Chapter Sixteen: Viewing Earth as Paradise

After receiving the star message from the ambassador of Quartpa, King Tal acted swiftly and decisively, ordering his military to employ all necessary means to prevent the Quartpa forces from approaching the Solar System and to protect Earth at any cost.

Above the planet Proxima b, a large Tal military ship hovered, with soldiers bustling about unloading various weapons and military supplies. The proximity of Proxima b to its parent star, just seven and a half million kilometers, rendered the planetary surface environment extremely harsh. Especially the intense radiation from the mother star forced the Tal forces to station themselves on the dark side of Proxima b. Each Tal soldier was enveloped completely by a special gaseous substance, serving as both spacesuit and bulletproof armor. This made operations highly convenient; the gaseous layer contained oxygen, enabling unrestricted breathing, and also effectively blocked enemy wave-type weaponry.

Once unloading was complete, a Tal major began organizing military tasks. The mass of Proxima b exceeded that of Tal, and at first, the soldiers found the gravity somewhat uncomfortable but were also unused to fully activating the anti-gravity system.

The Tal major addressed the assembled ranks: "Comrades, dear brothers, your efforts are greatly appreciated. I know you are uncomfortable now; I share your feelings, for I too am unaccustomed to this unfamiliar environment. Yet with our outstanding Tal military spirit, we will overcome these difficulties. Next, a great priest will meet you, conveying the will of God to each of us. If you have any aspirations or wishes, you may entrust them through the priest to the Almighty."

A three-meter-tall, handsome young Tal man, clad in military-grade gaseous protection, stood out. Through the translucent layer, one could clearly see his pure white long robe and refined demeanor; he was the army’s chaplain. With graceful steps, he walked to the front of the formation, where the soldiers stood quietly. The priest spoke not yet, but assumed the solemn ritual posture for communing with God: upright stance, eyes half-closed, head raised, arms lifted toward the sky. The moment lasted but briefly.

He then addressed the troops: "Dear compatriots, fellow warriors, it is an honor to meet and speak with you. Our journey at superluminal speed to this strange planet is only possible thanks to the infinite wisdom bestowed upon us by the Almighty! Though Talans are exceptional, we are not perfect, for God does not craft each of His children as flawless beings. Instead, He has granted each of us countless opportunities that span all time and space. If we are willing to believe, the Almighty will grant us the opportunities we hope for. God made us highly intelligent beings and placed us upon the perfect planet of Tal to thrive. Over the course of history, we Talans have weathered countless storms; our ancestors witnessed the birth and demise of many advanced civilizations in the galaxy. Yet Tal civilization has always survived adversity, thanks to God’s favor. He never abandons those who uphold justice and steadfast faith.

In our great scripture, it is written that after God created Tal and the Talans, He fashioned another Eden larger and more perfect than Tal—Earth—and brothers identical to ourselves—Earthlings. This is no fairy tale; it is fact. Clearly, God will not leave us lonely. Since our scientists discovered this Eden and our brothers at the far edge of the galaxy—Earth and Earthlings—our mission has been to act as God’s agents, protecting every Earthling. Currently, the situation is grave: our vulnerable Earth brothers are targeted by the powerful, cruel Quartpa people, who have arbitrarily labeled Earthlings as pests, aiming to destroy Earth and thwart our migration and stewardship of the Solar System. We will not yield to Quartpa’s military intimidation, for justice is on our side, and our God will not abandon those who uphold righteousness. Your courage and effort will surely be rewarded by God..."

The priest’s brief yet stirring address ignited fervor and faith among the soldiers, greatly boosting morale. The entire formation stood tall, heads raised, silently praying. At that moment, a major received a secret message from Mr. M, the chief of Tal’s military intelligence, instructing him to lead a group of special forces directly to Jupiter’s moon Europa to deploy. Tal intelligence had detected three large Quartpa military ships heading toward the Solar System, and in case resistance in Centaurus failed, the forces stationed on Europa could serve as the last line of defense against the Quartpa.

The Tal major personally piloted a superluminal ship bearing a contingent of special forces straight to the Solar System, destination Europa. Europa provided the potable water Talans needed and was close to Earth, making all operations within easy reach. Upon entering the Solar System and traversing the Oort Cloud, the major reduced the ship’s speed to subluminal. The advanced vessel, a regular tetrahedron, projected special lasers in multiple directions, continuously obliterating meteoroids and asteroids that threatened collision.

In the cockpit, besides the major at the helm, two special forces soldiers served as co-pilots. With the ship now at subluminal speed, all three relaxed, engaging in casual conversation.

The major remarked, "As I recall, when Tal explorers first discovered Earth, the entire populace rejoiced. Everyone realized that the Solar System’s structure and Earth’s properties perfectly matched the guidance in our scripture—God’s blueprint for Talans’ survival. Both were meticulously crafted by the Almighty for us. Yet, even then and now, not every Tal has the opportunity to immigrate to Earth immediately; our conditions were not yet mature. My grandfather first visited the Solar System and landed on Earth in July 1994 by the Earth calendar. At the time, he was a junior officer, and a general entrusted him with a glorious mission: to journey to the Solar System and remove danger from Earth."

One co-pilot asked, "What happened? What danger did Earth face then?"

The major, piloting the ship, replied, "It was said that a comet named Shoemaker-Levy 9 was on a trajectory to collide directly with Earth. Our people, experts, and even the king were deeply concerned and fearful, since it could instantly wipe out all Earthlings. Though Tal’s military had the capability to destroy the comet from afar, they dared not risk exposure, as our arch-enemies, the Quartpa, were always gathering intelligence on our weaponry. To prevent Quartpa from intercepting parameters on our microwave weapons, my grandfather, following the general’s orders, piloted a solo ship to the Solar System, landed directly on the comet, and installed anti-inertia devices and boosters to alter its course, causing it to crash into Jupiter instead. The mission was a great success, and that was how my grandfather earned his promotion to general."

The three enjoyed their lively conversation as the ship approached the Kuiper Belt, with co-pilots busy operating short-range microwave weapons to clear nearby meteoroids.

The major pointed toward the Sun: "Look, that dark shadow on the Sun is Jupiter’s transit. Soon we’ll cross Saturn’s orbit, and you may admire the beautiful planet. I dare say you’ve never seen such a mysterious gaseous world."

The other co-pilot commented, "The Solar System is much larger than ours; it has more planets and an abundance of moons. But the space environment is terrible, too many meteoroids—piloting requires care."

As they chatted, the three young Tal soldiers forgot their fatigue. One soldier questioned the major about Earthlings.

He asked, "Major, as I recall, you once accompanied your father on a visit to Earth. In your eyes, what differences exist between Earthlings and us Talans? What features or characteristics do Earthlings possess?"

The major replied, "Earthlings are our brethren, the same species as us, both created by the same God. God made a slight difference in our physiology: we reproduce by oviparity, Earthlings by viviparity. Naturally, our genes cannot combine, but with Tal genetic technology, it would be easy to merge them. However, Talans would never do so, as it contradicts our religious doctrine and moral values."

When the soldier joyfully discussed Earth women, he couldn’t help but confide his dream to the major: "I’m unmarried, and I dream of marrying a beautiful Earth woman. Major, could you speed up the ship? I can hardly wait to meet an Earth beauty!"

The major laughed heartily: "You’re too naive, and celebrating too soon. We’re not landing on Earth this time—our destination is Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons."

The soldier, a bit disappointed, pressed on: "Why not land directly on Earth?"

The major replied, "Our mission is to protect our Earth brothers and prevent war from reaching Earth itself. The battlefield must remain far from Earth. Once we’ve unloaded supplies on Europa, we’ll establish camp there as the last line of defense for Earth. If we don’t fortify Europa, and our main force is defeated in Centaurus, the Quartpa can rush straight to the Solar System and destroy Earth. Against Quartpa’s weaponry, our Earth brothers, despite their own arms, are virtually defenseless. Earthlings would be helpless. If they are harmed, God will surely punish us."

Hearing the major’s explanation, the soldier, though a bit dejected, still declared boldly, "After we defeat the Quartpa, I’ll head to Earth at once—no bride but an Earth beauty!"

On the Tal planet, just half Earth’s diameter, Talans’ technological and cultural level far surpasses that of Earth. Their religious faith propels their scientific and cultural progress, and under profound belief and acute vigilance, the lifelong goal and ultimate ideal of every Talan is to settle on Earth in the Solar System. The paradise they long for is, in truth, Earth itself.

People of Earth, do not be oblivious to your blessings! Paradise lies beneath our feet. We must cherish Earth's ecological environment and treasure our great mother planet.