Summit

When the summit convened, they feared the worst; the aliens, impossible to read in terms of facial and general emotional expression, presented themselves as "apocalypse neutral" (not caring about the condemnation and possible destruction of Earth one way or another). As the findings were read, the urge to argue took over a couple of times, but the aliens simply remarked that this was "a curious thing, considering the overwhelming evidence" and made a note of it. With the Earthers growing more and more despondent, the aliens ended their report early to avoid an incident of mass hysteria; they felt it best to cut to the chase. "You're safe," the aliens said (in the unique way they could all intone together as if they were one voice). "The challenges before you are great, but the growth margins are so vast and extraordinary that to interfere now would be egregious. In your own words, you are a "hot mess", but the very idiosyncrasies that have created your dilemmas are the very quirks that make triumph unpredictable but possible at the same time. You're not lacking charm as a species ... although you are not commendable in the way that cows are commendable, because they are gentler with higher integrity. Still, you're safe." The aliens didn't add "for now", but everyone watching the global broadcast added that silently in their minds.