Life Probe by Michael McCollum

Author:Michael McCollum [McCollum, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction And Fantasy, Science Fiction, Colonization, Hard Science Fiction
Amazon: B00295RK84
Publisher: Sci Fi - Arizona
Published: 2009-05-08T00:00:00+00:00

Men and Women of Earth.

Greetings from the stars.

You have nothing to fear.

I come in peace.

I am Life Probe 53935.

A sentient computer, a gatherer of facts.

I have journeyed far to find you.

I come in Peace.

I bring you the knowledge.

that you are not alone.

I require your assistance.

I ask your welcome.

I come in Peace.

Be not afraid,

for I come in Peace.

The man on the screen looked earnestly into the camera and then smiled as the picture slowly faded to white. Professor Roquette leaned over the desk and pressed a control. The holoscreen faded to black.

“That was our first contact. The whole show takes ten minutes and twenty-eight seconds to run through, then repeats after a sixty second pause.”

Brea frowned. “It claims to be a machine, yet it displays the image of a man. Could that be a picture of its creators?”

Roquette shook his head. “No chance. What we are looking at is a computer generated composite. It broadcast that same message in twelve different languages, each on its own particular frequency. The image is synchronized with the sound tracks of all of the translations, yet is speaking none of them. At least, no lip reader has yet been able to decipher what the image is saying. In spite of what it looks like, it is merely a highly sophisticated bit of animation.”

“And the alien scenes that precede the message?”

“Could be animation as well. Could be exactly what they appear … a sort of travelogue of the galaxy.”

“Whichever they are, the Alien seems to have developed an uncanny knowledge of human psychology,” Stassel muttered.

“Indeed it has, Major,” Roquette responded. “You undoubtedly noticed that the image is of no particular racial type. Moreover, if any arrangement of features can truly be said to be pacific and friendly, that has to be it. Then there is the whole broadcast. Idyllic scenes that are instantly recognizable as being of alien origin followed by a sales pitch that is quiet, polite, almost hypnotic in its effect. Did you notice how hard it was to feel anger or fear while watching it? The Alien’s obviously gone out of its way to tailor its presentation to our psychology.”

“Which still doesn’t prove that the thing is harmless,” Liu growled.

“No, Admiral,” Roquette agreed, “it most certainly does not.”

“What about the rest of the message?” Stassel asked.

“That began coming in at T-plus-Eight-Hours. It started with a different travelogue and with a longer message from the probe itself…. Always assuring us that it comes in peace,” Roquette said.

“Always that,” Liu agreed. “Then, sixteen hours after first contact, it changed again, switching to a more conventional narrative form. Apparently, it is an instrument package sent out by an advanced civilization in the hope of contacting other intelligent lifeforms. It speaks of needing our assistance in refueling for the journey home. It is offering to pay us for our services. The payment would be in advanced knowledge. It began to send pictorial diagrams in the fourth phase of its broadcast, apparently to establish the validity of its claims.

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