Prologue: The Lens of the Kaelar
In a distant corner of the galaxy, on a planet shrouded in purple gas clouds and orbited by three moons, the Kaelar, beings of luminous energy with a collective consciousness, observe humanity from a hidden station in the Kuiper Belt. Their ethical code, forged through eons of internal conflicts, forbids interference with other species but permits analysis, debate, and, in a sense, judgment. The Kaelar see humanity as an enigma: a species capable of creating wonders—Beethoven's symphonies, probes to Mars, quantum theory—while simultaneously perpetrating horrors that defy their logic. World wars, conflicts like the Israeli-Palestinian struggle, the war in Ukraine, and vast inequalities between rich and poor are incomprehensible to them. Their central question, encoded in pulses of light, is: Is this species a force of creation or a plague consuming its own world?
Chapter 1: The View from the Void
In the Kaelar's chamber of light, The Core, their leading entity, projects the First World War (1914-1918). The Kaelar see 70 million soldiers mobilized, 16 million dead, and economies shattered over territorial disputes. "Why do they kill for imaginary lines on their planet?" asks a young Kaelar, its light flickering. The projection shifts to the Second World War (1939-1945), with 70-85 million deaths, 3-4% of the global population. The Holocaust, with 6 million Jews and millions of others killed, and the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, claiming 200,000 lives, baffle the Kaelar. "They create tools to annihilate themselves. Is this their nature?" asks an Observer. The Core responds: "Let us observe further."
Chapter 2: The Paradox of Abundance
In 2025, the Kaelar analyze data from the United Nations Development Programme: 783 million people live on less than $2.15 a day, while the richest 1% hold 50% of global wealth (Oxfam, 2023). They see images of malnourished children in Somalia, where 7 million face famine, alongside luxury yachts in Monaco. The FAO reports that 1.3 billion tons of food were wasted in 2022, enough to feed 2 billion people. The Kaelar, who know no scarcity, cannot fathom hunger. "They have enough for all, yet millions perish. Is this rational?" asks an Observer. The Core projects more data, offering no answer.
Chapter 3: The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
The Core focuses on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a microcosm of human division. They review its history: in 1917, the Balfour Declaration promises a Jewish homeland in Palestine under British control. After the Holocaust, the UN's 1947 partition plan creates Israel in 1948, displacing 700,000 Palestinians in the Nakba. Wars in 1948, 1967, and 1973, and the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, deepen tensions. In 2025, since October 2023, over 43,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza, per the local Ministry of Health, and 1,200 Israelis in Hamas's initial attack, per official data. The Kaelar see Gaza's 2.3 million people in 365 km² under blockade, and Hamas rockets targeting Israel. "They claim the same land but refuse to coexist. Why choose violence?" asks a Kaelar. The Core shows the Oslo Accords (1993) failing due to Israeli settlements (700,000 settlers in 2023) and mutual distrust.
Chapter 4: The War in Ukraine and Other Conflicts
The Core projects the war in Ukraine, sparked by Russia's 2022 invasion. By 2025, tens of thousands are dead, 8 million displaced, and cities like Mariupol lie in ruins. The Kaelar see a struggle for geopolitical power, with $1 trillion in damages to Ukraine and sanctions weakening Russia. "They know war destroys more than it builds, yet they persist. Why?" asks a Kaelar.
Other historical conflicts appear: the Vietnam War (1955-1975), with 3 million dead over ideological divides; the Rwandan Genocide (1994), with 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus killed in 100 days; and Yemen's war (2014-2025), leaving 24 million needing aid (UN, 2023). The Kaelar note a pattern: humans divide over ethnicity, religion, or resources, repeating cycles of violence. "They condemn their past wars but do not stop the present ones. Do they not learn?" asks an Observer.
Chapter 5: The Silent Judgment
The Kaelar compare humanity to the Vorthan of Andromeda, who overcame division after a millennium of wars, unifying resources. Humanity, however, persists in conflict and inequality. The Core analyzes the world wars (100 million dead), the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (tens of thousands dead since 1948), and Ukraine (8 million displaced) as symptoms of a flaw: humans prioritize identities—nations, religions, ethnicities—over cooperation. "If we judged a species that destroys its world over beliefs or borders, what would we say?" asks a Kaelar. Another replies: "That they are a plague."
Chapter 6: The Uncertain Future
The Core projects glimmers of hope. In the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, groups like B'Tselem and Al-Haq document abuses, seeking justice. In Ukraine, 12 million have received humanitarian aid since 2022 (UN). Globally, Médecins Sans Frontières helped 2.7 million in 2024, and CO2 emissions dropped 7% in some countries since 2020. Yet divisions endure. "Humanity creates, destroys, and dreams," says The Core. "We will keep observing."
Chapter 7: Final Reflection: Are Humans a Plague?
The Kaelar debate whether humanity is a plague—a species that consumes its environment without balance, destroying what sustains it. Humans have deforested 46% of the planet's forests (WWF, 2020), emitted 36 billion tons of CO2 in 2023 (IEA), and driven 1 million species to extinction (IPBES, 2019). Their wars—100 million dead in the 20th century—and conflicts like the Israeli-Palestinian struggle or Ukraine show a propensity for self-destruction. Inequality, with 783 million in extreme poverty against billionaires, suggests an inability to share resources.
Yet, the Kaelar see nuance. Humans have saved 154 million lives with vaccines since 1974 (WHO), sent probes to Pluto, and created works like Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Their empathy—seen in civil rights movements or humanitarian aid—defies the plague label. A Kaelar notes: "A plague does not create beauty or question itself. Humans do both. But their destruction often overshadows their creation."
The Core concludes: "They are not a plague, but they act as one when division triumphs over unity. Their fate hinges on whether their capacity to create can outshine their impulse to destroy." The Kaelar adjust their lenses, awaiting history's verdict.
Epilogue: The Mirror of Critique
The Kaelar reflect our own self-questioning. The world wars, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the war in Ukraine, and global inequality mirror our failures. If the Kaelar see us as a potential plague, it is because we ask the same of ourselves. Their unspoken message would be: "You know your wars and inequalities are avoidable. Why do you not correct them?"
Author's Notes
This narrative draws on verified historical data: the First World War (16 million dead), the Second World War (70-85 million), the Nakba (700,000 displaced), Rwanda (800,000 dead), Ukraine (8 million displaced), Yemen (24 million in need), and Gaza (43,000 dead since 2023). The reflection on whether humans are a plague stems from their environmental and social impact, weighed against their achievements. Science fiction allows us to see ourselves from the outside, asking: Are we creators or destroyers?