Thursday, 6 August 2015

First Contact




(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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