bhaskar saikia

A Korendian alien arrived on Earth about twenty years ago. He was sent as part of a mission to study humanity after the Korendians discovered our star, Sol and our planet. His specific assignment was to observe and understand the human race. Fortunately for him, he looked just like us—standing at about five feet tall, with pale skin and an appearance indistinguishable from an Earthling. He spoke fluent English and carried enough gold to sustain himself for the two decades of his research. In human terms, he was an alien anthropologist from the planet Korender, located in the Korena star system, near the Boötes Void.

With his resources, he traveled across the world, immersing himself in various cultures and societies. But the more he learned, the heavier his heart grew. Eventually, he transmitted a final report—a transcript of which, by some means, came into my possession. I knew him. We had met many times, yet I never suspected his true origins. He seemed so human. Now, after reading his report, I believe the world deserves to know about his findings.

This is the transcript.

To: The Chief of Staff,
Intergalactic Expedition Task Force, Korender

Subject: Request for Extraction from Planet Earth, Star Sol

Dear Chief,

As part of the Intergalactic Expedition, I am pleased to report that my mission on Earth is complete. Over the past six years—equivalent to twenty Earth years, given the difference in gravitational forces and temporal flow—I have traversed the planet, studying its major civilizations, cultures and traditions. My research will undoubtedly aid in understanding this species and could prove critical for any future negotiations with their leaders.

However, my findings paint a bleak picture.

Earthlings, as a whole, are a species driven by greed. They think only of their immediate needs, content within the confines of their homes, unwilling to venture beyond their comfort zones. Unlike us, they show little desire to explore the stars. Those few who do dream of greater things are often ridiculed or actively obstructed by their peers. It is unlikely this species will ever expand beyond its star system.

They live in a self-created illusion, recklessly destroying their environment while convincing themselves that nature will somehow restore the balance. I foresee a future where they will have neither clean air to breathe nor safe water to drink. Instead of taking meaningful action, they hold grand climate summits, assuming that others will act while they continue their exploitation unchecked. It is madness.

Their societies are entangled in an absurd web of laws and regulations—rules of their own making that only serve to confuse and enslave them. They are governed by systems designed to maintain economic disparity, ensuring that the wealthy and powerful remain in control. Education is structured not to enlighten but to produce compliant workers, unaware of who truly controls their world. The result is a form of servitude that, in Korender, we would recognize as slavery.

Earthlings have also devised two of the most effective tools for division: religion and language. Religion, in particular, is a force they wield with alarming willingness to harm one another. To us Korendians, the idea of killing over ideological beliefs is incomprehensible, yet here, it is a way of life. Language, too, has served as an instrument of division. Every time a new language emerges, it forges a separate identity, giving rise to clans, then tribes and eventually nations—each distrustful of the other. Even those who share a religion find themselves at odds due to linguistic differences.

And at the core of all this? Hypocrisy.

Earthlings are masterful liars but woefully incapable of recognizing deception. Their world thrives on falsehoods, where the interpretation of truth matters more than truth itself.

In light of these observations, I formally request permission to return to Korender—the greatest place in the cosmos. I now know this because I have seen the worst that existence has to offer. It took six years and an unfathomable journey across the stars to understand this simple truth: I want freedom from hypocrisy.

I seek immediate extraction.

Kor Ranhsk
Planet Earth, Star Sol

(A fiction story)