Page 27 of The Bully Alien

"I mean, there's an intergalactic decree that all Class B planets are not to have access to our technology."

"Class B planets!" I cry.

"At least you aren't Class C."

"What the fuck is Class C?"

"No intelligence at all."

"Fuck you and fuck that intergalactic... Who the hell even has the authority to make an intergalactic decree!"

He sighs. "Don't shoot the messenger."

"Don't shoot the messenger, he says," I mock. "You'll use any Earthling saying you can to try to get the blame off of you and others like you!"

He makes a face. "Look, I know you're upset."

"You don't know anything about me!"

"Maybe not, but I'm in pain, and you're in pain—"

"Please. Let's not talk about pain."

"We don't have to talk about anything. How about that?" he snaps.

I wince and walk away from him, not toward the wreckage but beyond it. We're in field that seems to be completely off the grid. I bet it is. I swear there's some kind of power in the air that keeps animals and Earthlings way. There aren't even any insects here as far as I can see, no bugs, no birds, nothing.

It's unnatural. It's eerie.

It's unsettling.

And it's terrible. This place, seeing this wreck... My heart is breaking all over again.

It's not fair. Why should I have been given this knowledge that the universe is nothing like I imagined, that there are so many more aliens and planets out there than I ever thought, that traveling to them is possible...

Only we're too stupid to have the technology.

"Why?" I ask softly.

"Why what?" he asks, sounding far closer to me than I would've thought.

"I glance over my shoulder. He's right there beside me.

"Why aren't Class B planets to be given the technology required to fly from one universe to another?"

"Because, without fail, all of the planets that haven't developed that technology themselves, it's been because..."

"Because why?"

He sighs. "Please don't make me say it."

"Is it because we're to war-hungry to work together to develop it ourselves?" I suppose.

"Precisely."

I eye him. "I'm surprised you didn't say bingo."

"Isn't Bingo a game you play?"