The Alien Whisperer: Book 1, 1947 to 1959 (The Alien Whisherer)

by Ira Tabankin

  “No! That’s not possible. You don’t look like us, and we’re formed in the image of the holy Lord. The Good Book said the Lord made life here, it doesn’t say anything about him making life anywhere else. This isn’t possible…”

  The being smiled, which only scared Brazel more when he saw a row of sharp teeth and a forked tongue. “William, I can assure you it is possible, in fact, the creator of all has brought life to many different planets, and all look different. I would like you to contact your military to come here so I can use their radio.”

  “You want me to call the army? So, you can use their radio? I don’t know who you are, but they ain’t going to allow some demon to use their radio. I think I better tie you up until the Sheriff comes. I’m going to call my preacher. He’ll know how to send you back to hell.” Brazel moved to grab the being who stood in front of him.

  “William, please don’t touch me. If you try, you will find it very unpleasant. My suit will protect me from you. Please believe me, I am not a demon. I come in peace and don’t mean you or your people any harm. In fact, I come bearing a gift for your people, so please call the army.”

  Brazel reached out to grab the being, his suit glowed and burned Brazel’s hand. “Damn, that’s hot! What the hell? You must be a spawn of hell.”

  “I did warn you not to touch my suit…”

  Brazel blew on his burned hand, “You stay right there. Don’t you move. Don’t go anywhere. Don’t get back into that strange ship of yours. You stay right here. I don’t want to have to chase you around the ranch. If you move, I will shoot you. I got me some silver bullets in the bunk room.”

  “I give you my word I will remain right here. Is it okay with you if I look at the remains of my ship?”

  “Yes, don’t take nothing and don’t run away. I’m going to call the army. When I do call them, what do I tell them? Do you have a name? I’m sure they’re going to ask me what to call you.”

  “You may use my given name, which is Kalteck. Tell the officer an object fell out of the sky. That should get their attention. Please don’t call anyone else, the fewer of your people who know about me, the better. I will return to my pod until the officer arrives. If you want me, just approach the pod and say my name. I will hear you and come out.”

  “You really think they’re going to come here? Based on a story from someone they don’t know?”

  “William, they are already on their way, your call will confirm that my ship crashed here. Please hurry, time is very short. Make sure you tell them I have come in peace.”

  @@@@@

  Major Curtan was upset over being rousted from his warm bed and told to assemble a quick reaction team and head to a ranch in Roswell, New Mexico. He had no idea where Roswell was. He had to consult a large area map to find the location he was ordered to take the platoon to. He looked at the distance, shaking his head. He realized it was going to take him the rest of the night and part of the following day to reach the site he been ordered to.

  The following day, he was tired, hungry, and angry when he and his platoon finally arrived at the ranch. He was met by a visibly upset Brazel who told the major he should follow the trail he’d laid out and there was a strange ship that had fallen out of the sky and a being waiting for him at the crash site. Brazel told the major he had spoken to the being who claimed he wasn’t a demon, but he didn’t believe it. “Major, you be careful out there, I feel that thing is a demon, one Satan himself sent him here. I went to touch him, and he burned my hand. Who other than a damned demon could do that. He’ll tell you otherwise, but when you see him, you’ll know he’s what the Good Book warned us about. I don’t believe a word he says which the Good Book also warned us demons and agents of Satan lie all the time.”

  Major Curtan shook his head, “What do mean a ship fell out of the sky? An airplane?”

  “No, sir. It’s not an airplane. You should go over there and see for yourself. The being is waiting for you. If I were you, I’d call a preacher who will know how to send him back to Hell.”

  “What do you mean the being? Is the pilot of the crashed plane waiting by the crashed ship? Is he a military officer? Why do you keep saying he’s a demon? If he was a demon, wouldn’t his ship have tunneled up from Hell? We both know heaven is above us. Is he a fallen angel?”

  “Major, he’s no angel. He looks and talks like a demon. Please, just go over there and see for yourself. I’m going to have nightmares for the rest of my life. I should warn you he doesn’t like weapons, so I wouldn’t draw them before you listen to what he has to say. He said something about needing your radio. If I were you, I’d be very careful of him because he knows things he shouldn’t know.”

  “Brazel, you’re not making any sense!”

  “I can’t make any more sense out of the situation because it’s not like anything I’ve ever seen before. I can’t describe it or him, and I can’t make heads or tails out of the being. By the way, he said his name was Kalteck or something like that. Look, I was in the Army Air Force, I know airplanes and this ain’t no airplane. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s like a giant round saucer that’s stuck in the ground. I’ve never seen anything like him, except for the Good Book, He’s wearing some kind of metal uniform, but I didn’t see any patches on it.”

  “What kind of name is that? Is he a Nazi or a Russian spy? What do you mean he’s wearing a metal uniform? Like the old English knights?”

  “No, sir. Not like the knights. I can tell you he’s not from either country. I’m pretty sure he’s not from anywhere around there or here. I’m telling you, he’s from Hell. You’ve got to see for yourself.”

  “You’re not making any sense. I’m going to leave two men here with you while the rest will go with me to see this ship and pilot. If you’ve been drinking and this is all some sort of game, you’re playing with the US Army so you better be prepared to spend some time in a nice cold cell cause that’s where you’re going to be if we got pulled out of our beds in the middle of the night to drive a few hundred miles from our homes for some juvenile joke.”

  “Just go and see for yourself. You won’t believe your eyes or ears. You’ll see I ain’t playing a joke on anyone. I ain’t had no drink, though I wish I did. This is real, and it is very scary.”

  @@@@@

  Major Curtan led his convoy of eight three-quarter ton trucks full of troops and supplies to the crash site. When they arrived, he jumped out of his jeep in surprise. He was surrounded by a large field of debris, none of it made any sense to him. The largest section of the strange craft sticking out of the ground didn’t look like any airplane he was familiar with. He had to admit to himself Brazel’s description of a large broken saucer sticking out of the ground was accurate. Many of the parts spread across the field were still burning; only they were burning with a bright blue flame, which further confused him.

  His aide pointed to the glowing, humming object which stood to the side of the debris field. The sergeant raised his Thompson sub-machine gun when they both heard a voice come from inside the pod, “Major, please tell the sergeant to lower his weapon, so he isn’t harmed. I’d hate to make my first act greeting you be one of violence. I have come in peace and expect to be treated in the same way.”

  Unsnapping his 45 caliber U.S. Army 1911 sidearm holster, Curtan responded, “Show yourself.”

  “Please put your weapons down…”

  The sergeant opened fire with his sub-machine gun at the life pod. The sergeant was shocked that none of his ten.45 caliber bullets penetrated the pod’s skin. He was no more than twenty paces from the strange object. The sergeant said, “What the? That’s impossible. Sir, I’m firing .45 caliber full metal jacket bullets. They should have easily cut through that thing’s skin.”

  They heard from inside the object, “No, it isn’t. Are you satisfied your weapon can’t penetrate my ship? Will you now put them down and step away from them? I really don’t want to harm you. I’m not sure how much damage your fragile bodie
s can handle before terminal damage is done to them, and without my ship, I’m not sure I can repair the damage done to you.”

  Curtan nodded to his sergeant, “Son, put your weapon on the hood of the jeep and step back. Whoever is in that thing isn’t going to be a threat.”

  “Sir?”

  “You heard me, place the Thompson on the hood and take three steps away from it.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Excellent, now I am going to exit my life pod, and we can discuss you contacting your commanding officer, I believe he’s Colonel William H. Blanchard, commanding officer of the 509th bomb group.”

  “How the hell do you know that? Who the hell are you? What’s your mission here?” Curtan thought he was dealing with a spy, so he began pulling his sidearm out.

  “Major, please leave your sidearm in its holster. I can see everything you and your men do. I know many things, many of which I believe are going to be of much interest to your President Truman. Now please remain calm as I exit my craft. Please do not touch any of your weapons. My self-defense system operates automatically.”

  Kalteck exited the pod, he held his hands out to show he wasn’t carrying a weapon. The sergeant looked at him and yelled, “That crazy rancher was right, he’s a God damned demon! Major, you can’t trust a demon, kill it before he summons his master Lucifer and steals our souls!”

  “I am not a demon. I don’t understand why you earthlings believe I am. I do not mean you harm, I am here to help you. In fact, without my help, your race is doomed.”

  Curtan felt his stomach turn and his intestines tighten. He felt like he wanted to throw up, “Is that your ship over there? Did it crash? Where are you from? What do you want here, and how in God’s name do you know my commanding officer’s name?”

  Pointing at the debris, Kalteck replied, “Yes, that is my ship. It didn’t crash. It was attacked outside of your atmosphere in what you call a dog fight. My ship was damaged too greatly for me to make a safe landing, so I ejected in the ship’s life pod. I need to be taken to your commanding officer so I can get in touch with President Truman. Time is of the essence, so please hurry.”

  “Sure, you do. Hell, you’re the third spaceman this week who’s asked to speak to the President. Do you think we’re nuts?”

  Kalteck put his arms down and shook his head in despair, “They beat me here? Did they speak to President Truman? Has he made a decision to listen to them? If he did, it is the end of your race.”

  “Who the hell are you talking about?”

  “The other aliens you just spoke of, did they land here too? May I see their ships? Where are they being held? I may be able to help you if I can be allowed to speak with them. I have a way to make them speak the truth, not something they usually do with lesser beings like yourselves.”

  Curtan shook his head, “I don’t know who you are, where you’re from, but there weren’t any other space people, I was making a damned joke.”

  “Oh, I now understand, a comical story. You expected me to laugh at your dishonesty. Will you now take me to speak with your commanding officer, so I can speak to the president?”

  “I don’t know who or what you are. I think you’re crazy, but my orders are very clear, so don’t move. I have to call the base.”

  “Excellent. I will wait here while you call your commander.”

  @@@@@

  It took thirty-six minutes for Major Curtan to convince Major Jesse A. Marcel, who was the 509th Bomb Group’s Intelligence Officer. Marcel finally told Curtan to leave a patrol to guard the crashed ship and return to the base as quickly as possible with the creature. Major Marcel told Major Curtan, “Don’t let any harm come to the creature. Am I clear?”

  “Yes, sir. I don’t believe his crazy story…”

  “Major, just guard the crash site and bring that creature here as quickly as possible.”

  Curtan looked at Kalteck, “I’ve been ordered to bring you to the base…”

  “Excellent, would you like to join me in my pod? There’s just enough space in here for you and we can travel there much quicker than by your crude ground transport.”

  “Huh? That thing can fly? Where are its wings and I don’t see any engine. Is it one of those new jets?”

  “In a matter of speaking. Come, you will be much more comfortable than sitting out unprotected. I do suggest you call ahead and tell them we’ll be flying in.”

  “Yeah, that’s a good idea. Base security doesn’t have a good sense of humor and boy, are they going to need one tonight. This thing can really fly from here to our base?”

  “Oh yes and much further if I want it to. Now please stand where I tell you to and hold on. Don’t touch anything.”

  “Don’t pull any tricks. I am still armed and I’ll use it if I think you’re taking me anywhere other than my base. Here are the directions to…”

  “I know where your base is located. I’ll land in the parking lot by your commander's office if you think that will be okay with him.”

  “Give me a minute to call it in.” A moment later, Major Marcel replied, “You’re what? You’re going to fly here in one of the creature’s machines? Major, have you lost your bloody mind?”

  “Major, trust me, I don’t know how this thing flies. It doesn’t have any wings or engine I can see, but the creature said we can quickly fly to the base. He said the trip will only take twenty minutes.”

  “Impossible! It took you most of a day to get there. Our fastest planes couldn’t get here in less than five or six hours.”

  “Major, the creature assures me twenty minutes. He wants to land at the colonel’s parking lot…”

  “How in the hell does he know about that lot? Major, I’ll have an armed platoon of MPs waiting for you. I want to see a very detailed report when you return. I’ll notify the general of your plan. Major, don’t screw this up.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Chapter 2

  Curtan entered the pod after Kalteck told him, “Just stand in the glowing circle and don’t touch anything. I could make this trip in a couple of moments. However, so I don’t scare you, we’ll take it very slowly.”

  As soon as Kalteck stood in his lighted circle, the door closed and sealed with a whoosh sound. The interior walls of the pod lit up with strange symbols and images. Strange written words or at least Curtan thought they were words floated across the walls. He was shocked when part of the wall appeared to disappear, and he could see outside as if there wasn’t a wall. “I didn’t see a window here. I don’t want to fall out!”

  “There isn’t one, you see the image from outside projected on the walls. The system will automatically track objects, it can check for weapons. Of course, it automatically checks for potential threats and suggests the appropriate response. When approaching a planet, the pod’s system will inform me if the atmosphere is breathable, or if I will require a suit to exit. It will even inform me if there are any harmful bacteria in the atmosphere, which there aren’t in this area. It will tell me if there are any other ships in the local area or in orbit around any of your local planets or moons. Now please don’t touch anything and don’t step foot outside of the circle.”

  “Hey, what happened to the ground? It’s fallen away.”

  “We’ve taken off, we’re now flying to your base.”

  “Holy shit. I didn’t hear the jet engines spin up.”

  Kalteck smiled, “That’s because my ship doesn’t operate on jet propulsion. Jet engines require oxygen to operate. The higher in the atmosphere, the less oxygen there is until, in space, there isn’t any. Thus, a jet engine can’t function in a space ship.”

  “What kind of engine does this thing use? I didn’t see a propeller or anything that looked like an engine.”

  “I don’t think you’d understand the manipulation of gravity or the annihilation and conversion of matter into energy by combining it with antimatter.”

  “Huh? I’m confused, I never heard of those words. How about you explain it to th
e general when we land. How much longer until we’re at the base?”

  “I’ve started the landing process. You can watch it by looking down. Be careful, the floor is still there, I’m projecting what we would see if we could look straight down.”

  “I think I’m getting sick.”

  Kalteck turned off the bottom view. “Are you feeling better now? Is your stomach settling down? I apologize I forgot your race isn’t experienced with flight yet. Your illness is my fault. Hold on and look straight ahead. Take deep breaths. You should feel better very quickly.”

  @@@@@

  Two lookouts in the control tower of the 509th bombardment base saw the strange looking craft approaching them. Not knowing what they were seeing, they sounded the air raid siren. Men ran to their battle stations. Some were only half-dressed. Heavy .50 caliber machine guns were pointed at the silently flying glowing pod. Kalteck shook his head towards Curtan, “I hope your people don’t open fire, it would be very bad for them if they did.”