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

by Ira Tabankin

  Curtan nervously asked, “They can shoot down a bomber, can their bullets bring us down too? I told you flying was a bad idea.”

  “I’m not worried about their damage to us. I’m worried about the damage we’ll do to them. If they fire on us, I won’t be able to stop the auto-defense system from responding. It is programmed to protect the ship and me.”

  “Huh? I didn’t see any weapons on the craft.”

  “You wouldn’t because you wouldn’t be able to recognize them. They are an automatic self-defense system. If we’re attacked, they will calculate where the fire is coming from and respond. If your base opens fire on us, my pod may completely destroy it.”

  “Can’t you turn it off? Can’t you do anything?”

  “The entire function of an automatic system is to be self-aware and function without my having to do anything. Don’t you have…forget what I began to ask; you are too backward to understand self-aware.”

  A moment later, .50 caliber bullets flew towards the pod. None were able to breach the pod’s shields. However, the self-defense system automatically calculated where the bullets had come from. A moment later, there was a bright flash of pure white light from the top of the pod, the wall monitor showed a smoking hole in the ground. “I thought you told your people we were coming by air. I didn’t want to harm any of you,” Snarled a very angry Kalteck.

  “Yes, sir. I did. I guess never having seen such a ship, they thought we might be hostile and opened fire on us. How many did we just kill?”

  “I don’t know how many of your men were down there. I can tell you, they died painlessly, the anti-proton beam cut across what bound their atoms together they simply ceased to exist, their souls returned to the creator of all.”

  “Holy mother of God.”

  “I am not sure the creator of all had a mother. We are receiving many radio calls from your base. It appears they are very upset. I will open a channel so you can tell them you are here with me and we will be landing in front of that large hanger instead of your colonel’s parking lot. Tell them not to approach us and stop firing or they’ll suffer the same fate as your people who just ceased to exist.”

  The pod silently landed. It was immediately surrounded by fifty armed soldiers. Major Curtan was the first to exit the pod. He held his hands up to show he was unarmed. Major Jesse Marcel and Colonel William H. Blanchard, the commanding officer of the 509th Bomb Group, waited for Curtan to speak.

  “Sirs, I am unarmed and safe. I repeat I am safe. I would like to present the creature I met at the crash site you sent me to investigate. His name is Kalteck, no last name. He claims to be an alien and I think you’ll agree, after you meet him, that he is from another planet or something, as you can see from his ship. By the way, this was what he called a life pod, sort of an ejection capsule. He told me his ship was shot down in a dogfight His ship and this pod flies through space, that’s all he told me.”

  Colonel Blanchard nodded, “Major, thank you. Please tell him to come out, we won’t shoot.”

  “Sir, he apologizes for destroying the jeep and Ma-duce. He told me his defense system is self-aware whatever that means, and it operates whenever it comes under attack.”

  “What the hell does self-aware mean?” Asked Colonel Blanchard.

  “Sir, I really don’t know. What he explained to me doesn’t make any sense.”

  Kalteck exited the pod, he held his hands up, “Gentlemen, thank you for agreeing to meet with me. As Major Curtan said, my name is Kalteck, and I am from another planet. Thus, making me an alien in your language.”

  The silence and surprise could be cut with a knife. Colonel Blanchard said, “Major, please take our guest to my office. I have a call to make.” The Colonel then turned to look at Major Marcel, “Lockdown the base. No one gets in or out without my permission. Lockdown all outgoing comms. I don’t want this story going anywhere until we figure out what we’re dealing with.”

  General Roger M. Ramey of the Eighth Air Force in Fort Worth, Texas, listened to Colonel Blanchard. He asked the colonel to repeat his story three times before responding, “Send the alien and any debris from the crash site to Fort Worth. This is now classified above top secret. No one and I mean no one speaks a word of this or about the alien. I am sending you an expert to deal with the locals and any media who ask questions. Has he said where he’s from or why he’s here?”

  “No, sir. I called you as soon as I saw we were dealing with a real alien.”

  “Colonel, that was the right decision. Send the alien as fast as possible.”

  “Sir, what about the alien’s so-called life pod? I’m sure he will want to fly it to Fort Worth. After watching how easily it destroyed one of my jeeps and heavy machine guns, I don’t know if I feel safe with that thing sitting here. He said it was self-aware.”

  “No. Under no circumstances is that pod to fly. It will attract too much attention. I want the pod and the alien placed in a closed truck and driven here as soon as possible. Send two MP platoons as an escort. They are to use deadly force to keep his existence a secret. Am I clear?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Kalteck shook his head, not understanding, “I don’t understand why we can’t fly to Forth Worth. We can be there in minutes. Your ground transportation is going to take hours and will be most uncomfortable.”

  Curtan replied, “I’m sorry, but those are our orders…”

  “Your orders, not mine. Your general does not have any authority over me…”

  Curtan pleaded, “Please don’t cause any problems. If you do, it will be the end of my career. I’ll be coming with you.”

  “My ship? If anyone on the base attempts to enter it without me, they will cease to exist. I can not turn the system off. If they attempt to move it, the pod will protect itself.”

  “Shit. Let me talk to the Colonel. Please stay here.”

  A very long hour and many calls back and forth with the Colonel, Major Curtan, and the General later, it was agreed they could fly in the alien’s life pod. The Army Air Force closed the air space between the two bases, the trip was made at midnight, and until such time, Kalteck was asked to move his pod and himself into the hanger he had landed in front of.

  @@@@@

  After Curtan and Kalteck landed at the base in Fort Worth, they were taken into a hanger, which had been quickly emptied of all of the staff except for four armed MPs. General Ramey held out his hand, “Hello, Kalteck, welcome to the Earth. On behalf of the human race, I welcome you.”

  “General, thank you. I am sorry for the loss of your people. I had warned them not to open fire on my life pod.”

  “I heard that it’s something I’d like to discuss with you if we have time. Is there anything I can get you? Do you require anything?”

  “I would like some water.”

  A few minutes later, one of the MPs placed a large cart with water, coffee, and fresh-baked muffins on the table between the general and Kalteck.

  “Why don’t you try the muffins they are fresh and very good. They bake them for me because the cook knows I love them. These are blueberry.”

  “Thank you. They are very flavorful.”

  “How is it you speak English so well?”

  “I can speak most of your languages. You made it very easy for us to learn. All of your radio broadcasts are transmitted into space where we picked them up. As part of my mission, I learned your languages and studied the state of your society. Unfortunately, so did the enemy.”

  At hearing the word enemy, the general sat up. “Before we discuss enemy, could you tell me about why you’re here? I assume you came here for a specific reason. I don’t think the Earth ranks high in alien vacation resorts.”

  Kalteck laughed, “I can assure you, Earth isn’t on any list, except one that says to avoid. We consider your race backward.” The general raised his right eyebrow after being called backward. “As to the reason why I am here, I was tasked with the mission to save your planet and your race. If you want
your race to survive, I need to speak with your President Truman as quickly as possible. Your lives depend on how quickly I can speak with him, meeting him face to face would be even better.”

  “Kalteck, I will see what I can do, they will ask me what it’s about. They won’t let me speak to the president unless I can tell them what the threat is.”

  Kalteck nodded, “I understand, it appears our governments might not be that different. Please tell your president the subject is the salvation of the human race. I am very serious. I risked everything I have, my name, my rank, my family, and my holdings to come with the warning. I lost my main ship due to what you call a dogfight with three of the enemy’s ships. I got one. However, one got me. My ship’s AI couldn’t gain control of the ship as we entered your atmosphere, so I had to, as you say, bailout. Please be aware the enemy is watching you. They have most likely reported the fight with me, which will cause their emperor to speed up his conquest plans.”

  “What can you tell me of this enemy?”

  “They are as technology advanced as me; they live to conquest and enslave races. Earth is a very special planet among my people. The why is a very long story, one I would like to explain to your president.”

  The general slowly nodded, “I will see what I can do. I can’t promise anything, but I will try. What will you do if the meeting is refused?”

  “Then I will return home and have a drink in your memory. I will take some items to remember your nice little blue planet because when the enemy is finished, the Earth will never be the same. Most of you will be dead; the living will most likely wish they had died as you toil under their pain amplifiers.”

  “How will you get home? Your ship is splattered all over the ranch back there in Roswell.”

  Kalteck laughed a deep bellow. “There is a spare in case something happened to mine. My life pod can take me to it.”

  “There are other of your ships out there?”

  “Mine, the enemies, and other races watching to see which of us will come out on top before they decide who to back. You lack the technology to see them. Many are invisible to your crude systems. Even if you could see their ships, your weapons couldn’t touch them while theirs could destroy your cities without entering your atmosphere. Any of the ships, including mine, could stay in orbit where you couldn’t touch us while we laid waste to your planet.”

  General Ramsey was silent. “If you’ll give me a minute, I will see what I can arrange. Do you require anything? More water?”

  “I would like some additional cool water and what you call fruit.”

  “I will have it brought over. I must ask that you remain in this hanger while I’m gone. I’m sorry I can’t tell you how long I will be gone.”

  “I understand. I will stay here. I would like to ask my pod to join me. Do you have any objections? I do not think it is a good idea to leave it outside in full view.”

  “Yes, I agree with you. You can simply ask it to fly into the hanger?”

  “In a manner of speaking, yes. Would you like to see it arrive?”

  “Yes, I very much would. I would also like your word that you won’t leave in the ship while I’m gone. I am trusting you.”

  “I gave you my word.”

  “Thank you.” A moment later, the silent glowing life pod flew slowly into the large hanger. Once it was perfectly centered, it turned on its tail and landed on its folded out legs.

  The general was speechless, “Would it be possible to get a tour of your ship when I return?”

  “Of course. If you’d like, I can give you a ride. Would you like to take a quick trip into outer space?”

  “I would love to. It was a childhood dream ever since I started reading pulp fiction stories about aliens and space travel. Let me see if I can reach the President.”

  @@@@@

  President Truman was enjoying a rare evening with his wife, Bess when he was interrupted by a call, “Mr. President, Mr. James Forrestal is on the line. He said it’s very important, sir, in fact, the word he used was, critical.”

  “Okay, put him through.”

  “James, please don’t tell me you’re calling in another attempt to change my mind over my proposed budget cuts.”

  “No, sir. I’m calling because I need to see you face to face. Something has happened, something very critical I don’t want to mention on the phone.”

  “Okay, if it’s that important, then come right over, but I don’t want to hear a single word about the budget tonight. Am I clear?”

  “Yes, Mr. President.” After hanging up, Truman wondered what could be so critical that his friend demanded a face to face meeting. He replayed the call in his mind and thought that James sounded very stressed. Truman worried Stalin might have decided to make a move on the rest of Europe he hadn’t already grabbed after the war. Truman thought, if that SOB has crossed the border into West Germany, I will nuke his pipe right up his commie ass.

  @@@@@

  Truman met James Forrestal, his Secretary of Defense, the first to have the new title. He listened to what Forrestal explained to him. “Let me see if I understand this, a real God damned alien landed here and wants to meet with me? Why is he here and why does he want to meet with me?”

  “Sir, all we know is he is a real alien. Pictures of his craft and what he calls a life pod are in transit. I sent the fastest plane we have, a P80 shooting star that can fly in excess of 500 Mph to bring them here. The plane can be here in four hours.”

  “James, do you believe this is real?”

  “Yes, sir, I do. I also recommend you meet with him. He said he came here and risked everything he had to warn us. That sounds very ominous. He said he was shot down in a dogfight that happened over our planet. I would very much like to hear what he has to say, and if there are others out there with technology like his, I’m very worried.”

  “Why are you worried, we have the bomb.”

  “Sir, we may have the bomb, but if they control space, the air above us, we’ll never be able to get the bomb to them. Colonel Ramsey told me the alien’s pod had self-aware auto self-defense, which completely destroyed a jeep that had a heavy machine gun that had opened fire on the pod. The bullets bounced off what the alien called a shield, none of our people saw any sort of shield over the pod. One of our people joined the alien on the short trip from Roswell to Fort Worth. He said he could see the ground through the ship, and all of the walls of the pod were some sort of TVs that showed all sorts of data and images. He thought he was in the middle of some kind of pulp science fiction story.”

  “I want him and the alien here as soon as possible. We need to keep this top secret. Where do you suggest we meet with him?”

  “Sir, I’d recommend Camp David. It’s out of the way and we can control access to the location.”

  “An excellent idea. Is there anything else?”

  “The alien wants to fly his pod here; he said he can make the trip from Fort Worth to Washington in less than twenty minutes, which is less time than it will take us to reach Andrews.”

  Truman sat up and stared at his Secretary of Defense. “Is he serious? Twenty minutes from Fort Worth to here? Okay, I want to see this device. Tell him he can fly it but to fly at night, so he’s not seen. I want a report issued saying we’re testing a new jet aircraft and will be closing the air space between Fort Worth and Camp David. Send him to the Camp. It’s far from prying eyes.”

  “Yes, sir. I’ll see to it right away.”

  “James, ring Camp David with security, but the troops are not to know who we’re meeting. Yes, I want you at the meeting. If he’s going to speak to us about a threat, who better than you to help me judge his credibility.”

  “Sir, should we tell the Vice President?”

  “No. I think the fewer people who know about this, the better. Do you have a cover story for the crash site?”

  “Yes, sir. We’re claiming a weather balloon crashed on the ranch.”

  “Excellent. Make sure you collect ev
ery part of the downed ship, and I mean every screw and nut and bolt if his ship uses them. You understand.”

  “Yes, sir. When we’re done, the only debris will be from a downed weather balloon, which we’ll be able to show to the press.”

  Chapter 3

  Kalteck showed Truman a technology which shocked and scared him. He set up a small gray glowing disk on the floor, which, when engaged, showed Stalin’s inner office and his private phone ringing, Truman was shocked because he saw himself sitting across from Stalin in his office inside their cabin. The president had no idea how this happened, had someone told him this happened without him seeing it, he would have told them they were full of crap. Seeing it for himself, he wondered if he was watching technology or magic.