NOT UNTIL TODAY, specifically a minute ago when the high commander said Plan 10 was their ticket home, did Omron consider it. Now it had become so obvious, Plan 10 was by far the most successful. Pondering that, Omron saw a flaw in its long-term effects.


“Excuse me, your excellence. I thought destroying humans on earth was a last resort if they did not comply.”


“That it is.”


“But, sir, the evident outcome of Plan 10 will be the annihilation of life on the planet. If we are succeeding in keeping them distracted, why destroy them?”


“They will destroy themselves, Sergeant.”


Omron thought of the abuse and pain inflicted upon that Tom cat in those earth videos. The jerry critter was sadistic and cruel and abused him mercilessly. Yet, sometimes, the jerry reacted to the actions of Tom. Perhaps if Tom stopped chasing him, the mouse would leave him alone.

“They will destroy themselves… because of what we did.”


When the high commander slid the data pad to him, it did not display the Plan 10 Report. “Here. Read the Plan 10 outline.”

 

The objective of Plan 10 is to provide an extinction-level threat earthlings will be forced to consider with all resources and focus, abandoning their creation of weapons and spacecraft and their goal of leaving their solar system. While most planets in our glorious Galactic Union survived their industrial revolutions with their environments intact, Plan 10 operatives will ensure that safety measures to prevent detrimental impact to the planet's biosphere are not enacted on earth.

 

Omron’s face stiffened and he raised both eyebrows. His peaceful people had set the earth on an irrecoverable course to environmental ruination. “This is barbarous… Sir.”


“Sergeant, the contingency for all Plans, for humans not complying with our mandate to stop building weapons and spaceships, is destruction of their world… for the greater good.”


“Of course, hundreds of billions of lives are at stake across the Galactic Union.” To Omron, the moon laser or the enormous cage around the earth started to look like more appealing plans, given this alternative.


“Now you know why we started that idiotic Plan 9 all those lectons ago. Hoping to avoid devastating a populated planet, no matter how uncivilized its population, we desperately tried any alternative.”


“Sir, may I remind you, in your infinite wisdom, the fall back to Plan 9 was to have those zombies kill everyone on earth. As I recall, the only reason we did not do that was because we could not control the reanimated corpses as we supposed we could.”


“You are thinking about that dead man in the woods. How he kept stepping out, spreading his cape like a winged earth rodent, and going back into hiding.” Omron tilted his head. “There was one positive outcome. That fool’s actions and long black cape inspired many renditions of a horror video classic called Dracula.”


“As I recall, we tried to use the idea of vampires in space to frighten people about space travel. Then several videos about monsters attacking humans if they ever did make it to the stars.”


“These were effective, but no plan was as potent as the environmental issue humans now face.”


“Sir, I must ask, did we have a hand in causing the political and social divide on this issue?”


“Keep reading.”

 

Plan 10 includes keeping the knowledge of environmental impact from the human masses long after their scientists and politicians become aware of the problem. As governments shift their military and space exploration budgets to efforts to preserve their ecosphere, we will cause strife and social anarchy over the climate change situation.

 

Omron saw it clearly now; Plan 10 was working. The earth was divided on this issue while its governments were devoting massive funding and significant resources to fighting climate change. This, along with Plan 12 to have crazy rich people the only ones pursuing space, had dealt the final blow to humanity’s aspirations for a bright future, one that would eventually lead them to the stars.


“Sir, since we did this to them, should we not help them recover? We can present ourselves as heroes now, with an amended Plan 1, and they could even join the Union.”


“You are optimistic, Sergeant Omron. This is an admirable trait.”


“Thank you, sir.”


“Stop that thinking right now, it is dangerous and foolish.”


“But, sir, I—”


With a bony finger, the high commander tapped the data pad. Omron took the hint and returned to reading. The screen showed the Plan 10 addendum.

 

When Sergeant Flazor was sent to the home world to join the insubordination exhibit, Sergeant Omron was placed in charge of Plan 10 at the order of the High Commander.

 

News to Omron, he wondered if the high commander forgot to give him this assignment. He was not yet convinced the man had full possession of his mental faculties, not after the plans he had tried and failed.


“Sir, is this your way to inform me that I am to take over operations of Plan 10?”


“Do you see any report or status update on the progress of Plan 10?”


He looked again at the data pad. “No.”


“Sergeant, we never enacted Plan 10. Your charge is theoretical because the system requires a plan to have an assigned leader.”


“But… Plan 10 is working. Look at that planet. The environment is badly damaged, and humans argue over the situation’s reality. Weapons production has halted, and more governments are focused on reversing climate change.”


“We never engaged Plan 10; we did not need to. The earthlings did this to themselves.”