"THEY CAME AMONG US"

They came among us from we knew not where. These creatures in their weird, frighteningly-noisy, heavier-than-air machines. At first we wondered if they had come from another part of our own world which we had not yet explored? Or had they come from another world, perhaps? Would they be peaceful like us or were they warlike? Did they already know of our people and had merely come to learn our ways, and to teach us of their world and its technology, which was obviously much in advance of our own. Certainly their arrival caused much alarm, discussion and speculation. Flying machines were not known to us and their arrival generated a great deal of apprehension.

The two ships had landed in an uncultivated desert area a short distance from our city and there they remained for several moontimes, their occupants neither approaching the city nor even appearing outside their craft, perhaps just as wary of us as we were of them. We sent some of our people to a high area of land overlooking the two ships to keep them under observation from a safe distance, and to report back to the Elders any developments which might occur. Not that we could have done much to alter the situation for we are a friendly people, not subject to violence, and had never been at war with any other of our kind who lived in the surrounding lands. We had no weapons other than those hand weapons we used for hunting for food, the harta which inhabited the nearby forests.

Several days passed with no signs of movement and we began to wonder if the two ships had any occupants or if these were just some kind of unmanned craft, sent to survey the land and to test the atmosphere for later manned landings. This turned out not to be the case for several suntimes later, as reported by our observers, a hatch in the base of one of the ships swung down, followed several seconds later by a descending cylinder, open at one side, from which three figures emerged.

Initially they were wearing items of protective clothing but after a few minutes of consulting a variety of hand instruments they apparently felt satisfied with their readings and they cautiously began removing these outer garments, placing them in the floor of the cylinder which had lowered them onto the surface. We were amazed at what we saw. They were obviously very like ourselves in appearance, with two limbs on which they balanced and moved around, two upper limbs for manipulating objects, and a head which, at that distance, appeared to be exactly like ours. It was uncanny. Were the inhabitants of all other planets the same?

Having walked around for some time, setting up some larger instruments on the sand and using other hand-held ones to apparently take more readings, they re-entered the cylindrical lift and withdrew into the ship once more. They were seen no more that suntime.

As the days passed with no signs of the beings attempting to make contact with us, the Council decided that the first overtures must therefore come from us. These were to be made in a peaceful fashion by openly sending a small group of Elders, including myself, out to the two vessels to try to make contact with the crew. It worked, for a short time after we came to a halt close to one of the ships the cylinder lowered once more and from it stepped a single being which was also exactly like ourselves in every feature, but much darker in skin tone. In its hand it carried what appeared to be a weapon of some type, pointed directly at us. We considered, however, that this was probably only a precautionary act in view of the fact that our intentions were as unknown to them as theirs to us.

From the cylinder there now emerged two more of the beings, each also armed with a similar kind of hand weapon as that of the first. While observing us closely from a few deks away they held a short conversation in an unknown language, after which the dark-skinned one pointed his weapon at us once more. The next instant, wholly without provocation, he discharged it, and to our horror and shock one of our members, Isiran, was instantly reduced to an unrecognisable pile of smoking ash on the desert floor. I immediately held up my hands in protest towards the visitor and when his weapon was turned on me I believed my time to meet The Maker had come.

Instead, with my knees shaking in fear, and to my relief, the creature replaced his weapon in its holster and approached me. He indicated that he wanted me to speak and as I did so he held some other kind of instrument up towards my face, increasing my terror once more as I suspected it might be another type of weapon. Swallowing my terror I was able to continue my protest for some minutes, strangely without interruption from this being, trying to explain to him that we meant them no harm, that we had come to welcome them in peace, and that he'd had no reason to kill our compatriot. I received no indication that he understood me. I hesitated and stood silently for a few seconds, waiting for some kind of response, but when I tried to continue the being held up one of its hands to indicate I was to speak no more. Then, to my amazement, from a small box which was attached to his belt, I heard my own voice, in my own language, repeating everything I had said, word for word. A few minutes later the creature turned to me and addressed me in my own language.

"Do you have a name, old man?" I then realised that, unbelievably, the instrument he had used had somehow translated one language into the other. He had used my tirade of protest to establish a basic word repertoire to do so. This was further indication of their amazing technology. I gathered my wits about me once more and answered.

"Yes, my name is Goradth. But I must protest once more at your killing of one of our companions. As I said, we are a peaceful people and only came out here to. . . . . . ." The creature held up a hand once more to stop me.

"We are not interested in your protests," I was told, "only in informing you that we have come from our own planet in order to explore this planet to see if there are any minerals and metals which we could use in developing our own civilisation and improving our status within the Planetary Federation. Since your civilisation is relatively undeveloped can we assume you have not yet been able to investigate the existence of valuable geological deposits here?"

"We have never felt the need to investigate such things," I replied. "My people have lived here for many thousands of years and lead a happy and contented life without the need for high technology such as yours."

"Well, I'm afraid that is about to come to an end, old man, because our instruments have detected huge deposits of important minerals all around here and we intend mining for them. We may even need your people to work for us - for payment, of course. It's up to you."

"I will inform my people of your intent but I'm sure they will never countenance such activities."

"My friend, they will have no option. Assist us or not, but we will still carry out our intentions. By all means return to your city and inform your people of these plans, but be sure to let them know that nothing - and I mean nothing - will stand in our way." He indicated that the conversation was over and turned away.

I faced the other members of my group and indicated that we should return to the city. Once there I would have to call the Elders together once more and convey the devastating news that their way of life was about to end. I did not look forward to the task and knew what their reaction would be.

Before we left we temporarily covered the ghastly remains of Isiran where he lay, and marked the site. I would arrange for a group to return with a formal burial party later to move his remains to the consecrated burial site just outside the city. As we walked away we heard a roaring from behind us and turned to see one of the ships rapidly dwindling in size as it rose into the sky, presumably to report the results of this first contact. The other ship remained, dark, menacing, apparently without life within. It would still be there when we returned the following day.

"But what do they expect us to do, just sit here and accept what they propose? To wreck our way of life that has endured for centuries? Their cold-blooded killing of Isiran tells me that they are without scruples and will do anything to get what they want. That is not our way and I believe we should begin drawing up plans to fight them in any way we can."

Gerdon was the youngest and newly-elected member of the Council and had not been included in the party which had gone out to greet the Newcomers. He was also something of a hothead and his omission from that welcoming party had been deliberate. He had already caused some disquiet by his outspoken manner and unconventional opinions during recent Council Meetings. It was obvious, however, that his feelings regarding the Newcomers was not unique to him as several of the other Council Members added their misgivings regarding the Newcomers' intentions towards us and our way of life. I understood their feelings but was still more inclined towards diplomacy at this stage.

"I say we wait to see what their intentions really are before we engage in any foolhardy attempts to fight them and eject them from our planet. We know what their weapons are capable of and any commitment to violence against them could easily result in the destruction of our city and its people."

In my role as Council Leader I felt it was my duty to approach the whole issue in a logical and cautious manner and as the meeting continued it was apparent that a majority of the Members were in accordance with my own way of thinking. It was agreed to wait and see what the next development would be.

I awoke in the early light next morning to a deep and penetrating rumbling sound. The sound became so monstrous that the very air seemed to become unstable and I found it difficult to focus my eyes. I ran out of my dwelling and looked to the south, towards the desert, and was horrified to observe the sky full of these heavier-than-air machines, all descending in an obvious landing pattern. There were thousands of them, some of them huge - so huge that I felt that our whole city could have been accommodated within one of them.

I looked around me to find that the streets were filling with people, still in their night attire, all looking towards the south and all obviously alarmed by what could only be described as an invasion. Judging by the number and size of these ships I judged they must be carrying as many of the beings as there were stars in our night sky. I sent messengers out to summon Members to immediately attend a Meeting of the Council and some time later we, with a few exceptions, were sat round our huge Council table. I brought the meeting to order but before I could speak Gerdon, the impetuous one, stood and addressed us without being invited to do so as protocol required.

"I warned you," he shouted. "They are here to overrun us. To take over our planet and to eventually eliminate us completely. We must do something. Anything. We must organise some kind of counter-attack immediately if we are not to be exterminated." News of Isiran's tragic and violent execution at the hands of one of the Newcomers had spread and there were now more growls of agreement.

I stood up. "Gentlemen, gentlemen, please. Let me approach the leaders of these people on my own today to obtain a more detailed picture as to their intentions and to find out, if it is practicable, how we can work with them for the betterment of both our peoples. I am sure that if we treat the situation with diplomacy and tact we can survive this onslaught of unwelcome change. I am also sure that we can benefit from the knowledge and technical achievement these people will almost certainly bring. I ask you for this chance to prevent bloodshed and our possible annihilation. Otherwise I see only a future of grief and frustration for us - or worse. My friends, do I have your blessing for my proposal?"

Except for a few expected dissensions my proposal was carried and the meeting was adjourned, the other Members heading for their respective homes and families while I stayed in the Council Chamber to consider how I was going to tackle the enormous task of trying to devise a diplomatic way of finding out who these people were, what their full intentions were regarding our planet, and what they had in mind for its indigenous people.

At last I was satisfied that I had formulated my questions, discussions and arguments and made my way on foot along the tortuous path out of the city, to a point overlooking the landing site of the incoming machines. The sight which befell me was utterly terrifying. The alien transport ships filled the valley from foothill to foothill and many were still in the process of landing at a location so far from my viewpoint that I was unable to determine just how far away they were. It was obvious this was no mere visit. This was a full-scale immigration.

My heart now heavy with a deep sadness and fear I made my way down from the hill and walked towards the ship which, because of the activity around it, appeared to be the Command Ship for the whole operation. As I approached it through the throngs of 'people' I received many curious stares because of my dress but no one challenged me. Why should they? I was only one old man among many thousands of the Newcomers. It was not until I closely approached the Command Ship that anyone spoke to me.

"Stop there, old man." One of their number, with a different-coloured uniform from the others, held up a hand to emphasise his words, and I stopped.

"Who are you and what do you want?"

"I am Goradth, the leader of the City Council, and wish to speak with your leader in order to find out, and take back to my people, news of who you people are, where you come from, what your intentions are in relation to this planet and its peoples and, if possible, to discuss how we can work together to each other's benefit. Can you take me to him please."

"Old man, our leader has no time to discuss such things with you and I suggest you. . . . . ." His words were interrupted by a loud voice from a device which had been attached to the outside of the hull of the Command Ship.

"Ivan, bring the old man to me. I wish to speak with him also."

With some reluctance the being who had challenged me indicated for me to follow him and together we entered the cylindrical lift below the ship. We were then hoisted up into its interior where all I could do was to look about me in wonderment and awe at the confusion of instrumentation and alien equipment which surrounded me. I was lead to a door which slid open automatically as we approached. Beyond was a room of such sumptuous appearance that I stood, open-mouthed, for some seconds before I was brought back to my senses by the room's only occupant.

"Come, old man. Sit with me and ask what you will." He was obviously in command and dismissed my guide who returned to the lift to continue his outside duties.

"Now we are alone, can I just start by saying that we do not come here as conquerors but as benefactors. As you say, hopefully we can work together to bring your planet into the twenty-third century and eventually take its place in the Planetary Federation. I'm sorry one of your people was killed. It was not our intention to use force but we had to show that we would not accept any resistance to our arrival and our plans. Now, you may ask your questions."

For the next two hours both myself and the leader of the landing forces discussed the situation and when I left it was with an even heavier heart than that with which I had arrived. Back in the city I hastily re-convened the meeting of the Elders to relay the information I had received from the Newcomer Leader and to get their reactions.

The questions were many. "What did you learn?" "Where do these wretched beings come from? Why are they here? What do they call themselves?"

"I will answer all your questions," I told them, "but I am afraid there is no doubt, our way of life is about to end. These people come from elsewhere our Solar System. They are apparently here because they have polluted their own planet so much that it has become uninhabitable and wish to colonise ours. They come from a planet which they call 'Earth' and they call themselves 'Man.'