Chapter Twelve: The M Liquid Substance

Due to the incredibly slow rotation of the Quartpa planet, one complete rotation takes exactly the same amount of time as ten revolutions around its parent star. In their calendar, a day is longer than a year. Since their planet has no moons, they lack any concept of months.

To the ordinary Quartpa citizen, the sky holds only a single dim red dwarf star and one artificial star, visually as large as the real star, whose function is to provide light and heat to the planet’s other side during its prolonged night. The artificial star is nearly identical in composition to the real parent star.

On this vast planet without an atmosphere, few Quartpa people or mantisfolk are active on the surface; the creatures living on the ground are all of low intelligence. The ecological environment is perfectly preserved. Having completely freed themselves from the constraints of material gravity, Quartpa people prefer to build their houses floating at a certain height above the ground. For major festivals or gatherings, they will descend to the surface plazas. The first layer of buildings closest to the ground houses factories and research institutes; the second layer is for trade and residential areas; the third is reserved for the military; the outermost layer comprises platforms for their aerospace agency and interstellar exchanges.

Chief Abbott’s palace floats 1,500 meters above the surface, spanning an area as large as ten football fields. It hangs suspended in the air, able to swiftly fly to any desired coordinates in case of danger. Quartpa citizens’ homes are equipped with the same capabilities, so they often pilot their own houses for travel.

The elderly chief was on the office balcony, absorbing energy from the parent star to aid digestion. Admiring the sky, he pondered his imminent rebirth. Though he yearned for rebirth, he could not seek it through suicide, for such a violation of natural law was forbidden by Quartpa religious doctrine. If one intentionally hastened their rebirth, suffering awaited them in the next life, and the resulting beings would die before reaching adulthood, unable to split again or create new life, truly ceasing to exist. Premature rebirth was deemed cowardly, an evasion of responsibility, and those reborn from such acts faced discrimination. Thus, Quartpa people adhere strictly to their religious tenets.

While the chief was lost in contemplation, a familiar beam of electro-wave language reached his two antennae ears. "Chief, Director Yanan of the Space Administration requests an audience," said an assistant.

"Let him in," the chief replied.

Yanan entered. "Chief, all the medicines provided by the Tar side have arrived. During the last Quart-Tar war, the Tar army used synthetic microorganisms as biological weapons. The two mantisfolk from the Condone team contracted natural proto-microbes on Earth. The difference: proto-microbes lack mutation traits and reproduce slowly; synthetic microbes mutate unpredictably but have self-limiting reproductive cycles."

The chief frowned. "The vile Tars. They’ve not only synthesized microbes, but once even mixed their genes with those of bipedal wolves. Soldiers sent to the battlefield had Tar-level intelligence and the wolves’ strength and ferocity. When these unethical practices were exposed, interstellar pressure forced the Tars to abandon such ugly and evil acts."

Yanan continued, "There’s better news. Our brilliant Quartpa scientists, using biological samples brought back from Earth by the Condone team, have developed a cure. We ran experiments with infected subjects divided into two groups—one using Tar-provided medicine, the other our own. Both groups recovered. If we announce this to interstellar society, it will undermine the Tar army’s intimidation, for they have long threatened us and other civilizations with their biological weapons."

"We must not announce it," the chief cautioned. "Keep it strictly secret. The Tars’ flaw is their obsession with their achievements, however minor. They can’t remain calm; when their society settles into peace and prosperity, internal conflict reignites. Yet, after suffering, they seize opportunities for revival, and their technological advances are born of repeated defeats and pain. If they learn we’ve overcome their biological virus, it’ll spur them to develop new weapons—highly disadvantageous for us. Instead, we must spread false news, exaggerate infection and death rates from Earth bacteria, and feign requests for more aid, appeasing their pride and unique self-esteem."

Director Yanan squinted, shaking his two electro-wave antennae. "Chief, you’re brilliant! I am enlightened. I’ll instruct our interstellar diplomats to act according to your strategy..."

At 1,200 meters above the Quartpa surface, a large floating conference room gathered a host of Quartpa elites for a meeting chaired by the chief.

"Thank you for coming," the chief declared. "With your support, I hope to eliminate the Tars’ potential threat before my rebirth. First, I announce the awarding of hero titles to the two mantisfolk brothers who underwent unnatural rebirth. Henceforth, according to Quartpa custom, their reborn selves will be favored." (Note: The two mantisfolk who previously explored Earth were adults. After contracting Earth bacteria and dying, their bodies naturally split into fragments, which then grew into infant mantisfolk, beginning anew. These infants are termed ‘reborn selves,’ fundamentally different from Earth’s ‘descendants.’)

All present stood, bowed their heads, and lowered their language antennae in salute to the mantisfolk heroes, maintaining a solemn silence before kneeling like camels, participating gravely in this historic meeting.

Director Yanan spoke, shaking his antennae. "My team has brought comprehensive data. I ask the experts to analyze Earth and the entire solar system, and to assess the Tars’ activities on Earth."

Everyone was keen to hear from Condone, who had explored Earth. Condone instructed a mantisfolk assistant to present models of tens of thousands of Earth brains and intercepted electro-waves, reconstructing memory data for analysis. (Note: These materials were stolen by mantisfolk in cities and rural areas across Earth; the models are advanced holograms, not physical objects.) Experts were asked to assess Earthlings’ intelligence, religious beliefs, and cultures.

A corpulent Quartpa natural scientist spoke: "Dissecting these Earth brains, we find that Earthlings and Tars are the same species. Tar brains average sixteen billion neurons, Earth brains thirteen billion. Earthlings have a glaring flaw: over-reliance on mechanical and external information technology, resulting in diminished memory, sense of smell, hearing, and physical capacity. Downloaded memory hub data shows they spend their lives striving for material goods, love, and fame. They possess innate jealousy and selfishness, weak empathy, and lack compassion. Their creators designed them for two-sex reproduction, avoiding promiscuity by omitting male genital bone, so they invented Viagra themselves. To avoid raising more offspring, they invented condoms. Their possessiveness is extreme, accumulating far more material than needed, and they are insatiable for dignity and fame. Many lack religious faith; their only spiritual solace is in material gain and illusory status. They have an evil trait: imposing their views on others, leading to rebellion wherever there’s oppression. Their history is one of wars among their own kind..." The scientist joked, "If the chief tasked me with handling Earthlings, I’d unhesitatingly give them a bottle of insecticide—to exterminate this swarm of Earth cockroaches."

After discussing Earthlings, the Quartpa experts showed no further interest, dismissing them as worthless and incapable of threatening Quartpa civilization. Condone instructed a mantisfolk assistant to remove the holographic brain models and data analysis instruments.

Attention shifted to a small pyramid model displayed by Condone.

Condone spoke, "I’m convinced the pyramids on Earth are the Tars’ work. Though Earth’s pyramids differ slightly from those commonly built by Tars, that’s due to differing spatial coordinates requiring different topological principles. The pyramid built by Tars on Earth serves chiefly as an information contact device—primitive, first generation. As technology advanced, the Tars’ spatial physics applications should not be underestimated. When I entered the pyramid for a full scan and used microwave analysis, I triggered no alarms; this indicates that the Tars detected our distant scan from the very beginning and shut down certain systems and instruments."

The chief observed, "These pyramids are typical Tar dwellings. Their construction on Earth likely serves as scientific outposts. Militarily, these pyramids are of little practical value."

Condone added, "Surveillance of about five hundred million Earthlings using WhatsApp reveals: Earthlings are unaware of the Tars, much less of our own visits. It’s clear the Tars haven’t begun to truly subjugate or lead Earthlings; Earthlings don’t understand the pyramids’ purpose or origins. To grasp the Tars’ intentions, I ask you to carefully review the memory data downloaded from the Pharaoh’s brain."

Excitement stirred. Condone instructed a mantisfolk to display the Pharaoh’s holographic head.

A Quartpa anthropologist shook his antennae and said, "This is just an ordinary Earthling head, with no genetic connection to the Tars."

Then a Quartpa brain scientist explained, "By downloading the logical thought chain from the brain’s memory hub, we reconstructed its memories. The conclusion: this person was cultivated by the Tars as a teacher for Earthlings. The Tars plan, when needed, to use him to teach their religious beliefs and technological knowledge to Earthlings, raising their overall quality so Earthlings will welcome Tar immigration and leadership."

The chief responded, "These conclusions match my expectations. The Tars’ parent star is set to expand. Driven by their deep religious faith and sense of crisis, they search for suitable planets, but their life forms and physiology are so unique that habitable planets are rare. We cannot block their migration to Earth without evidence, nor violate our own faith. Instead of discussing how to stop their migration, we should focus on obtaining reliable evidence of any threats posed by their actions on Earth."

The chief’s tone was gentle, and since no direct threat from Earthlings to Quartpa civilization had been found, the assembly gradually lost interest in Earth, its inhabitants, and all its species, and relaxed vigilance toward the Tars.

The mood suggested the meeting was ending. The next task would fall to Yanan’s team, as the chief needed more reliable intelligence before waging war.

Condone spoke again: "Please enjoy some Earth technology and art."

Two mantisfolk brought out a smartphone and a guitar from Earth. (Note: These are not physical objects but holographic models acquired via advanced technology.)

A Quartpa scientist explained the phone: "This is a common communication device among Earthlings. It uses electro-wave transmission, comprising logic, radio-frequency, and input/output sections. Due to Earthlings’ physiology, they cannot directly hear electro-waves and must convert them to sound vibrations. Besides this, they possess rudimentary software knowledge; their information technology is roughly on par with our old-energy era. As for whether they can be defined as real people, and whether we should acknowledge their status as people—that is for all to discuss."

A mantisfolk retorted, "That’s nonsense. The definition of a person is not up to you Quartpa folk. Even pests have their meaning and value."

Next, a Quartpa musician introduced Earth’s musical arts. "Let me tell you, Earthlings possess unparalleled musical talent."

Pointing to the guitar, he said, "This is their instrument. Their musical style and philosophy differ completely from ours. Though our music uses advanced technology, its melodies are no more beautiful. This instrument relies on string vibration frequency; the strings and frets determine wave action in different spatial positions, perfectly applying mass and spatial topology. Perhaps Tars gave it to them or taught them. Now I’ll demonstrate how Earthlings play it."

He instructed a mantisfolk to prepare a device that converts vibrations into electro-waves so all could hear. Quartpa hands differ greatly from Earth hands, resembling octopus tentacles without fingers, making playing awkward. He wrapped one tentacle around the guitar neck and used the other three to pluck the strings, producing a melody very different from Earth music, creating a unique Quartpa scale and interval on the six strings. They disliked sustained notes, quickly muting each string after plucking, requiring rapid plucking. The audience was amazed by the guitar, with many eager to try it. Many praised its structure, wishing to copy and learn from it. Thus, Earth’s guitar became popular on Quartpa, beloved by most, including Chief Abbott, who requested a replica from Quartpa engineers.

As the meeting neared its end, a Quartpa biologist floated in, presenting a bottle of liquid at the center, saying, "This liquid is worthy of investigation and evaluation."

Kos spoke up, "I discovered this on a small rocky planet at the edge of the solar system. I believe our food scientists can easily process it into food, and it can serve as the essential medium for our rebirth." (Note: After death, Quartpa bodies must be immersed in a substance called M-liquid to split into fragments, which then form new life. M-liquid is also their only food.)

A Quartpa biologist said, "We’ve long forbidden the Tars from obtaining M-liquid to prevent them from developing gene weapons against us. Unfortunately, this bottle is exactly what the Tars have sought—it’s found on a small rocky planet outside the solar system, and its mass is astonishing."

The liquid drew everyone’s attention.

The chief said, "M-liquid in the solar system is alarming; it means the Tars could use it to cultivate gene weapons targeting Quartpa."

Another biologist added, "The Tars already possess the two essential conditions for creating gene weapons against us: M-liquid and our genetic data."

Military chief Sade remarked, "The despicable Tars have used biological and gene weapons in wars with other civilizations, even fielding demonic soldiers combining Tar genes with those of lower animals."

Condone’s return from Earth brought troubling news for Quartpa, compelling Chief Abbott and his top officers to recognize the threat posed by Tar activities on Earth: 1) After the last Quart-Tar war, the defeated Tar army signed a treaty forbidding unauthorized biological science projects on any alien planet, yet all their actions on Earth have been concealed from Quartpa, raising suspicion; 2) Quartpa scientists have traced the original virus used by the Tar army to Earth; 3) The solar system contains M-liquid, which can be used to make gene weapons against Quartpa—their greatest fear. Originally uninterested in Earth and its inhabitants, these three factors forced Chief Abbott, considering Quartpa’s safety, to take preemptive measures against the Tar threat.

The decisive factor for the chief was Kos’s discovery of M-liquid on a planet at the solar system’s edge, making Abbott and his team suspect the Tars might secretly develop gene weapons targeting Quartpa on Earth. If the Tars migrated en masse to Earth, their technological prowess would soon threaten Quartpa civilization. Many advocated destroying Earth outright, thus extinguishing the Tars’ hopes and avoiding direct war with the Tar army.