Chapter Eleven: The MG Project

After investigating the Pyramid of Khufu, Mr. G gathered the members of the Tar team in a room of an Egyptian inn to discuss their next steps. Suddenly, Mr. G received a message from the planet Tar: “By order of the King of Tar, the team must immediately leave Earth and return to the Tar star system. The team is reminded that it is strictly forbidden to bring any biological specimens or other material elements from Earth.”

With backpacks on their shoulders and elegant strides, the Tar team walked out of the inn, wheeling their suitcases behind them. Not a single Earthling suspected their extraterrestrial origins. To avoid drawing attention and to evade detection by the Quartpa agents, the team proceeded on foot to the top of a small hill by the Nile. There, Mr. G remotely piloted their spaceship—which had been waiting in Mars’ orbit—toward Earth. The Tar spaceship was highly advanced, with a variable exterior. As it entered Earth’s atmosphere, it released a gaseous substance, disguising itself as a drifting cloud above the team's heads. Neutralizing Earth’s gravity completely, the team members leapt effortlessly into their ship a thousand meters above the ground. The entire process was swift and went unnoticed by any human.

Mr. G successfully led his team back to the planet Tar. The King of Tar and the military commander, Mr. M, were eager to learn the sensitive information the team had brought back. For reasons of confidentiality, the King decided to receive Mr. G’s team in his lavish subterranean pyramid palace.

Beneath the surface of the planet Tar, the palace resembled a labyrinth, its luxurious decorations complemented by advanced technology. Artificial micro-stars, each the size of a soccer ball, cast a spectrum of light nearly identical to that of Tar’s home star. Unbound by gravity, these miniature stars floated along the corridors and beneath the ceilings, automatically adjusting their temperature to suit those present. Yet, the most striking features were the potted plants—many clearly brought from Earth: cacti, clivia, moss, and more.

The King of Tar said, “You have worked hard. You are the pride of Tar’s civilization. It is a pleasure to meet you all, and I congratulate the team on a safe return.”

Mr. G replied, “Our return from Earth was so abrupt, it took everyone by surprise. We had barely arrived when we were ordered back, which shocked us all. With such a brief stay, we gathered little information during our investigation. However, we did acquire a critical piece of intelligence: Quartpa agents have begun using Earth’s communication tools and social media—specifically, they have installed their spy software into WhatsApp. Their intentions for exploiting Earth’s communications remain unclear. Even more astonishing, a Quartpa mantid agent infiltrated the pyramid, extracted the pharaoh’s brain memories, and installed surveillance devices inside. Now, we must confront the issue of Quartpa espionage.”

Commander M said, “Based on Mr. G’s account, I too have concerns. If Quartpa can exploit Earth’s communication devices, could they use them to inflict a fatal blow upon humanity? Earth’s communication relies on electromagnetic waves, which is a major security risk for them. As for our Earth project, since Quartpa agents have accessed the pharaoh’s memories, it means our plans are no longer secret.”

The King turned to his physics advisor and asked, “Is it truly possible for Quartpa scientists to use Earth’s communication waves to bring about humanity’s own destruction?” The advisor bowed his head slightly and replied with some hesitation, “In theory, it is entirely possible. But whether Quartpa has developed electromagnetic wave weapons for offensive use, we lack reliable intelligence. If they have weaponized such technology, then Earth’s use of radio telescopes poses an even greater security threat.”

Having heard this, the King’s gaze shifted to Mr. G, the interstellar intelligence chief.

Before the King could speak, Mr. G volunteered, “I will lead my team to focus on gathering intelligence regarding Quartpa’s weapons systems and military activities. I am confident we can provide more valuable contributions to the people of Tar.”

The King added, “We must learn from our past. Twice, we suffered disastrous defeats at the hands of Quartpa because we underestimated them and lacked reliable intelligence.”

Mr. G then instructed a technician who had accompanied the Earth mission to use a high-end card reader to project the team’s pyramid investigation data—stored on a transparent dark matter chip—into a video presentation for those present.

The video showed a mantid from Quartpa meticulously measuring and testing various data inside the pyramid, lingering longest beside the pharaoh’s mummy to scan the body. The footage even captured the installation of black surveillance devices by the mantid.

Analyzing these recordings, the experienced and sharp-witted King of Tar immediately deduced the Quartpa scientists’ true purpose: to locate the pharaoh’s body and, with their advanced technology, download his memories. The King and all present realized that Tar’s activities and intentions on Earth had been exposed, making future conflict between the two civilizations inevitable.

The King addressed the assembly: “We are at the brink of crisis. For the future of Tar’s civilization, I ask each of you to devote yourselves wholeheartedly. Peace may be fleeting for us. If we hope for every Tar citizen to achieve the great dream of migration to Earth, we must adhere strictly to our faith. Our greatest crisis now is not Quartpa, but the diminishing sense of vigilance within ourselves.”

The King then informed Mr. G’s team, “We have received a special letter from the Quartpa planetary chief himself, requesting that we provide biological raw materials and finished pharmaceuticals. Their scientists, during an Earth expedition, were infected by terrestrial bacteria, resulting in fatalities.”

He proceeded to announce the specific list of items requested by Quartpa.

After reviewing the list, Mr. G, the interstellar intelligence chief, recognized the gravity of the situation and declared, “Quartpa will surely act. The biological samples they seek indicate that they have identified the bacteria and viruses as originating from the same strain we once deployed as biological weapons on the battlefield. This means they have traced the source. Their fear of the virus will only deepen, as will their hatred for us. Moreover, our construction of pyramids on Earth and our secrets with the pharaoh have been revealed. If Quartpa scientists successfully extracted and interpreted the pharaoh’s brain memories, then I believe their current leaders are devising countermeasures against us. They may even choose to destroy Earth outright to eliminate future threats. Our Earth brothers are in grave danger!”

Mr. G’s words were compelling; everyone, including the King, was deeply shocked. Without waiting for further discussion, the King immediately urged Commander M to prepare for war.

The King instructed, “Commander, prepare in two ways: first, strengthen the defenses at the edges of the Tar star system; second, immediately deploy our elite forces around the solar system. Intelligence chief Mr. G is to provide comprehensive intelligence on Quartpa for Commander M.”

Other interstellar secrets were discussed at the meeting, which was, of course, strictly confidential. As the session ended, the King advised both Commander M and Mr. G to maintain close communication and prepare for the impending war...

The King’s private residence was a miniature pyramid, built a hundred meters beneath the surface. The room was lined with visible light reflectors and numerous cosmic microwave receivers. The monarch was not only the planet’s supreme leader but also an avid expert in astronomy. After a relatively relaxed day of handling state affairs, the King lay quietly on his bed, gazing at the stars of distant worlds, when suddenly a brief, two-to-three-second melody sounded—the doorbell.

“Come in,” said the King. It was his secretary, arriving with a report. A slender beauty, three meters tall, with dark-red skin, no hair or eyelashes, and features reminiscent of a Frenchwoman, handed the King a coded document and said politely, “Your Excellency, this is your correspondence.”

The King opened the encrypted letter: it was a joint military response plan drafted by Commander M and Mr. G, known in history as the MG Plan. Its core: “Take the initiative, fight beyond our borders.” After careful review, the King made some adjustments. He fully supported fighting outside their territory but modified the preemptive strategy, restricting it to specific battles and tactics, not the start of the war itself. This meant Tar would not initiate a quasi-military action against Quartpa.

Whether the King’s gentle approach could resolve the crisis remained to be seen. Let us now observe what changes or actions Quartpa will take.