by Tom Tryst
Most who heard the message think it is a local government message. Those in government hope it is a prank. However, astronomers and the military are coming to a different conclusion, for radar indicates that a vast number of large objects have suddenly appeared in the upper reaches of the atmosphere, the thermosphere, 120 miles above the earth, visible only by telescopes. There are hundreds of them, their dark, square bases estimated to be some 1,000 feet to a side. It will be almost two days before they get an accurate count on the number of alien objects, each apparently in stationary orbit over a given point of ground.
The press quickly learns of the alien ships, and interrupts all aired programs with the breaking news. Cellular devices are sending out alerts. Civilians getting the news are calling friends and family.
The various military forces around the world are the first to have actual contact with the occupants of the alien ships, for smaller versions of the ships had touched down in the middle of every military base, station or camp. Few dared meet them with hostile fire, but prepared for the worse. Those who took immediate action quickly learned that the ships were unscathed by their weapons.
Within that given hour given, most in the world are awake and at their televisions or radios, anxiously awaiting the promised message. Governments have hastily gathered.
At 1100 hours, as promised, again all communications are commandeered, this time with visual, showing what appears to be a human being, shown only from the waist up. The face of the being is totally lacking in expression, sitting perfectly still for almost a minute, before it slowly raises one arm, palm forward, as if in greeting. It appears to be looking directly at those watching on the various screens around the world. Then, like before, the voice is in the language of each and every listener - without any movement of its mouth. “I bring you greetings from the Universal Council. We come in peace on behalf of The Council. We are The Peace Keepers, charged with keeping the peace throughout the known universe. As a developing world, we have left you alone to mature and stabilize before extending membership to your world. However, we are not here for that purpose. Your civilization is on the verge of destroying itself; we must intervene. The Council could not stand by and see your lovely planet slowly die.
“It has become obvious that the division of earthlings is so severe that you will be unable to stop the ruination of your planet. In mercy, we must intervene. We assure you that the actions we take are necessary if you are to survive as a race. As advanced and civilized as you think you are, in terms of universal knowledge, you are primitive. You have ignored the warnings of those among you who have some understanding of the Laws of the Universe, continuing to act in manners that are gradually, but surely, destroying your world.
“We are here to save your planet. We are asking for the cooperation of all the peoples of the world, but we will rescue your world with or without that cooperation. It will be easier for you if you do cooperate. There will be great sacrifice on your part, requiring many changes in the way you live your lives. There is no other way for recovery for your seriously ailing planet and your dysfunctional society. We hope you will accept us as benevolent dictators, for we must take control of every government, uniting all peoples into one worldwide brotherhood. Changes will be severe in may cases, but necessary.
“Over the next rotation of your planet, Peace Keepers will beam down to meet with your present leaders. There will be tens of thousands of them. They are humanoids, artificial life forms in your likeness. They will work with humans as much as possible in resolving your many social problems. Do not try to use force against them; those using violence will be transported for adjustment. Try to remember that each individual Peace Keeper acts as a harmonious unit, in constant communication with other units and with the Universal Council, the central government of all civilized worlds in this sector of the universe. They will be acting in unity supporting the goal of preparing earthlings for admission to a united universe.
“While the Peace Keepers are working with you, we will begin the process of stabilizing your atmosphere. When your world is again stabilized and pristine, and your peoples living in loving harmony as a single race, we will leave you on your own, but with the offer of universal trade with hundreds of other civilized worlds. With time, we hope you will lose your aggressive tendencies and learn to live with love and respect for your fellow beings.
“From this moment on, you will be able to communicate with the representatives of the Universal Council only through selected Peace Keepers. We wish you peace and prosperity.”
All screens momentarily go black, then return to their current activity. Radio and television stations are quickly commandeered by the news broadcasters. Most local governments urge for calm. A few promise to violently resist.
It was 0400 hours by the time everyone in The Compound had gathered in the auditorium to watch the message on the large flat screen. All listened in a stunned silence, a silence that was followed by low chatter throughout the audience.
Daniel Davies stands and picks up a microphone, calls for order. “Well, people, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore,” he nervously quips, referring to the old ‘Wizard of Oz ‘ movie, obviously shaken by the news. “Looks like this might just put us out of a job, but we won’t know until Washington gives us the official word. I know it’s frightening, but if their intent is legitimate, it might be the best thing that could happen to earth. I can tell you one thing, it’s real. We’ve confirmed the existence of thousands of space ships. If they are not benevolent, I suppose we’ll eventually discover their true intent.”
“So what do we do in the mean time?” someone calls out.
“Good question. One we’re all asking. I really don’t know! But for the time being, we do nothing. I suggest we declare the next few days a holiday. No sense in business as usual. I can’t tell you what will be the future for The Compound. I know this is home for many of us. We have no home to go back to.” Then he chuckles humorlessly, adding. “Or jobs. The farms can continue to meet our nutritional needs, if they stay. We are self-sufficient for utilities. The military will probably move out . . . or be out of a job. Damn! I don’t know! I suppose we won’t have much choice other than to do what those Peace Keepers tell us. Maybe, with our knowledge of the causes for the global warming, they’ll have use for us in that area.”
Charles Durwood speaks up. “I’ve been trying to contact Washington. Things are understandably in turmoil. When things calm down a bit, we’ll get some instructions.”
Daniel nods. “So for now, try to relax. Go back to bed - as if anybody could sleep now. The dining hall will open late, as soon as the staff gets back to work. Those who for the time being have no duties, you may be asked to give a hand in the ongoing support of the Compound. Until further notice, we will be on Sunday schedule. That means the normal Sunday relaxing of drink limits at the tavern. I don’t want anybody getting drunk, but a few drinks might help us relax. So . . . well . . . enjoy a few days off.”
Slowly, almost reluctantly, the people start leaving, many clustering outside in small groups before wandering off. Daniel corrals his staff members for an additional briefing at Operations, for they won’t have any time off over the next few days. Tabitha is excluded.
Tabitha has not yet made friends, and walks slowly back to her apartment, alone. What looked like a challenging job that would have consumed her, now looks more like unemployment with nowhere to go and with only modest savings to fall back on.
It is still dark when she gets home, beginning to feel depressed with the sudden events. She considers turning on the television to see what the news pundits are saying, but doesn’t. She puts on a pot of coffee, fixes herself a cup, sweet and heavy with a creamer; to hell with a diet. Then she retires to the balcony. The air is cool, but not uncomfortable in short sleeves. She gazes up, wondering if she could see any of the space ships, really knowing she could not. So she sits there, lost in contemplation of the days to come, watching the sky slowly
lighten and stars begin to disappear, watching the dark waters of the lake gradually turn to blue. The first rays of the rising sun behind her touch the highest trees on the hills across the lake, reflecting red-orange off the leaves.
This could be the end of the world as she knows it. Tears begin to flow. She doesn’t know if she is crying for herself or for the world.
The compound has been on lock-down since the first awareness of the alien ships entering the atmosphere. The Army is on orders not to let anyone on or off the Compound, but some of its own are missing, assumed to be AWOL. Daniel’s orders are to simply standby. Obviously, those in Washington don’t know what to do.
As morning dawns on the Capital, a large, boxy spaceship silently settles to the ground in the center of the White House lawn. Though looking very large, it is small in comparison to the ships in stationary orbits in the thin fringe of earth’s atmosphere. It looks more like a black, one story building than a space ship, a building some 200 feet to a side with no windows and no apparent entryway. As soon as it touched down, White House security form a loose ring around it, carefully staying at least a hundred feet away.
There is no sign of activity from the ‘black box’ - the name that will stick to it and others like it - and soon military and Capitol police have a complete ring around it, the men and women almost shoulder to shoulder. As they anxiously await some movement from the ship, their radios alert them that six humanoids are already inside the White House, asking for an audience with the President. No one had seen them leave the ship. Only a handful of Secret Service agents had remained inside, those assigned to protect the President and his family. Even as other agents start to return to their normal posts, their radios instruct them that no one can enter or leave the building and they are to maintain security of the alien vessel. No one is to approach it.
Inside, five of the aliens in humanoid form, robots in the form of human beings, have taken up posts at five exits; they obviously know the layout of the building. The people already know that each of the aliens are androids, built in human form for the benefit of earthlings and capable of communicating with any human its contacts in that person’s language. They also know that they should not attempt to even touch one of the alien androids, or as they refer to themselves, ‘humanoids’, each with an identifying number rather than a name.
Each appears to be identical, a little more than six feet tall with athletic-looking bodies. None wear any type of clothing. What should be skin is some type of dull white surface material that flexes like skin as a creature moves. Faces are also humanoid, with the glaring exception that the eyes never blink and the mouth never moves. If it was intended to put earthlings at ease, it had the opposite effect, with them looking like a standing corpse with eyes frozen open. Most found it creepy, an effect increased when one of the humanoids speak without its lips moving. The other obvious variation from true human form - there is no genitalia. Even though the voice is more like a man’s than a woman’s, they will be referred to as ‘it’. The humanoids always refer to themselves as a collective ‘we.’
The sixth alien form stands in the middle of the Oval Office, awaiting the arrival of the President and whomever he chooses to bring with him.
The President is a flamboyant, arrogant member of the elite business world, a multi-billionaire who many claim literally bought the Office of the President through the most expensive campaign in the history of the United States, a campaign that promised to do what the people wanted. Most of those promises would be impossible to fulfill, and he knew it. Now well into his first year in office, he was urging the public to be patient, that the changes he had promised would take time.
An agent holds the door open as President Walden literally stomps into the office and moves quickly behind his desk, making no attempt to sit. Holding the back of his high desk chair, he faces the alien and blurts out in a stern voice, almost shouting, “Just what the Hell do you want!”
It’s face unable to show human emotion, the humanoid speaks in a calm, flat voice. “We want you to listen to what we have to say.”
“As if I have a choice,” the President grumbled.
The humanoid continued. “We are speaking on behalf of the Universal Council. Take what we are saying as coming from their own mouths, which it actually is.”
The President begins making a rather crude comment, but the humanoid continues without a pause, ignoring him, “Again, we assure you that we have sent the Peace Keepers to save your planet. Once you accept that, things will go easier, for there will be many drastic changes to which your people will have to adapt. Every leader of every government in the world has been, or will be given this message. We strongly urge you to cooperate with our efforts. Those who do not will be dealt with . . . harshly.
“Some of your scientists have already deduced the future of Earth, but they have been ignored. I am verifying their findings: the earth is dying. You have polluted it to the point that the chemical balance of your atmosphere has been irreversibly altered. Soon the air will not support life. You should already realize this, for last year some 400 million earthlings died as a result of polluted air and water. Yet your government is still refusing to join with all the other governments of the world in pledging to reduce the causes of pollution. The only government holding out.
“We are beginning to realize why your earth is in this dire condition. Let me explain. We, the members of the Universal Council, can read emotions through the Peace Keepers, one of which is standing before you. Our minds are linked; what one knows, all know. We are in constant communication with every Peace Keeper, and each one with each other. The humanoids also have the ability to read emotions of those they contact. This one who is speaking for us has been reading your thoughts.
“Not only have you known the seriousness of the world’s deterioration and what action must be taken to reverse the harm, your own overriding greed has kept you from doing what is right. You are also of a mind-set to fight us in any way you can. You are obviously unfit to be the leader of your country.”
The President begins to angrily challenge when the humanoid extends an arm and points a finger at him. President Walden abruptly disappears, with no trace he had ever been there. No flash of light. No noise. One moment he is shouting angrily at the alien, the next he is gone.
Almost immediately, two agents draw there weapons and begin firing at the humanoid, and continue firing, for the bullets seem to have no effect. The bullets don’t impact; they simply disappear.
“Violence will be met with violence,” the humanoid says calmly, turning to face them, pointing first at one, then the other. The two disappear, leaving only a slight haze from the discharge of so many rounds. Others have their weapons out, then quickly re-holster them as the alien creature points threateningly at them.
“They have been transported for further evaluation,” the humanoid advises to the others. “Their future role will depend on their cooperation. We would now speak with the vice-president.”
“He’s on his way,” one of the agents nervously advises.
The humanoid turns to face the President’s desk, standing silently. Ten minutes pass without it moving or speaking. Only when Vice-President Baker is standing hesitatingly in the wide doorway, does the humanoid acknowledge him and motions him to sit at the desk. Baker glances around at the others in the room. Some members of the President’s staff, others are Secret Service agents. All look stunned.
Taking a deep breath, he strides to the desk with as much dignity as he can muster. He is in his late fifties but looks younger, probably from the physical activity he gets by playing basketball with other White House staff and employees - most younger than him. He has a full head of hair, probably once a rich brown, but now greying. He often quips to friends he is trying to get his hair to match his grey eyes. Because of his passion to play ball every chance he gets, he is frequently outdoors on the White House courts, resulting in a natural tan which enhances his rather common facial fe
atures. Relaxed, his expression is dour, yet , when he greets someone, his ready smile lights up his face. He stands rather than sit at the desk, his current expression more than just dour.
The humanoid continues speaking on behalf of the Council, directing his comments to Baker. “Your President in indisposed and unable to lead. By your laws, you are now acting president. We see you have been greatly distressed by the corruption around you, but we also see your great concern over the threat of world pollution. It is our hope that you accept the Peace Keepers as the only solution to saving your planet. And, yes, you needn’t worry. We will leave you once the threat has been remedied and a single worldwide government has been formed. And when the people are uniformly conforming to a standard code of contact. Then you will no longer need us.”
The humanoid is obviously reading Baker’s emotions and transmitting them to the Council. “Once we reduce the causes of excessive pollution, we can have the atmosphere, water and soils cleared of pollution in a matter of your months. But it will take longer to change the habits of the people in the world, for it is human activity that is causing the polluting. How long that takes will depend upon your degree of cooperation.
“We have sent enough Peace Keepers to assign one to every decision-making leader and department head throughout the world. Others will assist your own peace officers in controlling the masses . . . this one is assigned to you. It will be with you constantly, giving you information, answering any of your questions and giving advise. He may often override some of your decisions, but will explain why the action taken as, part of the overall recovery operation, is the best way. Our desire for you humans is that you will continue to progress peacefully, to eventually become members of the universal world. Our most important advice to you is show love for your fellow man; love and respect is the key to progress.”