The Next Starfighter

[Asperion]

Assume that the events in the movie The Last Starfighter actually did happen in the year that the movie actually takes place. The events happened exactly as depicted in the movie. Now it is x years later (I am now interested in what x actually is) and StarForce has been rebuilding and modernizing. They also realize that humans are a powerful member to add to their force and have been taking people who pass the entrance exam to serve in the Force. At the same time Xur has rebuilt his forces and is wanting to recruit humans into his forces.

 

Here are some questions:

1 - How would this impact Earth tech and society(ies)?

2 - Which side would you choose to fight for (if you do)?

3 - Would Xur turn his attention toward Earth?

4- How would this impact Earth's religions?

 

If there is anything else that you would like to mention please feel free to mention it.

[Ninja-Bear]

Holy flashback to childhood ! Its been a long time since I seen it, but definitely Xur would turn his attention to earth. They caused his defeat didn't they?

[csyphrett]

If the recruitment is like Alex's, I doubt the impact on Earth until Xur gets there would be anything. After all the aliens didn't tell people they were recruiting. Now if they had an office to sign up, then maybe there would be some kind of diplomatic ties established. Technology might be exchanged but nothing big. heroes would fight for the league I assume. Maybe Xur would turn his attention to Earth if he knew where to find it. It wouldn't impact Earth's religions at all.CES

[SteveZilla]

"Star League: The Alex Rogan story". A lot of the impact on Earth depends upon how covert/overt both sides are in their interactions (recruitment/manufacturing/control/domination) with everyday people. And Xur's defeat at the hands of Alex and Grig had a lot of luck in its initial conditions. Had Alex not gotten cold feet he likely would have perished with the other Starfighters -- end of story in that case. Grig (and though him, his planet) shares in the credit of defeating Xur, but being already in the Federation(?) Xur would have easier access to Earth, being on the outside.

 

[Sundog]

If both sides stayed covert (and both sides have reasons to - The Star League due to it's rules on contacting undeveloped societies, Xur because he doesn't want the League to know what he's doing), then the general population would likely remain blissfully ignorant of the whole shebang. Not so governments - at the very least, a disappearance pattern of people with high reaction times, skilled pilots (why re-invent the wheel?) and high intellects (Alex was smart) would set off all kinds of red flags in intelligence agencies. Not to mention the fact that counter-intel groups would come to the conclusion that there was one (or more) new "players" in the game pretty quick.

OVERT interaction would change everything. This could have almost any political outcome - best case, we create (or repurpose the UN to be) a new world government responsible for off-world interactions. Worst case, The planet forms pro-Xur and pro-League blocs and faces off in a new Cold War - which might well not stay very cold.

One certainty is that the US would be one of the big losers. In addition to the religion problem (see below), the uS just got demoted from top of the heap (or at least first among the developed world) to just another nation. The US suddenly has no technological edge over anyone, and if either side starts offering military aid to those on it's side, suddenly the US would find that a great many nations won't trade with it any more. Without fear of US military might, much of the developed world will simply kick US companies out as soon as possible.

Religion would take a BIG hit. Pretty much every major world religion gives humankind a central role in the universe. The fact we're just one among many would meltdown a lot of people's world views. In places where religion is less important (say, most of the west, China) this would translate to strong social disruption. In places where religion is strong (Africa, USA, South America) you could see countries coming apart due to religious disintegration of mainstream sects and the rise of new forms.

[The Weapon]

If both sides stayed covert (and both sides have reasons to - The Star League due to it's rules on contacting undeveloped societies, Xur because he doesn't want the League to know what he's doing), then the general population would likely remain blissfully ignorant of the whole shebang. Not so governments - at the very least, a disappearance pattern of people with high reaction times, skilled pilots (why re-invent the wheel?) and high intellects (Alex was smart) would set off all kinds of red flags in intelligence agencies. Not to mention the fact that counter-intel groups would come to the conclusion that there was one (or more) new "players" in the game pretty quick.

OVERT interaction would change everything. This could have almost any political outcome - best case, we create (or repurpose the UN to be) a new world government responsible for off-world interactions. Worst case, The planet forms pro-Xur and pro-League blocs and faces off in a new Cold War - which might well not stay very cold.

One certainty is that the US would be one of the big losers. In addition to the religion problem (see below), the uS just got demoted from top of the heap (or at least first among the developed world) to just another nation. The US suddenly has no technological edge over anyone, and if either side starts offering military aid to those on it's side, suddenly the US would find that a great many nations won't trade with it any more. Without fear of US military might, much of the developed world will simply kick US companies out as soon as possible.

Religion would take a BIG hit. Pretty much every major world religion gives humankind a central role in the universe. The fact we're just one among many would meltdown a lot of people's world views. In places where religion is less important (say, most of the west, China) this would translate to strong social disruption. In places where religion is strong (Africa, USA, South America) you could see countries coming apart due to religious disintegration of mainstream sects and the rise of new forms.

The pattern would be in the dozens of disappearances worldwide, if that. That's not a big pattern. Sure someone might twig that there are more disappearances of people with high reaction times, if they knew people's reaction times. But they don't. At they might know someone plays video games well. Remember they didn't try for trained pilots originally, apparently Starfighters are pretty intuitive to fly. Even if counterintelligence agencies figured out who was being taken, they can do nothing about it. There are just too many people who qualify to keep tabs on even a fraction. Plus there's no apparent threat.

 

Overt intervention is revolutionary. Mankind gets access to a massive technology boost even if they only spare us their obsolete junk. The US would be no better at adapting to it that smaller, poorer countries, so it would lose out relatively.

 

But religion wouldn't really be affected. Sure God made us in his image, and he made them in it too. See how humanoid they look? So let's covert them.

[Asperion]

Assume that the events in the movie The Last Starfighter actually did happen in the year that the movie actually takes place. The events happened exactly as depicted in the movie. Now it is x years later (I am now interested in what x actually is) and StarForce has been rebuilding and modernizing. They also realize that humans are a powerful member to add to their force and have been taking people who pass the entrance exam to serve in the Force. At the same time Xur has rebuilt his forces and is wanting to recruit humans into his forces.

 

Here are some questions:

1 - How would this impact Earth tech and society(ies)?

2 - Which side would you choose to fight for (if you do)?

3 - Would Xur turn his attention toward Earth?

4- How would this impact Earth's religions?

 

If there is anything else that you would like to mention please feel free to mention it.

 

Assuming they remain covert -

1 & 4 - very little change. Several people will disappear and start more alien stories but other than that most people would continue as though they were before.

2 - Which side came to me with the better argument as to why I should join them?

3 - His main efforts would be towrds his primary enemy - the StarForce. Earth would only be attacked by a side force to gain more slaves to aid in that effort.

 

Assuming they go overt -

1 - Most societies will start open trade with both sides and have huge gains in tech and there will be a sudden change in the balance of power as the new tech works its way through all the societies.

2 - Which side came to me with the better argument as to why I should join them?

3 - His main efforts would be towrds his primary enemy - the StarForce. Earth would only be attacked by a side force to gain more slaves to aid in that effort.

4 - Several new religions will be created to explain all the non-human intelligences. Most of the current existing religions will have to either adapt or perish and find some way to include all the extraterrestrials that are suddenly arriving.