I have a scenario somewhat like the first one in my “filing cabinet.” I don’t know if I’ll ever pull it out or not. My idea is that an alien race has damaged its own gene pool through centuries of misguided eugenic policies. They come to Earth specifically to harvest human genetic material to repair the damage. To accomplish this, they strike secret deals with Earth’s most totalitarian governments (Russia, China, North Korea, etc), giving them advanced technology in exchange for a steady supply of human test subjects—which they provide by massively expanding their concentration camp infrastructures…
Even as a short story, that would be a blast to read. What if the resource that the aliens seek out isn't our water or gold or anything like that, but what's in our bodies. Love it!
As a partial Native (Southern Ute-Mesoamerican) myself, I've pondered on the concept of living a simple life in pre-colonial America and seeing a European colonist, pilgrim, or fur trader with their near-alien technology and appearance.
Could be something nightmarish. Imagine being a Plains Apache living in a cave at Ash Hollow, going with a friend to see if any deer nearby, seeing a dude with a skin color you can't even describe and facial hair. Your friend is dumb enough to hold up his bow and arrow, causing the thing to shoot the friend with a .70 caliber bullet. After seeing your friend's body explode, you try running away, only to realize the person is now riding a creature much faster than you.
Or it could be one of wonder where someone is passing through, smiles, gives you a trinket as a good will gesture, and moves on. How would you even explain that?
Native Americans can grow facial hair too, it's just customary to keep yourself clean shaven.
But it would be terrifying to see that kind of capability, and to make it worse, the Aztecs thought they were their gods coming back to Earth to bring them to the afterlife as they saw the Spanish on horses and thought they were one creature meeting the description of one of their mythological figures.
I really enjoyed this article and it was such a great idea for an article (I wish I would've thought of it for SciFi Camp, lol). If you ever want to guest write an article for SciFi Camp, I'd love to have you!
Cargo Cults are so fascinating. The history is so well documented, yet the faith lives one.
Sometime back, I researched and wrote about the Beaver Wars, when the Iroquois conquered a massive empire thanks in part to European firearms. A story with a world where aliens land and give new weapons to say, the Bolivians, would be a fun read.
"There are things in the universe that are simply and purely evil like Chile. A warrior does not seek to understand them, or to compromise with them. He seeks only to obliterate them."
I have a scenario somewhat like the first one in my “filing cabinet.” I don’t know if I’ll ever pull it out or not. My idea is that an alien race has damaged its own gene pool through centuries of misguided eugenic policies. They come to Earth specifically to harvest human genetic material to repair the damage. To accomplish this, they strike secret deals with Earth’s most totalitarian governments (Russia, China, North Korea, etc), giving them advanced technology in exchange for a steady supply of human test subjects—which they provide by massively expanding their concentration camp infrastructures…
Even as a short story, that would be a blast to read. What if the resource that the aliens seek out isn't our water or gold or anything like that, but what's in our bodies. Love it!
Thanks!
Fascinating reading
Glad you enjoyed it!
As a partial Native (Southern Ute-Mesoamerican) myself, I've pondered on the concept of living a simple life in pre-colonial America and seeing a European colonist, pilgrim, or fur trader with their near-alien technology and appearance.
Could be something nightmarish. Imagine being a Plains Apache living in a cave at Ash Hollow, going with a friend to see if any deer nearby, seeing a dude with a skin color you can't even describe and facial hair. Your friend is dumb enough to hold up his bow and arrow, causing the thing to shoot the friend with a .70 caliber bullet. After seeing your friend's body explode, you try running away, only to realize the person is now riding a creature much faster than you.
Or it could be one of wonder where someone is passing through, smiles, gives you a trinket as a good will gesture, and moves on. How would you even explain that?
Native Americans can grow facial hair too, it's just customary to keep yourself clean shaven.
But it would be terrifying to see that kind of capability, and to make it worse, the Aztecs thought they were their gods coming back to Earth to bring them to the afterlife as they saw the Spanish on horses and thought they were one creature meeting the description of one of their mythological figures.
/Yeah, I added the facial hair just to emphasize the cultural otherness.
Interesting take on “aliens”. Never saw it this way before.
The wheels are spinning with story ideas! What a great post. Thanks!
I really enjoyed this article and it was such a great idea for an article (I wish I would've thought of it for SciFi Camp, lol). If you ever want to guest write an article for SciFi Camp, I'd love to have you!
Glad you enjoyed it! I’ll send you a DM.
Cargo Cults are so fascinating. The history is so well documented, yet the faith lives one.
Sometime back, I researched and wrote about the Beaver Wars, when the Iroquois conquered a massive empire thanks in part to European firearms. A story with a world where aliens land and give new weapons to say, the Bolivians, would be a fun read.
Alien big voice: Presidente Paz, take these weapons. From the Caribbean to Tierra del Fuego, Bolivia shall be free. You will have a port again.
Bolivians everywhere: [crying] Sí, sí.
"At last we will reveal ourselves to the Chileans. At last we will have our revenge."
"There are things in the universe that are simply and purely evil like Chile. A warrior does not seek to understand them, or to compromise with them. He seeks only to obliterate them."