The Wretched and the Beautiful Notes

Aliens unexpectedly arrived at 6:42 PM on a hot August evening.
Their saucer landed on one of Earth's last pristine beaches.
Initial fright turned into curiosity as people gathered with police and emergency technicians.
An experimental shot fired by a policeman ricocheted off the saucer, prompting caution.
At sunset, pounding sounds emerged from inside the ship, suggesting the aliens might be trapped.

A machinist was conscripted to cut open the saucer.
After the top half of the saucer was cut open, a voice inside said in French, "We do not have weapons. We do not have anything."
The aliens were marched to a neon-lit area, revealing a shivering, shambling crowd of sixty-four, including juveniles.
Their biology was unfamiliar, and their movements were sickening to watch.

The aliens requested a place to stay, but hoteliers protested due to various concerns.
A teacher offered a single room for two nights, but her offer was met with silence.
Journalists arrived, shifting the responsibility to national and international organizations.
Headlines declared first contact, the end of the Fermi paradox, and potential breakthroughs in science and engineering.
The aliens explained they were fleeing a cleansing operation in their star system and sought peace, rest, and a power source for their translator.

People averted their eyes from the crashed ship and the huddled aliens, admiring the scenery instead.
Some individuals left small offerings for the aliens before leaving.
The responsibility was shifted to governors, senators, and heads of state.
Countries agreed to resettle the aliens in inverse proportion to national wealth, sparking protests from poorer nations and the aliens themselves.
The aliens needed an environment with a specific mixture of helium and neon, as well as nutrients abundant in shrimp and crab, which were scarce.

People resented the idea of their resources being used to care for the aliens.
There were demands for the aliens to earn their keep or leave.
News reports of alien misbehavior, such as eating a neighbor's cat, fueled negative sentiment.
Politicians campaigned on a platform of alien repatriation and won.
Violent acts were committed against the aliens, including beatings and arson.
People worried about their jeopardized futures and clouded dreams.

Rockets carrying gorgeous beings landed in major world capitals.
These beings presented themselves as solutions to the alien problem.
Initially fluid and reflective, they gradually took on humanlike forms, resembling idealized versions of ourselves.
They spoke of a mistake and the escape of war criminals who had infiltrated the solar system.
They offered to take the sixty-four aliens back to their home system.

The beautiful ones asked for the sixty-four aliens to be remitted to them, promising they would never disturb humanity again.
A woman in Berlin questioned the guilt of the alien children, but her concerns were largely dismissed.
She referred to the alien children as children and expressed concern for their well-being if they were to be returned.
The beautiful ones described the alien children as destructive larvae rather than innocent children. Note the dehumanization of the alien children.
The beautiful ones were met with clamorous agreement and wild applause.

The beautiful ones received widespread support, leading to the decision to remit the aliens.
The cameras turned off, and people went about their lives, satisfied with their participation in history.
Some witnessed the beautiful ones taking the aliens away, but chose to ignore it.
All traces of the aliens disappeared, leaving only blackened patches of grass and wisps of smoke.
All was presented as well, closing the chapter on the alien arrival.