The Need To Know

The Need To Know

A small figure emerged from a camper unit into bright sunshine. It was going to be a wonderful day. If it got started. The young male turned in irritation towards the open door of the camper.

“Tass, hurry up.”

“Coming, Jer.”

“Have everything?”

“Yes. Food, drink and this.” Tassy held up a pouch with a distinctive outline that Jer recognized.

“Excellent. Your Grandpa’s camera.”

“And loaded with film.”

“Let’s get a move on.”

“Bye Grandpa.”

Tassy’s Grandpa had popped out of the camper. An amused look on his face. “Have fun. Will you contact me when you’re returning?”

“You bet. Meet us at the glade of the red marker on the lowest switchback.”

“I’ll bring something good to eat.”

“Just don’t let it be something you shoot!” The two young ones waved their good byes to the grinning old one.

The trek began towards the larger of the three mountains dominating the near horizon. The morning was perfect – a bit of high cloud which Jer knew would lend itself to some great nature shots.

After a short walk on the river valley floor, the trek changed to a dark twisting path marked by mossy rock, the occasional stream bed and large trees now leafed out. Metered light dappled their bodies. The heavy forest in the lower hills slowly gave way to duller shades of smaller trees and brush. A series of switchbacks along pinkish outcrops granted them greater height towards a ridge path. More and more light filtered through exposing greater parts of the hillside. Now large blocks of sky were visible.

“How come your Grandpa likes this place so much?” said Jer.

“He has history here. A long time ago, there was some big deal out here.”

“Like what?”

“Don’t know. He’s always been pretty cagey about stuff. But he had something to do with building that tower up ahead.”

“Really. The radar tower?”

“I’m not sure what it is. I don’t think it radiates anything. It used to be manned, then it was automated. Now, I don’t think there’s any activity up there.”

They walked along a narrow ridge path, passing a variety of needle bushes and rock outcrops in full sunshine. The valley they had left behind on their left became hazier, the tree tops lit with the early greens of spring. From time to time, they could glimpse the next valley on their right with its dark grey streams, lighter gravel beds and dull low vegetation. They were about to pass the high metal tower. Their destination was only an hour away – a rocky point now visible in the distance where Jer knew stunning vistas of the Blue Valley awaited.

Tassy stopped and looked into the sky. “Hey. What’s that bright light?”

“Where?”

“Look overhead.”

Jer scanned the skies, then spotted what Tassy had seen.

“A meteor!”

“No, it’s not fast enough.” Tassy’s voice registered fear. “Jer, it’s changing course.”

“It’s swinging in towards us.”

Jer and Tassy watched, frozen in place, as the bright light dimmed to become more distinct to their eyes.

“It’s some sort of flying craft. The way it’s going, it looks like it’s going to land.”

“Yeah. On the valley floor below us. Get behind those rocks!”

The craft was slowing. A short circle around the upper valley; a hovering; a swirl of dust and debris. Now the craft settled with hot noise onto a gravel bed by a narrow stream. After the dust settled away, a large antenna array appeared from the top of the craft. It rose, then swiveled on a central axis, one metallic pole longer than the two outboards in parallel.

“What do we do? I don’t want to stay.” Tass trembled. “That thing frightens me.”

“Yeah. Scares me too. It’s not something I’ve ever seen before and it’s not one of ours.”

“A foreign craft?”

“More than foreign, I should think.”

“What are you saying? It’s alien?”

“Remember that story your Grandpa told us about a robot ship that arrived years ago.”

“His close encounter?” Tassy shook her head in dismissal. “He was just making that up. A scare story.”

“Does that thing down there look like a scare story to you?”

Tass was breathing fast. “I want to leave.”

“Why here though. There’s nothing here. Even for aliens.”

Tassy glanced back at the radar tower. “Do you think it has anything to do with this tower?”

“No idea. You sure it’s not some sort of beacon.”

“A beacon? You mean attract spacecraft?”

“Yeah.” Jer’s own fears gave way to curiosity. “What if your Grandpa’s story was true. Then they set up a beacon station to attract the next craft? And that down there is the next craft?”

“Another robot or actual visitors from another planet? We’ve never landed astronauts on another planet.”

“We can barely get off this rock. The last time we were on the Moon was before we were born.”

“Grandpa was alive then. He said he saw it.”

“Plenty dispute that. I’m contacting your Grandpa.”

While Jer fidgeted with his mobile, a door on the craft opened. Two helmeted tall figures clad in white and black, slowly made their way out of the craft, down a series of steps, touching the gravel at the base. Rectangular pouches with a pair of dark devices were attached to their backs and sides. The two aliens turned a full crescent to take in their surroundings.

“Your Grandpa will meet us at the red marker right away.”

“Jer, look. It’s a manned craft.”

From behind a rock formation, Jer peeked at the valley floor below. “Two of them.”

Tassy inched her way to gain a better view of the two explorers. “They can’t breathe our air.”

“Looks that way. Must be carrying it in those backpacks like our astronauts.”

“Are those sidearms they have?”

“Could be. Our astronauts didn’t carry stuff like that.”

“Didn’t have to. No animals on the Moon.” Tassy craned her neck further.

“Tassy, stay back.” Jer stopped Tassy from surmounting the ridge any further. The rock formation had kept them from full exposure, for now. Jer crept forward. “Hand me the camera.”

Tassy passed the camera to Jer. He opened the pouch, readying the unit for use. He then snapped several shots.

“Is it working okay?” asked Tassy.

“I took a few photos but it’s too old for long shots. I don’t have a long lens. I have to get closer.”

“But the aliens will see you.”

“They probably know we’re here already. Look at that array on top of their craft. It keeps spinning around, then stopping with the long pole pointed in our direction. Probably some sort of detection unit.”

“For what? Animals or us?”

“Don’t know. Both maybe.”

“That’s why they have the weapons. To kill animals. Take them as prizes.”

“Yeah. Maybe. Maybe not. Could be for self-defense only.”

“Do you want to find out? What if they start shooting? Where are we going to hide? How are we going to escape? They obviously have tech we don’t.”

Jer crept forward some more. He was at the edge of the ridge, peering down the slope for a way to descend, hopefully with some cover. It didn’t look promising. Jer swung a lower limb over the ridge and began to slowly descend the upper slope. The loose rock gave way and small pieces began to clatter downwards.

“Jer! They see us!”

Jer watched the two aliens suddenly sprint across the gravel bar, leap a small stream and begin clambering up the bank towards them. They would be on them soon.

“Let’s get out of here!” Jer tried to climb the scree but stumbled. The camera came loose and fell down the slope a short distance.

“The camera.”

Jer quickly retrieved it, spun some more on the scree, then reached the summit of the ridge. “I got it. Let’s go.”

Tass had already fled across the ridge. The narrow path would be harder to navigate at a full run.

“Hurry Tass!”

The run was taking everything out of them. At the top of the rolling ridge, the narrow footpath was treacherous. Any downhill was almost as hard as uphill. If they could reach the switchbacks, then the slope wouldn’t be as steep. One false step here and they would be careening down a steep scree onto rocky outcrops.

The nearest alien was closing on them, making a mechanical low pitched hissing sound followed by a snapping sound. Jer heard the sound repeat at uneven intervals. Another alien further back made differing mechanical sounds. He could feel their footfalls crashing onto the hard path behind but Jer couldn’t look back. He urged Tassy on.

“Go! Go! When you hit the first switchback, go straight down. I’m right behind you.” Jer could hear Tassy’s labored breathing. Almost there.

The first switchback came into view.

“Down!”

Tassy broke right and scampered down the slope. The broken rock and gravel began to run alongside with her as she picked her way down as fast as she dared.

“Keep going.” Jer took a similar path, moving faster now and gaining on Tassy.

The first alien hissed and snapped from above Jer. He sensed the alien had decided to come after them on the slope. Nearing the bottom, Tassy tried to pick up speed. Hitting a rock at a bad angle, she tumbled down the slope, rolling onto the glade floor where the red marker post stood.

“Jer!” She cried out in pain. “My leg!”

Jer made it to the bottom without falling and now tried to scoop up Tassy. Tassy screamed in pain and Jer almost dropped her. His momentum forced him to roll onto his side next to Tassy.

The closest alien caught up and now stood over Jer and Tass. A second alien now had made its way down to where they had fallen. With the front face screens opaque, Jer couldn’t make out features other than the outline of their bodies. The creatures were tall. The one closest was heaving from the exertion of both the run and being confined in the protective suit.

The chest of the suit featured a pair of small boxes, one of which blinked a pair of lights alternating red and green. The other box had a round hole covered in metal mesh. Their gloves held a black device.

The blinking on the chest boxes stopped now. Two solid green lights stared at Jer. While the second alien stayed back, the first alien attached the black device to its side, then raised its limbs to unlock the seal on its helmet. A short mechanical hiss of compressed vapor followed. The helmet came off and Jer and Tass came face to face with an alien on their home world.

The alien had only a slight resemblance to Jer. The numbers and rough positions of the alien’s features were close proximations but now differences emerged. There were two slitted eyes filled with black pools, close together on the front of the head. The hide was strangely smooth, almost a translucent pale buttery tone. Instead of a snout, Jer could only see a small ridged central nose, flaring air through two tiny holes above a closed mouth showing no exposed fangs or tongue. Rounded and curled hide appeared prominently on either side of the head. A shock of black fur covered the upper part of the scalp. The effect on Jer was jarring. For Tass, it was more than she could bear.

“They’re hideous!” She screamed, still clutching her injured leg.

“Quiet, Tass.” Jer reached out to her and touched her arm. He could feel the fear coursing through her. Or was it his?

A small rumbling voice came from the alien. Jer turned back to hear a burst of static electricity emerge from the mesh box. The alien adjusted something on the mesh box but made no other quick movements. Another rumble. Jere could see the mouth move and curl as the alien spoke in tones and clicks. The mesh box crackled again. Jer recognized a word.

“That box, Tass.”

Despite the pain and her labored breathing, she managed: “A translation device?”

“Yes. Maybe we can communicate with it. Tell them we’re not dangerous.”

“What if they are?” Her voice was rising.

“They haven’t killed us yet. I’m thinking maybe they won’t. If we can talk. Make them understand.”

Jer looked at the alien. In a slow address he said: “My name is Jer. She is Tass.”

The mesh box mechanically repeated Jer’s words, then emitted a series of tones and sharp sounds Jer took to be the alien’s language.

The alien’s low voice rumbled and clicked. More adjustments to the mesh box. It sprang to life once more: “You name is Jar. She is Tass.” Close now. Jer sat up slowly. What to say next?

Jer wouldn’t get the chance. From a nearby bush, a small figure emerged.

“Grandpa,” yelled Tass. “Stay back!”

Tassy’s warning was too late. The rocketing sound of Grandpa’s gun burst twice across the glade. In quick succession, the two aliens fell to the ground, their suits perforated. The glade became very still.

“You’ve killed them,” said Jer.

Grandpa approached the bodies. Grey vapor still emanated from his weapon. “I had to.”

“We had just started to communicate. That mesh box was their translator. It talked to us. Said our names.”

A small roar from far away started up.

“Their ship!” said Jer. “It’s coming for them.”

Grandpa commanded: “We must leave. Now!”

Grandpa and Jer lifted Tass and as best they could, moved into the denser bush, under the bigger trees of the river valley. A well-trodden path was easier to traverse. Jer sensed a brightness above. He turned to glimpse the alien craft, now hovering over the red marker glade where the alien bodies lay still.

“Keep going,” said the old one.

“I’m exhausted.”

Another roar from the alien craft. They turned their sights upward in time to see the craft soaring higher into the atmosphere, on its way to space.

“Will they come back?”

“Undoubtedly. You have pictures?”

“We have proof of the aliens’ presence. They have landed here. We’ve seen them, talked to them. They’ve seen us.”

“Yes they have. And what have they learned? Our planet is habitable, even for their species. But the inhabitants are dangerous.”

“You shot them,” said Tassy. She was still in pain but hadn’t lost consciousness.

“For your own good.”

“Why?”

“They are cruel, calculating, treacherous,” said Grandpa. “They represent the end of our species.”

“How can you be sure?” said Jer. “We can talk to them.”

Tassy eyes widened with a revelation. “Wait. Those stories you told us about the machine that set down on our planet years ago, then left behind some parts. They are true, aren’t they?”

“Yes. Not a spook story. Very much real,” said the old one. “How close did you get with the camera?”

“Close enough to get a shot of the craft and crew.”

“It wasn’t my idea,” moaned Tassy. She looked down at her damaged leg.

“I took a chance,” said Jer. “And now, we have proof of alien existence.”

“Is this like the craft you saw when you were younger, Grandpa?”

“In a way, it is. Much bigger of course.”

Jer was puzzled. “How come we didn’t learn about this in school?”

“The data and the science team’s conclusions were suppressed. Not even the fact of their initial unmanned landing remains part of the public record. I know because I snapped the first shots of the robot craft with that very camera.”

“You?”

“Yes. The photos were stored; Confiscated; Along with the craft itself. No one wanted to believe we were being invaded by robots from another planet, another solar system. You can imagine the fear. Everything is a conspiracy. Everything is doom.”

“We felt the fear,” said Jer. He could hear Tassy’s voice as his mind flitted back to the ridge and the first sight of the alien craft.

“How could you know all this?” said Tassy.

Now Jer with a revelation. “Wait. You were one of the scientists.”

“Yes. Head of the team in fact.”

“You never told us.”

“I couldn’t. Sworn to secrecy you see. Now that you’ve seen the real threat, not much point in secrets between us.”

“Are we in danger from these aliens?” said Jer. “They seemed curious, not threatening.”

“You might think so. Some of our scientists might think so too. But our leaders absolutely don’t - which is why you know nothing.”

“How can they know that?”

Grandpa sighed. “Our scientists were puzzled at first, but finally solved the communication problem of interpreting the machine’s data and coding. There were even images of the aliens who sent the craft – all coded in math. Like the ones you encountered today. The deciphered coding from the robot machine told us where to look for them. We found their home planet, of course. Then long range studies were done. Their planet is smaller, with a lower gravity but with an atmosphere we can almost breathe. The aliens themselves turned out to be a rapacious species, aggressive in every sense, even amongst their own kind. They dominate every corner of their planet. This frightened our leaders beyond belief.”

“How dangerous then?”

“Aside from concerns about viruses and bacteria they are likely carrying – which alone might doom our species, the aliens’ penchant for aggression would render us a footnote in our planet’s history.”

“We’re not so perfect,” said Jer.

“No. But that’s for us to solve. Not for outsiders.”

“So if they return.”

“It will be with greater numbers and greater arms.”

“How far away are they?”

“Not far enough.”

“So, they’re coming for us now,” said Tassy. It was a statement more than a question. The curious excitement of the encounter had darkened to a looming tragedy.

“They seem determined.”

“Who are they?”

“They call themselves: humans.”