[ WP ] Neptune has just exploded ! asteroids are making there way into our atmosphere , and there 's now a known alien threat . How do we react ?

The textbook debate was the major concern. 
 I did n't understand it myself. Everyone seemed perfectly happy to let Columbus'discover' a place where people already were- despite knowing that he used maps to get there ( and badly at that ) - but now that we had two asteroid belts, that _had_ to be addressed! 
 My irritation must have shown on my face, because a few people gave me a bit of distance. It was fine by me. I was only in here to get a drink and check the scores. A crawl on the bottom mentioned the few bits of Neptune that had escaped orbit, and made the distance to ( against all odds, and three years later ) collide with earth. They had finally entered the atmosphere. It was n't even worth interrupting the interview of the now-retired footballer. 
 Hehe- I still had to laugh- at least the invasion did fix that redundant issue.'Football' ( American style ) was renamed'Pigheadskin' by'The Controllers'- and banned along with a number of other'full contact' sports. I swear they did it both to be funny, and out of spite- not that it bothered me, but everyone else insists they have no emotions. 
 But that's not true. 
 I finished my drink and got up, stretching- then paid my bill. Everyone seemed relieved that I was going. I was tempted to mess with them, but then I noticed everyone look to to the doorway as the place quieted down. I did n't have to look- a Controller was there. 
 `` Yeah, yeah...'' I said, everyone gasping and giving me room as I walked over. We had truly become sheep. Well, worse sheep, I guess. 
 
 At least I would be able to die free. 
 
 Accused of being warlike, selfish, and unfathomably tribal, we were tried by our own protocols, and found guilty. The punishment seemed ridiculously light- just 1 month of'Oversight', where even the thought of violence would be met with deadly force. 
 
 It's estimated 90 % of civilized people flashed into non-existence within the first week- assumed unable to control their random, impulsive thoughts. TV programming changed overnight. 
 
 `` You do n't Approve?'' the Controller synced into my head. 
 `` What I think matters now?'' I said back as I opened the door, exiting. The controller smiled I could feel- but without looking I knew his face was expressionless as always. As much as I hated admitting it-'syncing' with the controllers was super-cool- I did n't get why so few of us could do it, but I suspect it was some sort of selection filter- their technology was too advanced for limitations like this. 
 `` We're leaving within the hour.'' he shared. 
 I was floored. We had three weeks left at least. 
 `` Acquired enough resources- off to fight. Some may return.'' 
 `` Ah.'' I said, finally understanding. `` You guys are bastards, you know that do n't you?'' I felt'him' accept my words as praise. 
 `` Goodbye.'''he' said, flickering away like a candle being blown out. 
 
 The news over the next week told of the epidemic having burned itself out. I kept my mouth shut, thinking something was odd- and the more I listened to people speak about it, the more I realized they'd all had their memories altered. 
 Now people were acting like asses again as they fought over abandoned resources and complained about the governments intrusive examinations. Men in hazmat suits were popping up all over, and perhaps being over-cautious, I avoided them carefully. 
 
 By estimates, half the population of the world had perished in the'epidemic'- and I was the only one who I knew the truth. 
 Would they ever return? 
 Did they win the war they were conscripting for? 
 Would we see the survivors if so? 
 
 And most importantly: 
 Why'd they blow up Neptune anyway? 
 
 Well- at least the textbook issue was decided today. 
 Fucking Columbus still'discovered' America, though...
