Crow's Screwing Around Thread

The Fall of Earth I

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Where does one begin to describe the destruction of an entire planet?  A genocide caused by an act of kindness or an unfortunate error?  Let us begin with the human perspective.

It was just under threemonths after the launch of the first manned flight to Mars.  An international coalition of the best-made technology and best-trained astronauts, years in the making, all for the sake of exploration.  In two months' time, the first humans to land on Mars were scheduled to break new ground - the first humans to ever set foot on another planet.  Needless to say, the scientific community was in an uproar, the eyes of the world were upon the rocket.

As if to highlight the importance of this mission, an unknown object was detected approaching earth's atmosphere at an alarming rate, expected to impact a month before exploratory team's scheduled arrival on Mars.  This was no coincidence.  A relatively small 5m in diameter, in all appearances it was merely another meteor, a simple, mindless rock.  Models were drawn up, predictions were made.  It was decided the most prudent decision would be to simply evacuate the estimated impact site and a large buffer zone.

The meteor was, in fact, a highly advanced terraforming device, made from the best technology the galactic community could offer.  A remarkable present, far more than would normally be given to a class III species - one on the edge of achieving interplanetary travel.  It is customary for each class III species to be assigned a "protector" species.  The protector's duty is to observe their growth, intervene in the case of potential planetary destruction, and welcome them to the galactic community when the time comes.  For humanity, this was the Reanath.

The galactic community was actually quite excited to welcome humanity to the stage.  Many species reach class II - probationary members of the galactic community - without embracing religion, science, the arts of both art and war, and the protector species is expected to help them develop into full class I council members.  Humanity's transition was expected to be uncommonly smooth and simple.  This is why the council allowed the relatively inexperienced Reanath to take the humans under their wings.

The Reanath were enthusiastic, if nothing else.  They couldn't wait to meet their soon-to-be friends.  This is why they arranged a gift.  Two weeks before the arrival of mankind's first rocket to Mars, the Reanath were to deliver their terraformation device to its surface.  A brilliant mixture of microbes and nanomachines encased in a rocky shell designed to burst well above Mars' surface, designed to miraculously reform the planet to a habitable environment in a mere two weeks.  Mankind was to land on the alien planet and find a breathable atmosphere, arable land - a new home, ready for them to develop as they see fit.  The Reanath would greet the expedition with a grand entrance, greet the humanity as friends, welcome humanity as probationary council members.

A simple error on a single spreadsheet led to the destruction of earth as the terraformation device was launched at the 3rd planet from the central star instead of the 4th.  A device capable of remaking a world in a mere two weeks.  The Reanath welcoming committee, excitedly waiting at Mars, watched the impact in horror.