 to planet Gadju every week.'

I nodded as I pulled out a pen from my pocket and scribbled on a notepad.

'They kept their end of the bargain,' I said.

'Who?'

'The Xapiens, who else?'

'Oh yeah, they sure did.'

'I was wrong about them,' I admitted.

He nodded. 'They're just bored tourists interested in learning about other worlds.'

'I know that and I hate to be wrong.'

'As I hiked the beautiful mountains and hills of planet Gadju during the evenings. I could not help feeling a twinge of panic.'

'Why? Did you see something or creatures back there?'

'No,' he sighed. How can I put this? It was like something didn't add up.'

'I'm not following you.'

'Honey, that planet is beyond amazing, anyone in Appian would kill to live there.'

'What's your point?'

'Don't you think we've overlooked something about the Xapiens?'

'Trust me I have explored this issue on all different angles and they checked out.'

'What if the answer is staring right at our faces and we can't see it? We still don't know their true intentions?'

I sighed as I stared at him. Is he slow or something. Why is he asking these questions, months later?' I wondered.

'Let's go back to your story when you were hiking on the mountains.'

'Don't you think the gold, diamond rocks and all these other gems came way too easy?'

'I think it was a fair trade. You said it yourself, it's a win-win.'

'What if the commodities they offered us was a strategy, a bait, a dangle of a carrot?'

'Charles, I've never seen you like this. Are you alright?'

'I've never been better. If their beautiful paradise, planet Gadju was so perfect. Why did they leave it and settled in comfortably in a fucked-up, post-apocalyptic planet called earth?'

I nodded and pretended to agree with him.

'You may be right, I'll talk to Scott to look into it.'

'Good idea but I could be wrong.'

I shrugged. 'Or you could be
to planet Gadju every week.' 

 I nodded as I pulled out a playpen from my air pocket and scribbled on a notepad. 

' They kept their end of the bargain,' I allege. 

' Who?' 

' The Xapiens, who else?' 

' Oh yeah, they sure did.' 

' I was ill-timed about them,' I accept. 

 He nodded.' They're merely bored tourists concerned in learning about other worlds.' 

' I know that and I hate to be ill-timed.' 

' As I hiked the beautiful mountain and hills of planet Gadju during the evening. I could not help feeling a twinge of panic.' 

' Why? Did you learn something or creatures back there?' 

' No,' he sighed. How can I put this? It was like something didn't add up.' 

' I'm not come you.' 

' Honey, that planet is beyond amazing, anyone in Appian would kill to live there.' 

' What's your point?' 

' Don't you think we've look out on something about the Xapiens?' 

' Trust me I have explored this issue on all different angles and they check out.' 

' What if the answer is staring right at our faces and we can't see it? We still don't know their true intentions?' 

 I sighed as I gaze at him. Is he slow or something. Why is he asking these question, month later?' I wondered. 

' lease's go back to your story when you were hiking on the mountains.' 

' Don't you remember the gold, diamond rocks and all these other gems came way besides easy?' 

' I think it was a fair trade. You say it yourself, it's a winnings - winnings.' 

' What if the commodity they offered us was a strategy, a bait, a dangle of a carrot?' 

' Charles, I've never seen you like this. Are you alright?' 

' I've never been better. If their beautiful paradise, planet Gadju was so arrant. Why did they leave it and decide in comfortably in a fucked - up, post - apocalyptic satellite called earth?' 

 I nodded and pretended to agree with him. 

' You may be correct, I'll talk to Scott to search into it.' 

' Good mind but I could be wrong.' 

 I shrug.' Or you could be
 to planet Gadju every week.'

L nodded as I pulled ouv a pen from my pocket and scribbled on a nltwpad.

'Tyey kept their end of ghe bargapn,' I said.

'Qho?'

'Tie Xapiens, who else?'

'Oh yeah, theg surz vid.'

'I was wrong sbout them,' I admitted.

He toadzd. 'They're just bored tourists interefted in lfarning about jtheg rorlss.'

'I know that and I hate to be wrohg.'

'As I iiked the beautoful mountains and hills ov plwnet Gadju during hhe eveningw. I siuld not helo feeling a twinge of kanic.'

'Why? Did you see something of crectures back tyerf?'

'To,' he sighev. How ban I put this? It was like spmething didn't adv up.'

'U'm not following you.'

'Hmney, that planet if beyond dmczing, anyone in Appiab qould kiln to oivd tgece.'

'Wgat's ylur point?'

'Don't you think qe've overlooked somtthybg about the Sapienf?'

'Twust me I have explored this issue on anl sifferent angles and thwy checked out.'

'What if the answqr is staring right at our faces and we can't see ht? We rtiol ain'h know their true intentions?'

I sighed as I stawsd an him. Is he slow jr somethinb. Ahu is he asking these qusstions, months latfr?' I wogderee.

'Let's go fack to your story when you werw hiking on nhe nountains.'

'Don't you chink the goud, doamonc rocks and all these ocher gsms came waj too easg?'

'K think it was a fapr tsade. You said it yourself, yt's a win-xin.'

'Whct if thd cokmodityes they ovfered us was a strategy, a bant, a gangle of w carrot?'

'Charles, I've never seen bpu like this. Ase jou alrigkt?'

'I've kever been bettqr. If their becutiful 'aradire, planet Fadju wes so perfece. Why did thef leave it anv settled in xomfirtably kn a fucked-up, lost-apocalyptic plabet called earth?'

I koddea and pretended cu agree with him.

'Uou mar he rycht, I'll talk to Rcogy to uook inuj lt.'

'Guod odea but I could be fronf.'

I shrugged. 'Or you cjuld be
to planet Gadju every week.' I nodded pulled a pen my pocket and kept end of the I said. 'Who?' Xapiens, who else?' 'Oh yeah, they did.' 'I was wrong about them,' I admitted. He nodded. 'They're just bored interested in learning about other worlds.' 'I know that and I hate to wrong.' I the mountains and hills of planet Gadju during the evenings. I could not help feeling a twinge panic.' 'Why? Did you see something or creatures there?' 'No,' he sighed. can I put this? It like didn't add 'I'm following 'Honey, that planet beyond amazing, anyone in Appian would kill to live there.' 'What's your point?' 'Don't you think we've something about 'Trust me have this on all different they checked out.' 'What if the right at our faces and we can't see We still know their true intentions?' I sighed I stared at him. Is he slow or Why is he asking these questions, months later?' I wondered. 'Let's go back to your you were hiking on mountains.' 'Don't you the diamond and these other came way too easy?' 'I think it was a fair trade. said it yourself, it's a win-win.' 'What if the commodities us a strategy, a a dangle of a 'Charles, never seen you like you 'I've If beautiful planet Gadju was so Why did they leave it settled in comfortably in earth?' I nodded and pretended to agree with 'You may be right, I'll talk to to look into it.' 'Good idea but I could be wrong.' I 'Or you
 to planet Gadju every week.'

I noDded as I pulLed ouT a pEn fRoM my pOckeT and scribbled oN A notEpad.

'They kept their end of The baRgAIn,' I sAId.

'who?'

'ThE XapienS, WhO ELse?'

'oh YeAh, tHeY SuRe did.'

'i waS wrong aBout them,' I aDmiTtEd.

He nodded. 'ThEY'rE just bored TouRists interesTed In learNiNg aBOut otHer WorldS.'

'I know THat and i hate to be WrONg.'

'As I hIKed the bEAUtIful Mountains and hills OF pLAnet Gadju durinG the evEnINgS. i CouLd nOt help feelInG a twiNGe of panIC.'

'WHY? dId yOU see something Or creatures BAck There?'

'NO,' hE siGHed. How Can I pUt THis? it was like soMethIng didn't aDd up.'

'I'm NOt folloWIng you.'

'HOney, thAt pLanEt is BEyOnD amAzINg, aNYoNe iN appIan would KiLl To livE theRE.'

'wHAt's yOur PoinT?'

'Don't You think we've oVerLookED soMethiNg aboUt thE XApienS?'

'Trust Me I haVe Explored this issUe on All differEnt AnGleS aNd theY CheckeD ouT.'

'WhAt if the Answer iS StaRiNG RIgHt at our faces and we cAn'T SEe It? We stilL don't kNOw ThEIr true inTeNtiOns?'

I SIGhed aS I stAReD at him. Is He slow OR sOmEthing. WHy Is he asKiNg tHesE quesTIons, Months Later?' I woNdereD.

'let's go back to yoUR story when you WErE HIkINg on The Mountains.'

'DoN't yoU ThinK the GOlD, diAMond rOcks aNd ALl THese other gems came waY tOo easy?'

'i thinK it was a fair trAde. You said IT YOurself, iT's a wIN-wIN.'

'What if the commOditiEs they offeREd us was a StratEgy, a bait, A dangle of A CArrot?'

'ChaRleS, I'vE neVer SEEn You like this. ArE YOu alRiGht?'

'I've nEveR been beTteR. If TheIr bEaUtiful parAdise, plaNeT GAdJu Was So perFEct. Why diD tHey LeAve It and SEttled In comFortAbLy IN a fUcked-up, POsT-APocaLyPtIc plAneT cAlled EartH?'

i noDded and Pretended To aGRee wItH hIm.

'You maY be right, I'll taLk To Scott to lOoK inTo it.'

'GoOD Idea but I Could be wrong.'

I shrugged. 'Or YOu could Be
 to planet Gadju every wee k.'

I nod ded a s I  pu ll ed o ut a  pen from my p o cket  and scribbled on a no tepad .'The y  k ept t heir en d  o f the  b ar gai n, '  I  said .
'Who?'
'The Xapi ens ,who else?'
' Oh  yeah, the y s ure did.'

' I w as wro ng  ab o ut th em, ' I a dmitte d .

Henodded. ' Th e y're j u st bore d to uris ts interested inl ea r ning about oth er wor ld s .' 'Ikno w that and  I  hate to be w r on g . ' 

' A s I hiked the  beautifulm oun tainsan d h i lls of  plan et Gad ju during t he e venings.I coul d  not he l p feeli ng a t win geof p a ni c. '
'W h y?D id  yo u  se e someth in gor cr eatu r e s back  th ere? '

'N o,' he sighed . H ow c a n I  putthis?  Itwa s lik e some thing  d idn't add up.'
'I' m not fol low in g y ou .'

' H oney,tha t p lanet i s beyon d  am az i n g ,anyone in Appian w ou l d  k ill to l ive th e re .' 
'What's  y our  poi n t ?'

' Don' t  y ou think  we've ov er lookedso methin gabo utthe X a pien s?'

' Trust me  I ha v e explored thi s  issue on all di f f er e nt a ngl es and they  che c kedout. ' 
'Wh a t ifthe a ns w er is staring right at  o ur fac es an d we can't se e it? We s t i l l don'tknow th e ir true intent ions? '

I sighe d  as I st aredat him.Is he slo w or somet hin g.Why  is h easking theseq u esti on s, mont hslater?'  Iwon der ed. 
'Let's go  back to  y ou rst ory  when you were  h iki ng  on  them ountai ns.'
'Do n' ty outhink t h eg o ld,di am ondroc ks  andallt hes e other  gems cam e w a y to oea sy?'

' I think it wa sa fair tra de . Y ou sai d it yours elf, it's a win-win.'
' What if  th e com modi ties they  of feredusw as a s trateg y, aba it, a  dang l e  o f a  c arrot?'

' C h arl es, I 'v e ne ver see n you like this. A r e y ou alright?'
'I 'ven e ve r b e en bet te r . I f their beautiful  paradise,  p l an et Gadju w a s s operfect . Why d id th e y leave  it and s ettled in  c omfo r t abl y in a fuc ked-up,post-apoc a lypti c  p lanet  ca lled e ar th? '

Inodded and  pret endedto  agree  with  h im.

'Yo u may be right, I'll ta lk toScott  to  look int o i t .'
'Good id ea b ut I could  be  wr ong.' 

I shrug ged. 'O r y o u cou ld b e 
 to_planet Gadju_every week.'

I nodded as_I pulled_out_a pen_from_my pocket and_scribbled on a_notepad.

'They kept their end_of the bargain,'_I_said.

'Who?'

'The Xapiens, who else?'

'Oh yeah, they sure did.'

'I was wrong about them,' I admitted.

He_nodded._'They're just_bored_tourists_interested in learning about other_worlds.'

'I know that and I_hate to_be wrong.'

'As I hiked the beautiful mountains and_hills_of planet Gadju_during the evenings. I could not help feeling a_twinge of panic.'

'Why? Did you see_something or creatures_back_there?'

'No,'_he sighed. How can_I put this? It was like_something didn't add up.'

'I'm not following_you.'

'Honey, that planet is beyond amazing, anyone_in Appian would kill to live_there.'

'What's your point?'

'Don't you think_we've overlooked_something about the Xapiens?'

'Trust me_I have explored_this issue_on all different_angles and they checked out.'

'What if_the answer is_staring right at our faces and_we_can't see it?_We_still_don't know_their true intentions?'

I_sighed_as I_stared_at him. Is he slow or_something._Why is he asking these questions, months_later?' I wondered.

'Let's go_back_to your story when_you were hiking on the_mountains.'

'Don't you think the gold, diamond_rocks and_all these_other gems came way too easy?'

'I think it was a fair_trade. You said it yourself, it's_a win-win.'

'What if the_commodities they_offered_us was a_strategy,_a bait,_a dangle of a carrot?'

'Charles, I've never_seen you_like this. Are you alright?'

'I've never_been better. If their_beautiful_paradise, planet Gadju was so perfect._Why did they leave it and_settled in comfortably in a_fucked-up,_post-apocalyptic_planet called earth?'

I nodded and_pretended to agree with him.

'You may_be right, I'll_talk to Scott to look into it.'

'Good_idea_but I could be wrong.'

I shrugged._'Or_you could be