Chaper 14: The Blessed

[Li Violette]

"Oh, that's very interesting. In what ways will it revolutionize transportation...or how can the technology be used? I know there is the..very popular teleportation booth and that has helped with tranporting people quite a bit. What will your technology add to the world?" I ask him. I am very curious about this, despite the fact that I know very little about science. Nevertheless, it is useful to know.

"Someone as bright as you should be attending meetings of the economic council! Why haven't I seen you there?!" I ask enthusiasticly. Of course, maybe his business is just starting so he does not consider himself important enough to attend those meetings. It is hard to know.

[Rutheven Dellacroix]

Rutheven at first just grinned at the comments and words of Keitoleinen. The disguised yet forward asking of things like that just made Rutheven amused, although the swarm of bees probably helped put him in that mood as the swarm grew more aggressive and moved more erratically.

"Keitoleinen my good friend, why would a humble person like me desire to see obstacles in my path to power or the rise of my former homeland seen gone?" replied Rutheven always aware that there is nothing innocent about what Keitoleinen ever says and does.

"It's not as though I'm looking to find something to blackmail the Moderator of something illegal or embarrassing. And it's not as though I'm simply waiting for some opportune moment for the silly soda company to be disposed of after being manipulated to my own ends."

Rutheven grin lessend a little

"And if I would I certainly wouldn't speak it out in the open near the Speaker herself."

[Jumala Keitoleinen]

"Why? I suppose because humility is the way of the Cursed." Keitoleinen laughs.

Keitoleinen looks around the room and assumes a much quieter tone. "Everyone is out for something. Everyone here is ambitious, and most are plotting something, unless they are stupid." He remarks.

"As for me, I am content where I am, since I could do no better...and I could care less." He states. It is true that he is only chasing after chaos and destruction. He could care less about his own personal wealth or glory, only that they feed his ego and he feels entitled to some greatness.

Keitoleinen becomes lost in his own thoughts for a moment and is quiet. He watches the bees chase the performers and seems in a daze for just a second.

"How many people here believe in Father Manala, do you suppose?"

[Rutheven Dellacroix]

"The same number of people that actually care about such things like gods."

Rutheven stared at Keitoleinen for sometime then looked back out at the other guests. And then in his low tone

"It's interesting that you found a status and place of contentment. I thought perhaps you almost as insatiable as everyone else. Even at this age I learn something new."

"It seems everyone is out to gain something though, of this you are most assuredly correct. It's not really a question though of "what it is", but more of "how does it affect me" or "what do I get out of their ambition" though."

[Isvara Sharma]

"Oh, its really simple. By transportation I don't mean those phone booths. No no. You can't transfer mass amounts of bulk goods via those phone booths."

Isvara felt himself getting nerdy. Yet, he continued.

"Also, regular airplanes for example need to be in constant motion to stay in air. You can perhaps use blimps to float. However, you can't do both. I mean, its silly to make a plane blimp, right? Well, how our technology revolutionizes transportation is that it creates an anti-gravity field around the object which allows it to travel from one location to another without air friction or drag getting in the way. Also, it allows this 'airship' to float if it wishes to. Not only that, this technology is very pragmatic in terms of fighting earth's gravity in order to get into outerspace, which thus makes it far more useful than say, combustion that is needed to do so. Not only that, this technology is very useful in mecha and other military equipment as it allows for more versatile movement. Also, we're working on simply suits that you or I could wear so that we can float at our own leisure. Its applications are near limitless."

He was out of breath and he can see the confusion on Li's face. She asked about being at board meetings at the economic council. He cringed a bit. Isvara preferred Keynesianism, and such economic theories were very anti-Manalism. He quickly came up with an excuse.

"Oh, I'm sorry. My economics is rather rusty and I'm only a budding businessman. I haven't done economics for a long time. I mean, you wouldn't want something as rusty as Keynesianism hit the table of discussion at the council. Its archaic. Outdated. Disproven time and time again. I'm personally not familiar with the new economic theories. I'd rather stick to physics; my forte. Oh, I mean, I wouldn't mind coming to see all the hubbub, but I personally wouldn't be able to input anything useful."

[Jumala Keitoleinen]

"Oh well...being Moderator or Master would be too much work. So many people scurry about for positions and power. Most of it is too much hastle for me." Keitoleinen replies. "Why is it worth it?"

He feels bored again, which is his least favorite feeling. The performers have run outside and the bees followed after them. It is quieter now, except for the various conversations that people are having all around him.

"Blah blah blah blah, people talk too much. Something has to happen. Let's get up and talk to Li and that person she is talking to. Maybe they have something interesting to talk about. If not, maybe I can just, do something to them. Like ...punch the new guy in the face randomly, or try to seduce Li."

[Li Violette]

"Since there are no governments, Keynesian economics are a bit dated. Afterall, you can't increase government spending...if there is no government spending." I reply to him.

"Oh, but more than economics is discussed. It is sort of a United Nations for Corporations. Their interests and conflicts are discussed. The Moderator tries to settle any disputes and suggest policies which are best for the world economy. I suppose...I am not sure what it is called...since we are supposed to be beyond the age of ideologies. We are SUPPOSED to be beyond economic systems." I state. Of course, I do not agree with that, but it is not my place to disagree.
We do not call the system capitalism since that would imply there might be another "ism." This way is supposed to be the the natural order of things...and the only possible order of things. So the economic system remains nameless.

"Anyway, if you are interested in promoting this company, attending those meetings would be in your interest. I for one am very interested in the technology...I would like to help you, even."

[Rutheven Dellacroix]

"That just sounds spontaneous or implusive Keitoleinen. I would applaud you if you did." Rutheven laughed.

The two walked up to Li and the new person.

"The entertainment seems to have left it seems Madame Speaker. But it was dying down anyway so I suppose its no big loss."

Rutheven then looked at the man endlessly talking to Li

"So forgive me Madame Speaker but who is this information filled man you are speaking with? Something perhaps useful and of note that can hold the fluctuating attention of Keitoleinen?"

[Isvara Sharma]

"Well, in that case how can we refuse this offer?"

Isvara smiled at her comment however. Coming from the Speaker he felt a little thrown back. He felt the need to correct her.

"Economics is a science, not an ideology. Ideologies are akin to worthless dogma. Economics is a tool used to make this world a more perfect place via the free market. I thought that was evident. I thought that was why the World Economic Council existed."

[Li Violette]

"This is Isvara, he is the CEO of a company working on some sort of gravity technology." I explain to Rutheven. I take a few steps away from Keitoleinen, since I fear he may be apt to do something unpleasant.

"Are you enjoying the party, Rutheven?" I ask politely.

I turn back to Isvara. "I suppose I meant that there are no schools of economic thought..."

[Isvara Sharma]

Isvara looked at the man walk up to Li. He had seen him before on TV and read about him on the internet. Ruthevan was his name. A member of the World Economic Council. A classy man.

He had to correct Li again.

'Um, its Anti-Gravity technology; revolutionizing transportation," he corrected, throwing in his company's slogan.

[Jumala Keitoleinen]

Keitoleinen steps up to Isvara and randomly punches him in the stomach, but not too hard. Just a playful, but noteworthy punch.

"I just felt like doing that." Keitoleinen remarks.

After that, Keitoleinen walks away, since he is bored with all the talking, and because he heard the word economics, which to him is a very boring word. He wanders back to watch Cris Frost to see if he will do anything interesting.

Keitoleinen is becoming impatentient and hopes the food will be ready soon.

[Chris "The Patriot" Frost]

Frost was excited to be at the party, but was getting bored fast. He didn't see many people he recognized, and the people he did recognize were all corporate fat-cats.

Frost steps to the corner of the room by himself and sets his large frame down with a exhausted grunt. Party-goers notice Frost by himself, and concerned whispers start to circle the room.

Frost didn't care, he wanted the attention anyway. It was easy for him to keep his cool and act casual, and unaware of the crowd.

[Rutheven Dellacroix]

"The party is amusing so far." Rutheven replied as Keitoleinen punches the young man and he very lightly laughs.

He then began to ponder over the technology being discussed and very rudely decided to ignore the Indian man and began to question Li over the technology.

"Oh now Anti-Gravity technology? Sounds like it could be interesting, indulge us with your knowledge of it then Madame Speaker, what has he told you about it so far?"

[Isvara Sharma]

A man in silver hair walked up to Isvara and randomly punched him in the stomach.

"Ugh!"

Isvara grasped his stomach tightly. But the time he looked up, the man who punched him was walking away.

That was...Jumala. Fuck, he's the one of the guys I need to sell this to.

Isvara straightened himself, but still held one hand on his stomach.

"What was that?" he asked Li and the man with her.