SW10: July 2010 #1, The Earth is a Deathtrap

[Scott Eiler]

Minutes of the Executive Committee on Superhuman Activities
Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Vice-President Joseph Corrigan: Alright, meeting called to order.
Anyone need the minutes of the last meeting read? No? Good.

Superhuman status roundup. Wyatt.

Security Advisor Wyatt Ferguson: June 16th: The Indiana National Guard
completed its withdrawal from Diamond Lake in Cassopolis, Michigan.
They helped the Michigan National Guard with security over last
month's country music benefit concert for the so-called "Corned Beef
Zombie" chemical victims who are interred on Diamond Isle there. There
was some tension between Indiana and Michigan over this, so it's a
good sign that Indiana troops have gone back to base.

June 26th: Luna City says they'll continue to loan the United States
their bomb-swallowing equipment. We're considering fielding the
equipment in Uzbekistan. The relocation of Luna City to Fort Devens,
Massachusetts has no major issues right now.

July 1st: The Vatican City is now stamping passports with an entry
visa for Catholics who request this while being issued last rites.
This seems harmless.

July 5th: An Indian reservation in Texas has had a shootout with Texas
Rangers. Indications are, the Rangers have enhanced reflexes due to
untracked superhuman enhancement. The Texas state government has not
responded to inquiries about these powers.

July 10th: Three factions of aliens were observed having a battle in
Earth orbit. One alien warrior bailed out in space armor, and survived
a fall to Earth surfact. We're questioning him now. We think there's a
blockade of Earth since The Trillions came here, and someone was
running the blockade.

July 18th: In England, The Trillions...

Vice-President Joseph Corrigan: Let me handle that topic, Wyatt. The
rest sounds like business as usual to me. Comments, anyone? No? Good.

Now, we got an issue. It's with the crops. Farmers say they're not
growing, even though we're supposedly getting them extra sunlight from
other universes. Stephen, you're up.

Science Advisor Stephen Wolcott: Program to deliver multiversal
sunlight has been in effect since February. Solar collection arrays
say, effort is on target. New molecular-level arrays in state of
Nevada alone can still supply that state's entire energy need, with
great potential for expansion.

Crops do not absorb extra light, though. Measurements say they reflect
the light. I can not explain this.

Vice-President Joseph Corrigan: Alright. Can any of you explain it?

Science Advisor Ingrid Bodil: Stephen has helped me develop a theory
that something within the plant kingdom reacts purely to wavelengths
generated from within our own universe. There's some opinion that
says, we can tune the behavior of plants to adapt.

Vice-President Joseph Corrigan: Exactly how?

Science Advisor Ingrid Bodil: Please permit me to admit some guests. I
submit Jill Stern, Lucianus Autonomus, and the Women's Lacrosse Team
of Indiana University.

Vice-President Joseph Corrigan: Jill I know. What you got to do with
crops?

Witness Jill Stern: Lucianus can probably answer that best.

Vice-President Joseph Corrigan: Okay. Lucianus. What you got to do
with crops?

Witness Lucianus Autonomus: The plants of our Earth have their own
spirits. Please trust me on this, if you ever trusted me before. The
people of Ghana already know this. Their crops have thrived while ours
haven't.

Our job is to either make these plant spirits work with us, or replace
them. These young women are ready to be replacements if they have to.
Jill will be their leader. Stephen Wolcott will use his psychic powers
to cement this troop together.

Vice-President Joseph Corrigan: Is this something you're ready to do
now?

Witness Lucianus Autonomus: Yes, it is.

Vice-President Joseph Corrigan: Alright. I got no reason not to try
this. For the record, I declare a recess while you set yourselves up.

(recess)

Witness Lucianus Autonomus: It begins.

(period of silence)

Science Advisor Stephen Wolcott: Yes, I stand for Earth. And so do
those with me.

(period of silence)

Witness Jill Stern: It is a good day to die.

(period of silence)

Witnesses from Indiana University, in unison: Yes!

(period of silence)

Science Advisor Stephen Wolcott: I have returned. The others will not.
Their bodies will slumber.

Vice-President Joseph Corrigan: So, they've gone to the spirit world
to fix the crops?

Science Advisor Stephen Wolcott: Yes.

Vice-President Joseph Corrigan: Whatever you just did, is it going to
replace the crops we've lost so far this year?

Science Advisor Stephen Wolcott: No.

Vice-President Joseph Corrigan: Well, that gets me to The Trillions.
Two days ago, they offered to put anyone who wanted into cold storage.
There was a riot in London on Sunday, when The Trillions sent a new
empty ship to let people in. They're making new empty ships. There's
one in California right now.

I wanted to say our nation could survive on its own. But now I'm going
to have to recommend to the President, we let The Trillions build and
recruit freely for their suspended-animation ships. Otherwise, we're
all going to die. I've seen the figures. It's like the whole Earth is
in a death trap, and we have to hibernate to survive it. Just like The
Trillions do.

Shit.

---

Author's Note:  This long-threatened story was inspired by High
Concept #11, the "Deathtrap" challenge, though it's way too late to
win any awards.

The story and some extra commentary can be found online at
http://www.eilertech.com/stories/2010/deathtrap.htm .