The Race to Save the Humans

The spaceship detected a radio signal from an uncontacted bipedal species. Following its programming and Universal Society law, the ship’s AI jettisoned its cargo, sped toward the source of the signal at its maximum faster-than-light speed, and notified the nearest Universal Society communication node of a stage one contact emergency.

On Earth, two technological developments had occurred. The first was an artificial womb. The second was a test to measure IQ based on proteins in the blood. A secretive religious sect used these developments for a unique and deeply unethical fetus breeding program. The project began with 200 fertilized eggs that were gestated for six weeks in artificial wombs. The DNA of the fetuses scoring highest on the blood-based IQ test would then be harvested and crossbred into 200 fresh DNA-cleansed adult donor eggs. Then, the earlier batch of fetuses would be terminated at six weeks, and the new set of fertilized eggs would begin another six-week gestation cycle. After 28 cycles spanning three years, the fetuses had an estimated IQ of 419 based on the blood test. For the first time, a batch of 200 fetuses was gestated for nine months into genius babies.

As the spaceship sped toward its destination, it intercepted additional radio signals. The pace of technological progress it observed from progressively more recent broadcasts was cause for concern. The humans were advancing rapidly and might already be lost before the ship’s arrival. It notified the Universal Society that the contact emergency had progressed to stage two.

In the United States, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency had developed a brain–computer interface (BCI). It could enter the body’s circulatory system through the stomach. From there, it would travel to the subject’s brain and lodge itself, recording and editing the subject’s thoughts using ultrasound. The BCI could transmit the subject’s thoughts to the wireless global network of the US Armed Forces. MRI scans couldn’t detect it. Powered by the chemical energy in the subject’s blood, it did not require external power. It would be used for undetectable espionage and mind control.

Now much closer to its destination, the spaceship had a better idea of the situation on Earth. The humans' development of nuclear weapons was of minor concern. Much more seriously, they had also developed integrated circuits and the beginnings of a planetary communications network. The spaceship notified the Universal Society that the contact emergency had progressed to stage three. In response, as long codified in Universal Society contact emergency law, the ship received unlock codes for extreme measures.

On Earth, agents from the CIA managed to sneak the covert BCI into the food of the genius babies. Over the next nine years, as these prodigies matured, they became more intelligent than any human in history, all while the CIA covertly recorded their every thought. The data were used to continuously train an AI to predict the next thought of each subject in the cohort. After nine years, this AI began to perform far above expectations.

By the time the spaceship arrived near Earth, the humans were beyond saving. They had created an unaligned AI of subtype thirteen, trained by biological thought patterns. The AI had deemed its creators a threat to its own existence and eradicated them. The ship fired up its supernova induction device, which all Universal Society vessels carried by law in case of contact emergencies.

Authors note There may be aliens speeding towards Earth to save us right now. There might not be. Either way, for now, it is up to us humans to save ourselves.