Deep Space Settlement - 5. DSS Chapter 5

“Good afternoon Ambassador, we believe it is you that we have to thank for these magnificent new facilities that we have here, we are very grateful for them, as it makes life a lot easier for us all, especially with the security systems, which I believe originate off-planet” the New Zealand Ambassador stated, as the greeted me.

“Good afternoon gentlemen, I am glad that you are happy with the facilities, and for this unexpected high-level greeting, shall we adjourn indoors, so we can chat more privately?” Lucas replied, and the followed the four ambassadors to the roof lobby and the elevator.

“If it is alright with you Mr Durham, we have all scheduled two hours to talk with you, in the small meeting room on level 3, as we have made it into a less formal space, with a casual feel to it,” the UK Ambassador said, as we stepped into the elevator, and less than a minute later, we stepped into the meeting room, which looked more like a large lounge room.

“Well this is a nice surprise,” Lucas said as he looked around the room before taking a seat. “We have an Ambassadors meeting once a month in here, to discuss any issues, that can be tackled in a more joint effort,” the Canadian ambassador said.

“Well that is what I was hoping would happen to benefit your commonwealth countries, and in a way that is why I am here today, with a proposal to put to you, that will be more beneficial to all.

As the UK Ambassador may already know, very recently, the United Republic of Planets of Sahndrol purchased three lots of land on Bermuda Island. “Gentlemen, as you may be aware, the United Nations Headquarters in New York, sits on just 18 acres of land.

I have a proposal that I wish you to present jointly to the United Nations General Assembly, to take up a very beneficial offer by the United Republic of Planets of Sahndrol.

That is that we own a 74-acre plot of land at Bermuda, and we are prepared to build at our cost and resources a complex that will benefit all members of the United Nations. At just over 4 times bigger in area, than the current United Nations land.

I have a preliminary design for a new United Nations building at Bermuda, where we will cover all land rates, water, power and waste costs, for a period of 49 years, and at that time the United Nations would take full control of ownership and any associated costs” Lucas announced to the stunned ambassadors.

“Well if it was up to me, I would accept the offer right away, not only because of the free land and build, but also the beautiful location, and that it is in a more independent location, away from risks like what happened to New York in 9/11,” the Canadian Ambassador said, and the other three ambassadors voiced the same feelings.

“Well, that is good to see I have four votes in favour, just 125 more to go for a 2/3’s majority in agreement,” Lucas said smiling. “Tell us, what other things do you have planned?” the New Zealand Ambassador asked.

“Well sir, I am working on an alternative location to the one at Morgan’s point, which is 27 kilometres away from the airport, while the alternative will be only 7 kilometres away, and although only 61 acres in size, it is still over three times larger than the current UN land at New York.

I have a visual presentation that you can present to the general assembly, but just for your viewing, I have a copy of the draft plans for the United Nations Compound, which I call it at the moment” Lucas announced, as he pulled the plans out of a tube, and unrolled it, so the others can see it.

“As you can see all the buildings are octagonal in shape, mainly to assist with less wind resistance with Bermuda being in a hurricane zone. The main central building holds the General Assembly Chamber and Secretariat offices, and it has 16 levels, with it being lower than the current United Nations building, because it is a lot bigger in area.

As you see there are two slightly smaller towers, on the East and West ends, the East tower is 4 levels high, and it is the main entry into the Complex, with the UN Library, security offices and security control centre, located in this tower.

The west tower contains the Security Council Chamber, and associated offices, and all of the conference and meeting rooms, and this is 6 levels high. The 22 smaller towers that are in groups of three and four contain the accommodation for all United Nations staff.

Each tower has a total of 12 levels, with the bottom two levels and top two levels in each group of towers, having sport and recreational facilities, including a swimming pool, gymnasium, tennis courts, squash courts, a cinema, a number of cafés and restaurants.

Each tower has a total of 384 general staff apartments, with each apartment being 2,400 square feet or 204 square metres in area. Finally, the two towers on either side of the main central tower, is the Executive accommodation towers, with apartments for the representatives and foreign ministers of all the member nations.

Each of these towers is 8 levels high, and has 280 executive apartments, that are 3,000 square feet or 278 square metres in area,” Lucas announced.

“Well, those are very generous spaces for each of the apartments, is that really necessary?” the UK Ambassador asked, “Yes sir, I do, I think that it is important to have very happy staff than miserable staff, so giving them a lot more space, will make them happier, but just give them more housework to do” Lucas replied with a huge grin, and the Ambassadors laughed at the little bit of humour.

As you see on the plan, there is a large paved area between the executive towers and the central tower, with surrounding lawn and landscaped gardens. Above the paved area, will be an arch of frosted glass resign, that will provide all-weather protection, including during hurricanes, as well as protection from the harsh sunlight.

On the four groups of accommodation towers in each corner, and the central tower, there will be solar panels to provide environmentally friendly power supply to the whole complex all year round, a desalination plant and holding tanks will provide all the water requirements” Lucas said.

“If my maths is correct, that makes a total of just under 8,850 apartments, are they all one bedroom or more?” the Australian Ambassador asked. “Yes sir, that is a correct figure, and the general staff apartments are two-bedroom apartments, while the Executive Apartments are all one-bedroom apartments” Lucas responded.

“That is a very generous amount of space for just one person, should we reduce the size of the apartments, so there is more space for something else?” the New Zealand Ambassador said.

“We could do that sir, but everything is included, as I had mentioned before, each group of apartments has its own sports and recreation facilities, with that number of apartments, it gives each member country a total of 42 apartments, to accommodate their staff, so they can choose how many can stay in each general apartment” Lucas replied.

Once the meeting was over, Lucas returned to the shuttle and they flew the short distance to Bermuda, landing on the vacant lot of Morgan’s Point, where there is plenty of room for the shuttle, as Cross Island needed some clearing to be done.

After having a second look at the alternative site, Lucas decided against that location, and instead stumbled across another site, that is 47 acres in area, right next to the airport, in an area known as Cave Island.

The only problem was that it was a narrow site, so alterations would have to be made to the plans to accommodate the width of the land, and after some more thought on it, he also dropped that site as well.

After half a day at Bermuda, Lucas decided that it was time to head back to the Earth Base near New Zealand, but as they left, Lucas asked the pilots to do a low sweep around the islands, so he could get a good look at the islands of Bermuda.

“Sir, we have just received information of an Earthquake and Tsunami warning, they say the epicentre of the quake is 1086 kilometres East – North East of Bermuda,” one of the pilots said to Lucas.

“Let’s go and take a look shall we” Lucas replied, and a few minutes later they came across a stretch of new land, that has risen out of the ocean, due to the earthquake. The shuttle circled the five newly formed islands a number of times, before landing on one of them.

“Pilot, can you please contact the New Zealand Embassy in New York, and have them notify the United Nations, that as a result of that earthquake, five new islands have risen from the ocean, and that we claim these islands as the Territory of the United Republic of Planets of Sahndrol.

If they don’t accept that, then we claim it as an Outer Territory of Canada, since it will probably be the closest mainland, and give them the exact coordinates, and distance from Bermuda” Lucas said before stepping out of the shuttle and onto the island.