Office for Planetary Protection (Stranded, Part 7/Final Part)

Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6

Three months have passed since I was forced to make Earth my temporary home. I can feel the effects of the constant hypergravity in my whole body. And I’m sick of eating the same few plants each and every day. Rick promised to breed new ones, but that takes forever. I want to go home.

But so far, there has been no reaction from my home planet. No answer. Not even a single signal or sign that they are alive. Nothing. I’m starting to lose hope.

Rick stopped spending all of his time with me, I guess he’s a bit bored. There is nothing he wants me to ask anymore and I can see the urge to do more than asking in his eyes. He hides it quickly every time I look at him but I glimpsed it more than once. He’s ashamed of this urge.

But I understand him. Humans have looked for other intelligent life for decades, centuries even and never found it. That must feel so lonely after a while. When I was born, there were already relations to other planets. Trading deals had been in place and I had always known my place in the universe.

But Rick? How old is he? I never asked. I’d say he’s about 60 Earth years old, which is still not that old for a human but also not young anymore. On my home planet, he’d be ancient. And he spent his whole life wondering if there is someone out there. It’s only natural that he wants to learn as much as possible now.

I can’t hold it against him. But it makes me only want to leave sooner. If only there was a reply …

The door to the room that contains my glass cube is thrown open and Rick storms in, a wide grin on his face.

”Guess what!” He says.

”Your new breed of plants finally grew?” I assume, still in shock from the sudden sound.

”What? Oh, that. No, I doubt that will ever happen. No, it’s something much better! Guess again?”

As I stare at him in confusion, the realization slowly bubbles up in my mind.

”You got an answer”, I say.

”We got an answer!” He cheers. ”You can go home, they’re coming for you!”

His excitement infects me and I flap my wings. At home, this would have lifted me into the air but here …

Doesn’t matter! I’m going home! _@suesa

”How soon will they be here?” I ask.

”Tomorrow.”

”Tomorrow?!”

”Yes. They were already close when they sent us the message because they wanted to avoid any possibility to be intercepted by the Splerions. You were right, the ship you came in had been attacked and your crew was killed. It seems like everyone thought you were dead so they’re thrilled you survived and even offered to reveal themselves to the rest of humanity and initiate First Contact.”

”Did you accept?”

”Oh hell no! Humanity isn’t ready for that yet. All that technology, we would rip each other to pieces and Earth would become a barren wasteland. So we politely declined the offer and said that we’d be happy to join in the future when our species has become a bit more … peaceful.”

”I understand that”, I say. ”I was a bit worried that you humans would attack me when I land here.”

”Yes, I remember, you told me. I’m still a little bit offended by that.”

”But you just said yourself …” His loud laugh interrupts my protests.

”Come on”, he says, ”we need to leave.”

”Where are we going? I thought you said that I’ll be picked up tomorrow? Will that not be here?”

”Oh, it will be here alright. But you need to go through decontamination first and that takes a while.”

”Decontamination?”

”Yes, they even flew in our Planetary Protection Officer.”

”Your what?” I ask.

”I know, I know. That title sounds like that woman is supposed to protect Earth from alien invaders. That’s what I thought the first time I heard that title. But nope! Turns out she makes sure your kind is safe from us.”

”I’m not sure if I understand.”

”There are organisms stuck to you, organisms from this planet. They’re everywhere. If you take them with you, you might ruin another planet’s ecosystem. Maybe not your own, maybe not immediately, but we can’t take the chance that it ever might. We once plunged a highly expensive spacecraft into Saturn to prevent it from possibly destroying future life on one of the moons, that’s how serious we are.”

”That’s actually very thoughtful”, I say. ”Well then, let’s get on with that decontamination.”

The whole process of getting rid of as much organic material from earth as possible takes seemingly forever and is extremely uncomfortable. But finally, I’m done and allowed to sleep for a few hours.

When Rick wakes me up after what feels like an eternity, I struggle to accept that it’s finally possible. I can finally go home.

They escort me outside where a small shuttle of a familiar build is waiting for me on the ground. The door opens and a ramp extends.

I turn to Rick, one last time.

”Thank you for everything. For saving my life.”

Rick just smiles.

”Don’t forget us humans”, he whispers so that only I can hear him. ”We may be a little bit dumb, but we have big hearts. Tell your people to return one day and become friends with those who will come after us.”

It’s the last thing I ever hear my friend say and the words stay with me on my way home.

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Sources:

Why NASA Is Right to Hire a 'Planetary Protection Officer'

Unexpected 'Arrival': Humanity's Not Ready for Aliens

Office of Planetary Protection

Cassini - The Grand Finale

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Picture taken from pixabay.com

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