Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer

The warning roared from every speaker across the world. Unfortunately, the words were incomprehensible. Most people just looked at their devices in surprise or up at the nearest speaker in shock, muttered about invasive advertising getting out of control, and carried on with their lives.

That evening, Tomjo and his mates were gleefully beating the stuffing out of some hapless Seattle homeowner who’d been rude enough to object to being burgled.
Tomjo kicked him hard in the side of the head. Something cracked. The homeowner went limp.
One of the others crouched by the body.
“Ay ay, fink ya dun ‘im, bro.”
When he didn’t reply, they looked up at their chief. Tomjo was staring into the sky. Everybody heard him say “You what?” before he too went limp. As he collapsed, everybody ran.
The murder wouldn’t have attracted so much attention had it not occurred seconds after that particular sundown. It did remain just another fatality statistic for a few weeks. Meanwhile, there was a worldwide outbreak of sudden deaths among murderers, exploiters, and businessmen. Many of the incidents were initially deemed inexplicable. Many of them also featured the murderer lying next to their victim.
Then Professor Sanderson Crewe, a respected expert on ancient languages, was interviewed by a news crew outside the museum where he worked.
“I have finished my translation of the mystery speech heard worldwide last week. It was spoken in an early dialect of Sumerian. I have here today a transcript in English.”
He shows a document to the screen, then turns it and begins reading.
“Be aware: the activation of Intrinsic Uttuku Concordance has been approved. It will begin at your next sundown. Those who abide our tenets, blessed continuance. Those who do not, remediation commences.”
Professor Crewe lowers the document and stares at the camera for a moment before speaking again.
“I was initially puzzled by this, until I became aware of events transpiring worldwide. Put briefly, it appears that some greater power has decided humanity is in need of guardianship. At the moment, that apparently involves a single effect: if you kill another human, you will be instantly killed. It should be noted that according to evidence from cases around the world, the number of stages removed from the evil that you do does not necessarily protect you. If your actions result in death, then death will be visited upon you.”
The next words are spoken slowly.
“Although it might be unwelcome, I would suggest a moratorium on killing while the exact limits of this are discerned.”
He seems to consider something, then nods and speaks quicker.
“I would also request that other linguists check the original broadcast along with my translation work as soon as possible. While murderers and their ilk dropping dead could be regarded as beneficial, I feel it unwise to ignore the possibility that I’ve missed or misinterpreted anything.”

Tomjo is now reckoned to be the first subject penalised by the Intrinsic Uttuku Concordance.
What warfare remains has become entirely drone-based and is increasingly unpopular. Grievous crime rates have plummeted worldwide. Fervent investigations continue into who did this, what it is, and how it can be stopped.
A few are loudly outraged by this ‘alien interference’ in our sovereign right to kill one another.
Most of us on this suddenly peaceful planet don’t care.

Wishing you the blessing of your uttuku, friend. Long may it continue.