We had always been a welcoming people to any other planetarians, no matter what planet they came from. We allowed a crew of Martians stay for a few weeks when their spaceship broke and they had to repair it before returning to Mars. We nursed Neptunians back to health when they crashed against our mountains and we helped them find their way back. We even gave three ships to Saturnians when we found them lost in our atmosphere with nothing but the suits they had on. But when these Earthians arrived, these humans as they called themselves, I immediately sensed something wasn’t ok. They didn’t look humble at all and weren’t definitely in need of help. They actually sounded entitled. Still we tried to welcome them as best as we could as it was our nature.

“Greetings, strangers. A warm welcome to Etherna. Please feel at home.” I said as the leader of the planet. They seemed to suspect us so I made sure we sounded friendly. It was the first time we saw beings with pale, matte skin and brown, green or blue eyes, so we, with our light blue skin and light purple eyes were probably as new to them as they were to us.

“Oh yes, this indeed looks like a future home. At least we can breathe here and the temperature feels pleasant as well.” one of them said, a stout, tall man who, by the looks of it, was their leader.

“I am pleased that you seem to enjoy our planet.” I carried on. “Anything we can do for you and your crew?”

“Yes, for sure. We need to see around. If your planet suits us and our needs, we will be bringing a few billion more like us to settle here.”

“What do you mean settle here?” I asked. My fellow Ethernans were as confused.

“Earth isn’t good for us anymore. It’s too hot, the oceans too acidic due to too much dissolved CO2 and we need another planet to live. We are about 8 billion people so we need to make sure this planet can provide for our needs.”

I looked at my fellows who stared back at me. This didn’t sound good at all. Suddenly they removed something from their waists and pointed at us.

“Show us around.” the human leader demanded. “We need to see what your resources are, if your food and water are proper and if there aren’t any dangers lurking. And don’t try to fool us, we will not hesitate to shoot you.”

“But Etherna is a very small planet.” one of my fellows said. “If you bring 8 billion humans here, there will be no space for all.”

The man and his crew giggled.

“Well, that can be easily sorted. We’ll get rid of the surplus. Now show us around, please.”

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100 Years Later...

Shortly after Etherna was invaded and overtaken by humans, I started studying them and finally understood. They had done the same to each other on Earth. Wherever these humans set foot they never tried to coexist with the existing habitants. We tried to resist at first, but our nature was too soft and our weapons too ineffective. Those Ethernans who weren’t killed were enslaved. Our animals were enslaved and eaten too. Our forests destroyed to build cities. Our seas polluted with their waste. There was nothing left of my beloved place. All the pristine beauty was gone and replaced with concrete walls and thick smoke.

I also found out that not all of the 8 billion humans the stout man said would arrive actually did. It looks like some were against our invasion and said humans had no right. Others refused to leave their beloved Earth no matter what. I would have loved to know some of these humans. I’m sure things would have been different. I also wondered if Earth still existed now. I was locked in a cell for the “crime” of refusing subservience and no one would tell me anything.

Sometimes I would hear stories of human children befriending Ethernan children and for a few moments my heart would fill with hope. But then I thought it was just a far-fetched idea of an old foolish Ethernan.