“And how would you think a reasonable man should act?”
“I think,” said Porter, “that a reasonable man might attempt to achieve some sort of reasonable communication. On a very limited basis, more than likely. But once that sort of limited communication was achieved, we could go on to something else. I think that you have forced me to over-extend myself. I have nothing on which I can base an official answer to such a question. The matter has not even been discussed. To my knowledge, at least.”
“You realize, of course,” said ABC, “that if this should be the case—that here we have contact with another intelligence from somewhere in the galaxy—this might be the most significant event in all of human history?”
“Personally, I do realize this,” said Porter. “Again, I am not reflecting official thinking. As I told you, the matter has not been extensively discussed. Our assessment of the situation has not advanced to that point.”
“We appreciate that, Dave,” said ABC. “We’re only asking questions that must occur to many other people.”
“Thank you,” Porter said.
“To come to more practical matters,” said the Baltimore Sun. “Can you tell us what the administration’s next step might be?”
“I imagine it might be observation. During the next twenty-four hours or so we’ll be putting in as many qualified observers as we can. Many of them will probably be scientists drawn from many parts of the country. Not only men who are associated with the government. Other than that, I would think we would be guided by events. I doubt if anyone can foretell what may happen next.”
“Returning again to the new orbit in space,” said the Detroit News, “could it be possible that the large mass that has been sighted may be no more than a collection of space junk? We have a lot of stuff up there. Could it somehow have pulled together by some sort of mutual attraction?”
“That’s a possible explanation,” said Porter. “I know nothing of physics. I can’t tell you if that would be possible. The question has not been raised. The space agency might have some thoughts on it.”
“Could we send someone up to have a close look at it? Has that been considered?”
“I doubt it has as yet been considered. It’s possible that one of the shuttles on the space station might be sent out. Certainly the capability to do so does exist. That is a matter of future consideration.”
“If it should be established that we are being visited by someone from the galaxy,” said CBS, “would you have some comment on what might be the impact on us . . . on the human race? The realization that there is someone out there.”
“The impact, undoubtedly, would be significant,” said Porter, “but I’m in no position to comment. A sociologist might have some answers for you.
“Mr. Secretary,” said the New York Times, “we thank you for seeing us at such a late hour. You, of course, will keep in touch.”
“At all times, Mr. Smith,” said Porter.
He watched the press file out. Marcia got up from her desk and came over to stand beside him.
“I think it went rather well,” she said.
“This time they weren’t out for blood,” said Porter. “This business may get political later, but so far it hasn’t. It’s too new to be political. Give the boys up on the Hill a few days and it will be.”
He went to his desk and sat down, watching Marcia get ready to leave and finally go.
The place was quiet. Somewhere, some distance off, a phone was ringing and someone was walking, the footsteps sounding hollow in the distant corridor.
He lifted the phone and dialed. Alice answered.
“I thought you might call,” she said. “I was sitting by the phone. How did it go?”
“Not bad. They didn’t chew me up.
“Poor Dave,” she said.
“It’s all right. I asked for it. I take the money.”
“You never asked for it.”
“Well, maybe not, but I jumped at the chance to take the job.”
“Any chance of you running out here? I’d have a drink waiting.”
“Afraid not, Alice. I better stay where I can be reached. For a while at least.”
“All right, then. Later. Wait a minute. Daddy is signaling frantically. He wants to talk to you.”
“Put the senator on. I’m always glad of the opportunity to talk with him.”
“Good night, dear. Here’s Daddy.”
The senator’s voice boomed in his ear. “Dave, what’s going on down there? TV is full of it, but hell, they don’t know what’s going on. No one seems to know what’s going on. Is there anything to this business of our being visited?”
“We don’t know any more about it than the T\J people do,” said Porter. “One new piece of news. Our trackers have picked up something new in orbit.”
Swiftly he told the senator about the new object.
The senator said, “Maybe there’s something to it, then. Not like the movies and the TV represent it in their silly shows. No little men so far.”
“No little men,” said Porter. “We’ll have to get used to the idea that, if anyone is there, they might not be men.
“If there is anyone.
“That’s right.”
“Us Americans jump to conclusions,” said the senator. “We have too much imagination and too little sense.”
“So far, the country’s taken it well. No hysteria. No panic.” “As yet,” said the senator, “there’s nothing to be hysterical about. In just a little while, there’ll be wild stories. Damn fools starting rumors. One thing more, Dave.”
“Yes?”
“Is there talk of going international on this?”
“I don’t quite understand.”
“Are we about to call in other countries? Are we going to share this with them?”
“I don’t read you, senator. There’s nothing to share as yet.” “But, good Christ, Dave, if there is! If we have aliens landing out in Minnesota, we should grab hold of them. Think of it, a new intelligence, a new technology.”
“I see your point,” said Porter.
“Vie, at least, have to have first shot at what we can learn from them,” said the senator. “What we could learn from them might turn everything around.”
“Have you any idea of how difficult it might be to talk with an alien—if there are aliens in that thing that fell?”
“Sure, I know that. I realize all that. But we have the world’s best scientists. We have the brains.~~
“It’s not been discussed here,” said Porter.
“You’ll drop a word,” said the senator. “I’ll try to see the President myself, but if you could drop a word . .
“I’ll drop a word,” said Porter. “I don’t know how well it will be received.”
“A word,” said the senator. “That’s all I ask. A word before your people down there go charging off in all directions. You want to talk with Alice again?”
“If she wishes.”
Alice came back on the line and they talked for a short time and then hung up. Porter swung his chair around and saw that someone was standing in the doorway that led out to the corridor.
“Hello, Jack,” he said. “How long have you been standing there? You should have come in and found yourself a seat.”
“Just a few minutes,” said Jack Clark. Clark was the President’s military aide.
“Senator Davenport was on the phone just a minute ago,” said Porter.
“What’s his interest?”
“Just curiosity,” said Porter. “Needed someone to talk with. There are a lot of people tonight who are looking for someone to talk with. I suspect the country may be getting edgy. Nothing to worry about so far, but feeling a bit uncomfortable, doing a lot of wondering, maybe some soul searching.”
“And with no evidence as yet that it’s any more than some harmless piece of junk falling out of space.
Porter shook his head. “Jack, I think it’s more than that. The damn thing moved.”
“A machine, maybe.”
“Could be,” said Porter, “but a machine still is enough to frighten me.”
Clark came into the room and sat down in a chair at the corner of the desk.
“How’s the President?” asked Porter.
“He went up to bed. I don’t imagine he’ll get much sleep. He’s upset about this. It’s the unknownness of it that gets to him. I guess that’s what has gotten to the most of us.”
“Just now you said it might be no more than a machine. Why is it, Jack, that you are trying to deny it may be an intelligence?”
“Damned if I know. I suppose you’re right; that was what I was doing. Somehow I cringe from the idea of an intelligence. There has been so much of a flap the past many years about the UFOs. Almost everyone by this time has made up their minds about them. Everyone, or almost everyone, has some preconceived notions about them.”