Or Else!

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Dr Nyra Veridi, a senior xenobiologist, was in her quarters on the Galactic Council’s starship, The Luminary, as it cut through the inky blackness of space at speeds many multiples of the speed of light. Covering the vast distances of galactic travel took only a mere few standard days when moving at such unimaginable speeds. So far, the journey has been uneventful. Her multiple antenna eyes twitched and moved in a chaotic dance, taking in a variety of points of view projected all around her. It was as if she was inside the world of information she was sifting through.

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Suddenly, the presentation froze, and a low gong sound announced an incoming conference from the Council, asking if this was a convenient time. Nyra, fully aware that the “request” was a mere formality, accepted the call, retracted her antennae and focused on the arc of representatives that were standing in her quarters in front of her. This insta-presence always made Nyra uncomfortable. She knew they were not physically there with her, but the presence was so real, and if she touched any of them, it felt like the real thing, an authentic touch. It made her feel her privacy was invaded.

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Nyra collected herself and performed her part of the rituals and ceremonies used for giving Nyra her marching orders and mandate:

Observe, Engage, ?and—if you deem necessary—Activate, the chair said, and the call ended.

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Nyra had never been this far out from the inner galactic regions. The White Smear Galaxy was a remote and often overlooked region at the edge of the confederation. The galaxy was aptly named. Its stars and nebulae formed a pale, ghostly streak across the vastness of space. A sharp contrast to the vibrant, spiralling hubs of reds and blues of most other galaxies, especially near the centre of the universe where the Galactic Council resides. At the far edge of this galactic smear lay a small, nondescript planet given the name SAMSUM / ADAR-KIA (3).

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Adar-Kia was a planet on the brink of self-destruction. It had recently attracted attention due to warning signals picked up across the stars. Not intentionally, of course, but the Adar-Kian wars and their over-exploitation of resources and irresponsible pollution led rapidly to an environmental collapse. It exacerbated an already very tense military and political stalemate where several nuclear-capable parties were getting closer and closer to war. The proliferation of nuclear weapons and a devastating chain reaction that would start from a nuclear annihilation of the planet was imminent, triggering an alert the Galactic Council could not ignore. Something needed to be done.

The Adar-Kians had mastered the power of the atom but apparently not the wisdom to prevent exploding themselves to pieces with it, leaving a lot of damage in their wake. Their leaders bickered over territory and resources they controlled, driven by a dangerous mixture of inflated egos and deep-rooted fears. They saw threats everywhere, even where there were none, and sought to destroy those they perceived as enemies rather than seek ways to live in peace and harmony.

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This mission was challenging for Nyra. As a xenobiologist, she had spent centuries studying the development of intelligent life forms across the universe. But now, for the first time, she was tasked with communicating with the Adar-Kians. Now, the entire planet’s survival is in her hands. Nyra was facing a monumental task, no doubt. Still, she was prepared to face the music, reassuring herself that she is good at what she does and to trust her intuition based on a diverse repertoire of experiences from which to draw ideas to solutions to problems that may arise. “The Adar-Kians are in good hands,” she told herself, building internal confidence.

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Nyra turned the presentation she was reviewing before the call to ON. She continued her study of Adar-Kia, assimilating data as quickly as she could. After all, she boarded the Luminary only six days ago, and it seems she is almost at the destination of her journey.

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“Approaching Adar-Kia orbit, Doctor Veridi,” a soft voice from the ship’s navigating system interrupted her thoughts. “All systems are GO.” We are ready for orbital insertion, and your landing plans are set up in the shuttle.” Nyra rose on her five feet and galloped down the corridor to the shuttle bay. She boarded the shuttle that would take her to the surface of Adar-Kia. The shuttle departed from the Luminary and started its free fall towards the planet.

The blue-green planet appeared on the viewscreen, its atmosphere swirling with clouds, its landmasses marred by the scars of Adar-Kian activity. It was beautiful, in a way, but also tragic. Nyra sighed, her hearts heavy with the burden of what was to come.

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The Council had advised a soft approach. They rejected the idea of appearing suddenly en masse and making a grand display of power. The Adar-Kians were still primitive, relatively speaking, and the shock of an advanced extraterrestrial civilisation might trigger their defence instinct of shooting first and asking questions later. Unfortunately, there will be no asking questions once the shooting starts as the planet will be destroyed by its inhabitants, taking with them all planet life forms and sending a shock wave throughout the galaxy with unpredictable long-term consequences.

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Some advisors suggested that the mere presence of a galactic fleet hovering around the planet would unite the Adar-Kians and resolve their internal issues, eliminating the threat of nuclear meltdown. Still, this approach was rejected as the risk of backfire, given the poor character of those who govern the affairs of Adar-Kians, was significant.

The Council had a mandate to act forcefully only in very dire circumstances with immanent or inevitable catastrophic consequences. At this stage, while there was a risk of things running out of control, it was estimated that there was still time to let the planet’s inhabitants sort it out.

The Council decided that Nyra would be a single emissary. It was the less risky route. And if, after analysis, Nyra will conclude it is hopeless, and immanent, the Council will act to eliminate the threat with as little consequences as possible.

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Nyra’s shuttle descended into Adar-Kia’s atmosphere. The vibrations made her multiple antennae eyes shake and twist. She hated the feeling of entering a planet’s atmosphere. She was very uncomfortable, even with the shuttle dumpener set to Maximum. It was like driving with a hangover at high speed on a rough dirt road in the blazing sun. Luckily, it took only a short time. Now gliding in silence, her hearts settling back into their regular rhythm and the nausea subsiding, she got into the atmosphere proper just as their star Samsum was shining on the other side of Adar-Kia. The shuttle’s advanced cloaking technology rendered it invisible to Adar-Kian detection systems, and it being night guaranteed no Adar-Kian would see her with a naked eye, so she could land where she wanted.

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She chose a location carefully working together with the Luminary’s AI. She chose a part of the Adar-Kia land mass known for its serenity. A mountainous area where colossal trees covering endless forests with only scattered inhabitants would minimise the risk of someone stumbling on her shuttle by chance, alerting Adar-Kian authorities of her presence prematurely. The shuttle touched down in a clearing surrounded by dense forests. Only some animal trails reached the clearing through the underbrush and bushes, which was perfect as Nyra’s physical body was very capable of quickly climbing the trees and moving with ease in their canopy.

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The nearest inhabitant was a single male Adar-Kian, a hunter and trapper, two high ridges to the north, and a small loggers town named Gal-gis-uru, with about 700 Adar-Kians living there, quite a distance to the southwest. Gal-gis-uru had a single asphalt-like road leading to it, used primarily for trucks hauling logs to the nearest highway interchange, about 17 KM south as the birds fly, but over 50 KM driving in a winding narrow road climbing mountains and crossing rivers. It was not a very accessible place by any account.

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She activated her cloaking device, a small, sleek unit attached to her front leg. She wanted first to observe while not being observed. Although her cloaking technology could manipulate the brains of Adar-Kians so that they would see in her a reflection of one of their own, she preferred first to observe and only then decide if and how to engage. Her cloaking device enabled her to communicate in any of Adar-Kia’s languages, but she needed to expose it to some authentic Adar-Kian dialogues to tune the dialect so she could really pass as one of them, an Adar-Kian from the region she had landed in.

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Easily covering the distance to Gal-gis-uru, quickly galloping from tree top to tree top, she found a perfect perch on a giant tree just across from Gal-gis-uru’s local store. Adar-Kians came in with empty bags and re-emerged a while later with full ones. Using her telescopic zoom eyes and her acute sense of smell, she could pinpoint the ingredients of each, and she was amazed at the number of artificial harmful products inserted to make shelf life longer and presentation better while really bad for the Adar-Kian metabolism. Indeed Nyra said to herself, the Adar-Kians have a long learning curve before they can be considered a harmless part of the confederation.

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From her perch, Nyra watched as the Adar-Kians of Gal-gis-uru went about their business. The town was small, its inhabitants unaware of the galactic events unfolding. She noted the simplicity of their lives here—families gathering for dinner, children playing in the streets, the elderly sitting on porches, lost in thought.

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Nyra’s attention was drawn to a lone figure walking down a quiet street. A woman in her mid-thirties or early forties, judging by Adar-Kian standards. She appeared troubled, her steps slow and deliberate, her face marked by the lines of worry. Nyra followed her, sensing that this woman might be a fruitful first contact.

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Nyra was perched on the tree for four days now, counting time using the Adar-Kian reference to a complete revolution of their planet around its axis. She was not sure if she had seen this woman already on the first day, but for sure, every morning for the past three days, she came down the street from the left, heading to the café. She had a small backpack from which she took out a laptop and set it up on the same table every day. The one next to the window overlooking the street. Nyra looked at her, especially when she was looking outside the window. Nyra could not know what was in that woman’s mind. The woman had, at times, a dead stare, making Nyra feel as if the woman was totally blind and oblivious to the world around her, completely engulfed in her thoughts. And the facial expressions while staring like this were of anger, fear and frustration. Nyra wondered if this could be useful in reaching out to her.

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Nyra studied the routines of the place, noticing people, routes, and timetables. On the morning of the seventh day of observing and learning from her hidden perch, Nyra decided it was time. Her language module was fully adjusted, and she was mentally ready to take the plunge. Nyra adopted the identity of “Nina Rivers,” a travel writer for a well-known lifestyle magazine. She is working on a series of articles that explore hidden towns in remote areas, focusing on their unique charm and the stories of the people who live there. Nina’s character is warm, intelligent, and slightly mysterious, drawing people in with her genuine curiosity and engaging storytelling.

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Nyra waited patiently for the red bus that came and went every morning and evening of every Adar-Kian day. It was a rare occasion that the morning bus brought anyone into town; it happened only once, two days ago. Just as the vehicle turned to go out again, opening its doors for onboarding passengers, Nina emerged behind the vehicle, as if she had just come to town on it, and made her way to the café across the street.

Nyra’s cloaking bubble hid her actual physical embodiment with her five scales-covered legs, her cylindrical, horizontal drum-like body and the difficult-to-actually count antennae with eyes, as they seem to appear and disappear without any observable pattern, performing an endless chaotic dance. To anyone who looked, her bubble reflected an Adar-Kian woman, looking exactly the part of a sophisticated town mid-aged woman, failing miserably in her attempt to appear casual. With a vintage-looking leather bag, a backpack and a camera slung over her shoulder, Nina entered the local café. She rented a room on the second floor, telling the keeper she would stay for a while, delivering her cover story.

Over the next few days, Nina was often seen typing on her laptop, flipping through notes, or chatting with the locals at the café. Her presence was friendly but unobtrusive, and she quickly became a familiar face in the town. Although she had no use for Adart-Kian’s products or food items, she went over to the store. Nyra, or rather Nina, purchased what would seem like a typical shopping list for a single Adar-Kian staying at the hotel across the street.

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Claire, the woman Nyra was observing, was a brilliant data scientist who had recently moved to Gal-gis-uru to escape the overwhelming pace and pressures of modern life. She noticed Nina’s focused yet relaxed demeanour and, intrigued by the idea of someone choosing to travel and write about such remote places, struck up a conversation with Nina one day at the café. Nyra was waiting and building to this point, wanting it to be Claire’s initiative to reach out, establishing a trust bridge to build on. As Nina she explained her work to Claire, and the two quickly bonded over their shared appreciation for the tranquillity of the mountains and the simplicity of small-town life.

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Nina and Claire started meeting regularly, both at the café and during walks around the town. Nina’s interest in the town and its people felt genuine. Claire, feeling so lonely in her hideout, found herself spilling the beans, so to say, completely and so uncharacteristically, opening up about her reasons for moving to Gal-gis-uru. She explained that she was burnt out by the demands of work and sought refuge in the mountains, where she could find peace and work on personal projects at her own pace, away from the chaos.

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Claire left a very lucrative position in one of the more prestigious data analysis firms in Adar-Kia, with branch offices in every major city around the planet. Claire was very good at what she did, some even considered her the best. Forgetting what her employers promised her when hiring her, that she would have a say on what clients she would be taking and what projects she accepted responsibility for; increasingly, those capable of paying a premium or having some other leverage on management were forced down her throat.

It was so demanding that Claire often lost track of where she was. All hotel rooms and corridors looked the same, smelled the same, and had the same soft carpet. It all became an endless blur of long travels and high-tension engagements, most of which involved working on projects she did not care for and with people she did not wish to spend time with. It was a continuous nightmare.?

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Claire started getting ill from all the pressure and the constant need to twist reality to the needs of the clients. She repeatedly complained that her job is to find what is in the data and not to manipulate the data so it will show the desired results. At some point, Clair threatened her employers to sue them for physical and mental damages, and with her knowledge of their highest-value customers, they offered her a very comfortable severance pay if she left without a court drama. Their offer allowed her to live modestly for the rest of her life in a small, low-cost-of-living community as she does now, in Gal-gis-uru.

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Nina, in turn, shares adapted stories of her, or rather Nyra’s travels and the lessons she’s learned from different cultures and communities. She selected to use real memories for the storytelling as keeping many fake scenarios in her mind, without any relevant point in her real past life to act as an anchor, was beyond her theatric capabilities. Nina listened intently as Claire talked about her struggles with modern society’s obsession with data and efficiency and how it often left little room for emotions and connection. Nina’s empathetic and non-judgmental approach made Claire feel understood and valued, deepening their bond.

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Nina and Claire found common ground in their desire to find meaning and balance in life. Nina’s stories of people who have chosen simpler, more mindful ways of living resonated with Claire, who is seeking the same in her new life. They discussed the challenges of living in a world dominated by technology, the importance of preserving personal well-being, and the role of nature in maintaining a sense of peace.

As their friendship deepened, Claire’s trust in Nina grew. They started spending more time together, exploring the local trails, discussing their hopes for the future, or simply enjoying the quiet beauty of their surroundings. Nina’s presence became a comforting and stabilising force in Claire’s life, providing the companionship and understanding she’d been missing.

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One evening, after an intense conversation about the risk of current-day leaders obliterating the planet using nuclear bombs, Nina gently introduced the idea that there might be greater forces at play in the universe—forces that could offer guidance or insight beyond what technology and data can provide. She suggested that sometimes, the answers to life’s most pressing questions can be found in the simplicity of nature and the wisdom of ancient practices.

Claire has been disillusioned with the fake value proposition of a data-driven world, as if it is for the good of the individual, while in truth, it is all manipulations to extract more money from as many Adar-Kians as possible and keep them complacent with whatever their leaders decide to do. Claire found Nina’s perspective refreshing and intriguing. She started to see Nina not just as a friend but as someone who might hold the key to a deeper understanding of life—something she’s been searching for ever since she left the city.

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If only she knew.

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Claire looked up, startled, her eyes widening in shock as she took in Nyra’s appearance. In a blink of an eye, Nyra was standing, kind of, on the sofa where Nina was sitting. Nyra switched her cloak OFF and was now standing with her five scaley legs on the sofa, her antennae eyes squirming and changing bizarrely.

Doing her best not to faint, Claire concentrated on breathing. Her mind refused to accept what her eyes had just seen. She could not process it and felt she was about to vomit. Cold sweat started forming on her forehead, and the hair on the back of her neck stiffened. Nyra switched the cloak back ON and appeared as Nina sitting on the sofa again to give Claire a moment to recollect.

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For a second, Claire thought that maybe she had some brief hallucination, but it was so real that she was convinced she saw what she saw. Nina started and said, “You are not hallucinating,” using a low, warm tone. What you see right now is a plastographic projection—it’s like the holographic technology you are familiar with here on Adar-Kia, but it goes beyond what you see; it actually creates a physical body.

Nina stood up and walked to the kitchen, bringing Claire a glass of water. Touching Clair’s shoulder comfortingly with her hand as she served her the water, Nina whispered, “Don’t be afraid; I am here to help.” Having said that, she returned to the sofa and clicked her cloak OFF again.

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Clair looked at Nyra, standing, but this time next to the sofa. While on the sofa, it seemed her barrel-like torso was a few centimetres from the fabric; now, it was about a meter and a half from the floor, her antennae just missing the ceiling. Suddenly, Nyra shrank a bit so that her size became comparable to that of an Adar-Kian woman.

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“Who are…?? What are you?” Clair managed to utter, her voice a mix of curiosity and fear.

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“My name is Nyra,” Nyra replied. “Are you comfortable enough for me to stay like this, in my true form, or would you feel more comfortable if I activated the plastographic projector again?” she asked, switching back to Nina, now standing next to the sofa, offering a gentle smile. “I am a traveller from a distant place, millions of light years away, here on a mission to help Adar-Kia avert a catastrophic end, as we have just been talking about. I know it’s a lot to take all at once, but the Galactic Council sent me as an emissary. I am a xenobiologist in my profession and am, by your count, over 700 years old.

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?“Galactic, what?!” Claire mouthed her voice barely a hiss, not coming out. She looked like she had just seen a ghost, unable to understand. Mastering her sensibilities, Claire took a deep breath and asked, clearly sceptical, “Are you with the government or something?”

Nina shook her head. “No, I am not affiliated with any of your governments. I am a galactic emissary, and I come from a faraway galaxy with a message of peace and hope that I need your governments to accept to avert the risk of self-annihilation. That is the reason I was sent here.”

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Claire stared directly forward as if she were looking through Nina into the distance, not knowing what to think, totally confused. Was she afraid? Claire felt comfortable with Nina, and so much wanted to believe her. Nina has become her friend and companion. But what was that creature with the five legs and many weird eyes? Obviously, that thing was not from here, not from Adar-Kia, and it was alive, no doubt, it was intelligent, and it was in control; the woman I know as Nina is a how did she call it? Plastographic illusion?

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Claire, still full of scepticism, whispered, “Real you, Nina, or actually I should call you Nyra. That is your name, no?” “Yes, thank you. I’d like that,” Nyra said, switching the cloak OFF. She sensed the fear in Claire’s voice, but there was a flicker of something else—hope, perhaps, or a desire to believe.

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“I know this sounds strange,” Nyra continued, “but I am here to help. Your world is in danger, and the choices your leaders make in the coming months could determine the fate of your entire species.”

Claire’s eyes widened further, as if that was at all possible, her mouth gaping wide, pushing back against the rest of the armchair she was sitting on. In total disbelief, she said, “Is this some kind of joke?”

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Nyra held out her front leg or arm or whatever it was, a flexible appendage moving like an elastic tube with scales that looked like armour. It is bizarre how it all scales up and down, keeping the proportions of the scales when it grows or shrinks or bends, which is even weirder as it shrinks on one side and grows on the other. Weird! Nyra had five such appendages supporting the barrel that was her body. Two on the left and two on the right, rear and front. The fifth was coming out from what Claire could best describe as just under the front side of the horizontal barrel. Her chin?

Just above Nyra’s raised front arm, a small holographic projection materialised—an image of Adar-Kia from space surrounded by glowing data points of various colours, some alarming pulsating reds, that represented incidents of growing tensions and conflicts across the planet with a potential to trigger self-destruction.

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Against her will, Clare, seeing data visualisations, leaned forward as if to see in better detail. She was really good with data, and it always gave her a feeling of comfort and happiness to be able to grasp the implications and trends within the data clusters. “No need to lean forward,” said Nyra, “use your finger as a pointer and just say aloud what you want to see. The data is generated in real time by a computer onboard my intergalactic vessel, listening to everything on Adar-Kia. All the news feeds, all private communications between Adar-Kians, and even the governments’ encrypted conversations and documents are easy for us to decipher.”

Clair pointed to one of the blipping red dots, a laser blue line emerging from the tip of her finger, saying: “Show me the evidence leading to this pulsating red alert”. Clair wanted to establish a reference point. If she saw the evidence, she could assess if, indeed, the presentation was of value. This is precisely what she was used to get paid to do in her former life.

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Nyra, in her five-legged form, still stood next to the sofa with her middle front arm extended, but now a glowing, shimmering blue ball appeared. Claire looked at the ball, and as if by magic, it grew in an instant, engulfing her, making her feel something like a cool sudden breeze passing her. Still, in her living room, sitting in her armchair, she was also present in a room with a thick carpet, heavy furniture and a big conference table.

“You are invisible to them,” said Nyra. This is a playback, and we are passive spectators.

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Next to the table, close by the window overlooking vast gardens, stood three Adar-Kians; Claire immediately recognised the government building of Uruk, Adar-Kia’s second-largest economy. Claire recognised the gardens from her own experience of spending many days in them, and the three people standing were the head of state, Professor Iko; the minister of foreign affairs, Marsha Tin; and the minister of defence, Retired Brigadier General Tomtom. The governing trio. She knew General Tomtom personally and thought he was a very uptight person and was interested only in looking good in public. She did a project for him a few years ago and had the misfortune of getting to know him up close.

Claire’s presence moved closer, picking up the conversation. Uruk was one of the many languages she was fluent in; this multi-linguality was one of the critical advantages she had in her previous professional life, as she could talk to almost anyone on Adar Kia in their native tongue.

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Professor Iko: “We’ve been through the reports. Eridu, our enemy, has a nuclear missile system ready for a while. Our intelligence indicates that if, in their upcoming elections, Eridu’s popular Joker, who vowed to liberate Uruk, is elected, a strike could be a real threat. We need to be prepared to act—decisively and immediately.”

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Marsha Tin: “Sir, this is old news. The Joker is just that, a gimmick. While they let him run and speak and make spectacular shows, they control the media, and the people I speak to over there seem to understand that in total annihilation, everybody loses. I suspect, however, that deep down, they are terrified of us hitting them first, just strong enough to render them helpless, Joker or no Joker.

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General Tomtom: “Our systems are on high alert and are ready to strike in a few minutes if so ordered. But once we launch, if they manage to retaliate before they are hit, using the twelve minutes it will take our missiles to hit, it’s game over for everyone—total annihilation. Yet if we don’t act first, we might not even have the chance to retaliate.”

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Professor Iko: “Seems to me we need to minimise the risk and take the Joker out of the equation. But we must not let Eridu’s counterintelligence pick it up, or they may strike because of it. Yet if we wait, and the Joker gets elected, we might as well sign our own death warrants.”

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Marsha Tin: “Sir, the only way to keep it secret so that they do not know we are working behind the scenes is to find a way to make the Joker seem the probable winner to the elite of Eridu, and they will take him out for us.”

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General Tomtom: “I once, a few years ago, worked with a consultant from one of those huge data analysis consulting firms. I could not stand her, but she manipulated data for us in a way that could make you believe that night is day and day is night. She used to have a phrase: Control the data, command the outcome.”

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Clair, without even noticing it, stood up and was speaking. Nyra stopped the presentation, and they were both again face to well, whatever you call this thing, looking like the end of a barrel with antennae eyes moving around all the time. Clair said: “Data bends to those who master its flow, and here I am shaping reality with every keystroke. I Control the data. I command the outcome. That’s my phrase. He is talking about me!”

Clair ran to a bookshelf at the side of the room and picked up a book, presenting it to Nyra, who extended one of her antenna eyes to look closely. The cover read: title: “Data Bends to those who master its flow”; subtitle with two lines: “Shaping reality with keystrokes” and “Control the data, command the outcome.” The author, Dr Claire Hisha, and her face photo from a few years back.

“This is why I quit,” Claire gasped. “They wanted me to retract what I wrote about manipulating data to impose desired outcomes because ‘if you write it, they will think we actually do it, and that is not productive, not to us the corporate and not to our clients.“

Suddenly, Claire got emotional. The past she tried to run away from had caught up with her. The anger she felt when she answered, “But this is exactly what we do, this is what I do, this is what you pay me to do. It is all a lie!” came rushing in again. It made her heart race. And as quickly as the anger rose it was replaced with an extraordinary feeling of comfort and happiness. Suddenly, Claire mumbled to herself, “Nyra is an angel that came from the stars to help me…” The following moment, Claire lost it completely, collapsed on the armchair and started to sob. Soon after, she passed out.

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Nyra sent one leg to the kitchen and started making dinner for Claire for when she woke up, while another leg found a quilt and laid it on her, letting her rest. After all, it was quite a shock she had just gone through. Nyra was happy with her good luck, although she suspected the intelligence assisting her in planning the mission had something to do with it, not being able to articulate but influencing what data I saw driving me to a decision. And then it hit her. Her AI, on board the Luminary, Controlled the data she saw, so did it command the outcome? Was her landing next to Gal-gis-uru influenced by the presence of Claire, who proves to be an optimal Adar-Kian for the mission needs, a force multiplier; with her, the chances of de-escalating the situation are better.

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After a while, Claire woke up and, looking around, saw Nyra in precisely the last position she had seen her before passing out. “So this was not a dream!” she said and passed out again. After a while, Claire woke up again, and as she opened her eyes, Nyra asked in a low, charming voice if she was hungry, telling Claire what was waiting for her on the kitchen table. Claire realised she was famished, went over to the kitchen and sat down at the table. She was hungry, that was true, and the food was delicious. Enjoying every bite, Claire wondered how it was possible that an alien would cook traditional Adar-Kian dishes so well. It seemed her acceptance of Nyra was complete. She was over the shock.

Once Claire finished eating, Nyra asked if she would like to see the ending of the presentation they were watching earlier, to which Claire said, “Yes.” Again, Nyra extended the middle front arm and the shimmering blue ball appeared, followed by a whoosh, taking Claire back into the conference room where the governing trio of Uruk were talking.

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Professor Iko: “I understand the stakes. It’s a stalemate, and I am not going to be the first to twitch, but with the upcoming elections in Erido, if we cannot eliminate the risk of the Joker winning, we might face catastrophic consequences. “

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Marsha Tin: “It’s a gamble either way, Sir. But better to gamble with a chance of survival than to wait and guarantee our end.”

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General Tomtom: “Agreed, although I will recommend that in case the Joker does win, we strike immediately and without holding back.”

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Professor Iko: “Then we prepare a covert operation to assist the Joker in the election so that the elite of Erido take him out and prepare to strike if he wins. We do what needs to be done.”

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The presentation ended, the shimmering ball was gone, and Nyra’s arm relaxed, reaching the floor. They were back in Claire’s home. Claire had finished eating but was still sitting at her dinner table, munching on joyfully. “This is no joke,” Nyra said softly. “Adar-Kia is standing on the precipice of something terrible. But there is still time to change the course of your future.”

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Claire listened intently, her scepticism giving way to the realisation of the gravity of the situation. She agreed to help Nyra, to use her talents and contacts to try to avert a catastrophic ending for Adar-Kia and to help spread her message to those who would listen. But she knew that the task would not be easy.

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They travelled to the nearest city, where Claire had connections with local activists and community leaders. Nyra remained in the background, allowing Claire to take the lead in spreading the message. Claire spoke at gatherings, met with journalists, and even managed to secure a few interviews with local media outlets.

But despite their efforts, the response was lukewarm at best. Many dismissed Claire’s warnings as fearmongering or conspiracy theories. Others were simply too engrossed in their own lives to care about the broader implications of a global conflict.

“People are so caught up in their own struggles,” Claire lamented one evening as they sat in a small café, discussing their progress. “They don’t see the bigger picture. They don’t understand how close we are to the edge.”

Nyra nodded, her hearts heavy with the weight of their mission. “It is difficult to change the course of an entire species. But we must keep trying.”

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As the days turned into weeks, Nyra and Claire’s efforts began to attract the attention of more influential figures. They managed to arrange meetings with politicians, scientists, and even a few military officials. But even among these circles, the response was mixed. Some were receptive to Claire’s presentation of Nyra’s message, recognising the danger and the need for immediate action. Others were dismissive, unwilling to change their course or acknowledge the possibility of a looming disaster.

Nyra began to sense the futility of their mission. For all its potential, Adar-Kia seemed incapable of overcoming its divisions, inflated egos, and deep-rooted fears. The Council’s first approach—to teach Adar-Kians to live long and prosper—was faltering.

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The breaking point came during a meeting with a high-ranking military official in Erido’s capital. Claire and Nina secured an audience with General Harrison, a man known for his pragmatism and influence within the government.

They presented their case, laying out the evidence of the imminent threat and the need for global cooperation to avert disaster. But as they spoke, it became clear that General Harrison was more interested in maintaining his nation’s dominance than in working towards a peaceful resolution.

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“This is all very interesting,” the general said, leaning back in his chair, his expression unreadable. “But I fail to see how it changes anything. Our enemies are out there, and we must be prepared to defend ourselves. If that means using our nuclear arsenal, so be it.”

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Under the cover of her cloak, Nyra’s antennae twitched with frustration. “You do not understand, General,” Nina said. “The use of those weapons will not just destroy your enemies. It will destroy your entire world. There will be no victors in such a conflict, only survivors—if there are any at all.”

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Although Claire and Nyra did their best to present the case, the general shrugged them off, stating, “If it happens, then we’ll rebuild. We as a species survived worse.”

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“Have you?” Nyra asked, not being able to hold back any more, her voice tinged with sorrow. “Do you genuinely believe that your civilisation can endure a full-scale nuclear war? Your cities will be reduced to ashes, your lands poisoned, and your people dying slow, agonising deaths. Is that the future you want for your children? “

General Harrison’s face hardened. “You’re asking us to trust that our enemies will suddenly decide to hold hands and sing songs of peace. That’s not how the world works. We need to be strong, to show that we are not afraid to use force if necessary.”

Nyra sighed, her hearts sinking. “It is not strength that drives your decisions, general. It is fear. Fear of losing control, of being vulnerable. And that fear, combined with your leaders’ inflated egos, will lead you to destruction.”

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The general’s eyes narrowed, and he leaned forward. “I don’t need a lecture from a travel magazine reporter and a washed-out data scientist about how to run my country.”

Nyra felt a surge of despair. She had hoped that reason and logic would prevail, that the Adar-Kians would recognise the folly of their ways and choose a different path. But it was becoming clear that this was not going to happen.

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As a last resort, Nina switched the cloaking OFF and appeared in her natural form in front of the general. General Harrison only took a blink of an eye to realise the change. He immediately reached for his desk drawer, took out a gun and shot at Nyra and Clair, suspecting she, too, was an alien. While Nyra’s body was covered with scales, the shot projectiles could not even scratch; Clair was hit twice, in her abdomen and in her head, and immediately fell down to the floor, dead.

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Nyra, realising it was game over, turned her cloak ON rendering her invisible, and jumped through the window and fled, running, jumping trees and buildings, until she was quite a distance from the general’s office. After she distanced herself a bit from the general’s office she switched her cloak to present an Adar-Kian man, not Nina. Nyra was afraid her Nina persona was already known to the authorities and probably already distributed to law enforcement and the military, hunting her down. While none of Adar-Kia’s weapons could damage her in any way, she already figured out her next move. She wanted to avoid wasting any more time.

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Nyra returned briefly to their temporary base, a small apartment they had rented in the city. After picking up some personal belongings, she left in the apartment, putting them in a built-in compartment on the bottom of her barrel like body, and left, never to return. Nyra knew what had to be done, but the thought of it weighed heavily on her.

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Later that evening, reaching her shuttle, she activated her communication link to the Luminary, her hearts sinking as she prepared herself to deliver the news. “Captain Valen,” she said as the plastographic image of the ship’s commander appeared before her. “The situation here is dire. My efforts to guide the Adar-Kians towards peace have failed. Their leadership is paranoid and fractured. The people are divided, and the threat of nuclear war looms larger every day.”

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Captain Valen, a seasoned officer with countless missions under his belt, nodded solemnly. “I understand, Doctor. What is your recommendation?”

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Nyra hesitated, her multiple eyes closing for a moment as she wrestled with her decision. The Council had given them two options—guide the Adar-Kians to peace or eliminate the threat they posed to themselves, the planet, and potentially the galaxy.

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“Plan B,” she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. “We must eliminate the threat. The Adar-Kians are not ready to change, and if we allow them to continue on their current path, they will not find their way to avert annihilation.”

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Captain Valen nodded again, his expression grim. “I will relay your recommendation to the Council. Prepare for extraction. We’ll handle the rest.”

Nyra ended the communication and sat in silence, her hearts heavy with the weight of what was to come. She had failed in her mission to save Adar-kians from themselves, and now, the only option left was to ensure that they did not bring their destruction to the wider galaxy.

As her shuttle took off, taking her from the surface of Adar-Kia back to the starship, the Luminary, Nyra thought of Claire, the Adar-Kians she had met during her time on the planet, and the beauty and potential that this planet held. But in the end, it was not enough. The Adar-Kians chose their path, and the consequences would be dire.

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The Council convened in an emergency session, and it did not take long for them to reach a decision. The Adar-Kians were deemed a threat that could not be allowed to persist. But the Council, recognising the potential of Adar-Kia’s biosphere, chose not to destroy the planet itself. Instead, they would remove the Adar-Kians—the dominant yet dangerous species—and allow the following most intelligent species to flourish.

The marine mammals of Adar-Kia’s oceans, long known to the Council as beings of remarkable intelligence and social complexity, would be given the chance to ascend. The Adar-Kians had failed, but Adar-Kia could still thrive.

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Nyra took one last look at her viewscreen, seeing Adar-Kia from above. The lights twinkled in the darkness, a reminder of the life that thrived in this world, unaware of the doom that now loomed over them.

As the shuttle ascended into the sky, Nyra watched the planet grow smaller in the viewscreen. The Adar-Kians’ time was over, but Adar-Kia would endure. And perhaps, under the guidance of the new primary species of the planet, it would finally find the peace that had eluded it for so long.

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With that, Nyra turned her view screen OFF. She started combing the background information provided to her to prepare for her next mission.