Field of Dreams

Captain James Wolfe’s heart leapt in his chest as watched the Earth-like blue and green planet Trappist-1d come into view when his spacecraft exited the wormhole. So reminiscent of Earth yet also very different. Emotions came flooding into his mind. Humanity has gambled everything on him and his crew to find a new home before Earth gives out completely. First indications were that this planet was the most likely candidate and from what he could see from space it looked very promising.

The ship’s CPU was calculating atmospheric conditions, determining gravity coefficient, potential for life forms, and finding the optimal place to land. Wolfe began the preparations for the landing party by beginning the cryogenic statis descent. It would take hours for the crew to wake and a few more days before they would be ready to board the landing craft.

A warning signal came from the console. A significant life form was nearby. The captain looked out the window to see what originally looked like a small moon but upon further inspection it appeared to be a spherical shaped craft or space station. He watched wondering what race of beings built this sphere and what the purpose was. The planet itself didn’t give any technological signals, so it must be alien. Did a people from another planet also set out to colonize Trappist?

A small pod jettisoned from the sphere toward the planet. It looked like it was large enough for only one human sized being. The pod started to glow as it entered the atmosphere and eventually disappeared from sight. Someone or something beat us here he thought. I can’t let this other race claim this planet before we can. The human race depends on this colony being successful. Wolfe thought about the crew and the landing party, but there wasn’t time to wait that long, he must go to the planet immediately and confront this other being.

The CPU tracked the pod and set the coordinates for one of the four landing craft. The atmosphere and gravity were very similar to Earth. Wolfe strapped in and prepared for release. This was probably a mistake. He would be alone on the planet for days until the crew could assist. No, he had to make contact with the alien and determine its intentions.

#

Kubus watched as the other ship entered the orbit of the planet. How could another race of beings find this planet at the same time as his crew. His home planet of Antek has been in a civil war for centuries and now Antek is dying from war and abuse. A group of pacifists funded this mission to find a new home to start over with a more peaceful civilization. Colonizing this planet was critical to the survival of the Antek race.

The reanimation of his crew has been initiated but it will take several days for the process to be completed. Kubus watched the approaching spacecraft intently. All indications were this planet has no technology or civilization. This other alien craft must also be here to colonize the planet. He knew he could not let that happen and must be the first one down. That meant he had to go alone.

The landing pod was ready to launch. It may be a mistake to go without the crew, but it was a risk he was willing to take. He strapped in, secured the hatch, and initiated the launch sequence. The pod jettisoned away toward the surface with Kubus on board. He must be the first to claim this planet.

#

Kubus’s pod was already resting on the expansive green plain between the ocean and the mountains when Captain Wolfe’s craft landed. Kubus was standing next to his pod watching the landing craft come to a rest. The atmosphere was nearly identical to his home planet, so he broke protocol and omitted donning his helmet and airbreathing system. He looked down at his feet like he wanted to take off his boots. Perhaps to feel the grass between his toes.

The landing crafts stood only about 100 meters apart and Wolfe eyed the alien closely before disembarking to the surface. The being was humanoid in stature, bipedal and just over 2 meters tall. His head and face were exposed to reveal a soft greenish hue to the rough scaly skin and large yellow eyes. The alien stood and looked toward Wolfe but did not show any signs of having a weapon and didn’t look hostile from the captain’s perspective.

Wolfe descended the ladder without his helmet because the atmosphere so closely matched Earth’s. With both feet on the ground he turned around to look at the alien that hadn’t moved. Wolfe inhaled deeply like someone taking in a familiar pleasing scent. The nearby star shed a warm light upon the green meadow.

Kubus and Wolfe looked at each other until finally Wolfe raised his hand in greeting. Kubus hesitated for a moment and then he too raised his hand and took a few steps toward the Earthling. The two of them met halfway between the spacecrafts eyeing each other with curiosity. Neither made any threatening gestures of any sort but just looked at each other in awe. Neither one had met another alien species before.

Finally, Kubus held up a device and spoke into it. Wolfe didn’t understand what Kubus said until the device translated it. “Greetings, I am Kubus from the planet Antek.”

“Hello, I am Captain James Wolfe from Earth.” Wolfe said and held out his hand like it was instinctive. Kubus looked down at his hand in bewilderment then handed the translator to him. Wolfe smiled and shook his head then moved the translator to his left hand. It took a moment, but Kubus finally realized the Earthling’s gesture of greeting and extended his gloved hand and grasped Wolfe’s.

Wolfe returned the grip and shook Kubus’s hand and they both smiled. After a few more awkward exchanges Wolfe asked Kubus about his purpose here. Kubus told him about the destruction of his planet and how they wanted to rebuild a peaceful civilization. Wolfe told Kubus about Earth being destroyed by the greed and conquest of ambitious and selfish men and nations and that they also needed to start a colony to keep the human race alive.

“You have a noble cause, and you technically beat me to the surface of the planet,” The captain said to Kubus. “Although without this colony my race will be doomed.”

Kubus thought for a moment, “You too have a noble cause, Earthling. I don’t want to start our so-called peaceful civilization by destroying another race. Death and destruction led to the downfall of Antek.”

“We too wish to avoid any aggression and seek only a peaceful existence. There must be something we can do.”

By now they had both removed their spacesuits and sat in the grass. They discussed what each’s ideal civilizations consisted of. They discovered that their ideas were very similar and the ones that were different, the other thought they still held merit and could be compatible within an overall coexisting society of both races.

“I have full authority as captain of this expedition to provide judgement and negotiate on behalf of the People of Earth. I propose we draft an Agreement of Cooperation between our two races to work peacefully together to build a new civilization here on Trapper-1d.”

Kubus punched a couple of buttons on the translator and said, “I also have authority from the Pacifist Commonwealth of Antek to negotiate. The translator can draft the agreement for us in both languages. When the rest of our crews arrive, they can be witness to the historical signing of the agreement.”

They shook hands again and Wolfe went to his landing craft to retrieve something. “I’ll be right back, I’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” he said and then returned with two baseball mitts and a ball. He handed one to Kubus who looked at it perplexedly. Wolfe put his mitt on and showed Kubus how to do the same. It was tight fit because Kubus was a bit larger than the average human and only had three fingers with an opposable thumb.

Wolfe backed up just a few steps and tossed the baseball underhand until Kubus got the hang of it. Then they backed up and started throwing the ball overhand. While they waited for their crews to arrive on the surface, Wolfe spent the next day or so teaching Kubus how to throw a curveball and discussing where they would build the ballpark.