Tuesday 13 November 2007

2207: Journey to Cancri

[Picture Credit: NASA]

November 2307

Three centuries ago, people first began to find solar systems that might contain other Earth-like planets, and so might sustain life. Two hundred years ago a spaceship was sent to Selina - the moon around 55 Cancri-f, which it was believed might have extra-terrestrials living on it. Because of the massive distances involved (40 light years), even our fastest ship took almost 100 years to get there. Yesterday it returned, and its crew, who have spent most of the last two centuries in suspended animation, have given us the following account of their exciting journey:

On November 12th 2207 the computer defrosted us - 2 days before our ETA. This gave us time for a shave and hair cut (for some wierd reason your hair keeps growing, even in the freezer - 100 years worth of beard is quite something), and to prepare ourselves for what could be a difficult situation. After all, they might decide we were enemies and attack us.

We had few ideas of what these aliens might be like. All the scientists could say is that it was "probable" that there would be "sentient life". It was also probable that there might just be vegetable life.

In the 20th Century, there had been speculation about "Flashy Light Aliens", who travelled on light beams, but it never really got to be more than speculation. Although somewhere in Chicago there is still a small group of FLA believers - but then, any large city has its share of such people (usually looked after very well in our modern institutions).

The first thing we had to do was to check all the radio frequencies for evidence of attempts to communicate with us. And straight away we found something! Our first contact with the aliens! They were sending television pictures. These looked like old Earth daytime TV, though we didn't recognise any of the programmes, so it must have been before our time ("Jean Knee's Horror Hour", for example, was a programme in which the presenter got a different outrageous hairdo every episode).

This was so exciting! We were going to get to meet something a bit more sophisticated than plant life! A civilisation that was advanced enough to have radio, and to have been watching us! I hoped that their familiarity with our ways wouldn't make them hostile..

We concluded that they must view us as friends, and that they were trying to make us feel at home. Alternatively, they might just be trying to lure us into a false sense of security before blasting us into eternity.

As we got nearer, we could not detect any signs of defence systems. Nor did the aliens appear to want to talk to us - they didn't answer any of our radio messages. The silence, was, as they say, deafening. I would rather that they had fired some warning shots, or told us to go away, or whatever.

Finally the big day came. We had picked an area we thought would be sparsely populated, and touched down. We got into our Rover All-Terrain Vehicle, and drove around looking for any signs of life.

We drove for hours, and found nothing. Darkness was beginning to fall when we saw it. Light! At first we thought it was just a trick of the, erm, light, but as we got nearer we realised that it was indeed artificial.

It's impossible to describe our feelings at this point. Hope. Fear. Terror that we were the human race's ambassadors, and that one wrong action might start an interstellar war that could wipe out civilisation.

we headed towards it. It was some kind of cuboid-shaped construction. Inside this building was going to be the beginning of a new chapter in Earth history. As we got nearer, we noticed something extremely unnerving -

To be continued...

42 comments:

Bee said...

WHAT WAS IT!!!
I'll be right back, I'm gonna go make coffee but it's not nice to keep people in suspense like that!

Bee said...

Okay, I'm back WHAT WAS IT!!??

Jean Knee said...

I can't believe you're toying with us like this. I mean, we'd never do that to you.



Good news, I have an open slot at my Mary Kay party, there will be women in pink, giggling, and maybe, just maybe , a pillow fight!! such fun!
Can you attend? As the token foreignor male, you will have women vying for your attentions.
We might even play charades!!!
Never fear, I have loads of frequent flyer miles. Okay then, I'll mark you as a yes.

Bee said...

Brian in pink, that would be HILARIOUS!

Jean Knee said...

pink is entirely optional for Brian.

aren't you sorry now you won't be there?

and I'll post pictures and brag relentlessly about all the fun we had while other bloggers drool and lick their wounds.

Anonymous said...

NO FAIR!!

I am SO not a fan of 'TBC' or cliff hangers!!

Type man! Type!

Jean Knee said...

Brian, I think leather would be in order here. maybe some kind of chain embellishment.

Bee said...

I changed my mind! Can I come too please please please! I won't eat anything and be as quiet as a mouse (if the mouse is in fact a lion who likes to ROAR!) PLEASE!!

Bee said...

This is where I shop. Maybe we can get him something like this:

http://www.gothichaven.com/gothic-clothing/catalog/product-16307-Leather-Catsuit-cat-271.html

Brian o vretanos said...

Jean Knee:

That's great - let me have the date and I'll book a flight.

Bee:

Your fashion choice is inspired - do they do large sizes?

Brian o vretanos said...

Chris:

If a cliffhanger means getting comments from you, then I'll have to do it more often ;-)

It's simply the fact that the story was going to be too long for a single post. If I get the next installment finished this evening (my time), then I'll post it up early - how's that?

Jean Knee said...

brian, stop that shameless flirting with Chris

cat suit is out. did you see that episode of friends where Ross coldn't get his leather pants back on after using the crapper.

Leather jacket is what I was thinking

Bee said...

Careful who you're overly nice to cuz jean knee and I are watching you.
We're watching you.

Bee said...

jean knee, great minds think alike!

Bee said...

Oh, okay not catsuit. But he was willing...

Jean Knee said...

did you just insult me?

Bee said...

maebee..

Jean Knee said...

okay you're re-invited...I can't promise jello wrestling but you never know

Bee said...

Naw, puddin' wrastlin' is funner!

Brian o vretanos said...

Bee & Jean Knee:

Okay, if you're going to be like that I'll email the next installment to Chris, rather than posting it early.

Bee said...

BRIAN!! HELL HATH NO FURY...!!!

Jean Knee said...

Who all did you invite to your pampered chef party?

Bee said...

just the yummy hot guys I sent you

Jean Knee said...

YOU email her and you are dead meat,

just sayin...

Bee said...

See Brian, HELL...

Jean Knee said...

I was gonna say invite elastic but she may open the email in front of her kids.
try explainin that one

Jean Knee said...

eww ew ooh we could have a tracter pull in our lot.

Jean Knee said...

well, looks like we rendered Brian speechless

Bee said...

He's probably hiding

Brian o vretanos said...

NO, I was busy writing tomorrow's post...

Actually, I'm busy looking for a suitable picture...

Bee said...

If you need help... just tell us what the future peeps see and we'll look for the perfect picture!

Anonymous said...

Oh dear me. I am behind in all the fun! I was even being flirted with. *sigh*

Well, don't mind them Brian. They are just jealous!! I certainly wouldn't worry about their idle threats. Feel free to e-mail me the next chapter :-) I will protect you from these darn bloggetts.

*wink*

Brian o vretanos said...

Chris,

Thankyou, I knew I could count on you...

Anonymous said...

Of course you can!!

I'm awesome like that....There for man, beast, space traveler and leather wearing aliens alike.

That's why they're jealous :-D

Bee said...

Sorry, I had some pesky work to do.

We’s not jealous, by all means Chris the more the merrier…

If you're lucky enough to get a preview, we'll understand.

Me, I’m the reasonable one but jean knee’s cupcake face isn’t here today.

Leather… NAISSE!

Anonymous said...

LOL!


Okay, well, maybe you aren't really jealous.

But I have to admit it was fun pretending I was the envy of comment crowd that Brian was going to send me the story ;-)

Alas, I have been knocked off my pedestal again.

ROFL.

Brian o vretanos said...

Bee:

Working? Wow!

And, you're getting mellower in your old... I mean as time goes on...

The anticlimax will appear this evening before I go to bed.

Bee said...

Yup!

♫♪“They call me mellow yelloooooww” ♫♪

Not to be confused with urine.

Brian o vretanos said...

Bee:

"Another commonly observed tendency in mature people is an increased proclivity for making a fool of themselves in public, such as singing out of key." [L. Freyed, Studies of Incipient Geriatrics and other Old Buggers, 1976]

Except you were doing all that before your birthday too...

Bee said...

"Of all the fallen angels, hers was the most heavenly voice of creation" BC 2007

Brian o vretanos said...

;-)

Jean Knee said...

well look at all I missed by going grocery shopping.

do you want this for lunvh? no
how bout this...no
this...no
that ..no
ypu'll have to buy your lunch..no