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Earth had long been known to the Federation, but there was a policy of non-interference until observed worlds reached a certain level of technology. Cloaking techniques prevented Federation ships from being seen by people or detected by the military.

Interestingly, there'd long been stories of aliens arriving at Earth in spaceships and flying saucers, even leaving markings on mountains in South America, and aliens themselves in ancient artwork. None of that was related to actual Federation visits, but was part of humankind's particular love of conspiracies, monsters, and other non-existent beings.

Let me begin the story.

I reached eighteen, in 745,801... or, I suppose I might as well use Earth years, as it's an account of Earth. So, let me start again. Earth years are so similar to galactic years as makes no real difference.

When I was aged eighteen, in 2029, the first experiments with QE (quantum entanglement) transmitters were taking place on Earth. One of the machines was put in a habitat on the planet's moon and the other was in Jodrell Bank in England. Jodrell Bank was home to a huge radio-telescope. England was a province of the world, part of a small island area, near one of the larger continents.

The QE devices worked on the principle that electrons can be in more than one location at the same time. That made it possible to send a message to the moon instantaneously. When the discoverers of the system realised that it worked, they were delighted. It also opened the door to technology which would eventually lead to interstellar travel and matter transmission, although the people of Earth weren't aware of that at the time.

The QE transmitters were connected to computer monitors in the same manner as email and other transmission devices. A message was typed into the machine, it organised the data into strings, which then excited the electrons at the receiving end. The message was decoded and appeared on the destination computer screen.

So, in general terms, it didn't look dissimilar to email, messenger or text, but the transmission was instantaneous, as if faster than light.

What the inventors didn't expect was to suddenly get a message from an unknown location, telling them to desist using the QE transmitter. The first simply stated, 'DESIST USING DEVICE'.

They wondered if it was some kind of practical joke, but each time they used it, a similar message came in telling them to stop. 'DESIST TRANSMISSIONS'. 'STOP USING DEVICE' and other brief variations. The messages often contained spelling mistakes.

Who could be sending them? Was some alien race telling the world which experiments it could or couldn't conduct? If so, how could it be in English? Could it be some juvenile hoaxer who'd managed to hack the system?

The operators spoke to their supervisors, supervisors discussed it with managers, managers told their politicians. In no time, the messages were being discussed in the corridors of Earthly power. Scientists insisted hoaxes could be ruled out, but politicians didn't believe them. At the very least, there was considerable doubt. More discussions about the demands to stop transmitting took place, and eventually they came to the attention of people at the highest level.

It was decided that if, whoever it was, could transmit in English, then they should be able to receive English. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Ken Hood, authorised the following reply:

'We don't know who you are but have no intention of shutting down our QE transmitters without good reason. If you wish to discuss the situation, come and talk to us.'

If, as many still believed, the messages were the actions of an innovative group of hoaxers, nothing more would be heard. If they were real aliens, the response might take years. The message was sent and those in power tucked the incident away in a file which could be all but forgotten.

Science got back to its main purpose and it was actually a few days before the QE transmitter was used again. There was no message to desist. Had the hackers been exposed for what they were?

The response came the next day and it took the people of Earth totally by surprise.

««o»»

Earth was a space-faring planet, but only in recent decades. Two astronauts were living in the small Chang space station. A further group of eight inhabited in an orbiting device called the International Space Station. This wasn't, however, a colony. It was more the temporary home of scientists trying to understand the trials and tribulations of living outside the protection of the planet's atmosphere. They'd also built a moon habitat after a fifty-year absence and were preparing to visit the neighbouring planet, Mars. Ten astronauts lived and worked in the moon habitat and in a factory area which had been created near the South Pole where water was being used to produce both fuel and oxygen.

The species was very innovative. Their ingenuity was amazing. They had achieved so much yet were still utilising primitive rocket and jet technology. Their achievement of visiting their moon with the technology they'd had nearly sixty years previously, had been quite extraordinary and was to be admired.

On the day Earth received its response, two astronauts, Darren Goodman and Annette Playell were conducting a spacewalk, as they called it. Two people in miniature environments, moving around outside the ISS, carrying out repairs and replacements.

Darren was manoeuvring an inspection panel back into its original location. Once he was ready for it to be secured, he looked at Annette to see why she hadn't begun attaching the bolts. It was strange. Annette was very efficient and absolutely reliable, yet she was staring past his shoulder and exhibiting an expression of total shock. 'Look!' she said, pointing at something behind him.

Darren grabbed a handhold and turned himself. What he saw took his breath away and almost doubled his heart rate.

It wasn't enormous, like the giant saucers which appeared in the science fiction film Independence Day, but it was just as spectacular compared with Earth's small manned capsules.

Stationary, about quarter of a mile from the ISS, it had the shape of two saucers or side-plates glued face-to-face. They were made from what looked like gleaming chromium or similar metal. Two red stripes ran around the circumference and there were hieroglyphs on the side – a name or designation, presumably. Annette estimated its diameter at about two hundred metres, so its overall size dwarfed the space station. The top central section of the ship, for that's what it must be, was raised and glazed. Inside, things – maybe people or animals, were peering out towards them. They were taking in the vision of the most advanced, mobile, humanmade device ever constructed, but by their gaze, in fact by their very presence, they were announcing to the Earth that its space station was hopelessly primitive in comparison to their own ship.

The space-walkers' suit radios crackled into life. 'Think you two had better come in,' said Brett Pinner, the ISS commander.

'Right. On our way,' said Darren, helping Annette secure the panel before heading for the airlock.

Brett watched the alien device and the watchers within it, watching him. He'd already told NASA, who, in their inimitable manner, said, 'Stand by, ISS.' as if such an event was commonplace.

By now they had video of the machine too, and not just NASA, for the live ISS feed also showed the device. In short measure it went viral and everyone with an Internet connection was seeing the flying saucer and discussing their thoughts about it.

'What do you think it is?' asked Brett's deputy, Fiona Ferguson.

'A flying saucer! How'd you describe it?' was his rather condescending response.

'I know that, but why's it here?' she asked, rather put out by his attitude.

'Heaven knows. Hope it's peaceful. Look at the figures in the dome.'

'Yes, aliens. Real aliens.' She lifted a pair of binoculars. 'I can see a green one and a tall yellow one with four arms and what looks like a small black one with wings. It's beyond science fiction.'

'It certainly is,' said Brett.

'NASA here. Can you please transmit, "Welcome to Earth. Please advise reason for visit," on all frequencies?'

'Will do,' said Brett, and he floated over to the communications console to complete the action.

Within a minute there was a response.

'Ken Hood requested a meeting.'

'Who the hell is Ken Hood?' asked Fiona.

'I think that's the name of the British Prime Minister,' said Brett, scratching his head.

To NASA he said, 'NASA, did you see that reply?'

'Yes. Stand by ISS.'

'But what do I tell them?' asked Brett.

'Just say, "Message received, thank you," and leave it at that.'

'Will do.'

Brett sent his reply and waited, in awe of the machine which just sat there, unmoving, its occupants continuing to observe the ISS and the planet beneath.

««o»»

Down on Earth, stock markets and currencies joined the space station in freefall and supermarket shelves were soon reflecting the vacuum of space as frenzied buying set in. Humankind, educated by myriad space invasion movies, knew exactly what to do when a real close encounter was about to take place – panic!

««o»»

When the Prime Minister of Great Britain was told about the alien visitor, he was, to use the parlance of the time, absolutely gobsmacked. He'd truly thought the scientists had been dealing with hoaxers.

With a stock market crash in progress, a run on the pound, and panic setting in on the streets, he was rather put out about the aliens. After a few phone calls, it was decided that the American Space Agency should deal with the situation.

Using the same message system, NASA said, 'We're sorry, but Prime Minister Hood is unavailable. I'm from NASA, the space agency, can I deal with your query?'

'The Federation requires you to desist using the QE transmitting device.'

'Please provide a reason,' said NASA

'Each time you send a message using QE transmitters, it produces interference on every other QE device in the galaxy. That is a serious problem for Federation members.'

'Is there a way for us to stop our QE transmitters causing interference?'

'There are Federation protocols and frequencies, with which you would need to be familiar.'

'Please advise us of those protocols and frequencies,' said NASA.

'You would require Federation membership.'

'In that case, can you let us have details of membership and the cost? We know nothing about a Federation, not even its existence until you arrived.'

'I will report back to central administration and they will send an ambassador to speak to you. In the meantime, please do not use the transmitters as they are causing a serious problem to members.'

'I acknowledge your request and will pass it on. Thank you,' said NASA.

Thirty seconds later, the ship vanished as suddenly as it had arrived.

As far as I've been able to ascertain, that's the first documented visit of non-humans to the Earth. Later research showed that there were conspiracy theories about previous alien visitations, but none of them had any conclusive supporting evidence.

©2019 Tony Harmsworth