Two days later, 6:20 am…
“We will remain until today, this is our final warning.”
The mystical-sounding voice wakes Phrixus from a bewildering dream, and then his mother knocks on the door.
“Alejandro we are almost done, dress up and come get your breakfast.”
“It’s just another day at boot camp…” mumbles Phrixus under his breath.
Getting his clothes he heads down to the kitchen to have his food with his parents and sister.
“Have you wondered how we came to this decision? I called my contacts and they told me everything about how things are there. They are not doing any sort of weird experiments or anything out of the ordinary but instead, they are providing medical care to people, very advanced care, and it’s also free,” says his father, before trailing off but he continues. “An acquaintance of mine told me how he no longer has allergic reactions when he eats peanuts, it was a shocker for him, he explained how they applied some kind of immunotherapy to him and he feels good as new.”
“So they are noble ones?” says Phrixus.
“As they told me, yes… I always believed if intelligent alien life existed they would only want to kill us or something.”
“I’ve heard many rumors about people that have been completely cured of cancer, HIV, diabetes, and even neurodegenerative diseases, it impresses me how marvelous their medicine is,” says his mother.
“Sounds like a good ploy to sway us to their side,” says his sister.
“Better than what is coming to us in the next years if we remain here,” says Phrixus.
“Most of our friends and acquaintances are going to the ship, once we are done here we’ll leave at once.” says his father.
***
In three cars Phrixus’s family travel to the nearest alien spacecraft. It doesn’t take long to notice it by its sheer size, many abandoned vehicles are littered everywhere.
“This is the closest I can get to the alien ship, there are too many cars and motorcycles blocking the way. We’ll have to carry our things, it’s not far from here,” says Phrixus’s father.
They get out of their transports and start to haul their baggage. They see many people of different backgrounds sharing the route: young, old, kids, poor, wealthy, the sick… convinced of a new future ahead and desiring to take a sip of their all-curing balm. It takes some minutes of walking to reach the alien ship and take their place in one of the many lines, which goes at a steady speed. In the meantime, Phrixus observes the aliens’ robotic sentries guarding the area. They have an alluring and fearsome design, it looks like they don’t have any visible weapons, possibly they are concealed inside the frame. Taking another glance he has a clear view of how the alien visitors look, they are a bit slim but fit at the same time and a bit taller than the average human, four fingers on their hands, and a sturdy-looking tail. They are covered head to toe in some kind of garment-armor suit, possibly to allow them to breathe and protect them from the elements of Earth. Their visage is left to mystery since their heads are completely covered with a mask and helmet. Some of them are wielding a kind of remarkable quarterstaff whose head has three spikes and in the center, there is a small strange vortex of fluctuating energy. Its purpose seems to be a melee weapon, but judging by its impressive technology that is a short-sighted thought. Perhaps the most unexpected fact is the female ones are shaped like human women. Reaching the end of the line they are attended by one of the visitors.
“Fifteen members of the same family?” says the alien attender, the voice is not strange as they had expected, a bit off but nothing weird.
“Yes, we come together,” says Phrixus’s father.
The attender processes the information on an unusual looking tablet, then he addresses them. “Place your hand in the panel, once done one of our assistants in the main hall inside will give you further instructions. Also, you must put your possessions onto the conveyor.”
Complying with the order, Phrixus’s father places his right hand on the strange panel while the rest of the family place the luggage on the conveyor belt. After a few seconds it makes a confirming sound.
“Your pets will need to be moved to our animal enclosure to be properly taken care of. Thank you, you may pass.”
Without wasting time they move forward to the colossal ship, a few steps ahead they arrive inside. The place is surely extraordinary: a combination of exotic and curious designs represent the architecture of the spacecraft: the overall style is abstract, enigmatic, but in a nebulous way, it resembles mankind’s ancient cultures and empires, although they can’t pinpoint which one. M-Nevertheless it is not excessively strange but retains its unique qualities. They take a position in another line where attendants are handing people some sort of cards, the row goes at a steady rate as usual until they reach another attendant.
“Welcome, since you are fifteen members you will be assigned to four different rooms.” She places four keycards at the counter. “Using them on the elevators will take you to the correct floor, once you are through you have to go to our learning chambers to be taught about our language, the process is quick and it will be important in the future.”
“Understood, where we can find it?” says Phrixus’s father.
“It is located in a different section of the vessel, first you should go to your quarters to retrieve your belongings, then an Artificial Intelligence will guide you. Also, please note some of your large baggage is safely stored in our storehouses, you will be able to retrieve them once we reach our destination.”
“Very well.” He picks up the cards and hands them over to the rest of the family.
Once done they leave the line and search for anything resembling an elevator. It doesn’t take a moment to notice a column of the previously mentioned lifts where people enter and leave quickly. As they get closer they inspect the panel, besides the calling button there is a wide slot and a symbol below that indicates the insertion of a card, introducing it calls the elevator which comes at a surprising speed. The doors open and they get inside, there is enough space for maybe fifty people. The doors close and the elevator takes them above, they feel how fast it is, which is confirmed as they reach their destination in just four seconds. Now they are in a corridor with many doors.
“This is like… some sort of spaceship-hotel?” says Phrixus.
“The card says it is, not literally but it has marked the number of our room, it is just right there,” says Phrixus’s father.
The family splits up and go to their respective rooms. Once they get inside they take a look around. The room resembles a simple cabin of a cruise ship, four modest but comfy bunk beds and a desk with a chair. Besides a temperature control module and a bathroom there are no luxurious amenities inside. Their baggage is there already, as they had been told to pack their clothes and personal items in smaller bags.
“It seems everything is in order here, where do we find the Artificial-Something that should guide us?” says Phrixus’s father.
“I think this button here should do,” says Phrixus’s sister.
Pressing a button located next to the desk causes a very small disc-shaped widget to appear below a section of the wall. It materializes a holographic robotic-like orb with an “eye” that looks at them, then a computerized voice addresses them.
“Greetings, I am the assistant, A-107, in charge of helping you and answering your questions regarding your stay. Since you are new here I will guide you to the schooling chambers to learn the official and widely used language of the alliance.”
“Alliance? You mean… there are more aliens out there?” says Phrixus.
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
“Certainly, three more species are integrating the federation, thus the necessity of learning the standard-issue language to enable proper communication.”
“In that case… lead the way,” says Phrixus’s father.
“Excellent, please follow me.”
A-107 shows them the many facilities of the ship to get familiarized with as well as pointing out the other services it offers, such as a canteen, a very large area that acts as a meeting place where the ceiling overlooks the sky and of course, the most sought service, the medical complex. Just as the tour finishes they arrive at the learning chambers.
“We have arrived at our destination, any questions before you proceed?”
“Umm yes, how is the process of learning exactly?” says Phrixus’s sister.
“You will be placed under an intricate cognitive process called ‘Knowledge Assimilation’ which allows you to learn the language in five minutes, it is painless and grants complete fluency, take a seat in one of the armchairs to begin the process.”
They notice the people leaving the chamber seem happy with the experience. If what A-107 says is true it’s better than learning the “old-school” way. Following its instructions they enter inside the facility, it looks like a movie theater but the seats are weird-looking armchairs. Where the headrest should be is some kind of undecipherable hardware, nevertheless, many people are having the procedure and leaving satisfied. Before doing anything Phrixus talks to one person who finished his session.
“Excuse me, I’d like to know how the learning course was, was it good or there is a moment of discomfort?” inquired Phrixus
He says a short sentence that sounds like gibberish, but then he speaks Spanish afterwards. “Pleasant and enlightening my friend, there is no weird mind control or anything like that. I was unsure too, but nothing bad happened, it may be questionable at first but once you go through you’ll be thankful,” he says, taking his leave.
They think about it for some seconds, but they agree to carry out the procedure.
“Let’s get this over with,” says Phrixus.
They take a seat while staying next to each other and try to relax, at first it seems nothing is happening but they begin to feel a strange sensation behind their minds, like a plug is trying to connect to their brains. Some seconds later they perceive how the information is being poured into their memories: symbols, words, pronunciation, everything is going in fast forward but they are grasping it. As A-107 said, the process lasted for five minutes and then ended instantly. They get up from the seats and are a bit dizzy but the sensation fades in a moment.
“That was… curious,” says Phrixus’s sister.
“Now I can make sense of those odd letters I’ve seen before,” says Phrixus’s father.
“Learning a language in just five minutes… that’d explain how they know ours,” says Phrixus, he recalls what the person whom he spoke to for a moment before said: “This is magical!”
Finishing their business here, they leave to meet again with A-107.
“Wonderful, you have completed the language learning process successfully, I have already shown you the rest of the ship and you are free to use our facilities until we reach our destination. If you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to call me, and enjoy your stay,” says the assistant in the alien language. The hologram disintegrates and the disc-shaped computer returns to where it came from.
“I want to sleep a bit, after that learning experience. Later we should go to the canteen,” says Phrixus’s mother.
“I’ll go to the meeting place to try and find Roberth or Valeria, I’ll return later,” says Phrixus.
***
37 minutes later…
The meeting place looks like a plaza, most of the people usually gather in this area and it is very spacious. He tries to calls Roberth and Valeria via smartphone but it seems there is no signal inside the alien ship. Without much choice he starts to look over the crowd of people in hopes of finding them.
“Don’t tell me they didn’t board…” mumbles Phrixus under his breath.
“Your instructors haven’t told you to watch your six?” says a familiar voice, spoken in the alien language.
Turning around he finds Valeria along with Roberth, relief washes over him.
“You goddamn… and I thought you got left behind,” says Phrixus.
“We came very early, I thought they’d leave soon,” says Valeria.
“They will remain here until tonight, I can’t believe there are so many people here and the lines outside are getting slim,” says Roberth.
“Do you know anybody else here?” says Phrixus.
“Before I came here I called our friends and some acquaintances and they told me they went to other ships.”
“Good to know they covered enough ground, now it’s a just matter of…” Phrixus is suddenly interrupted by someone accidentally bumping into him. He quickly regains his composure.
“Oops, I’m sorry I’m sorry, I-I getting used to seeing things with my new eyes.” This was a young but enthusiastic teen, maybe fifteen years old.
“New eyes? Did you go to surgery or something?” says Phrixus.
“Yeah.” He chuckles a bit. “I used to be near-blind, it has been like that since I was born, but the alien guys, they… they cured me!” he says with ecstasy.
“How so?”
“As soon as my parents knew there was medical service here they took me there. They did some tests and after that I got… how it was called? Robotic… no no, ‘vonik…’ B-Bionic! They gave me bionic eyes and I can see everything clearly. I feel a bit woozy right now but they say it should pass in some hours, in any case, believe them, they do miracles!” Someone calls him and he turns back. “I have to go, trust me if you have an illness they will take care of you, completely free.” he says, heading back to his parents.
“Bionic eyes… What is ‘bionic’ exactly?” Valeria says.
“Cybernetic augmentations...” says Phrixus, a bit distracted by the thought of it.
“Like, having a robotic arm prosthesis? Honestly, I don’t like the idea at all, unless you *really* need it.”
“I can see the advantages,” Roberth says. “No doubt.”
“Don’t even think of chopping off your perfectly healthy limbs for a metallic one,” Valeria frowns.
“I didn’t say I need better ones.” He laughs. “But on a serious note, I’m just getting more impressed by the technological level of these guys,” says Phrixus.
“Absolutely… also, I can’t help but notice something eerie but not bad, as I stepped inside this ship I feel like a sense of calmness, like you don’t want to act aggressive or violent,” says Roberth.
“I sense it too, it is artificial and I could decipher a bit of it, it’s like some sort of crowd control system I’d say,” says Phrixus.
“To prevent any unnecessary agitation?” says Valeria.
“Definitely, to be sure to make the travel as smooth as possible.”
“I have no objections to that,” Roberth says.
***
Later… 12:49 pm…
Phrixus’s family gather to have lunch. They don’t know what exactly is being served, but they haven’t heard a single complaint about the food, so whatever are they providing must be decent. After minutes of walking they arrive in the ship’s canteen, it resembles a shopping mall food court. The smell is neutral but the closest comparison would be like being in a sterile room, like a medical office. There are many tables with seats in a very large area and the food vendors are self-serving systems that allow people to get their meal. A glance at others’ dishes reveals a greenish goo-like substance accompanied by a cup of water. Just looking at it, it’s hard to believe it’s not disgusting, but the person eating it seems to be really enjoying it as Phrixus discreetly hears some people commenting how good the food is, apparently appearances can be deceiving. Getting close to one of the vendors he sees they are attended by an Artificial Intelligence, a holographic orb similar to A-107.
“Welcome to the canteen, please pick a food tray and utensils to dispense your meal, if you have questions please don’t hesitate to ask,” says the AI.
“What is the food exactly?” Phrixus asks.
“It is a nutrient paste consisting of a single-celled protein with synthetic amino acids, vitamins and minerals to completely nourish the human body, it can treat malnutrition and restore health for those who were subjected to poor diets.”
“How much can we eat?” says Phrixus’s father.
“As much as you want.”
“Well I’m sold, let’s see how good that jelly is.”
Everybody picks a tray and gets a meal. They sit down at a large table, so far no one has taken the first bite.
Phrixus’s father is the first one to make the move, and sampling a small chunk he gives a satisfied nod. “This tastes darn good, you should try it.”
The rest of the family starts to eat and agree with him, the flavor is hard to describe but has a sweet and pleasant taste. As soon as it started they quickly finish their meal, some of them going for a second round while the rest head to their rooms to rest.
***
12:41 am…
With no more people in the lines outside, the alien ship prepares to take off. Once the personnel outside embarks the vessel it begins to depart. A number of people stand watching the scene from a massive window in the plaza, they observe as the land they knew starts to recede slowly until they contemplate their shattered world. From outer space they see the Earth’s continents with jagged burning lines sprawling in all directions and few red-orange spots in some places that could mean the eruption of volcanoes, signaling the beginning of an era of natural disasters. It is a haunting view beneath. To the side of the Earth is Apophis, it looks a little charred and dimly glowing, slain by the other alien visitors, its lifeless carcass accompanies the dying planet, both outcomes caused by using an unknown weapon. The spectators notice not hundreds, but many thousands of alien ships coming out from the planet. They start to join and take their place in a massive fleet of ships varied in sizes. The people on board observe as one by one they start to “propel” themselves forward at light speed and disappear in the blink of the eye. In just one second what they see in the window shifts to a blurred pattern of movement of stars.
Their journey has begun…
***
1:47 am…
Phrixus is beholding the endless horizon of outer space in the meeting plaza, lost in thought while he studies every celestial body, alien planet, and anomaly that grabs his attention during the trek. A familiar presence comes next to him.
“Can’t sleep. How about you?” Roberth says.
“Is not because of anxiety, but excitement...” Phrixus says.
“A new start and a place we can call home?”
“Not only that.” He gestures to the window, motioning to the space. “Look at that boundless infinity ahead of us, calling to be explored, and now we have our chance…”
“Heh, I hear you, I once thought space tourism would be feasible in one hundred years or more, you never know what unexpected spins the wheel of life will make, I wonder… What’s the first thing you’ll do once you are settled?”
“Get my star pilot license. Got my priorities straight.”
He chuckles. “Sure you do, I can’t help but think what awaits us soon, and of course our place in the galaxy, now that we know that we are not alone.”
“Let’s wait and see what happens…”