Fear and Aggression (29 page)

“
You said that she is
humanoid; what are the primary distinguishing features between her
species and humans?”

“
None.” A hush could be
heard over the audio from the reporters in the room. In the
classroom, the students, who were listening intently, recognized
the impact of that word.

“
Would you please clarify,
sir?”

“
I understand how this
news is being received. It was not until we deciphered her DNA that
we could say, with certainty, that Aspiria was not human. There was
nothing about her appearance that would distinguish her from a
human. When I said that she was humanoid, I meant that literally;
not a lot like a human, but
just
like a human—that is, until her genetics are
examined.”

“
With all due respect,
sir, I don’t see how this is possible.”

“
It was a surprising
finding for all of us.”

“
Has it been determined if
cross breading is possible? Could we have a Mr. Spock between
humans and this alien species?”

“
It is categorically
impossible. Outwardly, the species looks like a human, but
inwardly, genetically that is, it is so different that it is
impossible for our species to reproduce together.”

“
Is there any reason not
to believe that this species could live among us, and that we would
be no wiser? In other words, if they came here, would we, not
necessarily, know it?”

“
The reality is that this
species looks like a human, and so, if it were among us, it could
blend in. However, this species does not have the ability to travel
in space. It does not know where the earth is located. It is
possible that we could live among them, but it is not possible for
them to live among us without us bringing them here.”

“
Are we planning on trying
to live among them, secretly or otherwise?”

“
We are not. At this
point, we would not be capable of living secretly among them. We
are a long way from speaking their language. We would be
exceptionally foreign—alien to them. We are currently very happy
with the progress of our mission. We are learning vast amounts of
information daily. We do not see any reason to do anything more at
this time.”

“
Do the inhabitants of
this world, other than this Aspiria, know of our existence
yet?

“
We don’t believe that
they do. We have seen no evidence of them having an awareness of
us. Aspiria is from a very small populated area, near the single
‘modern’ city. We are sure that those in her area are aware of her
being missing, but we don’t believe that they have even the
slightest idea of how or why. Even Aspiria was not initially aware
of where she was. She thought that she had been taken by others of
her kind, and she thought that she was underground in some
facility. It was rather surprising to her when her circumstances
became clearer. Last question—”

“
Mr. President, this world
knows nothing of our world’s technology, since the invention of the
light bulb; Aspiria, however, now knows a lot about our technology.
Returning her to her world, and her kind, would change that. Are we
even considering allowing her to go back to her world with what she
now knows?”

“
I’m sorry, but I will not
address that type of inquiry today. Thank you.”

The conference ended, and
the video was turned off by the teacher. The students looked at
each other in amazement. The reality was stranger than was their
wildest imaginations over the past day. Aliens that were
just like
humans? They
were living in a world like earth, from two hundred years ago. This
alien is nice, and friendly; it’s cooperating?

As Mark walked to his next class, he was
only barely conscious of his surroundings. He was on autopilot, and
his mind was light years away.

“
Mark! Hey,
Mark!…Mark!”

He became partially aware of the sound.

“
Mark.”

“
Oh, hey,
Tess.”

“
You look like you just
saw an alien,” she said with a smile.

“
I feel like I did. Did
you see the President?”

“
Yeah, I’m glad that it’s
not some creepy alien. I’m glad that it doesn’t have a bunch of
weapons and stuff.”

“
My brother not only
captured an alien, but he’s hangin’ with an alien. He’s talking
with it and stuff. Man, the President says that he’s doing great! I
wish that I could talk with Steve.”

“
Do you think that your
brother is going to come back to earth with it? I don’t think that
we should bring her back here. She might learn our stuff, and
somehow communicate it back. Plus, what if she escapes? She could
hide out, and do stuff. I don’t know. I just don’t want any aliens
on the earth. I really wish that there weren’t any aliens out there
at all. I don’t like it. I don’t want them out there. There might
be other ones, and they might be worse. I don’t know; I don’t like
it. But hey, at least the first one is nice…I guess.”

“
Why would they bring the
alien back here?”

“
Well, they can’t let her
go back with all of our secrets, to her world.”

“
Yeah, I don’t know. See
you later.”

“
See you
later.”

Voices could be heard, people were
approaching the house. The door opened and Caryell’s two uncles
came in with his aunts and cousin, Miigal. Miigal was his only
cousin still living at home. She was twenty years old, and the
youngest child of his uncle Toreen—the youngest of Aspiria’s
brothers. Caryell had always been fond of Miigal. She was the
closest person to a sibling that he had ever known. She was very
fond of Caryell, also, he being the ‘baby brother’ that she had
always wanted. Caryell loved being with his father, aunts, and
uncles, but was very happy to have the company of someone closer to
his age.

Miigal was pretty and petite—wearing a grey
skirt and a black sweater. Her hair was long, brown, straight, and,
tonight, featuring a red bow. Caryell had never noticed the
resemblance before, but she reminded him, momentarily, of his
mother. Her face did contain some of his mother’s features, but it
was more her countenance and expressions that triggered the
resemblance. Miigal smiled at Caryell, and made her way towards him
as he arose to meet her. Ordinarily he would have gone up to his
uncles and aunts and greeted them; but they were so caught up in
the reason for the visit, that they had already begun to gather and
speak.

“
Let’s go out back,”
suggested Miigal.

Uncle Piori and Aunt Kaytil had a lovely
manicured garden out back with a swinging bench. It was already
dark outside, but not a bit chilly. Caryell and Miigal swung
together on the bench, while they laughed and talked. Caryell had
been so weighed down for the past month that he had not laughed
once. The laughter came forth as a burst, and at times overcame
him. Miigal was in a very good mood this evening, and she, too, was
laughing heartily. Eventually the conversation and laughter died
down, and the two just swung and gazed at the stars.

“
Caryell, I think that I
shall be engaged very soon. Jeriyal and I have been seeing each
other a lot lately; that is, when he is not working. He is setting
aside his money, and told me that he may be able to buy a home this
year. I am so excited.”

“
Wow, I’m going to be the
only kid left in the family.”

“
Are you saying that I’m
still a kid?”

“
Yes.”

She tickled him, and he giggled, but not
quite as boisterously as he had a few moments before. “How have you
been doing? I haven’t seen you this week.”

“
I’m fair. I miss my
mother terribly. Father is having a really hard time. He is doing a
little better today. He has some ideas about my mother.”

“
That is what Aunt Kaytil
was saying. She said something about visitors from another world
taking her. I don’t really understand that.”

“
My father saw something
in the sky. He thinks that they are up there,” he pointed upward to
the dark and star speckled sky, “and that they came down and took
her, and then went back up there again. He says that they are still
up there with her.”

“
I don’t understand why
they would do that. Are you keeping up with school?”

He looked at her with a questioning
expression. Then he sat back and didn’t answer. “You know, you
remind me a little of my mother. I noticed it when you walked in.
You look like her—a little anyway. You kind of walk like her, and,
well, you sounded just like her when you just asked me that.”

“
That’s a perfect
complement! Aunt Aspiria is one of the most beautiful women I have
ever seen. Any girl would love to resemble her.” She looked at him
with a serious expression, “So, how is school going?”

“
Fine; I did get behind
some, but the teachers are letting me make it up. Sometimes I get
so distracted, and I can’t concentrate, but I’m doing better
now.”

“
Are you going to stay in
Arkasia, or come here to Plensen when you are out of school? I
think that you would like it in the city.”

“
I don’t know. I don’t
want to leave my father. When we get my mother back, I don’t think
that I would ever want to leave her. But the city would be nice.
Maybe we will all live in the city someday.”

“
Tomorrow night Jeriyal
and I are going to the theater; do you want to come?”

“
Won’t I be in the way? I
don’t want to see you two kissing or anything.” She tickled him
again.

“
He’d better kiss me. It
won’t be too long before you won’t mind kissing. Seriously, do you
want to go? You’ll be here tomorrow night I’m sure. Won’t you be
here for a few days at least?”

“
I think so. I’ll go, if
you two behave. I don’t know how long we will be here. We are going
to see if anyone else has seen the shooting star.”

“
What do you mean?—seen
the shooting star?” she asked as she locked her knees so that the
swing stopped abruptly and she turned to look at him.

“
That’s what my father
saw; he saw a shooting star last night, but it wasn’t really a
shooting star. It was the vessel that has my mother in it. He said
that it lasted too long in the sky to be a real shooting star. He
saw it once before, a few nights before my mother was taken. He
said that that is where the visitors from the other world
are.”

“
Caryell! I saw a shooting
star! It was just like that. Jeriyal and I saw it. We both said
that it was the most amazing shooting star that we had ever seen.
It seemed to last for a really long time.”

Caryell’s eyes widened as he stared at
Miigal. “Let’s go tell my father!”

The room was ablaze with a hearty fire under
the hearth. The air was warm, as was the lighting. The seven adults
were deep in serious conversation and did not notice Caryell and
Miigal enter.

“
It simply does not make
sense that they are here,” said Zilnir. “I can’t think of any
reason for those of one world to travel to other worlds. What could
they want?”

“
Father.” Caryell did not
command the attention of the group. “Father!”

“
In a moment, Caryell,”
said Roloff without looking up.

“
Miigal has seen the star,
Father!”

All eyes turned to Caryell, and then to
Miigal. “Yes, I saw a shooting star. It was as Caryell described.
It was in the sky for a long time, not a brief moment, as would be
ordinary. I and Jeriyal saw it together. We both commented on its
singular characteristics.”

“
When, my dear?” asked
Toreen. “Was it last night as Roloff has seen it?”

“
No; it was several days
ago—perhaps five evenings ago. Jeriyal had made a pick-nick dinner,
and we ate it at the park. As it got to be dusk, and we lay on the
blanket, we gazed at the stars beginning to light up the sky.
Jeriyal saw it first, and pointed to it. We watched it for some
time—in awe. It was not a quick flash and then gone; it seemed to
be traveling across the sky. It did disappear, though; it did not
carry on.”

“
Five days!” interrupted
Priori. “That gives us much to go on. We now have three separate
sightings. That is no coincidence. We may be able to find other
sightings as well, but for now this gives us much to go
on.”

“
Is Aunt Aspiria in the
star?” questioned Miigal.

“
We believe so,” Priori
nodded. “It is no star—no meteor. It is something that is flying
around the planet. We call it orbiting. We have been studying the
possibility of an object orbiting our world. This is what would
happen: gravity would pull it towards our world, but if it was
traveling fast enough, the gravity would simply keep it circling
our world. The speed of escape would equal the force of gravity. It
could keep circling forever. We don’t have the ability to send
something up to do this—not yet, anyway. It would have to come from
another world; Roloff is right about this. If we have visitors from
another world, and indeed it seems that we do, then it is
reasonable to link them to Aspiria’s disappearance. Roloff’s
thought about them coming down to that rock clearing, and then
returning to orbit with her makes sense. I don’t know how they
could do this, but they are here; they must possess many abilities
that we do not have.”