{"id":7183,"date":"2021-06-15T00:29:32","date_gmt":"2021-06-15T06:29:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/michaelsiegel.net\/?page_id=7183"},"modified":"2021-07-03T12:15:54","modified_gmt":"2021-07-03T18:15:54","slug":"co-orbital","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/michaelsiegel.net\/?page_id=7183","title":{"rendered":"Co-Orbital"},"content":{"rendered":"

(This is Part Two of the a Three-Part Short Story. Part One is here<\/a>. Part Three will be posted in the next few weeks.<\/em>)<\/p>\n

     <\/em>Tybalt squinted through the eyepiece of the telescope, trying to discern the structure of the distant alien ship. But all he could see was a fuzzy dot against the bright background of the star.
\n     <\/em>“It looks so tiny,” he said.
\n     <\/em>He glanced over at the display, which showed the maximum zoom from one of their probes. On this image, he could clearly see it was the same ship that Icarus 7 had spotted at Lalande. Every time he looked, he felt the unreality of history moving beneath his feet. Icarus’s images had rocked a planet. How would the real thing change them?
\n     <\/em>It was in orbit around a sub-Jupiter gas giant orbiting close in to the white dwarf Sirius B. They had now detected at least five planets in the system and designated this one Sirius Bb. But a crewman had given it the informal name Prometheus. The alien ship, which also had a nickname \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the Horseshoe Crab — had been in the same high orbit since being spotted.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Do they know we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re here?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he asked Chin.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Not that we can tell. They haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t done anything. But I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m pretty sure they can see us. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re still at full thrust.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153How long until we rendezvous?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>There was a throat clearing from one of the diplomats. Physically, he looked the same indeterminate age as anyone else, but his bearing was older and experienced. Tybalt glanced at his breast and saw the name \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Okafor\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and an insignia for the Congo.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We will be cautious. Protocol is to go into a wide orbit and slowly spiral in, giving them as much chance as possible to see us and communicate with us. Only then, will we join them in planetary orbit.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153That could take months,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Tybalt.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Years,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d corrected Captain Chin.
\n     <\/em>Okafor cleared his throat again. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The last thing we want to happen is for our first contact to end in a provocation. Misunderstandings can lead to death.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153But \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d began Tybalt.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153These things were decided decades ago. We will stick to protocol.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>Okafor and the other diplomats left the bridge. Tybalt looked to Chin for support but she shrugged.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s out of my hands. Once we spot them, legally, he is in charge.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>Tybalt groaned. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I supposed he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s right. Can I go back to sleep until we do something affirmative?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153No.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

     <\/em>The Archimandrite<\/em> now felt like a different vessel. When they turned from Lalande to Sirius, they were automatons, quietly following the routines of running the ship, keeping themselves alive and engaging in the brief glimmering comforts of entertainment or sex. Tybalt’s memories of that time felt like they were in black and white.
\n     <\/em>But now he heard crew joking around and laughing. He saw couples holding hands and taking quiet moments together. Living color was returning to the Archimandrite<\/em>.
\n     <\/em>A few weeks passed as they arced in toward Sirius, awaiting a signal from the alien ship. But no one seemed to mind the wait. Computer-synchronized game hours and movie nights appeared on the schedule. One of the crew began organized a concert. Captain Chin was in the Garden more often than not, chatting with the crew. The conversations were never far from the alien ship. But it was not the only thing that was discussed.
\n     <\/em>He and Madsen were now spending more time talking or reading or synching. After duty, they would lie on their backs in the Garden and look up at the artificial sky, wondering what the aliens would be like and what they would do once they returned to Earth, flush with decades of accumulated backpay.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be famous,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153First humans to meet an alien species.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Rich and famous. Hard to trust anyone after that.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>“Hmm,” said Madsen, leaning slightly into him. Tybalt was trying not to think about their journey home. He wanted to be content in the moment: on the ship, arcing toward a historic rendezvous, lying in the cool grass with Madsen. He couldn’t remember so peaceful a time as this. From the Lunar Strike to the Revolt had been a long century of struggle. And yet, his mind dwelled on the uncertain future.
\n     <\/em>“Quit overthinking it,” said Madsen one night when he opened up to her about it. She gently touched his face. “The things you’ve seen, the things you’ve done, the people you’ve lost. It’s in the past.”
\n     <\/em>“Enjoy being under my own vine and fig tree.”
\n     <\/em>“Sure.”
\n     <\/em>“With you.”
\n     <\/em>She shrugged and pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “In this moment, yes.”<\/p>\n

     <\/em>The message came with the suddenness of a thunderclap. Tybalt, Madsen were on the bridge, the conversation veering between the re-stressing of the fusion drive and how much longer the ship could sustain a fully active crew. Madsen has calculated they would need to start refreezing people within a few weeks at most. But suddenly into this gloomy discussion came a noisy eruption from the comm station.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s them!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d shouted Chin. It was the first time Tybalt had ever heard excitement in her voice. She immediately sat at the comm station and began assessing the data.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Same frequency as the probe. Coming from Prometheus.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>Her voice calmed as she looked at the data on her screen.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the exact same message that was broadcast by the probe at Lalande,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Chin. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153But on a tight beam from orbit.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153They\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve spotted us,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Tybalt. He could hear other members of the crew climbing up into the bridge.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153The spotted us weeks ago,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Madsen. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153They probably just realized what our trajectory was \u00e2\u20ac\u201c long orbit instead of straight in.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153They\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re telling us not to mess around,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Tybalt. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153To come straight to them.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>He looked around and spied Okafor, who had just arrived. The diplomat sighed. “That does seem a reasonable interpretation. They know we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re here. And they know we followed the message. How long will it take us to get there if we make a course adjustment?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Two months with a strong burn and slingshot,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Chin much too quickly. She blinked. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 have that course plotted every morning and placed on standby, just in case.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll discuss it among the diplomatic staff before making it formal,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Okafor. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153But I would suggest having that course ready.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

     <\/em>They lost another couple of days while the diplomatic staff discussed the situation. Tybalt sat in on the first few sessions but eventually left because he was exasperated. The decision was obvious; but everyone in the room had to prove how thoughtful and intelligent they were by dragging out the debate for as long and is as many directions as possible. Tybalt could almost feel the orbital window closing that would let them rendezvous within weeks instead of years.
\n     <\/em>The only interesting discussion was the first half hour, when they discussed whether the signal was a misinterpreted warning to stay away. Or whether the aliens would attack them. But Tybalt pointed out that the Lalande probe could just as easily have been a bomb. And Okafor reminded them that while the details of the message were debatable, the gist \u00e2\u20ac\u201c come to Sirius \u00e2\u20ac\u201c had been spelled out as plainly as possible. It was literally the first thing the Cthulhu Protocol understood.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It was as clear as a dinner invitation,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said.
\n     <\/em>Once the course was a decided on, they had two-day-long four-G burn to hit the now tiny window that would bring them up to Sirius B within ten weeks. Tybalt spent most of the time in his bed, pressed deep into the acceleration cushions, only staggering out occasionally for food or the restroom when they would get two-hour breaks at 1.5 G. Even the veterans spacers struggled with the intense acceleration. Two were badly injured by falls.
\n     <\/em>But now it was gone. The ship was in freefall for a few days so that they could detach the shell and send it to scoop up fuel from Sirius A. After two days of crushing acceleration, it felt like luxury.
\n     <\/em>Tybalt was flipping through the photos of the Icarus probe again when Madsen tapped on his open door.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Suit up, sir. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going EVA.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t need me out there. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not crew.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>She looked up at the ceiling. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Did that sound like the beginnings of a debate? Maybe I missed something.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d She considered for moment. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153No. No, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m pretty sure that was an instruction. \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcSuit up, sir. You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going EVA.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Yeah, not quite an order since you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not military. But an instruction from a crew member who outranks you.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>Tybalt put the photos down.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Well, I guess I have no choice.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>“Theoretically … maybe.”
\n     <\/em>“But in practice?”
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Nope,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she said with that slight twitch to her nose that was the equivalent of a smile. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153None at all.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

     <\/em>Tybalt stepped tentatively out of the airlock. He was keenly aware that it exited into the bell of the fusion drive. He shuddered to think of the energies that had been pouring through that space just a few days earlier.
\n     <\/em>He secured his line and drifted out, maneuvering clumsily until he could grab the handhold on the edge of the shell. He looked back to check for Madsen. He couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t see her face through her dark visor but knew she was grinning at him as she shot effortlessly through the exhaust bell and caught a hold next to him.
\n     <\/em>She nodded and Tybalt pushed away, drifting astern of the ship. The shapes of Sirius A and B slowly rose above the shell’s horizon. Sirius A was directly ahead, bright and white. Tybalt could see they were going to pass close, enough to whip them around toward Sirius B, the smaller fainter star up and to the right of Sirius A, with another assist from the hot Jupiter on the far side of the star. Close to Sirius B was a faint but much larger body — Prometheus. Tybalt squinted but knew the alien ship was far too small to make out.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s funny,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t really grasp the vastness of space until you see a star system from this perspective.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s all just maths until that point, isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t it?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d replied Madsen.
\n     <\/em>“Prometheus looks bigger than Sirius B,” Tybalt noted.
\n     <\/em>“Bigger in size,” came the voice of one of the astrophysicists — Vronsky. “Way smaller in mass.”
\n     <\/em>The shell of the Archimandrite<\/em> had been blasted black and friable by trillions of miles of relativistic travel. In one part, the shield was almost entirely crumbled, leaving a ten foot crater in the strongest material ever made by humans.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Meteor,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he heard over the com. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Thought we hit something two light years back when our course jittered. Might have been the size of a fist.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>Tybalt turned to look at Madsen. Her suit swiveled to look at him.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153How close did it come to breaking through?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d asked Tybalt.
\n     <\/em>He couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t see the response but could hear the shrug. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Double the size and it would have punched through and we wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be having this conversation.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>Tybalt wondered what materials and techniques Earth had developed in the half century they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d been gone. If the shells weren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t improved, they would be losing a lot of deep space ships. It could only be luck that none had been lost so far.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153So far as we know,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he thought.
\n     <\/em>Every now and then the shell vibrated as its moorings were released. Soon the Archimandrite<\/em> would emerge from the cocoon: slender, pristine, unmarred by the light years of travel. And vulnerable. The ship was armed but she was losing the shield that had protected her for the last 30 years.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Everyone check their lines, check their partner\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s lines,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d came the voice of the Deck Officer. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153If you drift off with the shell, we aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t going to be able to rescue you.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>Tybalt and Madsen checked themselves and each other. They moved toward the fault line between the halves of the fusion shell. Presently, the halves began to drift apart. Tybalt felt a vague panic as the world split beneath him. Then a gentle nudge as the maneuvering thrusters fired.
\n     <\/em>Madsen pulled him down into the vast chasm opening beneath them. He had a brief moment of claustrophobia, wondering if the shell would come back together and crush them. But the walls continued to move apart. The Archimandrite<\/em> glittered white at the bottom of the twenty story fall.
\n     <\/em>He began reeling the line in, remembering Madsen\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s entreaties against going too quickly. The sensation of falling remained but it was slowly fading as the sections of the shell drifted away, opening up a larger and larger space.
\n     <\/em>By the time they touched down on the surface of the Archimandrite<\/em> and began to inspect her, she was well clear of the shell, a slender elegant ship arrowing her way through an unfamiliar stellar system. The shell itself was re-assembling to scoop up hydrogen from the star and then drift out into a long orbit.
\n     <\/em>Tybalt looked again at Sirius B. That would have to wait until they were up close before the alien ship was visible. But he now felt very exposed. Their ship would be coming along a fast trajectory. Without the shell, they’d not only separated from their armor but most of their fuel as well. If the aliens had any hostile intent, a re-directed asteroid would be enough to end them.<\/p>\n

     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153They haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t moved,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Tybalt one night on the bridge. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re having to make all the course adjustments.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>He thought for a moment.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Maybe they don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want us to know what method of propulsion they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re using.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>Okafor shrugged. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Possible. Or this just may be what they expect based on whatever culture they have. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going into a situation with no cultural markers, no ethics that we know of, nothing to anchor our responses into. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s best to follow their lead.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153If they have any hostile intent,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Chin, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Our orbit is putting us right on a plate for them.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>Everyone nodded. The point had been made many times, mostly by Chin as a reminder of what the delay in changing orbit had forced them into.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Whatever weapons technology they have is probably well beyond us,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Okafor. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153No matter what we do, they can have us for lunch \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 if that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s their intention. But our job is to make contact. At whatever the cost.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>He left the bridge.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Is there any way to warn Earth if something does happen to us?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d asked Tybalt.
\n     <\/em>Chin nodded. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The shell is doing more than refueling. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s watching from a safe distance. And it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s got enough of Anansi in its computers to recognize any hostile act. If it does, it will fire a warning probe back to Earth on an orbit too far away and too fast for the \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 enemy, I guess \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 to intercept.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve covered all the bases, then.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153This is First Contact, Tybalt. We don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t even know how many bases there are right now.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

     <\/em>The excitement on the Archimandrite<\/em> was close to boiling over. It was a long three weeks as they swung around Sirius A. The aliens remained silent the entire time, not adjusting their orbit at all. But Tybalt could feel their eyes \u00e2\u20ac\u201c or whatever organ they had \u00e2\u20ac\u201c on them. The Archimandrite<\/em> was being watched just as intently as she was watching the other ship.
\n     <\/em>The long arc did mean they got to finish their survey of the system, cataloging the few planets and many asteroids that surrounded the double star. The astrophysicists barely slept, taking advantage of being so close to a binary to study every minute aspect of the interaction. They had been awake for over a year, studying the circumstellar material. Now they were working almost non-stop. When they whipped around Sirius A, the astrophysicists didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t sleep for three days, constantly adjusting telescopes and firing probe after probe into the star.
\n     <\/em>Prometheus swelled larger and larger in the field as they closed in. It still looked bizarre to Tybalt: a massive beige planet orbiting the tiny bright white dwarf. It has a bright band on the equator where Sirius B passed over. And three moons and a faint dust ring were clearly visible.
\n     <\/em>“It’s a whole new world,” he said to Madsen. “Even if they weren’t here, it would still be incredible.”
\n     <\/em>“Maybe,” she said. “But I’m glad we’re not chasing them to another system.”
\n     <\/em>Again, the excitement built. Again, the alien ship waited in an orbit she might have occupied for centuries, not having made a single adjustment.
\n     <\/em>When they finally achieved orbital insertion, Chin had to ban all non-essential personnel from the flight deck. It was getting too crowded with impatient people looking at the controls, looking for the ship, asking how much longer it was going to take. But matching orbits with the alien ship was a slow delicate process and Chin was happy to take her time and get it right. She also had to coordinate the return of the shell, having replenished itself from Sirius A\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s corona and now looping on a long orbit to meet them anywhere from a few months to a few years into the future, depending on their needs.
\n     <\/em>Slowly, the Horseshoe Crab came closer to the horizon until it was in visual range. At first, a mere speck that Madsen had to point out to Tybalt. And then it grew to fill the screen. And still it didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t move, didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t contact them. With a few hours to go, Chin observed a tiny orbital adjustment but couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t discern any propulsion system.
\n     <\/em>Finally, they were lined up, a few ship\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s length away from each other, sharing the same orbit. Still, no contact.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153All right,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Okafor. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It is the opinion of the diplomatic corps that they are waiting for us to say something.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153But what?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Chin. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We barely know any of their language.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We will broadcast to them the same message they sent to us. Hopefully our meaning will be plain: \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcwe heard you. And now we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re here.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Very well,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Chin. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153This is your arena.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>Okafor flicked a switch and they sent the first message. The sounds played over the speakers. To Tybalt, it sounded like the roar of a monster.
\n     <\/em>The response took a while. But then the computers lit up. Walter heard what sounded like chords of music being transmitted. First the aliens, then the humans, then the aliens, then the humans. Each time, the aliens said something, then the humans responded back.
\n     <\/em>Then it began to diversify. The sounds became more complex. And now it seemed like the humans were answering the aliens and the aliens were answering the humans. It was becoming a musical conversation, the building of a complex symphony.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Right now,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Okafor, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153the computers are just talking to each other. Establishing the basics of communication, sharing things like geometric identities and trigonometric calculations.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153The one way all races would have to think alike.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Perhaps,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Okafor. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We certainly hope so.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>After almost an hour, Anansi stopped processing.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153They are ready to communicate with text,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d it said.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153So,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Tybalt. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the first thing we say?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>Okafor typed onto the computer. Letters appeared on the screen.<\/p>\n

     <\/em>WE ARE HUMANS. WE ARE FROM EARTH. IT IS THE THIRD PLANET OF THE STAR SYSTEM SOL. WE COME IN PEACE.<\/strong><\/p>\n

     <\/em>A minute passed while the computers talked to each other. And then.<\/p>\n

     <\/em>WE ARE GARSHAN FROM THE FIRST PLANET OF THE STAR SYTEM RAIKAN. WE RECEIVE YOU IN PEACE.<\/strong><\/p>\n

     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Raikan? Do we know where that is?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>Chin shook her head. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve given them a star chart to our home. They have yet to respond.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t that a bit dangerous?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d asked Tybalt.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153They saw Icarus,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Okafor. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153They know where we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re from.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153But they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not going to tell us where they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re from?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Apparently not. Not yet, at least.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

     <\/em>WE FOUND YOUR MESSAGE AT THE STAR SYTEM WE CALL LALANDE 22185. WE HAVE COME HERE TO MEET YOU.<\/strong><\/p>\n

     <\/em>Another pause. And then.<\/p>\n

     <\/em>IT IS GOOD THAT YOU UNDERSTOOD THE MESSAGE. WE SAW YOUR PROBE DIVE INTO THE STAR.<\/strong><\/p>\n

     <\/em>Okafor nodded.<\/p>\n

     <\/em>WE WOULD LIKE TO EXCHANGE SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT OUR PLANET AND OUR SPECIES.<\/strong><\/p>\n

     <\/em>For several minutes, the comm was dead. Tybalt wondered if it was a problem in translation before the reply came back.<\/p>\n

     <\/em>WE ARE NOT PREPARED TO EXCHANGE THAT INFORMATION AT THIS POINT.<\/strong><\/p>\n

     <\/em>Okafor seemed taken aback.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153\u00e2\u20ac\u2122At this point\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 is that an accurate translation?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yes,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Anansi. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It took some time to correctly translate but their negative response is most likely interpreted as \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcnot yet\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 rather than \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcno\u00e2\u20ac\u2122.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153So it was a negative response.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153That much is certain.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Well, can at least see them?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d asked Tybalt.
\n     <\/em>Okafor nodded.<\/p>\n

     <\/em>WE WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN VIDEO TRANMISSION.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\tThis time, the reply was swift.<\/p>\n

     <\/em>WE PREFER TO MEET IN PERSON.<\/strong><\/p>\n

     <\/em>WHEN?<\/strong><\/p>\n

     <\/em>AS SOON AS POSSIBLE<\/strong><\/p>\n

     <\/em>HOW?<\/strong><\/p>\n

     <\/em>WE CAN MANEUVER CLOSER TO DOCK.<\/strong><\/p>\n

     <\/em>WHAT ATMOSPHERE, TEMPERATURE AND GRAVITY DO YOU REQUIRE?<\/strong><\/p>\n

     <\/em>Tybalt was unsurprised that the reply declined to provide that information.<\/p>\n

     <\/em>OUR PROBE WILL INCLUDE A BARRIER BETWEEN US.<\/strong><\/p>\n

     <\/em>With that, the link broke. Tybalt looked around the room to see the diplomatic staff sighing with relief and shaking hands. Okafor allowed himself a small grin.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What are you guys so happy about? We haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t learned anything yet. We don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t even know what they look like.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>Okafor nodded. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t start a war. We don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t appear to have angered them. They want to meet with us. That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s about as good a first contact as we could have hoped for.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>He then grinned more broadly. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We communicated with them, Tybalt. We talked to them. However stilted it was \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 we communicated with aliens. It all worked!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>He sat down and rubbed his temples.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been waiting my whole life for this. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been thinking about it since I was a little kid back in Lagos. And now we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve had a conversation with another species. A species, for all we know, that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s totally different from our own.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>He put his hand on the Cthulhu module. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Whatever happens after this \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 it worked.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

     <\/em>Over the next day, the two ships slowly drifted closer to each other until their airlocks were about fifty meters apart. Then first the Horseshoe Crab and then the Archimandrite<\/em> extended tunnels toward each other. More hours passed as each side was pressurized, the Garshan side to just under standard Earth pressure but with an intense oxygen-rich mix.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d function over there,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Madsen. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153But you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d need a breathing mask if you didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to get high.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>The diplomatic corps spent the time debating how they should present themselves. Sitting? Standing? With a desk? Without? The debate ended when the Garshan side of the joined airlock became visible. There was a large black oblong couch in it, its ends pointed along the axis of the tunnel. It was an observation which sent the biologists twittering.
\n     <\/em>They also had a long debate over who should be present. They quickly agreed on two of the diplomats, including Okafor. And they settled on three scientists: Dr. Ayers, a mathematician; Dr. Maruki, the ship\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s xenolinguistic specialist; and Dr. Garcia, the ship\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s xenophysiologist. There was a long fierce debate about whether one of the soldiers should be there but the scientists had won that one. But Tybalt extracted a price for siding with them: two of the three members of the Brotherhood had to be present, Hosini and himself. He worried that this might make Madsen sore at him. But she shook her head.
\n     <\/em>“It’s probably for the best. This is supposed to be a peaceful meeting. We obviously wish we could be in the room but … we’ll be just outside if something happens.”
\n     <\/em>He noticed a slight hesitant note but didn’t press it.<\/p>\n

     <\/em>Hosini was the last to arrive for their meeting and a hush fell over the group when she entered. Tybalt was still somewhat taken aback by her appearance. She’d boarded the Archimandrite<\/em> as a 16-year-old girl right out of the Mars Guild. And now she was an old lady. It made him think of how much Earth might be changing since they’d left.
\n     <\/em>The assembled group strapped themselves into zero-g chairs. Their talk died down. The only sound was their breathing. Tybalt realized his heart was racing. Everyone’s eyes fixed on the alien airlock. Suddenly, there was a sigh as it opened.
\n     <\/em>Tybalt grabbed the chair tightly. What emerged from the airlock looked, for all the world, like a massive spider.
\n     <\/em>It took a few moments for his mind to clear. As the creature floated forward, he could see that it wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t quite a spider. It was even more alarming. The dark gray body was man-sized but one long cylinder, not segmented. It had six legs, each ending in a claw. It had four large eyes, two of which were contemplating him curiously, the other two of which were roving over the other members of the party. Below the eyes were two large mouths. When they opened, he could see ridges that resembled teeth.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153As we thought,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d came the translation. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You are very like other species we have met. And not like us. We are not familiar with your facial expressions but, having encountered others like you, we imagine that our appearance is alarming.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>Tybalt’s mind reeled.
\n     <\/em>“You’ve encountered other species?” he blurted out.
\n     <\/em>“Yes,” it replied. The Cthulhu took some time to translate the next few sentences. As they waited, Tybalt noticed that the two mouths moved separately, their sounds mixing into a melodic almost musical intonation. It was like it was singing to them.
\n     <\/em>“We have encountered nine intelligent species. Yours is the tenth. All are different but most are more similar to you than to us. We are beginning to suspect our shape is unusual.”
\n     <\/em>The entire human side of the room was stunned into silence by what the Garshan had revealed to them.
\n     <\/em>“Our entire existence just changed,” Tybalt thought.
\n     <\/em>It was Okafor who finally found his voice.
\n     <\/em>“We have creatures somewhat similar to you on our planet. But much smaller. We call them ‘spiders’.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153And you fear them?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Some of us do,” said Tybalt. “Some fear them a great deal. Others have no problem with them.”
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Are these ‘spiders’ … \u00e2\u20ac\u0153 the translator took a long time. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Aggressive?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Some are.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>It paused.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We are not aggressive. Not to animals we do not eat, at least. And we do not think we could eat you.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>Its mouths opened into wide circles. Tybalt realized this was the equivalent of laughter long before the Cthulhu did.
\n     <\/em>“They have a concept of humor,” Garcia whispered excitedly. “They makes jokes!”
\n     <\/em>Okafor spoke up. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153My name is Ajil Okafor.” He slowly went around the room, introducing everyone. The Garshan’s eyes lingered on each person but seemed to especially linger on Tybalt.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ah,” it said. “Your species has individual names. We have names, in a manner of fashion. But they represent our roles. You may call me \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d there was a long pause. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ambassador to Earth.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Wait, your name is literally Ambassador to Earth?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d asked Maruki.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153No. It is Ambassador to Earth.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>Okafor leaned over. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the Cthulhu. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s translating a proper name. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s as if its name were Stephen but the Cthulhu translated it to, \u00e2\u20ac\u02dccrown\u00e2\u20ac\u2122\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>“Our names are … functional. The individual names that you and other species use is still … a bit of a mystery to us.”
\n     <\/em>“So if someone else took over your role as ambassador, they would take the same name?” asked Tybalt.
\n     <\/em>“Yes. We are glad you understand.”
\n     <\/em>“Then how would you tell each other apart? If your names change, I mean.”
\n     <\/em>“How do you tell each other apart? You all look alike to our eyes, but we imagine you look very distinguishable to each other.”
\n     <\/em>“Yes.”
\n     <\/em>“So you have no problem recognizing each other, even if your names were to change.”
\n     <\/em>“Yes, but if someone didn’t know us …”
\n     <\/em>“Ah”. It twittered on the couch. “We understand. You are another species that has large and flexible social groups. We do not. If we were on our home planet, I would rarely interact with someone outside my brood. So names are not needed. We didn’t have them at all until we met other species.”
\n     <\/em>“No names,” said Tybalt. “Does that apply to your species as well?”
\n     <\/em>Ambassador contemplated Tybalt for a while with glinting eyes. It’s mouths made circles several times before the translation came over.
\n     <\/em>“That is correct. The name ‘Garshan’ was given to us by another species. And we liked it. But before we met other species, we were just … ‘us’.”
\n     <\/em>The ambassador\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s bulk settled onto the couch, the legs wrapping underneath it. It was as though it were capturing the couch as prey.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You can see why we did not want to share our appearance immediately. We are used to \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 being alarming.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Does our appearance alarm you?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d asked Okafor.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153No. You look soft. And we are used to meeting creatures like you.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>“And we all look the same to you?”
\n     <\/em>“Small differences. Except for …”
\n     <\/em>It gestured at Hosini.
\n     <\/em>“Something is different about you.”
\n     <\/em>“I’m old,” she replied. “Well, we all are. But most humans stop the aging process. My order … my … group … does not allow such things. We think they muddle the mind.”
\n     <\/em>“Ah,” said Ambassador. “Aging. Another concept we have seen in other species but do not have ourselves.”
\n     <\/em>“You don’t age?” asked Tybalt.
\n     <\/em>“We live about forty years on average. And then we … stop. How long do you live?”
\n     <\/em>“We don’t know the limits yet. But some of us have reached almost 200.”
\n     <\/em>“How exhausting that must be!” it replied.
\n     <\/em>It fixed its multi-faceted eyes on Hosini again. “But it is not just aging. You are different than the others. You observe. You are tranquil.”
\n     <\/em>“That is my order. We are Observers.”
\n     <\/em>“We must discuss this more in the future,” said Ambassador.
\n     <\/em>Hosini bowed her head.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Can you tell us where to find these other species?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d asked Tybalt. Okafor glared at him.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153In time. Not all have moved into space. Some are very primitive.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Have you met humans before?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d asked Okafor.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153No.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d It replied. There was a very long time where its mouths moved and no sounds came from the Cthulhu. And then it began.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We have been exploring this area of the Galaxy for about five hundred years. We had picked up radio signals from your star system. Although we did not understand them, we knew that the signaled intelligent life. Our records show that a scout ship did enter your Solar System around the time your calendar would mark as 2009 but did not make contact.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Tybalt and Okafor simultaneously. Behind them, they could hear Dr. Ayers gasp.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I am sorry. Perhaps the translation is faulty. We believe-\u00e2\u20ac\u0153
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153No, we understood you,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Tybalt. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We just couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t believe you. Why didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t you contact us then?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>Another pause as the Cthulhu worked on a long paragraph, translating alien concepts into adjacent human ones.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We decided not to contact a species that had yet to leave their solar system. It would not be worth it. We have seen species that never did make it into deep space. And, through other races, we know of more. So we left you alone and moved on.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Besides, your gravity is far too strong for us and your air too poor.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153If you had contacted us, it might have changed everything. Averted a lot of problems.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>Okafor again grabbed Tybalt\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s arm and shook his head. Ambassador unwrapped its legs from the couch and then wrapped them again.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We decided it was not worth the effort. We only colonize uninhabited worlds. There is no point in talking to a species that has yet to leave its star system.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153But-\u00e2\u20ac\u0153
\n     <\/em>Okafor put his hand over the microphone.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Alien morals, Tybalt. It may not understand what you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re getting at. You may be insulting it.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>Tybalt nodded. Okafor spoke.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153So the probe and the invitation to Sirius \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 this is standard protocol?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>Again the circled mouths.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153There is no standard protocol for encountering an alien species. We left a message and moved on with our business.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153And what is your business here?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d asked Tybalt. He then winced as Okafor kicked his foot.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Colonization,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d it replied. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We look for planets suitable to our species. Our data indicated a suitable planet both in Lalande and here. Neither, however, will be quite right for us. We will move on.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153So .. all this time \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 were you waiting for us?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153All what time? We do not understand.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Well, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s been many decades since you saw our probe at Lalande.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ah, our ship moves much slower than yours. We can not tolerate the high accelerations you were using. We only arrived two years ago.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>Tybalt\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s mind reeled a bit. Had they responded to the probe earlier, they might have reached Sirius before the Garshan and missed them completely.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Do you arrange to meet with all intelligent life you encounter?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>The Garshan twittered a bit and settled onto its couch.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We have many questions for you,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d it said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153But the \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 meeting of our cultures must be \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 careful. There are many \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 formalities to complete before we will share more information with you.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We understand,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Okafor.
\n     <\/em>“This must be as disorienting to you as it is to us,” said Tybalt.
\n     <\/em>Ambassador to Earth looked at Tybalt keenly, its multi-faceted eyes rippling with the lensing of dozens of pupils. Tybalt felt deeply unsettled.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We will consider what we have learned so far and contact you when we are ready to meet again,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d it said abruptly.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Have we offended you in some way?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d asked Okafor. “Your ways are unfamiliar to us.”
\n     <\/em>The Cthulhu took a long time translating this. The Garshan lifted its legs and wrapped them around the couch again.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not sure that we grasp the concept you are trying to convey. If we do, then \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 no, we are not angry. You have not offended us. We simply need to think about what we have learned. It is our way.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153And ours,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Tybalt. Again, Ambassador gave him that deep unsettling look.
\n     <\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We are glad to have met you, humans of Earth. We shall contact you again.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n     <\/em>With that, Ambassador released the couch and propelled itself back to the airlock with its front legs, never turning its back on them. To Tybalt, it looked like nothing more than the wounded Shelob retreating into her lair.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(This is Part Two of the a Three-Part Short Story. Part One is here. Part Three will be posted in the next few weeks.)      Tybalt squinted through the eyepiece of the telescope, trying to discern the structure of the distant alien ship. But all he could see was a fuzzy dot against the … Continue reading Co-Orbital<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-7183","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P2BzKF-1RR","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/michaelsiegel.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7183","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/michaelsiegel.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/michaelsiegel.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michaelsiegel.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michaelsiegel.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7183"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/michaelsiegel.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7183\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7225,"href":"https:\/\/michaelsiegel.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7183\/revisions\/7225"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/michaelsiegel.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7183"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}