by Clyde Key
* * *
Main points excerpted from Evan Saxon’s deposition:
Q: (Rep. Bolind) What was your function at ETCC?
A: I began primarily as a mathematician involved in developing computer algorithms to decode or interpret the alien’s language. Later, at Lawrence Jantzen’s request, I became coordinator of our work with the Institute at Arecibo and President Duran.
Q: (Rep. Danson) Did you and Hank Halloran and Homer Philips conspire to deceive the social subcommittee about the nature of communications received from the aliens?
A: Conspiracy is a pejorative term that does not accurately describe the relationships between the Technical Subcommittee members and the members of the Social Subcommittee. Any institution of this nature necessarily compiles a vast amount of information, much of which is not necessary or helpful to disseminate to all members. Therefore, members or groups of members must make judgments about which information should be distributed. That was the case here, and I am certain also that the Social Subcommittee did not share every last scrap of information with us.
Q: (Rep. Papillon) Since Homer Philips is recently deceased, I can’t ask him about his motives. Therefore I ask you if you know what precipitated Philips’s recent divulgence about the nature of communications to and from the aliens and his statements that seem to amount to a confession of conspiracy?
A: About ten years ago, we in the Technical Subcommittee understood that aliens plan to visit Earth. That startling fact necessarily changed all facets of ETCC’s work. Homer Philips immediately informed the Social Subcommittee and the new chairperson, Lena Dickerson, at that time. Because of concerns about how the aliens might be received, the Technical Subcommittee (specifically Homer Philips) suggested that another agency be formed to study how best to promote human/alien interaction. Dickerson formed the Alien Anti-Bigotry Commission and Philips was appointed head of AABC. Homer Philips’s statements, which were published just before his death, were not any sort of “confession” about withholding information since Norden and her group have had that information for at least ten years. Since AABC has only recently begun to publish passages from the communications, I can only believe that Philips intended to clarify statements that had been leaked by Helen Norden and her staff.
Q: (Rep. Fannin)
1. Was any person outside the Technical Subcommittee of ETCC privy to the content of communication between aliens and ETCC?
2. Did Lawrence Jantzen or his successor ever receive this information?
3. Was Jantzen aware that the messages designed by the Social Subcommittee were never transmitted?
A:
1. President Duran of Puerto Rico and several members of his staff had access to all information received from or transmitted to the aliens since his institute transmitted and received the messages.
2. Lawrence Jantzen and John Billings both received copies of most alien transmissions, but not all. See the answer to Rep. Danson’s question above.
3. All messages designed by the Social Subcommittee were transmitted. From conversations I had with President Duran, I expect much more emphasis was placed on transmitting messages designed by the Puerto Ricans than by the Technical Subcommittee of ETCC
27
July 23, 2112
Vidscreen reports about the alien globes came up from several points across the country at almost the same time. Globes were seen streaking across the sky of several states at an altitude a few meters higher than the tallest buildings and trees. Confused witnesses reported as many as twenty globes near California, and about a dozen over Kansas, but only six were seen in West Virginia. Three globes finally hovered over the White House front lawn one hour and fourteen minutes after the first reports from Arizona.
President Litton had been alerted that aliens seemed to be traveling to Washington, and now she sat in the Oval Office watching the alien arrival on a wallscreen. The three globes stood motionless for a good three minutes atop the pencil-thin streams of fire. Three circles of charred grass appeared under each and sparks soon floated away on the light breeze. As she watched the damage to the lawn, Litton couldn’t decide whether to be angry or frightened. At length, she decided she was both.
Outside, White House Guard Captain Arthur Carey called the front guard squad together and ordered them to cover behind one of the stone facades that had been built on either side of the old structure. He ordered two of his squad to keep watch while he instructed the rest of them. “Remember,” he said, “your laser weapons—pistols and shoulder guns both—are not effective against the globes. Both the beams and the ion trailers—but especially the trailers—are known to reflect off the globes so they are probably are more dangerous to us and innocent civilians than they are to the aliens.”
“Then what do we do if they attack?” asked a young guard corporal.
“From what I know, the globes are probably unarmed,” said Carey. “That doesn’t mean the aliens aren’t dangerous, though. We just don’t know what they may be able to do. We do think the aliens themselves will be vulnerable if they come outside but we won’t attack them unless there is some overt aggression. We’ll just have to play it by ear so stay alert and watch me for orders.”
“Something’s happening!” yelled one of the guards. “The fire went off and they settled down on the lawn!”
“Oh, Lord! I think that means they’re coming out.” Carey’s voice cracked. “I’ve got to confront them! Holmes, Adams, and McHenry—I want you to cover me. Holmes takes the one on the left and Adams has the middle one. Mack, you take the one on the right.”
Carey scrambled over the facade and, followed closely by the other three guards, approached the aliens. Carey stopped about three meters in front of the center craft and the other three stayed a few steps back. Soon, a small dark spot appeared on each globe, on the side nearest the guards. As they watched nervously, those spots grew to cover about the front third of each globe. Then the dark spots turned clear and the aliens were visible inside. And the odor that wafted toward them on the light breeze told them the globes were open.
“I think I’m going to vomit,” said McHenry.
“Please don’t,” said Captain Carey.
Alien goo then flowed from each globe onto the lawn and aliens followed, leaping into the rippling heaps and absorbing it all back into their alien bodies. Awestruck, the guards almost didn’t even notice the piercing noise at first. Then each began to grimace. “Oww! That hurts my ears!” said Holmes. Adams and McHenry nodded agreement.
As soon as the last alien had completed the process of recombining its body, all the aliens began moving. The alien wearing the silver communication gadget led and the other two followed sloshing along abreast. “Halt!” yelled Carey. “You may not proceed without permission!” The aliens stopped immediately and stood absolutely motionless. “Are you the leader? The one with the translator, I mean?” asked Carey.
The aliens remained motionless for a few nervous seconds before starting to move again, obviously toward the front entrance of the White House. “Halt!” yelled Carey. “If you move without permission, you will be shot!”
Then the alien with the translator turned slowly until the translator faced Carey. “Are you leader of the humans of the United States of America, upon whose portion of the Earth’s surface we have landed?”
“No. My function is to guard our president. You may not see her without her permission.”
“Then obtain her permission. Be quick.”
“Keep your shirt on! I’m calling now.” Carey slipped a small comphone from his pocket and pushed the alert button.
“I have no shirt. I have no need for a shirt,” said the alien.
“Yeah. I know,” said Carey. He glanced over his shoulder at the front of the building. “Come on! Somebody in there respond!” Carey knew the guard staff inside likely all were watching the security vidscreen with rapt attention and were not even aware of the comphone buzzer. Then someone answered, and
Carey said, “They want to see the President! Somebody has to notify her!” Then after a short pause, he said, “Yes. Of course, I realize she’s on top of the situation.
Carey spoke to the alien again. “Our president will be speaking with me momentarily.”
Then the comphone beeped and the captain said, “Yes. Captain Carey here... Yes, Ms. President... Yes, Ms. President. The aliens here wish to speak with you personally... No, Ma’am. I don’t think they should go into the White House. I think you will find their, ah.... body odor excessive. You probably couldn’t get the smell out for a long time.” Carey glanced up at the aliens to be sure they were staying put. “Yes, Ms. President. I will inform them.” Carey put the comphone back into his pocket.
Carey spoke to the aliens again. “Our president will be here shortly to speak with you.”
Very soon the front entrance opened and a small personal floater came out, carrying President Litton. Carey stepped back and whispered something to the president before she went to meet the aliens.
“Are you the leader?” asked Litton. “Or do you represent your leader?”
“Veezee has no need for leader. I am many. We are one. We are not like you.”
“Then with whom will I deal when I have business with Veezee?”
“You may speak with any Veezee. We are not like you. We are one.”
Litton shrugged her small shoulders. “Of course I can see you’re not like us. We didn’t expect you would be. But I can count, too. We can plainly see three of you here and I know there are probably millions more.”
Captain Carey caught the president’s attention and whispered, “I don’t think that’s what he—it—means. I think it’s some kind of political unity thing.”
“Yes that’s probably it,” said Litton. “Do you mean you’re one because of political unity? Is that it?”
“No,” said the alien. “I am not political because I am one. There are two Veezee. I am one.”
Litton sighed. “Okay. Maybe we’d best pass on that subject. What is it you want?”
“I wish for your army not to attack us. I want to leave my camp. I want freedom.”
“I cannot grant any of that just yet. Believe me, I wish I could, but I am responsible for the safety and well being of our entire nation. I am afraid that I cannot grant you freedom until I know more about you, because you seem so extremely dangerous to us and all of the other creatures on our planet.”
“I will teach humans about Veezee,” said the alien, “but first you must not interfere with our travel.”
“Not now,” said Litton. “We must learn more about you first. Go back and tell your leader that, or the oldest Veezee or whoever is in charge. Now I’m losing my patience. You leave now, and go back to your camp. And don’t any of you come back until you’re willing to obey my directives!”
Without another word, the aliens returned to their globes. Each alien squirted its inside substance into a globe before the skeletony part of each jumped inside. The globes closed, then the thin flames came down again, lifting the alien vehicles just off the White House lawn. And then they were gone with a startling whoosh.
Only when the aliens had gone did President Litton notice the whole episode had been recorded by a battery of reporters who were giving the people of her nation and most of the world their first glimpse of aliens.
