บท 72: The First Contact
The next morning:
POV Tia:
A youthful blonde girl sat on the bench, the tall tree behind her casting its shade over her. Her mind was calm as the gentle breeze played with her long tresses. She has fully relaxed in the small park filled with greenery, benches, and even a small pond before her, the light reflecting in its calm waters.
As she sat there, her legs crossed and showcased by her short lilac sundress, a flurry of thoughts raced through her mind.
'Will they fall for this? Will they try to use force against me?' Her plan was risky, more akin to a gamble, but the potential risk was worth the potential payoff.
She could have tried to slowly build her presence from the shadows, collect talents, and raise the needed capital, but that would take far too many visits and time.
'In the worst case, I will ditch this vessel. I doubt they will go for the kill; at worst, they will try to capture me alive.'
Gradually, she noticed that the park was emptying out, the laughter of children was thinning, and the chatting groups were dispersing until she was virtually alone in the park. The natural sounds of the place, like the whisper of the wind and the occasional bird call, became more pronounced in the absence of human activity.
'It must be them.'
Then, the tranquility was interrupted as men dressed in black suits and black sunglasses began to appear. They moved quietly, slowly occupying positions in the park but keeping a considerable distance from her—their faces serious and their posture alert.
'They are here, and they are not shooting at me.' A gentle smile appeared on Tia's lips as she relaxingly stretched her feet and arms.
The steps came from her side as three figures walked down the pathway, heading straight toward her: a young woman with a determined yet kind expression; a middle-aged man adorned in an evidently expensive suit radiating authority; and another agent in a black suit.
POV President Non:
The wooden double doors of a conference room burst open with a creak as a silver-haired man in his fifties, President Non, stormed in, the weary and irritable expression on his face exacerbating the evident lines of stress, age, and lack of sleep. His suit, usually pristine, was now creased and bore signs of hastiness in dressing up.
A sizable oval table served as the room's focal point, and shadowy figures sitting in high-backed chairs half-hidden in the gloomy, atmospheric lighting surrounded it.
Their occupants immediately stood up, their hurried assembly evident from their concerned and anxious expressions.
"Please tell me that it isn't a war." He spoke, feeling like something big must have happened.
Without missing a beat, Professor Valk, an elderly man in a white scientist coat, erupted from his seat, a whirlwind of disarray with a stained coat and dilated pupils fueled by frantic energy.
He yelled, "Aliens, President Non! We were contacted by real aliens, and they wish to cooperate with our state!"
'Is this some kind of welcome joke for the new presidents?!'
The room turned electric with tension as Non's anger flared. "A joke? At this hour?! You dragged me here for a prank?!" His voice thundered in the room, echoing his disbelief and frustration at the perceived unprofessionalism before him.
Valk, however, stepped even closer, yelling like a madman with saliva flying out of his mouth, "No! There are real aliens, and they want to cooperate with our state!"
Non retreated, the expression of disgust vivid on his face, his mind filled with skepticism as he was on the brink of calling security on the seemingly deranged professor.
However, before he could, a secretary, carrying herself with a composed and firm demeanor, stepped forward, holding a tablet. Dressed in a smart skirt suit, she raised the device to reveal the picture of a small, circular, glowing reactor, a piece of technology that seemed almost otherworldly.
"What is that?" Non was a politician, not an engineer, and his head hurt just from speaking with those nerds.
She spoke with clarity and professionalism, which made him nod in approval. "Sir, this is a working miniature fusion reactor obtained from them. It embodies technology decades, if not centuries, ahead of anything we have."
The room fell into stunned silence, each individual transfixed by the glowing image displayed on the tablet. Non's boiling anger simmered down, replaced by a deep-seated curiosity as he processed the ground-breaking revelation now unfolding before him.
With a hesitant voice yet tinged with a hopeful undertone, he inquired, "This isn't some magic gimmick, is it?"
An excited Professor Valk jumped in before anyone else could respond, his voice vibrating with an almost deranged fervor: "No, absolutely not! It's pure science with no magic radiation, a marvel beyond our current understanding, but science nonetheless!" He assured, almost hopping on the spot.
'Why are the smartest people so often the weirdest?'
Sitting down, a variety of emotions played across Non's face as he assimilated the enormity of the situation. He breathed deeply, steadying himself before forging ahead, his voice taking on a newfound gravitas. "What do they want with us?"
"We dispatched a team to retrieve them from the meeting spot, sir. We are yet to establish their full intentions," the secretary replied, her calm voice a steadying force amidst the whirlpool of heightened emotions engulfing the room.
As Non leaned back in his chair, the weight of the emerging reality bore heavily on his shoulders. 'This is a monumental moment for humanity; I must lead with foresight and strength.'
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