The morning of February 14th felt almost absurdly normal compared to everything that had happened the day before. Narisva sat cross-legged on one of the chairs with a box of donuts like it was the most important discovery she had made since arriving on Earth.
Veneri leaned back across from her, spinning a yo-yo lazily, though the string snapped every few throws because even with his weight and strength suppressed, the tension was still too much for something that fragile. Each time it broke, he just pulled out another one from his new inventory like it was nothing. Since he's on another world, he couldn't access his true inventory. He used a separate dimension Narisva made.
The door opened and a group of bodyguards stepped in first, scanning the room before allowing the man behind them to enter. He was dressed in a clean black suit that immediately set the tone. Without wasting time, he walked forward and took the seat that had clearly been prepared for him. The President of the United States sat down across from two beings who didn't even bother to stand or even pause what they were doing.
"Good morning. I am—"
Veneri cut him off before he could finish.
"We know who you are, President Hanson. No need for introductions."
The president paused for half a second, adjusting quickly, then continued anyway.
"I've been informed of your demands."
Veneri looked up this time, finally giving him a bit of attention, though his expression didn't change. He rested his elbow on the table.
"They're not demands. They're requests. If you can't fulfill them, we'll just go somewhere else and ask. We're not tied to this country you know."
There was no threat in his tone.
"We can hide if we want and you wouldn't find us. The only reason we're doing this properly is because we don't want to be seen as hostile while we explore."
Narisva swallowed another bite before finally speaking.
"We're just here to look around. I went through your 'Internet,' and honestly, there's nothing that interesting here. Buildings, systems, civilizations that contradict themselves every few years and such. You people are strange. Some of the things you do are worse than what even lower races would consider acceptable. But your food is good."
The room went completely silent for a moment. Even the bodyguards didn't know how to react to that. The president didn't speak immediately, clearly recalibrating, then nodded once, accepting the tone of the conversation for what it was.
"Understood. And I apologize if my wording implied otherwise. We are willing to fulfill your requests. However, there is a condition."
Veneri didn't interrupt this time.
"We would like your cooperation in addressing the global community. Since 2020, when the existence of extraterrestrial life became undeniable, there has been widespread panic, speculation and instability among the population. People want answers. Governments have struggled to maintain order in some areas because of it. If you were to publicly confirm your existence, explain your origin, even briefly, it would stabilize things."
Narisva frowned slightly, clearly not impressed.
"Why? Your world doesn't even have the capability to reach others. You can barely leave your own planet properly. At least we have a reason why we can't leave but your planet is behind in civilization. What do you gain from knowing about something you can't interact with?"
The president didn't hesitate this time.
"Hope and direction. And help."
That caught both of their attention.
"Help with what?"
The president exhaled slowly, like he had been waiting for that moment.
"There is something you should know. According to our data, Earth is not stable. We have projections that indicate the planet will be destroyed on December 24th, 2027."
Narisva stopped mid-bite. Veneri's expression changed.
"This isn't speculation or theory. It's based on long-term astronomical observations. The Moon's orbit has been shifting."
He brought up a tablet, displaying trajectories of the natural satellite.
"At its current rate, it will eventually collide with Earth. Based on our calculations, it won't take long before that happens."
Silence followed that. For the first time since the meeting started, the situation felt like it had actual weight. Narisva slowly lowered the donut in her hand.
"You're saying your own satellite is going to crash into your planet and you can't stop it?"
Veneri didn't speak at first. His eyes looked on the data, analyzing it with a level of understanding far beyond the people who had created it. Then he exhaled.
"That's not normal. Orbits don't just change like that without a cause. Something's pushing it."
The president didn't deny it.
"That's what we believe."
Narisva leaned back in her seat as she processed what she had just heard. For once, she wasn't dismissive about it. She glanced at Veneri for a second and back at the president.
"I can fix that. Your moon isn't that large compared to celestial bodies I've dealt with, so adjusting its orbit isn't difficult. I can apply space laws to stabilize its trajectory and return it to a proper orbit. Once it's set, it won't drift again unless something interferes with it."
"Thank—"
"But that brings up a better question. Why are you putting this much trust in us? You heard about us yesterday and met us for a few minutes today, and now you're asking us to save your entire world."
The president didn't answer immediately. Instead, he slowly rolled up the sleeve of his suit, revealing his arm. Veneri's eyes narrowed the moment he saw it.
The skin wasn't human.
It had a faint wooden texture, almost like living bark fused seamlessly into flesh. The president looked down at his arm for a second before speaking. He let the sleeve stay rolled up.
"My father wasn't from this world. Well… he was, but not originally. He came from another world. He lived here quietly for years, never drawing attention to himself. Eventually, the government found out. They killed him."
The room went quiet again.
"I was never discovered. So I stayed silent, worked my way up, played the role they expected and eventually… I got here. My father told me about other worlds when I was a child. It was enough for me to know that Earth isn't alone. I don't remember much of what he said. I was too young."
"Do you know what race he was?"
The president shook his head.
"No. He died when I was seven. I never got the chance to learn more."
Narisva spoke immediately after.
"You're a descendant of a Verdarite."
The president blinked once, clearly not expecting such a direct answer.
"A Verdarite…"
"That wood-like structure isn't random. It's a diluted bloodline, but it's still there. Verdarites are connected to life, growth and nature itself. Even a small trace like that doesn't disappear completely. I sense that in you. We can also sense that you're part of the Ancient Races. That also explains your intuition. Verdarites have a natural sensitivity to intent. You can feel it, even if you don't understand it."
The president was silent for a moment, processing that, then gave a small nod.
"That makes sense."
"We'll help. Not just because of that, but it aligns with what we want anyway. And we'll do it today."
"Today?"
Veneri nodded.
"Call every world leader. If we're going to address your planet, we're not doing it halfway."
The president let out a small breath.
"They're already gathering in the United Nations headquarters. They'll be ready in a few hours."
That got a reaction.
"You already knew we'd agree?"
The president gave him a faint smile.
"Not for certain, but I had a feeling. I can read intentions to know when someone means harm. And you don't."
Narisva watched him for a second longer.
"I like you. You're not completely useless."
The bodyguards stiffened slightly at that, but the president just nodded once.
"Thank you."
Veneri chuckled under his breath, shaking his head.
"Alright, let's get this over with."