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[Harry Baldman]

"Affairs in Kenya seldom make it to the news, Mr. Raman, since unlike a lot of other, more interesting countries in the vicinity, we are not in the habit of butchering our populace, pirating the seas or being ravaged by plagues or wars to a degree dramatic enough that famous Irishmen would feel the need to express sympathy. I much prefer it that way, it need not be said."

((Speaking of, probably could retcon EFC owning (directly+indirectly) only up to 15-20% of Kenyan farmland altogether, so the scale's ridiculous, but not quite laughably ridiculous.))

[Yourmaster]

"How unfortunate. Piracy is good business. I earned enough wealth to start my company by investing in pirates."

[Harry Baldman]

"Oh, don't get me wrong - many great men have started their fortunes from petty things like stealing ships or smuggling drugs, but they're mug's games in the end, wouldn't you agree? A proper thief garbs himself in the shelter of law."

[Flying Dice]

"Piracy, you say? Sir, I do believe you have contributed to my own fortunes in some small way, as such men often have. Every ship stolen or sunk is one which must be replaced, after all... Ah, but where are my manners," he grins rakishly, bowing slightly at the neck, "Herwald Rasmussen, fifth of my name. But in such... illustrious company I have no doubt that you'll all know me more comfortably as Harry."

[wipeout1024]

"So, if I may introduce myself, I am Priya Gupta, CEO of Dharma Inc. True, as they say, one's man's trash, is another man's treasure."

[AoshimaMichio]

"Yes. Disturbing indeed. Anyway, now that we're here, and seeing as how it must be urgent, I might as well introduce myself, as I dont know any of you, except Mr. Raman, which I have had many dealings with in the past. I am Jeff Summers, CEO of ACI.

Now, with that out of the way, I'll have an Ice water please."

"Yes, Mr. Summers. I recognize your company. Wine, please." Alex would stare over at Ogudi. "I can say I have heard of you, Mr. Korir, though not much."

Mihael claps his hands again and moments later your requested drinks are provided.

"Affairs in Kenya seldom make it to the news, Mr. Raman, since unlike a lot of other, more interesting countries in the vicinity, we are not in the habit of butchering our populace, pirating the seas or being ravaged by plagues or wars to a degree dramatic enough that famous Irishmen would feel the need to express sympathy. I much prefer it that way, it need not be said."

((Speaking of, probably could retcon EFC owning (directly+indirectly) only up to 15-20% of Kenyan farmland altogether, so the scale's ridiculous, but not quite laughably ridiculous.))

((Yeah, let's to do that.))



Mihael waits until everyone is settled down and servants are gone. The he starts speaking.

"As some people suspect, I do have precongitive ability. It's far from perfect and conclusive, but it is enough to solve any mundane problems. It's also what I used to solve each of yours problems. Not so much of being talented business man than just cheating the system." He chuckles. Then he gets serious again.

"For half of my life I have seen visions about end of the world. Every single time I saw it, it was different than in previous vision, but it also always started at very specific date; exactly three years from now. During last ten years visions started to focus more at people rather than actual catastrophe and eventually it focused on you five. I saw you fighting through the catastrophe while being prepared for it. I saw you fighting together, separately and against each other. I saw you dying early and surviving to the end. I saw your efforts saving thousands people, hundreds and no one. I saw you fight to save lives, to save technology, to leave your mark on the world and to seize control what's left. Every single time my visions were different."

"Then yesterday this thing appeared." He points at the glowing ball hovering above him. "Just by touching it it granted me knowledge of what is going to happen and most importantly, why. Higher beings, whose representative it is, have decided to erase mankind for their own entertainment. Yes, you heard it right. Entertainment. Mankind will die just because they think agony of billions is fun. Granted, humans also kill ants and other animals en masse because we think it is fun. I suppose it is same kind of situation here, just on different scale."

"And to make it more fun they decided to leave exact method of end into hands of humans. They want us to decide how we will die. To add insult into injury they are even willing to help us to dodge the bullet to some degree, or at least to make impossible scenarios slighly less impossible. Do not misunderstand this; no matter what happens billions will die. Even in the best scenario only thousands will survive."

"Technically decision is mine to make, but I cannot bear such responsibility, not alone. So by following my visions I chose you five to decide it on my behalf, and with power granted by this ball I transported you here. You all have influence and power, so you can prepare for the end and even survive through it if luck permits.
So tell me, in what form should Armageddon come? Alien invasion? Zombie outbreak? Nuclear war? Demons ravaging the land? Fatal astronomical event? Because those higher beings can enact any doomsday scenario you can come up with. Anything from natural distasters to supernatural, unnatural and artificial ones."

[Peradon]

Jeff blinks almost blankly, clearly trying to understand the gravity of the situation.

"You're saying the world end in 3 years..? Oh lord..."

Jeff crosses himself, and proceeds to gulp down his glass of water.

"At least we can choose our doom, and have a chance to prepare for it. How specific can we be in choosing our fate?"

[Flying Dice]

Herwald blinks, slightly perplexed.

"My goodness, this is rather novel," he hesitates, licking his lips, "If we were to assume that everything you have just told us was the honest truth, then the path is rather clear, I would think? Our ideal outcome is one which allows for the survival of mankind, is it not? Therefore, our first efforts should be put towards concocting as close to an ideal scenario as possible, one which is sufficiently amusing for these rather less than benevolent beings while also ensuring the survival of a genetically sustainable population in habitable conditions."

[AoshimaMichio]

Jeff blinks almost blankly, clearly trying to understand the gravity of the situation.

"You're saying the world end in 3 years..? Oh lord..."

Jeff crosses himself, and proceeds to gulp down his glass of water.

"At least we can choose our doom, and have a chance to prepare for it. How specific can we be in choosing our fate?"

"As specific as you want. More specific you get, less freedom of interpretion you leave to them."

[wipeout1024]

Priya almost spits out her tea in shock when she hears this announcement.
"Well...., Hmmm...., I think we should be careful in choosing the end of the world. We should closely think about each scenario, because there could be a hidden drawback."

[Harry Baldman]

Korir thinks for a moment, taken aback by the rather amazing tale.

"That is... novel, yes, as Mr. Rasmussen already said. I would normally suggest nuclear war, as that largely only destroys cities and vital infrastructure, leaving a significant amount of population alive and ready to survive in the wild. Most wouldn't, and disease and also the ensuing violence would ravage the population beyond the shadow of a doubt, but this seems like the best chance for humanity's survival. And I hear nuclear airbursts can be awfully clean, environmentally speaking."

"Though admittedly nuclear war sounds rather lazy. That it was the first thing to occur to me is probably a good indication that there are better ideas to be had. A tournament of tribes of 1000 people battling it out for dominance of the Earth in ritualized conditions? A virus that exterminates all people not genetically immune to it? A fleshwarping horror, like in one of those films, let loose in a population center? Or merely a night that lasts for a year, causing considerable global cooling and the death of most plant life on Earth? A sudden influx of CO in the atmosphere that euthanizes much of the world's population as painlessly as possible?"

"Very interesting choice. I suppose a long night or nuclear war would be most amusing for external observers. A zombie outbreak, of course, is completely out of the question unless handled realistically. Maybe the appearance of a deity-like figure that smites all who do not conform to its strict specifications?"

[wipeout1024]

Priya thinks about what Korir had said, and begins to consider the options.
"The deity one could work, but what if the deity deliberately chooses the worst people to be the ones to survive?  Just a thought, but, as I have said before, we must think carefully about this, as there may be drawbacks we either haven't thought of, or do not know about."

[Yourmaster]

" A massive electromagnetic pulse. Many people would die in the short term, but we would be able to eventually overcome it."

[Harry Baldman]

" A massive electromagnetic pulse. Many people would die in the short term, but we would be able to eventually overcome it."

"Not good enough, I think. Too many would survive it. How about a great deluge?"

[wipeout1024]

" A massive electromagnetic pulse. Many people would die in the short term, but we would be able to eventually overcome it."

"Not good enough, I think. Too many would survive it. How about a great deluge?"

"It could work, but let's discuss who would survive, in that event. I would think at least most of Bhutan, or perhaps Nepal would be safe, as they are mostly among the Himalayas, because of the high elevation."