Season 10
In 2982, a giant extraterrestrial ship shaped like a saucer arrived over Johannesburg, South Africa. After a few weeks of zero activity, a strike team went inside the ship and found over a million malnourished aliens inside that resembled humanoid insects. The Prawns, as they were known, were tall and slender, had exoskeletons, clawed hands and feet, mandibles for mouths, humanoid eyes, and antennas, and came in shades of green, yellow, and brown. They were of low intelligence, stubborn, and capable of being manipulated. They had sophisticated weaponry only they could use. The humans placed the Prawns into slums on a strip of land 40 kilometers long and 10 kilometers wide on the outskirts of the city.
Over the years, the Prawns engaged in all sorts of obnoxious criminal activity such as drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, prostitution, and electronic sales of a dubious nature. When confronted by law enforcement, they were often hostile and frustrating to deal with. In turn, law enforcement would often be trigger-happy. As the Prawn population grew, District 9 became more and more crowded. The South African government refused to give them any additional territory.
In 3009, there was an incident related to a security agent becoming infected, turning into a Prawn, starting an insurrection, and helping a few Prawns escape to the mothership which then took off leaving the rest of the Prawns behind. The ship never came back. When Kara and Mon arrived in 3017, South Africa was incorporated into the East African super-state that went from South Africa to Somalia to Egypt to Nigeria. The populations within the interior of the continent were evacuated out to other areas of the planet. South Africa remained fairly populated as it was above 25 degrees South, and its weather was temperate. It became a strategic location for resource extraction, military defense, and transportation. Tourism was also made a big deal. Conservation efforts kept the humans in the cities so the wildlife could recover.
Present Day 3026
Alex, Kelly, and baby Kelex took a tour of South Africa. Kelly was genuinely curious as to the history of South Africa over the last thousand years and wanted to get in touch with her "African" roots. Alex merely humored her as she recovered from just giving birth. They started out in Cape Town and went through the museums that replicated South African history as best as possible. The city and the country had been nuked to nothing a few times over the centuries, so all the artifacts had to be reconstructed. Alex rolled her eyes when they got to the section where Kara "saved" Africa from themselves with her takeover. There was a brief section about Prawns still hanging out in Johannesburg.
"Alex, what do you think of this?" Kelly asked of the section.
Alex glanced at it. "That's weird."
"We should check it out," Kelly said wide-eyed.
"But...why?" Alex questioned.
"Doesn't it concern you that there is an alien refugee camp in this country? They're not allowed citizenship or allowed to leave. It's like...a concentration camp," Kelly said shocked and appalled.
"Except there are no guards," Alex said unconcernedly.
"I think it deserves more attention," Kelly said passionately.
"They look like...bugs," Alex frowned.
"Their appearance shouldn't matter," Kelly scolded.
Alex eyed her very Black significant other. "Well, okay then."
The Olsen family made their way to Johannesburg and found it just as advanced as Cape Town. All poverty had been eradicated, the infrastructure was perfect, and the city was perfectly safe. Kelly couldn't help but notice the locals all had tan skin, not one Black person among them. Kelly was thus the blackest person in all of Africa. The locals also didn't seem to notice Alex and Kelly were a couple as they didn't hold hands or show public acts of affection toward each other. The family approached the border of District 9. Dividing humanity from the Prawns was a tall high-tech fence and security towers.
Kelly approached a random Brainiac 5 security drone at a checkpoint. "I want to go inside and look around."
"I can't allow that. It's not safe even with a security escort," Brainiac 5 said to her.
"Why would you assume that?" Kelly asked curiously. "I'm sure the aliens don't want trouble with you."
"Your naivety amuses me. They have an IQ level that ranges between 60 and 80. They can't be trusted to make rational decisions. If I escort you inside, it could mean large casualties on their side to ensure your safety," Brainiac 5 said.
"Well, we can't have that," Kelly backtracked. "Why don't you incorporate them into society?"
"They're not cooperative. They have ambitions to conquer this world and eradicate the human population when their mothership returns. They want revenge for decades of abuse at the hands of humans. They attempt to smuggle weapons, build explosives, and create tunnel systems. Occasionally, they are successful with a terrorist attack. When we get them schools, churches, and hospitals, they use them as military bases to attack," Brainiac 5 said.
"Then, why not send them home?" Kelly asked confused.
"We don't know where they resided before coming here. We believe the aliens were born on the mothership and do not know where they're from," Brainiac 5 said simply.
"Okay, so find a colony for them," Kelly suggested.
"It's a consideration but the aliens do not wish to move, and I am not entirely sure they'll survive on a colony world. They're quite dependent on our supply shipments. Cat food is a delicacy for them," Brainiac 5 said.
"So, status quo is the best you can come up with?" Kelly asked incredulously.
"It has been a low priority," Brainiac 5 admitted.
"I don't believe that. You have an agenda," Kelly said suspiciously.
"Convenient target practice for your security forces?" Alex interjected.
"The mere suggestion offends me," Brainiac 5 smirked.
"Just a coincidence you have human military bases surrounding this refugee strip," Alex said scornfully.
"The military bases are here to ensure the peace between humans and aliens," Brainiac 5 said with false sincerity.
"I think we're done here," Kelly said disappointedly. Brainiac 5 eyed the Olsen family as they went to their elite hotel not too far away.
The next day, a swarm of low-tech drones flew over the fence and impacted the security towers causing explosions along the fence line. Five thousand primitive rockets were fired from District 9 into the city. The fences were breached in numerous places with explosions. At the same time, several squads of Prawns used primitive rocket packs to hop the fence and enter Johannesburg. A flood of Prawns entered the city using motorcycles and cars armed with rifles. The Prawns had escaped District 9 at several points and were now pushing into the city. The Prawns captured a TV station and communicated their list of grievances to the world in their insect-like language.
"We demand the end of the occupation, citizenship rights, universal health care, weapons, video games, prostitutes, and cat food. We also want an end to the police," the Prawn leader said.
As it happened, only Brainiac 5 could translate the alien language so those humans that did see the demands merely gave WTF looks. The transmission also only went as far as the South African area before it was shut down.
Several military posts on the border were overrun and captured by the Prawns as human security forces retreated. The Prawns were now in possession of various vehicles and tanks. Civilians near the border were slaughtered indiscriminately by Prawn weapon fire and torn apart by Prawn claws and jaws. The Prawns went through the hotel the Olsens were staying at, slaughtered the guests, took their possessions, and used the hotel as a base. When they barged into the Olsens' room, Alex attempted to strike one of them with a bottle with little effect. The Prawns were about to kill them all but then noticed Alex and Kelly looked different than usual. They eyed Alex, then Kelly, back to Alex, and then Kelly. The different skin tones of Alex and Kelly greatly confused them. They also noticed the baby as well.
"I think they're queer," one of them said to the other.
"That's hawt," another said approvingly.
"They look rich, important," another said.
"Take them, let's go," the squad leader said.
The Prawns easily subdued them and took all three of them away back to District 9.
As it happened, the trigger for the attack was not Alex and Kelly's unexpected arrival but a music festival that was near the border. The Prawns turned the music festival into a bloodbath. In all eight hundred civilians were killed, three thousand were wounded, and one hundred fifty were captured. The human military completely collapsed in the first several hours of the strike.
Kara and Mon flew into Johannesburg to assess the situation at the governor's mansion. "Where are they?" Kara asked urgently. "Are they dead?"
"Their locator chips were deactivated inside District 9. We can safely assume they're alive and being used as hostages," Brainiac 5 said. A hologram map of District 9 and Johannesburg appeared before them.
"We raid them street to street until they're found," Mon suggested.
"The moment our forces enter District 9, Alex, Kelly, and Kelex could be killed," Brainiac 5 warned.
"They could already be dead," Mon said unconcernedly.
"If they're dead...there will be no raids. They will be nuked," Kara said furiously.
"There are other hostages, one hundred fifty or so. We could attempt to negotiate a cease-fire and give concessions," Brainiac 5 said.
"If they're an intelligent enemy, Alex, Kelly, and Kelex will be the last hostages they'll give up," Mon figured.
"Their demands?" Kara asked calming down.
Brainiac 5 showed her a translated video of demands from the Prawn leader. "Barney, what the fuck are we dealing with here?" she asked confused.
"They're intelligent as far as giant bugs go," Brainiac 5 said dryly. "They have an IQ between 60 and 80, similar to human children. The District 9 population is also very young demographically, half the population would be considered children."
"Oh, who gives a fuck?" Mon scoffed. "We should have eradicated them a long time ago."
"Why didn't we deal with this earlier?" Kara asked.
"They were useful for military police training and operations," Brainiac 5 said simply.
"Which spectacularly failed," Mon said disdainfully.
"They may still redeem themselves," Brainiac 5 said defensively.
"No, we do this by the book, only drones," Kara refused.
"Any offensive move could endanger Alex, Kelly, and Kelex," Brainiac 5 reminded her. "We should contain the border and do surveillance on District 9 until we find them. Then, we do an infiltration raid to recapture them. I'll also point out that Kryptonite signatures exist all over District 9. They know who you are and what you're capable of."
"How long would it take to get them out? They could all die of thirst and starvation before you find them not to mention all sorts of torture they could be going through as we speak," Mon doubted.
"And there are the other hostages," Kara considered.
"In the scheme of things, the other hostages are not key players. They will be the first to die," Brainiac 5 said coldly.
"And how will that make me look? Cold, incompetent, soft?" Kara asked.
"You're an absolute ruler, not a democratically elected prime minister. Political considerations are minimal," Brainiac 5 reminded her.
Kara closed her eyes in grief and worry. "I'm not a military strategist or a warrior...and I'm emotionally compromised," she admitted. She turned to Brainiac 5. "Take all orders from Mon." She then left the room.
Mon eyed Kara as she left. "Okay...cut off all electricity, water, fuel, and goods coming into District 9. Force the Prawn lines back to District 9."
"It's possible some Prawns will be left behind enemy lines," Brainiac 5 warned.
"That's fine. We'll find them soon enough. So long as they're cut off from their central command in District 9, it's acceptable. Airstrike all possible military targets and begin shelling indiscriminately. You may use human troops but only outside of District 9," Mon ordered.
"As you wish," Brainiac 5 allowed.
"I want to speak to the people of Earth," Mon said urgently.
Apollo and Artemis fighters took off from the Johannesburg airport and pounded District 9's so-called military targets. Explosions and fires roared through District 9 camps. Drones engaged Prawns in firefights across Johannesburg as they pushed them back to District 9. As predicted, some Prawns were left behind and cut off from their units. These cut-off squads scavenged around and caused a nuisance until they were eventually found and exterminated by drone forces or human law enforcement. Once the border to District 9 was secure, human artillery units moved up and began firing randomly as fast as they could. The shelling was relentless, and no shack was spared.
Mon addressed the people of Earth over the issue. "The Bible says there is a time for peace and a time for war. This is a time for war. I will turn District 9 into a ruin. We are fighting against animals. I've lifted all restrictions for a full-scale attack. The emphasis on the shelling of District 9 is on damage and not accuracy. I'm going to give District 9 a facelift."
The African people and the world in general were pissed this was allowed to happen in the first place but approved of Mon's heavy-handedness. His address was well-received, and the South African human troops were motivated to kick ass.
"We have received a transmission from the Prawn leadership that they will kill a hostage for every airstrike that kills a Prawn," Brainiac 5 reported.
"They're bluffing. They only have one hundred fifty hostages. I'll give them that many airstrikes in a day," Mon replied.
As the airstrikes continued in District 9, rockets were fired into Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Port Kara. Energy shields went up to block the rocket attacks. The USS Lena and escort fleet hovered over Johannesburg in stationary orbit to support with intelligence.
Inside a lead-covered tunnel, the Prawn leader interrogated Alex. "You are a princess, the Supreme Leader's sister," the Prawn leader said using a translator.
"Adopted...sister," Alex clarified.
"That's right. You're human. You live long uninteresting lives. Our lives are short," he said as he smoked a cigarette.
"What do you want with me?" Alex asked.
"We have taken hostages, we have demands," the Prawn leader said.
"Kara will negotiate anything you want for me. Just name it," Alex said.
"I think not. They're air-striking us now, preparing for an invasion. Do you really think we will drop our weapons and become part of your empire? That the killing will stop? We know this. Without victory, there can be no peace. There will always be killing. When our fleet arrives, your people, your planet, your empire...is fucked," the Prawn leader said confidently.
Mon gave the go-ahead for the drone invasion into District 9. "Cut District 9 in half here, create a square, and then tighten all sides of the square until you have cleared the entire block," Mon ordered.
"And the southern block?" Brainiac 5 asked.
"Continue the air strikes and shelling," Mon ordered.
"We must create a corridor that will allow unarmed civilians to move from the northern block to the southern block...unless you intend to mass exterminate them," Brainiac 5 tested.
Mon gave him an impatient look. "Of course... of course, make it happen. You may allow human reservists to enter District 9 to keep the area secure after your drones have already cleared it of the enemy and explosives."
"Some of the hospitals and schools are being used as enemy HQs, weapon and explosive depots, and bunkers," Brainiac 5 pointed at the map.
"I think...all hospitals and schools are being used by the enemy. Air-strike and clear them all," Mon corrected.
The drones rapidly cleared each shanty block and forced any Prawn civilians to move. The drones were engaged by heavy electrical and projectile fire by Prawn resistance. The drones were better coordinated, sturdy, and accurate than the Prawns. The ratio of casualties between the two sides was approximately 1:20 in favor of the drones. Mon remained in the command center directing military units the entire time. As much as he would like to splatter some bugs, his presence on the battlefield could trigger the immediate death of Alex. He wanted to squeeze the Prawns with the right amount of pressure.
The Prawns used a sophisticated tunnel system network under District 9 for hit-and-run attacks. The drones quickly discovered these tunnels and began to clear them. Drones shaped as spiders crawled around the camps looking for hostages. Surveillance drones were also constantly in the air.
"The Prawn leader states that seventy hostages have been killed as a result of the air strikes, more to follow. Only two bodies have been recovered so far," Brainiac 5 reported.
"They might be bluffing. It doesn't matter," Mon said dismissively.
In the tunnels, Kelly attempted to negotiate with the Prawn Leader. "Let us go, and I will make your people my first priority for humanitarian assistance," Kelly said.
The Prawn leader snorted at her. "We tell your leader to stop air strikes, or we kill hostages. He does not listen." Kelly gave a horrified look as the Prawns took machete blades and slashed apart a ten-month-old toddler and his four-year-old brother.
In retaliation, Mon directed an airstrike on a crowded refugee camp and later claimed militants were among them. Dozens of Prawns were killed instantly.
Mon addressed the world concerning the war effort and his intentions. "What is needed here is an occupation. Every time an enemy loses territory, they lose the war. I will have full control of District 9 to show the Prawns I have won. Instead of rebuilding District 9, the Galactic Federation will assist in resettlement."
Due to potential racist xenophobia, humanity really didn't give a shit when Mon committed air strikes against schools and hospitals inside District 9. No humanitarian organizations came to aid the Prawns, and no nation protested. The world was united against the Prawns and wanted revenge. If anything, the world demanded an even more heavy hand. The Spain/West African, French, and American countries expressed a need for even more punishment in District 9.
As it happened, Mon's strategy to cut District 9 in half and rescue the hostages suffered a setback. He had been hoping the Northern half would give up and admit the hostages were in the South after considerable pressure. Instead, the North continued to fight the drones every single block with no hostages. Mon continued to put pressure on the North knowing full well the South was arming up.
At the same time, Brainiac 5 continued negotiations with the Prawn leader. "I propose a ceasefire and one hundred fifty POWs for fifty of your hostages."
"You claim all civilians in District 9 are POWs for you to trade," the Prawn leader scoffed. "A third of our hostages is worth a third of District 9."
"I'll give you half of District 9 by funneling all of your people from the North to the South and the one hundred fifty prisoners," Brainiac 5 offered.
"Agreed," the Prawn leader relented.
As predicted, the fifty hostages were not the Olsens. Mon honored the cease-fire but then struck at the Southern half with a vengeance with two hundred air strikes. It was now obvious to him that the rest of the hostages must be in the South. "Move the drones south and then cut the South in half here," Mon pointed out on the map. "Your drones will sandwich this central area here. You may allow humans to contain the North but not advance. We'll simply starve out the survivors in the North, no need to clear those areas," Mon ordered.
"There's still a possibility hostages may still be in the North," Brainiac 5 warned.
"If they are, they can't be many," Mon figured.
As it happened, human soldiers encountered some released hostages holding a white flag and gunned them down anyway. Upon hearing of the news, Mon gave Brainiac 5 an annoyed look. "What the fuck, Barney?"
"They apparently need more training. It's an isolated unit," Brainiac 5 excused. "They had lost ten men in their unit and were emotional."
"How do you confuse women and children with a giant bug?" Mon asked incredulously. "Also, these war crime reports I'm getting were not ordered. Only I am allowed to order war crimes."
"Working with humans is trial and error," Brainiac 5 said dryly.
Still, human soldiers were successful in battles against the Prawns in a school and refugee camps. The Prawns in the north were becoming exhausted and started to surrender. Human commanders requested to take more initiatives in the North. Impressed, Mon could not refuse them.
Brainiac 5 continued negotiations with the Prawn leader to hand over another forty human hostages in exchange for three hundred Prawn POWs. At the same time, drone forces uncovered thirty-two hostage bodies in the rubble. Alex and Kelly were forced to witness as one hostage was made to do a video. "South Africa, bring me home. Seventy hostages have already been killed. I am living in an underground hell without water, food, sun, or medical treatment."
Mon ignored the video and so did the rest of the world. The hostage was then killed among five others and dumped into one of the tunnels where he was later found by drones. Attempting to recover their image, the Prawns gave Kelex a bottle, rocked her in her stroller, and read her nursery rhymes until she went to sleep. This PR attempt did not work. Alex and Kelly struggled with their conditions as they were losing weight quickly only eating rice and beans. Other hostages were routinely tortured and isolated.
At the command center, Mon and Brainiac 5 had a new plan. "Do it," Mon nodded.
"It's possible the range of the explosive could kill or severely injure Alex, Kelly, and Kelex," Brainiac 5 warned. "There will be significant collateral damage."
"Fortune favors the bold. Detonate," Mon insisted.
Brainiac 5 activated the command to detonate thousands of electronic devices within District 9. The Prawns used these devices to talk to each other, watch movies and pornography, play games, gamble, currency exchanges. The cell phone batteries detonated all throughout District 9 killing scores of Prawns and maiming hundreds. Inside the bunker, Alex threw herself over Kelly and Kelex as the guards around them had their phones explode. Fortunately, the Olsens were not hurt. Alex looked around and saw several of the guards with blown-off hands, hips blasted off, and severe abdomen wounds. The bunker was in chaos with so many wounded. Throughout District 9 many civilians and even some children were injured in the blasts.
"Detonations successful," Brainiac 5 said as he saw mini shockwaves on his map of District 9.
"Deploy the next war crime," Mon ordered.
Artemis fighter squadrons fired off gas canisters into District 9 filling the airspace with smoke. "It won't affect the Durlans?" Mon asked slightly concerned.
"We can only hope they have the good sense to transform back before the biological weapon kills them. They were briefed prior to their insertion," Brainiac 5 said.
"Good enough for me," Mon said as he waited patiently.
"Objective accomplished," Brainiac 5 said suddenly.
"Good, give me the location. I'll deal with them myself," Mon said, eager for a fight.
Mon teleported into District 9 and immediately faced heavy Prawn resistance. Mon blasted one Prawn to pieces as they fired projectile weapons against him. The bullets merely bounced off him until they ran out of ammunition. Mon then extended his fingers and fired ten beams that killed several of them instantly. Mon spared the leader so he could toy with him. He fired an energy sphere that rested on the Prawn leader's forehead. Mon then made a fist allowing the sphere to blast the Prawn's head off.
In the bunker, the Prawns started to panic and interrogated Alex gruffly. "What is the plan? Do they intend to retake you?" Alex said nothing to him.
"She won't talk. Kill her," the other Prawn guard said.
Kelly suddenly took one of the Prawn's weapons and fired. The electrical burst blasted a Prawn's arm off. It was then that Kelly's arm was revealed to be Prawn, compatible with their weapons. "Let's move," she said to Alex.
Outside, Mon was engaged on all sides by weapon fire. He mostly ignored it as he sensed around. A vehicle carrying Prawns tried to run him over. Mon fired on the vehicle blasting the upper half of it off and killing the occupants. The Prawns distracted Mon with weapon fire while a sniper shot Mon in the back. Mon fell to a knee surprised by the force of the shot. Mon turned around and took another shot to his armor. He quickly located the sniper and blasted his head off.
Mon was shot up a bit more and fell to a knee. A jeep slammed into him knocking him off balance. Mon threw the jeep off of him and struggled to get to his feet. He fired on one Prawn blasting him into the air. "I'm not fucking scared of you. Come on, bring me what you can do," Mon taunted.
Mon backhanded a Prawn into a shack and fired lethal shots on a few more. "Is that all you got?" Mon asked as he was sprayed with enemy fire. The air was filled with bullets and electrical arcs. Mon fired an energy scattershot from his right hand. The ki beams found their targets and killed several Prawn militants in explosions all around. A Prawn fired an RPG at Mon at close range. He caught it and allowed it to explode in his hand harmlessly.
"So, you want to fucking play?" Mon smirked.
A vehicle suddenly slammed into his back taking him to the ground. While Mon was on the ground briefly stunned, the driver of the vehicle shot at Mon. He lazily raised his hand and blasted him to pieces. A gang of Prawns arrived on the scene sensing weakness. Mon got back to his feet. His left hand was bleeding from catching the RPG, his armor was scorched and shot up, and he was bleeding from his forehead. Mon waited for the Prawns to get close to him and then raised two fingers to his forehead. Suddenly, the entire block was incinerated in an explosive shockwave that blew apart the shacks.
Alex, Kelly, and Kelex then emerged from the bunker and met up with Mon. "We're done here," he ordered them. The two adults turned into the Durlans, Chameleon Boy and Chameleon Girl, and Kelex turned into Durlan flesh that reincorporated itself back into Chameleon Girl. Mon teleported the two of them out of District 9.
At the same time, the real Alex, Kelly, and Kelex suddenly appeared outside of District 9 with Shrinking Violet. They had all been shrunk down and made their way out of the district. "Everyone, good?" Salu asked.
"Just a little queasy," Alex winced. Kelly proceeded to throw up. Kelex was super-chill asleep in Alex's arms.
With Kelly and Kelex getting medically checked out and recovering, Alex met up with Mon in the command center. "So...what shall we do with the Prawns?" Mon asked her.
"Where's Kara?" Alex demanded.
"In her chapel praying for your safe return and not wanting any responsibility in case you all died," Mon said bluntly.
"So I owe you for our rescue...and everything else?" Alex assumed.
"I take command more often than not," Mon said irritably.
"Well, thank you. It was competently done," Alex said appreciatively.
"You're welcome and as for my mass genocide proposal?" Mon pressed.
"No, fuck no. You don't genocide an entire refugee camp for the acts of a few," Alex said obviously.
"It's more than a few. We took a very reliable poll that says that ninety percent of these Prawns don't like us. I was shocked and appalled," Mon said and then showed the results on screen.
"If you're asking for my opinion, relocate them to another world or send them back home," Alex said finally.
Mon sighed and turned to Brainiac 5. "You heard the princess. Begin the relocation process. Anyone who refuses doesn't get the antidote from the slow painful lethal virus we introduced. One way or another, they're gone."
"You can assure me this will be a peaceful relocation to a habitable world where they can thrive?" Alex pressed.
"Of course...of course," Mon said with false sincerity. "Of course."
Alex eyed the two of them. "I'm going to have a chat with Kara now." She then left the room.
"Well...shit," Mon muttered.
Alex entered the chapel and found Kara in deep meditation. "You don't need to worry anymore. We're alive, safe and sound."
Kara opened her eyes and turned to her. "I knew that as soon as you exited the district. How are you?"
"Kelly is a bit shaken up. She's not used to these sorts of things. Kelex is fine," Alex said nonchalantly.
"I thought I could shield you from these dangers. With my empire, my drones, my Vindicators, and all this 31st-century technology, I thought I could keep you safe, but I haven't," Kara said thoughtfully.
"Nothing's changed," Alex shook her head.
"Everything has changed. You have a daughter now. You should go back to the 21st century," Kara said solemnly.
"Look, we shouldn't have come so close to District 9. That was our bad. Shit happens in this millennium or the one before. The only difference is that I'll have to deal with your twin instead of you," Alex pointed out.
Kara didn't take kindly to her twin having Alex all to herself. Her twin didn't deserve it. But then she felt confused as her twin was dead in this time but very much alive in the past. "Fine," Kara relented. "What are your plans now?"
"DEO, active enlisted side. I'm going to have Barney schedule me all sorts of schools," Alex said ambitiously.
"Very few humans succeed in the active DEO, and the enlisted side is very physically demanding," Kara warned.
"Trying to say I'm old or that women can't hack it?" Alex challenged. "With 31st-century medicine, I feel like I've aged backward a few years. I feel better than ever."
"What are you trying to prove by going enlisted? You're a princess. I can give you a fleet, an army, an industry, this entire planet to rule as you see fit," Kara offered. "I can give you anything."
"All I want is to know myself, my own limits physically, mentally, psychologically, and morally. Mon had to do some really shady stuff to get us out of there. I don't know if I would have done the same thing. I want to train with real men, 31st-century men. I want to get to know them just like I used to know my DEO agents. And if I can't hack it or I hate it, I'll just quit," Alex said.
"If you get kicked out, it won't be my decision," Kara said referring to Brainiac 5.
"I know," Alex shrugged. "Just make sure you peacefully relocate those bug aliens off Earth. They're..."
"Retarded," Kara finished for her.
"I wasn't going to use that word," Alex winced. "Yes, they don't know what they're doing. We shouldn't mistreat them because they're ugly or messy or...retarded."
"I'll take care of it," Kara promised.
"I know I can trust you," Alex said to further guilt-trip her and then left the chapel to get back to Kelly and Kelex.
As it happened, Kara ordered the Prawns off Earth and relocated to an uninhabited planet. They were given communications equipment to signal their lost mothership and civilization. In orbit of the planet, Kara oversaw the transition. "They'll no doubt call for their fleet to rescue them and then they will plan their revenge against us for all the years of mistreatment," Mon warned Kara.
"Scared?" Kara taunted.
"Your sister is a liability. The next time it could be a formidable adversary with fleets, armies, and doomsday weapons that could even challenge us," Mon pressed.
"Make sure there is no next time and then you will be able to wage war however you like," Kara told him.
Author's Notes: This chapter is based on the concepts of District 9 and some recent events in a corner of the world that shall not be named. What I appreciate about District 9 is how ugly it is. The moral calculation is a little tougher, for some, when the aliens are ugly as fuck and live in total poverty. This is in great contrast to Avatar where the aliens are exceptionally beautiful, very clean, and one with nature. It's easy to be sympathetic to the Na'Vi and not so much the Prawn and that is the hypocrisy District 9 is on about. On that note, some people found it easy to be unsympathetic to the people of Somalia in Black Hawk Down when they were getting positively smoked. I'm not making any claims that a certain nation is being heavy-handed, or a certain people should be given the boot off their land and relocated. I'm not saying anything at all here...at all.