Damon's Ascension-Chapter 74: The Next Steps 1

22nd April, 2025 - 7:00 PM GMT.

The BBC’s signature theme played, signaling the beginning of a live global broadcast.

Tonight, the studio was meticulously designed to exude a sleek, modern aesthetic, bathed in ambient blue lighting that evoked the futuristic imagery so often seen in science fiction.

Across the curved news desk sat four distinguished figures, each representing a different sector of global influence.

The lower third of the screen displayed: "Breaking News: Damon Arnan’s Global Announcement – A New Future Or An Unstable Gamble?" fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com

At the center of the panel sat Elliot Langford, the evening’s host. He was a composed, middle-aged journalist with a sharp British accent and a veteran in political broadcasting, renowned for his ability to guide discussions with a neutral façade while subtly steering narratives.

To his left was Lord Percival Hastings, a former UK government official and geopolitical analyst, his crisp suit and aged demeanor giving him the air of old-world authority.

Beside him, Dr. Miriam Bowens, a distinguished professor of technological ethics from Oxford, with a penchant for academic skepticism.

On the opposite end was Jonas Rourke, an American energy mogul turned consultant, his deep voice and assertive presence representing the corporate elite.

Behind them, a massive screen replayed segments of Damon Arnan’s mental broadcast - which he also released in a digital format for tv stations to replay - frozen on key moments where his silver-flecked eyes gleamed with quiet amusement.

Langford turned to the camera with a practiced seriousness.

"Ladies and gentlemen, today marks a pivotal moment in human history. Damon Arnan, the summarily-appointed Prime Representative of Earth, has declared the global rollout of technologies that will redefine civilization as we know it."

"Fusion Energy, AI, Warp Travel... these were once ideas confined to the realm of science fiction," Langford said, pausing as the screen behind him shifted, highlighting key quotes from Damon’s speech. "And yet, he claims they are now within our grasp."

The panelists sat poised, waiting for their turn to dissect the implications.

Langford continued, seamlessly guiding the transition. "But is this a triumph for humanity, or the reckless ambition of a young man unprepared for the weight of his own declarations? With us today, we have a distinguished panel to break this down."

Turning to the side, Langford’s tough voice became respectful. "Lord Hastings, I’d like to start with you. Surely, history has taught us to be cautious when power is concentrated in the hands of an individual, especially one as... young as Mr. Arnan."

Lord Hastings adjusted his tie, exhaling as if burdened by the necessity of stating the obvious.

"Indeed, Elliot. Let’s not mince words since we are all adults here. This is a boy from Ghana, a third-world country steeped in corruption and with no notable great minds, who has just entered his twenties, a period most youths spend going to frat parties in college, suddenly dictating the future of billions."

"History favors the steady hand of experienced leadership, not youthful idealism masquerading as progress. Nations do not leap forward because a single man wills it, they evolve through carefully measured policy, through institutions, through governance."

His tone, though measured, carried an unmistakable air of condescension.

The camera subtly zoomed in, emphasizing his furrowed brow which was a visual cue meant to instill doubt in the audience.

Langford nodded, as if weighing the legitimacy of the concern. "A fair point. Dr. Bowens, as an academic, I’m sure our audience is keen to find out your own take regarding Mr. Arnan’s... qualifications. After all, for someone overseeing technological advancements of this scale, one would expect a background in science or engineering, no?"

Dr. Bowens, who had been quietly steepling her fingers, leaned forward with a snort as she pushed up her glasses.

"Precisely. I have reviewed all publicly available records, and to my knowledge, Mr. Arnan has no formal scientific training. He has no STEM-related degrees, no published research, nothing that would qualify him to implement such complex advancements. The idea that he can single-handedly oversee the deployment of nuclear fusion and artificial intelligence is, frankly, absurd."

The screen behind them flickered, now displaying a list of world-renowned physicists and engineers, subtly reinforcing her statement.

She continued, her voice growing sharper. "We must ask: Who is truly advising him? Who is truly making the decisions? Because I refuse to believe a 20-something-year-old without proper credentials is the mastermind behind this."

Langford nodded along, seamlessly shifting the discussion’s tone. "In other words, are you suggesting that perhaps there are... unseen hands at play? That despite his confident rhetoric, Mr. Arnan might merely be a figurehead for forces we do not yet understand in the wider galaxy?"

Dr. Bowens tilted her head and made a noncommittal reply. "I wouldn’t rule it out."

Langford turned his attention to Jonas Rourke, whose expression had been one of controlled neutrality thus far.

"Jonas, as someone who has spent decades in the energy sector, you stand to lose quite a lot from Mr. Arnan’s plans. But let’s put business aside, does this transition even seem feasible?"

Jonas Rourke sighed, his fingers drumming against the polished desk.

"Look, I won’t deny that nuclear fusion is a game-changer. It’s the holy grail of energy. But the way this is being handled? It’s reckless."

"You can’t just drop civilization-shifting technology overnight and expect everything to run smoothly. The grid isn’t ready. Supply chains aren’t ready. The workforce isn’t ready."

He gestured toward the screen, where images of past energy crises were now displayed. "And let’s not forget, the transition from coal to oil and from oil to nuclear, all of these took decades. Trying to force nuclear fusion onto the world in mere months? That’s a recipe for economic collapse."

Langford leaned forward slightly, his voice taking on a softer, more concerned tone.

"So would you say, then, that while Mr. Arnan’s intentions may be noble, his lack of experience in governance, infrastructure, and economic planning makes him a... dangerous wildcard?"

Jonas Rourke exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. "I wouldn’t put it that way, but... he’s playing with fire, Elliot. And if he’s not careful, we all get burned."

The studio fell into a calculated moment of silence before Langford turned back to the camera.

"Strong words from a panel of experts. Ladies and gentlemen, we are standing at the precipice of an unprecedented shift in human history."

"The question remains... are we being led into an age of enlightenment, or down a path of unchecked recklessness? One thing is certain: The world is watching."

..................

Damon switched off the LCD TV and relaxed into his seat, playing with a device that would soon become the new basic item used by all humans around the world, the Vors Quantum Device.

It was basically a metallic wristband that produced a holographic screen in front of a person, allowing them to do anything a phone or computer could do on a galactic scale. It could do everything minus VR, as that one required at least a specialized helmet. Fortunately, that too was provided to everyone at no cost.

Still, the Vors Quantum Device would replace smartphones and cause all phone companies to go bankrupt. After all, even the simplest quantum device could easily hack into anything that relied on digital connections, though Damon had such functions temporarily limited until quantum AI technology was implemented globally.

Damon had come back to Earth after the broadcast and spent the entire day within the VR world making plans and purchasing things necessary to implement the next stage of his plans.

He checked the news to check the reactions to his earlier announcement and things went exactly how he expected. The legacy media, firmly in the hands of certain powers, were all but calling him the forbidden word as they threw everything in the book to discredit him.

Were it not for the fact that the imagery was ridiculous, they would likely paint a mustache on him and call him the second coming of the Fuhrer.

Damon did not mind, because legacy media was not aware of the move he had played by introducing everyone to the galactic network for free, with unfiltered access. It was like providing a country with restricted internet access satellite phones, allowing them to experience news from all over the world.

And guess what the wider world was talking about right now? Currently, every third article or video was about the sensational human race and especially their Prime Representative.

Not only that, but all these articles either outright praised him for his foresight and wisdom in saving his race - written by mostly those of lower-ranked species - while others grudgingly acknowledged his talent, potential, and prowess - mostly written by those higher-ranked species - which was the galactic perception about him.

The actions he took were explained in detail by galactic pundits in videos, their voices trembling with excitement as they described each move played by the ’bigwigs’ as if it were a chessboard, and somehow even the tricks they played on Ambrose’s ship were included.

So now those who had excitedly activated their devices and jumped onto the galactic networks were faced with two different propagandas.

One from their ’trusted’ local sources telling them that Damon was incompetent, corrupt, and underage while another unfamiliar but vastly more powerful source was telling them that Damon was intelligent, supremely talented, and a guiding light for all future Prime Representatives.