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There was fear, of course, but let’s admit it, also excitement when the aliens came. Because life was boring drudgery before that. Yeah, there was the ongoing war between Conglomerate East and Conglomerate West, but even that had become background noise, a victim of its own duration. People worked dull dismal jobs if they could find them. If not, they begged. People died of hunger, died in the war, died of boredom.
So, the aliens were really exciting. A new way to die!
“Go”—that what they called him—looked up and saw them arrive. They landed in the field he worked, just behind the kale. Except for a few other “fielders” and the occasional robot overseer, he hadn’t seen anybody in years. So Go welcomed the strange and hostile newcomers.
The landing flame incinerated the crops, and the flash blinded some of the fielders. Still, Go and the others rushed toward the spacecraft. “Build” and “Plant” reached it first. Build was vaporized and Plant disappeared inside the vehicle. Go continued to approach.
He reached an alien, stood face to presumed face and said: “Do with me what you will.”
Go, like the others was numbed by disgust and had become fearless. Everyone knew there was more than enough for all in the world. The “have’s” just wanted the “have nots” to suffer. It made the haves feel superior.
The aliens weren’t friendly but they hadn’t wronged him yet either. In any case, they could not be more evil than the Conglomerates, entities that had less empathy than the robot overseers. The whole lot of them couldn’t generate enough warmth to melt an ice cube. So, Go decided to try his luck with the aliens. He had nothing valuable to lose, only his life.
The alien turned and went back into ship. Go sat where he was, in the ashes of the field. He took a deep breath, looked up and studied the clouds. He waited.
Just then, something went bang and came tumbling rolling out from the spacecraft’s hatch. It was Plant, dirty and bruised but otherwise unharmed.
“What happened?” Go asked flatly. “What did you learn?”
“They want the planet,” said Plant. “The whole thing. We have to leave.”
“Do we?” said Go.
Plant sat next to Go. They remained silent. They ate grubs. Time passed.
Loud voices came from above. Drones, swarms of drones, flying armaments from both Conglomerates were talking, issuing orders.
THE ALIENS ARE THREATENING OUR PLANET. THE CONGLOMERATES ARE UNITING TO FIGHT THE THREAT.
WE NEED EVERYONE, REPEAT EVERYONE, TO JOIN THE BATTLE.
USE STICKS, ROCKS, ANYTHING YOU CAN FIND TO DRIVE OUT THE INVADERS.
OUR WORLD IS DEPENDING ON YOU. WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
The same scene was repeated on every continent. Fielders, beggars and workers sat where they were, cross legged, silent. The have nots of the world were separate yet together. They were fearless, ready. They had nothing to lose.
The haves, the rulers, the masters, trembled. They were alone.
