Planet Earth

“I heard you needed me, sir.”

“That is correct. I solicited your presence due to urgent matters, Guardian Terra.”

“Wait… you’re not talking about the Board’s decision, are you?”

“I am afraid it is about that, Terra.”

“Please tell me it’s not what I think it is. Please!”

“Look… I know it is hard to listen to this, but the Universal Board of Intergalactical Affairs and Security has decided that the eradication of human beings has to be done promptly.”

“But-”

“However, the Board also has decided to let them live if you can convince them --whom because of their absence I will be representing-- that human beings deserve to live.”

“But, sir-”

“And please, call me Dom. You have thirty minutes to complete this task. Decisions will be made and finalized afterward.”

“Well, what do you wanna hear? I mean, sure there are some horrible things about them, but they surely have some great things about them that make them worthy of staying alive.”

“Such as…?”

“Well, what about empathy? Humans have a lot of that!”

“But so do animals. Look at dogs, cats, mice, rats. Look at elephants! They all have great deals of empathy, too. However, they do not go around destroying everything around them, or do they?”

“Well, no, but-”

“So then what?”

“Well, we help each other. Whenever there’s a disaster, we know we can count on each other to help those in need. There are relief programs that come, and several volunteers that go and help, too!”

“I see… Now, tell me, how is it that those people end up in those disasters.”

“I mean, some of them are caused by Mother Nature, so there’s really no way to prevent them and-”

“I have that in mind, Terra. I was not referring to the ones caused by nature or infrastructure issues. I meant the ones caused by humans in order to cause pain to humans.”

“You mean ‘war’?”

“Exactly that!”

“You see, Dom, sometimes there are conflicts and people end up caught in the crossfire, but it’s never done intentionally!”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Yes, sir! Why do you ask?”

“There are humans full of malice in their souls out there, Terra.”

“Well, yes, there are people with malice in their souls out there, but not everyone is evil, you know?”

“And tell me, what happens to those people? The ones who kill others just because they can and want, or simply because they do not care about others' lives? Are they punished?”

“Of course they are. There are laws in place to avoid people like these from getting away with these kinds of things!”

“And, still, they get away with it. Corruption runs deep through their veins.”

“... um-”

“Is war murder?”

“Sir?”

“Is war murder? Do humans think war is murder?”

“They do.”

“Then why are those who kill innocent people, especially children, allowed to live without any due punishment?”

“They aren’t found guilty of their charges.”

“Why? Do they buy their way out of trouble?”

“Sometimes. But I guess it’s also due to the fact that murder is defined by them as the unlawful killing of another person, while killing during war is not considered unlawful.”

“But that does not make them any less guilty, or does it?”

“I suppose it doesn’t.”

“Do they not feel any remorse?”

“They don’t appear to feel any of it, sir.”

“So you’re telling me that humans who go a bit over the speed limit receive fines and punishments, yet those who are responsible for the mass killing of innocent people can walk away without any consequences if they have enough money or power to bribe their way out of it?! Are we letting a species as corrupt as these live and destroy even more things?”

“I’m afraid it’s a valid point.”

“And what about hatred? Isn’t that ravaging humanity, too?”

“It is indeed!”

“And that indeed is also one of the major points leading to the Board’s decision.”

“But you know they’re not all bad, right? There’s still some good in them!”

“Like what, Terra? All they do is consume and destroy their own planet and kill their own species. Tell me, whose hands have our species’s blood stained all over them? Whose hands?!”

“...”

“Who killed your family?”

“...”

“For the love of the Universe, Terra, answer me! Who was it that killed your family?!”

“They… they did, sir, but-”

“But what, Terra?! But what?!”

“But it wasn’t out of hatred. The political leaders ordered our extermination when they found out about our existence. They saw us as a threat to humanity, and they wanted to keep their own people safe, even if they hated each other deeply. I was lucky enough to escape. But as I said, it wasn’t out of hatred. There’s still a bit of humanity in them. I know there is.”

“... Terra… Please tell me something.”

“What is it?”

“How come you have so much faith in humans?”

“I believe they can change.”

“That is what the last Guardian said. He was killed a month later by humans. I do not believe there is any change that can be done for them.”

“Why do you have such little faith in humanity?”

“It is not that I do not have faith in them. Rather, it is that I am not trying to convince myself of something as stupid as that.”

“Are you suggesting I’m delusional for having hope?”

“No, but rather that I am more realistic in my views than you. Besides, if they use one of their time machines to travel to any other time period, who knows how much more damage will be done to the natural order of space and time.”

“Well, if that is one of your main concerns, why don’t you just destroy their machines? That way they get to live!”

“It is not that easy. They will eventually find another way to do it, just like they always find very creative ways to harm each other… wait, I guess that is a good point: they have great creativity. Countless inventions have been made because of their creativity!”

“See? They have something good after all! Creativity has been something that’s kept humanity going!”

“Do you have in mind that that was sarcasm, right? Ha, many of their inventions have only some life because of small mistakes they made while trying to find a way to create a weapon or something. Do you think that is good creativity?”

“No, but-”

“Look, they must be annihilated. It is not a suggestion.”

“Over my dead body!”

“What did you say?!”

“You will need to shoot me with that gun of yours before I ever give in. I will not annihilate a whole species. This is not right!”

“Listen, you little brat! You either do it, or I will be forced to destroy the planet as a whole! Either way, humans will not exist, but it is in your hands to decide if all other forms of life go down with them, too. So tell me, what are you going to do?”

“I thought I had thirty minutes to convince you!”

“And you did, and your time is now up.”

“But there’s still hope!”

“What hope? They are doomed, and the sooner you realize that, the easier your task will be.”

“But-”

“Take this button, Terra. I just need you to press it.”

“Then why don’t you do it?”

“Only the planet’s assigned Guardian can press it.”

“But humans will-?”

“Our problems will be solved.”

“...”

“I know it must be hard for you to destroy something you deeply love, but it is for the good of the Universe that we do this.”

“...”

“I know this makes you sad and angry, but you must press it.”

“... I’m very sorry, my dear humans. I am very, very sorry for this.”

“What was that?”

“Nothing, sir.”

“Okay, then, press the button. Now.”

__________________________

“So, how did the annihilation go, Dom?”

“Well… you might not believe this, but I think it was a mistake, Madame Vortex.”

“How is that so?”

“Surprisingly enough, there actually was a bit of humanity left in them, even in the worst of their kind.”

“Tell me more.”

“Wars ceased once they realized they did not have much time left to live. Soldiers from enemy armies joined in during their last hours on Earth. Rivalries ceased, kindness was given to their fellow humans in need, families and friends reunited to give their goodbyes. The world was so at peace that it seemed like a fever dream. But one of the good ones.”

“Interesting.”

“But one of the most intriguing parts was their last sound. I thought it was going to be some kind of agonizing, but instead, the last thing they let out was… laughter.”

“The pure sound of joy.”

“Exactly! I believe we made a mistake when we made our decision.”

“It sounds like we might have, but we cannot undo what is done.”

“I see…”

“How is Guardian Terra doing?”

“Still recovering. Kind of unstable. She cannot seem to forgive herself for what she was forced to do.”

“I don’t blame her.”

“Yeah...”

“Well, give her this news: she will be assigned to Planet CYJ-066. It is the most similar thing to Planet Earth.”

“I will.”

“Oh, and make sure you are keeping an eye on her. We do not need to find an emergency Guardian replacement… Meanwhile, I will inform the Board about this unexpected finding about humanity.”