« But this is terrible ! » said the Supreme Scientist.
« Surely there is something we can do ! »
« Yes, Your Cognizance, but it will be extremely difficult. The planet is more than five hundred light-years away, and it is very hard to maintain contact. However, we believe we can establish a bridgehead. Unfortunately, that is not the only problem. So far, we have been quite unable to communicate with these beings. Their telepathic powers are exceedingly rudimentary – perhaps even nonexistent. And if we cannot talk to them, there is no way in which we can help. »
There was a long mental silence while the Supreme Scientist analysed the situation and arrived, as he always did, at the correct answer.
« Any intelligent race must have some telepathic individuals, » he mused. « We must send out hundred of observers, tuned to catch the first hint of spray thought. When you find a single responsive mind, concentrate all your efforts upon it. We must get our message through. »
« Very good, Your Cognizance. It shall be done. »
Two years later, the observers and the contact of Supreme Scientist, the Supreme Thinker, arrived on the other planet. The contact of the Cognizance concentrated and started to communicate with his superior.
« Your Cognizance, we have just landed on the planet, we have used the new light-ship. »
« We must find a person with telepathic powers, » the Supreme Scientist said.
« Yes, Your Cognizance, we have started our quest but the population is angry about our coming here. »
« It is normal, we must be monsters for them and so, they are frightened. They are « human », which is a good point, you must not miss this mission, it is essential for us, for our History… our culture. »
« Your Cognizance, we will not miss this quest, we will find the person who can help us. »
« I know that, but when ? »
With these words, the two men interrupted the telepathic contact and the right arm of the Supreme Scientist told the observers not to stop the search.
Some time after, an observer went to say to the ear of the Supreme Thinker that they had spotted a person who could be the object of their coming.
« Very good, if it’s him, we are saved ! Go and seek him immediately, the operation must start as soon as possible ! »
Some observers went to the land of the planet where the person with telepathic powers was. As soon as they came back with the object of their coming there, the leader of that mission contacted the Supreme Scientist.
« Your Cognizance, we have found the person that we were seeking ! »
« Perfect, our civilisation will not sink into oblivion ! » the Supreme Scientist said in an easy tone then he went on : « Now, we should begin the transfer. »
« Well done Your Cognizance! However the person will surely be reluctant because he has never used his telepathic powers, » the right-hand man of the Supreme Scientist said.
« Damned, I had forgotten that – this population is really primitive… »
« Yes, Your Cognizance, more than we have been thinking ! »
« It’s really… annoying, because time is flying ! »
« I know, Your Cognizance. I will try to sort things out quickly. »
« I know you will, » the Supreme Scientist said in a confident tone.
They had broken their telepathic contact and the Supreme Thinker looked at the landscape of the planet.
« We will give some data, more than data in fact, a heritage of our world, of our planet, of our civilisation even though we don’t know them. This war has transformed our humanity, our curiosity is vanishing. It’s very ironical, we have discovered two other races which have been named after stars, Mirach and the one which is called… » he looked at his sky chart and he looked for the name of this planet.
« That’s it : Rigel from the Orion constellation. A scientific name which is of the utmost interest for us these days. It is really pathetic coming from us, the values of the humankind are no longer what they used to be. »
At this moment, an observer arrived next to him and said : « Your Considerance, would you like to see the person that we have found ? »
« Yes, of course, I’m on my way, » he said.
« Very good, Your Considerance, we will be waiting for you. »
After a minute of reflection, the leader came close to the individual who could live up to their expectation. He started to observe his eyes. This person was smaller than a human but he had got four limbs : two arms and two legs. The Supreme Thinker noticed the similarity of this creature to the human race.
« Well, I’ll try to make him speak, » the Supreme Thinker said.
« Your Considerance, we are ready to begin, » an observer said.
The leader, imposing in this preconceived room, approached him.
« Be careful, Your Considerance, he must be dangerous, » the observer said.
« I know and at this moment, he should be asking himself the same question as we are : are they hostile ? »
« Certainly not, this race is too primitive for us. He’s a retarded person ! »
« Speak more wisely and more politely, will you? »
« Of course, Your Considerance, excuse me. »
« They may be more human than we are, » the Supreme Thinker was thoughtful and he added : « Well, we are starting this operation now. »
Some scientists put electrodes under the skin of the metahuman. After some growl and some abrupt movement, he calmed down and at this same moment, some indications appeared in the different monitors of control which were in this place.
« We are not hostile towards you, » the Supreme Thinker said to him slowly.
The latter opened his mouth and seemed to pronounce some words but that remained inaudible and so incomprehensible for the humans.
« What’s happened ? » the leader said to the scientists with anxiety.
« I don’ know, it seems that we can’t hear him, his vocal frequency must be different from our audible frequencies, it’s really boring… Your Considerance, » the observer asserted while looking at the Supreme Thinker.
« I see… » he answered while looking at the metahuman with a frown.
All the scientists of the room hastened around the computers and for a long time they sought a solution to display the sounds he had made.
« It’s our last hope ! » the Supreme Thinker said slowly.
« Your Considerance, good news: we have now a visual representation of his tones of voice, » a scientist said.
« Well done! » he said and he looked at the monitors.
« Your Considerance, did you look at that ? » an observer asked.
« Yes, it’s incredible, can you see all the tones he spoke in? » the Supreme Scientist asked completely amazed.
« Your Considerance, perhaps the technologies of this race are not advanced, but the language of this person is really very developed. This race is broad-minded. »
« That event is unexpected, the transfer will begin soon. I’ll be back and during my absence, keep an eye on him, » the Supreme Thinker said as he was leaving the room.
« Your Cognizance ? » the Supreme Thinker asked.
« Yes ? What’s the matter ? » the Supreme Scientist asked.
« We think that this race is not so much primary than we asserted. The tones employed by the creature are really developed even if we cannot hear what he said. »
« Ok, that is good because the attack is imminent. Could we begin the transfer now ? »
« If you want, Your Cognizance. But, after that, will we have time to come back? » the Supreme Thinker wondered as he was entering the room.
« Sorry, but I cannot give you an answer. »
« Your Cognizance, the subject is ready to begin the operation »
« Well, let’s go and to prevent any trouble, I will break the telepathic connection between us. »
« There is no problem Your Cognizance. We trust in you. »
The Supreme Thinker looked at the scene and more particularly the metahuman. And suddenly, this latter reacted abruptly as he received an electric shock. During a few minutes, he waited motionless then he seemed to come back to reality and he looked at the people who were around him.
« Are we finished. » the Supreme Thinker asked.
« Yes, it is finished, » the metahuman answered with a perfect accent.
« It’s impossible ! » he asserted with amazement.
« I’m speaking with you by telepathy. The Supreme Scientist gave me telepathy techniques and as it is only thoughts which are exchanged, you are forced to create a voice for me, the most appropriate voice. »
« That is correct. I would have liked to speak with you more, but we are running out of time as you should know. »
« I know and I understand that reaction of yours. The knowledge of humanity is thorough and extended. »
The Supreme Thinker and the observers broke camp. They went on board the light-ship quickly and left the planet.
Two years later, they arrived in the vicinity of the Earth. A catastrophic disaster appeared to their eyes. The aliens were around their blue planet. The attack had already begun.
« Oh, no ! This must be a nightmare! Our mission has failed, » he said astoundingly while looking at the Earth. Their blue planet had turned into a grey planet because it seemed that the aliens had transformed the atmosphere. It was now an uncoloured planet covered with a veil of fog that prevented the sun from beaming. « The inhabitants are probably dead, » the Supreme Thinker murmured to himself and he said to the pilot : « Engage the self-destruction please ! »
« Your Considerance ! » the pilot said totally taken aback.
« Is there anything else we can do now ? » the Supreme Thinker asked and he went on, « Nothing! And the only part of humanity which will remain is the third race. Particularly the person who knows all about us and perhaps even more. »
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