Chapter Text
Headquarters of the United Nations
November 16th, 2015. 1:51 PM
Ambassador Yoon Jung-ho
Finally able to sit down to have some lunch that was brought to his office by his assistant after being grilled by what felt like every single diplomat in the world, Jung-ho leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, breathing out a sigh of relief as the stress in his back slightly decreased. He hated getting old.
He had decided on getting a large slice of New York pepperoni pizza, something he only indulged in on rare occasions, which this one definitely was. The smell was very appetizing, and he lifted the slice to take a bite. Just before it came to his mouth, the computer in front of him beeped with a specific notification and he immediately dropped the slice back onto the cardboard plate.
With a bit of finagling, the Hanar had been able to create a secure email address that would be used to increase the ease of communication, rather than just relying on transmissions that had the, slim but existing, potential to be detected by amateur radio hobbyists. Jung-ho had set up an alert that notified him immediately with a unique sound if there was any email from the Hanar address.
To: Yoon Jung
From: Ontyl Zininder
Date: Monday, November 16th, 2015. 1:53 PM EST
Subject: Regarding the Question of Proof
Greetings Ambassador Yoon,
It was a pleasure meeting you during our recent diplomatic meeting, and as requested, this one has provided video and supporting evidence of one of the atrocities the batarians have committed against the Hanar.
As a warning, the video, by nature, is quite graphic. Should you have any technical difficulties, questions, or wish to discuss this further, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Regards,
Ambassador Ontyl Zininder
Attachment: The Zymlas Family Incident - Occurred Late 2013 - Video Format
Attachment: Autopsy Report - Thulin Zymlas - Age ~43 in Earth Format - PDF
Attachment: Autopsy Report - Enner Zymlas - Age ~8 in Earth Format - PDF
Attachment: Autopsy Report - Hilnir Zymlas - Age ~8 in Earth Format - PDF
With a morbid curiosity, he opened the video and clicked ‘Play,’ and one of the worst sights he had ever seen began unfolding before his eyes.
Headquarters of the United Nations
November 16th, 2015. 6:10 PM
Ambassador Yoon Jung-ho
"Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed delegates, I come before you today with a matter of utmost concern." The ambassador's voice echoed through the vast chamber, “As everyone here already knows, humanity is no longer alone in the universe.” Jung-ho looked around the chamber, analyzing some of the faces in the room. Their faces varied from nervous to confident, from happy to angry.
“During my meeting with the Hanar diplomat, Ontyl Zininder, they had mentioned that there was animosity between the Hanar and another race of aliens, the Batarians. According to Ambassador Ontyl, the Batarians are the aggressors and are persistent in their behaviors.” He pressed a button on the podium, and the projector screen behind him began lowering from the ceiling.
“I requested proof of these accusations, and it was provided earlier this afternoon. It has been verified as authentic by several independent contractors, as well as the South Korean government.” Jung-ho said, and audibly swallowed, preparing himself for what he had to explain next. “The video evidence provided is very, and I emphasize, VERY, graphic in nature, and anyone with a weak stomach is welcome to leave and receive a written format of the video in several hours. I will resume in several minutes.”
Only a few of the ambassadors left the room as discussion between the members grew until it became a dull roar in the room, some gesturing animatedly, some with worried expressions on their faces.
With several taps to the microphone, the room quieted down. “With that, I will begin the video…”
Having seen the video before, Jung-ho dedicated the duration of the watch-time by watching the audience as their faces went from curious to abject horror and disgust. Even having only watched it once, Jung-ho vividly remembered the teeth of the Batarians, which reminded him of an anglerfish, tearing into its ‘food.’ Several more members got up and left in a hurry, one of which was holding his mouth and gagging. Many more were covering their eyes or ears as the scene continued to play, on and on.
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As the video concluded, the ambassador turned back to the assembly, his gaze unwavering as he looked at the pale, and in some cases, green faces in front of him, "We cannot afford to underestimate the gravity of this situation. We must decide swiftly on how to address this threat before it is too late.”
“According to the Hanar, we are placed approximately 1000 light years away from them, and in the other direction, approximately 3000 light years away from the Batarians. Therefore, we are placed between the two races. The Hanar have confirmed that both species have access to Faster-Than-Light travel, capable of traveling over 10 light years a day.”
“The Hanar discovered our signals approximately 80 light years away, simply by chance. If one species can do it, so can another, and the next time might not be as friendly…”
Headquarters of the United Nations
November 17th, 11:03 AM
Before the assembly sat what was apparently one of the foremost minds in astrobiology and evolutionary biology, Dr. Andrew Chang. His field had suddenly gotten much more attention in recent days. He was one of a dozen experts contacted in various fields to try and get a better understanding of the situation the human race found itself in.
“Dr. Change, from the video, what are you able to tell us about the aliens observed in them?” The UN speaker asked.
“I would like to preface this presentation by saying that these assumptions are based on theories developed on Earth, using only life on Earth as evidence. It is definitely possible that there are unforeseen reasons for any of the adaptations and traits these aliens exhibit. Essentially, take this information with a grain of salt.” Dr. Chang explained, before looking back to the speaker.
“Understood, Dr. Chang. Please, continue with your presentation.” The speaker said.
“Starting with the batarians, it is noted that they have four forward facing eyes. On Earth, forward facing eyes are generally signs of predators, or species with a great need for depth perception. In prey animals, their eyes tend to be on the sides of their heads in order to give a greater field of vision to defend against predators. It is unclear what advantage having four eyes over two eyes gives, besides redundancy in case one or more are damaged.” The scientist undertook a lecturing tone that did not hide his interest in the situation. There was a rough presentation slide projected behind the man, obviously quickly but thoroughly made, showing a zoomed in capture of a batarian face from the video.
“Furthermore, it was hard to determine the scale of the aliens, but given the measurements of the Hanar in the autopsy reports, the height of the Batarians can be roughly calculated to 195 centimeters, or 6 feet and 5 inches. They appear to be broader than humans, and likely stronger based on the clearly visible muscles on several of the subjects. It is unclear if these individuals are representative of their species.” The room was filled with an abundance of whispers as that information was absorbed. Several more photos were included on the next slides.
“From their teeth, the Batarians are likely obligate carnivores, or the vegetation on their planet is exceptionally tough. As it was, the Hanar were the ‘main course’, but there were several other dishes that appear to be meat based as well, with vegetation present only as what appears to be garnish. While only the front teeth are visible, there seems to be several rows on both the bottom and top jaws. The closest Earth analogue would be sharks, however their teeth are generally more triangular in shape, rather than needle-like.” A helpful diagram comparing the anatomy of a shark’s mouth to the batarians accompanied those words.
“Moving on to the Hanar, they have helpfully provided several diagrams of their anatomy. They have 3 pairs of eye-analogues, with one set being forward facing and the other two sets along their flanks, allowing them a very wide range of vision. They likely evolved as prey to several larger predators, requiring them to be constantly aware of their surroundings.”
“They are visually similar to jellyfish species, but their oral arms, or tentacles as you might call them, appear to be more akin to limbs than a feeding mechanism. They do possess an endoskeleton, but it is mostly composed of a thick skull encasing their brain. Their tentacles do have venom glands and are capable of stinging, the potency of the venom on humans is unclear. It is possible that the venom evolved as a defense mechanism against predators.”
“Additionally, the bright color of the hanar may be an example of aposematism, where an organism advertises that it is not worth attacking. An example on Earth would be poison dart frogs, where their bright color indicates that they are poisonous to consume.”
“Their diet is unknown, but they are likely not filter feeders as there are no structures that may suggest that. They may be herbivores or omnivores.”
“In summary, the batarians are likely obligate carnivores and are physically strong, probably superior in strength compared to an average human male,” That comparison unsettled the assembly even more, eventually causing the speaker of the house to demand the room quiet down so the presentation could continue, “The hanar, on the other hand, appear to be prey items on their home planet, and with no endoskeleton to provide leverage, the strength in their limbs is likely not considerable.”
“Thank you for your time, Dr. Chang. Unfortunately, there is no time for questions, as the next presentation is set to start soon.”
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