First Contact Procedings
February 21, 2063
Yesterday, alien ships came to Earth. Huge vessels hovered in our skylines, casting great shadows all across the land. They first appeared over Tokyo, Sydney, Delhi and Dhaka. Then sightings came in from Tehran, Moscow, Paris, and London. By evening, they appeared in the western hemisphere in cities from New York to Santiago.
They’re here in Los Angeles too, but I can’t imagine why. We’re not a relevant city anymore. LA’s just a dried up deserted wasteland now. Crawling with transients and rich people who have nothing better to do than step on the hands and feet of the human vermin that grovel.
When reports came in from Tokyo, President Powell summoned my dad to the White House. Dad said he was going to help “facilitate first contact proceedings,” whatever that means.
The media are calling it, “The answer to Earth’s prayers,” but I smell a rat.
These spacemen; they don’t seem to talk. Isn’t that odd? They do love to stare though. Then they type something on a tablet, and move on to the next thing of interest.
Mister Kimkims growled and hissed at one of the spacemen that came into our yard. I couldn’t believe it. That cat would rather hide under my bed than confront even a mosquito. Yet there he was, growling and hissing. Ears flat as a board. The spaceman hissed right back, revealing fangs. It was such a terrible sound.
Then it looked at me with yellow cat like eyes. It began to lunge at Mister Kimkims when I realized this was no game. I picked up my cat and ran for the house, not stopping until I was safely inside, slamming the door shut behind me. Mister Kimkims watched through the front window, growling until the alien finally left.
If my cat wants to fight aliens, maybe we should take a cue from him, and stay away from these guys. Any sentient being that tries to start a fight with my cat is suspicious in my book.
I didn’t sleep well last night. I couldn’t figure out why these extraterrestrials didn’t sit right with me. I could hear Mom’s voice echoing in my head. “Stranger danger, Bea. Don’t ever trust them!” I tried not to be paranoid about it, but then I remembered what happened to my cat.
At school this morning, we were all rounded up for a special assembly. As we took our seats in the auditorium, a screen was lowered, and the lights dimmed. The screen switched on, calling our attention to a press conference already in progress.
Jeri, my classmate, punched me in the arm. “Hey Beatrix! Isn’t that your father?” she asked. A few of my classmates glanced over at me. Their eyes widened, as they made the connection between me, and the face of my father on the screen. I tried to slump in my chair, but Jeri wouldn’t let me.
“Yes! Now leave me alone!” I whined. Ms. Patsy, our principal, coughed. My classmates turned toward the front, leaving me in peace. I slumped down, hoping to disappear completely.
“Everybody, pay attention to this. Kids, you’re watching history in the making.” Ms. Patsy gestured toward the screen. She smiled broadly, as if this event was her idea to begin with.
President Powell addressed the camera. “Fellow Americans, fellow citizens of the world. It is our honor and privilege to inform you that my colleagues and I have formed an alliance with our extraterrestrial neighbors.
“I, Daniel Powell, would like to introduce you to the Yanko, our neighbors from the next star system. Like us, they have a desire to forge friendships, exchange ideas, and establish trade. First and foremost, the Yanko offer fresh, clean water, and food. They would also like to offer their services so that together; we can repair the damage that has been done to our planet.
“I shall now turn the podium over to our Yanko Emissary, and our newly appointed ambassador to the Yanko, Mr. Leggatt.”
Everyone in the auditorium turned around to look at me.
“Is that Bea’s old man?” someone asked.
“Hey Be a? Get an autograph from the Prez, won’t ya? For me?”
“Psh, who cares about the President? Get stuff from the aliens!”
Embarrassed, I tried to sink lower into my seat. Jeri nodded, pointing at me, “E-yap! He’s her father alright.”
“Stop it!” I hissed, smacking her hand away. Our homeroom teacher, Mr. Stout cleared his throat while walking past my row. “Eyes on the screen, students!” he bellowed. Turning to me, he narrowed his eyes. “Sit up, Miss Leggatt.”
“Yessir,” I mumbled, but it was drowned out by the sound of whirs and clicks from the speakers. From the front, we heard audible gasps, which caused everyone in the auditorium to look up at the events unfolding on the screen.
A tall, slender being with opalescent skin, yellow cat like eyes, and royal blue robes stared into the camera. The being opened its mouth and hissed, just like the alien that terrorized Mister Kimkims.
“Oh holy crap! What’s that awful noise? Are they planning to eat us?” Jeri murmured.
click click click click
“One tried to fight my cat yesterday, so maybe,” I whispered back.
hisssss
“Are you serious?” Jeri was taken aback. “That’s messed up. You sure your father knows what he’s doing?”
click click hissssss click
“He’s probably just following orders like the yes-man he is,” I guessed.
click click clackity clackity click
“You don’t like him very much, do you?” Jeri looked at me, suspect.
Hisssssssssssssss
“Not really,” I admitted.
The Yanko being on the screen smiled revealing sharp incisors before stepping back. More gasps emanated from the crowd, followed by murmurs.
I shivered. Nothing about this seemed right. Just as I had thought I’d figured out what seemed wrong with the situation, my dad began to speak, causing me to lose my train of thought.
“Thank you, Emissary. Good afternoon, citizens of Earth. My name is Cornelius Leggatt, Ambassador to our new friends from the sky. The Emissary has asked me to make a correction. While Mr. President introduced them as the Yanko, that is actually incorrect. Apparently, the correct pronunciation is Jangl. We apologize for the mispronunciation.”
The Emissary nodded, while in the background, the President was seen with his head buried in his hands. I knew how the president felt.
“The Jangl do look forward to working with us to forge a new alliance. As President Powell mentioned, the Jangl have promised to contribute fresh water and food. In addition, they have offered to help us reverse the devastation created by the effects of global warming.
“To do this, we need able bodied volunteers to assist the Jangl. We truly hope that with your help, our alliance with the Jangl will be successful. We will share more information with the public as it becomes available to us. Trust that your leaders are working very hard for you.
“Thank you.”
“Uh, Mr. Ambassador, just a few questions from the New York Times.”
“Sorry, there will be no questions answered at this time. Thank you.”
Dad began to walk away from the podium, causing a flurry of hands to wave, reporters to shout, and the camera to zoom out a little. The Jangl Emissary inclined toward him a bit. Dad paused, then immediately walked back to the podium.
“Sorry, one more thing. The Jangl have requested that you keep all feline pets indoors during their visits here on Earth,” he said quickly.
“LA Times wants to know why?” someone shouted.
Dad blinked. He glanced behind him briefly, then turned back to face the cameras. “I have been told that the Jangl have allergies. Thank you, that is all. No more questions.” He walked away.
Mock sneezes could be heard all around the auditorium, followed by laughter. Ms. Patsy turned the screen off, and the lights came up. Clapping her hands and smiling with glee, she spoke into her headset mic.
“Isn’t this exciting? I think we should set examples for others to follow. We will be sending around sign-up sheets during class today. We must assist the Jangl in any way we can. I expect each and every one of you to sign up. Now please return to your classes. Dismissed.”
“Oh hell no!” I shouted. “You’re just going to take these politicians at their word? Am I the only rational person here?”
“Model students do not question authority, Miss Leggatt, and they generally hold their tongue. I’m certain your father would be disappointed to hear you speak as you do.” Mr. Stout admonished, “Now go before I assign you detention.”
“You have got to be kidding me!”
“Keep it to yourself, girl.” Jeri whispered in my ear. “None of these adults have any idea how fishy this whole thing is. We’re on our own for now.”
Jeri and I are meeting up with a few others tonight at the coffee shop. I told Mom we’re studying for a physics exam. Not sure what will come from our meet up, but at least I’m not the only one that thinks this whole alliance is a trap.
Notes: This entry occurs just prior to the events in this entry.
Special thanks to jexia and zedmanauk for their helpful beta skills.
Thank you for reading.
Yesterday, alien ships came to Earth. Huge vessels hovered in our skylines, casting great shadows all across the land. They first appeared over Tokyo, Sydney, Delhi and Dhaka. Then sightings came in from Tehran, Moscow, Paris, and London. By evening, they appeared in the western hemisphere in cities from New York to Santiago.
They’re here in Los Angeles too, but I can’t imagine why. We’re not a relevant city anymore. LA’s just a dried up deserted wasteland now. Crawling with transients and rich people who have nothing better to do than step on the hands and feet of the human vermin that grovel.
When reports came in from Tokyo, President Powell summoned my dad to the White House. Dad said he was going to help “facilitate first contact proceedings,” whatever that means.
The media are calling it, “The answer to Earth’s prayers,” but I smell a rat.
These spacemen; they don’t seem to talk. Isn’t that odd? They do love to stare though. Then they type something on a tablet, and move on to the next thing of interest.
Mister Kimkims growled and hissed at one of the spacemen that came into our yard. I couldn’t believe it. That cat would rather hide under my bed than confront even a mosquito. Yet there he was, growling and hissing. Ears flat as a board. The spaceman hissed right back, revealing fangs. It was such a terrible sound.
Then it looked at me with yellow cat like eyes. It began to lunge at Mister Kimkims when I realized this was no game. I picked up my cat and ran for the house, not stopping until I was safely inside, slamming the door shut behind me. Mister Kimkims watched through the front window, growling until the alien finally left.
If my cat wants to fight aliens, maybe we should take a cue from him, and stay away from these guys. Any sentient being that tries to start a fight with my cat is suspicious in my book.
I didn’t sleep well last night. I couldn’t figure out why these extraterrestrials didn’t sit right with me. I could hear Mom’s voice echoing in my head. “Stranger danger, Bea. Don’t ever trust them!” I tried not to be paranoid about it, but then I remembered what happened to my cat.
At school this morning, we were all rounded up for a special assembly. As we took our seats in the auditorium, a screen was lowered, and the lights dimmed. The screen switched on, calling our attention to a press conference already in progress.
Jeri, my classmate, punched me in the arm. “Hey Beatrix! Isn’t that your father?” she asked. A few of my classmates glanced over at me. Their eyes widened, as they made the connection between me, and the face of my father on the screen. I tried to slump in my chair, but Jeri wouldn’t let me.
“Yes! Now leave me alone!” I whined. Ms. Patsy, our principal, coughed. My classmates turned toward the front, leaving me in peace. I slumped down, hoping to disappear completely.
“Everybody, pay attention to this. Kids, you’re watching history in the making.” Ms. Patsy gestured toward the screen. She smiled broadly, as if this event was her idea to begin with.
President Powell addressed the camera. “Fellow Americans, fellow citizens of the world. It is our honor and privilege to inform you that my colleagues and I have formed an alliance with our extraterrestrial neighbors.
“I, Daniel Powell, would like to introduce you to the Yanko, our neighbors from the next star system. Like us, they have a desire to forge friendships, exchange ideas, and establish trade. First and foremost, the Yanko offer fresh, clean water, and food. They would also like to offer their services so that together; we can repair the damage that has been done to our planet.
“I shall now turn the podium over to our Yanko Emissary, and our newly appointed ambassador to the Yanko, Mr. Leggatt.”
Everyone in the auditorium turned around to look at me.
“Is that Bea’s old man?” someone asked.
“Hey Be a? Get an autograph from the Prez, won’t ya? For me?”
“Psh, who cares about the President? Get stuff from the aliens!”
Embarrassed, I tried to sink lower into my seat. Jeri nodded, pointing at me, “E-yap! He’s her father alright.”
“Stop it!” I hissed, smacking her hand away. Our homeroom teacher, Mr. Stout cleared his throat while walking past my row. “Eyes on the screen, students!” he bellowed. Turning to me, he narrowed his eyes. “Sit up, Miss Leggatt.”
“Yessir,” I mumbled, but it was drowned out by the sound of whirs and clicks from the speakers. From the front, we heard audible gasps, which caused everyone in the auditorium to look up at the events unfolding on the screen.
A tall, slender being with opalescent skin, yellow cat like eyes, and royal blue robes stared into the camera. The being opened its mouth and hissed, just like the alien that terrorized Mister Kimkims.
“Oh holy crap! What’s that awful noise? Are they planning to eat us?” Jeri murmured.
click click click click
“One tried to fight my cat yesterday, so maybe,” I whispered back.
hisssss
“Are you serious?” Jeri was taken aback. “That’s messed up. You sure your father knows what he’s doing?”
click click hissssss click
“He’s probably just following orders like the yes-man he is,” I guessed.
click click clackity clackity click
“You don’t like him very much, do you?” Jeri looked at me, suspect.
Hisssssssssssssss
“Not really,” I admitted.
The Yanko being on the screen smiled revealing sharp incisors before stepping back. More gasps emanated from the crowd, followed by murmurs.
I shivered. Nothing about this seemed right. Just as I had thought I’d figured out what seemed wrong with the situation, my dad began to speak, causing me to lose my train of thought.
“Thank you, Emissary. Good afternoon, citizens of Earth. My name is Cornelius Leggatt, Ambassador to our new friends from the sky. The Emissary has asked me to make a correction. While Mr. President introduced them as the Yanko, that is actually incorrect. Apparently, the correct pronunciation is Jangl. We apologize for the mispronunciation.”
The Emissary nodded, while in the background, the President was seen with his head buried in his hands. I knew how the president felt.
“The Jangl do look forward to working with us to forge a new alliance. As President Powell mentioned, the Jangl have promised to contribute fresh water and food. In addition, they have offered to help us reverse the devastation created by the effects of global warming.
“To do this, we need able bodied volunteers to assist the Jangl. We truly hope that with your help, our alliance with the Jangl will be successful. We will share more information with the public as it becomes available to us. Trust that your leaders are working very hard for you.
“Thank you.”
“Uh, Mr. Ambassador, just a few questions from the New York Times.”
“Sorry, there will be no questions answered at this time. Thank you.”
Dad began to walk away from the podium, causing a flurry of hands to wave, reporters to shout, and the camera to zoom out a little. The Jangl Emissary inclined toward him a bit. Dad paused, then immediately walked back to the podium.
“Sorry, one more thing. The Jangl have requested that you keep all feline pets indoors during their visits here on Earth,” he said quickly.
“LA Times wants to know why?” someone shouted.
Dad blinked. He glanced behind him briefly, then turned back to face the cameras. “I have been told that the Jangl have allergies. Thank you, that is all. No more questions.” He walked away.
Mock sneezes could be heard all around the auditorium, followed by laughter. Ms. Patsy turned the screen off, and the lights came up. Clapping her hands and smiling with glee, she spoke into her headset mic.
“Isn’t this exciting? I think we should set examples for others to follow. We will be sending around sign-up sheets during class today. We must assist the Jangl in any way we can. I expect each and every one of you to sign up. Now please return to your classes. Dismissed.”
“Oh hell no!” I shouted. “You’re just going to take these politicians at their word? Am I the only rational person here?”
“Model students do not question authority, Miss Leggatt, and they generally hold their tongue. I’m certain your father would be disappointed to hear you speak as you do.” Mr. Stout admonished, “Now go before I assign you detention.”
“You have got to be kidding me!”
“Keep it to yourself, girl.” Jeri whispered in my ear. “None of these adults have any idea how fishy this whole thing is. We’re on our own for now.”
Jeri and I are meeting up with a few others tonight at the coffee shop. I told Mom we’re studying for a physics exam. Not sure what will come from our meet up, but at least I’m not the only one that thinks this whole alliance is a trap.
Notes: This entry occurs just prior to the events in this entry.
Special thanks to jexia and zedmanauk for their helpful beta skills.
Thank you for reading.