"Invasion"

Matthew Antonelli

 

 

A planet can only survive on it’s own resources for so long.

The thousands of years humans have exerted strain on our planet has brought us to this dark day.  The exponential growth of global warming, hurricanes destroying entire coastlines, and the obvious fact that our natural resources are dwindling, are matters everyone faces on a day-to-day basis.  I am here to propose an answer.   As we look to the future, not only for ourselves, but also for the lives of our children, we only have one option left.  We as inhabitants of this great planet must turn to our technology to guide us through the stars to a beacon of hope. 

 

Through great leaps in space exploration technology, we have found evidence of a sister planet a mere 20.5 light years a way.  In the past this voyage would not have been possible, however we now have perfected spacecrafts capable of light speed propulsion.  Through the use of these vehicles we will transport highly trained scientists to this new planet.  Said planet will hereon be referred to as GL-581 c, C for short.  The distance is significant and will not only take extensive training and expertise, but courage and pride.

As we have been preparing for this voyage for quite some time, we are aware of C’s significantly less gravity, in addition to a much slower orbit.  These factors have all been taken into consideration as we prepare to embark on the most significant space exploration in the history of the world.  We all look to you for support and trust in this most demanding time.  I cannot promise results from this daring mission, I can only promise strength, devotion, and will power.

GL-581 c has been studied for years; we know there is similar temperatures and possible water.  For these reasons we are to believe this host planet will be able to offer us natural resources, familiar and hopefully groundbreaking.  As this mission could possible be fruitless we do not consider this a solution, only an attempt for a better life.  We hope to gain enough resources to be able to supply major countries with power for many decades to come.  As this poses only a potential, temporary fix we encourage everyone to continue their work in fighting global warming and the production of synthetic fossil fuels. 

 

This monumental discovery and experimental research will mark history as the first inter-galactic voyage.  We hope for the best, yet I wish to reiterate the importance of all the work being done around the world.  This work is equally if not more important than this manned mission.  In the next few months our astronauts will prepare for this life-changing event and begin this exciting voyage.  I welcome and appreciate the world’s support; let us all hope everything goes to plan.  Thank you.

 

 

“Did the see the speech tonight?” I asked, with a some what annoyed tone.

“Is there anything besides a potential, temporary fix?  I feel like the government just keeps pushing us towards total destruction.  First, the destruction of New York, then London, and now Miami, all in one year.  Now crazy trips to alien planets?” 

By her silence, I could tell my girlfriend was getting annoyed. I could hear a faint laugh track in the background.  So to avoid an argument I asked, in a genuine way, “What’s on TV this late babe?”

I heard some rustling on the other end and she told me it was late and she was going to bed, she said we would talk in the morning. 

 

I needed a cigarette and to feel cool air on my face, I had to get out.  The road in front of my complex looked wet, but I didn’t hear it rain. 

“Random 5 minute rain storms”, I thought to myself, “I hope there’s not another hurricane.”

Fear had overtaken everyone’s disposition.  This is the one thing everyone could agree on, fear.  Well, fear and minimal use of electricity.  Loosing control over my surroundings had become a bleak reality.  Everything was government monitored.  There was nothing left to use, there wasn’t any open land, everything was a vast wasteland.  In my heart I hoped this inter-galactic mission would prove to be worth the effort, but my mind kept telling me not to get my hopes up.

As I ashed my cigarette I couldn’t help but stare up at the stars, basking in my own inferiority.  Are there really answers out there?  I guessed no one was listening so, I decided to turn in for the night.  As I kicked off my boots and crumbled into bed I realized the end may be near, and the hope for this entire planet would rest on this approaching mission.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            The sunlight burned though my blinds, awakening me during a somewhat unsettling dream.  I had heard last night that we drifted into orbit surrounding the foreign planet.  My mixed feelings regarding this whole mission crept into my dreams…

“What do I do with this?” I asked a soldier standing in front of me.  “Who do I aim at?”

            It was as if I was watching a movie, I saw myself standing there, yet I still controlled my voice. 

The green beret turned towards me and grunted, “well who is the enemy?”. 

Standing before me was a primitave looking human, dressed in animal skins.  The second was what appeared to be a man from my planet, a few hundred years ago.
            “I want him to die.”  I said with feigning conviction. Even I was unconvinced of the authority in my voice.  I raised the weapon and just as I began to pull the trigger…
           

I looked to the media for some sort of update on the mission.  I only found the same information I had heard last night, that we were in orbit.  Looking to unearth new information or at least anything relevant I called my girlfriend.
            She answered in a surprisingly upbeat tone, “Hey hun, sorry about last night, I was exhausted, but I bet this will interest you.”
            Knowing of my need to know everything and stay current, we both knew she left me itching.  She went on, “Well it seems that the first images of the planet’s surface have been sent back.  I hear the environment is remarkably similar to ours, there are even signs of life.”
            I couldn’t believe what she was saying, “You mean to tell me that there is a good chance of alien life on this planet?”
            “Whoa now, I said there are signs of life, nothing is proven yet.”
            My mind was reeling, maybe this could be the answer to our crisis, maybe our planet would be saved after all.  “Im coming over,” I told her, “I want to see what your reading.”  The truth was I just wanted to analyze every detail, not that I didn’t trust her, I just knew her tendency to “summarize”.

The image circulating around everyone’s devices was the first image taken on the alien planet.  Everyone had seen it, heard about it, and was discussing it.  This was monumental, the first image of our intergalactic astronauts, this became a symbol of hope for our dieing planet.  Everyone clung to that photo, as if it was evidence that we were to survive.  The background of the picture was amazing, there were lush forests, exotic birds, and plenty of flowing water.  The article accompanying the photo said there were to be many landings on this planets surface, this was just the first.  Due to the distinctive range of ecosystems we found during orbit, the government has proceeded with 14 landing sights.  The planet itself seemed an oasis of what our great planet once was.  People began to speculate that moving there would be the best decision, not just “borrowing” their resources.
             I was forced to stop reading when I heard a commotion.  There was some sort of disturbance in the front of the bus, “most likely a patron that didn’t or couldn’t pay”, I thought.  I only wished it could have been that easy.  As I began to turn back to the photograph I was suddenly thrown from my seat as the bus halted to a stop.  A man with a gun began yelling to all of us. 

“The end is near!  Don’t you see?  The past only repeats itself!  We are all doomed!  How can you sit here and ignore the facts?”  Another one of these guys, a man who I personally resented, his rantings de-legitimizing genuine concern.  It took about two more steps for the mouthpiece to be cracked in the back of the skull.  By this time a crowd had gathered around us, inviting a cop into our proceedings.  The man was detained and suffered from a minor bruise to the skull. 

After describing to the officer my eyewitness account I needed something to eat.  As I was walking a new article was posted.  The new information relayed that not only had the astronauts made contact with many animal species, there appeared to be traces of human-esque life.  The fact of the matter was, as the spacecraft began a close dissent to the planets surface, there was a blurred, scattered image; like ants reacting to a moved trash bin.  This sighting confused the scientists, yet there was nothing seemingly worth investigating.  However, now as they progressed through more of the land, there were definite signs of fire, and primitive tools. 

I stopped dead in my tracks.  New alien life forms?  What would they look like?  Would they have any form of intelligence?  I kept questioning, yearning for answers, and within seconds Dani was calling me.

“Hey babe, did you se…”

“Yes I saw, are you freaking?  I knew you’d be freaking!  Could this really be true?”

Half expecting this exact response I answered, “Well calm down Dani, there’s no way to prove this just yet, these men are talking about something millions of miles away.”
            “Oh always the practical voice, huh, Jeremy?  Well for once, I will be irrational!  This could change everything!  Maybe the planet could stabilize our life, and we could start over, the right way.”

“That will never happen.”
            “Well maybe someone needs to say something, this is the time for you to raise your voice.”  She left her comment at that, but I knew it was a stab at my unsuccessful plan for distributing resources a few years ago.

“Well maybe someone else needs to use her platform, so that we are not sneered at, and we get the right attention.”  I wanted her help last time, but she was new and feared a rigid political stance could jeopardize her career.  But now, she had been there for years, she was a voice in the political system, a quite, meek voice, but I could change that.  We planned to meet for dinner and to discuss where to go from here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had no dreams last night, I barely slept.  One of my eyes was slightly open, hoping for the familiar glow of an updated browser.  Then it happened, the morning came and there it was.  A legitimate news article describing our first interaction with other intelligent life forms.  The scarred heard of insects that was seen from space, was none other then fleeing primitive men.  A scared, yet proud group had finally sent there strongest to communicate with us. 

I began to think of what these people must have thought.  Fleeing for their lives from this giant metal bird.  God-like creatures with giant heads descending from the sky.  I could only image the fear and confusion they must have felt.
            “Apparently once they made contact our men choose one as their king, he would act as messanger.  But once this information was released the government demanded on no contact until further notice”, I could hear her heart beating in her mouth, I could almost feel it beating against my ear drum.

“I’ve been working, so no I didn’t hear the latest”, she tried to say with confidence.  “Why don’t you do something constructive with your time.”

“Dani!  This is not the time for the ‘Jeremy get a job speech’, don’t you realize what this means?  We are not alone, right now we are one of two life supporting planets, but with these facts, we are on the brink of a million!”