Page 3 of Malliko
For a long moment, I said nothing and just digested the new information. Then the captain leaned forward and said, “Malliko, we’ll need to know if this is an assignment that you’re willing to take on. Don’t feel pressured in any way. There are other speciologists we can choose from.”
“No, I’ll do it!” I said quickly. This might not be my dream research study, but it could be much worse, and I needed to start somewhere. Either way, Earth was a desirable destination that required special permits to visit. I wasn’t going to miss my chance to see this mysterious blue planet up close and study the local population.
“Excellent. I’m setting you up with Tania, who is one of our contact persons on Earth. She will get you installed in your new habitat and answer any questions you might have. Tania is one of our most experienced Earth experts as she was born there.”
My eyebrows rose when I exclaimed, “How is that possible?”
“Tania is a hybrid. Her father is one of us and her mother is human. We’ve been working with her since she was a teenager and I’ve come to know her as trustworthy and competent.”
“I’ve never met a mixed human and Eidron,” I muttered. “How do we know where her loyalty lies?”
“We don’t. So keep that in mind when you talk to her. Did you read up on the stats about Earth that we sent you?” the captain asked.
“Yes, I read that Earth is anellipsoidwith a high level of density. It holds valuable resources such as rock, metal, and water. Of the four rocky planets in its galaxy, it is the largest and most massive. It’s home to millions of species of plants and animals, including humans, and its atmosphere and oceans provide the perfect environment for a population of great diversity. Around nine million known species inhabit Earth, and genetic material from at least a thousand different worlds has been documented.”
Alaan nodded. “That’s right. Have you worked on protected planets before?”
“Yes. Mostly, I’ve helped defend them from space, but on occasion my team and I have visited to investigate claims of abuse. I’ve never been to Earth though.”
“Then we should warn you that the first day or two you’ll be nauseated from the difference in density. You’ll get used to it and it’s worth it. Humans are a fascinating species.”
“I read that they have an enormous emotional range.”
The captain nodded. “That’s true. Even grown people cry.”
“Oh wow.” I raised my brow and kept listening as the captain continued.
“Getting permission to conduct research on Earth isn’t easy. There’s growing interest now that they’re transitioning into a higher awareness. It’s as if everybody wants to be here for the show. The Federation is very protective of Earth, which makes sense when you see how fragile they are. The majority of humans are convinced that Earth is the only planet with life in the Universe.”
I smiled thinking she was joking.
“I’m being serious.”
“But I thought… well, I read that they understand math and have made impressive technological progress within the last hundred Earth years or so. How can a species capable of doingmath not realize the improbability of their being alone in the limitless vastness of the Universe?”
Alaan shrugged. “We can’t explain that part to you. But it means that you’ll have to fit in and pretend to be human. It shouldn’t be a problem, as there are no major physiological differences between us Eidrons and humans.”
Something suddenly made sense to me. “So that’s why you chose me. I wondered about that.”
The captain confirmed my suspicion. “You might be inexperienced within the field of speciology but you’ll fit in better than the other applicants. That matters when we’re dealing with a population who isn’t accepting of alien life.”
“I understand.”
“Good. You’ll also need to respect that humans adhere to a perception that time is linear, and they are equipped with strong mechanisms to keep them from knowing they’re a part of source energy. Only a few trusted humans are informed about the work with the Federation. Most research projects are conducted with the help of local agents like Tania.”
“What strong mechanisms are you referring to?”
“The Federation has strict rules to protect the population on Earth. Once you go down there, you’ll understand how easy it is for humans to think they’re the only planet with intelligent life. You won’t find any Clattonoms or Klargs moving around and since humans don’t know telepathy, the other species on Earth can’t communicate well with them. It’s easy to think they’re like us because of the physical likeness, but their mental capacity is limited compared to Eidrons. And then there is a strange component to their psyche called the ego. It’s what keeps them in a feeling of separation. They think differently.”
“Can you be more specific?” I asked.
It was the captain who answered. “The ego is hard for us Eidrons to understand. I’m not sure I truly comprehend itmyself. Its purpose is to shield humans and protect them from knowing too much before they’re ready. The ego is designed to keep focus on the individual and not on the collective. But as we said, it’s been reported that a transition is happening and apparently the ego isn’t enough to keep humans in check any longer. More and more of them are breaking human patterns.”
Alaan looked at me with those intense light purple eyes. “We should also warn you that the adjustment to their planet can be very uncomfortable. Until you adjust, you’ll feel like everything around you is operating in slow motion.”
“Understood.”
“Good. Earth is a fascinating place and what they lack in diversity of extraterrestrials they make up for in cultural differences around the planet.” Alaan smiled softly. “We’ll have you do research on different parts of the planet to see if your findings vary. Your first research destination will be a country called the USA. It’s one of our preferred places to send researchers to because you won’t stand out. The inhabitants in that part of the world are a melting pot of cultures. In our experience hardly anyone questions strange behavior. Especially in the larger cities. You’ll be living in a state called California in a town called Los Angeles.”
