OT: Alien invasion

[Targan]

Let me state first that I'm not trying to gainsay anybody's ideas or display how clever I am. I like Wes' and Army SGT's ideas and I'm just running a critical eye over them.

Originally Posted by ArmySGT.

Terrestrial life as food sources. There is a one in four chance that the proteins would be edible to a extra terrestrial traveler.

Once again, the high technology of a species that can cross interstellar space makes this idea redundant. You're absolutely right about the proteins though. Maybe if the aliens were like those in the Predator films this could be a factor (the aliens have a racial imperative to hunt and devour other sentient species).

Originally Posted by ArmySGT.

Miners. Taking humans to be miners in belt colonies.

Collecting or harvesting specimens for inter galactic zoos.

I can totally dig these ideas. If genetic engineering was an area of technology the invading aliens weren't so good at maybe subjugating a slave species would be a valuable outcome for them.

Originally Posted by ArmySGT.

Water.

Why? There are incredibly vast amounts of water in space that would be much easier to access than the water at the bottom of the Earth's gravity well. The Oort Cloud (where the comets come from) contains untold trillions of gigalitres of water. And frankly if you can cross interstellar space you can most likely manufacture water cheaply and efficiently from hydrogen and oxygen.

[ArmySGT.]

Originally Posted by Targan

Let me state first that I'm not trying to gainsay anybody's ideas or display how clever I am. I like Wes' and Army SGT's ideas and I'm just running a critical eye over them.

I think it well established that the participants use each other as sounding boards more than gathering for a consensus. A bit of criticism is good for the ego. Keeps mine in check anyway.

Originally Posted by Targan

Once again, the high technology of a species that can cross interstellar space makes this idea redundant. You're absolutely right about the proteins though. Maybe if the aliens were like those in the Predator films this could be a factor (the aliens have a racial imperative to hunt and devour other sentient species).

This assumes that a closed loop biosphere requiring only nutrient input and energy input is possible at their level and economically feasible. Stopping along the way and harvesting biomass may be cheaper or consume less than carrying along a garden the size of the Ukraine.

Originally Posted by Targan

I can totally dig these ideas. If genetic engineering was an area of technology the invading aliens weren't so good at maybe subjugating a slave species would be a valuable outcome for them.

Maybe it is the sheer biodiversity of our world. Maybe they see everything on the earth as an exploitable resource. Kangaroo liver becomes a moisturizer, and the human hypothalamus is an aphrodisiac, and garden slugs are the new frozen treat.

Originally Posted by Targan

Why? There are incredibly vast amounts of water in space that would be much easier to access than the water at the bottom of the Earth's gravity well. The Oort Cloud (where the comets come from) contains untold trillions of gigalitres of water. And frankly if you can cross interstellar space you can most likely manufacture water cheaply and efficiently from hydrogen and oxygen.

We assume this. Maybe purifiying the water out of trillions or tons of gravel, primitive proteins and peptides, along with common radioactive elements and heavy metals makes it simpler to extend a 500km siphon into liquid water at the bottom of a gravity well.

[weswood]

Originally Posted by ArmySGT.

I think it well established that the participants use each other as sounding boards more than gathering for a consensus. A bit of criticism is good for the ego. Keeps mine in check anyway.

Man, that's a fact. My friends and peers are always telling me I'm one of the smartest guys they know, then I get on this board and the truth is revealed!

[manunancy]

A few thoughts about that :

* one major point is that the aliens at a minmum want to have a bipshere that's at least in a decent shape - henc nop major nuking or crashing a dino-killer comet or asteroïd into Earth.

* as far as motivation go, onenovel I read had a race of robotic sentiences evolved from some old probe which had a 'creed' bas on some old garbled lines of code form their remote ancestors who basicaly ordered them to 'find uses for things'. Which meant they experminented with slave labor and using human parts int themselves to see how they could use humans... Something along that line might work.

Another option to explain for a relative lack of ressource could be that said aliens are basically underfunded criminals who think the humans would make perfect novelty slave and their planet would offer plenty of exotic pets and foodustuffs to sell under the counter. The spacegoing equivalent of somali pirates mixed with sudanese horse-mounted raiders. They first gatheed amples to evaluate the market (UFO sigthings, abductions and cow mutilations) and now the don has decided it's time to take charge and really start the market.

Using dumb and fast-breeding goons would be both a way to save on the transport bil and help with keeping teh operation out of the glactic law enforcement's eye. Get a few gigatons of old surplus weaponry scheduled for recycling, a handfull of breeders and move all that into the solar systems would be easier than assembling an invasion force in a settled system. No nosy neighbours to call he cops.

Note : and since these gusy are basically criminals using dumb muscle, it offers a nice explanation for suboptimal planning and tactics : their weapon mix is what they can scroune from the recycling yard and they have little military experience, giving the locals a chance to fend off the thugs...