The Final Verdict
by George Right
The United Nations General Assembly hall in New York was unusually quiet that day. Leaders of Western nations, gathered around a long, crescent-shaped table, fidgeted with their papers and exchanged fleeting glances. This was no ordinary summit—today, the fate of humanity hung in the balance. In the center of the hall, on the platform where speakers usually stood, a faint shimmer appeared. It grew into a brilliant column of light, and from it emerged a tall figure—humanoid, yet unmistakably alien. Its skin gleamed with a metallic sheen, its eyes glowed with a cold blue light, and its voice rang out steady and emotionless.
“After long observation and analysis, we, representatives of the Council of Civilized Cosmos, have reached a decision,” the alien began. “Humanity, in its current state, poses a threat to galactic harmony, stability and security. You will be eradicated.”
The hall erupted into chaos. Leaders leapt from their seats, their voices overlapping in a cacophony of outrage. The President of the United States stepped forward, his face flushed with indignation.
“Eradicated? But why? Is it because you think we’re too cruel? Too aggressive? Too warlike? This is absurd! Your information is outdated! Yes, humanity has made mistakes in the past. But look at us now!" he gestured to his colleagues as if calling them to bear witness. "Over the past decades—especially the last few years—we’ve changed. We’ve become tolerant, peaceful, open! We’ll do anything for peace!”
The other leaders nodded vigorously, some raising their hands in gestures of conciliation. Germany’s Chancellor backed him up:
“We’ve rejected war, condemned violence, welcomed everyone who came to us! We prohibited hate speech against anyone! We've almost dismantled our armies! We’ve proven that humanity is capable of kindness and cooperation!”
The alien tilted its head slightly, as if studying them. Its eyes flickered, and a hologram appeared in the air—images of wars, ruined cities, suffering people. Then the scene shifted: smiling politicians signing peace treaties, embracing former enemies, distributing humanitarian aid...
“That is precisely the point,” the visitor said, and the two holograms started over, now parallel to each other: signing treaties—with the very same aggressors who started the wars, invaded and captured their neighbors; shaking hands and embracing—with the war criminals, ruthless dictators, terrorist leaders; delivering humanitarian aid—to the "innocent civilians" who praise the aggression and celebrate the atrocities committed by their military and paramilitary forces... “You are not cruel. You are not aggressive. You have become something far worse," the alien continued. "You have lost the ability—and the will—to resist evil. You are willing to appease it, to submit to it just to avoid conflict, cloaking your surrender as virtue. You do not fight the darkness—you nourish it.”
The room fell silent. The US president, still standing, opened his mouth, but the alien interrupted him:
"You say that our conclusion is outdated? On the contrary! We have observed you for centuries. In your past, which you condemn now, you indeed made mistakes, but at least you were warriors, capable of fighting for your beliefs. Now, you are mere shadows of yourselves, ready to yield to anyone even weaker than you—let alone stronger."
The hologram transformed once more. Now it depicted a hypothetical future: a dark fleet of alien invaders emerges in Earth’s orbit. Instead of mounting a defense, humanity greets them with open arms, offering resources and technology in hopes of peaceful coexistence. But the invaders exploit this, enslaving humans and launching a galactic conquest, toppling one civilization after another.
“An aggressor,” the alien continued, “is dangerous but predictable. It can be stopped, destroyed, isolated. But you… You are cowards and collaborators who become accomplices to any evil. You hand it your resources, your lives, your will. You are a breeding ground on which evil grows and multiplies. And for that, you cannot be forgiven.”
The female politician from Austria jumped up, her voice trembling:
“But we wanted peace! We strove for harmony! Isn’t that what you yourselves seek?”
The alien fixed its gaze on her, its eyes devoid of any trace of sympathy.
“Peace bought at the cost of surrendering to evil is not peace. It is decay. You are not allies of harmony—you are its enemies. If you are allowed to persist, you will weaken the entire galaxy. The decision is final.”
The holograms vanished. The alien’s form began to dissolve into the air, leaving behind only a faint echo of its words. The leaders froze. Some fell to their knees, others shouted in despair, but most simply stared at one another. The hall trembled, and the lights began to dim. A low, ominous hum sounded from afar, growing louder with each passing second. Judgment Day had begun.
2025