Fictional mini-story by Marek Rosa
Inspired by some people's reaction to nuclear blackmail in 2022
I am but a teenager living under the oppressive rule of Taros on my home planet, Uroba. I am bereft of freedom, merely a cog in the machinery of dictatorship. As I have grown, I've yearned for experiences that remain forbidden, gleaned only from forbidden books. I now send this message across the stars, a warning to others: do not succumb to nuclear blackmail and repeat our disastrous mistakes.
Once upon a time, Uroba was peaceful. Then Taros launched an assault on our neighbor, Virel. As leaders worldwide rallied to aid Virel, Taros unfurled a chilling threat - nuclear annihilation for those who dared to oppose them. This stirred a paralyzing fear among leaders. Everyone knew a nuclear war meant mutual destruction, but how far would Taros push? It was a dangerous poker game nobody wanted to play.
Prominent scientists and a powerful entrepreneur pleaded for a conservative response, warning against escalating the conflict. Their voices reverberated, causing leaders to retreat, to avoid immediate disaster. However, this act of backing down paved the path for Taros's tyranny.
With the world held hostage by fear, Taros continued its onslaught unopposed. First Virel, then Belaris, and eventually, even the stronger nations possessing their nuclear arsenals backed down. It wasn't their lack of strength or will, but the unknown extent of Taros's madness that forced their hand. They feared being the spark that might ignite a nuclear inferno. Their inaction amplified Taros's drumbeat of dominance.
Within three short years, Taros's rule covered Uroba. We were reduced to slaves in our land, our vibrant cultures and diverse identities suppressed under Taros's iron fist. We traded freedom for an illusion of security that never materialized. The cost of our silence became a lesson learned too late.
In the face of desolation, I resolved to send out a message. I secretly crafted a space antenna, a beacon of hope, hidden from Taros's prying eyes. Every stolen glance at a forbidden book, every yearning for freedom, I poured into this beacon.
Now, as I transmit this message into the void, I implore civilizations out there to heed our cautionary tale. Do not surrender to nuclear threats. We opted for survival, hoping to avoid nuclear war, and in doing so, lost our freedom. We live as slaves, which, I've come to realize, is akin to being dead.
I never got to savor the joys and freedoms depicted in forbidden books. We staved off nuclear war but paid a high price - our freedom. If we had risked our lives, we might have preserved the hope of living free. Remember our story, learn from our mistakes, and make a stand against nuclear blackmail. Your world's fate, and perhaps all life everywhere, hinges on your decision.
