Posts tagged ‘alien invasion’
MARTIAN REBIRTH, CONTINUED
MARTIAN REBIRTH
Jeff Granger and Tom Nariba, mission specialists and the first men chosen to walk on the surface of Mars, waved to the cheering crowd as they approached the spacecraft that would take them on their journey. Behind them came Bill Griss, copilot, and Donald Summers, mission commander. They would remain in orbit around the red planet, mapping and performing scientific studies while relaying communications to and from Earth of the team on Mars’ surface. The astronauts craned their necks, taking in the massive rocket. The vehicle that would take them on a sojourn that would last eighteen months. The rocket was twice the size of the Saturn V used for the lunar missions. Composed of two stages, the first stage was used for the launch. The second stage would take them to the International Space Station where it would be refueled and the module containing the living quarters and the attached surface vehicle for exploration of the planet was already present. The fact that the booster could refuel at the International Space Station made the trip possible. Once refueled, the booster, along with the attached vehicles, would take them to Mars.
Jeff turned to Tom and said, “I still find it hard to believe we are going to Mars. We hope to answer major questions man has had about the red planet. Was there ever life on Mars? Does life, in some form, still exist?”
Jeff and Tom were in their thirties and entered the astronaut program ten years ago and had extensive training in space travel and more importantly were extremely capable scientists. They were excellent physical specimens, practically guaranteed to remain disease free for the length of the mission. Jeff, with his short-cropped blond hair, startling blue eyes, and athletic build, would not look out of place on a California beach. Tom topped Jeff’s six-foot frame by two inches. His unruly black hair and swarthy complexion hinted at his Arab roots. Both had loner personalities which would benefit them while working independently on the planet’s surface.
The psychological profiles of Bill Griss and Donald Summers were nearly opposite than that of the men going to the planet’s surface. These two were sociable and at ease with company in close places. Bill and Donald were test pilots – flyers. Their ability to make split-second decisions under adverse circumstances was why they were important to the crew. The little science they knew had been spoon-fed to them in preparation for this mission. This mix of personalities on the long journey to Mars and back to Earth was a healthy combination for the mission
The launch from Earth, on their epic voyage, was uneventful and surprisingly on time. Each man experienced a twinge of sadness knowing they would not set foot on Earth for eighteen months. But these feelings faded rapidly, replaced by the excitement of the adventure ahead. Donald Summers surveyed his crew as the bone-jarring launch made communication impossible and thought, We must prove that machines lack the flexibility that the human mind can provide when unforeseen situations occur. That man can digest data to answer questions that cannot be anticipated by robotic sensors. So much depends on the answers we provide.
Docking with the space station went smoothly. They would spend two days there before they made the final leap to Mars. The Mars module had to be thoroughly inspected one final time while their booster was being refueled. Jeff and Tom had practiced this procedure countless times, yet after all the training sessions, this time the procedure felt different. This time it was real.
With all the supplies loaded, they were released from the space station and the booster, along with its human cargo, slowly drifted away. With small positioning thrusts, the booster’s orbit decelerated. Before long the distance between it and the space station was more than one hundred miles. The booster fired signaling the beginning of the longest space journey man had yet to take. Griss was the first to speak as the Earth grew smaller and details blurred, “We’re leaving our comfortable planet to explore a distant world. I wonder what we will find and if we will answer the ultimate question, the possibility of life on Mars.”
The astronauts were kept busy on their trip by a host of experiments to accomplish and observations to make. Their spacecraft contained a refractor telescope for visual observations and an infrared telescope both taking advantage of being far from the Earth’s polluting light. The telescopes would be in constant use. Time flew by during the seven-month long journey to Mars.
Jeff and Tom had their own unique specialties and would spend four months exploring the red planet. Jeff was a biologist, looking for signs of life, including bacteria and viruses, and confirming the presence and the amount of water detected by unmanned probes orbiting the planet. Tom, the geologist, would study rock formations to trace the planet’s history. And with Jeff’s help, he would also drill into the surface for evidence which the presence of fossils might harbor.
One day, when they were halfway to the red planet, Jeff said, “Since I was a kid, I’ve heard about little green men. My favorite movie was ‘War of the Worlds’. Now I’m going there, and I still can’t believe it. The closer we get, the more anxious I am to know if some form of life could be waiting there for us.”
Tom answered, “I’ve been thinking about the prospect of finding life too. It will be a great discovery if we do. But it will also signal the end of our civilization’s conviction that it holds a unique place in a sterile universe. I hope we find some sign of Martian life. But at the same time, I sometimes fear the consequences such a discovery may involve. Would society have difficulty facing the fact that we are not alone.”
The four men were surprised how fast time passed on their journey. While they were conducting their assigned experiments, Mars went from a distant point of light to a discernable disc to a moon-sized sphere, and finally to a new world.
* * *
With the help of the onboard computer, the booster inserted itself into orbit around the red planet, an orbit that would take the craft over a previously discovered ice field. Jeff and Tom prepared to make their momentous journey to the surface. They separated their module from the booster and headed toward Mars. Their module resembled the lunar craft used long ago, but on a much larger scale for this was going to be their living quarters not for days, but for months. The module also contained a lab with many of the instruments normally found in a biology lab but miniaturized. When time came for them to return to the booster, the lower part of the module would remain behind with instrumentation that would continue to monitor the planet’s surface. Their living quarters would rejoin the booster and reattach for the voyage back to Earth.
The touchdown on the Martian surface set both their hearts racing. Each had wondered about the feelings this moment would produce. In the end, pure awe was the product. They viewed the pale red landscape out their window, contrasted against an ebony sky speckled with stars.. Jeff said to Tom, “I know it’s against regulations, but I think we should both take the first steps on to the surface together.” Tom happily agreed.
An hour later, they were suited up and ready to leave the module. As they stepped onto the Martian surface, they said the lines that were practiced for the audience back on Earth. “We bring the presence of mankind to our sister planet Mars. Fiction has dealt with the prospect that this red planet harbors life. We have journeyed to seek the truth behind the fiction.” Once the excitement of their first steps wore off, both men settled down to complete their assigned tasks.
The module had landed on the intended ice field. Tom took core samples and conducted seismic tests to determine the depth of the ice. He found the depth to vary between thirty and fifty feet. He already knew the dimensions of the field from orbiting observations to be hundreds of square miles in area. This would supply an abundant amount of water for future explorations and make possible the establishment of colonies that would serve as a stepping-stone for future space exploration.
Tom examined the Martian ice for signs of life by gently melting a quantity of water, then passing the solution through two filter sizes. The first filter would trap any bacteria present and would be incubated with growth media to see if any colonies would form. He used a microscope to check for the presence of bacteria, but none were present.
The second filter would be used to detect viruses and, if present, would be encouraged to proliferate. During these studies Tom wore a disposable bio suit to protect him from any life form present and worked in a miniature laminar flow hood. He ran test after test yielding no positive results for the presence of bacteria or viruses. He would also harvest water to be returned to Earth.
Jeff spent days roaming the Martian landscape while Tom remained close to the spacecraft. Jeff drove the exploration vehicle to distant geologic formations, taking samples and making measurements. He had never felt such deep peace knowing he was alone exploring the surface of Mars studying, charting and sampling the alien landscape. He found hints of the fossilized existence of life in the past, but detailed analysis back on Earth would be needed for confirmation.
The time to journey back to Earth rapidly approached. The astronauts had spent over three months working extremely hard in their quest to discover life and study the planet. Tom and Jeff were disappointed with their research results. They did not find firm evidence of any present life past or present. Perhaps the samples they were returning with would supply more hopeful results.
Days before their voyage home the crew orbiting Mars ran into their first major problem. The fuel cells’ mechanism used to manufacture water on the orbiter broke down. They would still be able to process their urine into potable water, but their bodies used more water than the processed urine could provide. They would never be able to survive the seven-month journey home on the dwindling water their urine yielded.
Mission control was notified. Jeff and Tom had fuel cells on their module to manufacture water while they were on the planet’s surface. But the part of the craft that contained the fuel cells would remain behind. The solution was obvious, a solution the astronauts had already decided upon but waited to be confirmed. The response from mission control said, “You are sitting on a vast amount of water. Fill the storage tanks on the surface module with filtered water filtered twice, to insure its sterility. That, along with your processed urine should provide enough water for you to return home.”
The Martian water’s pH was tested and found to be basically neutral; water on Earth was slightly acid due to dissolved carbon dioxide. Atomic absorption analysis was also run to discover if there were any dissolved minerals present. The water contained fewer trace minerals than water found on Earth. Later, as a mission control scientist studied the analysis he commented, “The Martian water is purer than what comes out of my faucet. Probably tastes better too.” Tom spent the last days melting and filtering water, then filling all the storage tanks to the brim.
The time came to depart Mars. As the two men watched the red surface recede to a red disc, they felt a twinge of regret. Their capsule successfully coupled with the orbiter that would take them home. As they departed Mars’ orbit Donald Summers said to his crew, “We did not discover any life forms currently present, but our rock samples may uncover the evidence of life in the past. After we return to Earth analysis of the sample we are bringing back may yield evidence of past life.” But each crewmember secretly harbored the fear that Mars was a sterile world. Perhaps mankind was a unique product of fortunate circumstances in an otherwise sterile infinity.
Four months into their return flight they found it necessary to begin consumption of Martian water. Tom was first to taste the water. “Bottoms up,” he said. He took a long drink then said, “This water does have a slight aftertaste, probably due to some dissolved minerals, but I’m sure it’s safe.. Bill responded, “You’re right. But I can tolerate the aftertaste for three months if the alternative is dying of thirst. The four men learned to ignore the strange taste, knowing the water was pure, and looked forward to returning home.
Jeff was the first to notice the beginning of the change. His thick blond hair had begun to thin, in fact, all the hair on his body began to disappear. He took to wearing a baseball cap to hide his change in appearance. One day Tom saw him without his cap and asked, “What the hell is happening to you?” His questions ceased when he found clumps of his own hair in the sink. Soon all four of the astronauts suffered the same malady, complete loss of all hair.
Bill and Donald both had families, which lead them to experience more anxiety than the two single astronauts. Bill said to Donald, “I have no idea what is happening to us. I sometimes try to think of my family but I’m beginning to have trouble.” With a weary look Donald responded, “I am too. I don’t know what’s going on.”
In addition, they experienced a decrease in the musculature of their arms and legs. Their arms and legs lengthened and became exceedingly thin while the little fingers of their hands withered and were lost. Fear of all the changes they had undergone was short lived for their brains were changing as well.
Two months into their journey home all communications with mission control ceased. The minds of the astronauts became confused, unable to focus. They found the words communicated to them from Earth alien but were able to understand the thoughts behind the words. Their thoughts remained bewildered until they crossed some strange boundary in their brains. They were now at peace knowing the mission they were sent to fulfill would be accomplished, but not the mission as planned. The four beings sat perfectly still and studied one another with their huge black eyes. They felt no alarm as their skin turned a grayish hue, and their skulls enlarged to become huge cranial domes.
Back on Earth, Emma Griss and Rhonda Summers, wives of the two astronauts, talked often. During one call, Rhonda told Emma, “It’s been so long since we’ve had any word from mission control. I’m sure there must be some kind of telemetry being received from the spacecraft. I wish they would give us more information.” The two women continued to call each other on a regular basis but their mutual hope was rapidly replaced by fear.
* * *
The space capsule separated from its booster and began its fiery descent to the Pacific Ocean. A fleet of naval ships was on hand for retrieval. Parachutes deployed and the craft landed precisely where intended. The computers had functioned flawlessly. Divers from a hovering helicopter jumped into the water to attach a cable to the capsule which delivered it to a nearby aircraft carrier. A specially trained technician opened the capsule’s hatch. With no word from the crew for so long he feared all he would discover upon opening the capsule would be four corpses. The sight that greeted him shocked and repulsed him. He immediately shouted for aid to remove the four.
* * *
A week after the four astronauts returned to Earth, after the most important space voyage ever accomplished by mankind, the world was still deprived of greeting their heroes. The press clamored for information. Questions ran rampant about the outcome of the expedition.
To alleviate all speculation George Fredrick, head of NASA, arranged a meeting in the building housing the astronauts with members of the media to end all conjecture.
The small auditorium was packed with international press. A remote feed to a larger room in another building held the overflow. The tension was palpable as the NASA head approached the podium.
“Ladies and gentlemen of the press, I have called this meeting to end all speculation as to the outcome of our Martian expedition and to introduce you to our gallant astronauts.
“But before I present them, I would like to say something about the conclusions formed from the samples Jeff and Tom obtained from their exploration of the surface of Mars. After extensive analysis of the samples, it is speculated that there is an extremely strong possibility that a primitive civilization had existed there in the past and was suddenly altered by a factor of unknown origin.”
George Fredrick waited for the uproar of the audience to die down.
“In a sense, from what we can determine, the inhabitants of Mars were manipulated by biological material perhaps journeying from outer space transforming a primitive species into a highly intelligent form of life by infecting the Martian water which changed the Martians into creatures designed by an unknown lifeforce. Analysis of rock samples from Mars indicates that two species of intelligent creatures once existed on Mars. This is, of course, speculation but this theory is the result of bits of fossilized skull fragments. Both skulls indicate, through size and structure, intelligent creatures. However, one was possibly far superior to the other in mental acuity.
“What is fascinating is that, through carbon dating, that the two forms existed together for a very short interval. The transition from one creature to another appears to be remarkably instantaneous. Our astronauts confirm the rapidity of this process
“As you all know, the one major problem experienced on this mission was the breakdown of our water-making capabilities. Because of this, our astronauts were forced to drink filtered, sterilized Martian water. We now know that even though this water was sterile, it was not pure.
“After our astronauts returned, the water was further analyzed. One method used was western blot technology to determine if there were any foreign proteins present. It was found that indeed there were. What we discovered in the Martian water was the presence of prions. These bits of protein, although not alive, can alter living beings. On this planet, prions cause mad cow disease and the human counterpart Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.”
Fredrick next showed a slide of the Martian prion protein structure.
“Prions are virtually indestructible. Surgical instruments used where prions were present were found to still harbor the proteins even after being autoclaved. However, alcohol, which denatures protein, can eliminate them.
“These prions can apparently function as a carrier with transformation capabilities. By a manner not yet understood they can take over the biochemistry of whatever creature consumes them and converts that creature into what can only be called the Martain which existed at the end of intelligent life on the planet. This finding was truly unexpected. These prions were there for a sinister purpose. They harbor the unique property of creating alien creatures from any being that ingests them. They possess the ability to transform contaminated beings into those of the planet from which the prions originated. Our voyage to the red planet may have been the first time it had been visited by sentient life, but prions appeared first. The discovery of these prions demonstrates that there are forces at work in the universe that we can only begin to comprehend.
“One aspect of our astronauts’ return trip was puzzling. Why did they not contact mission control when they noticed the first physical changes? On Earth, prions affect only the brain. It is only conjecture, but we feel that long before any physical manifestations took hold, their brains were first affected. Once they had all ingested the prions, their brains were altered. We feel this protective mechanism prevented communication with any other beings except their fellow aliens. Now that the process is complete, we hope to find a way to communicate with our astronauts.
“Without further delay, I would like to introduce to you Jeff Granger, Tom Nariba, Bill Griss and Donald Summers – Martians.”
The door to the isolation chamber opened and there sat the four Martians with their huge black unblinking eyes. The reporters present reacted with horror and wonder.
With their mission in mind and knowledge provided by the prions, the four former astronauts consumed large amounts of Martian water knowing that their bodies would produce a copious supply of concentrated prions.
The four Martians quietly sat as they read the thoughts of the crowd. Each had in his possession a secreted vial of ‘concentrated Martian water thick with prions to transform the Earth into their home.
THE END
MARTIAN REBIRTH, ANOTHER INVASION ATTEMPT
MARTIAN REBIRTH
The last Martians clung desperately to life, knowing their situation was hopeless. Still, they practiced a truth known throughout the universe; life is precious and vigorously preserve. But their society was doomed. The underground cities they inhabited were littered with corpses. Their scientists had predicted this turn of events, but no one believed it true until it was too late.
* * *
As time passes the atmosphere of Mars began to thin, but since the loss began the Martians inhabited the planet’s core and manufactured their own atmosphere, the population worried little. They had their magnificent oceans on the surface, the source of life-giving power, the declining atmosphere was of little concern.
The scientists tried to explain the impact of the loss of the atmosphere. One prominent scientist addressed the supreme council, “We are safe in our cities, we control most of the aspects of our life – the atmosphere, food production – but we have no control over the oceans on which our lives depend.
“Our atmosphere is slowly thinning, escaping into space. A thousand years from now, the atmosphere will be too thin to support life, but you say, “’We live in the planet’s core and make our atmosphere’, that is correct, but we cannot duplicate the surface water that gives us the unique life which is ours.”
“Our oceans will disappear. With little atmosphere, much of the water will sublime into space. What water remains will freeze. No longer will the streams of life filter from the surface to fill our lakes. We may be able to farm the ice, but we will never be able to supply the vast amount of water our society requires. Understand, we can manufacture water, but it will not have the same life-giving properties which water contained on the surface provides.”
At one time that the most advanced beings on Mars were a primal form of life. But gradually, due to some unknown factor, the Martians changed both physically and mentally resulting in an entirely new society. For newborns this factor was unable to cross the Martian placenta causing the babies of the inhabitants to appear nothing like the adults. But once the babies began nursing and drinking the water, they took on the appearance of their parents.
A thousand years passed; the scientist’s prophecy came to fruition. The oceans began to disappear. The planet cooled, the atmosphere thinned and what remained of the oceans froze. Where once the deafening roar of the water from above filling the lakes below echoed through the interior of the planet, now there was only silence.
Rationing began, but an estimate of approximately one hundred years was given for their society to continue. As the years passed, the lakes grew smaller and smaller. Eventually, they became pools of mud and then parched ground.
The last Martians huddled near what water remained. No one had the strength to venture to the surface and gather what little ice which was still there. They grieved for their magnificent cities; now vast wastelands filled with rotting corpses. All hope for their civilization was lost.
TO BE CONTINUED
ANOTHER INVASION ATTEMPT
MARS TRIES ONCE AGAIN TO INVADE EARTH
My next post will be my short story Martian Rebirth published by Bewildering Stories in 2007 and Books To Go Now in 2011.
In the story Mars is attempting to occupy our planet. But this time the plan is nothing like what was attempted in the past (you understand we are talking fiction, as far as I know).
The method being used is quite unique. It involves neither animal, vegetable nor mineral. And the plan is in no was connected to AI.
This should keep you guessing.
Enjoy the story.
ELMO’S SOJOURN, CHAPTER 12
ELMO’S SOJOURN
CHAPTER 12
ELMO HAS HIS HOMECOMING
The four stayed up late into the night. Rolack described how she was made pregnant three times, felt the joy of motherhood as a new life stirred within her body and was filled with revulsion at the sight of the tiny, winged monster she delivered. She never met any of the women from Earth but had heard talk of them. They had not she learned, survived for very long on Gylex. Because they were physically so much smaller than the women of Roth and Gylex, they often died during pregnancies in which they carried fetuses much larger than an Earth child. Labor and delivery killed the few that survived to term. All that was left were stories and bones scattered among the trash of the prison.
Valmid and Cal could not take their eyes from their daughter, couldn’t believe she was back, and that the planet was safe from more women suffering her fate. Valmid explained to Rolack how Elmo had traveled to Roth and how his visit led to her freedom and that of her companions.
After a while, Valmid and Elmo decided to take a walk and let Cal and Rolack have some of the mother-daughter time they both desperately needed. Valmid sensed also that something troubled Elmo and thought perhaps a stroll in the early morning air would ease his mind and loosen his thoughts.
They walked for a while, enjoying the peaceful countryside. Then Elmo began, “Valmid, before I arrived on your planet, I was a retired scientist just puttering around in my cellar. Then I hit on the concept that brought me here. Back on earth, I have a wife with whom I have spent most of my life. But that life is over, and I can’t return to it. Now, I’m a young man. I have a future again. I cannot go back to Earth and resume my retirement. There is so much I want to learn from you, from your planet. I want Mildred to journey here. She is my life; we share a history. I need her to share my future on Roth. If I cannot convince Mildred to come here, I don’t know what I will do.”
They walked on a while more before Valmid shared his thoughts. “Elmo, your knowledge has already proved indispensable to Roth. Who knows in what ways my planet could benefit from the knowledge you have of Earth? And if there were a problem on Roth that can only be solved by making a trip to Earth, I would find it difficult to blend into the population. I have discussed all this with the elders of the planet, and we all reached the same conclusion: We want you to stay.”
They continued their walk in silence until Elmo asked the question that he had been nagging him whenever he thought of making Roth his home. “Valmid, if Mildred agrees to come here, could she travel through the wormhole that I first used? If she could, we would both be starting a new life on a new planet.”
Valmid considered this, “If she agrees to come here, I see no problem in granting your request. I think we should return to Earth and try to convince Mildred to spend time on Roth.”
ELMO’S SOJOURN, CHAPTER 11
ELMO’S SOJOURN
CHAPTER 11
ELMO’S OFFER IS ACCEPTED
The argument went back and forth between Elmo and Valmid, but Valmid finally succumbed to Elmo’s persistence. “I accept your help my friend. We shall leave when the devices are ready.”
In a few days the six new Freon throwers were ready and tested. Valmid called the five other Rothians to his home. The seven warriors were ready to depart. Elmo noticed that each member of the team carried a pouch in addition to his Freon throwers on their backs. Elmo was also given a pouch.
“We are taking as many time-space machines as we can carry. We have no idea how many women we will be freeing and returning to Roth. I’m afraid there is little hope of rescuing any of the women abducted from Earth, for the abductions ceased there almost sixty years ago, when the Freon level reached intolerable levels for the Gylex monsters.
“Our plan is to journey to Gylex, hopefully arriving at a deserted area. Then we will try to follow the thoughts of the captive women.” All five of the Rothians and Elmo nodded and prepared to leave. Elmo joined Valmid in the center of his machine; the other five occupied two machines facing back-to-back in preparation for a hostile greeting.
In a flash the most dismal landscape imaginable surrounded them, along with four Gylexian monsters. Three were quickly dispatched, surprise being on the side of the Rothians. The fourth began flying away, thanks to the weaker gravity of the planet; Elmo was able to leap high enough to douse the creature and it abruptly fell to the ground.
After the initial excitement, the travelers had a chance to inspect their surroundings. Elmo thought, “If there is a hell, it must look something like this.” The Rothians were unfamiliar with the concept of Elmo’s hell, but they all shuddered at the scene before them. Everything was colored shades of gray and black. The landscape was dotted with miniature volcanoes no more than a few hundred feet high, most in a constant state of eruption that spewed heavy columns of smoke and ash into the air and shed an eerie glow from the magma seeping down their sides. The atmosphere was thick and oppressive. The party had timed their arrival for daytime, but a faint twilight was all that greeted them. The only vegetation visible were huge trees, not unlike those found on Roth. Their trunks disappeared into the unbroken mantle of black clouds that filled the sky; their leaves seeking the life-giving light denied the planet’s surface.
The rescue party could see larger mountains in the distance; their sides honeycombed with openings. Occasionally a winged Gylexian would fly in or out of apertures; these must be their cities.
The six Rothians stood still and quietly concentrated, seeking the thoughts of the women they had come to rescue. It did not take long for them to sense Rothian thoughts and then locate their origin on a distant part of the planet. They set up their time-space machines, again standing back-to-back and ready for an attack. They were sure there must be guards at their destination, and to eliminate them by taking advantage of the element of surprise.
In a flash the seven were standing before a Gylexian hill, somewhat smaller than the hill they first had seen. Perhaps this was the prison where the women were being held. At the same time, they also found themselves standing before five guards armed with weapons resembling crossbows. Before the Rothians could react, one of their parties was shot in the neck and collapsed. Freon spray quickly took care of the guards, but not before they sounded an alarm that brought more guards flying out of the prison, also to fall to the ground as the air filled with Freon. Three of the party, along with Elmo, remained outside to guard against further attacks. Valmid and the remaining member of his group entered the prison to free the women. The sight inside sickened them. Corpses of ten to 15 Rothian women littered the floor of the forbidding structure. As they proceeded farther into the dark, dank hallways they came upon the cells they were seeking. Each cell held two or three women in various stages of pregnancy. As Valmid had anticipated, there were no women from Earth, only women from Roth. Valmid searched wildly from cell to cell looking for his daughter, calling her name, “Rolack, Rolack.” He stopped at the entrance of a cell holding two women, then choked back tears and cried, “Rolack!”
A woman inside stood and cried, “Father!”
Valmid had found his daughter. In short order, the keys to the cells were located and the women released. They made their way out of the prison, the women breathing free air for the first time since their capture. One of the women collapsed by the body of the fallen Rothian, crying for the husband she had not seen for years and who had died trying to rescue her. Valmid ordered everyone to unfurl the time-space machines and, in twos and threes, quickly occupy them. Two Rothians carried the body of their fallen companion to the last machine and gently laid him down. Then Valmid distributed the preset control boxes, and the group disappeared in a series of flashes, bound for Roth.
Once on Roth, the women cried, laughed and even collapsed when united with their families. Those who returned pregnant wanted most to immediately cleanse their bodies of the demon cargo they carried. Valmid, Elmo and Rolack entered their home to find Cal crying out at the sight of her daughter. The three family members hugged and cried while Elmo stood to the side and felt an emptiness he could no longer deny.
ELMO’S SOJOURN, CHAPTER 9
ELMO’S SOJOURN
CHAPTER 9
ELMO RETURNS HOME
Suddenly, Elmo found himself back in his cellar, standing next to Valmid and near his time-space machine. Valmid made a sound that could only be described as a chuckle as he examined Elmo’s machine.
Upstairs, Elmo could hear Mildred in the kitchen. Even though it had only been a few days’ journey, with all he had learned and seen, Elmo felt he had been gone for a very long time. The two travelers slowly made their way up the stairs.
In the kitchen, Mildred was just cleaning up after dinner, washing a cast-iron skillet when she heard someone coming up the cellar stairs. “Elmo’s back,” she said to herself. She couldn’t wait to hear about his adventures and what it was like to travel in space and time. Then she thought, “Wait a minute. I had to control the machine in order for him to return.” With that thought, she clutched the handle of the skillet with two hands ready to battle whoever had broken into the cellar.
As she watched, the door leading to the cellar slowly swung open. Out stepped a young man she did not recognize. She screamed, “Who are you? If you don’t leave right now, this skillet will make a lasting impression on you. Now get!”
The young man just stood there and said, “Mildred, it’s me, Elmo.”
“Who are you trying to kid?” answered Mildred, now studying the stranger more closely. This young man was younger than Elmo had been when she first met him, yet he was starting to look vaguely familiar.
The stranger then said, “It’s me, Doll.” Elmo was the only one who ever called her that. After nearly forty years of marriage, he still called her Doll when they were alone.
After the stranger uttered her nickname, Mildred studied his face more closely as the skillet slipped from her hand and crashed to the floor. “Elmo, it is you. What on earth happened to you?” As she was finishing her question, Valmid appeared, ducking his head through the doorway behind Elmo. That’s when Mildred crashed to the floor.
* * *
When Mildred came to, she was lying on the couch and the new Elmo was dabbing her face with a wet cloth. He explained how he arrived on planet Roth and found that the creature he had transported to Earth was a pet of one of the inhabitants of the planet. He went on to tell her about Valmid and how she would be able to communicate with her new guest. Next, he explained the complexity of time-space travel and the fact that he survives his trip through the wormhole was just dumb luck. Finally, Elmo described the increasing invasions the planet Gylex was mounting on Roth and the information Valmid required to repel the invaders.
“Now prepare yourself, Mildred, while I properly introduce you to Valmid,” he told her. As Elmo said this, Valmid entered the room. He seemed to be studying Mildred and communicated to Elmo, “Your wife is still very disturbed by my presence. Perhaps we should do some research on your computer and gain the knowledge of chlorofluorocarbons and give her time to digest your youthful appearance – and my countenance.”
Elmo gave Mildred’s hand a pat and told her that they were going to his study. He then led Valmid up the stairs. Soon Elmo was punching away at of his keyboard while Valmid shook his head at how such an archaic device held information that might save his planet.
Locating a web site giving the history of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), Elmo began to read. Discovered in 1928, CFCs, a group of chemicals including Freon, had many uses in both industry and the home. The gases were considered harmless. In fact, their inventor, Thomas Midgley, once took in a lungful of one of them to demonstrate its safety and then blew on a candle to show it was nonflammable. After many years of use, CFCs were linked to the destruction of the ozone layer. Their manufacture declined and other gases replaced Freon. Elmo explored further and located the chemical composition of Freon, including the formulation and conditions necessary to produce it.
Valmid was greatly pleased and was sure that the chemists of Roth could manufacture Freon with little trouble, and since he had never had any ill effects before or now from breathing the air, he felt Freon would not harm the inhabitants of Roth. He had accomplished his mission and was anxious to return to his planet and start planning the deterrence of the demons from Gylex. He had other plans to consider, but for now, the welfare of his planet was his prime concern.
Valmid turned to Elmo, and Elmo sensed what he was about to ask, “Now Elmo, what are your plans?” Valmid knew the confusion Elmo was experiencing, torn between his new taste for adventurous space travel and his love for Mildred and the life they had shared for so many years.
Valmid suggested, “Perhaps you and Mildred should spend some time together. I’ll stay here and amuse myself with your computer.”
Elmo made his way down the stairs and found Mildred sitting at the kitchen table. He sat opposite her and extended his hands. They sat there holding hands for a few moments before Mildred spoke. “So many changes, Elmo. I’ve learned to expect the unexpected during my life with you, but never anything like this. You could be my son; you’re so young. And there’s a gray seven-foot alien upstairs waiting to return to his planet. It’s too much to comprehend all at once. Elmo, what are we to do?”
Elmo had given the possibilities a great deal of thought and had formulated a plan. “Dear,” he told her, “I must return with Valmid to see if my theory for repelling the Gylexians is correct. If it is not, he will need my help to investigate the history of Earth and what could generate the mysterious substances needed to return Roth to its former tranquility. The safety of Earth is also at stake. And there is still so much I want to learn about Roth. I may want to stay there for some time. Mildred, once the planet is safe, I want you to travel to Roth with me. For wherever you are, that is where my home is.”
Mildred did not know what to say to this proposition. Elmo seemed so certain, so confident, and her mind was full of so many doubts. They talked for hours, sitting and holding hands at the kitchen table. “Mildred, I left here an old, retired scientist, I returned a young adventurer involved with a planet that needs my help.” Then he told all he knew about Roth. How, even though it was an alien planet, biology and geology were very similar to that of Earth. He struggled to voice his emotions.
“The inhabitants of Roth are different on the outside, but inside they share the same hopes and fears as we, the same love and dreams for the future. Roth is not safe now, but when it is, I’ll be back, and I hope you will return with me to share my adventure.”
“I just don’t know Elmo; I just don’t know.”
Elmo stood, “Think about all I said Mildred. My future is with you, and we can have a future neither one of us had ever dreamed of.”
They could hear Valmid making his way down the stairs. Elmo stood, kissed Mildred, and made his way to the cellar door. Valmid appeared in the kitchen, bowed to Mildred, then made his way down the stairs with Elmo. A few minutes later a blinding flash emanated from the cellar below. Mildred knew she was once again alone.
ELMO’S SOJOURN, CHAPTER 8
ELMO’S SOJOURN
CHAPTER 8
ELMO’S BREAKTHROUGH
Elmo and Valmid sat in the living room as Elmo explained his theory about what could be destroying the demons from Gylex.
“You see Valmid, I racked my brain trying to discover what property of Earth’s atmosphere has changed in the manner you described and yet has gone unnoticed by the population and scientists – something that increased then decreased yet had no effect on life on my planet. I first considered elements of the atmosphere that have changed over the time period you indicated. My planet has seen increases in greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane, but these gases have increased steadily with our increase in population and industry. I next considered another source of gases that periodically enter our atmosphere – volcanoes. Massive amounts of gases composed of sulfur and other elements ring the earth when large eruptions occur. However, volcanic events would cause a random spike rather than a steady increase, and major eruptions have occurred since the earth was an infant.
“Valmid, you describe something, that until eighty years ago did not exist. Then the monsters from Gylex began to die when venturing to Earth. Whatever it was, it reached a plateau and began to disappear. I could not think of any event that impacted our atmosphere under those conditions and with that time frame. I was nearly in a panic, then decided to relax and just let my mind wander and I may have found the explanation.
“My mind wandered from something naturally occurring either through our geology or increase in the Earth’s population, to something man made and occurring during a limited time span. What harmless substance could man have begun manufacturing nearly one hundred years ago, and then suddenly stopped producing? The key, my friend, was that it was not harmless. It was harmless in itself, but reacted with the ozone in our atmosphere increasing the ability of ultraviolet rays to reach the Earth’s surface and cause harm to the population. Valmid, I think the component of Earth’s atmosphere that can destroy these monsters is chlorofluorocarbons.”
Valmid’s brow wrinkled, for he was unfamiliar with this class of chemicals. Elmo explained that these chemicals were used as refrigerants and propellants to disperse material from spray cans.
“Everyone thought these chemicals were harmless but eventually discovered that they were reacting in the upper atmosphere and destroying the Earth’s protective layer of ozone. After this was discovered, chlorofluorocarbons were replaced with other chemicals that are inert, which would explain the decline of this mysterious substance in our atmosphere.” Elmo guessed that there must be something in the makeup of the Gylexian lung that makes breathing chlorofluorocarbons fatal.
Valmid became extremely excited at the prospect of ridding his planet of its plague. “We must produce this chemical immediately!” he said.
“I’m a physicist, not a chemist,” Elmo countered. “The only way I had this information about chlorofluorocarbons was the fact it was common knowledge on Earth due to the ozone layer. I have no idea how to make the stuff.”
“We must obtain the information,” Vlamid responded.
“But where can such information be found on Roth?” Elmo wondered. But before he could complete the thought he had another: “I’m going home.”
“Yes my friend, you’re going home. I’m sure, in time, our chemists could reproduce this chemical, but I am impatient to gain the knowledge needed to formulate these compounds.”
Suddenly Valmid detected that Elmo had some uneasiness about returning to Earth. Valmid quickly added, “We will not use the same wormhole you used to travel to Roth. The wormhole we shall use will have little impact on your age.”
Elmo was relieved to hear his age would not be altered. In fact, he feared that upon his return to Earth his age would revert to that of an old man. He enjoyed being young once again. He thought of all the things he still wanted to do and all that he still wanted to learn.
“You know Elmo, you would have returned to Earth in a day or so if you had been unable to help Roth with its problem. When you first arrived, I intended to keep you here until our problem on Roth was solved. We grew to be friends, and I found that not only were our chemistries similar, but our emotions as well.”
With that, Valmid left the living room and returned with a small plastic case. From the package, he extracted what appeared to be a large piece of black colored foil and spread the foil on the living room floor. It was circular, and about six feet in diameter. Upon close inspection, Elmo could see circuits incorporated in the perimeter of the foil. Valmid smiled, “Elmo, this is my time-space machine. We shall journey to earth and the device will be transported with us, unlike your machine. With this type of device, we can travel to many different destinations in one outing. And because it is so compact, we carry several along in case of an unexpected occurrence. I will use the coordinates for the place from which you left and that is where we shall arrive.” Valmid then left the room.
Elmo was alone with his thoughts. He had experienced so much in so little time, traveled to another planet, and contacted a race of intelligent beings. He studied his surroundings, his thoughts immersed in the unreal aspect of this adventure.
Valmid returned attired in his most regal garments. “Are you ready Elmo?”
Elmo could not believe he was going home. The question that haunted him, which he was unable to answer, was a simple one: Would he stay on Earth? His love for Mildred was strong, but he was now in his thirties and she in her seventies. And after his brief stay on Roth, would he ever be satisfied spending the rest of his life on Earth and never again exploring a distant planet. These complex issues filled Elmo’s brain as he stepped into the foil circle with Valmid, who was holding a small control device for his machine. He entered the proper coordinates, pushed a button and Elmo’s world went blank.
ELMO’S SOJOURN, CHAPTER 6
ELMO’S SOJOURN
CHAPTER 6
REVELATIONS FROM VALMID
Valmid invited Elmo to walk with him and discover the beauty of Roth. As they opened the door, the dingo plants were pulling back their last extended strands of nighttime growth. The sky, colored the deepest lavender Elmo had ever seen, was dotted with fluffy clouds of lemon yellow. This world was so different yet so beautiful. Elmo sniffed the air and detected the salty tang of the ocean. Valmid nodded yes. “We are near the sea.”
A path from the house led to a slight rise. As they set out Valmid shortened his stride, enabling Elmo to stay by his side. Zytex followed them, his roving eye taking in the sights of the home he had almost lost. They passed other Rothians along their climb up the rise. Valmid greeted them with his whining turbine voice and nodded to Elmo, appearing to tell the other aliens something of him. As soon as Valmid finished, Elmo noticed relief in the faces of the others. Once they had climbed to the top of the rise, the beauty of the seascape below struck Elmo with peaceful thoughts of home. An expanse of ocean, deep blue, stretched into infinity, the water turning shades of turquoise and green close to shore. “At least,” Elmo thought, “the ocean looks like home.”
A few solitary islands broke the horizon and alien pleasure craft dotted the surface, accompanied by an occasional sail billowing in the wind. The beach was the darkest black Elmo had ever seen. He thought there might be black sand on Earth, but he had never seen a beach this color. The scene was beautiful, with sights both familiar and entirely new, enhanced by aliens from another world enjoying a peaceful day by the ocean.
Elmo’s day was spent observing what life was like on planet Roth. The streets were mostly deserted except for the occasional Rothian car zipping by and the high-pitched whine of the Rothians greeting one another. Would he ever grow accustomed to that sound? Elmo spent a pleasant day with Valmid, walking and discussing Earth and Roth, the similarities and differences between the two planets. Zytex was never far behind, although he would sometimes stray. Valmid would then shout to him and grin as Zytex’s eye looked skyward and his small arms shot up as if to say, “Who me?”
As they walked the streets, Elmo noticed that a few structures similar to Valmid’s home seemed deserted. Just as on Earth, when a caring hand does not tend the property, it shows.
Valmid’s mind blanked as they passed these abandoned dwellings, as if there was something about the properties he wished to conceal. Elmo enjoyed being with Valmid, felt he could trust him, but at the same time felt there was something Valmid was hiding. But there was so much for Elmo to learn and experience in such a short period of time that the thought of some secret being kept drifted to the back of his mind.
The day went by rapidly for Elmo on this new world. The clouds took on a hint of emerald as the two followed by Zytex, headed home. Approaching the house, Valmid screeched a greeting to Cal standing in the doorway.
Elmo sat down to another Rothian meal of unfamiliar but tasty food. He wondered what type of animal and plant life he was consuming – there was still so much he wanted to learn of this planet. While Valmid and Elmo were gone, Cal had programmed the computer to display various scenes of Roth on the wall mounting, and as each scene was displayed either Valmid or Cal provided a narration. Elmo saw vast canyons and spectacular mountain ranges. He considered the differences between the inhabitants of Earth and Roth but acknowledged that the biology was basically the same. Now he realized that along with the biology, the geology of Roth must also roughly correspond to that of Earth.
The three talked late into the night, the only real sound the occasional report of the dingo plants as some small critter trespassed near the house. The fullness of the day and the quantity of information Elmo had absorbed took its toll and he began nodding off. He bid his friends goodnight and bounced up stairs that made him feel as if he were a toddler. Upon entering the bedroom, he was pleased to see the bed turned down and his pajamas laid out. Soon he was under the covers and fast asleep. But his rest did not last long. Howling and screeching pierced the night accompanied by the shrill voices of Valmid and Cal. Another sound accompanied all this turmoil, a metallic noise that rang throughout the house. Elmo soon discovered the source of the clanking as thick sheets of metal slid over his windows, leaving him sitting in total darkness, unable to imagine what was happening.
Elmo stumbled from his room into the hallway, only to encounter Valmid and Cal in an extreme state of distress. He noticed perspiration on Valmid’s brow. Since Elmo arrived on Roth Valmid had exhibited such a serene, calming countenance that to see him upset made Elmo’s uneasiness grow even deeper. He followed Valmid and Cal downstairs, and shortly they were all sitting around the kitchen table with mugs of a warm beverage resembling tea before them.
Valmid gazed at Elmo. “There is something I have been keeping from you my friend,” he said. “Something that threatens this planet and might once again threaten Earth. What you heard tonight was the alarm sounded by the dingo plants to an invasion by the inhabitants of the planet Gylex, a distant planet revolving around a star in much the same way Roth and Earth do. The inhabitants of Gylex have also discovered the secret of time-space travel, but their intentions are most nefarious.”
“You see,” he continued, “our homes are not surrounded by dingo plants to prevent crime – there is little crime on Roth. Rather, these plants surround our homes to sound the alarm if invaders from Gylex are nearby. We do not fully understand the relationship between the dingo plants and these beings, but when a Gylexan is in the vicinity of a dingo plant, the plants emit a piercing scream. We propagate these plants to warn us of invasion. We have cameras mounted outside the house to record these intrusions. Let us see if they recorded anything tonight.”
They all went into the living room and sat facing one of the wall hangings. Valmid pushed buttons on a remote and the pleasant scenes of the planet Roth were replaced by the view from the house. While doing this, he told Elmo, “In the short time you have been with us, I feel I have gotten to know you. You have experienced so much since you arrived. I was going to wait until tomorrow to tell you how you could be of benefit to my planet. Now I will show you.”
WORKS BASED ON THE NOVEL
THE WAR OF THE WORLDS
As I have mentioned in previous posts my interest in alien life, apparently looking at the vast amount of material generated by interest in H. G. Wells’ novel, The War of the Worlds, I am not alone.
Here is a partial list of efforts based on the novel.
Theatrical (movies) 3
Direct to video 7
Television productions 8
Radio productions 17
The first being the famous radio adaptation by Orson Wells.
Music productions 7
Comic books 12
There are also ten other various types of efforts related to the novel
Here is a link for a more detailed list.
List of works based on The War of the Worlds – Wikipedia
In a future post I will discuss the discovery of the possibility of alien life in our solar system.
THE WAR OF THE WORLDS
COMPARING THE 2005 MOVIE TO THE NOVEL
CONTINUED
With all my misgivings about the 2005 movie concerning the invasion from Mars, of the two movies, 1953 and 2005, the 2005 version most closely follows H. G. Wells’ novel.
Once the machines emerge from underground an EMP (Electro Magnetic Pulse) disables all electronic devices. The machines also do this in the 1953 movie. I don’t think Wells knew anything about the effect of an EMP.
The machines are tripods which are the type of machine also in the novel.
Both movies differ from the book because the machines are protected by a shield whereas the machines in the novel can be destroyed. Also, in the movies the invasion encompasses the entire world, in the movie only England is involved.
In the 2005 movie and the novel the machines cultivate a red vine which engulfs the entire area. The vines are grown using human blood which the Martians also use for nourishment. In the novel autopsies are performed on Martians and it is discovered that they lack a digestive system.
And finally, in both movies and the novel the Martians meet their demise through disease caused by bacteria to which they have no resistance. Wells speculated that there are no diseases caused by bacteria on Mars.
Here is a link to a discussion of the 2005 movie.
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