CloseMind

"A Closed Mind is A Wonderful Thing To Lose"

"You just don't get it do you?!" An obviously frustrated man said in disbelief. He
had been trying almost all day to negotiate with the commander of the military force that
was against Earth.
It is the year thirty-two hundred and twenty-three. Space travel is possible, Earth
is nearing over crowding, and a five year war is coming to an end. The war is between
to main factions. One faction is for the preservation of earth and to try to stop polluting
Earth to make Earth last as long as it can with out having to colonize another planet.
Although, the technology for deep space travel and colonizing other planets is available,
most people felt they should deal with Earth first and use colonizing as a last resort. This
faction calls themselves the Earth First faction, or E.F. for short.
The other faction is for colonizing other planets and using deep space technology
to find other earth-like planets. They believe Earth is too far gone to save. Most of earth
is dangerously radioactive from past wars and the atmosphere is smoggy. From space,
earth has a unnatural brownish tint to it. This faction calls themselves the Space Pirates
United, or S.P.U. for short.
As a last resort to end the war and to get people to do what they wanted, SPU
built a ship with a giant laser to shoot and destroy Earth. SPU admitted that the giant
laser was cliche of so many movie plots, but they felt it was a good move. The
commander of the Earth First faction was sent to negotiate any possible treaties to
achieve peace. He was invited to the lasership for the negotiations.
"No, I guess I don't get it! Enlighten me!" The SPU commander said sarcastically.
He has long grown tired of the Earth First commander's long winded speeches of peace.
The Earth First commander glared at him irritably from his plush red seat at the long
mahogany table. Other than the table and its chairs the red carpeted room was bare. A
long window covering one wall of the room revealed the blue ball we know as Earth
floating in an immense darkness.
"If you destroy Earth, you'll have to look for another planet to live! Not to
mention you will destroy billions of innocent lives!" The EF commander said through
clenched teeth. He watched the SPU commander go to the window and looked at Earth
for a time. Almost like he was trying to spot each and every person of whose life he
might take by firing the laser.
"I have been giving the people of Earth fair enough warning to leave if they do
not wish to die." The SPU commander said low and almost sadly before facing the EF
commander again. "If they wish to die, then it is their choice. As for the choice of the
Space Pirates, we wish not to die on a rotting carcass of a planet."
"Then leave Earth if you must, but leave Earth alone." The EF commander said
the last in almost a whisper. He marveled at how well the young SPU commander was
handling the war. He guessed the young commander had to be no older than twenty-five
and no younger than twenty. He was beautiful as wall. Born and raised in a noble
family. His small, slightly up turned nose and correct posture indicated his upbringing.
His auburn hair was shoulder length and pulled back in to a pony tail with slightly curled ends, as was the style of his particular family. His smooth almost milky white skin made him seem doll-like and made his emerald green eyes almost glow.
The SPU commander secretly admired the EF commander because of his braveness of coming alone. No bodyguards, no aides, no witnesses, no servants, just him. He also thought it was admirable that the EF commander, who never had any noble training or had done anything really worth awarding, was willing to give up so much for so many people he would never in his entire life time know. He could see the EF commander was very experienced on life. His graying brown eyes told him so. The heavy bags under his eyes said he was tired, and the wrinkles cracking his tanned skin showed he has seen and done a lot. His posture said he was tired of the war and wanted it to end. No matter how bad he looked, he always maintained an air of confidence and commanding obedience.
"No, I cannot." The SPU commander turned back to the window with his hands clasped behind his back.
"Why?" The EF officer asked.
"As far as I'm concerned, there is no Earth. Earth died long ago when our ancestors polluted it, poisoned it, and bombed it. Earth died because the people of Earth fought wars selfishly over control of her. She is over populated, over polluted, and over due to die. You selfishly keep her live so you can survive. I think it is time to. . .'pull the plug'. . .in a manner of speaking." The SPU commander calmly explained as if in deep thought.
"I understand that, but why not leave just leave Earth? Let us find out how far we are gone for ourselves." The EF commander said trying to convince to SPU commander not to fire the laser on Earth.
"No, I will leave Earth and I will gladly take anyone who wishes to come and live, but I will destroy Earth. I will not have another generation of children growing up to play in radiated fields of poison. I only wish to preserve human life. To give new generations a chance to flourish with out fear of deformations and tumors at birth from radiation, or breathing problems from fouled atmosphere. I wish to give a chance for life." The SPU commander explained. The EF commander saw a possible break through and decided to go for it.
"Then we have a common goal! I also wish to give a chance for life. I will give that chance by cleaning up those radiated fields and the air. You'll have to understand that it will take some time to do. If everyone can work together to clean up the Earth, then we can restore Earth to what she was before. . .to life! That can only happen though if everyone is willing to work together to do it." The EF commander said. The SPU commander laughed like he had just heard a good joke.
"You sound like the people in the twentieth century did! They knew Earth was dying and tried to rally everyone together to help keep the Earth clean and healthy. Although, it got great success at first, some where in the twenty-first century, people got bored and tired of cleaning up after everyone else. Now, here it is, the thirty-third century, and everyone is suddenly alarmed and interested in the Earth again! True! There have been programs since the twentieth century up until now to help preserve Earth, but a lot of good they did!" The SPU commander scoffed. The EF commander could tell he was losing the negotiation because the SPU commander was too stubborn to give up hold on destroying Earth. The EF commander thought about how he could possibly change the young man's mind. How could he make the SPU commander see how important Earth is to so many? How Earth is the deeply rooted birth place of humanity and many other walks of life? He knew he couldn't. He stood and the movement caught the SPU commander's attention and made him look away from Earth to him.
"I can see I'm not going to sway your mind." The EF commander said almost sadly.
"Don't make me out to be a murderer. Don't make me the Angle of Death. I'll give the people of Earth plenty of time to pack and leave. the last thing I want is a massacre." The SPU commander said coldly starring down the EF commander.
"What about the people who want to stay? Will you force them to leave?" The EF commander shot back.
"No, it is their ultimate choice whether they choose to stay or not." The SPU commander responded looking back at Earth.
"Look, " The EF commander sighed. This was the last thing he could think of saying that might have a impact on the stubborn young man's decision, "I'm old and tired of what is going on. . .A lot of people are trying their best to preserve Earth and restore it back to what it was before. I'll admit that our ancestors made some stupid choices, but that cannot be changed. Go ahead and destroy Earth if you wish. As of, " he paused to look at his watch, "six-thirty eastern pacific time, the Earth First faction yields to the Space Pirates United faction. Just know that if you colonize another planet, whether or not you destroy Earth, you will have another Earth. Wars will be fought over land rights, nuclear destruction will happen, and pollution will happen. Even with the greatest of care to ensure it dose not happen, it will happen." The EF commander tried to pour his emotions into his last plea speech in hopes the SPU commander would somehow understand.
"Are you finished?" The SPU commander asked without looking over his shoulder.
"Yes." The EF commander sighed regrettably with a heavy heart. He wanted to say more, so much more, but he remained silent as he let himself out of the conference room. "Well, I tried. . ." He said to himself as he made his way back to the shuttle docks to return to Earth.
The SPU commander remained at the window starring at Earth with his hands clasped behind his back when his second in command came in. The commander didn't even acknowledge the presence of the other.
"Sir," The second in command saluted,"The Commander of Earth First has left and the ship's crew awaits your orders."
"Is the ship ready to receive all those who wish to accompany us?" The SPU commander asked without turning to face his second in command.
"Yes, sir. All the docks are ready, the provisions are on board, and the rooms are ready, sir. Shall I send the transmission to Earth welcoming all those who wish to come?" The second in command asked.
"No, put a halt on the transmissions. . .I need to think. . .in private." The SPU commander said. He still had not taken his eyes off of Earth.
"Sir? Sir, forgive my speaking out of terms, but I thought you said that not matter what decision was reached here in this room today that the plans would go on uninterrupted." The second in command argued. The SPU commander didn't answer right away as he was in deep thought. His head dropped with a sigh, but he quickly brought it back up and turned to face his second in command. Not looking at him, but as if trying to spot something in the distance.
"Things change. . .plans change. . .ideas change. . .minds change. . ." The SPU command drifted off in thought before he reached a decision and locked eyes with his second in command,"Some times it takes stupid acts to realize stupid things."
"Sir?" The second in command asked confused. The SPU commander reached out with one hand and put it on his second in command's shoulder, looking him square in the eyes.
"We change." The SPU command simply said.
"Sir!" The second in command saluted and left. The SPU commander turned back to the window crossing his arms over his chest in thought, starring at Earth floating in its pocket of darkness.
"I hope I made the right choice. . ." The SPU commander thought out loud to himself.
"I hope I made the right choice. . ." the EF commander thought out loud to him self as his shuttle drew nearer to Earth.