If Aliens Met Humans by Samuel Masten - HTML preview

CHAPTER SEVEN

The discovery of the pencil sent a wave of quiet excitement through the Xylan world. The idea that they were not alone in the universe was something they had often wondered about, but now they had proof. This simple object, this pencil, was a greeting from a distant, unknown neighbor. The Elders knew that they had to respond. They felt it was their duty to let the senders know their message had been received.

They began by studying the pencil itself, seeing it as the first part of the message. They understood that the sharp point was used for making marks, for writing or drawing. They saw it as a tool of creation, a symbol of intelligence and art. This told them that the beings who sent it were likely creative and thoughtful. They were not warriors, but artists or thinkers.

The Elders decided that they must send a message back. But what should they say? And how should they say it? They wanted their message to be one of peace and friendship. They wanted to invite the senders to meet them, to share their knowledge and their cultures. It was a momentous decision, one that would affect the future of their entire civilization.

The biggest challenge was the language. The senders of the pencil had not included a dictionary or a guide. The pencil was their only clue. But the Xylans had technology that was far beyond what the humans of 2025 could have imagined. They had devices that could analyze patterns and decipher information from the smallest of clues. They turned their attention to the pencil itself.

On the side of the yellow pencil, written in small, black letters, were the words: "USA Gold No. 2." To a human, this was just the brand and type of pencil. To the advanced Xylan computers, it was a code. It was a tiny scrap of a language. Using this small clue, their powerful computers began to search the cosmic background radiation, looking for radio and television waves that had been traveling through space for a hundred years, originating from the pencil's home.

It was a difficult task, like finding a single grain of sand on a vast beach. But after weeks of searching, they found it. Faint, ghostly signals from a small, blue planet a hundred light-years away. They found old television shows, radio broadcasts, and early internet data. They absorbed a century of human culture, language, and history. They learned to speak and write in English.

The Elders were now ready to write their reply. They chose a simple piece of paper, made from the fibers of a Xylan plant. Using a device that could replicate handwriting, they crafted a short and simple note. They wanted to be clear and direct, but also friendly and mysterious. They wanted to inspire curiosity, just as the pencil had done for them.

The note they wrote was simple. It said: "We received your message. The universe is not as empty as it seems. We would like to meet the artists who sent this gift. Tell us where to find you." They felt this was the perfect reply. It was a direct answer to the question the pencil had asked, and it was an open invitation.

They carefully folded the note and attached it to the outside of the pencil's protective tube with a piece of strong, sticky sap from a Xylan tree. They did not want to put the note inside, as they wanted the senders to see it immediately. The message was ready. The pencil, which had traveled so far to reach them, was about to begin its journey home.

Now, they had to figure out how to send it back. A hundred-year journey was too long to wait for a reply. The Elders conferred, their minds working together in a way that humans could not understand. They decided to use a technology they rarely used, a technology that could bend space and time. They would send the pencil back the same way it came, but much, much faster.