Donner continued his scans for news the following morning. He noted that the remaining operational satellites that he could scan were either foreign-owned or were part of an international communications network. Apparently, the Japanese had been very careful with their target selection, choosing only those that were directly owned by the US government and US corporations and only when they weren’t involved in broadcasting to a broader global audience.
But collateral damage had been extensive. US television services were particularly hard hit. Most American TV networks had to rely on internet streaming to continue operations. In any event, they estimated that half their former audience was unable to receive their broadcasts. The broadcast corporations demanded compensation for their losses but were ignored as they didn’t have the influence to stir up public opinion anymore.
The negotiations began a week later in Geneva. On one side was the US, India, Poland and their allies; on the other side were Japan and Turkey and their allies. Days passed without any agreements only accusations. The Japanese presented evidence of the militarization of space by the United States. They contended that the US had secretly tried to construct three command and control platforms in geosynchronous orbit, one above South America, one off the coast of Africa with Turkey in view and one above the Pacific south of Japan.
The Japanese claimed these platforms had offensive and electronic jamming capabilities that essentially reduced the warning time for hypersonic missiles aimed at Japan to a few minutes instead of the former half hour. The Japanese and Turks pointed out that the establishment of these military platforms and their offensive capabilities were against international law and was provocative enough to warrant their actions.
The Japanese presented evidence that the Washington-Beijing-Seoul alliance that had emerged in the past decade had led to the necessary growth of the Japanese military. They claimed they were being denied a clear and safe supply line for the imported resources that they desperately needed to maintain their economy.
Turkey complained that the instability in its local area was not being addressed by any of the major powers and it was up to them to stabilize the region for their own safety as well as the safety of neighboring states. The US military's projection of power was in direct defiance of this basic need while not contributing anything to its fulfillment. The orbiting “Battle Stars,” as the Turks labeled them, was the provocation that forced them to act.
Donner now understood the importance of those messages he had intercepted. They were updates on the Battle Stars to Japanese Intelligence.
The US and its allies denied all the charges. They termed the Japanese and Turkish actions as bald aggression and paranoid delusions.
The talks were obviously not going well. Donner was astounded at the lack of sincerity on both sides. He soon stopped listening to the news preferring to spend his days helping his dad prepare the farm as much as possible for self-sufficiency.
Donner and his dad were working in the barn, building more stalls to hold the animals that Jack hoped to buy. The robotic carpenter was excellent at cutting boards just right even though it didn't physically measure the cuts. Donner and his dad then nailed the boards up.
Donner said, “Dad, before I stopped following them the talks in Geneva just seemed to be a lot of accusations, no one really wanted to address the issues honestly it seemed to me.”
“Yes Donner. There is always a lot of posturing in any kind of negotiations. What they are doing is trying to influence public opinion so that any agreement will seem necessary and reasonable and the parties to the negotiations will appear blameless no matter the nature of the treaty that comes out of the negotiations.”
“So they don't actually want to solve problems just make sure people don't blame them for the results?”
“Something like that.”
“You know dad I've been thinking that instead of going to school for a doctorate, maybe I'll just get a bachelor's and try to make a career in flying. You know how much I love flying.”
“If that is what you want son. I think you should always pursue your interests and not society’s. Too many people doing things they don't like already.”
“That's what I think too dad.”
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