Читать книгу Seeking Peace - Tiera Harding - Страница 3

Liam was dimly aware that the eyes of everyone else in the room had moved from the view screen to him. He knew they were waiting for him to make some sort of decision, to tell them what to do. He kept his gaze fixed on the screen in front of him. The other ship had come to a halt, as had Liam’s own ship. He wondered if whoever was in the other ship was as surprised to see the Amity as the Amity was to see them.

“Captain.” Liam tore his gaze from the viewscreen to look at the officer stationed at the communication panel. The technology had been tested, but no one knew how it would really work in space.

“I think the other ship is trying to contact us,” the officer reported.

Liam nodded tensely, “Let’s see what they have to say.” The officer hit a few keys and the view on the screen changed. It now showed the inside of the other ship.

The beings that now showed on the screen weren’t little green men or giant bugs, but they also were certainly not human.

In shape they were similar to humans, but their skin was pale blue and their hair appeared to shift shades. The most noticeable feature about them, however, was the large, butterfly-like wings that sprouted from their backs.

Fairies, Liam thought, knowing the thought was absurd even as he thought it, they’re blue fairies.

A young woman, or at least she looked young by Earth’s standards, who was almost certainly the ship’s captain, stepped forward. Her hair shifted between shades of orange and red, like a sunset. Her wings were a soft shade of gold with twisting and curving lines of purple that looked as if they had been drawn by an artist. She looked directly at Liam with large purple eyes, clearly she could see him as well as he could see her.

“Greetings, Earthlings,” her voice was light and musical, “You are far from home.”

“You speak English,” Liam replied, surprised by the levelness of his own voice.

The woman smiled, “I do. My people have been aware of yours for a long time, though you have not been aware of us. I have studied several of Earth’s languages. However, we have never seen an Earthling ship so far from home.”

“We have left Earth to find a new home elsewhere,” Liam replied, “I am Captain Liam Hawthorn and this ship is the S. S. Amity.”

The woman looked thoughtful, “The name means peace, does it not?”

Liam nodded slightly. The woman smiled.

“I am Elina; I am what you would call the captain of this ship. I sense we have much to discuss. Would you permit a small party from our ship to come aboard your ship?”

Liam considered carefully. The thought of a chance to speak with real live aliens was exhilarating, even if he was halfway convinced that he was dreaming.

“Do I have your word that your intent is peaceful?” he asked.

Elina nodded, “Of course, Captain Hawthorn.”

Liam took a deep breath, “You may come aboard then, but give me time to prepare the rest of my shipmates for your arrival.”

Elina smiled, “Of course, may we come aboard in twenty-four of your Earth hours?”

Liam found himself smiling back.

“Tomorrow it is then,” he answered. Elina lifted a hand,

“Farewell until then, Captain Hawthorn.” Liam lifted a hand in response and the screen returned to the view of the outside of the alien ship.

Liam looked around at the crew members around him. Every face looked dazed. He understood how they felt.

“You all have done well handling the situation.” Liam walked toward the controls for the intercom, “Let’s hope the rest of our shipmates handle it just as well. I think I better call a meeting.”

Fifteen minutes later Liam stood on a stage in the ship’s auditorium facing a crowd of over 400, only a few of the security officers weren’t at the meeting and Liam knew they would be listening from the security room. He didn’t usually have trouble speaking to crowds, but then again he wasn’t usually announcing that aliens existed and would be coming to visit tomorrow.

He caught Clara’s eye where she was sitting in the front row and she smiled encouragingly at him, though it was clear that she, like everyone else. was wondering what this meeting was about.

Liam cleared his throat and began to speak, “A few hours ago security informed me of an object coming towards us. When it got close enough we identified it as a spaceship.” There were gasps from the crowd,

“A ship from Earth?” someone called out.

Liam looked out over the crowd, “The ship was not from Earth.” He paused for a moment, waiting to see how the crowd would take this news. For a heartbeat there was dead silence, then a babble of voices broke out: frightened, excited, disbelieving.

“Please quiet down,” Liam called, and slowly the crowd obeyed.

“The beings aboard the ship contacted us,” Liam continued, “And a small group of them will be coming aboard tomorrow.” At this babble broke out again.

“They could be dangerous!” a voice called sharply.

Liam looked toward where the voice had come from, “I do not believe they are a threat to us, but we will of course take precautions and monitor them carefully.”

He called for quiet again and waited until the crowd settled down, “I know this is a situation most of you never imagined being in, but I suspect we’ll have many more of those on this journey. A group like us has never gone into space, and there has never been a mission like ours. We always knew, though some chose not to believe, that we might encounter alien life on our journey. I believe these beings have good intentions, and out here I’d much rather make friends than enemies. We saw back on Earth what violence and hatred can do, now we have a chance to make better choices, to not repeat those mistakes. I know what I’ve told you seems impossible, but I believe you all can accept this and not judge our guests by notions you’ve received from science fiction movies. We were chosen for this mission for a reason. The name of our ship means peace, and it is under that name that we will welcome our guests tomorrow. Thank you all for coming to this meeting. You are dismissed.”

As the crowd began to leave, talking in low voices, Liam walked off the stage, meeting his wife and daughter at the bottom.

Little Esther’s eyes were wide, “We’re really going to meet aliens tomorrow, Daddy?” Liam nodded.

“They aren’t going to eat my brains, are they?”

Liam tugged gently on one of his daughter’s curls, “Absolutely no brain-eating, I promise.”