(Picture Credit - First Contact by Screengoblin)
“Ah, do come in Professor Nelson!” smiled John Sheriff,
“This is something you have to see.”
“Thank You,” replied the professor, “That’s Bob to you
John.”
Bob was swiftly ushered to a seat before an impressive
view screen.
John: “We recorded this yesterday, Bob.”
An attendant pressed the “Play” button and on came a
video. It showed John sitting watching the same screen. But that screen was the
face of someone humanoid but not human. A conversation began:
John: “Qued ratha nal debaquo Keevark?”
Keevark: “I am fine John. I must say you have mastered
our language well. But I’m happy to talk with you in English today. I have much
to explain.”
John: “Okay Keevark, but our linguists will be
disappointed!”
“Freeze!” snapped John in real time, and the video was
duly “paused”.
Bob: “You’ve been talking with aliens?” (His face said
it all).
John: “Yes Bob. Non-humans for sure. We made first
contact about six months ago. As I said there our translating team have done a
fine job. And no, the government would not allow us to go public on this.”
Bob: “Truly amazing. I never dreamt… But why do you
need my
help?”
John: “You’ll see in a minute Bob. To say we are
having trouble locating these aliens is rather an understatement. Please
resume there Simon.”
Simon pressed “Play” again and the onscreen
conversation resumed.
Keevark: “Let me cut to the chase, as you say. You
recall, John, that when you asked what solar system we are from, I had no idea
what you meant. Your concept ‘planet’ is baffling too. We all know the world is
flat, so this ‘spheres’ business had my bosses baffled. Anyway, here is
something that might help: new images from our latest space probe!”
Suddenly another picture filled the screen. It was an
exterior view, of clouds! And then the faint outlines of some high-looking
structure appeared. That structure got closer, but then it seemed that the
spaceship veered to starboard. Eventually there was a view of what looked like
buildings ahead before the whole picture broke up. Keevark reappeared onscreen.
Keevark: “That’s the best shot we’ve ever had of
‘God’s Tower’ John, and now we’ve glimpsed the ‘Heavenly City’!”
John: “So that was a ‘space flight’ film?”
Keevark: “Yes John. Our scientists are very excited.”
John: “Thanks Keevark. Leave that with us my friend. Our
scientists will be keen to analyse this. Will get back to you.”
The screen went blank. John turned to the attendant,
“Okay Simon, show Bob the magnified version of that ‘space’ video please.”
Simon duly pressed the relevant buttons. There was
that tall building again. But now it was a clearer, enhanced image, of a
television mast! And as the video rolled on it became equally clear that they
were viewing a country village. As the view got nearer they could make out the
first building of that village: “The Rose and Crown” pub! Then the picture
broke up.
John: “Amazing eh Bob? And we now know exactly where
this is! It’s a village called Everthorpe. We have a crew there now. They are
camped on the very source of Keevark’s TV transmission.”
Bob: “They’ve found his transmitter?”
John: “More than that Bob, we’ve pinpointed where his
world is. Trouble is, there seems to be nothing there. That’s where you
come in. Do you want to come and look?”
Bob: “Would love to. But I’ve got a hunch we’re going
to need a microscope.”
John looked puzzled. Then his face changed as the
penny dropped.
Hours later Bob, John and some others were hunched
over a very large electronic microscope. The instrument was aimed at a big flat
slimy rock on the moors near Everthorpe.
Bob: “Got it!”
He pulled all sorts of faces as he examined his
findings. “Come and have a look John,” he suggested.
John looked at the mini-screen. He was looking down at
a modern-looking city!
Bob: “No wonder you couldn’t find them John. I reckon
that our bacteria are their mice. In fact these people could
almost be described as a species of bacteria. No wonder they still think the
world is flat.”
John: “Amazing! So small, yet they’ve reached our
1950s technology. And they even look like us. This is going to take
some explaining to Keevark, not to mention our government.”
Bob: “Sure is. Best of luck with that John.”
Paul
Butters
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