This World

This World

Henry Crane sat patiently beside his co-worker in an affluent antechamber. He occasionally glanced up at the impressive door and the nameplate – Secretary of Defense - Robert A. Bullard. The busy receptionist had looked their way three times and smiled during the twenty-six minute wait. Henry rehearsed in his mind how he would speak with the dynamic Secretary of Defense. There were so many scenarios he had not yet picked a particular one. After waiting forty-three minutes, the door opened and they were invited in.

"Good afternoon gentlemen", said Bullard, "I do apologize for the delay. Now, how may I help you?"

“Mr. Secretary”, Henry began. “I’m… ah... I’m Henry Crane a sup... ah ... a supervisor and this is my colleague Mr. Kale… ah... Alvin Kale. We are from the cryptographic section over in Building C. After eight years, Mr. Kale, a cryptanalyst, made a breakthrough on the Vincent Project. I looked through the records for a priority designation before coming here, but found none. When in doubt, err on the side of caution. We immediately brought this decryption for your review.”

"Creepy as hell", Kale interjected.

“Mr. Crane, Mr. Kale please have a seat and explain”, Bullard moved to the huge leather office chair behind his desk and sat down. “The eight year old Vincent Project? That was a bit before my time, and I haven’t been briefed on any such project. You will need to enlighten me; it may be under a different name now.”

Henry made a small nod toward Alvin. “Well, Mr. Secretary, the Project is in fact eleven years old. The science gurus knew it was a damn sophisticated device, but it was three years before they discovered there was an encryption. Those scientific boys also said it was not made on this world. I thought it was bullsh… ah… I thought their lab equipment needed recalibrating until I broke the encryption, and now, I don’t sleep well at night. What is this damn device? I think we're being visited by fu... ah... by aliens. Like I said, it’s creepy as hell… ah… excuse me Sir, I tend to get a little carried away.”

The Secretary, now intrigued, leaned forward slightly, “How did this 'Vincent Project' come about?”

Alvin continued, “The device was being used as a key fob by a murder victim, Manfred Vincent. He was killed by a street gang in Chicago. The poor bastard was in the wrong place at the wrong time it appears. The strange unidentifiable key fob got passed up to more and more creditable labs until the military got their hands on it and sent it over to Building C.”

Alvin opened a folder and removed a single sheet of paper. “Mr. Secretary, this is a partial translation. Mr. Crane and I read this four or five times and have come to our own conclusions. I’m sure you will be doing the same. Please note, question marks have been inserted for undecipherable symbols, and the number system is not base 10, we don't know what it is. Notes have been inserted in parentheses per our conclusions.”



Cryptographic Section

Pentagon, Building C

RSAES-PKCS7-v8_5 page 1 of 1

A. Kale - Cryptanalyst





{{size:4.5}size:3}LK?61??4? 3of9? (believed to be the designation for our solar system – 3rd planet of 9)



Vo?813?e7913? (Voe for simplicity – presumed to be the intruders name)



Summary ?317

Supplementary facets shall follow



Upon this world Voe has placed himself. Voe reassembled his shape to bear a resemblance to the highest order of infestation (human). Upon this world, Voe will move among these creatures and observe. Prelude data indicates this dominant species has two of the three attributes that could eventually evolve into advance or even supreme mentality. Voe observes the next step for this species to be hindered by the tendency toward violence and war. This element could present Voe with potential risk. These creatures have an arrogant and aggressive nature that could lead to their self inflected demise. The greatest advancements of these creatures have been instruments to kill and destroy others of their kind. Voe must emphasize the fact that this order of animal is capable of total war and destruction of all life upon this world. Voe speculates this species will eradicate its self before evolving into a higher order and recommends these primitives be left to their own progression without interference.

Primitive attempts have been made to lift probes from this world and travel to other orbitals (planets) of this star. Voe has observed the primitive liquid propelled projectiles that reach escape velocity and obtain a low ??7? orbit. Voe speculates very little shall be obtained with this approach. The folding of space?time is not within the concepts of this world. It exists somewhere in their far distant future ?? if they have one.

Voe observes the two attributes for evolutionary advancement to be 'dreams' and the 'retention of knowledge gained' (written records). The third attribute of 'compassion' is subdued by their arrogant and aggressive nature.





LK?61??4? 3of9?

Vo?813?e7913?







“Mr. Kale”, said Bullard, “I must agree… 'creepy as hell' is very definitive.”