Dr Henry Mallard had been
working with SETI since just before the first
message from Capricorn 22 had come in.
He had been instrumental in figuring out the
decryption/translation
algorithm based upon those handful of brief contacts that they
had
received.
He, personally, sent the message 'We hear you.' over the
experimental
hyperspace radio, built from specifications that the aliens had
sent.
He hoped to be the one to first hear their reply. But his hope
was beginning
to fade. It had been 20 years, but still - silence. Perhaps the
algorithm
was wrong. But the hyperspace radio - the plans for which they
could not
have deciphered without it - worked, and served Humanity's space
farers well
since. Perhaps something else went wrong perhaps the Cappies (as
some of the
other researchers annoyingly insisted on calling the Star
Children) had been
destroyed in the meantime? Perhaps....
The radio static of the galaxy suddenly erupted into order. 'The
ANSWER!!!'
Dr Mallard jumped up and opened the decryption, translation
program, running
the recording of the answer through it, several seconds further
behind the
transmission than intended, because in his excited rush, he had
mistyped the
time index.
Soon, the program began reading the transmission aloud in
Mallard's own
voice. (He always did have a big ego, but at least he admitted
it...)
'Do....you....have....Prince....Albert....in....a....can?'
End, Those Obnoxious Aliens.
An Anime Tangent by James King,
inspired by Urusei Yatsura by Rumiko Takahashi and DC Comics'
Tangent imprint (created by Dan Jurgens)
Index
