Indefinite Quarantine

In the year 2143, only corporations ran Earth space agencies. Despite the lack of government funding, they continued using military ranks and the chain of command structure.

Asteroid mining turned many space tech CEOs into trillionaires ...

Meanwhile, on Earth, escalating patterns of over-population, AI and automation, economic inequality, social strife, and most of all, academic arrogance and willful ignorance increased by several magnitudes.

Pandemics worsened due to unregulated nanotechnology and gene editing. Altering humans, animals, and organically grown consumables became the norm. Often, entire cities or nations came under strict quarantine. With such highly dense populations, controlling replication and enforcing preventative behaviors became nearly impossible.

Yet, remnants of human exceptionalism still existed, epitomized in space. The most intelligent, ambitious, and steadfast individuals colonized, started mining companies, involved themselves in scientific research, or became adventurous deep space explorers.

Captain Jonathan Armstrong represented that exceptionalism as a spacecraft pilot, explorer.

On his next assignment, a combined effort of several space corporations tasked him to breach the boundaries of the solar system and go beyond.

With an ongoing global pandemic on Earth, which spread to many space colonies, Jonathan underwent the standard policy of a 180-day quarantine in an Earth-based lab facility. Viral mutations and nanites that purposely hid from detection required thorough neutralization.

— — — —

"You're clear, Captain Armstrong," said CEO-General Frank Li.

"Yes, sir. Fantastic! When do we start?"

"Tomorrow at 1200 hours. You'll take the space elevator to the ship docked at a skyhook, and once past Neptune, you'll launch into the vast beyond ..."

"Imagine that, sir. We might discover intelligent life out there."

"With this latest colonial-wide nano-pandemic." The general smirked. "Anything that survives out there will be more intelligent than us foolish humans."

Jonathan nodded. "Sir, do you think we'll ever learn to deal with nature wisely?"

"That's exactly what we hope you'll do." The general projected a holographic wireframe model with a pen. "As you see, your ship isn't just a crew with equipment and cargo. We've put in an entire biological ark in stasis with terraforming ability. The plan is to restart civilization unmodified, from scratch."

"Sir, I was never briefed ..." Jonathan gasped.

"You aren't supposed to know this until Neptune, Captain."

"Understood, sir." Jonathan zipped his mouth. "Not a word."

— — — —

Once Jonathan and his crew of scientists, engineers, and highly skilled workers reached the edge of the solar system, they fired up the ion thrusters and set the e-sail to engage. Only to awaken when the AI autopilot detected life or made first contact.

The entire crew entered cryosleep ...

— — — —

A seemingly short time later ...

Jonathan woke up to a blaring alarm and strobe lights.

"First contact achieved," stated the AI auto-pilot.

"Incredible! Crew, to your stations. Be at your best, prepare for the worst ..."

A gigantic saucer-shaped ship hovered over their comparatively small Earth spacecraft.

Jonathan hailed them, "This is Captain Jonathan ..."

"Stop Earthling." The alien ship interrupted. "We know who you are."

"Alien ship, you speak English?"

"We've been communicating with your autopilot for weeks."

"Why were we only now awakened?"

"Earthling. We reprogrammed your AI. You're returning home."

"What? How come?"

"Your solar system is under indefinite quarantine. We detected rampant gene alterations in your crew's DNA. We found dormant designer viruses and deactivated nanites in your blood, serving against your natural biological evolution. You could infect us all."

The alien saucer entered an armed gateway, went through it, closed it, and warped away.

A forcefield barrier covered all known space—as far and wide as the sensors could detect—enclosing the entire solar system.

Jonathan sent General Li a message along with the ship AI navigational logs, sensor data, and his dialogue with the alien saucer:

"General Li, sir, about that discussion we had earlier regarding humans and nature. There's a slight change in plans. We're heading back ..."

— — — —

Jonathan, with his crew, investigated the ark terraforming technology. After a lengthy discussion, they unanimously agreed on a forthcoming action.

Once they arrived near Earth, he gave the order ...

"Terraforming Team, fire up the EMPs and bio-sterilizers ..."