Wake-up Call: 2035

by Robert J. Traydon

  Trennor spoke, “As a matter of extreme urgency, we need to establish exactly when this rogue species first arrived here.”

  Korren replied, “Agreed, Commander. This critical factor has my research team’s full attention and we will soon have an answer.”

  “Thank you, Councillor,” said Trennor.

  He then spoke while looking at each of his Councillors in turn, “Now, I want you all to use every departmental resource at your disposal to get us all the answers we need to establish exactly what we’re dealing with here. We need to understand these radio transmissions and analyse the PSM data, so that we can identify this rogue species and determine their level of technological advancement. If they travelled here from some other part of the galaxy, then they are potentially super-intelligent and highly advanced. We also need to exercise due caution and prepare ourselves for a possible confrontation, because if our presence is detected, we could face hostility and weapons of an unknown quantum and capability. We need to be fully ready for this, irrelevant of its probability.”

  The Councillors all acknowledged their Commander’s directives and immediately relayed them to their respective departments.

  Proceedings resumed minutes later, as a number of strange motion pictures began to appear on the wall display. One of the Councillors elaborated on them, “Commander, many of the radio transmissions appear to be ‘continual rapid visuals’, as shown around us now. There are thousands of them being broadcast from around the planet.”

  Trennor and the Councillors finally got their first look at the rogue species that was terraforming the Miracle Planet. It was a conventionally orientated intelligent creature, standing upright in a vertical posture. Its body had five appendages: two beneath its torso, providing support and mobility; one on either side, enabling manipulation; and a fifth supported above, which appeared to be the creature’s head.

  Trennor commented, “Where did this species originate from and how did it get here? Could they have found a way to use our malfunctioning IGT Station without us knowing? He voiced his frustration, “We need answers to these questions and we need them now!”

  Councillor Korren responded, “Commander, the Titan is within 15 minutes of having all the data transferred from the PSM. Once complete, we’ll be able to examine the planet’s full 50 000-year history, right up to this point in time. This will give us absolute answers to all of our questions.”

  Observatory Spacecraft: AlternatIve Theory

  There was a moment of quiet as they all watched the chamber’s wall display. Then the Councillor of Ecology, who had thus far not weighed in on the conversation, spoke up, “I would like to propose another theory, Commander.”

  “Go on, Councillor Pearla,” said Trennor.

  She continued, “I am hesitant to support our preliminary assumption that this rogue species is not indigenous to Andorayan Sanctuarium. Surely the possibility exists that this species evolved locally on the planet, and for some unknown reason, is now altering the planet’s biosphere.”

  Another Councillor commented, “This theory makes no sense at all: 50 000 years is simply not enough time for any of the planet’s previously charted species to firstly, evolve their intelligence so rapidly, and secondly, carry out the huge scale of terraforming that is evident here. Besides, why would any intelligent indigenous species terraform their own planet into something that is uninhabitable even for themselves?”

  Trennor spoke while thinking through this compelling theory, “Maybe it’s not their intention, but rather a consequence of their immature intelligence. Perhaps the species does not realise that its conduct is putting the planet, itself and all other species at risk.

  “This situation reminds me of a few case studies that made waves across the Galactic Federation at various points during the Exploration Division’s history. In one case study, dating back over 100 000 years, a small inhabited planet, named Gioflorun, was discovered shortly after some assumed natural catastrophe had obliterated its relatively narrow diversity of life. Extensive investigations revealed that this initial assumption was incorrect, and that it was rather an environmental implosion brought about by a single species; one that had evolved in intelligence beyond all the other species inhabiting the planet.

  “Their behaviour slowly degraded the planet’s environment until it exceeded its environmental implosion point, which is the definitive point where the manipulation of a planet’s natural environment exceeds its equilibrium maintenance capability. The environment was effectively pushed beyond a point of recovery, leading to the mass extinction event.”

  Trennor continued, “In the case of Gioflorun, the booming semi-intelligent species was infatuated with building wooden pyramids dedicated to the glory of their fictitious deity. A large percentage of the planet’s forest cover was destroyed, causing numerous ecological failings. The planet’s limited biodiversity amplified its rate of decline, since there weren’t multiple species performing parallel roles in the nature chain. So the disappearance of just a few species caused entire ecosystems to fail. It was not long before the planet’s environmental implosion point was breached, triggering the runaway deterioration of the planet’s highly fragile environmental equilibrium.

  “Total environmental collapse followed swiftly thereafter and led to the extinction of 98% of all complex life that resided on the planet, including the dominant semi-intelligent species itself. Life on the planet had, in effect, been taken over a billion years backwards in terms of evolutionary progress. The case study was highly controversial at the time, due to the lack of empirical data to verify the findings; but well-regarded planetary researchers Federation-wide supported the theory and conclusions.”

  Using his glide surface, Trennor located the case study in the Titan’s Knowledge Catalogue and projected it onto the wall display for the Councillors to see. It included a short summarised documentary.

  Trennor had spent many years studying life-harbouring planets that were either dying or extinct, as part of his Galactic Sciences and Governing Affairs education. He knew that each one had had an impact on the Galactic Federations’ Non-interference Policy, which had dominated the Galacian Senate’s legislation agenda for deca-millennia.

  He called up a second case study regarding a planet named Erinorium, which had faced a similar fate 75 000 years ago: A dominant species had risen to power and ultimately destroyed, not only itself, but also all other cohabitating species that had shared the planet. This destruction had been caused by a terrible planet-wide war that had been fought between two sects of the dominant species. The toxic weapons used during the war had rendered the planet incapable of supporting complex life, causing 100% extinction of all but microbial life.

  The controversy surrounding this event was that the planet had been under surveillance by the Exploration Division, yet the Non-interference Policy in place at that time had prevented it from intervening prior to Erinorium’s destruction. The policy’s framework effectively stipulated that external interference of any kind was strictly forbidden and that the species was to be left to its own devices. The Senate members had watched sorrowfully as the demolition of the planet unfolded right before their eyes, without them being able to do anything about it. Rampant debate followed the ‘unnecessary’ loss of the planet’s numerous indigenous species and majority opinion claimed that a degree of intervention by the Exploration Division would have been a more suitable course to follow.

  After a further 40 millennia of debate and indecision, the Galactic Federation was faced with a third situation regarding a planet named Rothanion. In this case, however, it was not religious belief or war that threatened the planet – it was a single dominant species’ inadvertent manipulation of the planet’s environment to perpetuate unsustainable expansionist behaviour. The dominant species, although small in population, had developed primitive highly-polluting industrial technologies at such a fast rate that it unknowingly altered the planet’s atmospheric composition.

  The
Exploration Division witnessed the subsequent environmental deterioration and only at the last minute did the Senate pass legislation authorising what would be classified as ‘non-interactive intervention’. This meant that no direct contact with the dominant species could be made and that intervention would need to be carried out without the knowledge and cooperation of the dominant species.

  All efforts were made to save the planet non-interactively, but the dire situation was compounded by the fact that the Exploration Division had underestimated how quickly the planet’s implosion point would be reached – its atmospheric balance was far more fragile than first thought. By the time they realised their error, the accelerating deterioration was already irreversible. Retrospective efforts to save the planet were futile even with the Exploration Division’s highly advanced technological capability. The environmental collapse caused wide-ranging suffering and death for the inhabitant species. Ultimately, 96% of the planet’s complex organisms had become extinct, including the dominant species – a total loss of 251 684 species. Galacians across the galaxy heard of the planet’s tragic mass extinction event, and were horrified to learn that the Exploration Division’s limited intervention attempt had failed.

  This event caused a major rift in opinion across the Galactic Federation and the Senate predicted a steady deterioration in Galacian cooperation if the issue of intervention was not rapidly addressed and resolved. It was one of the most turbulent eras of the Federation’s long existence. It took a century for the conflicting views of the opposing factions to be united in a common understanding, which eventually allowed for the Planetary Intervention Protocol to be drafted and passed into governing law.

  The Protocol dictated that interactive ‘remedial intervention’ would only be authorised in cases deemed to be ‘extreme risk’. This would cover any situation where a living planet’s environment was exposed to unnatural threats*. These threats included environmentally threatening behaviour of any species by means of religious belief, war, or development, as well as the invasion and terraforming of a planet by a non-indigenous species – of which there were also various case studies.

  [* Natural threats such as stellar evolutionary events would still fall under the Non-interference Policy.]

  Whatever the unnatural threat was, if a planet’s environment was found to be within a century of reaching its implosion point, then the Planetary Intervention Protocol would be immediately instituted. This Protocol stipulated that a series of votes would need to be undertaken by the Senate to determine firstly whether intervention was absolutely necessary, and if so, what level of intervention would be required to deal with the particular threat facing the planet’s environment. Should the initially selected intervention level fail to defuse the threat, then a further vote could escalate the intervention to a higher level. Only upon the highest level of intervention being voted on, would the threat be comprehensively dealt with.

  Subsequent to the Planetary Intervention Protocol being legislated, a situation requiring remedial intervention had not arisen again for over 35 000 years – until now.

  Having completed his overview, the Commander continued, “Whether it is a non-indigenous or indigenous species that is causing this environmental destruction, remedial intervention will almost certainly be required. As a priority, we need to ascertain the extent of the planet’s environmental deterioration, together with its rate of decline. Only then can we establish exactly where the planet lies in terms of its environmental implosion point. These findings need to be included in the expedition update that will be sent within the hour to the Senate for evaluation.”

  Trennor then spoke with distinct concern in his voice, “From what we are witnessing on this planet, our time is limited. I just hope that we’re not already too late.”

  Observatory Spacecraft: Situation Analysis

  With the download and synchronisation assignments now complete, the Titan sent a notification message to every glide surface in the Observatory, confirming that the data folders had been finalised and were now available for review in the Knowledge Catalogue. The Titan followed up by disseminating what it deemed to be high priority data folders to all the relevant departments. A further notification confirmed that full decryption of the planet’s data and communications networks had been achieved, and that monitoring and surveillance sub-links had been established network-wide around the planet.

  Specialist analytical teams within the various departments immediately began the process of examining the data folders and summarising them into concise displayable information packages for the Exploration Council’s review. Within minutes, completed packages containing finalised figures were being sent to the Council Chamber.

  The Commander and his Councillors remained engaged in conversation over the myriad of finalised data being displayed around the chamber wall. While they spoke, a key information package arrived detailing the full 50 000-year history of the planet in a time sequence visual (TSV). It had been condensed to just two minutes, with a corresponding year-counter reflecting the relative time in history. Trennor initiated the TSV and they all watched closely.

  Historical periods of interest could be slowed and expanded to get more detailed information, but he let it play through once without any interruption. Everything appeared to be relatively stable throughout the first 45 000 years of the TSV, other than a minor polar ice expansion and retraction phase. The 5 000 year period that followed was, however, of particular interest to the Council. It was evident that the atmospheric composition and certain parts of the natural landscape began to change in a slow but unnatural fashion. They watched on, only to see the atmospheric manipulation and habitat displacement ramp up steadily during the last 2 000 years, and then escalate dramatically over the final 250 year period to present time.

  Commander Trennor spoke, “So this all began long before we thought – at least 5 000 years ago.” The Councillors all agreed.

  Trennor continued, “I also saw no evidence of a spacecraft arriving on the planet. The Planetary Surveillance Module would certainly have detected and flagged an event of this nature. Let’s have this verified by checking the module’s ion detection data. If there’s no record of an ion signature, then it’s highly unlikely that a spacecraft arrived here ferrying a rogue species. We must therefore …”

  Councillor Korren interjected, “Apologies Commander, I have just received confirmation as to the origin of the presumed rogue species.”

  Trennor looked at Korren. “Now for the moment of truth and reckoning. Go ahead, Councillor.”

  Korren spoke, “It would appear that this species is not an invasive, non-indigenous species as was first suspected. It is, in fact, native to the planet as suggested by Councillor Pearla”

  Some of the Councillors expressed their astonishment. The Commander gave a nod of approval to the Councillor of Ecology for her astute assertion.

  Korren continued, “We have run the images of this species through our Andorayan Sanctuarium species database, which was collated during our last visit to the planet. Numerous congruencies can be drawn between it and one of the relatively primitive biped species identified then.”

  An eerie quiet fell over the chamber as the Commander and Councillors were stunned into silence by the revelation. It was difficult to fathom that such a scale of environmental manipulation and destruction could have been carried out by an indigenously evolved species, and in such a short space of time.

  Trennor had to snap himself out of his momentary stupor to speak, “Well, there’s our answer. This presumed rogue species is actually a dominant native species. Unbelievable!”

  Korren swiped the glide surface in front of him and entered various commands. He spoke, “Here is an image comparison for your information.”

  The wall display suddenly showed various images of the now presumed dominant species adjacent to images of a biped species identified on the planet 50 000 years ago. Although they were not completely identical, their biological s
tructures presented many similarities and confirmed a direct evolutionary link. The display also detailed how the evolutionary ancestors of the modern dominant species had numbered just over 44 000 when the planet had first been discovered. Its population count now exceeded a staggering 10 billion. Everyone was taken aback by the sheer magnitude of the species’ population growth. It was difficult to contemplate, especially considering the fact that this was a supposedly intelligent species.

  Korren then swept another display from his glide surface onto the chamber wall and looked up. The display showed how the dominant species had, at the time of the Exploration Division’s first visit, only been located on the planet’s two largest continents. Shortly thereafter, it began a slow but steady migration to the remaining four accessible continents, until eventually almost every part of the planet’s land surface area had been populated by the species. Even seemingly uninhabitable areas were now populated.

  Korren commented, “Approximately 250 years ago marks the point at which the dominant species’ proliferation started to increase exponentially. Note that this coincides with their rapid improvements in health care, medicine, mechanisation, food production, transport and the advance of, what they refer to as, globalisation.”

  There was a ping on Korren’s glide surface. He looked down and then spoke, “I’ve just been notified that no ion signature readings have been traced in this stellar system since the Exploration Division’s last visit. This confirms unequivocally that there hasn’t been any extra-terrestrial intrusion or interference during this dominant species’ developmental rise. I can also confirm that the ultra-density ion propulsion drive has not yet been developed by this species, which precludes them from having a spacecraft capable of intra-galactic travel.”