What went wrong on Apex

November 1, 2002 | Michael Welch

[ramdalesh]

What went wrong on Apex?

First of all some background. Apex is a fictional planet rumored to be in the Zeta Reticulai constellation. They are a civilized post war neo-humanoid race. More specifically Apex is a planet whose people have survived a nuclear holocaust. How did they survive?

To say that they survived is hyperbole. Sometimes one has to sacrifice some of his humanity in order to survive, but to live, now that is a different set of concepts ...

Apexians were a warlike culture that valued honor in military combat, physical endurance, strength and valor. The major religion of their world cherished two things most. Science and family were honored in their religious temples. In their religious ceremonies warrior priests would perform rituals which were based upon the mythos of a young combat hero returning from war to his parents, and realizing the laws of the physics as a reward from God for his valor. There is much that can be said about him. He became a great teacher of filial piety, science, and military honor. He was a great savior to his people. Or so they believed.

They were a very advanced scientific culture. At the height of the Apexian civilization, cloning techniques, computer technology, and advanced fusion and anti-matter technology developed in one generation. This was a very religious time. People believed that science gave them an opportunity to increase their honor in war. War was a religious theme on Apex. Scientists based their ambitions on war and their scientific accomplishments increased the prestige of their family. Scientists and warriors were honored the most for valor and achievement.

And that is exactly what went wrong. Very few scientists spoke about space exploration because it was dishonorable. To explore outer space meant you had to leave the surface world, the family, and the scientific academy. Astronomy, and space exploration was seen as vain and cowardly. It was frowned upon for one should not leave his family, nor should he miss an opportunity to win honor in military combat. He who explores space is someone who has abandoned his people.

When this culture discovered nuclear weapons they did what we have done. They developed an extensive underground military infrastructure. They believed that they were prepared to survive a nuclear holocaust. Cloning technologies were banned on the surface world because it dishonored families and warriors who earned their rank through struggle and accomplishment. But cloning studies continued in their bombshelters, and became very advanced. When nuclear war finally overwhelmed their world the surviving people went into the bombshelters. There was not much left of the surface. There would never again be farming, or fishing, or swimming. These people were confined to the underworld for the rest of time. Their only hope was to discover a way to escape from their world and look for life elsewhere in the universe. It is a dark reality down there and you can imagine that you would miss sunsets, blue skys, rainbows, and even a simple breeze against your face. It is rumored that the Apexians have visited earth to enjoy the simple pleasures that they had lost on their own world.

As their world developed the leaders followed the militaristic religion. They decided that space exploration was not as important to them, and they did very little space travel, while on the surface world they developed very sophisticated weapons. Nuclear fusion gave way to anti-matter fusion, and in that discovery they became aware of a bomb that was capable of destroying their world all at once.

Why did they pursue anti-matter fusion instead of space exploration? Because it was indoctrinated in their culture that it is honorable to die for their country and family and honor. They would teach the children that if they would win honor in war they would be rewarded with spiritual enlightenment. They did not believe that space exploration was honorable. And they outlawed cloning on the surface world, but continued with the experiments in the underground. They were a world of clashing idealogies who did not have the foresight or the tolerance for a world unlike their own. The decision to study anti-matter fusion instead of building in space and space exploration destroyed the entire civilization. They were so obsessed with honor that they completely did away with humanity literally.

After the holocaust they turned to cloning techniques and genetic enhancement to help them to survive. They didn't have the need, nor the space for schools in the bombshelter, so they shaped the surviving culture through genetic medicine. As the population grew they evolved through medicine, to transcend the need for light, heat, and even food. It was the only way to have social order and economic equilibrium. Genetic rescripting was the law.

Eventually most Apexians lost their faith in the savior who returned from war and developed science. The shame of destroying the planet was so profound, and though there was honor, it was not enough to replace the joy of starry nights, and sunsets, and rainbows.

It is rumored that these people eventually escaped the confines of their bombshelters and are currently exploring space. Perhaps it is true, that they have big black almond shaped eyes and really big heads, and small mouths. They are small, and grey and have really big heads. It is a shame that they did not decide to explore space before they destroyed their world. Perhaps they would not seem so wierd.

[ramdalesh]

Rainbows exists on other planets. They exist on Mars and on Venus when sunlight passes through moisture crystals in the atmosphere. Perhaps someday our civilization will grow big enough that we could see a rainbow on another planet. If we do the work to get to the stars there would be many rainbows, and sunsets, and starry nights. Things that we take for granted now will become more precious each step of the way.