Alien People

by John Coon

  “We echo your feelings, my sovereign,” Dharcha said. “Those people cannot be trusted.”

  Delcor pressed his lips together and closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, he stabbed a finger at Xttra.

  “You have your wish, master pilot. I will authorize a first contact mission to this alien planet.”

  Xttra's mouth dropped open and his eyes widened. He felt taken aback at this sudden favorable turn of events. Any hope of changing the chief sovereign's mind fled from him before the Confederation minister interrupted their meeting.

  Calandra beamed at the news.

  “If any nation on Lathos is to meet a new alien race, I want Ra'ahm to do it.” Delcor pressed a button as he spoke and returned the arca vox to its former place. “Perhaps it will bring us a new ally against the Confederation.”

  “We will not disappoint you, my sovereign,” Calandra said. Her tone matched the joy in her expression.

  Delcor turned and arched an eyebrow at her.

  “You will not be traveling to meet this alien race, Calandra. That is strictly out of the question.”

  Her face fell once again after hearing this news. Xttra gazed at her and a worried frown washed over his lips. Calandra had to understand the terrible risks involved. Long-distance space travel produced detrimental effects on bone and muscle tissue for even the strongest and healthiest Stellar Guard officers. Given her childhood history of brittle bones, she could endanger herself traveling 3.5 parsecs over a six-month period. Being on a distant planet threatened to hinder treatment for any medical problems that arose.

  Calandra bowed her head and turned away. She did not want the others to see tears welling up in her eyes. Xttra turned to the chief sovereign with renewed determination etched into his face.

  “Calandra is the one closest to being an expert on this alien probe,” he said. “She would provide immense value on this expedition as a civilian consultant.”

  “Can she withstand the rigors of space travel?” Delcor's face displayed genuine concern while he posed the question. “Her grandfather worried a great deal over her brittle bones when she was still a child. Space travel will only exacerbate those problems.”

  Calandra glanced up at him and wiped away fresh tears with her hand.

  “I take bone strengtheners each day, my sovereign. I have not suffered more than a hairline fracture in many years. I accept the risks.”

  Xttra turned and smiled at her.

  “I accept full responsibility for her health and well-being. I value Calandra's life as much as I do my own.”

  Delcor stared at the probe again and studied it as the image flickered a bit on the holoscreen. He finally shut off the holocaster after a moment of contemplation and met Xttra and Calandra with an unblinking stare.

  “Prepare your ship. You both leave in three days.”

  9

  Dreams that, at one time, never held a faint hope for fulfillment were morphing into real life for Calandra. So many hours spent staring at countless stars and wondering if she would ever get any closer to those fiery orbs than looking through a telescope. Now she no longer needed to wonder.

  I am traveling to another planet. I am making first contact with an alien race.

  Those happy thoughts took root in her mind as Calandra leaned against the stone railing on her balcony. She gazed upon the Luma skyline as the sun peeked over mountain peaks on the distant horizon. Sleep grew more evasive as the day for her departure approached. Calandra could not stop thinking about Earth. What would she discover there? Who would she meet? Images of a planet resembling Lathos flooded her mind. Mountains and plains covered with lush crimson grass and scarlet trees. Sparkling blue oceans. Windswept deserts. Exotic wildlife. Or maybe it would end up being a desert planet resembling images Calandra saw in books she read about Serbius. Her mind raced as she contemplated endless possibilities.

  Calandra lost track of how long she stood out on her balcony when a hard rap on her apartment door yanked her from her thoughts. She jerked her head toward the door. Her brow furrowed when she heard knocking.

  Who is here at such an early hour?

  She glanced back at her arca vox resting on the railing. Her personal communicator showed one hour past sunrise. Calandra cinched her robe tighter over her sleep clothes and dashed inside.

  A second knock greeted her ears right as she slid the door open. Behind it stood a thin woman with deep brown eyes. Her wavy raven hair bounced on her shoulders as she wrapped Calandra in a quick embrace. Calandra pulled back, flashed a warm smile, and beckoned for her to come inside.

  “You're here earlier than I expected, Alayna.”

  Alayna removed a pouch slung over her shoulder and set it down on a small table in the kitchen. She produced a bottle of purpura nectar.

  “I thought we should celebrate,” Alayna said. “You're going into space for the first time. I'm thrilled beyond words for you.”

  Calandra glanced excitedly at the nectar and back at her friend. She nodded and walked over to a cabinet, where she retrieved a pair of small chalices fashioned from volcanic glass. Calandra poured some of the sweet juice into the first chalice and handed it to Alayna.

  “It feels like a beautiful dream,” she said, while pouring some nectar for herself into the second chalice. “To be honest, it will still feel like a dream when I'm journeying among the stars for real.”

  Alayna raised her chalice.

  “Here's to fulfilling dreams.”

  They both took a sip of nectar. Calandra loved the cool tangy taste of the purpura fruit. She also enjoyed the robust flower-like aroma. Alayna must have purchased this bottle in season and reserved it for a special occasion. This certainly qualified.

  “I think everyone we know wishes they were in your shoes,” Alayna said, setting her chalice down on the table again. “Contacting an alien race on a newly discovered planet? Your name will go down in the archives. Count me as jealous.”

  Calandra arched a brow and pulled her chalice away from her lips.

  “You didn't tell anyone about it, did you? I don't think this expedition is supposed to be public knowledge.”

  Alayna smiled and shook her head.

  “Of course not. If you learn one thing from working in the Central Archives, it's how to keep a secret.”

  She turned and cast her eyes toward a small couch in the living room.

  “Where is your little Bella?” Alayna asked, looking over at Calandra again. “I expected to see her scampering around the place.”

  Calandra shot a quick glance toward her bedroom. Her little cala was no doubt still snuggled up inside the carpeted nest in the corner. Bella loved spending time in her nest and had no trouble finding the sleep that eluded Calandra for much of the night.

  “Bella is doing what I probably should be doing,” she said, adding a brief laugh.

  Alayna grinned.

  “Wake the lazy little one up. She can sleep later.”

  Calandra grinned at the irony in her friend's voice. Like any healthy cala, Bella owned enough energy to spare for everyone in the room. Especially when it came to exploring new sights, sounds, and smells. A compulsion drove her to check out every single thing wherever she went. Alayna moved closer to the bedroom door, calling to the cala in gentle tones. A happy chattering sound greeted her calls. Then, a small furry body streaked out from the bedroom a few seconds later.

  “Looks like she received your wake-up call.”

  Bella bounded into the kitchen. Her diminutive yellow eyes hung wide open and her bushy tail stood erect. Calandra crouched down and held out her hands. The little animal sprang from the carpeted floor into her waiting arms. She stroked the cala's sleek silver and gray fur. It felt so plush against her fingertips.

  “How's my little girl doing?” Calandra asked. “Did you get enough sleep?”

  Bella raised her head and cooed. She followed with an audible purr and rested her long slender front paws on Calandra's forearm.

&nb
sp; “I wish I could take you to Earth with me,” Calandra said, gazing into her eyes. “But I doubt you would feel as excited about traveling to an alien planet as I do.”

  Calandra set Bella down on the floor again. The little cala instantly turned and scampered over to Alayna. She scooped Bella up inside her arms and started stroking her fur as well.

  “Can you watch Bella for me while I'm gone? My return could take a year or longer.”

  Alayna rubbed Bella's tiny snout with her finger and flashed a reassuring smile at Calandra.

  “She will be like the child I've always wanted.”

  She set the cala down on the floor and picked up her chalice again. Bella scampered over to the couch and hopped on it. She at once started nosing around under a cushion on the far end.

  “This is a big step for you and Xttra.” Alayna laughed and brushed back a lock of raven hair that had fallen to her cheek. “Spending a few months on a scout ship and then an alien planet together? That’s taking your relationship to a new level.”

  “There's no other pilot I'd rather be with out there. He's one of the best on the planet.”

  “Not that you are biased or anything. Doesn't hurt that he's also your boyfriend.”

  Alayna made a good point. Calandra already enjoyed spending time with Xttra. Sharing this impending adventure offered an unexpected chance to grow even closer as a couple.

  “Can't argue with you there,” Calandra said, before finishing off the remaining nectar in her chalice. She held it up high as the final thick drops slid down to her lips.

  ***

  "This is an outrage," Xttra seethed in a low voice.

  His abrupt shift in demeanor startled Calandra. She glanced at him wide-eyed. Xttra failed to notice her alarmed reaction. His narrowed eyes focused on a pair of new, unwelcome crew members who chatted with Dharcha inside the briefing room.

  The minister sprang this surprise on him when Xttra and Calandra arrived at the shipyard ahead of their scheduled launch. Tressek and Sarianna were reassigned from his crew to other Stellar Guard posts without warning. Xttra had no voice in making the decision. Calandra knew he did not like it one bit.

  "I don't think you can do anything about it," Lance said, cupping his hand against the side of his mouth. "You're not in a position to argue the point."

  Xttra scowled at Lance. Even if he agreed with his observation, he showed no willingness to make such a concession.

  “They're nothing more than interlopers meant to spy on our crew,” he whispered. “Does the chief sovereign not trust us to carry out this mission?”

  Dharcha cast his eyes toward the back of the room. When they fell on Xttra, Calandra, and Lance, he beckoned for them to join the newest crew members up front.

  “Meet the remainder of your crew, Master Pilot Oogan,” Dharcha said. He motioned toward the replacements for Tressek and Sarianna. “This is Doni Zell and Jbali March.”

  Xttra twisted his lips into a perturbed half-smile.

  “I know who they are. What I want to know is who put them on my crew?”

  Dharcha sighed.

  “They are representatives of our chief sovereign, assigned to this expedition on his orders. Your place is not to question, but to accept his judgment as if it were your own. Their place is assured and deserved. Your place is less so.”

  Atch and Bo'un entered the briefing room. As soon as they caught sight of Doni and Jbali, they shot a questioning glance at Xttra. He answered with an annoyed shrug and shook his head.

  Calandra perceived the moves in a different light than Xttra did. She felt awed to be in their presence. Both were Separatist War heroes who played a key role in liberating Ra'ahm from Confederation rule. Jbali led a first contact mission to Peleus Prime when Calandra was still a child. Doni served many years as minister of medicine under their chief sovereign. Their experience and expertise only promised to help this expedition.

  A dozen questions flooded Calandra's mind that she wanted to pose to Jbali and Doni. Before she had a chance to put one into words, Delcor entered the briefing room. Everyone turned and bowed in a cascading wave extending away from him once they noted his presence.

  "This is truly a historic occasion," Delcor said as everyone took a seat in front of him. "Each one of you will be a trailblazer, making first contact with a newfound alien race."

  Trailblazer.

  That word stuck in Calandra's head as their chief sovereign continued addressing the group. It seemed like an apt description. This must be how ancient sailors felt while discovering and settling islands in the Southern Ocean. She and Xttra were exploring their own uncharted waters. Calandra wondered if they would each claim a spot among the statues inside the palace when all was said and done.

  "Exercise caution at all times once you reach Earth."

  Delcor's instruction snapped Calandra back to his words. Her eyes darted from their chief sovereign to Xttra. She wondered how much she missed while pondering the journey that lay ahead.

  "Ra'ahm does not have enough resources to fight a war with a distant planet," Delcor said. "This is a mission of peace. If you discover the aliens harbor hostile intentions, retreat to your scout ship and return home without delay."

  Several heads nodded. Calandra looked down at the floor, feeling troubled. Why did they assume the worst from these aliens before making contact? Nothing she had seen in the message conveyed from the Earth probe expressed anything other than peaceful intentions.

  She raised her head again and caught Xttra stealing a glance at her. When he saw her face, a concerned expression appeared matching her own unease. Xttra mouthed the question "What's wrong?" at her. Calandra closed her eyes and shook her head. “I'll tell you later.” she mouthed back.

  "May Ahm, our Divine Creator, go with you on your journey," Delcor said, bringing his instructions to a close.

  "May he preserve us as he preserves you, our sovereign," Dharcha replied.

  Everyone rose from their seats and the crew began to file out of the room to prepare for departure from Lathos. Xttra grasped Calandra's forearm as she stood. She drew closer to him.

  “You seem troubled by the sovereign's words.”

  “A bad feeling is gnawing at me.” Calandra lowered her voice to match his whispered tone. “It seems like he expects the worst-case scenario to unfold before we even leave Lathos.”

  Xttra glanced at the front of the room again and nodded in agreement.

  "I can sympathize. Bad feelings are attacking me too, but for a completely different reason."

  Calandra cast her eyes in the same direction. Delcor and Doni huddled together and spoke in hushed tones. At one point, Doni turned and stared at them with a distinct coldness for a few seconds before returning his attention to the chief sovereign.

  "Tell me that isn't suspicious," Xttra said as they turned away and left the briefing room together.

  ***

  Calandra stared straight ahead as the nose of the scout ship tilted upward to get an optimal angle for their ascent through the atmospheric window. Everything about this moment felt so surreal to her. Xttra and other crew members pressed buttons and flipped switches to prepare for launch. Their actions became a blur to Calandra as her whole body quivered with excitement.

  The thrusters emitted a loud whoosh when Xttra ignited the antimatter engines. Calandra drew in a deep breath. This was it. The moment she dreamed about and imagined for so long had arrived at last.

  Her eyes darted from chair to chair on the bridge. Stoic expressions graced the faces of other crew members. Calandra wondered how they showed so little emotion over such a historic moment. Then again, space travel had become a routine part of their lives. This moment was sweeter to her because she overcame so many obstacles the others never faced just to be inside this ship and on this crew.

  Xttra fired the thrusters a second time. A wave of heated air blasted out across the launch pad. The scout ship lifted off the ground and climbed through the atmosphere. Calandra fixed
her eyes straight ahead. Their ship punched through patches of white billowing clouds. A short tremor rolled through the length of the bridge while the ship worked to escape the planet's gravity. Her heart pounded against her ribs, and Calandra grasped both sides of her seat until her fingernails dug into the fabric covering the arms of her chair. She sealed her eyelids tight and took deliberate breaths as the blue sky grew thinner and darker.

  “Still doing good back there, Calandra?” Xttra's familiar reassuring voice penetrated a growing nervousness racing through her body. “You can really feel gravity tug on you in the upper atmosphere. Takes a while to get used to it.”

  Calandra opened her eyes and answered him with a brisk nod.

  “This is exciting.”

  Xttra glanced over his shoulder at her and flashed a huge grin.

  “You haven't seen exciting yet. Take a peek at what's outside the ship.”

  Her gaze drifted back to the windshield. Clusters of stars and galaxies, stretching out to the edge of forever, peppered the darkened curtain of space before her. All indistinguishable shimmering dots. Calandra's eyes darted to her left and glimpsed a brilliant halo created by their sun's corona. Laxa loomed to her right. The face of the nearest of Lathos' twin moons glowed under orange-white rays emanating from their sun.

  A happy smile washed over her face.

  “It's all so beautiful.” Calandra's voice barely climbed above a whisper. “I always dreamed about seeing these places without a telescope. It feels even better than what I imagined.”

  “Wait until you see the best part,” Xttra said.

  He pivoted the ship above the atmosphere until the bridge faced toward Lathos. Seeing her home planet from above took Calandra's breath away. Tears came to her eyes unbidden. Random swirls of clouds mixed with swaths of blue oceans. She could see legions of city lights still dotting the western half of the northern continent where sunlight had not yet washed over the planet. The Aurora Mountains resembled a small winding ridge from above rather than an imposing chain of snow-capped peaks so familiar to her. Her eyes traced every inch of ocean and land from pole to pole.