Aside from his libido, Dave prides himself in his ingenuity. Getting this vid on board unnoticed was not easy. Every computer system is monitored and any software not mission-related would have been deleted prior to mission start. The only independent systems were those inside the tiny probes that would be deployed, like Hansel and Gretel's breadcrumbs, along the ship's passage through the galaxies.
Each probe contains a transmitter that constantly beams "hello" messages in the hopes that an intelligent life form passing nearby will recognize the mathematical signatures and retrieve the probe. Contained within are images of the earth, its location relative to the point of the probe, depictions of men and women, as well as samples of our art and culture.
All of that and Dave's vid.
In the holo-sphere, Dave's image stands above two couples. Clothing, what little there is, is made of black leather and gleaming chrome.
Dave likes being a part of the vid. He likes the way that his face is projected onto the main character. He scowls and the image in the vid scowls. He likes the way his movements are reflected in the sphere and how he can direct the actions of the other characters with his movements.
"I don't know. It just keeps repeating the same pattern."
"Bring it up on the screen."
The captain and crew watch as the object is magnified on the screen. They understand the importance of finding something created by another race. They understand that this ensures them a significant place in history and they don't want that history to be about the crew that bumbled the most significant artifact ever encountered in space.
They have been circling the object, recording it from all sides and sending the recordings back for analysis by their best scientists.
Every step checked and double checked both on board and back on planet until the order is finally given.
"Let's bring it into the cargo bay."
"Mr. President, we have been in constant contact with the alien vessel and we are prepared for the worst if necessary. They indicated that they found one of our probes and used the information encoded in it to locate us and to learn about us. They assure us that they are here as peaceful ambassadors of their people. And..."
The President watches as the General finds the words.
"...and they want to meet Dave."
"Dave? Who is Dave?"
"We're working on that, sir."
For stories like these, you need little chrome UFOs and spacecraft that you can photograph in front of some manipulated background - like you do with the wooden men :)
ReplyDeleteI want to meet Dave too (smile). "Laying" should be "lying" down. That's the English teacher in me. I plan to blog from D.C.
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