The Federation of Africa

As the Princess toured Kinshasa, the smell of decay and disease still continued to be the overriding evidence that civilization (to her understanding) did not exist in this region of the world. The wonderful people who inhabited the area seemed energized by the air freshness her delegation brought to each part of the city. Dilapidated buildings, diseased people, contaminated water, and the dead bodies of animals and humans were everywhere. The ever-present scavengers and insect population reminded her that death, disease, and destruction did not fear man and the stench of decaying flesh made her welcome the sight of those agents designed to keep nature free of rotting carrion. Vultures boldly went into deserted buildings and gorged themselves on decaying human bodies that were hidden from public sight and they boldly strutted around the town square indicating that they had attained status in society and a domestication among humans equal to that of pigeons in the United States. The continuous war cycle that plagued this region had created this new and savage environment. Turquoise no longer had to wonder where Hollywood movie creators got their visions of nuclear wastelands and ravaged cites: She had found the futuristic visions available on full display in the Congo.

The most despicable and sick part of the background were the Western agencies that were thriving in this carnage. There were pharmaceutical companies, weapons manufacturers, chemical companies, diamond brokers, software and chip developers, and other agencies that had experimental branches masking their intentions through the giving of trinkets, Western clothing, or baskets of food. The main purpose was to gather enough subjects to validate the studies on the effects of advanced killer diseases and in potential vaccines on a contaminated people or to get valuable resources at a reduced price. They had plenty of potential subjects in this area, from e coli, to AIDS, Ebola, and other more destructive diseases that the human mind could not fathom.

And then there was AIDS. Generations of men and women had been eradicated by this disease. No one knew how it originated, and no one seemed to care about bringing it under control. It had been estimated that 60 million people were infected with the disease in the sub-Saharan region. Africa once prided itself on the resiliency of its people. Now that claim to fame was waning. The survivors in this region looked as if they were on the brink of extinction. They were weary, sick and worn down by war, exploitation, and disease.