Dawning of truth

Dawning of truth

“You want to what?” asked Gordon and Sally in unison. Halarnis smiled as the small crowd looked at him in shock.

“Yes! If this is how humanity treats alien peoples, then they are a danger. If they have to hide it like this, then they can’t support it. If they know that we exist, then they will want to know about us. Logical, no?” He looked at the surrounding humans and adarnie. They looked at him in stunned silence until Elman spoke up.

“ARE YOU CRAZY?” he shouted, everyone stairing at him in shock. “I’ve lived on this world long enough to know that while humans, individually, are reasonable people, in large groups they are EXTREAMLY xenophobic!” he waved a hand at Lance. “He’s a good example! He didn’t want to hurt us, but he had no choice! Imagine that a thousand fold! Do you want to do this to an entire planet?”

Halarnis blinked. “Elman, that was actually useful! Well done!” he slapped the small wolf on the back. “I’ll take that in advisement. But they need to know. The events of the destruction of Atlantis will have caused confusion, they should know the truth! After all, the truth shall enlighten!”

“You mean set you free?” said Gordon. Halarnis shrugged.

“What ever. Cilia, did you get that circle finished?” he glanced at his daughter, who nodded. “Good! Let’s go then!”

Halarnis walked forwards, reached the door, and turned just before it. He punched the wall a few times, opening up a hole in the wall. He leaned through to the next cell. “Lilith, are you coming?”

The tall vixen looked up from a book she had been reading. “Oh yes. Sorry, didn’t hear everyone else escaping.”

She punched her way through the glass window of her cell and joined the group. Gordon frowned as they moved along the corridor to Cilia’s cell. “Where did you get that book?”

Lilith smiled. “Oh, you know how observant people are. A little manipulation of perspective, and I can do what I want. I’ve been walking around the base for days.”

“Then you could have set us all free?” asked Gordon. Lilith shrugged.

“It was a contingency plan, but I liked your way better.”

The group reached Cilia’s cell, and Halarnis stepped inside. On the floor was the complicated circles that Cilia had been scratching into the floor. Halarnis looked at his daughter. “Will it work?” he asked.

Cilia nodded. At that moment, a faint grey haze appeared in the circle. It defined itself into the image of an adarnie officer. He saluted.

“My lord!” he said, somewhat excitedly. “We where beginning to worry! What is your command?”

Halarnis nodded. “I want to do a planet wide address. Can you lower a few ships into the planet’s atmosphere?”

The officer nodded. “As you wish sir…”

***

Rico placed a glass of beer in front of Pac. The fisherman picked up the glass and took a sip. Rico sat down next to him. “Man, listen to me, it’s been a week! Calm down, it just happened the once!”

Rico shook his head. The two fishermen who had seen Atlantis break the surface of the ocean where sat in a small tavern on the Portuguese coast. Rico took another swig of beer before finally speaking.

“I just can’t get it out of my head.” He said. “I mean, where did that thing come from? And what was with that meteor shower just after? And, are you OK?” Pac’s face had started to gloss over as Rico had been talking. Rico turned in his seat to look at where his friend had been looking, and his eyes bulged.

Descending from the clouds was a blocky metallic shape. It was easily more than a mile long and over two hundred feet across. Protruding from the belly of the shape where a series of spires and other bizarre formations. The air was suddenly filled with the sound of a loud booming voice.

“This is a general message. Please hold for a global address.”

Rico turned back to his friend “Man, this is getting weird.” But Pac was beyond response, as he had passed out…

***

“Right!” said Halarnis, stepping into the circle. “This operates as a two way communicator. Everyone will be able to hear me, and I will be able to see and here the global response! Nice, isn’t it?” The four humans shook their heads.

“Well, here goes!” Halarnis cleared his throat, and the air around him grey, and Halarnis began to speak.

“People of Earth, your attention please…” He cringed. He leaned out of the circle slightly. “The entire population of the planet appears to be screaming. Any idea why?”

Lance cleared his throat. “I do belive that it’s culture shock.”

Gordon shook his head. “Nope. The last time a sentence started like that, the planet was destroyed to make way for a bypass.”

Halarnis frowned. “You sure?” Gordon, Sally, Jason and Elman nodded in unison. “How odd.” He said…

***

Across the planet, the booming voice of Halarnis could be heard, emitting from every Adarnie ship that had descended into the atmosphere. Every person heard the announcement in their own language, and what they heard was this;

“We are the Adarnie. Long ago, we left this world, to save our species. Since we left this world, your species has evolved, grown and developed. We offer the hand of friendship to you.”

The message continued to explain the reason for the adarnie’s return to Earth, to assure the population that there was no intention of invasion, that they just wanted peace, and to talk.

Finally, a response was formulated, and transmitted at one of the ships, just one sentence;

“We need to talk…”

***

“The UN building in New York.” Said Halarnis. “They want to meet me and talk about the arrival of our ships. Does anyone know where New York is?”

Lance nodded. “Erm, I can tell you how to get there, and we have a jet you can use, but you’ll need a pilot to get us there.”

Gordon nodded. “That I can do.”

After a few minutes of preparation, the Adarnie and their human associates began the journey to New York, and after a few hours, the plane landed in JFK. An armed escort met the plane, and the group where transported to the UN building.

The meeting between the adarnie and the UN council was long and argumentative, with some people refusing to believe the offer of friendship, and some even refusing to believe the existence of the aliens.

After it was agreed that it was hard to create a fake twelve foot tall husky and almost impossible to create a fake star-ship hovering over multiple locations on the planet, a decision was made.

“They want to know if they can trust us.” Said Halarnis. The adarnie and the four humans had been given  a room to themselves to discuss what had been agreed. “So they want an exchange. Two thousand human volunteers will be allowed to live with the adarnie and in turn, two thousand adarnie will be allowed to live on earth. After fifteen years, if our two species can interact easily, then the UN will allow adarnie immigration, and human emigration. And the Earth will come under the protection of the Empire.”

“Well, that’s gonna be a tough fifteen years on both sides.” Said Gordon. “I’m sure that mankind will be kind off annoyed to find the previouse ‘tennants’ wanting to move back in.”

Halarnis nodded. “But I am inclined to accept. For a start, our two species are close enough to be able to get on, and if what I’ve heard today is any indicator, mankind is going to start picking fights with everyone out there at some point. As long as their older siblings are looking over their shoulders, there is a chance that man won’t make an enemy they can’t deal with.”

Sally nodded in agreement. “I think it’s a good idea. See if we’re old enough to be trusted.”

“Then it’s agreed!” said Halarnis. “I’ll call the fleet, and ask for volunteers!”

Elman stood up. “Sir, I’d like to volunteer. My life is here now, as is my son.” He rested a hand on Jason’s shoulder, who blushed. “With permission, sir, I want to tender my resignation from the Legion.”

Halarnis smiled. “That won’t be necisary. I’d like you to be our representative.” He then turned to Sally and Gordon. “And I assume you two want to come?”

Sally shook her head. “No, I don’t think so. I have a career here, and I want to keep it that way.” She took Gordon’s hand. “And I’m starting to see the good side of certain people.”

Gordon pulled his hand away. “Actually.” He started. He looked at Sally for a moment, and then up at Halarnis. “I want to come with you…”

***

“Is there nothing I can do to change your mind?” asked Sally.

Several weeks had passed since the events in New York and across the planet. Hundreds of thousands  of people had applied to join the adarnie, and it had take a long time to select the people who would be going. At the same time, the adarnie had been providing the UN with details of those who would be coming to Earth.

And now, the two civilisations where about to part company, and to celebrate this, Gordon had decided that a party was necessary, and had organised a game of golf.

Crazy golf. Which had been a source of amusement to all when Vitus had turned up wearing a golfing outfit. The results had been mixed, a combination of enjoyment and sorrow, for those staying and those leaving.

“Look,” said Gordon, “it’s only fifteen years, we’re both young. If neither of us have found anyone by the time we come back, we can decide then.”

Sally sighed. “I guess you’re right. When you go through an attack from an ancient, primeval monstrosity, you tend to get a bit foggy on the issue of feelings.”

Gordon smiled. “I’ll be back.” He said, kissing Sally gently on the head, before turning away, and walking to a small transport that had been organised for him and Vitus.

Sally watched the small ship disappear into the clouds, and turned towards Elman and Jason, who where standing in front of a car. “Let’s go home.” She said…