Usurper of the Sun Read Online Free PDF Page B

interviewers had vetted her, but she did not know to whom they had spoken. The main difference between the Civilization Theory that the woman with flowing white hair had just brought up and the Life-Form Theory was the belief in an intelligent presence. Followers of the Life-Form Theory subscribed to the idea that evolution takes place without any underlying intentions. As such, believers were labeled nihilists, mostly because the idea that life was moving in a haphazard and meaningless fashion without purpose seemed hopeless. Confessing to nihilism or even an awareness of existential meaninglessness would most likely rule someone out as a candidate for protecting the solar system. Yet, Aki had doubts about any theory that built its validity on the need for hope instead of empirical evidence.
    Looking at evolution on Earth, nonintelligent life-forms—those for whom everything is left to the algorithms of evolution because nonintelligent life-forms cannot purposefully shape their own environment—have adapted better than people have. An intelligent life-form changes its environment to suit its petty needs instead of allowing itself to be selected. Yet the ongoing world death toll was revealing human intelligence, despite its efforts, to be losing out to the chaotic whims of its environment. An advanced intelligent life-form would have been able to do a better job. Otherwise, it would be impossible to distinguish adequately developed intelligence from adequately developed non-intelligence.
    For Aki, the questions always got sadder quickly. Would ending human life work out better for the other species of Earth? Would learning how to abandon self-awareness and drift like the less thoughtful creatures lead to less pain or even some form of enlightenment? It could not help but make one wonder what would happen if people stopped changing. Perhaps letting go and letting the world have its way with humanity was the ultimate solution to the puzzle of life. In any case, the further one went with the argument, the less one seemed to care about anything at all. Those were the signs of nihilism that Aki knew they were assessing.
    She did not want to answer. Mostly because deep down inside she did not know. She could not tell a soul, but it was the answer she was hoping to find in space. All four panelists were the elite of their fields. They embodied Western civilization, were highly educated and were most likely Christians. Greater numbers of believers had found positions of power in the sciences now that their End Times were looking nigh. Aki had met others like them throughout her time as a researcher. Silently, she was grateful for her previous insights into how this sort thought, even if people like these interviewers had never impressed her very much.
    “What fascinates me about the Life-Form Theory is that...every step of the process can be explained without assuming that the Builders intend to invade.” She bowed slightly and closed her eyes.
    “You are hoping that we are dealing with new neighbors who are doing some friendly landscaping before they move in?” interrupted the overweight man, rubbing at his mouth again.
    “I cannot take it for granted that an advanced civilization is acting out of aggression for no reason. The Life-Form Theory tends to fit, even if it only fits my bias. But...” Aki trailed off, unsure what to say.
    “You think it is possible that the new neighbors did not notice that life was already here?” asked the man with the gray hair.
    “It is the same thing, and it would be a shame to think that such an advanced civilization could be insensitive. Such insensitivity is—” She waved her hand, searching for the word. “Unnatural.”
    “Don’t you think these ‘Builders’ might operate based on values that are different from our own?” asked the polite woman.
    Aki was overstepping where she had meant to go. She could not tell if the interviewers had provoked her or if she had changed her own