Priya celebrated her 27th birthday with her family and friends at her new house in the Santa Cruz mountains.
“I can’t believe it’s been 10 years since we were abducted,” Priya said.
“It feels like 100 years to me,” Nisha said. “So much has happened, but there hasn’t been as much work for astrobiologists since they arrived. The sense of adventure in the profession has worn off. I used to be the center of attention. Now you guys are. You’ve been so busy that for you, time has flown by. For me, I’ve watched things happen from afar and it seems like forever since they took you from us.”
Tears ran down her cheek.
“Sorry, I can’t help myself.”
Quinn held her.
“It’s okay Mom. I’m still here. Getting abducted was the best thing that ever happened to me. Well, not the actual abduction. And um, not the part about people wanting to kill me. I’m happy with who I am today.”
Priya put her arm around Nisha.
“Things will be better, you’ll see.”
“I just want things to be calm,” Nisha said. “I want peace. Everything is out of control.”
“Yeah, will the protests near your office stop?” Quinn said.
“I don’t think they will. The old species won’t go down without a fight.”
“You’re human,” Quinn said.
“I think the parents and family members of the new species realize there’s not much difference, yet there is,” Priya said. “It’s enough. You see me as someone who’s good at genetic engineering, but I’m still your daughter. To people who don’t have one of us in their family, we’re the enemy. They think there’s no advantage to us existing. There is but they don’t know it yet.”
“I’ve read papers about the new species kids,” Amy said. “Is it true they’re as smart as you guys?”
“The kids we met are precocious,” Priya said. “Most of them score high on a wide range of intelligence tests. Especially when you include things like music, science, or emotional intelligence.”
“They ask lots of questions,” Sophie said.
“Yeah, they’ll be good programmers,” Raven said.
“Are they all like that?” Amy said.
“Not all of them,” Priya said. “They seem like normal kids other than each has a few things they’re good at, but they’re not good at everything. In the class of 25 we saw recently, there were about 5 prodigies. More common than less than one in a million in the noMod population. One was outstanding at chess. A few were musical and mathematics prodigies. Most of the other kids were simply curious about everything. They were only five years old but all of them could read and write complex sentences. They ask questions that fourth or fifth graders would ask. They all seemed socially adapted. They got along with each other. I think society will be better when these kids become adults.”
“Are they developing physically as well as they are mentally?” Amy said.
“No, they look like three or four-year-olds,” Priya said. “They’re small for their age. It’s strange to see kids look that young but act so old.”
“They’re not perfect, but they seem normal and well adapted,” Sophie said. “If you had never seen an old species five-year-old, you wouldn’t think these kids were unusual.”
“They’re developing slowly like we are,” Priya said. “I’m 27 but I’m still not ready to date anyone yet.”
“Um, me neither,” Warren said.
“Yeah, right.” Sophie said.
They laughed.
“I wonder if I’ll ever be a grandmother,” Nisha said.
“Don’t look at me,” Sanjay said. “I don’t want kids. They’re too much trouble.”
“Maybe someday Mom,” Priya said. “We’ll see.”
“Can I prick your finger,” Nisha said. “That’s one way I can become a grandmother. It won’t hurt a bit.”
“Don’t even think about it!” Priya said.
Nisha smiled at Quinn.
“This young generation, I don’t understand them. They’re going to wait till they’re 50 to have kids.”
“No Mom, 60. I don’t want to rush it.”
“What’s the age range you can have kids?” Quinn said.
“From the research we’ve done, it’s somewhere between 30 and 70,” Priya said. “The Mod kids will likely have kids starting at 40 until about 100.”
Quinn raised one eyebrow.
“I know, it’s hard to believe but it’s true,” Priya said. “Those of us who were abducted at older ages have already had kids. They didn’t revert back, maturity-wise, like I did.”
“That means we may live 200 years after having kids,” Raven said.
“Those will be our retirement years,” Sophie said. “The kids will be out of the nest.”
“The good news is, Social Security will have no problem being funded for a while,” Warren said. “All the taxes these kids will be paying won’t be used by them for over 200 years. Or never. We’ll have 200 years to save for retirement. These kids will never want to retire. I know I won’t.”
“Me too,” Priya said. “I like discovering things. That’s my hobby. I want to do my hobby as long as I live.”
Sophie and Raven nodded their heads.
“Me too,” Amy said. “Now that I have my mathematics PhD, I want to use it.”
“I feel the same way,” Nisha said. “But I’ll probably retire in 15 years when I’m 75.”
“Yeah, then she’ll have nothing better to do than to bug you to have kids,” Quinn said.
They laughed.
“Hmm, well maybe I’ll have a kid when you’re 80. I do want you to have grandkids.”
“70?”
“Mom! I’ll only be 36. That’s too young to have kids.”
“Warren, you’re being awfully quiet,” Sophie said.
Warren smiled.
“I have no comment.”
“Smart guy,” Pablo said. “You don’t have to say anything.”
“Spoken like a true lawyer,” Sophie said.
“Regardless of generation or species, women still rule.” Nisha said.
They gave each other high fives.
Warren looked intently into Priya’s eyes.
“Will you marry me?”
“Um, what?” Priya said. “You? I’m not ready.”
Pablo gave Warren a high-five. Priya shook her head.
“I knew you were kidding.”
“Men still rule.” Pablo said.
“Pablo, what do you think about the latest Supreme Court decision about your rights,” Nisha said. “You can’t vote. They’re trying to get your childbearing rights revoked again. You can’t run for public office. It’s all been stripped away.”
“It’s depressing. It’ll take a long time for us to gain our rights. I knew we’d lose. There are seven native humanists on the Supreme Court out of 11 justices. President Varder is also one. The majority of both houses of Congress are native humanists. They’ll always side in favor of what they call the ‘real’ human species. The only way we’ll get our rights back, is for the new species to outnumber the old species.”
“How long will that take?”
“Let’s see,” Priya said. “Before we were abducted, about 12 million babies were born each month in the world. That rate has been flat for decades. Now, about 3 million new species babies and 9 million old species babies are born each month. Most are illegal, but who can stop it? Especially when government officials have new species babies. A year ago, it was 2 million versus 10 million births per year. It’s hard to extrapolate, but if you assume this trend continues, in 4 to 8 years, an equal number of new species and old species babies will be born. 20 years after that, those babies will be voting hopefully in at least equal numbers. In about 30-50 years after that, there will be more new species humans in the world than old species. In about 60 to 90 years, we’ll be able to overturn the Supreme Court and both houses of Congress. It will be like that in most other countries too. A tipping point might happen earlier. Sometimes a movement won’t budge and then suddenly resistance collapses.”
“That’s a long time for me, but not for you,” Nisha said.
“Yeah, we’ll have to wait them out. We just need to survive until then,” Priya said.
“The problem is, they’re getting more desperate because they understand this trend.”
“Now there are 95 million new species kids,” Sophie said. “What can they do about that? They already tried to spay and neuter us like dogs. Then they tried to lock us away forever. What else can they do?”
“There is one other thing,” Nisha said. “They almost did it last time, but you were saved by the chaos and depression caused by V.”
“Exterminate us?” Priya said.
“Yes.”
“In most countries including the US, they have the votes to do it,” Pablo said. “We’ve been monitoring the houses of Congress and other places and there’s been a lot of talk.”
“The protesters talk about it too,” Priya said.
“They may try again,” Pablo said.
“This time we may not escape,” Warren said.
“They only rounded up the 25,000 of us in this country,” Priya said.
“Yeah, but they rounded up millions of new species children in some other countries,” Pablo said. “Thousands of children were killed.”
“But now they would have to kill 95 million new species children and possibly their families too,” Sophie said. “That’s impossible. Especially when that number goes up by 3 million per month.”
“People can be creative when they feel threatened or want to gain power,” Priya said. “The old species has a solid record of massacres and genocides. Why not make it one more? They could legitimate our genocide to future generations as being in self-defense to preserve humanity.”
“What could we do in our own self defense?” Sophie said. “We’ve tried different things, and nothing permanently works.”
“We could set loose another V,” Raven said.
“Haven’t you learned anything?” Priya said.
“I know. I’m just kidding. We would at least survive to watch the earth get resurfaced. But seriously, we need to do something that will be effective. They could have killed us down in that salt mine. Who would even know?”
“I think we have two choices,” Priya said. “We could develop systems to physically defend ourselves from attack. Or we could distribute our wealth as we get it and buy their favor. We’ve done some of that, but if we did a lot more, it may pacify them. Then they won’t be so angry and fearful.”
“Let’s do some experiments,” Sophie said. “We can start with those protesters across the street. They’re the most agitated and violent. They would make excellent test subjects. They’ve been shipped in from all over the world to protest us.”
“Buy them out?” Warren said.
“Why not?” Priya said.
“They may take the money and run,” Warren said. “Still, it’s worth considering.”
They spent the rest of the day talking while looking out over the timeless Santa Cruz mountains as the summer ocean fog flowed through the valleys like a soft river. Nisha, Quinn, and Sanjay decided to stay a few at weeks Priya’s house to enjoy the beaches and city. The next day, Priya and her friends met at Priya’s lab to discuss their plans. Amy considered working for Raven, so she came along.
“The crowds are getting bigger,” Amy said. “They’ve doubled in the past month.”
“And more aggressive too,” Sophie said.
“I think they’re getting funding from the native humanists,” Warren said.
“What should we do?” Pablo said. “They have the law on their side.”
“We need to meet with their leaders,” Priya said.
“They say they don’t have leaders,” Pablo said.
“They may say that, but every crowd has leaders,” Priya said.
They walked across the street and blended in with the crowd. Nobody noticed them as one speaker railed against the new species.
“We need to do something. It’s now or never,” the speaker said. “If we wait, our species will go extinct, and the mutants will take over. We’ll be enslaved and treated like animals. Like animals. We’ll be put onto reservations in the desert. They’re evil and disgusting. They aren’t natural. They’re an abomination against God. An abomination.”
The crowd roared their approval.
“Yes. I hear you,” the speaker said. “Their numbers are growing by the minute. By the second. Every month, millions of them are born. Millions. They’re spreading like locusts. The families raising them are no better than cockroaches. They’re our enemies too. They’re traitors to our human race. We need to get rid of all of them. The kids, the families, every one of them. Before it’s too late. Way too late.”
“This speaker has a third-grade education,” Sophie said. “And he keeps repeating himself. That works on the gullible.”
“Half the old species population likes this kind of base rhetoric,” Priya said. “It’s an appeal to emotion and ignorance. I’m going to talk to him right now.”
“Don’t.” Sophie said. “He and his thuggy posse will try to kill you.”
“We have to do something,” Priya said. “Their strength is growing by the day.”
“Let’s wait and figure out what to do,” Sophie said. “This is too dangerous.”
They spent the next few hours listening to several long angry speeches. Then they walked back to Priya’s lab. After several attempts to contact the speaker the following day, they finally reached him and set up a video conference.
“Hi Sean, thanks for talking with us,” Priya said.
“This is a waste of time,”
“Why,” Priya’s said.
“Because I’m talking to the devil. I’m only here to find out what you want. I want you guys to leave the earth for good. Why don’t you leave with your bug eyed cham-aliens?”
“Why do you think I’m the devil? I’m doing things to help people. I’m a good person.”
“That’s what Satan would say. He does this to test us. He offers us pleasures and then later we’ll go to hell for accepting them. Satan brought those aliens here to tempt us with their technology. They did the devil’s work. You’re Satan’s evil child.”
“But don’t I look like a normal young woman?” Priya said.
“Yes. That’s what Satan wants us to believe. He takes the form of a beautiful and harmless looking young woman to tempt us. You’re a temptress.”
“Forget this religious superstition. Not everyone in your group is religious. Why are you afraid of us? We’ve done you no harm. We wish to make the world a better place for everyone.”
“Your goal is to make the human species extinct. I don’t have to believe in Satan to see the writing on the wall. It’s happening every day. The conclusion is inevitable unless we do something to stop you and your kind from taking over the world.”
“What can I do to convince you we mean no harm?” Priya said.
“Stop reproducing. You’re flooding the earth like vermin.”
“How can I do that? I can’t control what other people do.”
“Speak to them telepathically and tell them to stop. We know your powers.”
“Powers? I’m not some superhero from a fantasy novel.”
“We know what you can do. You can talk without speaking.”
“That’s only because of our implants. The children being born now have no implants. They’re normal human beings.”
“They’re not normal either. They’re mutants. They have unnatural abilities. They want to take over the world.”
“Honestly, I can’t control anyone. I can only talk silently to the other 25,000 of us who have the implants. We’re a small minority.”
“No. 95 million around the world is not a small minority. It’s 1% of the world population. That number is rising every day. It will be more than 50% in 40 or 50 years. Stop this now and leave this planet.”
“I can’t stop them. I don’t have control over them.”
“I’ve heard what you can do. You can stop them if you want, but you won’t.”
“Don’t we have the right to live a normal life just like you?” Priya said.
“You have no rights. You’re not human. The Bill of Rights is for humans, not you. The Supreme Court, Congress, and the President agrees with me.”
“Look at me. Stop turning away. Look closely at my face. I’m human just like you. You have nothing to worry about. Can’t you see that?”
“That’s how Satan operates. With temptation, but I’m strong and I won’t succumb to evil. You will die. I’m ending this transmission now. There’s nothing to discuss.”
He disconnected.
“That guy’s a nut,” Warren said.
“This is what we’re up against,” Priya said. “He’s right. I want guys like that to go extinct.”
“You know you can’t reason with a deluded mind,” Sophie said. “Giving them more information has no effect. Why bother?”
“I wanted to see whether this was a religious thing or something else.”
“It’s a mix,” Raven said. “He mentioned Satan, but he understands the trend. The trend favors us, but short-term, it also favors the desire in people like him to get rid of us and the new species kids.”
“He’s right about one thing,” Amy said. “Your species will make the old species go extinct.”
“I guess so, but people like him have the weapons,” Priya said.
“This could get more dangerous. I wish Bok would help us,” Sophie said.
“I think he wants nature to take its course,” Priya said. “Yeah, I’m sure the Omanji knew our genes would escape into the general population, but we’re on our own now. Let’s talk more about this tomorrow.”
Priya returned to her house to have dinner with her family. She told them what happened that day.
“What do you guys think?” Priya said. “I don’t know what to do.”
“In my profession, I see how species compete in nature,” Nisha said. “The strongest and most resourceful species usually wins. This situation is no different.”
“You make it sound so dry and scientific.”
“Humans are not above the laws of nature. That may sound unsentimental, but it’s a fact. There’s no easily projected winner. The old species is militarily stronger, and the new species is more resourceful. The combination of those and other variables will tip the balance either way.”
“You’re always trying to make everything into an equation,” Quinn said. “What about the human element?”
“When it comes down to a battle for survival, I think the human element will be far down the list of important considerations. That guy Pree spoke to today has a concrete-thinking; winner take all mentality. In his mind, the old species must reestablish dominance. There is no room for any other competing species.”
“It sounds like we’re nothing but animals,” Sanjay said.
“That’s what we are,” Nisha said. “Humans are smart animals. We’re subject to the same laws of nature as any other species.”
“What should I do,” Priya said.
“This is a long game,” Nisha said. “The next 50 years are critical, but the game will only be over when the last old species or new species human dies.”
“We’ll be extinct,” Sanjay said.
“Would that be such a terrible thing?” Nisha said. “Was it a terrible thing that the Neanderthals went extinct?”
“No, because we’re here now.”
“Right. Many Europeans are two or three percent Neanderthal. They live on in hundreds of millions of people. If humans did not emerge victorious and survive over Neanderthals, there would likely be no advanced society here on Earth at the present time. Neanderthals had more muscle than humans and needed more calories. They could not compete in lean times. Even though I’m old species, I wouldn’t be upset about our extinction if it led to better things. I’ll be dead anyway. Sometimes I think half the population is crazy. They believe in unproven things and deny reality. They make laws from unproven beliefs. I’d like to see that bred out of us.”
“Sean the crazy speaker today disagrees,” Priya said.
“That’s where survival of the fittest comes in. This is a battle between his ideas and yours. You currently have the intellectual edge, but he has the military edge.”
“The guys with the guns always win,” Priya said.
“Not always in this hi-tech era. Innovative ideas have a way of sneaking in to make the difference. You may lose battles, but your ideas may win the war.”
“I need an innovative idea.”
“Or 10.” Nisha said.