by Tom Holloway
He thinks, Some real ET activity has been verified. The first verified report came from a navy aircraft carrier that has confirmation from photos from a nose camera of an F-16. One of their planes ran upon a real UFO off the South American Pacific coast, just over the Mexican border. The video shows an aircraft that looks really big and weird, not something ever seen on Earth, moving very fast. They think it’s a good possibility it is extraterrestrial. No question, inspecting the film, it is an alien aircraft. They thought Section 58 should know about it, as they are the experts on extraterrestrials, and their function is to evaluate all possible UFO contacts. This is not business as usual. The navy thinks this is the real thing. They also saw something big coming in a couple of nights ago from outer space. They’re saying there could be real issues. It’s time to focus. He thinks. This may be a national security threat.
John Jacobs is a careful man, yet he is thinking since there is real evidence, what does he do? As he has done many times before, he gazes out of his office window, thoughtful, contemplating. The US Air Force has also reported images captured: UFO photos, pilot visual reports, and infrared heat scans plus satellite warning alerts. Some showing something hitting the Earth’s atmosphere hard, penetrating and traveling really fast, images immediately captured by lots of military posts all over the world. Scientists have reported strange images, too. The NSA and NASA have it all recorded. They are saying the real wake-up call is the radiation—lots of nuclear evidence, very hot and a lot of it, all coming from this UFO, or maybe more than one. Everybody, including the president, wants a report…from me, now!
He remembers the most wacky part of this: as everyone is also curious about the second NASA report. That NASA scanners also picked up a very sophisticated laser-type beam, like a radio wave yet much faster, coming from outer space, at least six hundred thousand miles away. It is super sophisticated, advanced beyond our wildest dreams. The waves come from an object moving away at a high velocity. It then patched into a cell-phone tower, which is impossible; then there was a four-minute phone conversation at an American’s home, a Senator Jordan’s house in Richmond, Virginia. This is quite impossible; however, after much investigation, looking at satellite communications, looking at possible other alternatives, even checking with other countries, plus checking the cell-phone companies, it is not only possible; it happened.
He thinks, It actually has happened. It is confirmed! It seems to be an ET communication from some kind of spacecraft. This also has been given to Section 58 to figure out what it is and where it came from.
John is feeling both terrified and ecstatic; he is thinking he might screw this up, yet he’s happy he will be taken seriously now. No more jokes about his “Ghostbusters department.” Lots of good stuff is happening now. The lighting up of half the world at night is a real mind bender, and then the sightings of a supersonic craft blasting across the Pacific helped a lot. Not illusions; all confirmed. Calls were still coming in from other countries. Some of the calls have come from people who are frightened, certainly not bogus; this is real to them. Some of these things have happened before, in years past. Nothing ever came of it. Finally maybe there is a chance at the real thing. Yes…could it really happen? A real alien contact!
The other strange thing is they have the phone conversation on tape, caught as part of an FBI wiretap on the senator’s phone. The FBI has been investigating the senator for some time regarding his unusual financial arrangements. He has large amounts of money and stock in an offshore captive that sometimes is funded by First Excalibur Bank, an international bank closely linked to Iran. The bank also is rumored to launder money for organized crime. The problem with the senator comes from his pushing to allow two large airlines to merge, mostly financed by Excalibur. The silent ownership of the bank seems to be Iran. He also has a huge block of stock in each airline. It seems to be too convenient for the possibility of letting Iran control one huge airline flying in and out of the United States and other Western countries. If you use your imagination, it does not make for sleeping well at night. Unfortunately the FBI has little information or they are not forthcoming. However you look at it, it doesn’t look good for the senator. He also has some real dangerous friends, not the kind of people you cross.
This phone conversation apparently took place between Anna Summers and her mother, the senator’s second wife. Anna is his stepdaughter, and they are close, per the FBI. She made the call from six hundred thousand or so miles away—from deep space—to her mother to say she was going to be late arriving home.
I guess so, thinks John. She is heading in the wrong direction, leaving our planet at a very fast speed, three times the distance from the moon. Did aliens abduct her? Or maybe this is a Hollywood publicity stunt. Anna is a rather popular movie star, successful, maybe up for an Academy Award. Maybe she rigged this somehow. How crazy is this? However, it is what it is. I guess we need to find out everything we can find out about Anna and where she is.
John hears a knock, and the door of his office open; he pauses, looks, sees his staff assistant, and smiles. He is always glad to see her. She has helped him so many times, always has his back.
He welcomes her with a big smile, “Amanda, I wondered what happened to you. Do you have the daily briefing report? Thank you for putting up with me lately. I know I have been a little intense!”
She laughs and says, “Yes, John, I have your report, just like every day at this time, and good to see you, too. Let me know if you need some help on your big report; I have some time.”
He laughs, too, says, “You will be the first on my list.”
She has known him a long time. She is amused as she has never seen him so excited. All this ET activity has him pacing back and forth in front of his only window, overlooking the parking lot. She is happy to work for him. He loves his work, and he is a true patriot. She drops off his daily briefing report, leaves it on his desk, and picks up his outgoing mail and his empty coffee cups. She watches him for a few seconds to see if he needs to talk to her.
She thinks about how all those who know John Jacobs know he is a serious man yet sort of weird. He is made fun of behind his back, ridiculed for his nerd status and laughed at for his ET views. John thinks there is an alien behind every bush. He has raised up the announcement of aliens being here so many times that he has no credibility with the White House or many in the science community. He is a true believer. And he is right this time. She is sure of it. She knows he is proud to be the section chief of the ultra top-secret Section 58, the watchdogs for ETs. He is responsible for investigating and defending the United States from extraterrestrials. These are the aliens, as in otherworldly beings—yes, like in War of the Worlds. Finally he will be respected. Amanda is so happy he may finally see some success. She smiles and closes the door as she leaves.
John hears the door shut and wonders what Amanda thinks of him; he is proud of her; hopefully she feels the same. He is grateful for all of this, finally after all these years, thinking they both may have their moment in the sun. This might a chance to learn from an advanced civilization, another species. His life could be validated, the right man at the right time, and he contemplates: I am fifty years old, happily married, with five great kids, not expecting to be exceptional or certainly not famous or anything other than a bureaucrat. I am glad to have this job, glad to be married to a woman I love. I have been lucky in my life. It has always been my passion to make the first ET contact. However, I never thought it could happen. Never in this lifetime. Yet now I might be in the middle of it.
Just thinking about how dangerous this might become for everyone scares him; it’s a real possible threat, not only to him but also to the whole world. It is hard to comprehend.
Right at this moment, John is also starting to have doubts. Could this be more than what he can handle? How many people could be hurt if he fails? He may be thrust into something really perilous and incredible, and he needs to give it everything he has in him. My marine training nee
ds to kick in. I have to do this right for family and country! Still, it is normal to be really scared right now, and he feels it; he is scared. What if they really are hostile aliens with advanced weapons? If he were captured? John will be glad to go home tonight; he needs to share all this with his wife, top secret or not. She will help him figure it all out.
Driving home, he is having awful butterflies in his stomach, causing cold sweat and nausea. After dinner—he didn’t eat much—and after the kids are in bed, John and his wife sit down at the kitchen table. He gives her a glass of wine, her favorite, and tells her they need to talk.
He declares, “Judy, I have a real problem. I can tell you only part of it because it is severely classified.”
He tells her as much as he thinks he can, careful about the top-secret classification, as she knows he took an oath, and he does not want to freak her out. He simply tells her that for the first time in his life, he feels afraid and maybe will not be able solve a big work issue. She has to worry about the kids, and he knows she also worries about him. He does not want this or to talk about it too much, as it might panic both of them. He knows she sees it. He tells her he does not want to worry her. She listens, smiles, and goes over to him to give him a hug, trying to reassure him. She kisses his cheek and tells him to take one step at a time. She tells him many people are part of any crisis management; he is never alone. He can do it. He is a good man, and she loves him.
He feels better. He thinks, Thank God for Judy.
Driving to work the next day, he rethinks the whole thing. He and his section have always believed in extraterrestrials. They know it is just a matter of time before a visit, and all experts say it will not go well for the human race. This does not have to be true, as the ETs might be friendly. If they are talking to Anna Summers and maybe the senator’s wife, how bad can it be?
If so, maybe there is an alien ship with Anna on board, and she just called her mother, who just happens to be a US senator’s wife. It is a friendly conversation. Just crazy, yet why not? Or it has to be some weird explanation, can’t really be what it looks like. Impossible. When I tell the guys at the White House, they’ll think I’ve finally lost it. Naturally they will have a good laugh at John’s expense.
Chapter 14
Tour of the Cyclone and Solar System
I look at Anna and say, “We need to head for the control room, the captain’s bridge. Just follow me. You need to use the handrails to push yourself through the ship’s passage tunnels, as you cannot walk in this mostly weightless world. There is much to learn. Going to the bathroom is one challenge for you; eating is another.”
I smile, excited, “Anna, you may have never had the opportunity to learn so much so quickly. I am sorry. I know you did not plan for this when you got up this morning. I also know I need to get you home within two or three days. We do have enough time to show you the sights, truly fantastic and worth seeing, and a freak opportunity for you to see the Earth’s solar system! I am delighted to show you all of it or just part, depending on how much time you have available.”
Continuing, “The planets are easy to reach for sure within this solar system. Other stars and their planets are much farther. Maybe someday when we have more time, we can also beat a path to Alpha Centauri, the nearest star system to this one. To reach Mars we have about fifty-five million miles to cover, going on to Jupiter, another 350 million miles, then Saturn at 450 million more miles, next Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, or thirty-five hundred million more miles. You don’t want to know how far we need to go to make Alpha Centauri. The Proxima Centauri is twenty-four trillion miles away, and we need more than a couple of days. Needless to say, we will be using all eight cylinders to reach the outer layers of this solar system. What are you up for?”
Anna looks at me, a puzzled expression on her face, and says, “Henry, this is a little bit overwhelming. I have no clue what I want to do. I never thought I would have these kinds of options and am still not sure I am not dreaming all this. I’m game for whatever you want to do or whatever you want to show me. I have only a couple of free days.”
I beam. “Anna, I am going to show you some remarkable things, whatever we can squeeze into forty-eight hours. Let’s go for it! We’ll light up the afterburners. Let’s check out Mars, maybe Jupiter, Saturn for sure! You’ll be impressed by what the Cyclone can do. Ask anything you want, and be prepared to be delighted. No person on Earth has ever seen what you will see. You will have stories you will want to tell.”
Intently looking at Anna, I pause, thinking and knowing I need to warn her, and then continuing, “This is critical. A problem I just realized. Promise me, this all stays between you and me. It is dangerous for you to ever talk about me or this trip. It could be life threating for you. I think you understand?”
Anna looks back, bewildered but finally nods her head and says, “Yes, I think I understand. It’s the alien thing?”
“Yes, it is the alien thing,” I respond.
We continue to make our way up through the ship, pulling and pushing off the handles, gliding easily. I am watching Anna slowly getting the hang of the free-float, which is not easy, but she adapts quickly. She is a good athlete. She makes it work for herself. She is actually graceful and looks incredible. I am just now realizing how really gorgeous she is, truly a stunning woman. This is the only human female who has ever been on the Cyclone. I wonder what the Cyclone thinks of this. The telepathic response is immediate, and I have to laugh. The Cyclone really likes Anna, maybe thinks she is a kindred spirit. I smile at her, feeling pleased.
Anna looks back at me, knows I laughed, and looks at me, responding with a smile, “You cannot hide your laughs, as I am telepathic with you, or did you forget? Are you laughing at me? Remember, I am new at this, just learning the ropes.”
I respond with a chuckle and say, “No, I was not laughing at you. I am in total admiration. You’re very graceful when you move, and I’m glad you cannot read all my thoughts. I was thinking you are really a beautiful woman—maybe the best-looking woman I have ever seen.”
Anna is embarrassed. “I don’t know what to say to you, Mr. Starman, except thank you. I have a feeling you have not seen many women while being locked up here in this ship. I am still glad you approve.” She smiles. “I have questions: where are we going, and how big is this ship? Is there a ladies’ room? Do we get something to eat? What do you do for fun on board? Is there an activities director? Do I get my own bedroom, or are we roommates? Are there movies? And, by the way, you owe me an explanation about all of this. This is not the usual kind of job description. Do they give you a paycheck?”
I can feel the humor and warmth coming from her, and it really makes me feel good. It brings back memories of my youth, at home with my family, laughing and kidding one another. I can remember how wonderful those days were.
I look at Anna seriously, then smile, saying, “All are good questions. Before we talk about it, I need to know your specific plans this week. Where do you need to be and when? When do you have to get back to your parents’, the exact time back to Earth?
Anna says, “I need to be in London in six days for the premiere of my movie—a really important obligation for me—then back at my home in LA in about eight days. So I could spend two days with you here, a couple of days or more with my parents, then head to London for a day and then go back to LA. By the way, my plans include you, as I want you to come meet my parents and stay with us at the farm. You will love it if you like trees, fresh air, green grass, rolling fields, and horses. I can cook for us. I am a great cook. We will both have some R-and-R time.”
Anna beams, looking at me. “Are you not on R and R, coming from some galaxy out there in the universe to be back home for vacation?” Laughing, she says, “I’m more perceptive than you think, and yes, I do know you are beyond my reality as I know it. Maybe it’s all a weird delusion and I will wake up. I don’t care. I still want to spend time with you and find out all you can tell me about your life.
I know you are not of this planet, and I feel fine with that, not sure exactly why. Please tell me everything possible: who you are, where you come from, the works!”
Looking away, thinking, then looking back at Anna, I say, “You will have it all, more than you want is my guess. Let’s go up to the captain’s bridge, settle in, and have something to drink, and I will start from the beginning. Remember, what I tell you and what you see is never to be repeated. If what is happening to you became known and believed, especially by your government or your military, it could be harsh for you.”
Anna just stares at me. “Henry, I know, and I will be fine. I keep secrets. Plus, no one would believe me.”
We now make our way up the main tunnel, looks like a hallway ten feet wide, all softly lit, reflecting off the dull silver walls. We pass crew members, and they acknowledge me as usual, with our common salutation: “Calabra,” which means, “May the divine light embrace and guide you.” I explain to Anna what it means, as it refers to God’s light. It could be compared to an Earth person saying, “God bless you” or “Godspeed.”
The crew continues to greet us.
“Good to have you back, Admiral.”
“Captain, how was Earth?”
“Glad to meet you. Calabra, Anna.”
“Welcome aboard!”
I introduce Anna as much as possible. She is astounded, as none of the crew members are human. Some look similar to humans, as they are my synthetic clones, part of the military brigade, who are very human in appearance, although most of the ship’s crew are aliens from various worlds. I think that none are frightening to look at, yet maybe a little strange for Anna. For me they are just different.
Universe citizens come in all shapes, colors, and sizes, a lot of variety, yet I think all look sophisticated and intelligent. None look like monsters. All have eyes of some kind, maybe perception radar points like eyes, and some are more attractive than others. Yet each one is priceless, mentally brilliant, with amazing life stories and interesting backgrounds. Anna says thanks to each, and with every welcome greeting, she smiles a warm smile and acts pleased about the greetings and introductions. I am really proud of this crew. I know each of them well; they’re all part of this great ship. Anna has adapted, too, and does not act shocked or afraid—maybe a little pale, yet she is into it. I am thankful.