Physics and Astronomy Building, UCLA

9:27 AM

“Your media has their facts wrong from what I could gather, but the rest sounds truthful,” Xi’Tra said. She wrote a few notes while glancing back and forth at the device’s monitor.

“They like to twist the truth a bit for ratings,” Chad added.

“Your network is riddled with inconsistent data it seems.” She sounded exhausted, but it noted Chad she experienced similar journalism hurdles.

Since the interview started, he spoke a few words. Xi’Tra worked off the device most of the time. Later, Chad’s shyness and nervousness of the alien subsided. He hoped he gave enough information, and wondered how accurate the device was. He thought of something private and blushed, but the device did not ding like normal.

“In the RNN we call it a capitol offensive,” Xi’Tra said. “Tabloids are forbidden, yet your culture lets them thrive. Anyway, back to the discovery. So if it weren’t for your argument with Maggie and the telescope incident, Asteroid Helen would’ve been found by someone else.”

Chad looked down, catching himself twiddling his thumbs. “Sort of.”

“But why not name it Asteroid Fipps?”

Chad stopped his thumbs. “It kind of defaulted to Maggie publicity wise. I got the credit, still. Sort of. Come on, Asteroid Fipps sounds comical.”

Xi’Tra turned curious. “Sort of? So there’s more to the reputation?”

“Hang on,” Jano said. “You said you read the discovery articles. How much do you know?”

Xi’Tra partially closed her notebook. “Well. On my way here, I skimmed through two years of articles once my translation program started working, and sift through the irrelevant ones. Asteroid Helen was discovered, confirmed with space and astronomy institutions, double and triple checked the non-threatening trajectory at that time, went public, and the next two years trying to disprove the Mayan calendar’s coincidental date to the closest the asteroid would be passing by Terra Firma. Until the end of course. I assume there was compensation?”

“That was complicated,” Chad said, but his tail twitched remembering the public outcry against him and Maggie. He blinked then looked behind him. He was so nervous that the chairs now accommodated holes for terran tails.

Xi’Tra hinting the asteroid strike caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand up.

“First, when we disclosed the findings, everybody went for that Mayan calendar stuff. That calendar never tracked leap years or daylight savings time so that calendar’s cycle date happened years before. The hard facts passed through people’s heads like air,” Chad added.

“I guess humans believe what they want to believe and defend them.” Xi’Tra made a few notes on human listening habits, written in symbols Chad had difficulty memorizing. “Anything else?”

“What?”

“Mr. Fipps, you said sort of twice a minute ago. There’s more to this I reckon. Being that I just met you, something has been troubling you. Maybe it’s why you and Dr. Helen disappeared besides public ridicule. Am I right?”

Chad’s toes curled in his shoes, as did his tail. Then his ears dropped. “Right.” He looked toward Jano; the blue jay nodded. “There was someone.”

“Someone? Who?”

Chad shook his head. “He came to us with an offer. Scared me half to death that day.”

Xi’Tra leaned forward, pen ready.

----------------------------------------

Astronomy and Physics Building, UCLA

October 24, 2010

1:17 PM

We had to narrow down as many obvious questions before we went public. We flew back to UCLA on a private jet, jet lagged to hell, staying as quiet and secretive as possible of the discovery before going public. Not even a social media message.

We got back to Maggie’s private office, untouched since we left. I dropped my bags and plowed right into the old leather couch she inherited from her former professor.

“Where’s my spot?” Maggie said closing the door. I whined, but moved so she could sit. “I hate flying. No airsickness pill can help my stomach.” She spent half the time puking in the jet’s bathroom. It’s one of two issues she has—airsickness and seeing blood. I don’t get airsickness, but I hate long flights too.

“Check the email. Anything new from Keck?” She asked.

I pulled my smartphone from my pocket and scanned my email. “One. NASA said that Hubble is taking more surface images.”

“I told them to focus on trajectory not geography. What’s taking them so long?”

“I don’t know. Too freaked out like us maybe.” I set my phone on the couch. “I hope Professor Wilkins is here to help with the reporters.”

“Him and the faculty. He’ll be pissed if we don’t call him.” From LAX to the university we spoke to no one, except a couple hellos to familiar people on campus.

“Relax, it’s covered,” said a woman.

That voice forced Maggie and me to hold our breath. We looked toward Maggie’s desk. A lone woman in a black pant suit with blonde hair tied behind her head sat in Maggie’s office chair. She had a cold star in her eyes toward me.

I’ve seen enough movies to poke me she was government material. We did not see her when we came in. And if I remember, the door was locked ever since.

“Afternoon,” she said with one creepy smile.

Maggie yelped in fear. A black agent was by the door. He locked it with the deadbolt while aiming his gun at Maggie.

“Hey, hey, don’t shoot!!” I yelled.

The man laughed. “Yeah, you wish,” he said. “Don’t move or I will.”

I never felt fear like that, ever. He was a hair away from killing us.

The man was hairless except his black eyebrows. His body was that of those Marine recruiters on campus every now and then. I was certain he had no humility or care about us.

Maggie started to cry. “Please, don’t shoot. What do you want?”

“Nothing, Dr. Helen, just your cooperation,” the unknown woman said. “Follow what we say and you’ll live. Understand?” Her voice held seriousness in it.

I got closer to Maggie so she did not jump up and make the agent pull the trigger. “Yes, yes, we understand, just stop pointing that gun at us!”

The woman nodded. “And no yelling,” she said. The black man holstered his pistol. “As far as you two aware of, we three are not here.”

“Three?” I asked.

“Yes. General Griffon. He wants to speak with you about your recent discovery.”

I gulped, as did Maggie.

She talked into her sleeve, “All clear, sir.”

The black man unlocked the door and opened it. An older gentleman came in wearing the same clothes as the other two. Same build as the black guy, but his hair was grey and balding at the crown. His hands were behind him as he gazed over a photograph of Maggie and her late father on her desk. Somehow I felt a certain authority in the office, a leveled look in his eyes, but the kind to make me want to run screaming for my life.

“Dr. Maggie Helen,” he began. “And Chad Fipps. Both from this university. Partners in Project Starscape. I assume you know why we’re here.” He turned, staring down at us.

“Like what?” I asked.

“Y-Yeah, I have a class to teach in a few minutes,” Maggie said.

Look, fear was making both of us come up with white lies, even though they knew somehow. Stupid. Give us a break.

Griffon smirked but was not amused. “Don’t take us as fools. We’re here about the asteroid.”

So much for that.

“How did you know? Everything we sent was encrypted,” Maggie asked.

“We’re the government. We know almost anything.” The smile Griffon made gave me the creeps. “We know that NASA is conducting secret observations with Hubble. We know about your instant demand for a jet plan from Hawaii to Los Angeles. And we know about the conversation and every other hour of airsickness Maggie was susceptible to. Agent Bane, the folder, please.”

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

The blonde agent stood and handed Griffon a manila envelope from the desk.

Griffon shuffled through the papers and showed us a photograph shockingly similar to what Maggie took. “Was this taken with the Keck II telescope, the same telescope you were stationed at two days ago?

We did not answer. We were too scared even.

“Taken at 12:10 at night, the very night you two were arguing about Helen’s letter. Is it true that the following morning you, Dr. Helen, talked with Mr. Fipps sharing your discovery, and inform NASA under a non-disclosure agreement with several of your close colleagues in Houston to conduct trajectory calculations and high-definition photographs?”

“How the flying hell did you find that out?” Maggie asked. “We talked to nobody else besides my colleagues and the observatory. How the fuck did you hear the fight? This is invasion of privacy, sir.”

“Assuming that the U.S. government has no hold on the observatory is atrocious. This is about national security, miss,” Griffon said. “I care for my country. It’s citizens.”

“We’re not jeopardizing anything, sir,” Chad said.

“You are not, not now at least.” He placed the photo back in the folder.

“Well it sounds like we’re in trouble. Believe us, we don’t want to cause panic.”

“When it does go public and cause riots all over the globe, and it sure will,” Griffon said setting the folder on the table then sit on the edge. “But I’m not here to scare you two and loose your trust, me and my agents came to help you.”

Another chill went through me. Not that I expected Griffon’s gratitude, but a darker one. I either felt confused or glad, but really, that man was not right at all. Do military officials give chills to people?

“What?” Maggie asked first.

“The truth is,” Griffon said with his hands folded behind him, “is that we have been watching the asteroid too. For the past week really.” Maggie and me caught each other’s shocked expressions. “And to assure you two, it’s not a threat. Certainly no thanks to your colleagues, Dr. Helen.”

“Wait, they told you first?”

“Not face-to-face or phone. We fund NASA, remember? We told them to pass the information to us before you and focus on geography.”

“With persuasion,” the black agent said in a deep voice. I could imagine what she did, she seemed like the one to do it.

“It’s just a pass by. It’s sheer coincidence that the closest it would be falls on a particular date, but that can wait for later.”

“Then why?” I said leaning forward, but pushed back catching the black agent’s flinch. “Why haven’t you gone forward?”

Maggie gulped. “You wanted it found.”

“And deductive reasoning prevails,” Bane said.

“Don’t be snarky, agent,” Griffon said. “Yes. It’s true. We wanted anybody to find it. Amateur or professional. Would you accept that the government came forward with this information? Panic would set in and our civilization would crumble despite the distrust on Capitol Hill. Probably the whole world. A neutral, public figure is needed. It may be cruel and unusual but it has to be since the president is a major hot topic in the news.”

“I see,” Maggie said nodding.

“But what about the gun?” I added. “This is not calming us.”

“Sorry about the brute attack. We wanted to make sure you weren’t going to snitch behind our backs, or me personally, Mr. Fipps. If you announce your findings without ever mentioning us, we can offer protection, if you accept it of course,” Griffon said. “I assume others will come after you, like those conspiracy nuts. They always want some excuse to hate the government. Pesky people.”

“Oh,” Maggie said with distaste. “Look I dealt with closed-minded people before, but I’m not liking any of this. You give us protection if anything happens to us once we go public, and in turn we what exactly?”

“Never mention me or my agents, keep talking about the asteroid and be the spokesperson of the asteroid. Satisfied, miss?”

I could have sworn Griffon sneered with teeth for a split second.

----------------------------------------

“He mentioned other things like our past. Me with my degree and my family, but mostly Maggie’s career. How she wanted something more after the Board put her down. That general…he had a way of making us believe. He convinced us to take the credit.”

Chad sighed after remembering that meeting. “Like bait to a…” He then looked up, and shuttered.

Xi’Tra stopped writing. Chad noticed a certain look from the alien, of realization, as her lizard eyes were bigger than normal.

“Griffon,” Xi’Tra said. “The General Griffon.”

“Hang on, you know him?” Chad asked with uncertainty.

“No. I have no intention nor ambition to meet that murderer,” Xi’Tra answered. “Mr. Fipps, this is extremely important. You two are the fifth and sixth people to meet that man and his so called agents in person. This tells us more that he was involved more than we realize.”

“Murderer? What do you mean?”

“He’s a wanted man of your planet, Mr. Fipps, including the Republic. Everybody is looking for him, including Jaruka.”

“But why? He ruined our lives.” He abrupt outburst was uncontrollable.

“Not only you two.” Xi’Tra blinked. “He’s responsible for imprisoning hundreds of terrans during the Marshal Law containment protocol and slaughtered a significant number of soldiers from Jaruka Teal’s battlegroup. His actions almost caused a cross-world war with the Republic by a hair. And who or what he is is…”

“I get it, miss, he’s evil.” Chad could feel his temper rising, and a slight shimmer of blue on his arms. “But why are you concerned about Griffon? I thought this interview was about Maggie?”

“It is, trust me,” Xi’Tra cleared. “But what you said is proof enough that his reach in human affairs is deep.”

“How deep?” Chad wished he did not ask that question.

“He conducted the country’s containment protocol across the country while in Nevada, controlled the former Secretary of Defense, and during Jaruka Teal’s rescue from Groom Lake, he himself, probably not confirmed just yet, enthralled human zombies took over the world for ten minutes before they turned normal, except for the United States, while terrans were captured and killed over religious persecution just like the Utah Genocide but we’re not sure if Griffon did that or not. The same time you, Dr. Helen, and two other partners disappeared. And to make things difficult, he was not a formal general of the U.S. Military and deemed a terrorist. Mr. Fipps please tell me more about him. There has to be more times you met him.”

“Ms. Zader Khu,” Jano said over Xi’Tra, flying in front of her in panic. “This interview is over, Chad is charged.”

“Charged?” Xi’Tra was confused, at first, but took another look at Chad. “Oh dear. I screwed up didn’t I?”

The former astronomer did not move, but his arms were shaking and flexing on his lap, ready to punch something. His arms were burning with Greek tattoos, from his fingertips to his neck. Some light seeped through his shirt. Charged mana started soaking his shirt, but not dissolving the fabric.

“Mr. Fipps, you alright? Are you having a memory loop? Those are rare with this technology.”

Chad was clenching his teeth as he spoke. “Utah,” he said. “What happened in Utah?”

“I’m not following, AH!”

Chad slammed his hands on the table, jumping the device. “What happened? Is my family safe?”

Xi’Tra yelped from Chad’s forwardness, but she understood well. “I thought they told you about the genocide?”

“Answer the question! How’s Mom and Dad!?”

Xi’Tra’s notebook fell off her lap. “They’re fine from what I know. Mr. Fipps, it was huge. A massacre in the desert. Nearly every terran was killed before the missile stri—”

Chad took off and threw the halo off his head, letting it roll and fall on the floor. He ran for the break room door.

“Mr. Fipps, wait, we’re not done!” Xi’Tra yelled.

“Chad calm down before you do something rash,” Jano yelled while flying to him, but Chad was beyond listening as his thoughts about his family were the only thing that drove him.

Chad yanked the doors open. Dunkan and Jaruka were still by the window. Dunkan cursed and pulled his pistol out. Jaruka sidestepped a few feet away from the agent.

“Tell me everything,” Chad demanded. Jano landed on his shoulder, but his words failed to reach his rational mind.

“Mr. Fipps, not now. Stop charging up, get back in there and finish your interview,” Dunkan ordered. “I mean it. Power down, idiot, before I take you down.”

“Not until you tell me the truth.” His magic made the floor shutter.

“Better do what he says, Ralph,” Jaruka muttered.

Chad walked saying, “Tell me, Dunkan, is my family safe? What is this genocide the alien mentioned?”

“Ah, shit,” Dunkan shook his head. “That woman sure has a loose mouth. Look, it’s a need to know basis. We made a deal to talk before you read anymore news.” The pistol was aimed a little higher.

“You said they were fine. Is that the truth? Are they hurt? I need to know!” Some tattoos grew up his neck. His eyes had a small flicker or blue amongst the distrust against Dunkan.

One short release made the floor shake again. The surge cracked the windows without shattering them. Jaruka was ready, but backed away in case they broke any further, but Dunkan’s sidearm was raised shoulder level at Chad’s chest.

Jaruka sighed. “Damn, a quaker.”

“Mr. Fipps, power down and put your hands behind your head,” Dunkan yelled.

Just like the day they found me, he thought.

Chad’s tattoos glowed. He thought about a force push through the window. He was afraid of agents, but now he hated them. One nearly killed him and his friends, and this one was keeping him from the truth. Why do they ruin people’s lives? Why?

“Ralph, up high!”

Chad was about to release more magic when Jaruka came in front of Chad, then punched Dunkan square in the jaw.

The agent fell, his sidearm slipping from his hands and onto the floor. Jaruka picked it up then disarmed it to two separate pieces in a second. Then he turned to Chad and grabbed but his shoulders.

“Eyes on mine, kid, and keep looking,” Jaruka said. Chad had no second thoughts but did as told. He saw deep into Jaruka’s eyes. They revealed no hate, but the kind of look of certainty, that he did not want to have a bad day.

“Do not loose yourself in your emotions, kid,” he said. “Take control of yourself. Let the magic dissolve. Do it now.”

Chad was taken by the act that his tattoos disappeared within seconds. He then realized he held his breath the whole time. Short breaths later, his senses came back. Looking into Jaruka’s eyes calmed him down. Was there any chance his eyes made him calm down instead of his routine? Jano was even speechless.

“Good, kid,” Jaruka said letting go. “You’ll do just fine.” He smiled, then it went away when Dunkan cussed.

Dunkan was on the floor rubbing his jaw. “The fuck was that, Teal? You should’ve punched him not me.”

“Mitigation,” he said looking down at him. “Magic folk are much different than non-magic meat bags. Newbies need to be guided, not shot. Get yourself an education, you were about to let him collapse the building. I don’t want to know what happens if he dies mid-charge.”

“He is a loose cannon,” Ralph defended while standing back up. “I was threatened you oaf.”

“Telling the truth would stop it.”

Dunkan rubbed his cheek, already showing a bruise. “What you did is inexcusable, Teal.”

“If you or any government agent attacks me, you know, but I still have full rights to beat your asses. Get it over with or I swear I will make you drink this gin and make you never smell the opposite sex again.”

Xi’Tra came to the doors. “Is he alright?”

“He’ll live.”

Dunkan’s cheek started to swell. He rolled his eyes and adjusted his jacket. “Just so you know, alien,” he said, “hitting a government official is a huge offense.” He picked up his pistol’s pieces. “If those spires weren’t orbiting Earth right now, I’d be beating you in an underground bunker right now.”

“I have friends to back me up,” Jaruka said.

“Fine. You tell him.”

“Good. Go patrol something.” Jaruka flapped his hand to shoe Dunkan away.

The agent walked off.

Jaruka shook his head. “Government agents. You know, if Porter didn’t have to spend time with his family right now, Dunkan wouldn’t have that shiner.”

Chad let out a high pitched sound, like he was attempting to laugh.

“Alright, let’s get things straight,” Jaruka started, staring down at Chad. “Yes, your family is safe and sound. I overheard Dunkan telling them the news about you and said that you’d call. When was…I don’t know. After the interview. My mind is a fog right now.”

“You drank all of that gin?” Xi’Tra asked from the doors.

“Not all of it, Xi’Tra.” Jaruka said while showing the flask. “I’m saving the rest for later.”

“I question your habits, sir,” Jano said.

Jaruka grumbled under his breath something Chad could not understand. His alien language?

“Let’s get inside. Dunkan is looking at me like a creeper,” Jaruka said.

The aliens, Chad and Jano went back into the break room and closed the door.

At the hallway’s corner, Dunkan watched them to that point. His gun was disarmed, but was impossible to put back together as some parts were bent. “Fucking aliens,” he said. “You’ll get yours soon.”