Aliens ask you a question

[Spacescifi]

 

So one day all our devices connected to the internet are hacked.

 

On the screen are humanoid aliens. Some are male, others are female, so it's a matter of random chance with who is speaking to you.

In your case the alien speaking to you is female and looks like this.

They call you by name and say they have been monitoring earth for some time now. They have made their presence known because labor taxes are upon them. Meaning they must do some kind of work, whether through teaching, building, or providing something to help individuals of alien races progress in SOME way beyond their present state. Given such broad criteria, it is somehing any alien race can help with.

The humanoid aliens ask you which of the following do you value most?

Truth

Freedom

Power

Peace

Justice

They say you may only pick one. You ask why. They say for each of those qualities there are alien races that personify each, and specialize in accepting, providing, and supporting said qualities across various cultures and customs.

Thus if you pick one, the said alien race will contact you and ask you what do you want that relates to said quality? Then they will ask how will it help you progress? Last they will come and either bring you to their homeworld, or bring what you asked for to your homeworld.

The question about progress is important because they have to explain to their superiors that they only provided what aliens said they wanted individually.

Any bad results the aliens cannot be held liable for by their superiors, as the task requires progress in some way for an individual.

Whether it is good or bad for them who can know? Not all alien races have the same needs nor the same desires afterall.

So which quality do you ask for and how will it help you progress?

The aliens wanna know.

 

 

 

 

Edited May 26, 2019 by Spacescifi
Pic

[kerbiloid]

"Truth"

Because any other case can show a weak place.

[Spacescifi]

21 minutes ago, kerbiloid said:

"Truth"

Because any other case can show a weak place.

So what do you want once the truth aliens contact you? A visit to their world, or true information about your own world? They no doubt could uncover stuff (hacking the net is already a huge feat).

Or do you simply want technology that enables you to spy on others to know truthfully what is happening behind closed doors (X-RAY goggles)? They can provide all this and more.

As you can see... even the truth can get you in trouble.

Before they proceed they will ask, "How will it help you progress?"

Since whatever you say they will give as a reason for the results later on to their superiors, for good or ill.

Edited May 21, 2019 by Spacescifi

[kerbiloid]

"Power!" (twice)
("The earthlings think they are weak against us, and they want more power.. Let's attack them while they are!")

"Freedom!"
("The earthlings are afraid of losing their freedom. That's what we should do: enslave them or fear them with this!")

"Peace!"
("The earthlings are afraid of casualties and destructions! Let's take their cities as hostages!")

"Justice!"
("The earthlings are afraid of unfairness and irrationality! Let's be unfair and irrational to suppress them!")

"Truth!"
("The earthlings are afraid of getting tricked or fooled! Let's... Wait... We are going to do this anyway, and they probably understand this...!")

 

[Spacescifi]

24 minutes ago, kerbiloid said:

"Power!" (twice)
("The earthlings think they are weak against us, and they want more power.. Let's attack them while they are!")

"Freedom!"
("The earthlings are afraid of losing their freedom. That's what we should do: enslave them or fear them with this!")

"Peace!"
("The earthlings are afraid of casualties and destructions! Let's take their cities as hostages!")

"Justice!"
("The earthlings are afraid of unfairness and irrationality! Let's be unfair and irrational to suppress them!")

"Truth!"
("The earthlings are afraid of getting tricked or fooled! Let's... Wait... We are going to do this anyway, and they probably understand this...!")

 

Oh it's not that way. The aliens are during this to get what amounts to a tax (labor) deduction for this.

That is what they get out of it. Then their goverment duty time for the year is reduced.

So conquering humanity is not in the cards.

It is what humans do individually that will effect them. 

They are dealing with humanity on an individual, not species basis.

Edited May 21, 2019 by Spacescifi

[Ho Lam Kerman]

I would also pick truth.

I would then ask them everything about theoretical physics. 

Humanity will benefit.

[Spacescifi]

5 hours ago, Ho Lam Kerman said:

I would also pick truth.

I would then ask them everything about theoretical physics. 

Humanity will benefit.

Individuals who listen to you perhaps.

Humanity as a whole? Nope.

Even human science would feel threatened, since any human theory that cannot be proven by alien experiments (proving by experiments is related to the very definition of science) will likely be dismissed as pure fantasy by them.

Try telling that to scientists, that they are wrong because aliens said so. I know some would say prove it,  but even that would not convince some. For that matter, human science is also a business, and to some extent relies on people putting their trust in it.

So you begin to see that at the risk of aliens dominating human science and culture for years to come, some human scientists would definitely resist.

Because truth is power.

Governments also would feel epspecially threatened when their citizens are being contacted directly by aliens who refuse to deal directly with their governments. They would have plenty of reasons to resist.

I quite liked Babylon 5 because they showed this all too well.

Especially in what was to be the last episode but was'nt, a deconstruction of falling stars.

[Mikki]

"Where i live, "Knowledge" is the most valuable thing. Sadly, none of your choices matter. Have a cake?"

[Spacescifi]

1 hour ago, Mikki said:

"Where i live, "Knowledge" is the most valuable thing. Sadly, none of your choices matter. Have a cake?"

 

"Some knowledge is more valuable than others. Would'nt you agree?" The alien speaking to you replies. She continues with "Cake? If it passes inspection first, sure!"

As for her offer, you declined it so that is over. But it least she gets cake out of the deal! Which shows that for all our flaws, we can be generous to complete strangers.

 

[Mikki]

13 minutes ago, Spacescifi said:

 

"Some knowledge is more valuable than others. Would'nt you agree?" The alien speaking to you replies. She continues with "Cake? If it passes inspection first, sure!"

As for her offer, you declined it so that is over. But it least she gets cake out of the deal! Which shows that for all our flaws, we can be generous to complete strangers.

 

...we can be generous to complete strangers. 

I guess the superiors put the humanoid aliens on a strict diet with forced labour and no TV. 

[Spacescifi]

21 minutes ago, Mikki said:

...we can be generous to complete strangers. 

I guess the superiors put the humanoid aliens on a strict diet with forced labour and no TV. 

LOL. I based these fictional aliens at least partially on the Inca who did not use money.

Instead, they had the Mita, which is an Inca word for the period of time that the government sent people to work for several months. If you refused, you would be executed (work or die). Food and lodging were free and shared from communal storehouses for each community group. The elderly and artisians were exempt, as well as the rulers.

I also like that on kerbal, people are more civil than other forums. I posted a similar thread elsewhere with another female alien and posters were answering her question by shrugging and saying, "What do I want? You."

 

Edited May 22, 2019 by Spacescifi

[Mikki]

BTW, is getting something out of a deal really important? Capitalism? Corruption? War?

Just for your interest, where i live and for what i know, owning things and calling things your own means responsability and work to maintain it.

I recently fired some younger employees for basically nothing.

They basically earned money for doing nothing.

We hired some "old farts" who get the joke and the job done.

I am an "old fart", (45+) and i get the joke, every morning at 4:45 o clock, when sh*t starts to happen and others still dream on. 

[kerbiloid]

Spoiler

26 minutes ago, Mikki said:

They basically earned money for doing nothing.

We hired some "old farts" who get the joke and the job done.

Finished the doing nothing?

 

[Mikki]

1 minute ago, kerbiloid said:

  Hide contents

Finished the doing nothing?

 

Will probably do nothing else elsewhere.

[Spacescifi]

35 minutes ago, Mikki said:

BTW, is getting something out of a deal really important? Capitalism? Corruption? War?

Just for your interest, where i live and for what i know, owning things and calling things your own means responsability and work to maintain it.

I recently fired some younger employees for basically nothing.

They basically earned money for doing nothing.

We hired some "old farts" who get the joke and the job done.

I am an "old fart", (45+) and i get the joke, every morning at 4:45 o clock, when sh*t starts to happen and others still dream on. 

Hmmm... what is the joke? And you wake up every morning at 4:45 am? More power to you if you can do that.

As for the fictional aliens, yeah, I suppose getting something for something is a concept even animals can grasp, so yeah.

Are you asking do they have capitalism? Because the Inca did use money as a means of exchange with foreign powers, so there is that.

As for corruption and war? Do they have it?

Well... that's a heavy question. To say yes then you get aliens like us in all but looks. To say no means that they represent an ideal that we can strive for but not reach. And also beings more noble than your average human.

I guess the real question is, do you want fictional aliens to be better, worse, or just like us?

Edited May 22, 2019 by Spacescifi

[Mikki]

Excellent question, the answer depends heavily on your audience. Every age has its own challenges and rationals.

Imagine a 5 year old kid with the life experience/knowledge of a 95 year old man. This happens only in the realms of fantasy.

Your alien she-humanoid might get a instant mild seizure after consuming the cake and shorthandedly kill off the entire biosphere on earth without batting an eyelash.

A story or ideal depends on the audience, not the story.

If i want to talk to dead people i take a walk on the graveyard and do that thing, loud, so the ashes and worms can copy my tell.

This is how Hollywood works, you will get the joke later, or tomorrow morning at around 4:45 am.

 

@Scifi, in case you`re on the verge to develop a story with said alien humanoids, i wish you all the best on your task, leave the known paths and enter the unknown. Audience will judge you, which one is your choice. 

Edited May 22, 2019 by Mikki
typo:D

[Spacescifi]

15 minutes ago, Mikki said:

Excellent question, the answer depends heavily on your audience. Every age has its own challenges and rationals.

Imagine a 5 year old kid with the life experience/knowledge of a 95 year old man. This happens only in the realms of fantasy.

Your alien she-humanoid might get a instant mild seizure after consuming the cake and shorthandedly kill off the entire biosphere on earth without batting an eyelash.

A story or ideal depends on the audience, not the story.

If i want to talk to dead people i take a walk on the graveyard and do that thing, loud, so the ashes and worms can copy my tell.

This is how Hollywood works, you will get the joke later, or tomorrow morning at around 4:45 am.

 

Well my approach to writing aliens is already posted in the Lounge. You can find it by scrolling down a bit.

I never liked making all of an alien race villains for no apparent reason.

So at least as I write her, I would not write her to be murderous over flippant stuff.

And this is a one-shot, nothing more. My actual story will involve the breaking in period of a new human crew member aboard an alien vessel where the humans are the minority, instead of like star trek where it is always the other way around 

The aliens in the actual story are more than one type, and more complex in character and more alien than this one-shot character.

Oh I know the audience will judge, I have been on forums where people rage over the most silly things instead of talking about space travel and scifi (if X can beat the snot out of Y).

I have been on forums where they rage over posts much like this one. I no longer go to such forums.

Edited May 22, 2019 by Spacescifi

[Mikki]

Going to read your work soon! By then  !

[Nikolai]

Truth will tell you when and how to apply all of the others.  So of their choices, I'd go with that one.

That said, if I could pick my own quality, I'd go with "Empathy" or "Compassion" or some such thing.  Teaching humans how to acquire and use that quality would go a long, long way.

[Spacescifi]

48 minutes ago, Nikolai said:

Truth will tell you when and how to apply all of the others.  So of their choices, I'd go with that one.

That said, if I could pick my own quality, I'd go with "Empathy" or "Compassion" or some such thing.  Teaching humans how to acquire and use that quality would go a long, long way.

You're right, in that truth would instruct you in the way to go. Yet even then a correct choice is not guaranteed, anymore than those who smoke even though they know it is killing them.

It takes self-control to make the correct choice that truth dictates, especially when we feel inclined to do otherwise.

Edited May 24, 2019 by Spacescifi

[Mikenike]

On 5/21/2019 at 10:11 AM, Spacescifi said:

Truth

Power

Freedom

Power

Peace

Justice

POWER IS LISTED TWICE, so you want me to say Power Power.

[Spacescifi]

3 hours ago, Mikenike said:

POWER IS LISTED TWICE, so you want me to say Power Power.

That was a typo. By the time you read this it will have been fixed.

[Mikenike]

Thank you!! Now mine would be freedom. I don't know what would happen if I didn't have it

[Spacescifi]

3 hours ago, Mikenike said:

Thank you!! Now mine would be freedom. I don't know what would happen if I didn't have it

 

Hmmm... you may not like the answer then.

An alien race that supports, accepts and provides freedom from... anything and to do anything anyone wants. That is what the freedom loving aliens are about. Even in a holo-deck like case where effects are not lethal it would hardly be healthy for you human. Not in that environment.

That's anarchy my friend. Controlled anarchy but anarchy nonetheless.

Here is an example that shows how more freedom is not necessarily a good thing. Even when we think it is.

 

[kerbiloid]

4 hours ago, Mikenike said:

Thank you!! Now mine would be freedom. I don't know what would happen if I didn't have it

"Be a part of We The Borg, and feel the real freedom!"

Edited May 27, 2019 by kerbiloid