First Contact (5.1)

THE SHIP'S COMPUTERS INDICATED TWELVE O'CLOCK noon earth standard when the crew reached their destination. The map from the cylinder revealed only which side of the planet the next piece would be found leaving Captain Mitchell to choose a landing site on the evening side of the planet.

Since the ship's sensors indicated that the air was safe to breathe, the crew decided to forgo their pressurized suits and set out to explore the surface of the planet.

The ship's exterior lights illuminated a wide area of the grassy plain around them in all directions. As they moved down the ramp towards ground level, the size of the plant life seemed to dwarf them. What had looked to be regular grass inside the ship turned out to be knee high. The trees loomed higher with every step they took down the ramp. Dr. Smith captured an image of the starry night sky above them and noted that more stars appeared in the sky than they would have seen back home. The air around them was still and very quiet.

'A bit TOO quiet,' Eli thought to himself.

"Wow, look at this place!" Laurie exclaimed, twirling in the fresh air.

The ship sat in the middle of a grassy flat area sandwiched between a forest and a very dense swamp. A perfect place to set up camp. During landing the crew had also spotted an ocean just a short distance from their landing spot which would make the perfect place to set up the water distiller in the event they couldn't find a fresh water source nearby.

As they explored their surroundings, hundreds of foot-long grasshopper like insects took flight all around them. Laurie used her MTD to see if there were any signs of intelligent life in the area. The MTD reported large clusters of intelligent life nearby. Nothing of the sort seemed evident. She shrugged and decided to put it away, thinking there was a glitch in the program.

While the Kingston family explored the area around the landing site, Captain Mitchell and Dr. Smith set up some equipment they would use later to learn more about the soil content and the plant life in the area. EASA would use this collected information to evaluate the planet for possible colonization.

Nearly ten hours later the sun had risen and they still had made no progress in figuring out where on this planet the next cylinder could be. The crew decided to go back to the ship and radio EASA to see if the scientists at Jupiter Station had learned anything more that might help them in their search; it was ten o'clock p.m. Standard Earth Time or 2200 hours.

The Star Traveler crew's call to Earth, and the organization that never sleeps, was met with excitement. The EASA Administrators, technicians, and the reporters that happened to be on the scene had a lot of questions they wanted to ask the crew; most having to do with the new planet. Jupiter Station had released an edited version of the discoveries on Ganymede. The release had only fueled the curiosity of mission control and the press.

After the crewmembers answered a few questions, they all decided that it would be more efficient if they each just reported what they found.

"Although we have yet to find what we are here for, here are some maps of the stellar systems near the planet," Captain Mitchell advised, tapping a button on the computer panel on the Star Traveler's main deck.

The EASA officials looked to another screen to their left that was displaying the maps.

"The planet has one sun and its rotation period is similar to Earth," Dr. Smith added.

"Our initial observations indicated that the planet has a few smaller islands and one primary land mass, surrounded by ocean," Captain Mitchell said.

"It is of course, in the habitable zone of its star and life is flourishing," Eli Kingston said while also tapping a button on his armchair to send the digital pictures to Earth.

"We have seen some insect life here," added Laurie, "but no intelligent life yet."

Putting a disk into the computer console in front of them, Dr. Kingston tapped a button to send its information to the EASA officials.

"We have collected some of the samples of plants we have seen and current analysis shows that they are edible by human standards."

Dr. Smith's MTD Journal:

Our news was received with excitement and while the press seemed anxious to publish anything, the scientists began the pain-staking analysis of our data.

Mid afternoon of the next day, EASA sent a message back to us here on the new planet informing us that they had decided to make more shuttles (all similar to, but not as complicated as, the Star Traveler) and send them, with more people, to the new planet. They insisted that the place would make a perfect planetary station site and set the station's completion date a few weeks from today. Apparently they want it to be able to support a full colony in a little under a year.

Meanwhile our new orders were to seek suitable settlement areas while we searched for the next clue in our journey.

After the scheduled Earth-wide televised EASA briefing and a good night's sleep, Captain Mitchell and the crew prepared for their next trip outside the ship.

"Remember, the main things we are looking for on this exploration mission are: water and the missing cylinder."

"Yes sir, as you wish, sir," Laurie exclaimed mockingly throwing her hand up in a salute.

Dr. Kingston looked at her daughter in astonishment. Captain Mitchell laughed, patting Laurie's head. Dr. Kingston shook her head in wonder at their easy comradery.

"To make this exploration go faster, I suggest that we should split into two groups." Dr. Smith said, "One group should go by air, the other by land."

"Yes," Eli replied, "I believe Dr. Smith is right. As Laurie knows how to fly the ship, I suggest that he and Laurie search from the Star Traveler."

"Captain Mitchell, Anna, and I should go by land," Eli added.

The rest of the team nodded in approval.

"Good idea," Captain Mitchell replied. "We should keep in touch at regular intervals."

Laurie and Dr. Smith decided that they would first try to find out if there was any water source nearby. Laurie flew the Star Traveler using the M.F.C. and Dr. Smith viewed the data from the ships sensors from the console at his chair for any signs of water.

They hadn't gone very far south from the place where the two groups parted when Dr. Smith suddenly looked up.

"Miss Laurie, there is a small stream coming up, sighted by ship's computers to the west of us; best follow it to see where it leads."

"Yes sir!" Laurie exclaimed.

After traveling further east, following the stream, they found that it led to a river and the river flowed down into the single ocean. They landed the ship and Dr. Smith left the ship to take some samples. Earth had been so over populated for so long that Dr. Smith had never seen naturally occurring water that wasn't tainted with something harmful. On Earth, the forests were watered like gardens and huge planes dumped filtered water down onto the reservations to preserve Earths natural landscapes. Contrary to the water on Earth, analysis of the results from this stream revealed that the water was clean and safe for human consumption. Dr. Smith excitedly called Laurie over to share his results.

Captain Mitchell, Dr. Kingston, and her husband traveled on foot in a northeasterly direction, through the tall-grassed, hilly plains bordering the ocean. They were unaware of the life form approaching them. A green, bipedal alien, with three small green antennae curved back on his head instead of hair, was headed in their direction just on the other side of the grassy hill.

"Stop! Who goes there?" The landing party froze at the sound of Earth Standard being spoken.

"It is the crew of the Star Traveler, sir," Captain Mitchell replied. Not knowing what else to say, and feeling like a comic strip, he blurted, "We come in peace."

Mr. and Mrs. Kingston both stood a pace behind Captain Mitchel, mouths agape.

An alien! A real live alien!

And it knows our language?!

Just this morning, over breakfast, the three of them had been arguing over the possibility of whether or not they would find intelligent life on this new planet. Eli had been optimistic, while his wife calculated that their chances were probably slim. Yet here, standing in front of them… was an actual real live, talking Alien!

"My name is Trib," the alien answered, approaching the small group. "You are the new arrivals?"

"Yes," Captain Mitchell replied, recovering, "but this is only half of our crew; and other colonists plan to follow soon."

Trib nodded and explained, "My people would not mind, as long as you have come in peace. We do not live here on Exandra."

"Exandra. Is that this planet's name?" Dr. Kingston asked.

"Yes sir," answered Trib.

"We should tell EASA," said Captain Mitchell, looking behind him at the other crewmembers.

Confused by the mention of an organization he did not recognize, Trib spoke up.

"I was sent by our leader to see if you …um… humans… were a threat to our people."

"Oh no," Captain Mitchell said enthusiastically, "not at all. We were wondering though, if you could tell us more about this planet…Exandra."

"Sure," Trib answered, brightening, "let's go back to my ship, if you don't mind?"

Upon reaching Trib's ship, Captain Mitchell stepped aside a moment to report their finding and their plans to Laurie and Dr. Smith.

Though they were excited at the news of intelligent- and friendly- life, Dr. Smith and Laurie wanted to complete their analysis further up the river before they rendezvoused with the rest of the crew. They agreed to meet back at the Star Traveler's designated landing site in half an hour.

Further up the riverbank, they came to an area covered with moss and a huge log by the bank, laying on its side. While waiting for the test results, Dr. Smith climbed up to sit on the log by the bank. Suddenly the log vibrated as a dozen huge scorpions the size of Dobermans came scurrying out of the log. Dr. Smith yelped as he jumped down from his resting spot.

The scorpions quickly surrounded Dr. Smith and Laurie, cornering them against the wall of the log that was apparently their home. Laurie picked up a stick from the ground by her feet, and prepared to try to fend off the clawed insects.

The scorpions and their stingers drew in until they were almost within arm's reach before they were joined by a larger one of their kind. It spoke with unintelligible inflections which only served to confuse the humans. Laurie tightened her grip on the stick she brandished in front of her.

Confused, Dr. Smith reached for his MTD in hopes of finding a translation. Before he could retrieve it, light breeze blew, and he found he suddenly understood what the beast was trying to say. It demanded again, "What is going on here, who are you?"

Dr. Smith and Laurie looked at each other with surprise.

Maybe my MTD was right about those life signs after all!

"We are part of the crew of the Star Traveler; we have come here in peace," Dr. Smith said.

Her face now set with determination, Laurie said, "We did not mean to bother the inhabitants, and we mean you no harm."

"It is alright, no harm has been done," This, apparently directed at his own kind.

Then without warning, all the scorpions flooded back inside their home. Laurie and Dr. Smith decided to start back to the designated landing site to convene with the rest of the crew, rather than risk upsetting the scorpions again.