Barfoot:
"War is truly something I don't understand. I mean, why all this destruction and chaos? Can't humans live in harmony without conflict? Is war and bloodshed really the best solution they've come up with to solve their problems? What saddens me most is how soldiers kill other soldiers in war—even though they know nothing about each other. They do it simply because their leaders told them to. If not for those orders, and if not for the conflicts between leaders, the soldiers of both sides could've been friends instead of part of all this madness.
The government assigned me to build a nuclear bomb to use against their enemies. I didn't want to do it, but they forced me—and I don't think I need to explain what they did to make me comply (psychological and physical torture, blackmail, etc…). After I finished building the bomb, I noticed it was extremely unstable and could destroy the entire planet. I warned the government about the danger, but did they listen? Of course not. Who am I to tell them what to do? I'm just a slave who follows orders and stays silent. Their obsession with winning the war blinded them to the consequences of their actions.
So I boarded my ship and escaped the planet before it exploded. Or rather, I set off on a journey to find a new planet to live on after my homeworld was destroyed. Am I sad about what happened to it? Yes… and no. I'm sad because my home was destroyed, but at the same time, I had hope I'd find a better world to live in—a peaceful place without war or corrupt leaders.
Then I found Earth. I landed in a kingdom called Kortan. I was afraid the people there would be scared of me since I was an alien outsider, but after meeting them, I discovered two things. The first was that they're just like me—human. That shocked me. It turns out all those movies portraying alien life as ugly monsters were lying to us. The second thing I discovered was that they didn't have modern technology. They hadn't even discovered electricity, the internet, or modern science. They were a primitive people.
The young prince of the kingdom, Clinton Morson, requested an audience with me. He asked why I had come to his kingdom, so I told him my whole story. I also explained that I was a brilliant scientist and could help improve their way of life—make it easier and better—if they allowed me to live there. The prince agreed, and I began working.
It was fascinating to share my knowledge of modern technology with the primitive people of Kortan. Fortunately, they were quick learners and welcomed my ideas. Within five years, I had transformed Kortan into a technologically advanced nation powered by electricity, internet, robotics, vehicles, and more. But some people misused my knowledge to build dangerous weapons—laser swords and blaster guns.
I opposed the idea, but Prince Clinton was impressed by the power of the weapons. Laser swords were far stronger than regular swords, so he built academies to train people in their use and formed a powerful force called the Knights of Light. Even though I wasn't thrilled about creating weapons, I was still proud of what I had done for the kingdom. I had helped them greatly. Helping these people eased the guilt I carried for building the bomb that destroyed my homeworld.
But then… something terrible happened. Other kingdoms and nations on Earth became jealous of Kortan's technology and tried to invade. I had hoped to find a planet without war or conflict, but Earth wasn't much different from my old world.
The bright side was that all their invasions failed miserably. The other kingdoms were underdeveloped—just like Kortan had been before I arrived. They fought with primitive tools—ordinary swords, spears, bows, and horses—which were no match for the advanced technology Kortan now possessed. Laser swords, blasters, bombs, and combat robots were more than enough to win every war. In fact, the people of Kortan were winning without suffering any losses.
I was glad that Kortan's people were unharmed, but I was also disturbed by the destruction we caused to our enemies. Yes, they were greedy and aggressive, but I believed there had to be a better way to resolve these conflicts. I suggested to Prince Clinton that we share our technology with the other nations—this would prevent future invasions. But the prince disagreed. He only cared about his kingdom's interests and believed that sharing our technology would make others powerful enough to one day destroy us.
I didn't agree with his reasoning. We had a fierce argument and couldn't reach an understanding. I decided I would leave Kortan and help the other kingdoms instead—but the prince stopped me and had me imprisoned. And here I am, stuck in a prison for 19 years. I gave so much good to Kortan… and this is how they repaid me."
Barfoot's cellmate:
"Wow… that's quite the story. It's kind of funny, though—a genius scientist like you and a failed drug dealer like me ending up in the same place."
Barfoot:
"I won't stay in this prison forever. One day, I'll escape and achieve my greatest goal."
Cellmate:
"Your greatest goal? You mean spreading technology to the other nations?"
Barfoot:
"No. Something much greater."
---
Nearly 50 years have passed since Barfoot was imprisoned. Though he's now an old man, he still dreams of escaping and fulfilling his greatest goal…