By Chris Kugler... 1997

In 1999, the Communist party seized control of the Soviet Union and again became the bitter enemy of the United States of America. Only a few short years later, tension between the two superpowers built to the breaking point and was released in the form of a nuclear holocaust. Over four billion innocent men, women, and children died during the Great Apocalypse. When the dust of war finally cleared, a new and altered world was to be seen.

The crimson Sun shone down on the tremendous awning. Heat rose in shimmering waves from its mirrored surface as poisonous clouds rolled by. There was no life to be seen, no plant or animal in the virtual wasteland that stretched around the vast shelter.

The tall man straightened his suit for the third time in as many minutes. Clearing his throat, he stepped forward to the podium bristling with news microphones. Grasping the edges of the podium with his hands, he gazed over the gathered throng, the two- thousand individuals that had gathered in the cool shade of the awning.

"On this New Years Day of the year 2279, I bring great news to the people of the planet Earth," he spoke, several microphones crackling with static. "No longer must we live on a hostile planet where one must wear protection from our Sun, where men and women must wear environmental suits to stand outside their homes.

No longer must we live in fear of the carcinogenic ultraviolet light that destroys our crops and causes widespread starvation. No longer must we live on an Earth that seeks to purge us from its surface."

The crowd cheered in one voice, fists raised in a salute.

The tall man continued. "Ever since first contact with extraterrestrial life seventy years ago, the Aldarians have timelessly urged the Galactic Confederation to consider aid and relief for our dying planet. We have received advanced technologies to combat our dissipating atmosphere, new strains of bacteria that feed on toxic pollutants, and medical technology that has aided in saving countless lives. Now, they carry us further.

"Tomorrow shall be the dawn of a new era in the history of Mankind. The Aldarian ambassadors have agreed to sponsor us through the admission process into the Galactic Confederation. Within a matter of weeks, the planet Earth and all her children will be saved."

Frenzied cheers and wild applause drowned out the rest of the speech. The tall man stepped away from the podium and was greeted by his advisors. They all smiled and patted him warmly on the back. "Excellent speech," they all said. "Very well done."

The Arbitrator-General of the Confederation Council stood, the considerable bulk of his fleshy body lifting ponderously into the air under the strain of suspension fields. "This assembly of the Council is now in session," his resonant voice boomed. The words were instantaneously translated into the forty-seven other languages spoken by the various delegates of the Council. The spacious room quickly quieted as frail crystalline figures sat next to lumps of living granite and wisps of intelligent fluorocarbons. The room appeared generally disorganized and cluttered, though a certain order was apparent.

After the usual formalities, the ambassador from Earth stepped to the stand. Clearing his voice, he began the carefully written oration. "We, the people of the planet Earth, thank you for the boundless hospitality and generosity that you have shown us over the last seventy Earth years. You have contributed much to the ever-present battle with our environment with technological advancement and sound advice. You have given us a support that we needed to continue to live.

"Our planet has been ravaged with famine, pestilence, and death ever since the advent of our Great Apocalypse two-hundred and eighty years ago. Life on the planet Earth is quickly becoming extinct. The Census Takers have catalogued every known living man, woman, and child on the face of our planet and have found that little more than one-hundred fifteen-thousand remain. This number dwindles every day, for the newest plague that haunts us is infertility. Our inability to bear children, genetically driven into our bodies, will eventually be the downfall of our species. In less than twenty or thirty Earth years, the planet will be free of the humans that destroyed it two-hundred and eighty years ago. In only two-hundred years, the planet will be lifeless.

"There is no other viable alternative to this desperate situation. If Earth is not granted full territorial status in the Galactic Confederation, the Human race will become extinct. I have given you statistics and I have explained possible outcomes of this situation." The ambassador paused. "All I can really do is plead with you for your understanding in this matter. The Galactic Confederation has never hesitated to give relief and aid to the planet Earth as she struggled to rise from the ashes of her past, and I hope that this bountiful charity will continue. I thank you very much for your time."

The final decision of the Earth-Question was held on a secluded planet with only a handful of the Confederation Council in attendance. The Arbitrator-General glanced around the small room from underneath thick brows. No one from the planet Earth had been invited. That would make the decision process much easier in that respect, without the constant interruptions and pleadings.

Activating his suspension fields, the Arbitrator-General lifted his body slightly, causing the commotion in the room to cease. "Welcome," he spoke in his deep bass. "We are here to evaluate the proposition of the entrance of Earth into the Galactic Confederation. We are here on Betelgeuse for several reasons. The moderate temperature and gravity are well-accustomed to everyone here." Pausing for a breath, the Arbitrator-General continued. "I have also asked a Tyrsisian to join us."

"A Tyrsisian?" exclaimed the Silrathai delegate. "Tyrsis is not a member of the Galactic Confederation. This is absurd, inviting an outsider into a meeting of vital importance such as this."

"You will refrain from interrupting the proceedings," warned the Arbitrator-General with a sharp glance at the furry being. "I have elected to allow this Tyrsisian to join us. He is Hujaukk, the logistician. His insights and viewpoints may prove invaluable in these proceedings."

Several delegates nodded in understanding, though an audible sigh of resignation came from the back of the room. A Tyrsisian logistician would be useful in a difficult decision such as this, especially if it was Hujaukk, one of the most powerful minds known to the Confederation.

Observing no objections, the Arbitrator-General touched a button on the panel beside him. The doors to the room slid noiselessly open and the familiar face of Hujaukk was revealed. His gaunt body of silicon shone slightly under the soft lights hanging from the ceiling. Stepping inside, the doors slid closed behind him.

"Welcome, Hujaukk," spoke the Arbitrator-General. "We are grateful that you were able to join us."

The Tyrsisian nodded, a slight dipping of his angular head.

"Let us begin immediately. The Earth-Question will not be easy. We have never had a planet petition for admittance under these circumstances; there is no viable precedent." He looked around the room at each delegate. "Hujaukk has been briefed upon the situation, and I would like to hear his assessment of the situation."

Hujaukk nodded again as the Arbitrator-General looked his way. "Logic dictates that the Humans of the planet Earth will die if left upon their planet bereft of the assistance of the Galactic Confederation. It is equally likely, however, that once the Humans have gained admittance, they will emigrate and abandon their exhausted planet in favor of the preferable worlds that the Confederation has to offer.

"No natural phenomenon," Hujaukk continued, "caused the catastrophic and widespread devastation of their environment. Rather, they themselves caused it. It is entirely feasible that they will spread their inherent instincts to pollute and destroy. This will upset the finely-tuned balance that is present in the Galactic Confederation. An element of violence and destruction has no place in the Confederation. Peace must be maintained at all costs. The Humans must be denied entrance. It is the logical way."

Several of the Confederation delegates nodded in agreement. "I agree," voiced a quivering blob of jelly. "Peace must be maintained at all costs, even if it means the destruction of the Humans, a minor race anyway. Hujaukk's standpoint of absolute logic provides the best course of action for us to follow."

"Yes, yes," said a translucent Aldarian. "I agree also. But what of the moral implications of that course of action? Not helping Mankind would be genocide! We and we alone hold the keys to their continued survival."

"We cannot listen to him," exclaimed the Silrathai. "Being an Aldarian makes him biased. It was his people who made first contact with the Humans seventy of the Earth's years ago. We should blame them for getting us into this mess!"

"Quiet!" bellowed the Arbitrator-General. "All have equal say in the Council." He turned to the Aldarian. "You are correct. Opposite to the actions described by Hujaukk is the moral outlook to this situation. Not everyone in the Confederation operates under a veil of total logic, and there would be many who would herald our actions as genocide."

"Genocide?" said the jelly. "The Humans have brought this tragedy upon themselves. The Confederation cannot be held accountable for their mistakes and poor judgement. I vote to allow time and the natural process of evolution run its course."

"You are in part mistaken," replied Hujaukk. "Not every Human was directly responsible for this negligence of their planet. The rich and those in positions of government leadership had control over the forces that initially ruined their planet. Billions of those who suffered and died have been innocent recipients of a fate that they had no power to stop. Only a handful of Humans were responsible for their Great Apocalypse, those and the Humans that helped them rise to power."

"What about slavery?" asked the Silrathai. "That could solve all of our problems. We can think up a good cover story for it all so that it will stand up to public scrutiny. We can solve this moral issue and still maintain peace and prosperity in the Confederation. The Humans will never know the difference. Besides, they will be alive and that is all they want from us."

"Out of the question!" exclaimed the Aldarian.

"Then what?" replied the jelly. "We have nothing to gain from them. They are millennia behind us technologically, and their social orders are primitive at best. If they were granted entrance, they would only serve to populate the lower economic classes of our society."

"Are you suggesting that they may be a source of unskilled labor?" asked the Arbitrator-General. "Using them in that way would be little better than slavery."

"No, I am only saying that they would only serve to leech off our prosperity and spread their natural instincts of war and destruction." The jelly paused and bubbled for a moment. "On the other hand, it can be said that it is our moral obligation to help them in this dire time of need."

"Quite correct," remarked the Arbitrator-General. "Quite correct. So then, shall we take a vote?"

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