Terran (The Stranger)

Terrans are a Human-like species inhabiting Terra, an Earth-like planet with three moons in the same orbital period as Earth, only located on the other side of the sun, unknown to Humans.

Biology
Terrans are externally identical to Humans, presumably internally identical as well, with the only known difference in physiology being the fact that all Terrans are left-handed, as opposed to Humans being commonly right-handed, but not entirely so.

Culture and society
Terrans, while having many developments that mirror that of Earth, primarily developed Western nations, follow an ideology known as the Perfect Order, which has created a planetary society built around working in harmony, serving the greater whole rather than the individual. While the Perfect Order appears to have been implemented with a benign goal of creating a planet-wide sense of family after a devastating war, the enforcement of the Perfect Order involves a totalitarian state where anyone with dissenting ideas is reconditioned, executed, lobotomized in the E ward of hospitals, or implanted with incurable terminal diseases. Government officials in grey double-breasted suits are known to handle the enforcement, scrutinizing their subordinates closely, sending out pro-Perfect Order messages, organizing pep rallies supporting their ideas, and monitoring others electronically, often making announcements to the public through speakers installed in public areas. Terran soldiers, organized under a government division known as the Department of Protection, are known to wear entirely black uniforms with no visible distinctions of rank, and have been seen functioning as policemen. In addition, Terran culture had become very restrained as to comply with the Perfect Order's guidelines, including banning public concerts, religions, and any history book covering events prior to the Perfect Order's creation, while other aspects such as the consumption of alcohol are also targets of elimination. While Terran culture and freedoms have been stripped away or tightly controlled, poverty, war, starvation, and many once-negative aspects of society are known to have been eliminated, and Terran space capabilities were greatly improved. Terran civilians are known to receive welfare under a program known as Citizen's Welfare, with each individual in the system designated by a letter followed by four numbers. In addition, some sort of social credit point system exists in Terran society, with points earned by doing deeds beneficial to the government. With enough points, the average Terran citizen can become an honored citizen, although earning points appears to be a very difficult achievement. For reasons unknown, the Terran language is exactly like English, and their clothing and architecture are identical to designs seen on Earth, while their measurement systems mirror that of the imperial system.

Technology
Terran technology is known to be almost exactly identical to modern Earth technology in both function and design, although there are occasional differences, such as phone booths bearing no dials and needing no money to operate, instead having an operator connect the line to its target. Terran space-faring technology is advanced enough to reach Earth, although the program has not pursued such a goal yet.

History
Terrans arose on Terra, a planet in the Sol System on the opposite side of the sun as Earth, unknown and unseen by Humans, and developed at a similar pace. Throughout its history, Terra was a turbulent and violent planet, with Terrans going through many wars and dictatorships. At some point in the 21st century, by Earth's time, a devastating war ripped across Terra, and in its wake, the Perfect Order was founded, seeking to build a new sense of belonging and comradeship among the Terrans, bringing Terra into an age of prosperity. However, the Perfect Order soon became a basis for a totalitarian planetary state, where anyone with dissenting ideas was eliminated one way or another. As Terran space capabilities grew, they appear to have learned of Earth, but knew nothing of its surface or inhabitants. About forty years after the Perfect Order was formed, a Human NASA astronaut named Neil Stryker, returning from a deep space mission, crash-lands on Terra, his two fellow astronauts being killed in the crash. The Terran government, not recognizing the model of the ship, rescue Stryker and take him to a hospital, soon realizing he was not a Terran. Stryker is quarantined for a long period of time, assuming he was back on Earth, observed by a Terran doctor named Dr. Revere and a Terran government agent named Benedict. They routinely drugged Stryker while he was asleep, questioning him and finding out about Earth and Human accomplishments. Stryker soon started to suspect that something was wrong, as he was hospitalized for far too long, and did not recognize any of the Terrans. In addition, he managed to trick Dr. Revere into revealing that he at least wasn't in the US by asking about historical figures and speaking Russian to the doctor, who did not recognize any of them. At night, when another doctor came in, Stryker attacked him and escaped, pursued by Terran soldiers led by Benedict. While running, Stryker ran into another Terran doctor named Bettina Cooke, who notified the guards of his location, although Stryker was able to evade them and escape the facility. Outside, Stryker hid in a phone booth, and attempted to call Cape Kennedy, but the operator could not connect him, as Terra had no equivalent to Florida. Then, a Terran named Roger drove by, flagged down by Stryker, and agreed to let Stryker hitch a ride, where Stryker sees the three moons of Terra and realizes he wasn't on Earth. He tries to pass off his confusion, although Roger notices other non-Terran factors about Stryker, such as the fact that Stryker was right-handed, and his question about the moons. Meanwhile, Benedict meets with other Terran government officials, organizing a manhunt for Stryker, deciding to only tell the public that Stryker is an escaped mental patient. In addition, after Dr. Revere asked for Stryker to be brought in alive, Benedict arranged to have him lobotomized in Ward E.

A call was soon sent out to the public, describing Stryker with the government's cover story, and urging the public to report him if they see him. Hearing the report on the radio, Stryker quickly left Roger near a plaza, but Roger caught on to Stryker being the suspect in the report, reporting him to the Department of Protection. Stryker entered the plaza, moving past more Terrans while seeking an escape route, soon finding a bookstore, which currently only had its elderly owner inside, taking refuge in it. Stryker asked the owner for a book on the history of Terra, and the owner gave him one, explaining that no history books on what came before the Perfect Order exist anymore due to the great strides the planet had taken, although he does briefly reminisce about certain pleasures of life that no longer existed, such as freedom of speech and public concerts.

Appearances

 * The Stranger (1973)