The Selfless Sphere

"Damn commie aliens", said the general, looking through the bullet proof glass of an underground laboratory at the object that, several weeks before had fallen from the stars, a strange, flawless, football  sized metallic sphere levitating inches above a large square table, "Why'd they send us a power source if we can't use it?".
"We can use it", said the Professor next to him, "Unfortunately, the power source will only allow someone to use it if they intend to use it for the collective good of their species and planet. The moment that it senses self-interest, it switches itself off".
"Well can't we just lie to the damn thing", said the general.
"No", said the professor, "We've tried that already. I'm afraid the sphere knows everything we're thinking".
"Alright", said the general, "I'm a patriot, so we use it for the good of the U.S.A".
"Oh but that means nothing to the sphere", said the professor, "Whoever designed it came from a world which was one Nation and it will not be used except in the service of an entire planet which makes it no good as a weapon of war".
"Well what about its commercial applications", asked the businessman who'd been sitting nearby, quietly listening.
"The same problem, I'm afraid", replied the professor, "Whoever built the sphere intended its energy to be given away for free; it won't let itself be used for commercial gain".
The businessman shook his head with a look of disgust, "Well then the generals right. If you can't use it for war and you can't use it for business then what good is it".
"Oh but, unlimited energy, think of how it could help humanity", said the professor.
The general and the businessman both laughed.
The professor looked down, shaking his head with disappointment at the narrow minds of the other two men then switched on an intercom infront of him, speaking through it to two biohazard suited scientists inside the laboratory.
"Alright", he said, "Lets put the sphere into storage. Perhaps one day, if humanity has changed, we may take it out again".