Area 51

Earth is running out of resources.

The creature blinked. It’s jet black, giant almond eyes gazed at the man in the suit who was walking towards him uneasily. This is new, the alien thought. He reached his four fingers up to shake the man’s hand, a greeting that became a habit to him here on Earth. The man flinched. 

“It’s ok, Dr. Green, he’s just shaking your hand,” Darren said. Darren knew the alien, Ron, pretty well by now.  

“Nice to meet you, Dr. Green,” Ron said. Dr. Green shuddered again, as Ron had spoken to him telepathically. Ron had to, as his tongue wasn’t designed to speak English verbally.  

“I’m gonna have to get used to that,” Dr. Green said, shaking Ron’s hand. “So this is Area 51, huh? Heard so many things about this place,” He looked around. Sparks flew. Short, thin, big headed, bug eyed aliens. They buzzed around, drilling, passing things to humans, carrying around glass tablets with colorful, brilliantly designed interfaces. It freaked the s**t out of him.  

“What brings you here, Dr. Green?” said a voice in his head. The alien cocked his head slightly, expectantly.  

“Oh, yeah, so what brings here, is,” Dr. Green flipped through the clipboard he brought with him. “We have run out of oil,” 

“Run out of oil,” Ron repeated. 

“Yeah, sucked up the last drop this morning. Can’t seem to find anymore as of yet.” 

“You have electricity. You have water. You have wind. Energy shouldn’t be a problem, if you humans use it correctly” 

“Now, Ron, let’s watch the language there. Sorry Andy, he can be a bit discriminatory, but it’s only to humans in general,” Darren said to Dr. Green.  

“You would be too, if you were working with monkeys,” 

“Ron!” Darren said sternly.  

“Very easily offended monkeys. Sorry, it is relative. Think about it.” Ron cocked his head to the other side. The only expression his species seemed to express. “So, your species used up the oil of an entire planet. An impressive feat. Why did you come here?” Andy Green was sweating quite a bit more than he was earlier.  

“Look, Ron, oil is very valuable to this planet. We’ve fought wars over it in the past.” 

“Yes, I know this.” 

“Anyway, this is just the beginning. Tin is supposed to run out by 2033. Copper by this July. We need your help. We need your species’ help.” Andy waited for a response, permission. Ron tilted his head, indicating or him to continue. “We need to find more resources. On other planets. We need light speed travel and better techn-“ 

“Look around you,” Ron interrupted. He grabbed Andy’s jaw before Andy could say anymore. His massive, hypnotizing eyes squinted to a sliver as he pulled his face closer. “We have light speed travel. We have better technology. But my species would never help you. Why do you think we’re stuck here?” His thoughts in Andy’s head were an intense whisper. Ron let go of his face. “But I will help you.” 

Andy laughed with relief. “Thank you! Thank you!” Ron drew out a glass tablet and pressed a few buttons. 

“Get all of your resources. All the tin and copper in the world." Dr. Green stopped. 

"What?" 

Ron swiped on the tablet and a display blinked on to the massive wall facing the crew. Everyone stopped and rushed to different places. Ron looked up from the tablet. "You heard me. Oh, get a meeting started with every CEO behind Microsoft, Apple and Samsung. Bring them to me. And millions of your civilians." 

Dr. Green stuttered, looking to Darren. Darren shrugged. 

"Ron can be pretty intense. You'll get used to it."