When Pauline got back to the car, neither she nor Jocelyne said a word. They both got into the vehicle and didn't even look each other in the eye.

Only when the soundproof barriers were raised and the two were able to enjoy real privacy did Jocelyne finally speak: "So, how did you go?"

Pauline was not sure how to describe it. "It was... different from my expectations"

"I figured" Jocelyne replied. "It's very difficult to follow her reasoning, isn't it?"

Pauline nodded. "I expected it to be more… animalistic, but instead I felt like I was the one with the least cognitive abilities of the two. How is it possible that a dinosaur has come up with such a brilliant plan, while we humans have never succeeded?"

"Oh, so he told you about that project. Have you decided to accept it?"

"No not yet"

"Your gaze says otherwise"

Pauline wrinkled her nose. "I want to accept. The idea of creating this new world is... exciting. And I can easily see the benefits it would bring. But I must think of my people first of all; I can't make a decision without first calculating the pros and cons"

"This does you honor. I would like more sovereigns, or leaders of nations in general, to think like this"

"We are two"

Jocelyne smiled in amusement. The Queen of Prettania may have been a middle-aged woman, but at that moment she looked like a teenager who had just discovered that her favorite band had disbanded. "Anyway, going back to your earlier question… I don't know how to answer you. I too was amazed when I discovered what genius mind is behind those teeth. I think we have spent so much time being the dominant species that we now take it for granted that animals have a lower mentality, which is why we are so surprised when lord Sobek speaks". She looked wistfully out the window, thinking back to when she and Sobek had first spoken face to face alone on that warehouse at Cartago. "As for the question of how it is possible that no human ever got there... well, if you want my humble opinion, I believe that countless human beings have dreamed of the world that lord Sobek dreams of in the past, but they were all nipped in the bud. Corporations, multinationals, superpowers… all of them would have had to give up some of their power for this new world to come to life, and we all know how much human beings are attracted to power. I think that throughout history many humans have tried to create a more equitable and supportive world, but they did not have the opportunity to fight against these seemingly invincible enemies. In order to really counter an unstoppable force, an immovable object was needed"

"And the dinosaurs would be that immovable object?"

"Precisely. The unstoppable strength of corporations, multinationals and superpowers lies in wealth and power. With these two things they can do whatever they want in the human world, because humans continually want money and power. But dinosaurs don't. The dinosaurs of wealth and power don't care, so they can't be bought; and on top of that, they have an army powerful enough to actively oppose all of humanity. This is why they are an immovable object: powerful men cannot move them by conventional means"

Pauline said nothing and lit a cigarette. At that moment she urgently needed to smoke. "You know, Dr. Wu said something very similar. He argued that powerful humans could never be stopped by other humans, and that therefore the only solution was to create an enemy that was not human" he said. "Do you agree with him?"

Jocelyne's smile faded. "What Henry Wu did was against nature, an absolutely insane act that could have had disastrous consequences. However, it cannot be denied that he was right about certain things. Our world had reached a point where capitalism ruled over everything, so much so that people were getting used to being oppressed and deprived of their basic needs... and in fact, despite all attempts to save the environment, no one really lent. Attention. Television, social networks, computers... were all weapons that the capitalists used to indoctrinate people, who were convinced that lying on the sofa and commenting on a sexist post was enough to change the world. And so, in the end, only a small elite benefited while all the others lived a life of suffering and deprivation". The girl's tone was full of contempt. "Here, in what was Odaria, it was the heads of the families who dominated and even without openly declaring it oppressed the population, to the point that people remained docile and obedient and did not even think that things could be done differently. The same is true for all parts of the world, even in the most democratic ones. People are born in a particular economic context, and are convinced by the advertisements and the false well-being that is offered to them that that system is the best of all. Just think of the political war that took place between communists and capitalists, both declared themselves to be the freest and fairest economic system, but the truth was that both forced people to bow their heads without them not even noticing".

"Basically, an immovable object was needed to stop these unstoppable forces" Pauline said with a sigh.

"Precisely. Almost all human propaganda portrays lord Sobek as a violent, ferocious and cruel dinosaur, but the truth is that he has brought more wealth and equity to this earth than any economic-political regime ever done. Not because he is smarter, or more intelligent than us: he simply has the strength to defeat the capitalist giants. He doesn't care about money, so he's incorruptible. He has all the resources he needs, so sanctions and cutting funds are useless. He is not interested in positions of power, much less human ones. And even armies are useless, because he has an army in his turn, and therefore he cannot be intimidated by force. Basically, lord Sobek is everything the capitalists fear" Jocelyne explained. "So, if you ask me if Henry Wu was right, well… I can't say I share his actions, but his plan was by no means nonsensical"

Pauline took a deep breath of the cigarette. "I guess if he were still alive, Henry Wu would be satisfied"

"Wherever he is now, I hope he has found peace. I don't approve of his actions, but I don't hate him"Jocelyne said simply. "And anyway, it is useless to think about the ideals of the dead. What is valuable are the living, and it is on them that I focus"

Silence fell again between the two. No one said anything for a minute, time Pauline used to finish smoking her cigarette. Once she had completely exhausted it, she opened a compartment in the door that served as a garbage can and threw the butt into it. "You're right, it is the living that we need to worry about. And it is for all human beings still alive that I want to help Lord Sobek build the world he dreams of. But do we really have hope?" she murmured in a faint voice. "If there is one thing I have learned in my life, it is that humanity is always able to bring out the worst in itself"

"Very true... but that's no excuse for not hoping to bring out the best in us too" Jocelyne replied. "Consider it the thought of an idealist as well, if you want... but I believe it. And Lord Sobek believes it too... and shouldn't he be the first to not want to believe it, after all that humanity has done to him and her people? If he can believe it, why can't we?"

Pauline's eyes widened, then burst out laughing. A light crystalline laugh, which revealed neither amusement nor resignation. "You know, girl, for some reason, I can't help but believe you"

"Well, you don't become president if you're not good with words" Jocelyne replied, laughing back at her.

The two women laughed loudly. Seeing them, no one would have suspected that they were the leaders of two nations currently in conflict.

Pauline wiped away a tear. "If you are that good with words, then help me believe it even more. Tell me about the new organization. Have you already decided on a name?"

Like Sobek, Jocelyne had long since learned to recognize when victory was already scored. Even though he didn't say it out loud, he knew he had won the heart of the Queen of Niger. "Actually… I've never thought about it. I gave a name to the various organs that will make it up..."

"Senate, Council and Court"

"Exactly, I see that Lord Sobek has told you about it. But I have never given the organization an actual name. Though…"

Jocelyne stopped. Pauline leaned towards her. "Though?" she asked curiously.

"Well... I had decided to name her provisionally... Eden Union" Jocelyne replied embarrassed. "But it's a stupid name, of course..."

"And why on earth?"

"How why? It's so simple, and short, and without thickness, and..."

"... and despite this, it perfectly embodies the ideal of this new organization: our whole world all united" interrupted Pauline with a smile. "A name does not need to be long and sumptuous, but only to make the use of what it represents very clear. Indeed, a clear and concise name is much more valuable than one that is excessively long and pompous. Personally, I think the name 'Eden Union' is perfect"

Jocelyne's eyes widened. "Seriously? I have always thought it stupid..."

"Precisely for this reason it is perfect. It embodies the objective of the organization very well and explains it in a way that is simple enough for everyone to understand" Pauline replied. "What do you say? Do we call it Eden Union?"

Jocelyne was not very convinced, but the smile and maternal eyes of the queen of Niger convinced her to trust it. "All right. Let's call it Eden Union"

Pauline clapped her hands in satisfaction: "Perfect. Now, there are some things I would like to know. Lord Sobek told me to speak to you for the details ..."