A fascinating and evocative story, accompanied by a beautiful and well-done illustration, @agmoore. 👍

This story hits the nail accurately on the head. As good ideas and solutions often become untameable, hungry monsters as soon as they are industrialised and/or politcised. And it can become all the more perfidious when both happen.
We, unfortunately, have so many examples of this today.
What a great idea the aliens had to offer the consequences directly to those responsible. The costs were then too high for them. :-D