January 27, 2021

Despite the fact that country V on the First Planet, at that phase of its experiment, only managed to achieve partial success, a general feeling of satisfaction prevailed among the population. They believed in themselves, were inspired by their cause, and remained loyal to the promise they made to each other.

However, one day, an entire community in a small village was shocked by an unprecedented and absurd event. It immediately became clear that Country V had enemies or ill – wishers who looked at them with disbelief and did not hesitate to show it. Although Country V was accustomed to being teased by their neighbours and had sensed the atmosphere growing tense day-by-day since the aliens arrived, they did not expect such a provocation to test their determination to the project.

Somehow, it became all about one archaic tribe that had taken shelter in V’s territory since the beginning. The tribe was particular and preferred to live in absolute isolation. Their main principal was to stay close to their origins, survive in the wild, and avoid any contact outside of it. Tribe members never wished to concern themselves with civilization or any kind of progress, not because they were against it, but because they yearned to lead insignificant and simple lives.

They were never considered dangerous or problematic and were not associated with any cult or religious organisation. The tribe was as ancient as the First Planet itself, and being their host was an honour. The tribe needed a host who would let them live in peace, providing them with a place, time and future. A host who would support their existence with respect for their boundaries, in exchange for a promise of no confrontation ever. It was as if the tribe lived in a parallel reality, with no mixing of realities, so they could cultivate their habits and live in harmony with nature, the world, the First Planet, or something else. Nobody knew what, and nobody knew much in detail.

It was for this reason, perhaps, that the day when one lost child, instead of being returned to Country V and reunited with his tribe, was sent to the Planet N instead, everybody in Country V felt like a failure.