Help sometimes isn't

When Kraga returned to his post after taking some nourishment, he detected an uncomfortable attitude in his workmate.

“Plaga,” he said (in their alien language). “What have you done? Have you been interfering in human activity again?”

“It was just a little thing. It wasn’t important. And nobody saw anything.”

“Plaga, our job is to observe ONLY. Any meddling could result in devastating consequences. You know this. You’ve been disciplined for such intrusions before, and been warned that another such event would lead to a demotion.”

“But this job is so boring, Kraga. I need a little change sometimes. Besides, I was just trying to help a couple of humans.”

“What did you do?” scowled Kraga.

“Well, I was observing an aircraft flying across the ocean. Then I noticed a large group of seabirds heading directly toward the plane. A collision would likely have killed the two people in the plane as well as some of the birds. So I used the Mass Manipulator to alter the birds course a bit.”

“But Plaga, perhaps such an accident was supposed to occur. You can’t do such things.”

“I know, I know” Plaga whimpered. “It’s my desire to help is all. Please don’t report me. What if…what if I put the aircraft and the birds back where they were before I moved the flock? Could you forget this ever happened? Please.”

“Alright, but this is last time,” replied Kraga.

***************

Aboard the twin-engine Lockheed Electra, navigator Fred Noonan was shaking his head while recalculating their position. A moment before he’d been sure they were nearly to their destination, Howland Island. Eyes tearing, he looked to the pilot, Amelia Earhart.

“We’re almost out of fuel, Amelia. We’re not gonna make it.”