Humans and other Aliens: Book 1

by Winzer, Alexander

  “I propose we put our cards on the table. I’m willing to provide you with all the knowledge and insight that I have. There’s no need for competition or even secrecy, there’s no prize to win but the survival of us all and I believe we can only win by joining forces, without any conditions or strings attached. Please, Eva, let me know if you agree and if so I’ll start explaining what we’ve been doing here and where we are right now.”

  Ivan looked at Eva, his face turning an even deeper shade of red. Jon felt the Russian scientist was not fond of sharing the fruit of their work. Especially not with a bunch of American scientists who might very well steal their secrets and then kick them not only out of their lab but also out of the country, putting them on the next flight back to St. Petersburg without as much as a thank you or goodbye. Jon was surprised when Eva nodded and said, “Thank you for your trust. I agree, no secrets.”

  Jon sensed that she had spoken from her heart, that she was on his side, but he wasn’t so sure about Ivan. The Russian scientist didn’t look comfortable. His face had a pinched look that made Jon think of an animal that had to give up its food to a more powerful member of the pack. He’ll soon get over it, thought Jon. The reason they were here was to solve the alien problem; it didn’t matter who had the better idea, or who would be named the one responsible for finding a solution, the only thing that mattered was succeeding.

  Jon took about an hour detailing his experiments and concluded with how they were able to locate Chris and Suki. He noticed a gradual change in Ivan’s attitude. The resistance Jon felt an hour ago was melting away and was being replaced with anticipation. Jon smirked as it became more and more obvious that Ivan was getting really excited. Jon sensed Ivan finally saw the potential that joining forces with the Americans held.

  “This reminds me of the chicken and the egg problem,” Ivan suddenly blurted out. All eyes were on him as he nervously shifted in his seat, trying to explain his unusual statement. “Well… you know… the problem is like the egg. It is undoubtedly present. But where is the chicken? Meaning… what is it that apparently caused the problem, egg, to materialize? Knowing the answer to the problem might reveal the chicken.” Ivan’s face was now as red as a tomato.

  “That’s a very interesting way of looking at it,” Jon replied. “Considering what Delta has been telling us I’d conclude that we, humanity itself, may be the chicken.”

  Ivan nodded excitedly as Jon continued, “Delta has been showing us how humanity has been removing itself more and more from a natural way of life, a life that is in symbiotic harmony with nature and all of its creatures.”

  Ivan seemed to be trying to slow himself down, so as not to stumble over his own words. “Yes! We were talking along similar lines just recently, right, Eva? We were theorizing about the cause of the dilemma being our own inability to live in a way that supports earth’s well-being. The problem is… how do we change that fact? We were talking to Mov about pulling the plug on all electricity generation and we thought about other options, but they don’t solve the problem, they’re merely cosmetic.”

  Jon nodded. “I’m glad that we’re on the same page as to who the chicken is.”

  Ivan coughed as he took a sip of water, spilling a small amount on the glass table.

  “Let’s go and meet Delta. I’m sure he’ll enlighten us all,” Jon proposed.

  Ivan jumped up without waiting for any further comments from the others. “Yes, I’d love to finally see a real alien.”

  Twenty-Three

  Delta

  Delta was sitting at his table reading Eva’s theory about the Two Lovers when the group entered the lab. “Hello, Eva, I like the title to your paper, The Two Lovers, very romantic.”

  Eva looked startled. “What do you think about it besides the title?”

  Delta switched off his display and looked into her eyes. “I see that you are here to help. I am glad that you and Jon will work on this together; we need you… and of course you as well, Ivan.”

  Ivan started fidgeting nervously while Delta appeared to be appraising the newcomers in silence.

  Jon cleared his throat before starting to speak. “We’ve been thinking about why the alien assault is happening… The only reason we can come up with is that it is due to humanity acting the way it has over the last centuries. We have forgotten how to live in a way that benefits the planet. Instead it has been used like a disposable piece of junk that is discarded once it has passed its use-by date.”

  Delta nodded as Jon continued, “We see the problem, yet what can be done to remedy the situation eludes us. The alien attack obviously seems to be one solution, a pretty final one, which aims to remove the problem, us, once and for all. But there has to be another way… What does humanity have to do to stop this slaughter?”

  Delta slowly got up from his chair, looking at Chris, then at Suki. “I hope you have had a good night’s rest and yesterday’s journey in space and time was not too strenuous for you?”

  Suki just smiled and Chris nodded while Delta turned around and walked back to his table.

  “I am sure you know what a cataract is. A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s lens resulting in symptoms like faded colors, blurry vision, and halos around light. Cataracts were a major cause of blindness in humans until a few decades ago. Today cataract surgery can be performed effectively replacing the clouded lens with a clear one. I propose we perform such a surgery on humankind.”

  Eva looked at Jon who seemed to be equally lost. Delta continued. “Of course we’re not replacing the lenses of people’s eyes. What we will be replacing, or rather modifying, is their belief systems, their conditioned thought structures, their way of thinking.”

  Eva seemed to understand. “But how do we tell them to change their beliefs? People’s thoughts and beliefs are based on conditioning received since birth or at least since they were able to speak their first words. How do you expect them to simply change their ways?”

  Delta nodded. “People will not change their beliefs just because someone tells them to, at least not without first providing a framework for a new belief system that evolves from a time-consuming process of manipulation. Human leaders have used this method for thousands of years and with the advances in modern technology, mass media has been used ever more efficiently to influence people’s opinions by shaping their underlying belief structures. The problem is that such manipulation is always targeted at achieving an egocentric goal, mostly the goal of a few looking to control the many. These mechanisms are based on greed, on a few individuals gaining power over the masses. This method works like a parasite sucking your blood. It poisons you from the inside and turns you into something ugly. It veils the reality that you are and forces you into believing that you are less, that you are a piece that has been broken off from the whole, you believe you are lonely and lost; your light has been covered. What we will be doing is destroying these wrong beliefs. We will free humanity from the ignorance that has been implanted by your own kind.”

  Jon cut in, “That sounds impossible! How could we ever achieve something like that? We will never be able to convince humanity as a whole.”

  Delta smiled. “You cannot truly convince people of anything, the conviction has to grow from inside. A seed has to be planted that will grow into a tree. A seed that is powerful enough to overcome the false and reveal the truth. It has to be a seed that will sprout like the magic beans in your story of Jack and the Beanstalk. We will work on developing this seed and then we will sow it.”

  Ivan raised his hand. “You know… there might not be enough time for gardening. Based on my calculations we barely have three months before we’re all dead.”

  Delta nodded. “Generating and deploying the seed will not be our only task. We will also have to go back in time.”

  Now Ivan was left with his mouth hanging open.

  Delta continued, “Yes, Ivan, gardening takes time, in this case maybe about three millennia, time that we no longer have. We will have t
o find a way to plant the seed in the past. Seeds have been planted before. The last time a seed was planted was some two million years ago when the seed of mirror consciousness was sown. A seed that has resulted in an ever-growing abyss between the subject and its objects as well as relativistic knowledge. The last hundred years have brought exponential growth of a specific branch of scientific knowledge. Unfortunately this growth has not produced a magnificent tree like the one pictured on Chris’s arm.”

  Chris appeared surprised that Delta had noticed his tattoo.

  ”The tree on his arm symbolizes the great perfection that this seed can achieve, it can merge with the tree of life and grow into the cosmic tree, but unfortunately it can also grow into a deadly vine. A vine that chokes everything else and that leads to separation, greed, and selfish behavior. Chris, why don’t you tell us a bit more about your tree?”

  Delta sat back in his chair waiting for him to tell his story.

  “I’m not sure… where to start. I had this done after I spent two days stuck in an elevator in complete darkness with a man called Ramirez. He helped me to see the light where only darkness seemed to reign. He showed me the path and helped me to find… myself. Back then I understood that all our knowledge, all these ideas of achieving and becoming are a mirage. They are based on individual effort, but who is taking action if there is only the one? We fragment the whole and identify with parts; we call it I, me, or self and see it as something separate from the environment out there. I’ve seen through these conceptual limitations that society demands. The cosmic tree on my arm symbolizes the whole. The choking vine that Delta mentioned represents the fragmented, the belief in separation. Seeing this has resulted in some changes. I’m not afraid anymore, not because there are no frightening things in this world, but simply because I can’t be afraid of myself.”

  Suki looked at Chris as if she were seeing him for the first time. “That is so beautiful.” She gave him a kiss on the cheek leaving a red mark that was soon overpowered by Chris’s face turning red.

  “Thank you, Chris. You have done well.” Delta continued, “Chris is right. Have you ever asked yourself the question “What am I?” People believe they are this body and mind, but are they? Are you? Are you just that? Look at this piece of sushi. You state that this is not me; it is something else, an object out there and I am the subject, in here. Now you eat it.”

  Delta put the last piece of salmon sushi into his mouth. “It is absorbed into this body. Now… what about the sushi? Has it been magically transformed from object into subject, from not me into me?”

  Jon felt that this was not the time to undermine the foundations of human understanding. It was action that was required, there was an enemy to fight, not a mental puzzle to solve. “OK… I think we get it, humanity is lost in a hall of mirrors of its own making. So let’s start breaking a few of these mirrors.”

  Delta nodded. “Yes, Jon, but after breaking all these mirrors, what will you be left with?”

  Jon was startled; he hadn’t expected Delta to agree with his argument. “I don’t know… a pile of broken glass?”

  Delta looked at Jon for a few seconds before leaning back in his chair and scanning the group of people sitting opposite of him. “Let me outline the plan I have drawn up for each of you. Jon, Eva, and Ivan, you will be working on the scientific part of developing the seed. This will involve some genetic tinkering, but I trust you have the required know-how. Suki and Chris, your first task is to keep your friends safe. This will only work if you stay together. Trust and complement each other then all will be good. Jon will also need you two when developing the seed. You will be a valuable benchmark. Zoe and Ezrah, what are your plans? I believe that this is the time you have to decide if you go back to your previous work, to the agency and the police, or if you support the team. If you stay I have an important task for you. But first you will have to decide which path you will take.”

  Ezrah said, “I believe I’m speaking for both of us, but please Zoe correct me if I’m wrong. We’ll stay with you and do whatever is required to turn this endeavor into a success. I’ve lost not only colleagues but also friends and family members to this invasion. For me there’s no turning back from what might be the last and only chance for human survival.”

  Zoe nodded. “I’m in, but I won’t give up my position within the agency. I believe my access to their resources may be helpful and I’m sure that my boss will support my request to be transferred to your team until… well… until we’re successful or…”

  Delta slowly got up and walked over to his holographic workstation that Jon had installed in his room. “Jon, why don’t you take your friends out for a nice welcome dinner at ARC’s technology tower? I have heard that there is a very interesting show on display. It is about scientific experiments that achieve results that cannot be scientifically explained. They have coined the term magical science. It is the last day and you should not miss it.”

  Jon felt that Delta’s proposal was more than just a suggestion. He nodded and got up from his chair. “Ladies and gentlemen, how about we retire to our rooms for an hour before we meet at reception. The technology tower is just across the road.” Jon pointed out of the window to a glass monolith that towered over ARC’s research facility. “Delta’s right, there’s a show on. I haven’t seen it yet, but I’ve heard there are some quite unbelievable things happening. I propose we dine at Coal & Cedar. It’s an old-fashioned American steakhouse where real meat is chargrilled over real open fires. Something that doesn’t happen very much these days.”

  Jon stifled a laugh, noticing the glowing anticipation in Ivan’s eyes.

  “Oh, yes. Do we really have to wait for another hour?”

  Eva looked at Ivan like a mother at an unruly child. “Yes, you’ll have to wait.”

  Twenty-Four

  Team

  Jon smiled at the group of people who all seemed to have spent some time in front of the mirror, the ladies looking glamorous and the men handsome.

  Jon led his team out of the research tower while the rays of the setting sun reflected off thousands of metal pods, traveling silently above the highest towers on the Web, the city’s highway in the sky.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many travel pods in one place. It’s amazing how busy San Francisco is.” Eva stood next to Ivan, staring up into the sky.

  “You haven’t seen Tokyo yet,” Suki interjected. “Compared to Tokyo this feels like the traffic of a small country town.”

  Eva smiled at Suki. “It’s interesting how our interpretations and beliefs shape whatever we perceive. You experience this as a quiet, small town whereas my experience is seemingly so much different. Still the underlying reality is the same, it’s just our interpretations that differ… I guess Delta’s right in that our conditioned beliefs shape not only our experience of the world but also of our very own self.”

  Suki looked at Eva in wonder. “Considering this, it’s not surprising that there’s so much misunderstanding in the world. We interpret events in such different ways. How could we ever come to a common understanding if already the basis for such is built on shifting sand?”

  Jon cleared his throat. “OK, ladies, enough philosophizing. Let’s walk.”

  Suki smiled at Eva pulling a funny face. “Yes, sir.”

  Jon pressed the call button of the elevator that would take them to the entertainment center at the top of the tower. “After you.” Jon held the door open allowing the group to enter before him. “Here we go. Floor 125.”

  The elevator was not like anything Eva had ever seen before. It resembled a modified maxi travel pod standing upright. A shimmering round handrail had been mounted inside of the otherwise perfectly smooth egg-shaped surface. Eva was wondering what kind of material had been used for the walls when Jon announced, “Hang on to the rail.”

  Eva instinctively followed his suggestion. Ivan was somewhat slower and nearly fell over when the cabin stopped and started moving sideways while the
walls including the floor of the elevator turned transparent. It looked like only the handrail was left as the pod approached the end of a dimly lit tunnel.

  The cabin was flooded with light as it floated outside of the building, hovering some three hundred meters above ground revealing a magnificent view over San Francisco and the bay.

  “It’s scary when it happens the first time, isn’t it?” stated Jon. “But when you get used to it, then it’s just magical.”

  The pod moved in a semicircle halfway around the building, before connecting to a dock at the other side of the tower. The door opened, revealing the entrance to the restaurant and entertainment area.

  “Can we take a normal lift when we go back down?” Ivan was still shaking while Zoe and Ezrah had big smiles on their faces.

  “No, Ivan, this is the only way down.” Zoe smirked at Jon who simply nodded and slowly walked towards a group of people who were gathering around a man who was in the process of explaining an unusual, messy-looking setup of slightly outdated technical equipment.

  “Let’s have a look at this one. I think that’s Professor Nick Dimitrios. He once worked for MIT, quantum research lab, if I remember correctly. He published a theory that—”

  Eva interjected “—he published a theory called Rotations in Time. He was trying to prove that any object has its own past, present, and future contained within itself. He was proposing that an object’s appearance could be set to a past or future state by forcing it to describe a very specific rotational movement. There were a few problems though, one being that the rotational speed had to be so great that no living creature would be able to endure it. I think the other problem had to do with stabilizing the object in its new or rather past state. Anyway, let’s say hello.”