A screen opened before him, displaying an image of deep space. The arms of a galaxy, followed by stars shining in contrast to the black background.

He was always impressed by the number of stars in these environments. No wonder many worlds believed that this could only be the work of a divine being.

It was on one of these worlds that the screen slowly came into focus. A planet covered in white clouds, with visible swirls, blue or lilac rays crossing the white background and disappearing in a second.

In the distance, the light of the star of that planetary system appeared on the horizon. It shone brightly, illuminating the outer layer of the planet's atmosphere. It was possible to see the outline of long strips of land emerging to the north, among them what appeared to be an ocean.

“So this is the planet?”

“Yes, Master Thar, it was one of those chosen for the experiment.”

“What is it called?”

“Zarkon C.”

“How long ago did the tests begin?”

“About a thousand years ago. The most promising ones were chosen: Zarkon B, C, and D. But the only one that ended up achieving permanent life forms was C, which seemed to have the least chance at the time.”

The master leaned to the side, reading a three-dimensional text that appeared after the scientist finished speaking.

A second later, he knew everything about the subject, but there were still doubts, gaps in the information that made him suspicious.

“Why did they use the Voikhan method? Isn't it a very inaccurate method? It was already obsolete a thousand years ago.”

"Master Jhar considered it the best solution for the case. Zarkon C rotated on its axis very quickly. It would have been impossible for any form of life to survive."

“But the Kirkhan method was much more efficient and was already in use at that time.”

“Yes, but we had problems with resource constraints. There was a financial crisis, and the Federation did not approve the use of the Gravitational Beam.”

“Really! Isn't that recorded here?”

“Not everything is recorded in the texts, as Master knows. Very sensitive political issues always generate this kind of censorship.”

“Well, but it worked! Luckily, Voikhan can be more destructive than capable of generating habitable planets.”

"Master Jhar was an expert, and the conditions were very favorable. In addition, the protoplanet met the requirements for translation, mass, and distance from Zarkon C. The odds were good, and it worked. The planet slowed its rotation and tilted at an almost ideal angle, allowing for the emergence of seasons."

Thar returned to reading the three-dimensional texts, spending seconds reading thousands of pages. And he got to the heart of the problem. The reason why the Council decided that he should be sent urgently to understand what was happening on that “pale blue dot,” floating in the middle of nowhere, but which could be so destructive as to endanger the galaxy in which this tiny grain of sand revolved.

“Do the texts mention any problems with the Monolith? It's not common for us to have problems with this device. What happened?”

“Actually, it was a combination of factors. The software version was experimental and the hardware also needed corrections. It was the MIB 6000 model.”

“We've always had problems with the 6000 series. Isn't that the translucent crystal model?”

“Exactly. However, combined with the temperature and pressure characteristics on Zarkon C and the beings that were chosen to make the evolutionary leap, unforeseen genetic mutations occurred that led to the problems we are now facing.”

“The bipeds that existed at that time.”

“Yes, the Maymunlar, as they became known.”

“When was that?”

“About a hundred years ago.”

“And what was the problem with these bipeds?”

“Well, Master, they were more active and flexible than we expected. They ended up interacting with the Monolith much more than we anticipated.”

The head of the Advanced Research Center blinked his four eyes and wiped one of them, which made Thar even more suspicious.

“Interacted how? Be more specific.”

“Since they were very agile, they climbed on the equipment and tried to damage it with their primitive tools, but what ended up affecting the Monolith's operation was... their excrement, sir.”

“They shit and pee on our equipment! But isn't there some protection in them that prevents this kind of interference?”

“Yes, but the 6000 model was developed in a hurry, without proper quality control. Its intellect received conflicting information, which caused the system to fail. It seems that there was even bribery on the part of the company that developed the model. The equipment's protection seal proved ineffective.”

“But it continued to function? How is that possible?”

“That's a mystery we haven't solved yet. The Monolith operated for decades outside its original specifications and ended up causing the problems we detected last year.”

“Almost a century to discover that we failed miserably, that's unacceptable!”

“Unfortunately, that's what happened, sir. And to make matters worse, it coincided with the height of the Great Crisis.”

Thar feels a sharp pain in his head; his three brains begin to ache at the same time. Always her, always the painful and endless Great Crisis. It seemed that everything bad was still caused by that fateful moment in the history of the Federation.

“Well, what was the result on Zarkon C? What big shit did we make this time?”

The head of the science department scratched one of his four arms. Increasingly embarrassed, he took a deep breath, preparing for the worst.

“What happened was that the Monolith generated a being derived from the Maymunlar with a reasonably well-developed brain, relatively adequate speech ability, and limited ability to live in a group. Although excellent adaptability to the environment.”

“But that was the least we could expect. What big shit did we make this time?”

"Well, Master, they became more violent than we would have liked. They started fighting over territory, water resources, and even females. The situation only worsened when they learned to cultivate the land. Since the Monolith did not function as it should have, the descendants born of this species lack the necessary protection of antibodies against viruses and other types of diseases that always appear in natural environments."

“They don't have a functional immunological system!”

“Almost, Master. Individuals of the species don't have the durability we would like. They only have a few weeks to live, according to our time count.”

“And why did the situation worsen after they reached the agricultural stage?”

“The demand for labor caused them to reproduce on a scale never seen before. The situation got out of control.”

Thar scratches his chin, looking thoughtfully at his feet.

“Unbelievable. The minimum expectation would be beings with high longevity, without dependence on agriculture, where sex is dispensable.”

"If the Monolith were operating as we would like. The situation worsened when they reached the industrialization phase."

“Industries! Environmental imbalance. Is that what you mean?”

"That's what happened, and from then on, sex produced absurd quantities of the species. What they lack in terms of immunity, they make up for in terms of reproduction. They have become a plague; they are about to endanger the existence of the planet."

“You mean these, what are they called?”

“We call them Alukis.”

“Okay, these Alukis fucking beyond normal, is that it?”

“Well, Master, let's say they practice sex in an unusual way.”

“They have become billions on a planet that should contain, at most, a few hundred million. And your petition to the Council is that we continue to invest in a species that is totally outside the standards required by the Federation? Explain yourself, Ljar.”

"Well, sir, there is a chance that there will be a reduction in the number of Alukis in the coming months. We have noticed that they have developed their own solution that seems to mitigate the effects of excess reproductive capacity."

The scientist remains silent, fearful of the Council Master's reaction. He stares at the translucent floor beneath his legs, while Thar taps eighteen of his fingers on the table in front of him.

“And what solution did they find?”

“They call it ‘sex for fun.’ They began to expend their sexual energy in orgasms, without any reproductive purpose. This turned out to be a relief for the species.”

Thar bites one of his mouths, looking as if he hopes he heard wrong.

“You want us to admit this species of sexually depraved and highly destructive beings into the Federation. Is that it, Ljar?”

“Well, sir, after a hundred years of investment, billions of Tracmas spent, the science department considers it a waste. The Alukis could join the Federation, perhaps as observers.”

“They? They reproduce like the Dovsans. And a Dovsan would never join the Federation.”

“Well, sir, but couldn't this new sexual modality be a reason to keep the species alive?”

“But they are destroying themselves. The Federation has not yet made a decision. That does not mean it will not do so in the coming weeks.”

“Wouldn't Master at least like to see what this sexual modality is all about? Maybe sir would change your mind?”

Thar shakes his enormous head wearily, although a flash of curiosity arises in one of his brains. What is sex for fun? He has never known a species in the entire galaxy that practiced such a modality.

“Do we have images? How did we get them?”

“They are generating them themselves, trillions of peta bytes, and most of them with sex. It has become one of the main activities of their current economy.”

“That damn Monolith, an extremely expensive project that aimed to spread highly skilled beings throughout the galaxy, has developed a species of sexual perverts on this shitty little planet? Is that the best we can do?”

“Unfortunately, sir, but as I said, the current use of sex reduces reproductive capacity and also other excesses of the species, such as violence, wars, and even environmental greed is greatly reduced.”

Thar looks suspiciously at the head of the science department.

“You're a terrible salesman, Ljar. Don't try to convince me with pretty words. Show me what they do.”

***

“Professor Branch, I'm getting more and more anxious. It seems like...”

“Seems like what, Hazard?”

The frail girl, almost thirty years old, writes another sequence of mathematical symbols on the blackboard in the room, the chalk between her fingers creaking as if it were increasingly painful to write those symbols and numbers.

Finally, she stops, looking tired, almost discouraged. The girl tucks strands of blonde hair behind her ear and turns, crossing her arms over her breasts.

Branch smoothes his white goatee. His dead fish eyes gain a slight gleam. The thin, awkward girl had become increasingly attractive to the lonely old man over the years.

“It seems like we always reach a dead end. It seems like we always have one arm tied behind our backs.”

Branch shakes his head and sits down, trying to hide his desires for the girl.

“Unfortunately, that's how science works, Hazard. You have to test and test, insist and persist. More sweat than brains.”

Hazard Cooper throws away what's left of the chalk. He claps his hands, clearing the dust, and approaches. Branch crosses his legs, hiding his inconvenient erection.

The girl laughs; she has known for some time about the old man's interest in her. She has never paid much attention to relationships, let alone with young people. Ridiculous idiots who seem unaware that they have a brain inside their heads. They just do what the government tells them to do.

Plant this, plant that. No one knows how to think, but the old professor, systematic, detail-oriented, and a brilliant mathematician, is actually quite an admirable figure. Why not desirable?

“You're not the only one who's distressed by our limitations. I'd also like everything to be resolved as quickly as possible. Otherwise, Plan A can never be implemented.”

“I'm worried about them. What if they can't come back?”

“That makes me nervous too. You have no idea, Hazard.”

The young woman flashes a strange smile, a furtive glance that makes the old professor even more uncomfortable. Did she notice how I am? he thinks, forcing a smile. She takes two steps and stands a hand's width away.

“I know you're very tense, stiff. That's not good, Professor. Especially for a man your age.”

“What? I don't understand.”

The girl's voice becomes more modulated, more provocative. Branch feels his heart race, his breathing become shorter. He must be dreaming, but she...

“Relax, Professor. We both need to relieve this tension. It's bad for our health.”

“Hazard, I think... Aaaah! Uuuhh!”

“What's the problem? You're still a man, no matter your age. Every man needs this.”

The small hand caresses the phallus still trapped in the baggy pants. Sweat drips down Branch's face. Shame is written all over his face as he feels Hazard's fingers pull his hard cock out of his cream-colored pants.

As an expert in the field, she masturbates him skillfully. She twists the head of his cock with her delicate fingers, rubbing his body, making him even harder. There is no denying his state of arousal.

“Haz, Hazard! I, I, I think...”

“Sshhh, Professor. It'll be good for both of us. Relax, distract and have fun, darling.”

“Aaah!”

"It strengthens our relationship. It brings us closer together, isn't that why everyone fucks? Why not us?"

“Oooh! Honey, then sit down. Sit down.”

Hazard bites her lower lip. She blinks her angelic blue eyes. Her hand still squeezes the old man's cock. A hot cock from which a lubricating liquid drips.

Hazard gets rid of his clothes so quickly that he thought it was a trick. Suddenly, Commander Cooper's daughter was naked in front of her master. Small breasts, a golden-haired vagina.

Hazard Cooper arrives, settles in, and sits down. She sits on the teacher's lap.

“Like this, Branch?”

He uses two fingers, holds the cock, and thrusts.

“Aaah!”

She swallows the mature man's cock.

“Hmmm! Cooper, aaah! Girl...”

“Ssshh! Aaah! Branch. What a delicious cock, darling!”

Hazard wiggles her hips, pushing the old man's rod deeper inside her. Deeper into her tight womb. The teacher's cock gets sticky, slobbering in the juices that drip from the young pussy.

It hurts, it burns. Especially because she is almost a virgin, and the old man's cock is wider than she thought. It tore into the young woman's vulva.

Cooper fucked hard, thrusting the professor's cock deep inside her. He grabbed her small hips and sucked on her breasts.

“Oooh! Hmmm! Branch! Aaah!”

Wet orgasms came in jets. She came hard, releasing her moods, her hormones spreading through her body, burning away toxins.

“Girl, I think I'm going to...”

“No! Wait. Not inside, better not to risk it.”

Agile Hazard got down on her knees. She flashed a lewd smile and swallowed his phallus. A kiss at the top and slowly swallowing the shaft. That drooling with her juices. She swallowed with her eyes closed, sucked thirstily, dreaming of the teacher's hot cum, finally.

“What's this now? Is the reproductive organ in the mouth of females?”

“No, Master, it's just another form of stimulation. Massaging the man with your mouth. Sometimes, taking him all the way down your throat.”

“Really! All that effort to get pregnant?”

“On the contrary, to avoid it. As I explained, they began to enjoy sex for the momentary pleasure.”

“Sex for fun?”

They were interrupted by the old man's screams. The screams of a wounded animal, cumming in spurts into the mouth of the young woman kneeling at his feet.

Hazard showed her perfect teeth and milky tongue like a slut. Translucent mucus dripped from the corners of her mouth. The girl finally swallowed the cum of the man who could be her grandfather. She smiled mischievously, savoring the taste of the cum.

“Well, Master, as sir can see, they have found a solution to large-scale reproductive problems. I think we need to take this point of view into consideration. We can't just get rid of them.”

“And who said anything about eliminating the Alukis? They don't even need our help to do it; they'll do it themselves.”

The two remained silent for a while.

“And is that the only way they have to prevent reproduction?”

“There are other ways, several other ways, to prevent reproduction. Pills and other contraceptive methods.”

“Really! I thought the only solution was to drink the man's orgasm. Still, it's interesting. I thought they were more limited.”

“They're smarter than sir and the Council think.”

“But they're still very dangerous, excessively violent for my taste, at least from what I've seen so far.”

“But they haven't blown up the planet yet.”

“Not yet, but they've come very close. That's what your reports say. And it wasn't just once or twice. Imagine a species like that spreading across the galaxy?”

“I still think the Alukis can develop self-control. It's a matter of time, perhaps with the application of Triklina to promising individuals?”

“Don't be naïve, Ljar. Triklina is an extremely expensive procedure. And its actual effectiveness is under investigation.”

“Really? I didn't know that, Master.”

“Well, now you do. I know you like them, but they are problematic, unstable, and belligerent. If only they didn't reproduce like a virus. A few long-lived and resilient ones would have been enough.”

“Resilient they are, but long-lived they never were. They ended up surrendering to sex and multiplied beyond the planet's capacity.”

“That wasn't what we were looking for when we invested our Tracmas in Zarkon. We need to sow life, select the most promising species to explore new dimensions, and not continue creating beings with low potential. Beings that cannot understand the mechanisms of the universe.”

“Well, Master, they are trying, albeit very slowly. Some of them, at least. The vast majority still think they live inside a flat circle with a dome above them.”

“Look, their depraved side is even funny, but their cognitive limitations make them dangerous.”

Ljar crossed his four arms behind his back, thoughtful. His hopes of including the Alukis in the next interstellar integration program were going down the drain. But he was snapped out of his reverie by the master's curiosity.

“What else do you have to show me? Or do they just have fun like this? Swallowing the cum of the males.”

“There's no shortage of images, Master. The Alukis are quite creative when it comes to sex.”

“Then show me, you've got me interested.”

***

She woke up feeling chills and a slight headache. The white lights of the spaceship irritated her eyes.

“Dr. Branch, doctor?”

The male voice was familiar to her, but she couldn't remember who it belonged to. And she couldn't see.

“Wake up, Emilia!”

“Huh! Where are we?”

“On the ship.”

“Are we there yet?”

"No, the computers say no. It seems there was a problem with the hibernation system. It looks like we traveled farther than we should have."

Emilia, her nose in the air, realized she was hugging the mission commander. Gordon Cooper had broad shoulders and curly blond hair. It was comforting to find herself hugging him while still sitting in her hibernation chamber.

“We should have been awakened when we reached Saturn.”

Cooper nodded. The scientist's hand was on the back of his neck. The delicate hand of an interesting woman.

“I'm still checking, but according to the data, we are beyond the orbit of Uranus.”

“What?”

The friendly brunette looked like she was about to cry. Her dark eyes were moist.

“What about the others?”

“They're fine, but I thought it best not to wake them. I'm still evaluating the life-support systems. We don't have enough oxygen for everyone.”

The two looked at each other. Emilia agreed with the decision, but found it strange that he had chosen to wake her and not one of the others. Her doubt was written all over her face, so much so that the astronaut smiled enigmatically. Somewhere between seductive and scoundrel.

“You better get dressed, Doctor. I'm making our coffee.”

She cleared her throat, not daring to continue looking into those seductive blue eyes, and headed for the ship's bathroom.

She washed, combed her hair, brushed her teeth, got dressed, and returned.

The handsome astronaut took his eyes off the equipment and admired the female figure wearing clothes comfortable enough to highlight her appreciable curves.

“So, Coop, what do we do now?”

“Technically, the mission has been aborted. We need to go back, but I don't know if we'll make it to the wormhole on Saturn, and the chances of returning to Earth are even slimmer.”

“How long have we been traveling?”

“The clocks show more than twenty years.”

Emilia Branch is speechless; her head is spinning as she thinks about the mission to save humanity from environmental disaster. And the only thing she can say at the moment is a curse word that slips out without her realizing it.

“Holy shit!”

They both laugh and hug each other. It is comforting to be in a man's arms again. Especially one like Commander Cooper. She just didn't expect this reaction from him. A natural reaction in a man who hasn't touched a woman's body in so long.

“Emilia, I think we need to assess the current situation. Maybe wake Roy and Doyle from hibernation when we know more about the ship's condition.”

Emilia flashes a seductive, even captivating smile, her eyes sparkling. And the commander reacts like any male of the species. As has been the case since the dawn of time, more than five million years ago.

His cock throbs and grows inside his tight pants. The man blushes and turns away, pretending to examine the screens on the ship's panel. Emilia feels her vagina come alive, getting wet inside her new panties.

Twenty years without sex, without fucking a hot man. And there she is, in front of the mission commander. The two of them alone, the others sleeping in their hibernation chambers, and even KARS turned off and tied up downstairs.

“Don't be like that, Coop. I understand, why not?”

“What?”

Gordon Cooper tries to pretend he doesn't understand what she's talking about. Dr. Branch's eyes mesmerize him. The man feels his heart beating like a drum, his cock growing uncontrollably, rising like a mast.

“That's it, Coop, what's the problem? You need it and so do I.”

She speaks in a tearful voice, but silence fills the room. She smiles. The smile of an experienced prostitute, and he becomes shy like a boy on his first time.

“May I?”

Emilia reaches out, holds him firmly, and squeezes him affectionately. She masturbates the seductive man, the heat of his phallus warming the palm of her hand. Her vagina is wet, throbbing, and she wants to fuck the only man awake at that moment.

Emilia's features change, shifting from innocent seduction to the fury of a woman in heat.

“Emilia, we need to think about this.”

“Twenty years, Cooper! Twenty damn years! What's a few minutes of madness? Come on, I want you with your back to me.”

“Dr. Branch, I'm not used to these things. I'm more traditional.”

“Well, I'm not. I like to be the active one. My men always obey me. Come on, turn around.”

“These images are being recorded; one day someone might see us.”

"What a pity! You could have chosen someone else; there were three of us, but you chose me. Why is that? Am I the only one who turns you on, at least? Turn around, Cooper. I know you'll like it. The others don't need to know. Relax, honey."

Gordon Cooper is stunned. He's wanted to fuck with the doctor since they left Earth. But this was a little disconcerting.

Her bright gaze made Cooper turn his back. The scientist knelt behind him. Eagerly, she pulled down the seductive forty-something's pants. His firm ass, his balls full of cum. His asshole hidden deep between his buttocks.

Emilia salivated with pleasure. Finally, the commander's ass was at her disposal. She spat once, twice, spreading it with the tip of her middle finger. Smoothing the entrance, preparing her male to receive what he deserved, a good finger in the ass.

“Emilia. Aaaah!”

Cooper felt a shiver run down his spine. He felt her hand caressing his cock, twisting, rubbing, and squeezing it hard. He never imagined that the professor's daughter was a slut. Not even in his most depraved dreams.

“Oooh! Uuuh!”

“That's right, Coop, moan, boy. I love it when my men suffer. It turns me on so much, you know? Even more when I stick it in the middle, like this.”

“Haaanh! Aaahh!”

“Two fingers in a man's ass. It feels good, doesn't it?”

“I... I didn't expect this, Emilia. I've never done this before.”

“Liar, your ass isn't a virgin, boy. And I know deep down you love it. See how good it feels.”

She pushed deeper and rubbed the commander's prostate. His erection grew even harder.

“Oooh! Emilia.”

The girl laughed as she pushed and twisted her fingers while masturbating the commander's cock. Cooper began to drip from the head of his cock. His precum wet the professor's daughter's fingers.

He was startled when she kissed his ass with her tongue. A sloppy kiss, full of saliva, licked. A lewd kiss from a naughty woman, a little slut who likes to command her men. And savor the asshole of a handsome man.

“Branch... Aaah! I, I don't know...”

“Calm down, Cooper. You're a lucky man, finding a girl three billion kilometers from Earth just to caress you. A caress like this, as deep as it is exciting. What are you complaining about?”

She licked like a naughty cat. Using the tip of her tongue. The hard tip opening the commander's most intimate orifice. Gordon Cooper's cock throbbed, beginning to drip his manly cream. The astronaut trembled, vibrating as if he were a virgin.

He closed his eyes, concentrating not to come, imagining the scientist's pussy. That tight, wet, sweaty thing, waiting for a thick trunk, his.

He grabbed Emilia by the hair and pulled her up. He made the girl climb up, they stood facing each other, studying each other. Their mouths inches apart. Emilia smiling lasciviously, he looking like an indignant male.

They kissed, their mouths stuck together as if glued. They licked each other's tongues, biting, sucking. Cooper enjoyed the taste of his ass mixed with the scientist's saliva.

Until Cooper made Emilia turn around and lean over the counter. The offended male ripped the young woman's pants off. He left the scientist almost naked.

“Are you going to eat me, Cooper, from behind? Like a savage?”

Crazy, driven mad by desire, the astronaut grabbed the hot brunette's waist and thrust hard. He pierced the girl's pussy.

“Aaah! Hmmm! Coop, baby.”

That vagina was boiling, cooking his cock. A suffocating heat, like a sauna. The thrusts became frantic, the moans louder.

Emilia hugged the commander's neck as he tore her blouse, exposing her generous breasts.

“Oooh! Aaah! Emilia!”

“Come, darling, fill me with your cum, boy.”

The thrusts became even faster. It didn't take long for the astronaut's cock to regurgitate its semen, spitting jets of cum accumulated over the years into the vulva of the snobbish-looking scientist.

He groaned, grabbing the girl's breasts. She felt the cum running down her thighs, mixed with her fluids. The pleasure of a satiated woman came with it.

“Hmm! Coop...”

“Doctor.”

“They are very creative. The females are more active than those of other species.”

“Yes, Master. Both sexes devote themselves to sex with great... enthusiasm.”

“It seems that the butt is very attractive to them. Is that right, Ljar?”

“There is a worldwide preference for the anus. Something that has become more common in recent times.”

“But it's the females who prefer the males' butts to getting fucked in their vaginas!?”

“Anything can happen with this species. But it's the males who have a preference for anal. And they don't seem to make any distinction between the sexes when it comes to anal sex, Master.”

Thar's four eyes widened at the information. A look of concern takes over his broad face. Worse than he could have imagined, the explanations have become even more serious.

Ljar scratches one of his ears as he watches the master return to admiring the scenes of the planet appearing on the big screen. In the background is its only natural satellite. Huge, shining like a giant melted cheese.

“These two scenes seem to show that they are developing some project to leave the planet. Or have I misunderstood?”

“Yes, Master. Climate problems on Zarkon C are forcing the Alukis to look for solutions elsewhere.”

“Have they discovered the second Monolith?”

“Fortunately not, Master. It seems they thought they had found an anomaly near Zarkon F, but there is nothing there. There was a misinterpretation, or something like that. The Alukis are not very efficient in astronautics. They are guessing rather than interpreting the data that appears.”

Thar does not seem very satisfied with the information. He remains suspicious of the Alukis' capabilities.

“And where was Chaleb installed? Wasn't it the one the Alukis detected?”

"No, Master, Chaleb was installed on Zarkon E. And it remains inactive. As Master knows, only after activating the Monolith on its natural satellite will the portal open."

Thar walks thoughtfully, with his hands clasped behind his back and his other two crossed over his chest. It seems too coincidental that the Alukis are looking for a portal. Ljar understands the implied message.

“They managed to travel to your satellite, but never settled there. At least not until now.”

The master puffs out his broad chest, relaxes, but still remains tense.

“This is troubling, Ljar. What if the mutations have made the Alukis more imaginative than rational? They are even more dangerous than we are anticipating.”

“And what do sir think the Council will decide? Is there any chance the Alukis will be exterminated?”

"I don't think so, because your reports make it clear that they will do it themselves. But the possibility that they might attempt an escape that is beyond our control is worrying."

“But if they escape to another planet in their own solar system, there is a chance that other life forms on Zarkon C will survive.”

“Don't be naïve, Ljar. Billions of Alukis are going to live on another planet. Which planet?”

“We've seen that they're very interested in Zarkon D. Of course, not all of them, because some don't even believe they live on a planet. As I said, many think their world is flat.”

Thar laughs and scratches his chin, seeing the apprehensive expression on the face of the head of the science department. He speaks in a tone of voice more like that of a father than a superior.

“Are you afraid of losing your toy, Ljar? The planet will not be destroyed by the Alukis' nonsense, rest assured. At most, they will become extinct. Those who resist the Alukis' greed will eventually adapt to the new conditions. However, the possibility of them attempting an escape that is beyond our control is worrying.”

“It's a shame, sir, that we're missing the opportunity to get to know them better. It would be interesting to study them further.”

“Unfortunately, the failure of the Monolith distorted the experience. And speaking of the Monolith...”

Thar points a hand at the satellite that now occupies the entire screen.

“It's best to remove the device before they discover it. If they're traveling through space, it's because they've already visited your satellite, right?”

“Yes, but they only visited; they haven't settled there yet.”

The master's gaze becomes more serious. Ljar recoils, fearing the worst.

“If they visited, that means they can come back.”

“Well, sir, that was precisely one of the reasons why we sent the request for information to the Council, which we will do with the second Monolith.”

“Then remove it quickly. We can't waste time. If those ignorant perverts find the Monolith, they can activate the portal, especially with the problems in version 6000. We have no guarantee that other defects won't occur.”

“Yes, but it will still take weeks before they can start occupying their satellite. They're not very good at teamwork. They've always been very suspicious of each other.”

“The guys are flying almost at the edge of their star system. What if they discover signs of Chaleb when they pass by on their way back? Very dangerous.”

"That is exactly why, sir, these Alekis who appeared in the images are among the most prepared of their species. At least they can develop rudimentary formulas for the unification of fields and particles. And their spaceships are reasonably reliable. Couldn't we take advantage of the fact that they are close to Chaleb and admit them into our community, at least these few, to study them and understand what motivated the unwanted changes?"

Thar raises his four arms as if what he had just heard was nonsense.

“We can't take that risk, Ljar. Even if they were kept in a controlled environment like this lab, there would always be the risk of them escaping and multiplying. That could become a disaster beyond our ability to contain. It would destroy much more promising worlds.”

“But would there be any chance of them finding a solution to the environmental disaster? If they succeeded, it could save not only the species but the entire planet.”

"And how would they do that? From the formulas they were writing, it's obvious they have no idea how gravity works. A hundred years of evolution and they still believe in gods as the answer, or believe that basic science has the answer to everything. Very imperfect, Ljar, beyond that endemic need to multiply."

“But all species go through the same phases. Maybe the Alukis take a little longer.”

Thar shows his two smiles; he was also a scientist at the beginning of his career, passionate about new discoveries.

"I understand your interest, Ljar. They have become your pets, but the images make it clear that they are limited even in their understanding of basic physics. They will never be able to make the necessary leap, especially with their sexual uncontrollability. We have to admit that the Monolith didn't work; better to leave them where they are."

“Isn't it better to wait for the Council's decision before destroying the Monolith?”

"We can't take any chances if they intend to establish permanent bases on the satellite. The risk that they might spread is no longer hypothetical; it has become real. Destroy it, Ljar, destroy it and forget these beings. It's a shame, but we have others who are more promising. And without the risk of dedicating themselves to sex as if it were the only thing that really matters in life."