503 Outside and Inside, The Two Colors of the Information Exchange (1/2)

Day 126 - 11:32 AM - Conference Room, Great Island Military Base, Atlantic City High School, Great Island, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States of America

Inside the conference room, the Mark and Professor Alston continued to converse in a quite amicable manner. A third person would think that they were two friends talking about each other's opinion. Nevertheless, this carefree atmosphere appeared from the two's interest in each other. Not as a person, however, but as a foreign species.

The alien called who called himself Professor Alphfa Alston was not someone who would be interested in just anyone. There were too many humans on Earth. Even if the humans get differentiated through their race, there was still a sizable number.

And Mark that was currently in front of him was not included in those numbers.

On the other hand, it was the very first time Mark encountered an actual alien that evolved through an environment different from Earth, an alien that came from another planet.

It was an existence very different from demons and spirit races. It was also different from the gods that came from a different dimensional plane.

Another thing that brought the amicable exchange was that both Mark and Professor Alston knew the limits of things that they could ask each other. There were times that they asked questions that the other could not answer due to privacy or lack of information due to protocol. Nevertheless, both sides did not try to push for the answer.

This behavior also showed something about Professor Alston. It was, even though he was an alien species, he had a good grasp of human psychology.

Then, the question that Mark wanted to ask came.

”You said that interference from visitors would cause vanishment. Who will do that?”

Mark asked in a constrained manner. He had some speculations. However, he needed more proof.

To that question, Professor Alston unexpectedly shrugged.

”Who knows?”

That was his answer before continuing.

”If you are thinking about something like an intergalactic force that is protecting the universe, they do exist. It is a Union of different intergalactic species that stop crimes and such in space.”

”I'm thinking about something else,” Mark said. ”About that intergalactic force you mentioned. You said that it is a Union. Then it will only protect the members, am I right?”

”You said it.” Professor Alston agreed. ”The Earth's current technological level is too low to be a member of that union. As such, there is no way that they will be the ones protecting Earth. I don't know who it was, but there is someone. Or else, Earth had long been invaded by other aggressive species. And I will tell you. There are more aggressive intergalactic species than peaceful ones.”

The conversation continued. And finally, the last and most crucial question from Mark was asked.

He asked if Professor Alston knew of the Mutagen's origin.

And of course, the expected answer came.

”No.”

That was why this alien professor was here in the first place. To study this strange Mutagenic Effector, or so they called it.

”Remember that intergalactic union I mentioned earlier? One of the reasons they will not protect Earth if it was attacked, especially right now, is because they are busy about things on their side.”

And here, Professor Alston revealed a piece of shocking information.

Apparently, the Mutagen that currently thrown Earth into chaos and put the living population in peril was a reoccurring disaster in the universe since thousands of years ago.

Who knows how many planets it destroyed, both habitable and inhabitable.

Currently, not only Earth but other planets that were experiencing the same circumstances exist. This kept the other intergalactic species busy.

And the worst thing about this. In all these thousands of years, no cure was found for this so-called Mutagenic Effector.

In the first place, there was no way to find a cure if it was not a disease in the first place. The Mutagenic Effector had both qualities of a virus and bacteria on Earth. However, it also had traits of similar things that were not discovered on Earth because of its current technological level.

Furthermore, aside from spreading like a zombie virus, the characteristics of the Mutagenic Effector varied from planet to planet. It was rare for the same kind of effect to happen in two different worlds.

It was like how it created Psychics in Eriellis and Physical Mutants on Earth. There were also planets were only Flora or Fauna was affected by the Mutagenic Effector. There were those that only small insects or those with only one race on the planet were affected.

Mutagen was an unpredictable existence.

The most important thing, the Mutagen, or Mutagenic Effector, was undetectable in its initial state. In fact, no one that had seen its initial state before entering a planet's atmosphere had been found. No specimens were existing either.

Fortunately, there was only one way that Mutagenic Effector would enter a planet's atmosphere. It was through a meteor exploding in the atmosphere.

There were already other planets who knew about this and prepared thoroughly. They installed intercepting mechanisms that would destroy any incoming meteor or any other space debris that would enter their atmosphere.

And of course, it was not worth it. The number of meteors hitting the atmosphere of a planet could not be counted at all. Trying to destroy everything did not only drain the planet's resources, and they became more vulnerable to other disasters.

Furthermore, some still fell victim to Mutagenic Effector after they used up their resources.

There was no cure, no way to prevent, and its source was not known.

A planet falling victim to Mutagen was only up to luck. And Earth faced its unlucky streak.

Mark engraved all the information he heard in his subconscious. With the last question and answer given, Mark stood up.

”Well, that's all I wanted to ask for now.”

”That is all, huh? I still have tons of questions. But I guess, I can't pin you down onto your seat.”

The professor said with a carefree smile on his gray-colored face.

Hearing that, Mark only nodded his head once before turning into a streak of Black Mist that seeped through the gaps of the door of the conference room.

In an instant, there was only Professor Alston and his two escorts left in the room.

”What a rude human.”

One of the escorts finally spoke after staying silent all this time.