us.

We stand at the dawning of a new era - an age when men can once again stand beside women as equal participants in our society.  An age when men will once again be able to be trusted and can assume productive roles as leaders in our communities.  It is our duty to recognize that this new age is upon us and to welcome men back into these roles in our society so that they can more fully contribute to our future.

In the not too distant future, we may see men granted a limited right to vote and hold elected office.  Who knows?  Perhaps one day my granddaughters will even have the opportunity to elect a man as President of this great country."

With that, President Kathy Williams left the House chamber, and returned to the White House with her mother to spend a quiet day with her husband and children.

Copyright © 1998 Rachel Williams

Author's Note

I started writing this story a long time ago and it kept changing alot.  I might even change it more.  I know that most men and boys wouldn't do those things but it keeps happening so much and like if something like that happens to you you can't help worrying about everyone sometimes.

This is just a story.  Its not how I want the world to be.  Except I want the world to be safer.  So if you don't like what I wrote about M-chips and what they did that's ok since its just a story.   Good stories are suppose to make you think about things.  Maybe mine will make people think about how bad it is now and how to find a better way to make the world safer.

I still couldn't decide if I should put this story on my page or not.  I asked two friends and one said I should and one said I shouldn't and I couldn't decide.  But tonight the real President went on TV and made a speech about how he lied to everyone about doing sex with a girl and he tried to make everyone feel sorry for him.  He wants everyone to like just forget he lied about it and let him have privacy.  I don't think he really cares about anything except being President and if he really cared about his family so much he'd quit so he could be with them and really have privacy to make things better.  But I think he cares about being President the most. So I decided to put my story on my page because its about the kind of President we might have to have in 50 years if people keep electing Presidents who are like this.  

I want to thank Sally for helping me find the right words and to get everything to come out the way I wanted it to and for telling me not to give up when I got frustrated.  And I want to thank Cosi and Kenny for being the first to read my story and tell me what they thought.  And I want to thank my mom for trying to help everyone including me from The Terror.

Rachel
August 17, 1998