Dear Spacetravellers,

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This week's newsletter is a bit of an emotional one for me. It feels personal.

If you have lived under foreign occupation (for example due to war in your country) or even under military or social unrest, perpetrated by people who are your own compatriots, you will understand what I mean.

I have shared elsewhere that as a child, I lived through a coup d'état in my country of origin, in Africa. Now, there ARE worse things to experience in life than what I and my family experienced, yes, but nonetheless, it left some scars on all our psyches, which, I am pleased to say, we have personally worked through.

Suffice to say, one of my own personal methods for dealing with this kind of trauma, is... to get writing. The idea of the invasion on Planet Falrus, is for me, just a way for me to work out my psychological scars in a positive way.

What happens to the human mind when the sky falls — not metaphorically, but under the boots of extraterrestrial conquerors?

Living beneath alien occupation rewires entire societies. Fear becomes a currency. Routine becomes surveillance. And the nervous system becomes a battlefield long before the first laser blast hits.

Trauma & the New Normal

The first phase is shock. Historians of real-world occupations describe a psychological “freeze state” where disbelief and helplessness dominate. For civilians under alien rule, trauma embeds in daily life: food lines, curfews, propaganda broadcasts in languages we barely understand, or worse — languages tailored to manipulate.

Psychologists call this forced adaptation, where the brain learns to function under constant threat. Nightmares, hypervigilance, and generational anxiety follow long after the ships leave.

Resistance: Hope in the Shadows

Even under overwhelming power, resistance movements thrive. They are fueled not only by ideology but identity — a refusal to let the occupier define what it means to be human.

Resistance psychology hinges on:

• Small victories (sabotaged supply lines, stolen intel)
• Symbolic defiance (flags, graffiti, banned songs)
• Collective secrecy (underground networks, hidden archives)

Hope becomes a weapon. Stories become contraband. Information becomes more dangerous than guns.

Collaboration: Survival or Betrayal?

Not everyone rebels. Some collaborate.

In every historical occupation, collaboration emerges from a mix of fear, pragmatism, opportunity, or sincere belief that the occupiers bring a “better future.” Alien regimes might reward collaborators with enhanced tech, medicine, or status — creating fractures that outlast the conflict.

This creates the deepest wounds: not alien vs. human, but human vs. human.

Rebellion & the Psychology of ‘Enough’

Rebellions rarely start at the beginning — they start when trauma and humiliation collide with a spark: a martyr, a massacre, a mistake by the occupier. Once rebellion ignites, it spreads memetically. The narrative shifts from “obedience keeps us alive” to “rebellion gives us meaning.”

The Aftermath

Even if humanity wins, peace doesn’t immediately follow. Societies have to navigate:

• Retribution against collaborators
• Reintegration of rebels
• Myths of heroic resistance
• Silence around trauma

In alien occupation stories, the war may end when the ships leave — but psychologically, it lingers for generations.

Under foreign skies, humans don’t just fight for survival. They fight for the right to define their own story.

For more on Planet Falrus and african folktales, do check out Storyplanet Youtube below:

Check out Storyplanet Youtube

Wishing you warm friendship vibes and don't forget to check out my fellow authors below:

All my love,

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Joanna

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