The call, when it came, pulled me out of bed in the early hours of the morning. My voice raspy with the sleep that every fibre in my body still needed, but the urgency in the voice on the other end of the line forced me into the realm of the living, as I scurried to grab a pair of trousers and a shirt, not quite caring enough at this hour to notice that I grabbed my husband’s sweatshirt, which was a size or two too big for my small frame. I tied back my hair and hoped whatever make up was left on my face from last night was enough to at least look somewhat presentable .. To the extend that was possible at least, at 4 at night.

The details were limited, I was given an address and the heated chatter of my conversational partner along with a room full of men and women all trying to talk over one another about their newfound predicament, and the threat that they were now challenged with. The implications, they said. It was the new word of the day for the 10 minutes I spent having instructions barked at me, implications. They never told me what the implications actually were, but I could tell they were concerned, as I drove over to the address I had been given, half clutching onto the quick cup of coffee my adoring husband made for me, in an effort to at least get me here safely.

“Holy sh-“ My words were cut short by the firm tap on the window as I struggled to not throw my coffee through the car in fright. With my heart hammering in my chest I rolled down my window and flashed a sleepy smile, and was met with the glaring light of a flash light as I was asked by the military officer what my reason for being here was. I flashed him my credentials, and he exchanged quick words with his superior before motioning that I could continue.

I parked my car, and with my identification in hand, made my way to the group of familiar faces that had all huddled around the same person giving the brief. “What’d I miss?” I took a sip of my coffee as I asked my coworker the question, who turned to look at me in disbelief, as though wondering how I was able to miss that enormous space shuttle that had landed in the corn fields. I tried my best to stifle my laughter, but failed miserably and snorted into my coffee. Our supervisor cleared his throat, and I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment and amusement at many more faces of utter confusion as to why I could laugh so easily, in what could be considered one of the most historical days of their lives.

I lifted my hand in apologies, and took another sip of my coffee, hoping to push the attention away from me and back to the brief. The instructions were simple.

The sympathetic whims of a man who had been studying extra terrestrial life all his life turned so easily. From the way he spoke with adoration and hopefulness, to the sharp warnings to remain armed and expect hostility. Two very contradicting set of instructions, but no one questioned it. Why would they, it was a strange phenomenon after all, and they were never handled with care, only with caution and the ability to strike first, should they need it.

But then humans were known for rich enough fantasies to will their wildest imaginations to life, and yet when they were faced with the opportunity, they would rather hold onto the arrogance to think that they were alone in this universe.

But they were never alone, and this was not the first ship to crash, the first crash happened well over 30 years ago.

But I never got this much attention when I came here.