This is actually based on a dream, and I am usually quick to let those ideas go (as they usually suck, from experience), but this one I feel have potential. I only work on three stories at once (otherwise nothing gets done), so this won't be worked on for a while, possibly never. Regardless, I'd really like to develop it a bit more before I leave it. Maybe I'll be more inspired to pick it up later if it's not just an idea. The story is about a group of aliens on earth after they had to escape their planet, which was going to be destroyed by a black hole. Many aliens decided to leave early and find a new home long before it was destroyed, while others decided to stay until the end. The main character is a woman who is a bit of an outcast from the rest of the group, as she had a child with a human. She was very young when they left the planet and doesn't feel that attached to it. This is why she decides to go with her parents when they travel back to get things they left behind, and to watch the planet be destroyed with several others from the planet. I'm not expecting you to make a plot for me. That's my job. However, I'd like to know what you would expect or like to see from a story like this. Can this work as a solely emotional and character based story, or do you think it needs more of an action plot because of the setting? I can see it going both ways, maybe at once, but I can't really decide what I want with it. I figured the planet getting destroyed would be the very end, and I have some vague ideas about minor characters and stuff, but nothing concrete. I don't suppose you would be nice enough to ask some questions about the story? That usually really gets me going.
where is the black hole? at the center of their galaxy? how will they observe it/the destruction? how is the alien able to reproduce with a human? why did they come to earth? hold old is this species?
Is it like Battlestar Galactica, where Earth is basically a lost colony of this species? The idea of an alien/human hybrid has certainly been done before, but the concept of a human-looking species is older than dirt. Actually, the idea of the planet being destroyed by the sun is vaguely remniscent of Escape to Witch Mountain. (The 60's movie, not the newer remakes) I know you weren't quite asking if the plot reminded me of anything. But if you're asking what I would expect from such a story, it would be a plot and concepts that are polar opposites of the ones I mentioned.
My main issue with this idea, is the thought of a black hole destroying the planet. You say that some stay behind till the end. Some leave early. My problem with this is that even if a black hole was right next to the planet, it would still probably take more than a generation's time for the planet to become engulfed. So, people staying till the end doesn't make sense because those people would die of old age before the black hole got them. Next, if the black hole is so close that the planet being destroyed is inevitable, the planet would probably already be unable to support life. Before getting to the planet, the black hole would have swallowed up all of the stars (suns) which support life on the planet. Without those stars, life dies long before the planet enters the black hole. And then there is the notion, that they leave their planet for Earth. That is kind of funny to me because the center of our galaxy has a black hole. Don't worry, our planet will die long before the black hole gets us when our sun begins to die. Them coming here is just funny. "Our planet will be destroyed by a black hole. Lets go over there to that planet, yes, that one near that other black hole." I think from a story like this, I would like to see some nice real, plausible science. Maybe some parallel to the scientific forces that will destroy this planet. You have a good story I think, I just would like it to be believable. I would enjoy a story like this much more if I could say, "Hey, this could happen."
Black holes' gravity is strong enough to warp time. Basically, the closer you get to a black hole, the slower time goes. Your plot seems to throw the theory of relativity straight out the window. If you're going to use something that will destroy a planet, try an aging sun. They are predictable enough to be believable.
Well, I don't know anything about black holes, so I'll probably either study them and adapt the story to fit or make it something else. Just anything that will suddenly destroy a planet, but in such a way that they would know about it. I'm imagining that these aliens will need very similar living conditions as us, which is why they moved here. And I'm thinking that earth will have no clue, though most of the story will take place in space and on their planet. They'll be observing the destruction of the planet on spaceships at a safe distance (which slightly copies Doctor Who, I know).
There could just be a natural entropy to the planet, 2012 is still ridiculous but someone's probably come up with a better disaster and screamed about it somewhere. Heck, you could even turn this into a volcanic Atlantis story or something. All I can come up with is an exploration into the character's feelings and maybe an epiphany that she wouldn't have missed what she didn't know? Or maybe she discovers something that the elders took so much for granted that they forgot to tell their children about it.
Hey, spklvr. Your story sounds pretty interesting. I like the concept. But one thing that sticks out to me that doesn't seem to fit is the reason why your character and her parents return to their home planet. If they had already left before, wouldn't they have brought everything they wanted with them? Who would go back to a planet about to be sucked into oblivion by a black-hole? I'd get the hell outta there and bring whatever I could and never return. But what if your main character is called back to help out some relatives who need help escaping? Just an idea Maybe these family members are caretakers of some technology that, if destroyed, will affect their particular alien race?
Well, I think you could write a cute short story out of it with a hand-wavy approach to the science/background. If you write anything attempting to be more structured/detailed, the other posts are right in that your idea would get torn to bits by anyone with a general knowlege of science fiction. 'Roswell' or (what's that teenage superman show?) can be hand-wavy about planet-destroying and human-alien hybrids, but even a lot of YA fiction can't get away with that much generalisation. But, saying that, if you're not completely hooked on the aliens topic, it would make an excellent story if you change 'alien' for 'Pacific Islander', e.g. from Tuvalu or Kiribati, and the threat is climate change. Many of the pacific islands are feeling the effects of sea level rise already and some islands are literally disappearing under the waves. If you combine that with a bad harvest on the islands (sea level rise under the island can destroy root systems) and a tropical cyclone, then the destruction of their 'world' could be slow or literally overnight.
How about this: your main (alien) character has never been to this dying planet. She wants to see it before it dies. Also there can be remnants of family left on the planet that she wants to see. You should remember that "normal" science isn't necessarily important in your setting. All life doesn't necessarily need oxygen, water, close proximity to the sun etc. The planet could be a "lost" planet just drifting through space towards the black hole. The people of that world knows that the planet is doomed when they reach the black hole, and some elect to leave. Basic problems as lighting and warmth (normally given by the sun), might be solved in other ways (technology, special crystals on the surface etc.). My point is that the posibillities are endless. Don't get too caught up in Earthly science. As long as your ideas are believable they'll work no matter how unnatural they are EDIT: She could also bring her family along. It would make interesting reading to see how the child and the human father react to all the alien stuff. (Btw, how humanoid is your alien race?).
A terrestrial body not in orbit around a sun is not a planet. The body not being in orbit around anything could possibly make it a rouge planet or a sub-brown dwarf, but those are exceeding rare. Furthermore without proximity around or near some heat source would render the terrestrial body so cold that no amount of technology could keep a humanoid/alien race alive, (I am talking your frozen to death in less than a second). In theory, the body could have a thick atmosphere that would retain geo-thermal heat, but none have been found. However, your right that some of the science can be made up. It is fiction after all! But, people who like science fiction really want the science to be believable, perhaps because real science is so much more interesting than made up science. If the stories premise itself is based on science that makes no sense/is literally impossible, I don't want to read it. Maybe it is just me, but I expect even fictional science to have a general understanding of basic concepts like the theory of relativity, Hubble's Law or at least the definition of what is a planet. At least have the basics, make up everything else because that can make a good story. But, don't tell me that v does not = HoD
So basically a "lost" planet without all the humptydump. Science fiction that is too bound to the laws of the Earth is dull in my opinion. Sure, a planet (or a sub-brown elf or whatever) with a self sustained heated atmosphere might not have been found yet, but that does not mean that it cannot exist. Science fiction is supposed to be fictional science based on some core laws (like the theory of relativity, Hubble's Law that you mentioned, (the universal laws)). What works on the Earth does not necessarily dictate what works in other places in the universe, which was my point
Face~palm. Please take an astronomy class Ok, I am done hijacking this thread..my apologies to the OP.
So according to yourself every single planet in the universe follows all the same principles as the Earth does? Everything that is possible on the Earth is also possible elsewhere in the universe? If that's your opinion then you might want to facepalm and take an astronomy class yourself, espescially since I mentioned in my post that the universal laws are just that, universal Read the post thoroughly before you insinuate that a poster does not know anything about what he speaks, lest you end up looking like a fool yourself. Any more questions, Spklvr? ^^
