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

by Ira Tabankin

  “We know, and I can assure you, we are running as quickly as possible. We WILL make the deadline. President Truman briefed me what’s at stake. I have given the technology teams all the resources they’ve asked for in order to launch the device. I do have one question. Won’t the enemy realize we must have had help if the device we launch sends a signal in their language?”

  “They know both my people and the Emperor’s have visited Earth many times. When they read the message, they’ll believe the Emperor’s people assisted you. Thus, they are here, and you’re protected by them. The others will be afraid of interfering with the Emperor’s plans, so they’ll turn their fleet around. I discovered at least one of their fueling and recon bases in your system. I destroyed both. Since no one has a faster than light communications system, they won’t know their bases were destroyed until they arrive. I’m counting on them believing the Emperor’s intelligence agencies discovered their invasion plans and destroyed their bases as payment for breaching their pact. I will be in stealth mode watching them.”

  “Will you attack them if they continue towards Earth?”

  “I can’t. If I did, they would send the message I am assisting you which would draw my enemy here much quicker than they planned. Neither of us can afford that. You’d be destroyed, and then they’d turn their anger to my people. They’d quickly realize one of my people must have given you the assistance to launch the device and we gave you the message.”

  “I think I understand. I promise you; we will get the rocket launched within ten months. Do you plan to remain on Earth while we make our final push to complete the rockets in case we need your last minute assistance?”

  “No, their sensors might be able to locate my ship due to the drive signature our ships leave behind. I plan to leave after this meeting.”

  “Where will you go?”

  “Why, Mr. President, I’m going home. Where would you go?”

  The President thought about the answer while Kalteck stood and shook his hand. “We will take our leave. I realize how busy you must be.”

  “Will General Yahnig be able to reach you if we need your assistance?”

  “It is best as their ships draw close, he does not attempt to contact me. I will be keeping an eye open, watching your progress. As I’ve stated, there isn’t much more I can for you at this time. I hope the creator of all smiles on you. Your very lives depend on your success.”

  Everett followed Kalteck back to the helicopter, “Are you leaving right away?”

  “Yes, I must. It’s critical my ship is nowhere near your planet where the enemy ships’ sensors can detect mine. If they know I’m here, it will change everything. They will know their ships could easily overwhelm my single ship. Assuming the signal works as planned, I will return after the enemy’s ships have turned and moved far enough away that their sensors can’t detect my ion trail. Their sensors are almost nonexistent from their sterns due to their ships using a reaction drive when they are in a system. Since their ships’ ion exhaust will mask their own sensors, their designers didn’t install them on the rear of their ships.”

  “I assume since their ships don’t use the antimatter drive, they are limited in their speed…”

  “Excellent, yes. They can’t break the speed of light which why I was able to plot when they would arrive. If they had FTL (Faster Than Light) drive units similar to mine, they could alter their arrival time, which would have upset our plans. Everett, if the worst happens, I will return to pick you and your wife up. I will take the two of you to a safe place.”

  “That is very kind of you, thank you.”

  “Now go and make sure your people succeed in their mission. I know the Soviets are working around the clock, and since they are focused on one design with one design team, I believe they will beat you Americans to the launch. If they do, realize I then will begin to favor them with technology ahead of you. You will be placed in a very difficult position. As my interface on Earth, you will have to work with the Soviets more than you currently are. In fact, I want you to visit Moscow and bring them these notes, which may assist them.”

  “You are placing me in a very difficult position…”

  “I am not placing you in such a position, President Truman did when he made you my interface after I told him both you and the Soviets had to work together. I expect you to carry out your orders and remember you’re working for your planet.”

  “I will do my best, could you drop me off in Moscow? You haven’t met First Secretary Khrushchev yet. I believe it would be a good thing for you to meet him before you leave us.”

  “That’s an excellent idea. That’s what I’m talking about, I will inform your President we are going to Moscow. Since I will be informing him, he won’t be able to hold it against you.”

  “I hope you’re correct.”

  “Everett, have no worries, he won’t want to upset me.”

  Eisenhower’s Secretary of Defense, John Foster Dulles, replied to the President, “I wasn’t briefed by President Truman or General Bradley about the alien and General Yahnig. Do you believe you can trust the general to be loyal to us? Could he be a spy for the Reds? Should I have him arrested when the alien leaves?”

  Eisenhower sat back in his chair, he looked out of the window of his cabin in Camp David, “Damn, President Truman briefed me about General Yahnig. He told me he selected the general and paired him with the alien. I closely watched how they worked together. They are very close. Have you reviewed the general’s 201 file?”

  “I have, it’s spotless. Then again since ’47 he’s reported directly to the President and not through the normal chain of command. I understand why President Truman did this. Could you imagine the uproar if some political general or admiral decided he wanted to push Yahnig out of the way and take over his position with the alien and our friendly alien didn’t like him? Kalteck could stop supporting us. I believe, I pray General Yahnig is loyal. He wears the nation’s uniform. He’s taken the oath to defend the constitution. I have to believe him. I do suggest we make sure he remains loyal. I’d like to suggest we transfer Major Johnstone and his special Rangers to semi-permanent position to guard Area 51 and continue to protect and keep a close eye on Yahnig.”

  “I agree. What are your feelings about the alien taking him to Moscow?”

  “It’s what Truman not only wanted, it’s what he charged Yahnig to do. And if we believe the alien, then him supporting both of us, which he’s been doing, it makes sense to bring Yahnig with him, which could work very well for us as we’ll also have eyes and ears in the meeting.”

  “Do you believe they are ahead of us? I thought we got the best German rocket scientists when we implanted Project Paperclip and brought Wernher von Braun and his team over.”

  “We did. However, the Reds also got their hands on a large group of scientists and also some V2 rockets. Did you know that von Braun was working on a V3 which was being designed to reach America? Had he finished it, the war might have ended much differently.”

  “I had read the report. I authorized Paperclip and ordered our people to take everything that wasn’t nailed down and if it was nailed, take it anyway. Our bad luck was the Reds were too close. What do you think will happen if they beat us into orbit?”

  “Mr. President, in relationship to us and the alien, not much. However, I believe it will embarrass us and might even cause our people unfounded worry. The media will claim the Reds are way ahead of us and could hit us with nukes carried by their rockets.”

  Eisenhower smiled, “You know that might not be such a bad thing. It will provide us the cover to dramatically increase our defense spending. As long as the alien doesn’t stop supporting us and we can trust him not to allow the Soviets to use their rockets to attack us, then let the better team win. Don’t get me wrong. I want us to win, so do everything possible to make that first artificial moon an American one.”

  Chapter 18

  First Secretary Khrushchev warmly welcomed Kalteck
and Everett to the Kremlin. He had brought his top rocket scientists to stay in a conference room so they wouldn’t see the alien or that an American was in the Kremlin. Khrushchev had one of his most trusted aides carry questions and answers back and forth between the two teams. Three long, sleepless days later, Khrushchev thanked Kalteck and Everett. “On behalf of the peace-loving people of the Union of the Soviet Socialist Union and the people of Earth, I thank both of you for your assistance. General Yahnig, does your President know you are here?”

  “Yes, sir. He does. He understands as President Truman and Chairman Stalin did, that I am assisting Kalteck in his efforts to help save us from his enemy, which would destroy us.”

  “Excellent. Can you give me any information on how close the Americans are to launching the device?”

  “First Secretary, per the rules both President Truman and Chairman Stalin agreed to, I am not permitted to pass information between the two countries. If I did, I wouldn’t be trusted by either. As such, I must decline your request.”

  “Yes, I agree with you. But one must ask because without asking, one doesn’t know the answer.”

  First Secretary Khrushchev smiled, “Then it will be a horse race. I believe we will show the world the advantage of the Soviet system when we beat you into space and we save the world from the aliens. No offense, Kalteck.”

  “None taken Mr. First Secretary. If our work here is finished, we will take our leave. I must leave your planet until my sensors report the aliens have turned around. General Yahnig has my full confidence. If you need any last-minute assistance, feel free to contact him.”

  “Kalteck, thank you. We in the USSR won’t let you or the Earth down.”

  Kalteck took Everett on a ten-orbit flight around the Earth. “It looks so peaceful from up here. One would never know there are so many small wars being fought down there. Storms destroying property and forest fires destroying hundreds of thousands of acres. Millions who go to bed hungry and ill. From here, the Earth looks like a bright blue marble. I love it. Thank you so much.”

  “You have earned it. I should have given you this trip earlier. I have one additional small gift for you. It is to be used only, and I mean only, in a very severe emergency.” Kalteck held out a small glowing blue box the size of a half a deck of playing cards. “Always keep this with you. In a very severe emergency, place it in your palm and close your hand around it. Once you have done so, it will change from a glowing blue color to strobing blue light, try it.”

  “It feels warm. Almost like it’s beating like a heart.”

  “It is an artificial intelligence device. In such an emergency, it can contact me. When you hold it, and it strobes, say my name and then say, the following, Eclipto Masevo. Repeat it back to me.”

  “Eclipto Masevo. What does it mean?”

  “Never mind what it means, it will cause the unit to locate me anywhere I am in the system. Actually, it will contact my AI, which will contact me. Remember, only in a very severe emergency. If I need to contact you, I will use this device to contact you.”

  “It can talk to me?”

  “It can. I don’t have the time to explain the technology to you. I ask you to trust me. Remember to always keep it with you. Everett, now that it’s bonded to you, if someone else attempts to use it, it will explode. Don’t be anywhere near it if that happens.”

  “I understand, I’ll make sure it is always with me. When will you be leaving? Are you really returning to your home world?”

  “In a manner of speaking. I am returning to the shrine on Mars. It is large enough to hold my ship. Since the enemy’s sensors can’t penetrate the shrine, my ship and I will be safe. It all comes down to your people launching the device into orbit. If your people fail then you and your wife must be at my hanger at midnight the night the attempt fails, I will make a quick landing and pick the two of you up.”

  “Can you tell me where you’d take us?”

  “I think it is best that we wait to see what the future holds. I hope your people are successful and that time never comes when I have to relocate you. Everett, it has been a pleasure working with you.”

  “You too. I will miss you while you’re away. I hope to see you again soon.”

  “If the calculations I saw in Moscow are correct, then they will launch in October. How close are the Americans?”

  “I don’t think they are that close.”

  “Sadly, I agree with you. I don’t like the Soviet form of government. It reminds me too much of the Emperor and the mistakes my own people made. I hope you Americans win the race. Either way, I will know I succeeded when I see the rocket place the device in orbit.”

  Everett looked into Kalteck’s dark eyes, “Thank you, my friend, may the creator of all blesses and smiles on you.”

  Kalteck nodded, “That was very nice. I appreciate your asking him to bless me. I pray he also smiles on you.”

  @@@@@

  Everett reviewed the latest events as the year 1957 started while he drafted his report to the President. Last year was an unusual one. On the one hand, we made some serious progress in the development of our own thinking machines. IBM developed the first computer hard drive which can store much more information in a much smaller package than the magnetic tape the machines currently use. This hard drive will enable computers to be made much smaller, maybe we’ll even be able to shrink them enough to place them in our warplanes and ships. I don’t know how we’ll ever shrink them enough to fit in a missile. The other good news is the first under ocean communications cable was laid and turned on. The cable sped up communications between the governments in Europe and here in America and Canada. When the enemy arrives, we’ll need instant communications between every world leader and military commander. It seems like we’ve moved so far since Kalteck arrived, and yet looking at what we need to accomplish, I still don’t know how we’re going to complete all of the tasks Kalteck laid out for us in the time we have left. It won’t matter unless the Soviets or we can launch the artificial moon.

  Computers we can wear, airplanes that can fly directly into space, a base on the moon, sensors in space. Energy weapons, antimatter bombs, I can’t figure out how in less than eighty years while we’re operating in secret, we can develop all of these items, let alone what Kalteck said, link our communications together, so everyone in the world has instantaneous communications. I hope he survives and has the designs we need because I’m lost. I finally got my engineering degree, which upset Liane even more because the nights I manage to make it home for dinner, I spend hours studying for my advanced degree. I hate the math. I wish I had one of those implants Kalteck has so I could easily know the answers without all of these charts and the damn slide rule. There has to be a better way to calculate things.

  Everett’s attention was broken by a loud knock on his office door, “Enter.”

  Major Johnstone entered Everett’s office, smiling, “Bet you thought you were done with me.”

  “I did, what brings you back here?”

  “My Rangers and I are now assigned here. We’re going to provide you with security and assist you in any way we can.”

  “I thought I had security…”

  “You have real security now. My people are reviewing the fences and security stations. I’m sure there will be some changes coming after my report is completed. We’ve also been ordered to install heavy defensive and offensive weapons.”

  “Huh? Do you have a list of what you’re installing?”

  Johnstone slid the papers across the desk. “Holy shit, you’re turning my base into a battleship.”

  “Yup. As the date before the enemy arrives approaches, my numbers will be increased. I think you’ll be tripping over us.”

  “How many Rangers will be based here?”

  “Not just Rangers. Marines are coming too as are a few platoons of tanks and 155mm cannons. I learned today that a battery of Nike missiles is being installed too. Did you notice the underground shelters on the list?�
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  “Jesus. I guess I have an official babysitter now. Where are your people going to stay?”

  “In the barracks and until we’re finished building new ones. We’ll be camping out in a couple of the hangers…”

  “Wait a minute, one of them is off-limits…”

  “Yes, I know. I noticed the hinged roof of the large hanger at the rearmost corner of the base. I assume that’s where our friendly alien parks his ship?”

  “That’s correct. The debris from his crashed ship is under the hanger. There are also labs down there. I would appreciate it if your people stayed away from that hanger.”

  “Will do. When are you going to tell me what you saw in the alien’s base inside the Devil’s Tower? Was it interesting? Can we break into it?”

  “Major, don’t try. If you did, the base’s auto-defense system would destroy the Devil’s Tower and the area a hundred miles around the tower. When I said destroy, I mean totally destroyed. Nothing will be left except for a smoking hole.”