Voynich Shift - Season One (COMPLETED)

Leonis, 1:1, 2:9 - USAOL Part Four

"The Voices as they were called decided to change their name. Apparently, even they understood it conveyed a kind of, um...ominous feel to the listener when said aloud. You know, 'THE VOICES'," James boomed.

"Oh, yeah, I hear it." Parker agreed. "But why the word 'Keyword'?"

"Well, these Voices noticed our use of the internet was a growing source of information and communication for us. It studied the internet services that popped up all around the world and decided to 'borrow' some of those user-friendly, rather familiar attributes people were used to when looking for help or info. You know, like searching for something using a..."

"Keyword," Parker said, finishing James' sentence.

James raised his hands in accomplishment. "And there you go."

Parker sat forward and placed his elbows on the small round table. "This still doesn't explain whole countries naming themselves after internet services."

"You can blame the president for that crap."

"Which one?"

"The second one."

"John Adams was involved in this?"

James paused to look at Parker like he just swung a fist at him. "No, dummy. Clinton."

"Oh."

"1992 was an election year and it was a tough one. Bush barely beat out Clinton..."

Parker shook his head negatively. "No, he lost to Clinton."

"Okay, who's telling this story?" James asked with his eyebrows lifted.

Parker nodded. "Sorry, I forgot things are different here."

"Personally, I don't know how or why you are even sane with what you've apparently been through," James said.

"It's beyond me, too," Parker replied. "Just ignore me, James. Keep going. I won't interrupt anymore."

"...damn world hoppin' Canadians, always interrupting," James said with a grin. "Anyways, the next election the Dems throw Clinton back into the ring to go a round with the Republican Bob Dole and this independent inventor guy named Zachariah Riddell, III..."

Parker must have developed an odd look on his face because James stopped speaking mid-sentence.

"What did I say?" James asked in confusion.

"That name...Riddell. His name came up in one of the last places I shifted to. He was leader of the Martians."

James reached over, grabbed Parker's mug, and lifted it to his nose to sniff it. He shrugged and set it down. "Martian? Bro, I hate to tell you this, but that would be the absolute last thing that crazy joker would ever be. People in the press began calling him a...xena. No, not the Warrior Princess. Um, a xeno...damn, can't remember."

"Xenophobe?"

"Yeah! That's it!" James said, pointing a finger at Parker. He studied Parker's face for a moment. "So, you aren't kidding about the whole Martian thing? He was a little green man over there?"

"Well, not exactly. His great, great, great grandson or someone with his last name was actually tall and kinda orange."

"I would definitely be verifiable at this point if I were you..." Taking a deep breath James decided to continue. "Well, here it was, we're now in 1996, and we had this invisible alien species covering our planet for four years. They didn't want to hurt us, or enslave us, or do anything bad to us. They just wanted to be there for us. When we needed something, they would make it for us, help us make it, or tell us where to find it. They simply lived to serve and as you may imagine, with our flawed human nature, we were more than willing to take and take. Essentially, the world was nuts...practically chaotic in places. Riddell and his group, as much as a lot of people didn't want to hear them, did have some valid points regarding all of this. Still, don't get me wrong, this Riddell guy was batshit crazy...it was his solutions that rubbed people the wrong way."

"Let me guess, he proposed creating a Martian colony?"

James sat still for a few seconds as if contemplating what Parker just said. "...oh, I get it! That's why you called him a Martian. Yeah! He did mention doing that. In fact, had he not been shot by his wife for cheating on her with a hooker, I think he was going to fund something like that. Well, anyways, It took Bill Clinton and Dole to start the ball rolling on reigning everything in...arguing about who was going to do what to get everything under control. When Super Tuesday came around this time, Clinton won...and he won massively. He went on to Washington with one hell of an agenda, first order of business, to start a Constitutional Convention and raise the hood on the country's engine. He and many in Congress were to limit and control how and why a citizen may use our alien friends' assistance. What the limitations were on what they could ask for, how many times they could ask for things, and so on. You get the idea. As an olive branch, he had the Thirty-Second Amendment retroactively call George H. W. Bush the first president of the new United States of America Online. The Thirty-Third made AOL the nation's official internet provider and the aliens, anytime they were called inside of the U.S., would officially be referred to as Keyword, just as the people had requested. Now, there you have it, that's the history of the USAOL."

"And I suppose the other countries followed suit?"

"Including those dang Canadians to the north and their Wattpad. Those guys..."

Parker laughed. "You are definitely not right, James."

"Speaking of Keyword, you may not believe this, but they disassembled all of the world's nuclear weapons in one afternoon. Then they made desalinization plants to turn ocean water into drinking water for several places in Africa and the Middle East," James said. "Right on live TV, too. It was crazy, but so cool. We watched all of these missiles launch from their silos and just disintegrate midair..."

"I have to see that. You have a video of it?"

"Yeah, at the library. I'll look for it tomorrow and hold it for you if it's not checked out." James rose from his chair and stretched. "Alright, I gotta work tomorrow and I have some reading to catch up on...you good?"

Parker nodded.

"See you in the morning," James said as he slid his chair beneath the table.

"Thanks for letting me stay here," Parker said watching James walk away.

James waved behind him in acknowledgement and disappeared down the hall.

Parker sat back, noting the kitchen had grown very quiet.

"Parker?"

Parker nearly jumped from his skin. He began looking around in fear and confusion. "Who said that!?!!"

"Do not be afraid," whispered the voices. "We are Keyword, Parker Raymond, and we have much to discuss."