No Interference Policy

"Proximity Alert," a robotic voice said.

Lights flickered red and white inside the tiny shell of the cockpit. Utan wiped the drool off his green face and looked down at his plain grey console. There were no physical knobs or buttons, instead a blue light projected over the flat surface showing the control interface. His boney fingers phased through the projection and the metallic shield in front of the cockpit window raised.

"Oh, Father of Gazorbo!" Utan said, commanding his ship to swerve away from the human satellite that was hurdling right for him. 

His head whipped to the left, smacking his floating helmet. The helmet bounced around in the cockpit and the ship lurched. 

"Structural Damage," the robotic voice said.

Utan turned his aching head and saw the red wing of his ship seared in half. He spun his ship around and saw the satellite he ran into had stolen his wing. Embedded in the white body of the satellite, the satellite kept going on its path, unfazed by the collision.

Utan slammed his fists into the console. "Damn humans! I'll show them–"

"Incoming message," the robotic voice said.

His cockpit window was obscured by a holographic image of his commanding officer, Captain Dal. He was dressed in a blue uniform with white trim and his facial expression lacked the warmness Utan was used to seeing.

"Utan, what did you do?" Captain Dal asked.

"What did I do? The humans launched a missile at me!"

"That was no missile, it was satellite."

"Permission to engage?" Utan asked, unsure what a satellite was. 

"No. I have to explain to the humans why one of my pilots crashed into their satellite."

"But Dal–"

"That is Captain Dal to you," Captain Dal said with a stern voice. "Now how did you manage to crash into a satellite on a set orbital trajectory? And please don't tell me you were sleeping again."

Utan opened his mouth but the words couldn't come to him.

"You gotta be kidding me. Again?”

"It’s so relaxing out here, Captain."

"Well I'm glad you got your rest, because you will be working on the frigate here for a long time."

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry won't cut it this time. I am going to have to take your wings."

"No! Please Sir, I'll do better next time."

"There isn't going to be a next time. I can't keep sticking my neck out for you. Return back to base. That is an order," Captain Dal said and his holographic body disappeared. 

Utan looked out into the stars. His livelihood was about to be taken away. Working on the frigate was torture enough, but taking his wings was a death sentence. He thought about never hearing the hum of the engine or the tickling feeling of narrowly missing an asteroid. Utan could not accept this.

He flew his ship toward the wing stealing satellite and positioned himself below it. Utan grabbed his helmet and secured it on his dark green flight suit. Nitrogen levels showed optimum on his heads up display and he swiped the top of his cockpit window to open the hatch. His ship was blasted with the cold from the void, but he was safe in his suit. His hands were exposed up to the wrist. The cold did nothing more than make his joints crack when they moved. He pushed himself out of the ship and to the satellite.

Slamming hard against the frost laden surface, he clung to the satellite. He put his hand on his ship's detached wing that jutted out of the satellite. The wing still vibrated from the energy stored inside, its life dwindling by the second. 

"Don't worry little guy, I'm going to save you," Utan said.

"Utan, what are you doing?" Captain Dal's voice said in his helmet.

"I'm fixing the ship."

"Get off that satellite immediately. The humans have forgiven us since their satellite is still working."

"You can't take my wings without a fight!" Utan said more to the satellite than his commanding officer as he strained to pull the wing out of the satellite.

"Utan, that is an order! Get off that satellite!"

"Not without my wing!" Utan screamed. The wing dislodged from the satellite and he pulled it down to his ship. 

"Utan...what have you done?" Captain Dal said, defeated.

"I retrieved the wing. Coming back now."

"Don't bother. You killed us all," Captain Dal said with alarms going off in the background.

"Dal?"

"There is a reason we follow policy, Utan. The humans believe in revenge, but it goes much farther than an eye for an eye.”

"What are you saying?"

"Let's hope our deaths are enough. Have a nice life, kid."

Utan looked over to where the frigate was. It was a black dot in the sea of darkness, illuminated only once as a missile crashed into it. The explosion splashed colors of blue and red, reminding him of a supernova. It was the size of a cherry, but he knew the real price of such an explosion. Four hundred of his kind died because of him.

Utan let his arms go limp, laying on the broken wing of his ship. His mouth was agape, trying make sense of the devastation. His helmet chimed before a new voice echoed in his head. 

"This is General Huckford. You are under arrest for attacking assets of Earth. Make your way to Landing Pad 12. If you fail to comply, we will declare war on your species."

"You killed my friends!" Utan yelled. 

"And we will kill many more if you don't comply. You attacked us, we attacked you. With your compliance, we will consider it even.”

"But it was an accident."

"Sure it was. All that space to fly and you hit our defense satellite. Then you go back to finish the job. I would consider this merciful if I were you.”

Moisture filled the inside of his helmet. He wanted to take it off and end it all, but he knew he couldn't. His entire species was counting on him now. To own up to his mistake. Utan went back into his ship and flew down to the blue marble, leaving his wing behind. It was pointless to fix his ship. His life was over. His wings were clipped.