Chapter 30: Two Years Later

Kay tilted back in her chair. She took a sip of her mint herbal tea, put the computer keyboard on her pregnant belly, and started to type: I had long ago come to the conclusion that world peace was an impossibility. The pipedream of naive idealists.

I had come to the realization that the world was too fractured to ever be mended. Fractured by culture, fractured by race, and fractured by language.

All of these divisions, while obstacles, can be bridged between countries and peoples with a little effort.

But there was one fracture that was impossible to bridge, and that was religion.

Almost everyone is raised to believe that their religion is the one true faith.

Even atheists, who believed that there was no God, ended up putting their faith in science as an answer to all life's questions. It becomes their de facto religion.

One can learn to appreciate other religions, and even convert to a new faith, but one can only have one belief at a time.

And there was no sign of the religions merging. All attempts to form a one world religion in the past had been dismal failures.

The need to worship and feel awe, was something uniquely human. It is a characteristic that separates us from the other animals, even the higher primates.

It also separates humanity into separate tribes.

This separation is one of the major factors that has kept humanity constantly at war with itself.

No peace for mankind.

But then, Donald Moore stumbled, by accident, on a discovery. The need to worship was ingrained in our DNA. In his attempt to perform two experiments at once, he inadvertently changed us, so almost everyone worships us on a genetic level.

I am not sure that this is a new mutation, though. It is possible that the ancient pagan gods, like Zeus, Aphrodite, Horus, and Odin, were once real people, who had the same genetic anomaly we have. They too were worshiped by their people There was a knock on the door. It was her assistant Angela Matzke, the pharmacist, who had been there from the beginning, with her and Alice. Kay knew that she should have promoted her to a higher office long ago, but she liked having a familiar face around.

"The president is here, Madam Secretary."

"Alice? Was that today?"

"The black haired goddess nodded. "Of course. Tomorrow is World Day, and she has to be here in New York for that."

"I'm sorry. I've been so absorbed in my book ... I guess I've been delinquent in my duties."

Angela shook her head. "It's okay. It not like there has been any crises lately. You've finally gotten everyone in line about English. There's not been much to do since then.

"Besides, we all know how important this book will be."

"Thanks. Please have Alice come in."

The door opened, and in ran a naked toddler, with curly blonde hair, bright green eyes, and shiny skin. Behind her walked her mother.

"Miranda! Look at you! Walking like a big girl!"

"Kaaay!" cried the child, as she ran into her godmother's arms.

The head goddess picked up Miranda, then hugged Alice. "Wow! I don't see you for a month, and everything has changed. Miri has grown three inches, is walking like a pro, and is talking.

"All she can say is "mama", your name, and a few other words," said Alice.

"It's good to see you, Kay."

The goddesses kissed long and deep.

Kay smiled. "Mmm. Good to see you too, dear."

Alice pulled away. "I can't stay long. I just came by to catch up."

Kay sighed, and leaned against the edge of her modern steel and glass desk. "Since the problem in France has been resolved, it has been pretty quiet."

The nineteen year old shook her head in disgust. "Don't they realize that having one language is vital to global unity?"

"They knew. They just didn't like it."

"The French public didn't object when we told them that from now on all print material, TV and movies were to be in English."

"Of course they didn't," said Kay. "No one can say no to a goddess."

"No one but the clergy and other goddesses," said Alice.

"True enough," said Kay.

"Still, your solution handled the problem easily."

"Moving the rebellious goddesses to English speaking countries was a simple enough solution. Much easier than your solution with the prisoners."

Alice nodded, as she ran over, and pulled her daughter away from a bookcase. "Miranda, no. These are grown up books." She picked up her child and carried her back to Kay.

"Yeah, that was a tough one. I almost vetoed that bill."

Soon after all the state and local governments in the US were turned, the goddesses went into the state and federal prisons.

All the prisoners, who were not immune, were to told that they were to be released. But if they committed any crimes in the future, they would be exiled, and never see the goddess again.

This program was incredibly successful. Over ninety-five percent of the amnestied convicts had stayed clean.

But the immune convicts remained a problem. The non-violent offenders were brought into the priesthood. Even some of the first time violent offender were made priests, depending on the circumstances.

The hardcore career criminals still remained, though. There were over a thousand of them. They were all moved to one prison, Pelican Bay in California, where they were kept in solitary confinement. They just sat in their cells, not contributing to society. Most of them were either on death row, or had such long sentences that they would surely die in jail.

A bill was introduced to execute these immune dregs of society. It passed both the House and Senate by narrow margins. Alice had to decide whether to veto the bill, or sign it.

She call Kay for advise.

The UN Secretary General told her to read the records of the remaining criminals, and see if any of them deserved saving.

Alice did so, and found that they all were horrible people, who had done horrible things.

She signed the bill.

The next day, each prisoner was served a poisoned meal in their cell.

Alice looked at her mentor's swollen belly. "You are not due for another month, right?"

"In theory, yes. But my doctor said that we goddesses tend to deliver up to a month early."

"I was two weeks early."

"I remember."

"Have you decided on a name, yet?"

"I've been thinking of Florence."

Alice sighed. "Now there's a surprise. Your child will be in school with a dozen other goddess girls with the same name."

Kay frowned. "You have a point."

Florence Giordano, a sister in her seventies, was the only casualty among the goddesses in taking over the world.

A survivalist panicked, when he saw the Ladies arrive at his apartment building in Chicago. He climbed onto the roof and fired down on the group about to enter below.

The first shot went through the top of Florence's head, killing her instantly.

When they caught up with the man, he converted instantly.

Realizing what he had done, the gunman pulled out a hunting knife, and slit his own throat.

Since that incident, many goddesses have named their children after Florence, in her honor.

"Maybe I'll name her Donna," said Kay.

"Donna?" asked Alice.

"After Donald Moore, the man who made all this possible."

The president shook her head. "Naming your child after a sociopath. Nice."

"Angela wants me to name her Alexia."

"Alexia?"

"She was a security guard, killed when Angela was abducted by Guido's men.

"I like the sentiment. But I don't like the name."

"Well, Donna is just fine," said Alice. "No one needs to know where it came from."

Kay nodded. "Yeah. Let Angela name her own kid Alexia."

Alice picked up her fidgeting daughter and started nursing her.

"So, how is the book going?"

"Almost finished. I am writing the final three chapters."

"At once?"

Kay shrugged. "It's weird, I know. But I lose interest in one subject, but then I'm ready to write on another. They are all on aspects of changes in society since we took over."

"Well, whatever works for you.