Pilgrimage (The New World)

by Kurt Winans

  Ross’ head was spinning at the thought of all that had been presented to him in the last few minutes, and his first action at the conclusion of this encounter would be to speak with his sister Jessica about it. He quietly thanked his alien friend for the incredible, yet horrifying, information and his civilizations’ concern about the people of Earth. Ross offered a quick handshake, and took a look around in all directions before they went their separate ways.

  It appeared they had not been seen or heard by any of the secret service who would be patrolling the woods, but only time would tell. After roughly a dozen steps Ross glanced back over his shoulder to see if he could still see the alien, but he was nowhere in sight. He suddenly remembered that the alien species had become quite adept at visiting and studying Earth without being detected, except on those rare occasions when they either wanted to be seen, or one of their scout ships had crashed.

  Ross quickened his pace as he walked back towards the cabin, and waved his whistle in the direction of the nearest secret service agent as he emerged from the woods. There was much discussion and work to be done within the allotted time frame specified by the aliens in order to save lives, so he best get to it.

  Back in his cabin, Ross pondered briefly over his next move before giving the order for Jessica to be immediately flown over via helicopter from the White House. He intended to speak with no one else before her arrival, and informed his guard outside the door to make sure he wasn’t disturbed until she arrived.

  A few hours later when Jessica knocked on the door, Ross invited her in and said that he hoped she had brought some good walking shoes. She nodded positively sensing that her brother was concerned about something, and then said “I’m getting plenty of exercise, and I’m not currently having any trouble with the leg.” Ross responded with “Glad to hear that, but the upcoming walk is not just for exercise sake because I have something very important to discuss with you!” With that she put down her briefcase, and walked over to him to ask what was bothering him. He asked Jessica to follow him out onto the walking trail so they could talk, and then he waved the whistle towards the nearest secret service agent as they reached the edge of the woods.

  A few minutes later Ross stopped at the same spot where he had communicated with the alien, took a good look around in all directions to ensure their privacy, and then leaned towards his sister to whisper the latest revelation into her ear. Jessica listened intently for a few minutes until Ross backed away, and then took a step back herself in shock and disbelief. She tried her best to remain composed, but she began to tremble and then became wobbly enough that Ross had to grab her arm to keep her from falling down.

  When the initial shock began to wear off Jessica asked Ross if he was sure about what he had told her, but he could only shrug. Ross said “I don’t have the proof yet, but why would the alien species fabricate something as hugely significant as the potential extinction of the human race?” He continued by saying that “The aliens obviously have the advanced technology to be able to track such events within the cosmos, and land here undetected if they wish.” Jessica steadied herself as she listened to what her brother had to say, but was still fighting the powerful emotion of denial. Ross then added to his previous comments by informing her that when he first encountered the alien on the Moon he was told they would return at regular intervals to their base on the far side for continued observations of our planet.

  Jessica asked her brother to confirm that this was the second contact with the same alien, but became alarmed when Ross informed her it was actually the third encounter. Jessica had not been aware that Ross had communicated with the alien again while on a solitary fishing trip in southwest Texas twenty years after the Moon encounter, but she was ready to hear all about it now.

  After filling her in on all the details he knew about the alien species, Ross continued by claiming that the aliens had actually done the human race a favor. By informing us early about something that our own scientists would discover in due course, they had given us a tremendous opportunity to save additional lives. He concluded by adding, “What we need to decide is whether or not we should act on that knowledge!”

  The walk back to the cabin was quiet and somber. The only question that Jessica asked her brother was if he intended to discuss the current topic with Patty. He told her that wasn’t the best idea just yet, because Patty had been telling him to keep quiet about his belief in extraterrestrial life since he built the model of the solar system sixty years before back in Rumley.

  Although Jessica understood his point, she also understood that his wife deserved to hear the information first hand as opposed to a leak via the media. Jessica asked her brother if the two of them could please have a quiet conversation with Patty before meeting with a science team. It was important that Patty be brought into the loop, and Ross nodded positively to her because deep down he knew she was right.

  EARLY THE NEXT morning Ross took another long walk through the woods to mull over the most important question of his life, as he needed to decide if he should inform the world of this new found knowledge or not. An argument could be made for both sides of the equation, but what would serve the most good? If he withheld the information the citizens of the world would have less time to prepare for the unavoidable impact of the asteroid, but they could all continue, be they happy or not, with their current structure of life. Babies would be born, young people would fall in love, people would go to work and enjoy their leisure time, and the bills would be paid all in the cover of blissful ignorance, but was that ultimately fair?

  That question in itself brought forth an additional debate as some would claim they were better off not knowing about their probable demise, while others would want to know so they could spend as much time with loved ones as possible. Ross knew the information could cause a global panic that would manifest itself in a variety of ways including anarchy, but that panic would take place anyway once the astronomers discovered the problem and their findings somehow leaked out through the media.

  At some point the military forces of the world would get involved, and it wouldn’t matter if they had roughly twelve or eighteen months to work with. They would claim that they could rectify the situation by blasting the object out of the sky with a barrage of “who knows what” that would turn it into rubble. Unfortunately that option was probably more of a Hollywood solution, and not very realistic. Still, it would be foolish to not explore that course of action when push came to shove, as any possibility to save the planet would certainly deserve some level of consideration.

  If Ross decided to release the information, he would have to explain in detail how he was privy to such devastating knowledge. Ross knew that when he informed the media about his now third contact with an alien species, the vast majority of people around the world would simply not believe him. Many would doubt his mental stability, and therefore his validity as the so called “Leader of the Free World”. That would seriously jeopardize his ability to help with possible solutions, because all the non-believers would want him placed in a padded cell.

  There would be serious religious implications around the globe as well, because many people of deep faith cannot fathom the thought of the Earth not being the focal point in the grand scheme of the universe. Ross of course knew differently, and there had been many times during his life when he wanted to convince religious fanatics that their belief system was not of sound logic. If God indeed had the ultimate power to create everything, then why would this planet be his only petri dish? It was a mathematical impossibility that humans were alone in the incredible unknown vastness of space, but people needed to believe in their core foundation. According to what the aliens had told Ross on the Moon during his first contact with them, their species had discovered, and then observed, some sort of life in roughly twenty percent of the solar systems they had explored. They had also admitted to him that they had only charted a small section of all that was out there.

  There was no questio
n in Ross’ mind that the events of the next eighteen months and beyond would shake some of the core religious beliefs of many people on planet Earth, but he couldn’t afford to get off on that thought process at the present time. He also knew that Patty wouldn’t believe him about the aliens, and that was disconcerting because he would need her standing at his side throughout all the ridicule he would undoubtedly receive.

  When Ross returned to his cabin, a staff member informed him that Jessica had gone to the main cabin for some coffee. Ross joined her on the quest and after sitting together in uncomfortable silence for a few minutes she asked him if he had decided what to do when they got back to the White House. Ross nodded positively, but asked his most trusted advisor, “What are your thoughts?” before revealing his decision. Without any hesitation Jessica said, “As President of the United States it’s your duty to inform the public as soon as possible. You must gather a well accredited science team first, because in my opinion that would be the prudent thing to do!” She then added “If they believe you and your story, then the extra six months would help the brain trust of the planet come up with possible survival solutions.” Ross nodded positively again, and then stated, “It’s a difficult situation to be sure, and I have made my decision.”

  While on his solitary walk, Ross came to the conclusion that all of the reasons for withholding the information were outweighed by the reasons for releasing it. Ross knew it would be impractical to attempt keeping something of this magnitude a secret, and he, or any other world leader for that matter, didn’t have the right to play God by doing so.

  THE MARINE ONE helicopter carrying Ross, Jessica, and his secret service detail touched down in customary fashion upon the south lawn of the White House. A small contingent of the media was typically waiting nearby for him, and Ross smiled and waved to them as he strode confidently by. He knew it was all part of the pomp and circumstance associated with the job, but wondered just how many times during his presidency did they need to film him emerging from the helicopter? Then he thought to himself that armed with the news he would soon reveal to them, and the world, it might be the last time they filmed him in such a lighthearted moment.

  When greeted on the lawn by one of his aides, Ross asked her to locate the first lady and request that she please meet him and Jessica in the residence. A few moments later, Patty arrived at their bedroom to find Ross pacing back and forth, while Jessica stood quietly near the window. Patty gave Ross a hug and a gentle kiss before asking him how Camp David had been, and he responded by saying, “It had been incredibly educational!” That brought forth a rather quizzical look from his wife, but she moved over to greet Jessica as Ross moved towards and then opened the door to the hallway.

  He spoke briefly with his most trusted sentry who was posted outside, and made it abundantly clear to him that he was not to allow anyone to get past him unless the world was coming to an end. After hearing “Yes sir Mr. President”, Ross closed the door and began to quietly laugh at himself because of the irony of his statement. He then asked the two ladies now seated on the couch to follow him into the huge closet area. The expression on Patty’s face then turned from quizzical to one of concern, but she complied with Ross’ request.

  Over the course of the next thirty minutes, Ross very quietly spilled his guts to Patty about what had really happened on the Moon thirty-five years before, the events of his fishing trip to Texas twenty years later, and the most recent contact while at Camp David the previous day. Ross also spoke of the conversation with his father Robert on his death bed, and what had been told to both Ross and Jessica about their mother Janet’s supposed abduction.

  When he was all finished, Patty looked at them both intently for a few minutes and then began to laugh out loud. She asked them how long it had taken the two of them to put this practical joke together, while also giving them credit for their collective imagination. Ross responded by saying, “It was no joke, and every bit of what he had just told her was true.” Patty glanced over at Jessica and asked, “Do you really believe this ridiculous fabrication, or did you actually see the alien at Camp David?” Jessica stood by her brother and said, “Even though I did not see the alien, I believe everything that Ross has said.” Patty began to laugh again, and said, “The two of you are daft if you really believe in aliens or abductions.” Ross then informed her that the plan was to get a science team from around the globe together, and discuss it with them before going public with the information.

  At that point Patty took a step back and said, “This joke has gone on far enough!” Ross looked deep into her eyes and reiterated, “This is all true, and someday soon I will be able to prove it to you.” Patty returned the deep look into his eyes, and realized he actually believed everything he had just told her. She reminded him that he had been ridiculed in grade school back in Rumley for believing in extraterrestrials, and had seriously jeopardized his career back in Austin when he had talked with his assistant Mrs. Remington about it. Ross had been lucky that she was so loyal to him while he was in the State House of Representatives and then the Senate, but more importantly that she had kept her mouth shut all these years.

  Patty enlightened her husband by telling him that the real reason that Mrs. Remington had not stayed on his staff and moved to Washington D.C. when he was elected to the United States Senate was because of his belief in alien life. She didn’t think that Ross should be in national office with that potential mental instability, but she had kept quiet about it. She, along with most of the world, would probably think Ross was crazy to believe all that he had just revealed.

  Ross informed Patty that he had thought through all of that, but the needs of the people of the planet far outweigh his own vanity. There was now a very strong possibility that no more history books would be written to discuss his legacy as a political figure, and Ross had no more elections to win even if there were. Public opinion only mattered in the sense of how Ross would be able to assist with any plans to help save as many people as possible.

  He continued by saying, “Most people will think it’s crazy, but there will be some believers that will take precautions to try and live through the awful event that will take place in eighteen months.” In conclusion he stepped even closer to his wife and said, “By the time we all get halfway through that time frame, the astronomers of the world will have conclusive evidence that what I revealed about the asteroid and the impact is true. That’s when all hell will break loose, because the denial won’t save them. My good name will be restored once again, but that will mean nothing if people don’t take action!”

  Unfortunately for Ross, his rant had fallen on deaf ears. Patty just refused to believe in anything that he had just told her, and was very surprised that Jessica had been taken in and was now a willing participant in the outlandish tale. It had been the one aspect of their long relationship that was a source of anguish, and Ross knew that the only way Patty would ever believe in alien life was if she actually had contact with one. He also knew that he would never have to worry about her becoming a security problem, because Patty wouldn’t risk her current lifestyle or social standing by discussing what he had just told her.

  THE FIRST STEP in the process of putting together a team was to consult with his own National Science Advisor about the challenging problem at hand, and ensure that he understood the importance of keeping the news a complete secret. Ross instructed his advisor to quietly contact a group of global astronomers who possessed the advanced credentials necessary to be of use, but also the ability to keep quiet about the content of their discussions. The scientists would need to have an open minded approach to discuss the validity of such an asteroid impact, but also present viable possible solutions to help people survive the ordeal.

  Roughly a month later the group assembled in a cabin at Camp David, and was then shocked to see the President of the United States walk into the room. At that moment Ross knew that his National Science Advisor had done an excellent job of not only getting the
group of individuals to assemble by taking a break from their respective research projects, but had also kept his name out of the purpose of the conference.

  As the meeting progressed Ross fielded all the questions that came from the panel, but was admittedly lost when it came to some of their collective technical vocabulary. As a former astronaut, Ross understood more of what the group was discussing than most politicians would have, but was intelligent enough to know that he wasn’t the smartest person in the room. Ross was relieved that the group not only believed the information that he had put forth to them, but that they were already brainstorming to find possible solutions to the problem. That was not a new concept to this group of scientists, as most astronomers have known for many years that a multitude of objects have impacted the Earth’s surface since long before mankind’s arrival. What made this discussion different for the entire room was that the knowledge of this impending impact had been provided to the President of the United States by an alien species. One esteemed astronomer from Australia even asked Ross if the alien had alluded to the overall size of the asteroid, but Ross was unable to provide such potentially critical data.

  Back at the White House, Jessica was preparing for the next phase of the plan that she had helped Ross develop. After his return from Camp David, Ross would meet with the Joint Chiefs that represented each branch of the military, the directors of Homeland Security, the CIA, DOD, FBI, and a few others in the secure basement bunker of the White House. He would instruct them all to keep the information in strictest confidence until otherwise notified, but wanted each of them to start developing plans that would help keep the peace when the panic and chaos began. Ross knew martial law would be inevitable at some point before the impact of the asteroid, but he also hoped to keep things in America somewhat normal for as long as possible.