Aliens in Sequoia National Park

by Sally Ann Melia

  Hovering alongside the ISS was a tall obelisk shaped rock. It’s exterior might once have been smooth but now it was mottled and scarred by a thousand small impacts. Though it hung impossibly still in the night sky a short distance away, the degradations were clear signs that this rock could move at speed.

  “We think they have realised that flying close to us is a safe orbit, either that or they know we are less likely to shoot them when any explosion will hurt us more that it will them.”

  “Who says so?” May asked.

  “I do,” Frankie replied, before admitting. “Okay, it’s just speculation, but anyone’s guess is as good as some of the nonsense coming up from Houston.”

  “Do you think they are watching us?” May asked.

  “There’s been no movement, the hanger is closed” Frankie pointed. “But we’re watching them.”

  “I have to go get ready,” May said.

  “Do you need help with your suit?” Prisha asked, she spoke with an Indian accent and she looked at May with a stare that said ‘you scared?’

  May went to shake her head, but then she remembered. The Extravehicular Mobility Unit, or EMU, in short her space suit, was a nightmare to put on solo, and she liked Prisha, she was the designated medic, she had worked in a big city emergency ward in Bangalore, before applying to the astronaut training program.

  “Yes please, I need all the help I can get,” May replied and she tried to laugh, but the sound came out as a nervous giggle. Was she? She got to put on her EMU to go EVA and use the Space Scooter on a long tether, or as the news would report it she would leave the space station to fly out towards the alien on the end of the long rope - what was that about? Why exactly? Jasmin would be able to do this, no one would doubt that. But May, could she do it?

  Of course she could, she told herself. This is my chance, the chance to prove I deserve to be here. I mean I do deserve my place don’t I?

  Act normal, she told herself fiercely. Nodding, smiling and waving, as she headed off.

  “Lucky Bitch!” Frankie hissed but only loud enough for Katherine to hear.

  May panicked, she knew she was not good enough but she had not realised Frankie would be keen to go. She nodded but kept her face neutral. Why were they sending her? Clearly Frankie was the better astronaut, but maybe she was not a size 0. Even Prisha who had beautiful arms where you could see the line of the bone through the skin, and her arteries rose like ribbons on the inside of her wrists. Surely they should send her? But of course she was the medic, so she had to stay on board the station in case anyone got hurt.

  Hurt? Why did she think someone might get hurt?

  I have a Phd from Harvard, I was second in my class at Browns. I co- developed the Proteus experiment and I scored 97% on the astronaut aptitude training.….

  An alien space asteroid the size of a football stadium, in orbit alongside the ISS - all tin cans and silver foil - what could possibly go wrong? And they were sending her outside the Space Station to do what?

  “Frankie!” It was a sharp reproach from Katherine. “You need to prep your suit as well, because you’re going too.”

  “Yes!” Frankie punched the air and performed a double somersault with enthusiasm and conviction. While she applauded as Frankie whooped, inside May hated Frankie. Why did she show off like that?

  Why not celebrate? May thought she heard Jasmin reply. You guys get to meet aliens!

  “I need you both suited up and then you will need to start decompression ready to go outside as soon as possible.” Katherine said. “They have not set the exact timings, well actually we are waiting on the aliens…”

  Katherine paused, clearly she had said something amiss, both May and Frankie turned to her.

  “Why are we going outside?” Frankie asked.

  “I don’t know. I don’t know what they’re planning. Look May, I just need to be sure you have eaten something. So that I can tell them you are ready. You are okay today?”

  “No problem, of course, I’m okay. I have eaten.”

  Katherine nodded uncertainly.

  “And Frankie, you familiarize yourself with the Space Scooter. I know you’ve not had the training. Just… I don’t know read the manuals, check the videos. May will help you.”

  “I’ve flown choppers in ‘Stan, and jets over Syria, I think I can manage a scooter.” Frankie replied.

  “I’m counting on it,” Katherine replied.

  May nodded. Whatever else, they were going to be busy. Good that would burn some calories. She needed to be slim today, slim like Jasmin. No, not slim like Jasmin, she needed to be Jasmin.