Retread Shop 1: First Contact

by T. Jackson King

  He sipped his coffee, considering her questions. Damned good questions. Ones he’d partly lost sight of in the shock and the rush of making fast decisions. It gave him one possible answer to his own worry about how his role would look to other humans.

  “Colleen—there’s an argument to be made that some human must have an in-depth, personal relationship with the aliens.” Colleen sat back in her split-pine chair, breakfast finished, her expression animated, almost without the sad worries of earlier. “I can be that human. I can be an honest broker for all our concerns, telling our side to the aliens. And doing the same in return back to humanity. What do you think?”

  She smiled, then nodded. “I think it’s a good idea, a good rationale, but you’re not the Pope. And even he couldn’t fix Zimbabwe. Or the Iran-Saudi Arabia war in the Persian Gulf.”

  He laughed, throwing his wadded up napkin at her. “Great! Cut me off at the world-savior level. Just go for Mr. Average Hero.”

  Her eyes sparkled. “You are. Mine, at least.”

  Jack blew her a kiss. “Thanks, dearest.” Breakfast finished, he looked over at the LinkPad which lay active face up to one side of her plate. “What’s the competition doing with our story?”

  Colleen pushed her plate away and picked up her LinkPad. Tapping an app on it, the device began talking. He sat back and listened.

  “ALIENS CONTACT EARTH

  by Colin Wilson

  “London (Reuters) - Alien visitors from other star systems today announced their presence in a television interview conducted by investigative vid-interviewer Jack Harrigan at 2 p.m. London time, broadcast in English by the American Cable News Network’s International Desk.

  “In the broadcast a humanoid alien named Arix Sargon Arax of the Horem species announced the presence of himself and seven other Alien species aboard a large spaceship called Hekar currently parked in the Asteroid Belt near the planetesimal 10 Hygiea. Mr. Arax assured Mr. Harrigan—”

  He recalled meeting Colin Wilson in Guatemala a year ago, when both of them were tracking down reports of Russian military aid to the Maoist guerrillas. He sipped his coffee.

  “The vidcast interview was received around the world by way of a sat-vid signal transmitted from the Atlanta CNN headquarters. Shortly after the vidcast began, the CNN comsats transmitting the signal went silent, allegedly due to American military interference,” the brown-haired BBC-1 reporter said as he stood before 10 Downing Street in London. “Seconds later the vidcast resumed, this time with voice overlays in major languages or with subtitles. While some news media executives were concerned it might be a hoax, the live nature of the interview from orbit persuaded all comsat carriers to continue with the vidcast. A later interview of Harrigan conducted by CNN news presenter Lesley Ann Jacobs confirmed the reality of aliens. That live vidcast was interrupted by American FBI agents who insisted that Harrigan come with them to meet—”

  He looked up at her. “Nice that Wilson included the military interference with the Atlanta signal.”

  “Jack, he’s as competent as you are,” Colleen muttered as the LinkPad kept talking.

  “Mr. Harrigan’s sat-vid producer, Colleen McIntyre, however continued the live CNN interview after the FBI departure. She stated they had been well treated by the aliens, that the aliens had never acted hostile to them, and that during their trip on the courier ship it had hovered silently above ground without rockets. She said the alien spaceship had taken off straight-up, that they were out of the atmosphere in minutes, and that they experienced normal gravity even while in orbit about the Earth at an apparent distance of 50,000 kilometers. Ms. McIntyre speculated that anyone who didn’t take peaceful advantage of this First Contact by other lifeforms was “a damn fool!” She also wanted to know ‘When the hell is the FBI going to release my partner?’ ”

  Jack gave her a thumbs-up. “Hadn’t realized you began the campaign for my release so soon. Thanks, babe.”

  Colleen looked out the open door at the half-dozen FBI agents who were trying to blend in with the local woods by wearing camo clothing. “I didn’t much care for how they threatened first, rather than asked. There’s more. Listen.”

  “Joddrell Bank recently confirmed a light flare that might be the mother ship’s engines in the predicted Asteroid Belt location. It has also reported radar observation of a spacecraft in the L4 orbital position as stated by the aliens to world leaders. Prime Minister Geoffry Howe, speaking on a nationwide vidcast a short while after the “Alien Broadcast,” said—”

  Colleen tapped off the LinkPad and looked over at Jack. “The rest is just British and European reaction. There’s other sat-vid and blogger stories after this one.”

  Jack looked curious. “How’s the story playing elsewhere?”

  “Okay, I guess,” she said, looking down at the LinkPad. “No one’s accused you of fakery yet, and,” she looked aside at her iPhone 12, “there are statements by McDonnell, Espinoza, Ping, Abreu, Brandt and Bochtov, all offering variations on the theme of ‘we’re glad to see you’. No military problems. Yet.”

  Jack grinned at her, relishing her presence. “And it’s your turn to do the dishes. I cooked.”

  “Jack!” she pouted back at him with a knowing look, well-aware they would both probably end up doing that detestable duty. “Help me, huh?” she said, standing up and heading for the sink.

  He looked at Colleen and realized how lucky he was to know this very unique woman. Someone who meant the world to him. He started to walk over to the sink where she was standing when he heard a beep from the LinkPad. “Just a minute, dear. Let’s see what’s so hot your machine is smoking.” Jack glanced down at the book-sized tablet, then tapped on its Voice. “Listen to this!”

  “JAPAN LAUNCHES CRAFT TO VISIT ALIENS

  “Tokyo (NHK) - Prime Minister Yukio Narasaki, in a surprise address to the Diet, today announced the launch of a Japanese astronaut in the Shikazu shuttle for a rendezvous with the alien spacecraft orbiting near the Moon. The deep-space shuttle was launched from Tanegashima Spaceport by an uprated H-V, three-stage rocket. Narasaki said it was fit that “a son of the Yamato” would be the first Earth person to visit the aliens after the “Alien Broadcast” of 18 hours earlier which—”

  “Holy shit, Jack!” Colleen yelled. “The Japanese are flying to meet them? Boy—I bet McDonnell, Ling and Bochtov are going to be really pissed.”

  Jack sighed. He knew she was right. And no doubt President McDonnell would blame him for not knowing about the Japanese effort. “There’s more. Listen—”

  “The Prime Minister, in response to a question, said an all-ministerial council had recommended the substitution of the Shikazu shuttle for a previously planned geosync comsat as a way of showing Japan’s willingness to go to any lengths to pursue peaceful trade. He stated it was now up to humanity to respond back to the aliens, rather than to demand further meetings from obviously peaceful aliens who had shown every courtesy to those they contacted.

  “A spokesman for the National Space Development Agency at Tsukuba Space Center said the Shikazu shuttle had been outfitted with extra oxygen tanks, food and water so it could support astronaut Shinzo Yamaguchi for the four days the trip out will take. And for the four day return trip. While the shuttle normally carries a crew of two and up to four passengers, the shuttle arrives at the Moon nearly empty of fuel. All human shuttles rely on fuel depots at their Moon bases to refuel for the return trip to Earth. It is unclear whether the craft has been fitted with extra fuel tanks. But the Shikazu does carry the IAO standard docking collar, a device pioneered by the ancient Apollo-Soyuz mission of 1975, so it can link up with the alien ship. That spaceship is described by military sources as four, 20 meter-wide globes arranged in a triangle with the fourth globe on top of them at the apex of the triangle.”

  “Jack.”

  He touched off the LinkPad’s Voice. ‘Yes, Ms. Pollyanna?”

  Colleen gave him the finger. “That sounds like the courier ship we rode on. T
hink it is?”

  He nodded. “I think. But I also suspect these star-faring aliens will have plenty of planetary taxis. We just haven’t seen the other ships yet.”

  “Oh. Uh, can I hear more?”

  “Sure.” Jack tapped on the Voice.

  “The NASDA spokesman said the Shikazu had left Earth orbit and injected itself into circum-lunar trajectory ten minutes ago. The spokesman denied foreign media reports that the craft lacked enough fuel for a return to Earth or to the Moon. He did, however, confirm this was a risky mission, that the pilot was a volunteer, and that he expected the alien craft to cooperate in the rendezvous.

  “Minister for Foreign Affairs Hiroto Arioshi hailed the great daring of Japan and announced a round of meetings with academic and industrial leaders to plan—”

  Jack tapped off the LinkPad Voice. “That’s the substance. The rest is rah-rah talk for local Japanese consumption. What do you think?”

  Colleen turned, looking over her shoulder in the direction of the front door and the silent cordon of protective FBI agents. “When did they launch this Shikazu, Jack?”

  He paged through the sheets, searching. “Uh—says here late Saturday Japan time—that’s Sunday our time.”

  She frowned. “Awful damned quick. We didn’t launch Kinsey to Goddard station until Monday morning—which was yesterday. How could they do it so quickly?”

  He shrugged. “Like they said—make-shift. And they’re probably feeding the trans-lunar trajectory updates by telemetry feed now, rather than the usual pre-dump before launch. Cutting corners. Saving time.”

  “And dangerous,” Colleen muttered.

  “Yes. But daring.” He pushed the LinkPad over to Colleen. They were back to business now. The world wasn’t standing still, even thought he might wish it too. The son of an ex-farmer who’d worked in the cotton mills of north Alabama stood up and walked over to his cabin’s back window, the one that looked east out toward the Smokies, the national park, Clingman Dome and the green hills of Tennessee.

  He wondered when he would be back.

  Turning, he faced Colleen. “Let’s pack up and take my hovercar to Atlanta. Tommy’s promised me an office there as part of this retainer deal. When we arrive, I’ll tap this comdisk thing and ask to talk to Sargon. Maybe we can get a report from him on the status of the Shikazu as it heads his way. And I want to know what Kinsey is up to at Goddard. He went up onboard the Kennedy shuttle. Is McDonnell going to send him to L4 on it, or on the Armstrong that’s parked nearby?”

  Colleen nodded, stood up and carried her dishes over to the sink. Where, as far as he was concerned, they could sit for a week. She looked back to him, her pixie face alight with feminine calculation. “You do that. Then ask Sargon when we get to meet his wife. I want to do a woman-to-woman interview. See what she thinks about living on an asteroid starship. And what she thinks of us humans. And our men!”

  Jack grinned, then headed for his fisherman’s vest, overnight carrybag and his own LinkPad and iPhone. Out of habit he grabbed a paper notepad and ballpoint pen. They were antiques, but they would still work when the batteries of the other devices died. Or when you didn’t have time to unroll the flexible keypad of the LinkPad for making notes. “I promise to ask your questions of Sargon. But right now, let’s get our stuff and head out to the hovercar. I’m sure our appearance will put the agent in charge in a fluster.” He looked out the front window. “They can follow us in their own hovercars. We’ve got work to do and aliens to chat with!”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Sargon, relaxing before his Comlink pedestal on the Command deck of the courier ship, thought about the events of the forty hours since the First Contact vidcast. The Humans had reacted much as predicted by the Horem and Strelka xenopsychologists and by the members of the Chennai Probe team. However, the impulsive action of the Japanese in launching a Moon shuttle toward their position surprised him. Considering the crudeness of their space vehicles, such a trip was bound to be hazardous. But he felt his Horem blood stirring at the thought of Traders so daring they would leap into the unknown in hope of a Trade advantage. Would the Chinese, Russians and Americans also launch? The American Vice President had arrived at Goddard station aboard the Kennedy shuttle. And the Russian Vice Premier had shortly thereafter arrived at Tsiolkovsky station aboard the Lenin shuttle. The Chinese shuttle Tianzhou was parked at their Moon base. All three shuttles had the ability to reach L4. What would those nation-Clans do?

  He felt encouraged that the great bulk of Humans, while startled at learning they weren’t alone in the universe, exhibited more curiosity than fear, more excitement than worry and, on the whole, reacted without the “end-of-the-world” hysteria which some of their political leaders had predicted for such an event. It seemed to suggest that Human instincts on an individual level were more sophisticated than the suspicious reactions of their various governing bodies. However, it was time for a Contact staff conference. Getting up from his Command seat, Sargon headed for the grav-tube that would take him one deck down to the conference room globe.

  Moments later, he joined the crowd. Assembled were Life-Who-Is-Song, his son Corin, the rest of the Probe team, his Science Contemplator Eees, Defense coordinator T’Set T’Say, old but enthusiastic Lorilen, her arms full of Library cubes, Grethel, newly arrived with genetic analysis results from the Probe team’s bio-samples, the Zik Thinker Clorek, the Lord Tarq who handled Environment duties on the craft, and his pregnant daughter Persa, who had been covering the Supplies station on Command deck despite her own specialty as a pilot of Horem fighter craft. And as a Biomed researcher. Many in the group also served as representatives for their habitats. They all sat, floated or reclined about a low table.

  Kagen, his slightly black-tipped fur revealing his maturity, flared his headcrest in query as Sargon sat down cross-legged before the Imager table, over which flickered a variety of status holograms.

  Sargon had other things on his mind than Trade protocols. He looked across the table. “Life-Who-Is-Song, what’s the current sociopolitical and economic status of the Human nation-Clans after the Contact vidcast?”

  The Strelka, briefly touching the upraised ideoforms of the metallic scroll containing his notes, responded.

  “Compact Mate, it is generally similar to that prevailing upon our system entry,” Life said, his sensorium strip glittering in the yellow-orange lighting of the room. “The Americans remain the dominant Clan, although their economy is fragile after years of large deficits, large military expenditures, and a stagnant world economy. Only the U.S. orbital factories and the private Moon bases appear to offer any sustained growth. The American microelectronics and military industries are doing well. Internal domestic conditions are difficult—there is increasing wealth and status differentiation, the standard of living is lower for many Americans, and occasional health pandemics are disrupting production and public order. However, they are the strongest planetary economy and they lead in space, on the Moon and on Mars.” The giant centipede shuffled through his notes with one flexarm hand, while the other tapped the Imager table, causing new status holograms to appear. “The Russians also face major economic difficulties as they continue their military buildup. Their recently completed Moon base strained them severely. And they have failed to fabricate a Mars transit ship. In foreign affairs, the Russians and Americans are engaged in a renewed ‘Cold War’ which is getting progressively warmer—a Russian stealth sub was recently destroyed off Hampton Roads by the Americans, but the event was kept secret by both nations. Both nation-Clans are still tense after the Baltic War of 2039.” Sargon wondered what T’Klose would make of the increasing military tension between the nation-Clans. He also wondered how long his friend could talk before taking a break. “China is the third major world power after Russia and America. It contains the largest population of any nation-Clan. And its science and technology are outstanding. Their Yinghuo Mars transit ship has a fusion pulse drive that is more efficient than those used b
y America and Japan. They might send their Moon shuttle Tianzhou to L4, or wait for the return of their Mars ship. Our monitoring of Chinese military and scientific communications is hampered by their use of Mandarin acronyms and conversational terms we are still deciphering.”

  Sargon waited as the Strelka paused, caught his breath, picked up another sheet of notes, and touch-read them. “Those are three of the five world powers. What about the other two?”

  Life tilted his brain case toward Sargon, then tapped the Imager table. “The European Union and Japan are the other major powers and they have useful Trade traditions. The EU possesses the Hermes spaceplane, has conducted several outer system robot probe launches, and is circumventing the trade embargo of the South American nation-Clans. Japan is a major world economic power, despite its modest population. It has a Moon base at Biot crater, the space station Amaterasu, the Mars transit ship Jizo Bosatsu, and has launched its Shikazu shuttle toward our position,” concluded his very efficient Executive Aide.