I wrote this sci-fi fantasy / romance for a geekette friend of mine. It is almost non-erotic and is a story of first contact between Earth and a distant planet inhabited by creatures so different from humanity that communication is impossible... until contact is created.
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The following warning is probably not needed for this particular story, but I am including it because it does apply to most of my stories.
WARNING! All of my writing is intended for adults over the age of 18 ONLY. Stories may contain strong or even extreme sexual content. All people and events depicted are fictional and any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. Actions, situations, and responses are fictional ONLY and should not be attempted in real life.
If you are under the age or 18 or do not understand the difference between fantasy and reality or if you reside in any state, province, nation, or tribal territory that prohibits the reading of acts depicted in these stories, please stop reading immediately and move to somewhere that exists in the twenty-first century.
Archiving and reposting of this story is permitted, but only if acknowledgment of copyright and statement of limitation of use is included with the article. This story is copyright (c) 2015 by The Technician.
Individual readers may archive and/or print single copies of this story for personal, non-commercial use. Production of multiple copies of this story on paper, disk, or other fixed format is expressly forbidden.
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The klaxon alarms at Space Control Central shrieked throughout the huge complex, summoning all off-duty personnel to the main control room which was the heart of the facility. Warning boxes flashed on individual data screens as well as on the large screens suspended above the circle of monitors and consoles that composed Control Central. Hundreds of workers rushed to their duty stations or stood on the wide outer platform that surrounded the central control area and stared at the screens as a mechanical voice echoed the flashing message, announcing repeatedly in a loud monotone, "Alien spacecraft detected. Alien spacecraft detected. False flag alert. False flag alert. This is not a drill. This is not a drill."
An older gentleman, obviously the officer in charge, strode into the control room. "Sit rep!" he barked to one of the technicians sitting at the primary seat in the console array.
"Whatever it is dropped into sub-light somewhere just beyond Neptune." she answered.
A second tech added, "The IFF signal says it's the data pod from a Contact Ship... Mission A37, but the size, propulsion profile, and electronic signature say it's an alien craft."
The first tech continued, "A37 was a single occupant, long distance contact ship sent to the source of radio transmissions received by our sensor net almost forty years ago. An initial report probe was expected twenty years ago, but no probes have been received. It was assumed the ship was lost."
"Have you attempted radio contact?" the commander asked.
"Doing so now, sir!" snapped another of the techs who was sitting at the communications console. "All frequencies... but there is no response."
"Incoming message!" yelled another of the communications techs.
"What is it?" yelped the commander.
"Alpha-alpha-niner-niner-bravo-bravo-two-two-one," he replied. "It's being sent in a continuous loop using old sub-space codes last used over thirty years ago."
The woman in the primary seat said softly, "That's the contact accomplished code from the A37 mission. It's what a data pod should be transmitting as a verification code if the mission was successful."
General Mutaguchi stared at the screen for several moments before announcing, "Transmit landing instructions and coordinates. Notify the President and the others on the world council."
***
Four days later, a slender, silvery object descended gracefully through the clouds above the landing field at the United Space Corps Headquarters. It circled the area several times as it descended through the high, thin clouds. As it approached the ground, it tilted upward slightly so that all forward motion stopped, positioning it just above a large, square, landing pad with a white X painted against a bright red background. Then, pointing into the sky and giving a short burst of its engines, it settled down softly onto the ground exactly in the middle of the X.
Long arms extended from the three fins which formed the base of the strange vehicle. They pushed against the hard surface of the landing pad and the tall craft wobbled slightly. A loud metallic groan echoed across the field as it adjusted itself to perfectly perpendicular. Then everything became silent... very silent... very, very silent.
Several hundred people stood at the edges of the landing area staring at the silvery object that had just dropped from the sky. The craft itself was unlike anything in the Space Corps. For one thing, it was huge. The support and guidance fins barely fit within the landing pad. The fins and body were also very shiny and bright.