by Dane Bagley
***
“Yes sir, without question it was a signal from the planet’s surface. They are aware of our presence.”
“Does the captive know?”
“No sir, she did not witness it, and she was not informed.”
“Good.”
“Sir, if I may…I would like to report my recommendations.”
“Go ahead, Captain Jenners.”
“Thank you, sir. Our current mission is complete. Aspiria has been cooperative, and besides us holding her captive, I do believe that she looks on us as having treated her well. We are on friendly terms with her. I think that she would make a great ambassador for us.
“I recommend returning her to her world. The place that we landed before is within a short walk to her home. We could land, allow her to leave the ship, and return to orbit within sixty seconds.
“I am confident that she would hold our interests in high regard. Then, through prearrangement with her, have a meeting some weeks later. We both know of each other’s existence. It is true that she has seen much here, but I don’t see any evidence that she could replicate any of our technology. She knows nothing of our fourth-dimensional travel. This course would allow for our worlds to begin a dialog.”
“Captain, you are receiving the reports as to what is going on, back on earth, are you not?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I think that it is naive to think that this alien race would not have a planetary reaction similar to ours. In fact, the evidence of our superior technology and capacity would only rile them up. Returning back, at a prearranged time, would be heading into a death trap,” explained Commander Wiston.
“It is possible; I accept that possibility. But their world has a different perspective than ours. They are not shocked, nor surprised by our existence. They are merely surprised that we came to them. They don’t know why we would come to their world, when we have everything that they have on our own world. It is my opinion that they would behave differently.”
“That is possible, Captain Jenners. However, we face additional problems, based upon the reaction back home. If we return the captive, the people throughout the world will have a conniption fit. They are afraid to give anything away. They will be afraid that the aliens know that we are here—that we exist. There are cries daily for us to go in and annihilate them. Returning her could lead to revolt, revolution, and excessive violence. Think about your brother, Mark; he and many others would be at great risk. If our world is in that kind of turmoil, we may not be able to protect him.”
“I understand that the same type of thing could happen if we return to earth with her. What are we to do with her, then?”
“We are still considering our options. It has been hoped that time would bring a settling to the world, but so far the fear, and the violence, and the unrest, is growing. The President considers our first priority to return the earth to stability.”
“I see the risk, sir. However, I still recommend the course that I have described. If, within a few weeks, we have made contact, and peaceful relations are set up with the leaders of her world, the people will begin to see how irrational their fears have been.” Captain Jenners spoke with clarity and confidence. He felt inside that, indeed, what he was proposing was the right course of action.
“Now that they know that we are here, we will have to do something soon. I will consider your recommendations and relay them to the President. In the meantime, carry on with your orbit. We will bring you further instructions when we have them. Good day, Captain.”
“Yes, sir; good day,” Captain Jenners broke off.
