MINE

Chapter Fourteen

"If our arrival on MoonEx was unplanned, how are our virtual assistants from Earth still functional?" The first question was asked by a tall guy on the far left.

"If you read the history of MoonEx like you were ordered to, you will know the answer to that question. While I will provide the answer because you have asked, you will receive the punishment for disobeying direct orders. MoonEx was initially created as a backup for Earth's intellectual property. The government of the United States proactively created a man-made colony as an extension of the moon to serve as a central store for our AI powered systems. When the Earth got destroyed, the synchronization between the planet and MoonEx broke and we have just one copy of everything here now." Colonel Ford explained.

When he finished answering the question, four MoonEx soldiers escorted the man who asked out of the question hall. Nathan could only imagine what fate befell him after that. He decided to heed Borgina's warning and save the numerous questions on his mind. There were other ways to find out what he wanted to know. At least if he did it right, he wouldn't face any punishment. He continued to observe Colonel Ford as he responded to the questions being asked.

"If only I hadn't pushed the number to join the question queue." He thought.

"I have two questions." Another voice spoke up.

"Let's hear them." Colonel Ford replied.

"Are the only survivors from the destruction of the Earth Americans? If the answer is yes, how is that possible?"

It was a question Nathan had in mind after surveying the crowd in front of him. He was pleased to see that someone else was thinking the same way he was.

"The answer to your first question is yes. Regarding your second question, I do not have a reason for the irresponsibility of other governments. Like I said earlier, the American government was proactive in creating a man-made colony as an extension of the moon that was habitable for a limited number of humans. You can see how handy that has come in for all of us." Colonel Ford replied.

"My question is a follow up to the last question." Another voice stated.

"Alright." Colonel Ford replied.

"If the United States government knew about a habitable safe haven, why is the president not here? I would have thought that he and other high ranking officials would be given priority in terms of evacuation."

"I believe you all saw the unexpected nature of the chaos that destroyed our home planet. If there was time to evacuate him unharmed, I believe the secret service would have handled that. The fact that he's not here simply means he must have been badly injured or dead by the time the evacuation ships were deployed." Colonel Ford replied.

That was an answer Nathan didn't believe or accept for several reasons. If the president was injured or dead at the time of evacuation, what were the odds of every other top ranking official being injured or dead too? The only official who had been seen on MoonEx was the Colonel himself. Besides, if the evacuation ships were on Earth during the chaos, what were the chances of every one of them getting out without being damaged?

"Who are the members of the Ruling Council and why haven't we seen them?" Another voice asked, drawing Nathan away from the questions that plagued him.

"The Ruling Council wishes to remain behind the scene. According to MoonEx law, they cannot be questioned hence, I cannot provide any further explanation." Colonel Ford replied.