Alien Manifesto (14 page)

“
Ok then, we will plan the
raid on ssSniggle in fourteen light cyclesss if all goesss azsss
planned. That will give ssSSlice the time he needsss to find the
layout of ssSniggle’s essstate. In the meantime we will train hard.
You have all been getting sssoft I sssuspect. Get a good night’sss
sssleep. You are going to need it, training ssstartsss at 0400,”
hissed Snarth, ending the briefing.

PART TWO

The Discovery of a
Lifetime

My name is Benji King and I am a mapmaker from
the Alpha Centauri cluster. I chart star systems, uninhabited
planets and asteroid fields. This information I sell to the highest
bidder. I have spent many years searching for the locations of life
worlds, those few planets capable of creating and sustaining
complex life.

That is what we Kings do. It is our family's
occupation. Many of my fellow kin were spread out in the far
reaches of the known galaxy in small one-man scout ships. All of us
searching for the next big score to support our family, for there
are many of us.

I was on one such mission, when I was awakened
from my dreams of fantastic wealth to the sounding of the ship’s
alarm. Blindly I stumbled my way forward to the control room. I
scrambled into the piloting chair and strapped myself
in.

As I read the power
readings, I realized I was in real trouble. There had been a faster
than light drive failure and the ship’s main engine had lost all
power. The ship had fallen out of folded space and was caught in
the gravity well of a binary star, close to where the ship had
entered normal space
. I should have never
napped while underway.

I still had scanners, and
seeing planets orbiting the yellow star I began to look for a place
to make an emergency landing. I scanned the closest planets
first.
I am in luck
; the
third planet had an atmosphere suitable for breathing and an
abundance of water. There were no energy readings, orbiting
satellites or other signs of technology however.

If I cracked up the ship, I would be marooned
there for a very long time. That is if the ship survived entering
the planet’s atmosphere. And if I survived the landing. Just before
I began my semi-controlled descent toward the third planet’s moist
and thick atmosphere, I ejected an emergency beacon. It carried my
current coordinates and an intergalactic message mech with a
holo-cube explaining my situation. I only hope it will have enough
power to make it to one of the major shipping lanes. That is if it
could escape the same gravity well that had doomed my ship. Inside
the beacon was a message drone keyed to find my brother Thomi King.
If anyone would come for me in time it would be him, he was
closest.

~

I was recording data on the surface as I
descended, I might get one or two planetary orbits at the most.
That would depend on how thick the atmosphere was and how rapidly
it slowed my ship to stalling. My ship had been designed to travel
in space, so it was not the most aerodynamic shape.

As I studied the data from
the scanners, I nearly choked. Most of my adult life I had been
searching for one of these. I had finally found a life planet that
was unknown and uninhabited by intelligent life. As if that was not
enough, it is a water world.
Unfortunately
for me, I was about to crash land on it. Fate sure has a cruel
sense of humor
;
I grimaced as
I calculated my trajectory and orbit entry.

After my second orbit I reached stall speed
about two hundred meters above the surface, heading toward a large
area of vegetative growth on a long semi-flat earthen plain. The
tug of gravity grabbed me as the braking thrusters fired, then
failed. The largest of the vegetation slowed the ship enough to
allow it to slide along the surface before coming to a stop in an
upright position.

The computer readouts said the ship still had
structural integrity and life support. I unstrapped myself from the
pilot's chair. Putting on my atmospheric mask, I prepared to cycle
the ship’s airlock. I would have to survey any damage to the outer
hull from the outside. The main computer only told me that the
ship’s inner hull still had structural integrity and no breaches. I
might be able to repair some minor outer hull damage. However, the
tools I have and the spare parts I carried are limited. With no
technology on this planet, whatever I brought with me is all I will
have to leave this planet.

As I stood in the airlock waiting for the
pressure to equalize and for the computer to analyze the
atmosphere, I realized that no one knows where I am; no one will
come looking for me. If Thomi King, my brother, does not get my
message drone, I am on my own. If I cannot repair the ship, I am
marooned, forever.

Finally, the green light flashed, pressure had
equalized. The atmosphere was safe to breath. I stepped into the
bright light of the binary star that this planet orbited, squinting
at the intensity. I began my assessment of the ship's
condition.

After a thorough inspection, I found the outer
hull was still intact and undamaged, as far as I can tell without
the proper scanning equipment. However, I found out why I had lost
main engine power. Somehow, a small meteor had punctured the
housing of the faster than light drive, turning the inside
electronics into a blackened ruin of circuitry. It must have struck
from behind. Otherwise, the navigational deflector would have
prevented it from hitting the ship. It was a one in a trillion
accident.

So leaving in my own ship was out of the
question, the faster than light drive control circuits would have
to be replaced. As my luck continued to improve, I discovered the
main engine’s plasma was nearly drained of power. I might have
enough to power the survival equipment for a year, maybe two if I
was careful with power consumption. However, not enough power to
replicate the parts I needed to get back into space.

That left the option of contacting someone who
was willing to trade the location of this planet for a rescue. To
make matters even worse, my long distance communication’s
transmitting emitter had been destroyed in the landing. In my line
of work, secrecy is a necessity if you want to be successful. As a
result, I do not know anyone, who was not family, who would not
leave me stranded or kill me once they learned this planet’s
location. It was just as well, all power reserves would be drained
if I replicated a new transmitter. Then I would not have the power
left to make any long distance transmissions anyway.

~

Personal log Galactic Star
Date 11541.99

One curious phenomenon about this planet, is
when two air masses of different temperatures interact with each
other, energy builds up and strikes the ground. Some of these
energy strikes are actually quite powerful and might serve to
recharge the remaining main engine plasma. That was a big if. It
would depend on if I can construct an apparatus to attract and
channel this energy into the main engine plasma energy storage
capacitors, without destroying my ship in the process. Then I might
have enough power to replicate a long distance emitter and call for
help. I do not hold much hope for success, for it is a very remote
possibility that it will work. On the other hand, it could very
well cause an explosion and destroy the ship completely.

~

Personal log Galactic Star Date
11542.14

It has been fourteen planetary light cycles
since I crash-landed and I have fashioned a rudimentary attraction
device to draw and collect the energy strikes. I have fashioned a
small flexible cable with a device to ride the air currents high
enough to cause an energy bolt to strike it once I give the cable
an ionic charge. The energy will travel down the cable and into the
power storage system on board the ship, recharging the main
engine's plasma. If it works, I would be able to use the parts
replicator to build a long distance transmitter emitter. I still
hold some hope of success. I have written the replicating program
for rebuilding the transmitter to its bare essentials in order to
conserve power should I get lucky and actually succeed.

~

Personal log Galactic Star Date
11542.18

It has been four light cycles since I
completed my energy collection device and there have been no
suitable environmental conditions for the development of energy
strikes. On a personal note, I am getting used to this planet; in
fact, it is quite nice. Everything is so clean, the atmosphere and
the water are amazingly pure. Of more concern is the fact that main
engine power is at a critically low level. I cannot explain the
power drain.

There are many different types of life forms
on this planet, most simple. There is one dominant predator. It is
a cross between an arachnid and a jointed insect. They seem to live
in colonies. They seem to be a curious species and not dangerously
aggressive toward non-food species. They have a hard exoskeleton
and jointed flexible appendages. I actually found one of the larger
creatures following me around while I prepared for the developing
conditions for the energy strikes. When I approached, it moved away
rapidly, taking notice of my interest in its actions. It has
remained more elusive.

~

Personal log Galactic Star Date
11542.20

It has been two more light cycles and the
conditions for energy strikes remain unfavorable. I have been
exploring the planet’s surface on foot in an ever-increasing circle
from the ship. I now have a constant companion on my walks. I have
not actually made physical contact yet. I am allowed to get a
little closer each time I approach.

Late in this daylight cycle, I was finally
able to touch the insectile life form for the first time. I found
it odd that fine hairs covered the exoskeleton. They seem to be a
sensory organ, as my friend I call George seems to like it when I
brush them gently with my hand.

~

Personal log Galactic Star Date
11542.22

This light cycle George brought a friend. I
have realized that this planet must have weather patterns that
correspond to its orbit and orientation to its star. I only hope
this pattern does not last much longer. The energy reserves on the
ship are almost exhausted. I have been unable to find the cause for
the excessive energy drain. In a curious note, I was able to make
physical contact with George’s friend within a few minutes. It also
seemed to like it when I stroked its “fur.”

~

Personal log Galactic Star Date
11542.30

This light cycle while I was exploring with
George and his friend, another and perhaps the final tragedy
struck. When I returned, I found that all the energy components had
been fused. An energy bolt must have struck my collector while
unattended.

Now not only am I marooned but I have no main
engine power as well. I will have to rely on the solar charger to
recharge my survival equipment. While the liquid on this planet is
more than adequate to maintain my life force, food that I am
accustomed to eating is not.

George and his friend have learned to return
any object that I throw. It has become a game we play. They seem to
enjoy it as much as I do. My food is almost gone. I have enough for
three more meals. Then I will have to try eating some of the local
fauna. One life form may suit my needs well enough. It is a small
four-legged furry creature that I have seen George
chase.

~

Personal log Galactic Star Date
11542.32

With my food supplies exhausted, I have
resorted to hunting some of the smaller fauna. I have fashioned a
bow and arrow, crude perhaps but adequate for my needs. With a
little practice, I should be able to kill some of the larger fauna
as they seem to have no fear of me.

I will have to resort to preparing whatever I
kill over a natural heat source derived from the combustion of
dried, native vegetation. While the smell of the cooking flesh and
the fumes from the combustion are nauseatingly offensive, I am so
hungry that I do not care.

George and his friend seem to take great
interest in my activities. I have never seen how George's kind
consumes their food.

~

Personal log Galactic Star Date
11542.34

When I tossed George the scraps from my
dinner, the most unusual thing happened. A long appendage I have
never seen before extended from between the bulbous eyes and the
upper appendages. When it reached the scraps, they slowly
dissipated, seemingly dissolved at a cellular level. They appear to
be feeding on the cellular energy.

That would explain the power drain from the
ship. I had no way to check the ship’s sensor logs but I would bet
that George was not alone when he visited me while I slept. If his
brother or sisters feed on energy then my ship’s power supply must
have been irresistible.

That meant they were capable of communication
with each other and have a higher brain function than I had thought
possible from their lack of technology. In my daily travels, I have
found the location of what appears to be the entrance to an
underground city. As I observed the comings and goings of the
creatures from the entrance, I have noticed a hilltop they always
avoid.