Chapter 12: The Intergalactic Intervention

My heart pounded in my chest, a frantic drum solo against my ribs. The fat alien, with his blond hair and blue eyes, was staring at me, his expression unreadable. "You see, your emotions earlier," he started in that deep, booming voice, "you were panicking about not having a boyfriend yet. We sensed it. We thought it was important to you."

Heat crawled up my neck, turning my ears a fiery red. My cheeks burned, a tell-tale sign of embarrassment. I stammered, trying to find words but none came. This was absurd. I couldn't believe I was blushing in front of an alien.

The two aliens exchanged a glance, their wide eyes landing on the fat alien. He seemed to get the message. "It's okay," he said, his voice softer this time. "Sorry for the intrusion."

Relief washed over me. Thank goodness, it was over. But then, the blue avian tilted his head, his bird-like head turning in my direction. "How about Stefan?" he asked, his voice a melodious chirp. "What's his type?"

My mind spun. What was I supposed to say? Stefan has always been a bit of a mystery when it comes to relationships.

And Stefan dating anyone? The thought made me snort. Honestly, I didn't know. Did he even think about it? My mind flickered back to those awkward teenage years, Stefan with his emo-phase, spending his free time glued to the TV, lost in the world of anime. I shook my head. Now, he was back from his four-year stint as a monk in Tibet. A monk? Really? I'd be surprised if he even thought about dating at all.

Then again, who was I to judge? I was pretty clueless when it came to love myself. My own dating experiences were limited to a few awkward encounters with girls who were more interested in my Kpop obsession than me. And let’s be honest, I was probably more interested in myself than anyone else.

"Yeah, Stefan," I said, trying to sound nonchalant. "He's… well, he's Stefan." I admit I wasn't ready to discuss Stefan's love life, much less with a trio of aliens. My own dating life was, well, let's just say it wasn't a topic I wanted to delve into right now. I casually dated women, mostly to appease Mom and Dad, to show them I was, you know, "out there" and "experiencing life". A simple dinner, a movie, maybe a walk in the park – nothing serious. The whole thing felt more like a charade than anything else. But I wasn't about to spill my private life to these extraterrestrial beings.

The three aliens were now staring at me, their expressions strangely knowing. I noticed that knowing smile playing on their lips, as if they were in on a cosmic joke.

"He seems to have no interest with human," I answered, hoping to steer the conversation away from my own pathetic dating life. "He's more of cat and dog memes." Honestly, it was a safe bet. Stefan had always been more comfortable with animals than people. He even preferred the company of his Yamaha Mio scooter over most humans.

The blue avian tilted his head, his feathery crown bobbing. "Cats?" he mused, his voice a melodic chirp. Then, with an air of innocent curiosity, he asked, "Will he be interested in me?"

The coffee I was sipping suddenly felt like a hot coal in my throat. I choked, my coughing echoing through the alien vessel. I was pretty sure the birdie was asking for amusement. I mean, seriously? A bird-headed alien asking if my adoptive brother, who spent four years as a monk in Tibet, would be interested in him? It was something out of a bad sci-fi movie. But deep inside, a flicker of something stirred. Something I didn't want to acknowledge. Something dormant, buried deep within the layers of my controlled indifference.

The aliens, however, seemed to sense something in the air. Their eyes, wide and knowing, met my own. I was sure they saw right through my facade, my bravado.

I stared at the amused faces of the three aliens, feeling a wave of dizziness wash over me. This was too much. I coughed again, a strangled sound that seemed to echo in the sterile white room. "What are you guys here for, anyway?" I asked, my voice shaky. It was time to change the subject, to steer this conversation to safer ground. My mind felt like it was spinning, and I needed to get back to something familiar, something grounded.

The thin alien, with his long, pale fingers, cleared his throat. "We do random missions here on Earth," he explained. "Something about keeping peace."

"And we're part of the Galactic Federation," the fat alien added, beaming. He saw the blank expression on my face and quickly clarified, "It's an intergalactic federation of extraterrestrial groups, benevolent, to Earth."

I stared at him, my mind struggling to process this new information. "A federation… of extraterrestrial groups?" I repeated, feeling a wave of dizziness. "Like… Star Wars?" My head was spinning. This was way more Stefan's forte than mine. He, with his love for sci-fi and his fascination with the unknown, would have been thrilled by this revelation. I, on the other hand, was still trying to grasp the fact that I'd been whisked away from a Kpop meet-and-greet by a UFO.

"So," I asked, trying to sound casual, "what's your mission here, exactly?" I needed to find some semblance of control in this bizarre situation.

"We have many missions here," the fat alien responded, his voice a low rumble. "Confidential…" He glanced at the other two aliens, a silent exchange passing between them. "But know this," he continued, his gaze turning back to me. "When the first... bomb, was used on Hiroshima, it tore a dimensional fabric, sending ripples to other dimensions."

I blinked, my mind trying to process the information.

The thin alien stepped forward, his long fingers gesturing as he explained, "You humans are using weapons that destroy not just in this dimension but also affect other dimensions. That's very dangerous."

I stared at them, dumbstruck. What was I supposed to say to that? My head was spinning.

"So you're here to… stop us from destroying the universe?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

"Not quite," the fat alien chuckled. "We're here to… make sure the destruction doesn't spread. You see, the universe is a delicate balance, and a ripple here can cause a tsunami somewhere else. We're here to protect that balance."

"You know, this sounds like a whole lot of responsibility," I mumbled, my head still spinning.

"It can't be helped," the thin alien replied, a hint of exasperation in his tone. "You earthlings are playing with destructive weapons beyond your comprehension."

Okay, this suddenly turned very serious. Here I was, standing in an alien spacecraft, speaking to self-acclaimed "benevolent" extraterrestrials who were apparently on a mission to save humanity from destroying itself. The weight of their words sank in, and for a moment, I felt an unsettling chill run down my spine.

Yet, amidst the darkness of the conversation, there was a flicker of hope. At least I knew there were higher forces at work, attempting to assist humanity in avoiding its own demise. It was oddly comforting, despite the bizarre circumstances.

I thought of Stefan, my adoptive brother, who might find this all fascinating. He’d probably be thrilled to know that aliens were here, actively working to prevent global catastrophe. I could just imagine his wide-eyed excitement, the way he would dive into discussions about intergalactic peacekeeping and the intricacies of alternate dimensions.

"Can I ask a question?" I asked, my voice a little more confident than before. The aliens nodded, their eyes seeming to glimmer with curiosity. "Since UFOs and aliens are legit, why do governments around the world keep denying your existence?"

I was genuinely curious. It made no sense to me. Why hide something so incredible, something that would change everything?

The thin alien nodded. "You see, it’s about technology and control," he explained. "Your world governments are corrupt. They don’t want advanced technology like ours for the public." He paused, his tone hardening a little. "Let’s just say, many major businesses would go bankrupt with our efficient energy and healing technologies."

The realization hit me like a wave. It was all about power and money. Governments wouldn't want to lose their grip on the world, their control over the flow of information, and the profits generated by the current system. It was a depressing thought, but it made sense.

Imagine the Middle East, their wealth built on oil, suddenly rendered irrelevant by a more efficient and cheaper energy sources. The price of commodities, controlled for decades by the fluctuating cost of oil, would plummet. It was a domino effect, a seismic shift in the global economy.

My mind conjured images of oil-rich countries, their once-powerful empires crumbling under the weight of technological advancement. It was a reality that felt both terrifying and exhilarating.

My hand flew to my forehead, massaging the ache that had settled there. I needed to ask more questions, so many questions, but this was just too much. I felt overwhelmed, overloaded with information that seemed to warp the very fabric of my reality. I needed to breathe, to process, to ground myself.

The aliens, sensing my exhaustion, nodded in unison. "Don’t worry," the fat alien said, his voice a soothing rumble. "Just enjoy your life…" The next moment, my vision went white, a blinding flash, almost like a camera shutter closing. I could hear the aliens’ voices murmuring, soft and reassuring, but their words were lost in the swirling white.