Contact

by M. D. Neu

  Todd forgot the phones had been out. Maybe the phones could have been working intermediately. How else could he have spoken with Brad? Crap! How could I be so careless?

  He returned to the sofa. “He’s a mess.”

  Jerry nodded.

  “Considering the things going on, he seems pretty good,” Dan said. “Good job trying to calm him down with the phone thing. You know they still aren’t working, but it’ll give him something to focus on.” He glanced up at Todd. “I’ve got to say I’m impressed with how well you’re handling this. It’s like you knew this was coming.”

  Todd chuckled nervously.

  Rubbing his forehead, Jerry turned. “Dan, would the military fire on civilians?”

  “It’s possible,” Dan said. “If they had to. That’s what they’ve been trained to do, but they would use their guns more to scare people. Fire over their heads. Our guys are trained well and aren’t the gun nuts and baby killers the libs try to make them out to be.” He took a shaky breath. “I guess the next forty-eight hours will tell.” He glanced at their drinks. “Who’s ready for another round? I’m pouring.”

  Eleven: Welcome

  STANDING IN THE shower, feeling the hot spray of water falling down the sides of his face, Todd was preoccupied with thoughts of the aliens.

  Sure, the media reports said they were a dual sex humanoid species, but what did that mean? Were the released photos of the Nentraee accurate? Would they have different races like humans? What was their culture? Why were they here? Why did they pick Earth? Were these the same aliens that had been visiting the planet for decades? Taking people and experimenting on them? And if they weren’t, then did that mean there were even more aliens? Did those aliens exist, or did people make false claims?

  He found it hard to focus. Still, he tried to enjoy the relaxation of the hot water as it hit him.

  I need to wake up.

  He yawned and finally picked up his razor. It was so much easier to shave his goatee in the shower. How could anyone shave without running water hitting their face and the steam? It made such a difference. He shaved around his goatee, making sure its lines were straight and neat.

  “Todd, it’s almost time,” Jerry called out. “The address will start in a few minutes. You better hurry up.”

  “I’ll be right there.” Todd turned off the showerhead and grabbed a towel. “I need to get dressed unless you want me to come out there naked.”

  “No thanks, girl!” Dan shouted. “I’m sure the aliens aren’t ready to see that yet. And, child, neither am I.”

  “Bitch!” shouted Todd.

  Once dressed, he walked into the living room and sat on the sofa. “See—plenty of time.”

  Jerry ran his hand through Todd’s damp hair. He held out his wet fingers, letting the droplets fall on Todd’s chest. Then Jerry wiped what didn’t drip off onto Todd’s pants. “While you were in the shower, Kati called,” Jerry said. “She wanted to make sure we were okay, seeing as you’re a drama queen and all. You know, make sure you weren’t hiding under the bed.”

  Todd shook his head harder than needed so that he would get Jerry wet.

  “Hey! Jerk.” Jerry pulled up a pillow to try to block the water but was too slow. “Anyway, she said there were only a few people at your workplace, so they closed up and headed home. I guess the boss man didn’t even show.”

  “Good.”

  “She said the roads were pretty empty and most places seemed closed. Anyway, she got ahold of her brother in New York, and he told her it was quiet there too and security was tight. I mean, even tighter than after nine-eleven. Anyway, I told her you’d call later.”

  “Crap!” Todd said. “I didn’t even think to call her. Man, she’s gonna kick my ass.”

  Dan said, “Yep, you’re toast. But don’t worry, I’ll come to your funeral. I’ve got this sexy as hell, little black number that will drive the menz crazy.”

  Jerry rested his hand on Todd’s leg. “She’s fine. A little shaken but good. Friends of hers came over last night, and they watched the news together.”

  “Good. I’m glad she wasn’t alone.” Todd scratched his goatee. “I should’ve called her. Hell, I didn’t even check in with my gaming group. I’m sure they’re okay, but I should’ve at least tried, well not last night, but this morning now that things are working again. I’ll post some messages and let folks know we’re fine. I was focused on us, and I didn’t even think of our friends.” He reached for his laptop.

  “Bitch, please get off the cross,” Dan said. “Someone needs the wood. Don’t worry, they’re all fine. It’s not like anyone called you. Plus, as your oldest and dearest friend, I can assure you, if I wasn’t already here you wouldn’t have been a big priority for me either. That’s how we are. That’s how everyone is. In times of extreme stress, we can only typically focus on what’s in front of us.”

  “Seriously, you wouldn’t have even tried to contact us?” Jerry said. “And I’ve known you for how long?”

  “Long enough to know not to answer that question.” Dan waggled his eyebrows. “Honey, everyone was freaking out and they probably still are. It’s not that they don’t care, they’re in shock.” He reached out and patted Todd’s leg. “It’s like after nine-eleven. People were glued to their TV’s worrying what was going to happen next. And yes, I would call and check in with you guys at some point, but not right away. It doesn’t mean I don’t love you.” He batted his eyelashes. “Anyway, just pretend you weren’t able to get through. Don’t admit to it. Duh.” He beamed and winked at Todd. “Well, that’s what I would do. Of course, I’ve grown fond of my balls. Now zip it. They’re getting ready to start.”

  Todd left his laptop where it was and glanced at the television as the anchor talked about reactions from around the world. Images of different locations flashed on the split screen as the newscaster continued.

  The Pope held a special mass at the Vatican as tens of thousands of people poured into Saint Peter’s Square; it was the largest gathering in modern memory. There were so many faithful, that the Swiss Guard called in the Italian military to provide additional crowd control.

  The image changed. It showed Prague; the people there had panicked and rioted in the streets. Several large fires had been started with reports of mass casualties. It took local police and the military several hours to get things under control, not only in the city but the surrounding area as well.

  Reports from Brisbane showed broken windows and small fires in the downtown area. Looters left broken out windows on several stores. There was minor panic, but the local police had it under control. An evening overshot showed the city quiet in anticipation of what the visitors had to say.

  Next came a picture of the North Korean flag. The news anchor adjusted in their seat. “It has been reported by the South Korean News Agency and American Armed Forces at the demilitarized zone that troop movements along the border with North Korea have stopped. Current reports say that the North has pulled its military back and left only a few soldiers to protect the border.”

  “Doesn’t surprise me,” said Dan.

  The screen changed once more, pulling up images from the Middle East. The anchor turned and spoke to a different camera. “Reactions from Cairo to Tehran have been silent. Our correspondent in Cairo reports that once the announcement was made all violence stopped. Most of the population gathered at local mosques.

  “In Saudi Arabia, the roads leading to Mecca and Medina are filled with pilgrims. After both Israel and Palestine authorities issued their statements, all hostilities ceased.”

  As the time for the address drew closer, the anchorperson appeared again to speak. This was live. The other pieces were replays from earlier.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, we are moments away from the Nentraee delegation’s arrival at the General Assembly Hall. This will be our first look at this new species. We are—” The newsperson stopped and turned. “Yes, the speaker general is on her way. With that, we go to the General
Assembly Hall at the UN.”

  The UN Secretary General Duck-Hwan Park stood behind his green marble desk with the president of the General Assembly and the Undersecretary General Assembly Affairs and Conference Services. Behind him was the UN emblem on a gold background. “Ladies and gentleman of the Assembly, my fellow Terrans, I would like to introduce Speaker General Mirtoff Esmi of the Nentraee people.”

  The crowd of delegates stood and applauded. The doors to the hall opened and through them came what appeared to be a tall female flanked by two attendants. They moved to the lectern as applause thundered.

  Todd leaned forward and studied the woman, fascinated. She and the other aliens seemed tall but not so tall that they stood out. As reported, the aliens were, in fact, humanoid in appearance; two eyes, a nose, a mouth, and two ears.

  She wore a beautiful, purple cloak, embroidered in gold and silver with different symbols on it, each as elaborate as the next. From what Todd noticed as the camera zoomed in, it seemed Middle Eastern in style or even African.

  That’s kind of interesting. I guess it makes sense. Two arms, two legs, one head, what other fashion options could there be?

  The material had a heaviness to it. The fabric moved like the leaves of a tree on a windy day. Under it, he noted, she was in what appeared to be a functional human suit. Todd wasn’t sure how to describe the color. It was a light cream color below, but the top was as white as snow.

  The camera focused on the Speaker General and the world saw her face. Her skin was smooth and a fetching tan tone that offset her auburn hair perfectly. She had pronounced pointed ears. Her eyes were a rich, dark brown. The bridge of her nose didn’t stop at where her eyebrows would be if she had any but continued up her forehead into her hairline. The alien’s hairline seemed farther back, revealing a large forehead that seemed to have gentle ridges and dimples in it. It wasn’t unattractive, but it sure wasn’t human. Her hair was done up in an elaborate braided bun. Her features were darker than her guards’, but they shared the strong forehead, the continuation of the nose, and pronounced ears. Todd thought the Speaker General was by far the most attractive.

  Her attendants wore a different type of outfit from her under their red cloaks. They also had embroidered symbols on them, different from the Speaker General’s.

  “You think those Nentraee with her are like guards or something?” Todd asked.

  “Duh. Ya think?” Dan said.

  “No weapons?” Jerry asked, turning to Dan.

  “Don’t count on it,” said Dan, his eyes not leaving the TV. “They have them concealed, I’m sure. Probably under their dress robes. There is no way they would let their leader come here unprotected. Assuming this is their actual leader, it’s possible they are sending someone in her place. It’s not like we would know. Honestly, I’m surprised there aren’t more people with her. Making me suspect that this isn’t actually their speaker general.”

  The speaker general stood at the matching lectern with a smaller version of the UN seal on it. The lectern was in front of the desk for the UN Secretary-General. Her posture was ramrod straight and her shoulders level. She scanned the assembly hall with an air of confidence. Todd suspected she might be covering up her own nervousness. An apprehension everyone on Earth was suffering, possibly even more than anyone up there in those ships.

  “Good afternoon, representatives of Earth,” the speaker general said.

  Musical qualities to her voice gave her an almost singsong accent. It wasn’t a soft female voice; it was stronger than what he was used to.

  “Thank you for allowing me to address you. As the UN Secretary General said, I am Mirtoff Esmi, the speaker general and leader of the Nentraee people. It is a great honor for me to stand before you today.”

  There was applause that forced her to stop and wait before she continued.

  “I shall speak to why we have come to Earth. We are here during a time of great need. Our home world, Benzee, was destroyed years ago by an astrological event. Before our planet’s destruction, we put all of our resources into saving as many of our people as possible. This was not an easy task. I am saddened to say out of the four hundred million citizens of our world, we only rescued a little over two million. We had to leave most of our people to perish in the devastation.”

  The camera watched as she scanned the room. Her pain and humility were palpable. This wasn’t easy for her. It couldn’t be easy for any of them. Mirtoff’s shoulders dropped and her eyes softened.

  “The last of our civilization, our culture, and our home are on our ships that now circle your world. We have spent many years searching for a planet to call home. Eleven months ago, we received a signal from Earth. We followed that signal here. We did not know what to expect when we found you. Your signals were random. Your messages strange to us. Most seemed disturbingly violent.”

  This caused the room to stir. There were hushed comments in the background. She stopped for a moment and watched the reactions from the room. Her face shifted with a second of uncertainty before she continued. It wasn’t something she should have said, but she couldn’t take it back now.

  “As we moved closer, we were not positive we would find anyone alive, based purely on what we saw on those recorded messages. We do not judge. It is a shared history for both of us. We, too, have a history of violence with our own people. A violence that almost destroyed us. You can imagine our great pleasure when we found you alive and your world intact. We did not expect to find as advanced a civilization as you have here. It pleases us greatly.” She bowed.

  “That’s odd,” Jerry said.

  “During our travel to your world, I asked my scientific advisors to study Earth and your communications. For the last several months, we have studied your many cultures and learned several of your dominant languages. We are ashamed to say, we have not learned them all. For that, I apologize.”

  She surveyed the room, gauging the reactions of the audience. It was interesting to see her pause and take in the people around her. But she seemed so determined and guarded.

  “After study and observation, we found we have much we can offer you in trade, and much that you can offer us. Our hope is to share our technology and all we have learned of science, space, and medicine. In exchange, we ask you to allow us to share your world peacefully. I have spoken with your world’s leading governing body regarding our offer.”

  She stopped, and this time she spoke to the camera. This portion was directed at the people of Earth. Even her demeanor seemed to change. Her eyes closed slightly, and her head tilted to the right. The ends of her lips lifted into what was easily recognizable as a smile.

  “We have much to share and to learn from each other. The Nentraee come to you in need and in the hope of building a future of friendship. We understand we ask for a great deal and do not expect an answer immediately. Our only hope is you will consider our offer. You have diverse cultures, like our own, and we hope we can share ours with you. I thank you for allowing me to speak.”

  She bowed, and then she turned and walked to the door, her guards with her. The Assembly applauded, coming to their feet again. The camera panned to various delegates, still standing and applauding.

  Back on the screen, the announcer spoke. “That was our first introduction to the Nentraee leader and her people. I understand we’re going to a short break. The president will address the nation from the Oval Office when we return.”

  It was the beginning of a new world. For the first time since Brad came with the news, Todd felt excited and hopeful all the way to his core.

  Jerry broke the silence. “All right, they come in peace…”

  Did Jerry actually say that?

  Todd stifled his grin by pretending to yawn.

  “And need our help. I mean, it sounds weird and vague, but okay.” He turned to Todd and Dan. “How is this going to work? I mean, where will they live? All this did was raise more questions than answers. Are we biologically compatible? What if they have diseas
es that are as common to them as the cold is to us? But instead of the sniffles, it kills us. Or vice versa?” He rubbed his mouth with his hand. “I mean, this is too strange.”

  “I figure that’s what the president will tell us,” Todd chimed in. “We’ll probably treat them like everyone else. You want to come to this country, then you have to immigrate here. Or, they might give them the moon to settle. I’m sure it won’t be quick. Yes, they did study us, but that doesn’t mean we won’t need to do our homework on them, right?”

  Todd rubbed his hands together, suddenly antsy. “They sure are different. What do you think Dan?”

  “Well, it’s strange.” Dan’s face was expressionless. “Obviously unprecedented, for sure. I guess they could have easily launched an attack and taken us over if they wanted since they’ve been studying us. I hope they get we’re not one big, happy planetary family.” His bottom lip moved side to side along with his jaw.

  “I don’t know what they’re going to do,” Dan said. “Her address was too vague for my taste. And the comments on how brutal we are, it sounded preachy—and you saw the reaction in the General Assembly Hall. That didn’t go over well.” Shaking his head, he took a breath. “Anyway, there’s nowhere for them to settle and create their own society. They would have to adapt into ours, and I don’t know how well that would work.” Dan glanced back at the TV as the president was preparing to speak.

  All three men sat and listened to the president and his plan for the Nentraee. How all options would be explored. He wanted to reassure the country that no decisions had been made.

  Todd stopped listening. Was this by chance? Was it possible that God was stepping in and saying, “Okay, kids. Stop acting like fools and stop bickering. There are real problems, and you need to focus. Learn from these Nentraee.”