Xenophobia – the future of racism.
Definition of Xenophobia – An Unreasonable fear or hatred of strangers from other lands/countries/planets.
Original usage: 1905-from the word Xenos, meaning strange added to Phobia, meaning fear. Together they mean: fear of strangers.
Current/Future usage: 2300 – Fear of sentient aliens, especially those who do not resemble a humanoid form.
In The Gods of Probabilities, Captain Zousan discovers a great deal of his crew harbor xenophobic attitudes. This comes to light when Pane is given the critical position of Shepherd for the planet Zepwick, which is vitally important for the success of The Path of Light.
Pane is the result of one of the Gods getting frisky with an orangutan species on the planet Hooweet in the Triangulum Galaxy. As the dominant intelligent life on the planet, they drove about in three wheeled helio cars that could also fly short distances. Their young people loved to go dancing and swinging ‘til the break of dawn, then head off to battle at break of dawn. They were warring with the other tribes, much like humans do, so Zousan sent one of his crew down to teach them to live in harmony. Taking on the rally cry of “Make Love, not War” the sub-par God evidently followed his own advice. Nine months later, Pane was born. Normally, God genes dominated over the DNA of the native partner, and they always came out looking like… well, Gods. The men were handsome and strong, the ladies beautiful and svelte.
But not this time.
This suggests that Pane’s DNA proved stronger and better than the DNA of the idiot God that Zousan had sent to the planet. He would like to know exactly who he sent to the planet, only the computer refuses to tell him.
Despite Pane’s excessive fur, short bow legs, and a grey muzzle jutting from his brown furry face, Zousan thinks him an excellent shepherd, the best he had in fact. Pane had great empathy for his charges, excellent problem solving skills, quick to give others credit for their ideas, diligent, focused, hardworking and never resented questions or suggestions. While disturbing in appearance, he handled his charges to perfection. Zousan only wished he had more like Pane. But Pane was unique, both in his abilities and his hideous features. And his presence had brought to Zousan’s attention that he had a serious xenophobia problem. Even knowing they might destroy The Path of Light by their actions or inactions, other crew members chose to ignore his requests, even if they were signed off by his supervisor Athena. Zousan is constantly having to intervene because the Xenophobes on his staff send Pane’s Highest Priority requests down to the bottom of a hundred yearlong queue.
Finally, he threatens to send all Xenophobes home through the next black hole they pass. SANS SHIP!
While this quelled the obvious signs of Xenophobia, nothing has altered the hearts of his crew. The Gods who were Xenophobes yesterday are still Xenophobes. They’re just more careful about it.
And the problem isn’t just with the Gods. The large contingency of humans in space, while claiming to follow The Path of Light, in truth walk a darker path, plotting to kill all other sentient lifeforms in the all the multiverses. I’m sorry to say, but some things never change.
The Gods of Probabilities
By
Liza O’Connor
The Gods require a time shifter to ensure the Path of Light reigns during the final collapse of possibilities. To speed the process of finding an Oceanic with the specific talents needed, God DNA is induced in several batches of Oceanic eggs, resulting in a generation of brilliant tiny blue Oceanic children.
One charming boy named Drogan has the ability to manipulate quantum reality in ways that will strengthen the Path of Light. Only trouble is that his gift runs a high probability of killing him and wiping out the Path of Light for good.
While the bureaucratic Gods will try to assist, in Quantum all possibilities not only can, but do happen, so the future is never certain.
Liza is a multiple genre author of 15 novels. A Late Victorian Series, The Adventures of Xavier & Vic, plus a spinoff, A Right to Love, is an ongoing series. A Long Road to Love is a humorous Contemporary Disaster Romance series (five books). She has two single books. One is a humorous, bad boys contemporary novel with ghosts, called Ghost Lover, the other is Untamed & Unabashed, a spinoff from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.
Now, she’s rolling out her Science fiction series (Science with a touch of romance & humor) called The Multiverses. The first four books are slotted for last half of 2015. In addition she hopes, if she hasn’t dropped from exhaustion by then, to re-release a sometimes humorous/suspense thriller called Saving Casey
Liza would love to know: What’s your favorite genre?
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Thanks for having me over
It was my pleasure!
I had hoped we had over come our fears with regards to racism. But I suppose that would be too much to wish for.
SciFi has always allowed us to hold up a mirror to ourselves, to get a better perspective on the problems of today by extrapolating them into tomorrow.
I hope my grandchildren will look at racism as an ugly aspect of human history.