Terraforming Planets

"We've locked into a geostationary orbit around project o-one-eight, the planet Earth, sir," the navigator announced, while he commanded the communications computer to search for the observation satellite in anticipation of his next order.

"Very good lieutenant," the captain commended from his platform directly behind the lieutenant, "Begin searching out the satellite for data download."

"Already started," the lieutenant replied, half turning an eyestalk to catch a glimpse of the captain's body color in response to his efficiency. The captain's color did not change even a half shade from the pale gray of a man engaged in serious concentration.

The lieutenant's full attention returned to his duties. The tips of his ears turned deep blue with disappointment in the captain's lack of autonomic response. He poked at the computer keyboard with his long fingers until an indicator signaled that an electronic connection was made. His forehead turned a satisfied yellow.

"I've established contact with the observation satellite, sir. Ready to download the data at your command."

"You can begin the download," The captain ordered, "Send the data through my console so that I can review the progress of the terraforming process." The captain raised his view screen and punched a few buttons. He then leaned back on his haunches and turned both eyestalks to the screen.

"Download commencing captain," informed the lieutenant, as he observed the data flow measurements. His face became a bemused green and rotated one eyestalk towards the captain. "The data stream seems to begin just thirty four hundred years ago, Captain. I would like to run a diagnostic to find out why we're getting such incomplete data retrieval."

"Don't bother lieutenant," the captain replied, "The last mission to this planet was at that time. We cleared the memory after download. The retrieval is working fine."

"That's right, you commanded the last mission too, didn't you?" the lieutenant asked, this time completely swiveling his seating platform to face his captain.

"I did. I have a particular interest in this project," the captain answered. The base of his neck tuned to a subtle purple hue. He directed an eyestalk towards his subordinate while keeping the other on the screen. " I was chosen during the first mission almost fifty thousand years ago to plant the terraforming seed." His entire neck was now a deep violet. "I was a young navigator at the time, sitting in the very chair you're in, when my captain choose me to initiate the process on this planet."

"That was quite an honor, sir." The lieutenant replied, "How did you pull it off?"

"There really was not much to it. The sentient species at the time was not very advanced. They were still living in caves and hunting for their food. They seemed to fear everything around them. They were quite susceptible to even the simplest parlor tricks and weather manipulations."

The lieutenant's shoulders and chest turned pink with interest. "What did you do to plant the seed, sir?"

"I went by the book," both of the captain's eyestalks now turned towards the lieutenant, "I made contact with some of the more advanced communities and demonstrated my omnipotence by doing some good deeds like making it rain during a time of drought and healing a few injured people with a handheld medical device."

"That's all it took to make them believe you were a god?" the lieutenant asked, his chest now a pale green.

"No, I think I didn't really establish the god concept until I transported a few of the larger clans to the more fertile valleys around the planet. That was enough to start them on the agricultural path and to more complex societal structures. As of the last observations, they had entrenched the god concept into their various cultures and the terraforming process was well underway."

"It seems to me such a complicated way to terraform a world," the lieutenant said turning back to his console, "Wouldn't be easer just to invade like the old days and wipe out the indigenous species with a single attack, then send down terraforming robots to finish the job?"

"Maybe, but there is a certain elegance to this process. It may take a little longer, maybe even a generation, but it is much less expensive and on more solid moral ground if the indigenous people decide to destroy themselves. Then we just move in before another species fills the intelligence gap."

"Yes, I've studied Doctor Xenorda in Academy and his theory that a world of people that believe in gods tend towards self-destruction. They leave the planet in a condition right for our colonization with the high radiation levels that are just about perfect for us. I also understand that the process doesn't happen predictably all the time," the lieutenant added.

"That's the beauty of it," replied the captain, "If a species can overcome the tendency towards self-destruction then it is worthy of advancing. This way we don't accidentally destroy a potentially civilized people."

"Well, I think I'd rather bring an armada and just wipe them out."

"You're thinking like an impetuous young man, lieutenant," the captain chided, tuning yellow-green.

"Young?" relied the lieutenant in a reddish hue, " I'm nearly twenty thousand years old."

"As I said, my young lieutenant."

The lieutenant faded to pink-gray. "How does the progress look, sir?"

The captain returned to his screen. His entire head turned a deep cherry red. "This doesn't look good. There have been numerous splits along religious philosophies, some of which promoted respect for all living things." The captain advanced the timeline selector to scan further ahead. "Oh my, around two-thousand years ago one of their prophets preached love and tolerance. He used expressions like "love your neighbor" and "turn the other cheek" and "he who is without sin should cast the first stone". It seemed to catch on! The most powerful civilization at the time adopted it."

"Maybe this species is one of those exceptions to the theory," The lieutenant responded greenly.

"Just a minute," the captain interrupted, "Another faction developed about six-hundred years later with their own prophet who taught much the same philosophy." The captain moved the time selector ahead. "Good, it appears that both peoples largely ignored the teachings of their gods and have been on a course of war and violence ever since.”

"Just as the theory predicts,” the captain added, his face fading to pink, “the powerful in every culture exploits their people's beliefs for the selfish pursuit or even more power. Century after century, the leaders convince their followers that god is on their side and it is morally imperative to kill the other. The means of war become more destructive with each successive generation until extinction level weapons are unleashed. This species appears no different than most of the others we have encountered."

"That looks good for the project. Doesn't it, sir?"

"Yes it does lieutenant," answered the captain, fingering the monitor controls, "They've recently developed nuclear weapons with huge yields and are proliferating them all over the planet. They've actually used them - twice! It appears the terraforming project is progressing nicely. The captain tucked away his view screen and turned a contemplative off-white.

"I almost feel sorry for them. They will not advance enough to understand the true nature of the universe. I've witnessed this many times. Their stubborn belief in supreme beings seems to blind them to the truth. Those prophets could have stopped the project cold if this species actually practiced what they preached. I think I can inform the Ministry of Colonization that this little world will be ready in about twenty to forty years."

"Are we through with this planet for now captain?"

"Yes, we won't need further observations here. Complete the download and recover the satellite. Then set a coarse for project o-two-four," the captain ordered and then added, "Lieutenant, how would you like to be a god for a day?"

"It would be my honor, sir," the lieutenant replied with a bright purple glow.