Emissary 21-23

21

They were awakened by the sound of helicopters.

“How did they find us!?” Elizabeth exclaimed.

“We knew it was only a matter of time,” replied Alix, “We must leave at once.”

“But how? They’ve cut us off. See the black SUVs on the main road?” Elizabeth countered.

“We have no other choice,” Mark and Alix said at the same moment in the same inflection, which Jason and Elizabeth found disturbing, to say the least.

Without hesitation, Alix placed her ‘backpack’ in the backyard and touched the appropriate symbols on her wristband. The spacecraft deployed. She also commanded the helicopters to set down gracefully about a mile away.

“The three of us must go,” Mark and Alix stated firmly as one, “Take everything we need. We now have a new plan. Jason, when they question you…”

“Oh, don’t worry about me, I have my own escape route,” Jason interjected as he headed for the basement, “They’ll be looking so hard for you, they won’t even think about me. Unless of course, you fail. So, don’t fail!”

Alix, Elizabeth, and Mark entered the spacecraft. In moments they were airborne, cloaked, and heading to Indianapolis, by way of Australia, India, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Norway, Ireland, Russia, Japan, and Alaska.

 “Why Australia?” asked Elizabeth.

“I want to see some kangaroos,” Alix replied.

“Surely you’re joking!”

“Why…yes…I am. It is also part of our new plan to take them on a little world tour before attending Gen-Con. A few random sightings might give us a chance to present our case before they try to stop us.”

“And when did you two make your plan?” Elizabeth asked.

“We started working on it while you and Jason were out,” Mark and Alix replied.

“I…see…I think.”

22

“All I can tell you is they were at the house. When we approached, the choppers all had engine trouble at the same time, and NORAD reported tracking their signal moving west at, well…you don’t want to know how fast. So far, we haven’t been able to find the homeowner, but we’ll keep working on it.”

“Goddammit, Stan! Forget him and figure out where in the hell they’re going.”

“NORAD says Australia, Sir.”

“Oh, for Christ’s sake, we can’t have aliens running loose on this planet. Who knows what country might form an alliance with them. God forbid they land in North Korea or Iran.”

23

The diversion seemed to buy them a little time. The Colonel and his men had to deal with reports of sightings halfway around the world, as the spacecraft purposefully decloaked in far-flung populated areas for all to see during the next several hours. Many jets were scrambled, only to find nothing when they reached altitude. The ETA for Indianapolis was opening night at Gen-Con, at which time Andrew, as one of the longest-standing VIP attendees, arranged a sort of special presentation in the main hall. The ship was to pass through the wall of the Convention Center and decloak surrounded by ten-thousand people in attendance. The new plan was to have Alix be Alix, not a cosplay character. The only way this might work would be to make a direct, honest, open appeal to rationality, to confirm what many people around the world already suspected: there was intelligent life on other worlds and at least one species wanted to form a partnership with humanity. Alix’s companions were there to support her plea, to emphasize how important it was for our species join forces with hers to save itself from catastrophe.

Maybe this group of people, those who still believed “imagination is more important than knowledge,” would be more likely to accept a friendly alien, undocumented as she may be. Maybe for an hour, Gen-Con would be a safe forum for Alix to present herself and demonstrate some of her technology. Then again, maybe most of the world would think this was all a trick, a hoax carried out by special effects wizards and charlatans who wanted some form of world government or simply to sell a product. Mark hoped Alix would be an iconoclast of sorts, breaking our complacent images asserting humans are the only sentient beings in the universe. If we were truly not alone, and people came to accept this as a fact, maybe they could find the strength to make different choices. Maybe Gen-Con could be a watershed moment, a new beginning for humanity. The again, nobody ever got rich betting on people to see a bigger picture.

At 7:55 PM the crowd had gathered in the main hall. Monitors of the event had been set-up throughout the Convention Center. At 8:00, a disturbance was felt along the west wall. It seemed like the wall was turning to a gossamer blue haze, and the same thin whir, soft thrum, strangely complex sound that perplexed Mark a week ago seemed to emanate from the wall. In moments, a 40-foot-wide-20-foot-tall silver-bronze arch-shaped disc materialized, if this is the right word for it, inside the hall. It hovered for a moment and then settled down in the exact enter of the room. No one spoke. Some gasped. Others sobbed. The sight was clearly not what anyone expected. In a few moments, a door opened in the side of the craft and Mark stepped out, followed by Elizabeth, and then Alix in her green tunic. She touched a few symbols and the door closed.

Someone in the audience shouted, “Wow, great special effects!”

Another bellowed, “Where’s the smoke and mirrors?”

Others called out, “Fake! Fraud! Humbug!”

Mark stepped up to the microphone, with Elizabeth behind him. They had talked about how to approach the audience, that there would be those, even in this crowd who would think this was just a show, just another piece of fiction. He screwed up his courage. He was supposed to be The Emissary, after all. He would do his best to set the stage for Alix.

“Many of you think this is all just a trick, like all the Hollywood productions you have seen. But this is not a computer-generated projection. My friend is not a character from a science fiction movie. She is a person from another world, with technology to offer and a proposal to make. She is trusting all of us to listen, to learn, to think, to be her representatives to a world that all too often does not listen, does not learn, and does not think, even when the facts are clear, even when it would be in everyone’s best interest to cooperate with one another and deal with the very real problems we face. My friend possesses technology that could transform life on this planet. She also possesses technology that could destroy all life on this planet. This is not a threat, though. Her people have prohibited themselves from taking any planet by force. They have learned when we base a society or a relationship on conquest or exploitation, we put ourselves in danger. Their world was turned upside-down when a catastrophic event prompted them to re-invent their entire society, their whole philosophy of living. They also re-invented how they used their resources, both in terms of natural resources and people, to save themselves from annihilation. They have a tremendous amount to teach us, and if we turn out to be unwilling to learn from them, there is perhaps no way we can pull ourselves back from the brink. It’s no secret to anyone here humanity has been exploiting natural resources and people for the profit of the few, ignoring climate change and natural threats, putting many species, including our own, in harm’s way, and playing with nuclear weapons as if they were children’s toys. If we continue down this path, we will end up falling off a cliff of our own making. My friend has chosen to visit us. No one forced her to come. She has done so at great personal risk because she believes in us. She truly believes humanity has the potential to make better choices and do the right thing for one another. I have spent the last several days learning more about her and her people, and the technology she has brought. She has spent a good portion of her life learning about the Earth and has come to offer us an unprecedented choice. Please listen, learn, and carefully consider what she has to say.

Before she speaks to you, I want to show you three video clips, so you won’t just believe what you have been told. Andrew, are you ready? Good. The first clip is one to keep in mind throughout tonight’s presentation. This was made by a bystander to a potentially brutal Pitbull attack my friend had to deal with. Some of you may have seen this already.

The next clip is from a security camera in the Walmart parking lot where my friend and I allegedly attacked two young men. As you will see, there was no such attack. In a few minutes, my friend will demonstrate the technology used to subdue the men in the video.

The third clip may prove to be disturbing to some of you. This is the dashcam video from a police car in Cincinnati. You will see me shot in the chest yesterday afternoon. Please pay attention to the time stamp.”

Mark opened his shirt. “Andrew, please zoom in on my chest. As you can see, I now have a small scar where the bullet entered. My friend provided the nanotechnology that saved my life. This technology alone could revolutionize the way we practice medicine on this planet.

Again, please listen, learn, and think carefully about what my friend has to say.”

The audience took a collective deep breath as Alix approached the microphone.

“Hello, my name in your language is Alix. I have travelled many light-years in this craft to meet you, to share knowledge that could save your world.

Before we get started, I need to ask you a question. How do you like my tunic?”

Her question was answered with noncommittal applause. Elizabeth had suggested she start with a few demonstrations.

“What if I needed to cover more of my body?” She touched her wristband and the tunic morphed into a gown – this time not so sheer as the one Mark first saw, but nevertheless flowing and elegant.

“What if I want to present a more informal appearance?” She looked towards Mark, who was standing beside her.

“I programed this outfit for Mark.”

The gown morphed into hiking clothing, complete with flannel shirt, fitting her perfectly. Mark was visibly impressed. He smiled and nodded approval.

“I can change the color, size, and shape of any garment simply by programming this collar to do so.”

The tunic reappeared and changed from green to blue to red, with various necklines, sleeve lengths, hem lines. This time the audience was more impressed and showed it with more enthusiastic applause and not a few gasps of amazement.

Encouraged, Alix continued, “Now, a few demonstrations are in order. I want as many of you as possible to touch the spacecraft. Strike it with your fist, kick it as you would an automobile tire, try to lift it, feel the texture of its surface. I will wait…”

Hundreds did so.

“Now, please stand back.” Alix touched a sequence of symbols on her wristband and as Mark had already seen, the ship folded to the size of a backpack. She then picked up the ‘backpack’ and handed it to Mark, who was still by her side. No one in the audience made a sound.

After a brief pause, Alix said, “Next I need a few strong and healthy volunteers.” Five guys stepped up.

“Please stand over there. Did you ever wonder what it would be like to be on a planet where the force of gravity is twice that of the Earth?”

She touched a few buttons and the young men’s knees buckled as they dropped to the floor. The rest of the audience felt no such effects.

She asked the volunteers, “Do you believe this is a trick?”

Their reply was a gasping, “no.” She then released them from the temporarily high gravitational field. Again, the audience was stunned.

Alix reassured them, “If a civilization can master space-time and gravitation, travel to distant stars is possible.”

“What about the nanotech?” Someone blurted out.

Without hesitation, Alix replied, “Mark ingested an elixir with nanites designed for his unique body chemistry. Here is an image he took of himself on the Appalachian Trail one week ago. I believe you call it a selfie. Note the time data. Andrew, please put a close-up of Mark next to this photograph.”

Many in the audience expressed disbelief.

“Mark will tell you he feels 20 years younger in many ways, and as you saw earlier, he survived what otherwise would have been a fatal gunshot wound to his chest. In fact, he was walking around three hours after the incident. On this planet biotechnology is in its infancy. Imagine how far your civilization could advance in two centuries. Now imagine how far you might go if you did not waste so many resources on war, political divisiveness, and extravagant luxuries. One of your great physicists, Albert Einstein, said, ‘imagination is more important than knowledge.’ I am asking you to imagine what you could achieve by laying aside old prejudices and old ways of thinking. The Earth does not have to be an arena of cutthroat competition. Power struggles almost destroyed my world. Billions of people died in the century before we re-envisioned our society, before we crafted new ground rules. I implore you not to make the same mistakes.”

Many in the audience seemed to be sympathetic. Some were whispering all this could be a trick… looks like David Copperfield. Others were wondering aloud, what’s the catch?

Alix continued, “Many of you are wondering, as Mark put it, what’s in this for us? While I believe your species would benefit greatly from the technology we offer, you perhaps could benefit even more from welcoming people from my world to live side-by-side with you on this world. My planet is likely to be destroyed by the end of the century as our sun expands beyond the protection of even our technology. Mark has told me he doubts we would be welcome here because your species has not yet learned how to tolerate different races, religions, and genders, much less another species. I told him I have faith in humanity. I believe your species will welcome mine in return for world-changing technology to improve the lives of everyone, not just the already rich and powerful. In the weeks ahead, you will have the opportunity to prove Mark right or to prove me right. Yet, if you refuse my offer, I must leave your world. I plan to follow the directive of one of your greatest teachers: if you will not welcome my people or listen to what I have to say, I must leave and have nothing more to do with your planet. I am staking my life, indeed the lives of my people, on your choice to help us as we are willing to help you. Thank you for listening.”

At that moment, the Colonel and his men stormed the main hall. Andrew and the sound man were pushed out of the way, and the Colonel grabbed a microphone and ordered everyone to stand aside and let his men arrest the ‘terrorists.’ Alix and Mark, thinking as one, still standing side-by-side, glanced at one another as they searched for a way to protect everyone. Mark took the microphone and told everyone to cooperate. Alix reached for her wristband.

Seeing its glint in the stage lights, one of the soldiers called out, “Gun!” 

Several shots were fired directly into Alix’s chest. She looked at Mark knowingly for a second, then her body dropped towards the floor. Mark barely managed to catch her. As he held her, she passed the collar and wristband to him. As she lost consciousness, he realized he, or perhaps they, knew how to use all the technology Alix had brought. As she had predicted, Mark now knew what to do. In the commotion following Alix’s murder, he reconstituted the spacecraft. At Mark’s signal, Andrew picked up Alix’s body, then he and Elizabeth boarded the ship under the protection of the force field Mark had deployed. As the soldiers opened fire on him, Mark stood under the dome of the force field. After a short volley of shots, the Colonel ordered his men to stand down. They couldn’t have resumed firing anyway, because by then the ship had electromagnetically locked the firing mechanisms on their weapons. Mark now had full control and the Colonel’s men could do nothing to stop him. He spoke clearly and firmly.

“I. Am. The. Emissary. Any future discussions concerning the relationship between Alix’s people and humanity will be conducted through me. I now speak for Alix and her people and will represent their interests until my death, as she has done. Alix dedicated her life – gave her life – for her beliefs, and I will honor her legacy by negotiating in good faith as she would have. This. Is. Her. Offer: If the nations of the world renounce their weapons of mass destruction and combat military forces, and allow her people to settle here, to live in harmony with all people of the Earth, I am authorized to share their world-changing technology, providing it is used to benefit everyone on this world. At the first sign of militarism or the exploitation of this technology to benefit the few, all of it will be rendered useless. If there is any further attempt to attack me or my family, this offer will be rescinded. And, unlike Alix, if I am attacked, I will use whatever means necessary to defend myself. Your world, that is, my world has a serious decision to make. Will we work together towards utopia, or allow humanity to slide into oblivion? You have one month to respond by ending all current wars and hostile actions, as well as by demonstrating a significant reduction in all armaments, all military and paramilitary spending, and the number of combat personnel in all nations. I will be watching, listening, and waiting for your decision.”

Mark boarded the spacecraft and the audience watched it pass through the ceiling as easily as a bird flies through the morning fog on a mountain lake. In a minute or two, he landed in his own backyard. Andrew had placed Alix in the regeneration chamber until her nanites could repair her wounds. For the moment, it was enough he and his children were unharmed. He explained Alix would make a full recovery in about three weeks, until then he would need to be both Alix and Mark to the best of his ability.

“Everybody out. End of the ride!” Mark called out.

“But…dad!” Elizabeth shot back.

After he removed the regeneration chamber, Mark folded the spacecraft into backpack mode.

Running to hug his wife, he called out, “I have a long story to tell you, Michele.”

“I’m listening, Mark. Make it a good one.”

End of Part One

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