When They Arrived

Content Warning

Please be advised that this book contains the following:

On-page: death, violence, cult behavior, PTSD, blood, graphic scenes

Just-off-page but description given: self-harm/suicide, mass suicide (aftermath)

A Note on Pronouns, Pronunciations, and Acronyms

Pronouns and Pronunciations for Extraterrestrial Species

Coniferian (Con-ih-fare-ee-an): All members use the pronoun ‘xe’. Some human narrators in this book don’t know this and use ‘he’ or ‘she’ instead, based on the voice of that individual’s translator. 

Them/Squiddies/Vru’Vok: The Eminent Visionary uses the pronoun ‘yu’ and is the only one allowed to do so. The Great Tactician and all other members of the species use ‘xi’.

The Nabisoru (Nab-ih-sore-oo): This species has four pronouns, two for bi-directional (‘im’ and ‘er’) and two for single sex (‘yim’ and ‘yer’) individuals.

AI Acronyms

CAI (K-eye)- Communications Artificial Intelligence

GENISYS- Government Electronic Neural Intelligence SYStem

SHAIN- Subterranean Housing Artificial Intelligence Network

EMSIN- Engineering and Mechanical Schematics Intelligence Network

MARIS- Military And Reconnaissance Intelligence Systems

FILL- Field Intelligence: Living and Laboratory

TUAIN (Too-ain) – The Union of Artificial Intelligence Networks. The governing body of the various Artificial Intelligence Networks around the universe. 

Part One: When They Arrived

Day One: Washington, D.C, Earth

He heard the chime in his ear and put on his serious face. His Important News face, as his daughter Shani called it. But it was times like these that he needed to be as professional as possible; especially now as history was literally unfolding in front of them. These were the kinds of things that changed humanity forever, and he knew that he needed to make sure they were reported with the diligence they required. He’d studied the coverage of First Contact extensively, as any decent journalist did. He would make sure to live up to their example as he covered Second Contact now.

His producer Kareina gave him the thumbs-up, and he began, turning on his ‘Important News’ voice. That was even easier than adjusting his expression, and about the only good thing that had come out of working retail as a teenager. Good afternoon to all our viewers on Earth and across the stars, I’m David Ellison. If you’re just joining us, that was Pan-Earth President Allan Fulcrow announcing he was about to enter a meeting with the leaders of the extraterrestrial contingent who arrived on Earth forty-five minutes ago at around 10 o’clock AM Eastern, Standard Earth Time. We would like to remind all of our viewers on Earth that all people are advised to stay indoors at this time, and if not, to stay away if there is a ship in your area. This warning is in effect until the intentions of our visitors can be determined and for the safety of everyone involved. There is no immediate danger, but we would like to avoid any miscommunications or accidental contamination on either side. At this time, we have a panel of experts who have joined us to discuss possible motives of this visit, and what that might mean for our species. First, in Winnipeg, Dr. Regina Cartienne, a researcher and communications expert at the Central Canadian Exo-Comm Center. Thank you, Dr. Cartienne, for joining us.

Hello, David. It’s always a pleasure to be here. The woman’s hologram smiled and nodded as it popped into view. She was an excellent panelist: clear, concise, and calming. Exactly what people needed right now, and David was glad to see her.

The other two experts, a xenobiologist and a linguistic anthropologist, were new. Not regulars like Regina. David heard their names, but neither fully registered. He wondered instead, as the panel began, why the studio hadn’t called in Dr. Chadha, their usual xenobiology expert. Maybe he was away right now, or his expertise was needed elsewhere as all this happened? Which was too bad, this other guy liked listening to himself talk way too much, and the glares the linguist was shooting him confirmed to David he wasn’t the only one who thought so. At least the linguist was trying to make a point about the delicate nature of the whole operation. David normally liked panels, but this one felt excruciatingly long, especially having to continually wrangle the xenobiologist so that the rest of the guests and himself could get a word in edgewise. He really wished they would just mute the other guy’s mic at this point. It was nothing but a relief when it wrapped up and he was able to send things over to Felix in New York.

He stepped away from his desk, a handful of long strides taking him out into the hallway. After Felix there was another feel-good story about First Contact and all that, so he was going to take these few minutes for a breather. He stood at one of the long windows, taking in the breadth of the ship that hung in the sky not far away. It was nothing like a human ship, nor like a flying saucer that had been the go-to for so long. It was instead a smooth, dark oblong with a smaller, flatter white oval stacked on one end. His reflection superimposed over it like a scene from a movie and he almost felt like he should be having some sort of deep, philosophical monologue about the nature of self or humanity or something. But all he could think of was the lack of color in his face. He was naturally pale, but now he looked like a ghost. Haunted by the terror of the unknown. There, that was pretty deep, wasn’t it? Maybe not a grand monologue, but it summed up pretty well a situation that had literally dropped out of the sky without warning not even an hour ago.

Down below, there was almost no traffic on the freeway— ground or hovering— between him and the ship as it sat over the Pentagon, ominous and unmoving, just as it had been since entering the atmosphere. Just like all the others that sat in various places all over the planet. But this one was only a few blocks away. This one was right there. He and the rest of the station were going to get front-row seats to whatever happened between Earth and these new arrivals. At least the empty streets meant people were taking the warnings seriously and staying away.

He lit a No-Bac and took a deep drag. Ranneet hated them and thought they were disgusting, so he tried to cut back as much as possible. He only smoked occasionally, when he was stressed or nervous or otherwise needed something to distract his hands and mind. It was at least better than the actual tobacco that had come back into vogue when he was in college. That he and so many others had started smoking in ‘intellectual groups’ like they were one of the old masters in the vein of Einstein, Hawking, and Sagan. They’d been geniuses then, having answers for everything.

It’s an ancient and refined practice! he’d protested to Ranneet back then.

So were a lot of things! She’d snapped back, And you don’t look as smart as you think you do sucking on a tube of carcinogens!

It made him smile a little. She’d been right, of course. It had been one of many arguments; some stupid and petty, some less so. But for some reason, she kept putting up with him. It made him try to be better, even if he was failing at the moment. He missed her right now, an ache in his gut that was more than anxiousness about that mysterious ship in front of him. But at least her and the kids weren’t in the city. He remembered those old alien invasion movies from his First Two Centuries of Film course. When Earth was invaded it always started in the cities, not out in the buttfuck nowhere of the Appalachian Old Growth Preserve. So if it came to that, at least they’d be alright.

Maybe the aliens watched old movies, too, he muttered. Hovering over the Pentagon? A classic twentieth-century move. Not so different from a scene in a long-abandoned novel he’d started back around the time he’d taken that class. He’d barely gotten a third of the way through writing before relegating it to the purgatory of incompleteness. Life had interrupted and he hadn’t had any time to devote to it while building his career, and then later on, when he and Ranneet had become parents. He doubted any copy of it remained, unless it lurked deep in some long-forgotten hard drive or storage cloud, but it was unlikely. Too bad, too. He’d enjoyed working on it while it lasted.

Dave! His thoughts were interrupted by the strident voice of Kareina, closing in on him. Tossing a disheveled ponytail over her shoulder, she stabbed a finger at him.

We’ve got the Coniferian Ambassador ready to give a statement, let’s go! She didn’t spare a single glance out the window before turning on her heel and stalking back into the studio. He knew of all of them, she was feeling the pressure of all this event coverage the most, and he wasn’t going to take her being snippy personally. But she was right, break time was over.

He gave the ship one last glance. He still didn’t like it, but he had to get back. He also had to tell Kareina not to invite that dickhead xenobiologist back. That motivated him back into the studio faster than the fear of facing her wrath.

The Coniferian Ambassador looked something like a huge oak tree except he had dull, amber bark and dark purplish-blue leaves. He was standing outside the Coniferian Embassy; a ring of Earth trees and small buildings up by Rock Creek Park that had been designed to resemble the groves of Proxima-b. David had been to the embassy once in person to interview the ambassador and the two of them had hit it off quite well. David supposed that ‘he’ might be the wrong word to use, but he also had no idea how plants gendered themselves, sapient or otherwise. That was something he’d have to look into later when he had the chance, and put it out of his mind as the Ambassador started to speak.

People of Earth and those of the wider universe, the voice of the translator was deep and male-coded and filled with as much emotion as the translator software allowed. Humanity has been a great friend and ally to the Coniferian people, and we stand with you in this time of new discovery. It is our hope that this day will end with celebration, with the adding of a new people to our alliance. But we will stand with you in whatever way we are able, no matter what the result. Together, we were able to overcome the terrible hardship and sorrow of the Bark Blight. And that showed us all that there is no obstacle we cannot overcome as long as we face it together. It is our hope that the delegation meeting with the new species will bring forth lasting friendship. We have great faith in the First Contact team, including your Pan-Earth President and my own seedling, Joyful Wide-Span. Thank you, and may your roots stand firm, and the Great Light shine upon us all. The holo blinked out, once again leaving David alone at his desk.

That was Ambassador Wise Deep-Roots with a statement of support from the Coniferian Embassy, right here in Washington. I’m sure we all hope that the optimistic tone of the Ambassador’s words is the result we will see from these talks, which we remind you are going on right now. We will continue to update as this story develops.

He called Ranneet on his next break. They’d gone to a segment about the locations of the ships around the world, and local reactions. He’d have some time. Segments like that were good fillers, and with a hundred or so ships around the world, there was plenty they could milk out of that. Or at least, long enough for David to call his wife.

She picked up on the second ring, her dark eyes intense. Is everything alright, Dave?

Yeah. I just wanted to check in, that’s all. Make sure things are okay with you guys.

We’re fine. Is... should you be leaving the city? Or... or are you safe? Her face pinched, trying to look like she wasn’t worried. But he knew better. He wished he could tell her for sure everything was alright, but he could only shrug noncommittally.

Nothing’s happening, so I guess I’m as safe as anyone right now. I just... if things go bad...

"I’ve been thinking about that, too. We’ll do what we can, me and the kids. I really wish you weren’t at work right now. Not with that... that thing in the sky. You’re so close, Dave. It’s right there."

I know. It’ll be okay, you’ll see.

I hope so.

They talked about mundane things after that. Did you get the car looked at? he asked her.

Yes. There was a loose belt sort of in and underneath. You couldn’t even see it without pulling out half of the hover unit. It was a huge pain in the ass, but once we got to it, it was easy to replace.

Well, that’s a relief. Did they look at the stabilizers, too?

All fixed. The left rear was misaligned with the others. The mechanics hooked it up and talked to it a bit and got it back in the right orientation.

So it doesn’t wobble above ten feet altitude anymore?

Nope! And that was a lifesaver when we were driving up here, let me tell you. Ground traffic was heavier than I thought. I didn’t want to be stuck in that and miss getting the kids here in time for the nature tour.

The kids are actually enjoying themselves?

She laughed. "About as much as teens and soon-to-be teens enjoy anything. It is a nice change of scenery from the city. It’s really beautiful out here. Trees and caves in these ancient mountains. Mountains older than... most everything really. It’s crazy to think about. It’s really something."

Eventually, they just ended up looking at each other, neither having any words left.

I suppose I should probably go. I’ll be going back on soon. Kareina’s already having a rough enough day, I shouldn’t keep her waiting too long.

Yeah, I better get lunch started for the kids.

Honey, I’m going to leave tonight, after work. I’m coming there. Gonna get out of the city. Even if all this turns out hunky dory and we’re all best buddies by tonight, I think I just need some time away. Some time with you guys.

That’s good. It’ll be good to have you here. Her façade cracked for just a moment, but she covered it with a smile. You could use a couple of days off after anchoring Second Contact.

Yeah. It’s a hell of a thing, I’ve gotta say. I’ll see you tonight then? I probably won’t get there until really late.

Sounds good. Call me when you’re heading out?

I will. Love you, hon.

I love you, too.

David wondered how many times the station could play these clips over and over again. At least it meant he didn’t have to keep repeating himself. But that also meant he had plenty of downtime, plenty of time to think. And that was somehow worse. The sight of that ship, still unmoving, kept reminding him of those old stories, those old films. Back when they were made on film. It made him wonder what these aliens looked like. Were they little green or gray men with big, black eyes? That seemed almost silly to his modern sensibilities. Maybe they were plant-like, like the Coniferians? Or something so completely different that he couldn’t imagine it? So far there’d been no footage of the visitors at all. The meeting and everything about it was locked up tight and wrapped in many, many layers of security and secrecy.  And press couldn’t get anywhere close to the inside of the First Contact Center where the meeting was being held. They waited outside at the bottom of the steps. Everyone was there, just waiting. He was sure those reporters had repeated themselves many times already in the last ninety minutes or so. Had it only been that long? He felt like they’d done so many bits already; a panel, talking to the public, statements from foreign ambassadors... all in that short span of time? It hardly seemed real. Of course, none of this did, really.

At least all this waiting had led him to a decision. He was going to write that novel. He could take everything he was feeling today, everything he was seeing first-hand, and that would lend some serious credibility to the whole thing. It would be more than a pulpy throwback! There’d be gravitas! Anxiety! Deep, emotional impact! If he could distill even a fraction of the turmoil roiling inside him onto the page, he’d have a surefire winner. Readers would eat that up. He had some contacts around, it wouldn’t be hard to get an editor, maybe a cover artist. He sure wasn’t any good with that kind of thing, but there were plenty of people who were. Maybe it was time to use up all those vacation days he’d accumulated and never done anything with. He could write while the kids were at school, maybe go up to the cabin for a weekend or two. Hell, he could start tomorrow, after he drove up to the Preserve and got some sleep.

He was in the middle of yet another panel, this time with a political analyst, an economist, and a socio-political anthropologist, when his earpiece buzzed again. He wasn’t terribly upset. This panel had been a lot less wrangling of unruly experts and more trying to look interested in talking about the effects of Second Contact on the economy and the stock market. There was nothing more pretentiously painful to talk about than fucking stock market predictions, especially when there were bigger things to be concerned about. But someone had obviously thought it was important enough for a whole panel to talk about it. Maybe they were running out of ideas. Until now, at least.

He held up a hand to stop the conversation. I’m sorry to interrupt, I’m getting word here that the meeting between the First Contact delegation and the extraterrestrial visitors has either ended or is taking a recess. We have a live feed from just outside the FCC now, where President Fulcrow and Delegate Joyful Wide-Span are preparing to make a statement. Let’s go there now.

All eyes across all the inhabited worlds watched as the President’s somber face came onto the holoscreen. Beside him, though while still ten feet tall and bearing a great canopy of black-leafed branches, stood a smaller, younger Coniferian who David assumed was the Delegate. They had smoother bark and hadn’t grown to the breadth of their parent, but David could kind of see the resemblance between them and the ambassador. If it made sense to say such a thing about an ambulatory tree.

To all watching on Earth, in our Solar System, and across the stars. We know you all have waited patiently as we have met with the new species that has come to Earth. And I am sure you are all impatient to find out about them, so I thank you all for allowing us this time to meet and speak first. They’ve come a long way, and they came with an offer. We discussed it at length with them, what it would mean, how they intend to implement these ideas, and what that means for both of our species as well as theirs. Now, I am deeply sorry to say that as that offer stands, we cannot accept the terms. We would, however, like to offer our sincere promise that we are willing to work with these new beings in order to create what we hope, and what they hope, is a better universe for us all. To that end, I have invited them and our delegation to continue to negotiate in hopes we can reach an arrangement that is agreeable to us all. The Delegate and I will take a few questions before we return to the meeting. Yes, you. Go ahead.

A man’s voice floated out from the gathered reporters. Are you able to tell us the terms of the offer that you refused?

The President frowned. Should’ve known. Anyway, I would prefer not to go over all the details at this time. Suffice to say, it was not something we felt comfortable in agreeing to, especially right out of the gate. I’ll have more details on that later, perhaps. Anyone else?

The next question was never asked. A young woman in a suit and heels who appeared to be an aide rushed down the ramp toward the podium. Mr. President! They’re gone! I saw them! They’re leaving! Mr. President! They....

The entire screen turned white, before cutting off.

It appears something has happened at the press conference called by President Fulcrow and Delegate Wide-Span. We’re going to our satellite video feed now to see if we can find out what happened and why we cut out there. David’s heart hammered as he said the words, his mouth almost too dry to talk as he tried to keep his calm, professional demeanor. But it didn’t stop a hot, prickly sweat from breaking out on his body as the satellite feed kicked in. He saw the figure of the aide run from the building, then a bolt of light smashing into it. A laser? A missile? He couldn’t tell. Either way, the building exploded with a burst of white fire that engulfed all those gathered around it in a blinding flash. In that split second, all the people gathered around the building were vaporized. As the light subsided he could see black ash where people had once stood. But as the satellite’s camera zoomed in, he realized it wasn’t ash, but the shadows of the people who had stood there, burned into the stone ramp and the sidewalk. Like those ancient nuclear weapons had done in Japan, leaving only the haunting reminder that a person had once stood in that spot before being completely erased.

The camera was back on him now, but he had no idea what to say. What was there to say? There was no way to make this better, to assuage peoples’ fears and reassure them. It would only be hollow platitudes; he knew that in some deep, foreboding way that this was only the beginning. He opened his mouth, and let any words that came fall out.

What we have just seen....is horrible. I urge everyone on Earth to find shelter, any shelter. I think... I think things may get worse before they get better. If you wish to pray, pray for us all. If you have any other... anything... any appeal to... anything, I... I think we may need it. We will continue to broadcast as long as we are here. I don’t know... perhaps answers may be forthcoming, I don’t know. I hate to be the one to announce it, but this may be a declaration of war. That whatever offer they had made the President, they intend we take it. Oh... oh!

He got up from his desk like a man in a dream. He could see the glow beginning outside in the hallway. He walked toward it like a zombie, like he was hypnotized. In a way, perhaps he was. Or perhaps it was just the need to see, to look it right in the eye if it was coming. It wasn’t as if he was going to accomplish anything else behind his news desk.

They watched the ship that hovered on the other side of the freeway. Everyone on this floor had gathered and they all watched, lined up along the stretch of windows that made up the hallways. He wondered suddenly if the people on the other floors were doing the same thing, or if they were trying to hide. David knew somehow that it wasn’t going to matter either way, and he preferred this. To see it for himself, to look it in the eye even if it couldn’t see him back. Light, that same bright, blinding light was gathering in seams running the length of the ship and swirling near the underside. David felt a hand grasp his. Kareina. Tom the sound guy took the other. They all stood, and no one said anything. But they all knew.

I was gonna go to Proxima-b, Tom broke the silence. I wanted to see the Coniferian homeworld. It looks so beautiful in all the vids. I’ve never been under a red sun.

My daughter’s there. She says it’s beautiful, Kareina replied. We were supposed to go out when she got home. That new Broadway show that’s opening next month. I wanted to see it. We were going to go together. She hasn’t been home in over two years, now.

I was gonna write a book, David heard himself say, I was gonna leave town tonight to be with Ranneet and the kids up in the Appalachian Preserve. Up in those ancient mountains.

Other murmurs went up and down the line on either side as they watched the ship continue to power up. This was it. Hands clung tightly to one another as the ship’s weapon detonated into the Pentagon, destroying it as the FCC had been destroyed. David only got a split second to see it explode outward before the wave of white fire burst out toward them. His last thought, before the shockwave engulfed their building and many others, was of Ranneet and the kids. He hoped they were far enough away. He hoped they’d be alright.

Day One: Tours, France, Earth

Coffee was truly humankind’s greatest invention.

Or so Cherie thought, as she sat down on the first available seat on the train. As far as inventions went, the train wasn’t a half-bad one, either. It was fast and quiet and got her to work on time.

But it still wasn’t coffee.

Fifteen minutes and half of her massive thermos later, she stepped off the train and headed across the courtyard to the large, white, Exo-Comm building that sat festooned with dishes and arrays. Things were subdued at this hour; the night shift was ending and the day people, like her, were slowly starting to filter in. Her neural link connected automatically to the building’s system, which in turn gave her access to the greater, worldwide system that every Exo-Comm was part of. It was one of the genetic augments she’d gotten to help with her job. She hadn’t gotten any of the cosmetic ones so far, nor inherited one the way her wife, Layla, had, but perhaps one day. She’d have to decide from one of the countless options first. It was worse than deciding on a tattoo, or so she’d been told. Which explained why people often got so many of both. 

Good morning, Cherie! the building’s AI chirped, always chipper and friendly.

Good morning, CAI, she smiled. Communications Artificial Intelligence wasn’t the most inventive name, but at least the acronym had a nice sound. Every Exo-Comm had its own CAI that helped run things and coordinated with others around the globe. CAI-Tours had a bright, female-coded voice with a light, ever-changing accent. CAI loved regional dialects, and for the last two weeks had been using Savoyard almost exclusively in the building.

Dr. Baujois!

Cherie turned at the sound of her name, and nearly right into the Facility Director. Ted! Don’t do that!

Sorry. I was just wondering how you made out last night? I know you said you were going to take those numbers home and have a look at them.

She pushed back a strand of hair that had escaped her messy bun, composing herself. "Yeah, of course. Sorry, I was up late. But after going over it again and again, I think the problem is with Satellite 12, not with our dish. It could be anything; a bad battery, a collision with a chunk of space rock... whatever. But the numbers are only wonky when 12’s in the mix. I know it looks like it’s on our end, but I really don’t think it is."

"You’re the one with the expertise. I’ll get maintenance to send a drone up and talk to the satellite directly. If there’s a mechanical problem we’ll get it fixed. If it’s something trickier, I’ll see how quickly we can have a replacement ready. The Europans have already been sending in complaints about their service dropping intermittently, and with the World Cup next month I’d like to make sure we’re optimal before then. Thanks for checking into that, Cherie. I’m really glad you don’t think it’s the big dish."

It’s no problem, Ted. I didn’t like what I was seeing, either. I’d rather take care of a small problem now, or we’ll have more than rioting Europans to deal with.

And we’ll have those next month either way, win or lose!

Well, as long as it isn’t because they can’t watch the game. Then it’s not our problem. Besides, I think this is Titan’s year.

"Titan? Really?

They’ve been quietly team building for years. She finished the last of her coffee before adding, They pulled a huge upset win last week on Teegarden. I think it’s possible.

The soccer banter lasted