Turns Out
by Michael C.
Keith
Can anything be beyond the
knowledge of [things] like you?
––
Pierre-Augustin
The people of Earth were excited and
intrigued by the prospect of the arrival of
extraterrestrials. First contact had been made a
year earlier, and over the ensuing months it was
clearly established that the soon-to-be visitors
from Kotophostus, a planet in the Bode’s
Galaxy, were benevolent––indeed,
exactly like the species humans had hoped they
would one day encounter from outer space. Theirs
was a society of peace-loving intellectuals,
whose advances in the sciences, medicine, and
politics far exceeded those of the human race.
The aliens’ historic visit held the promise
of resolving many things that plagued Earth,
including disease, famine, and war.
When the day finally arrived that
the Kotophostusians were to arrive, all human
attention was focused on their landing at
California’s Muroc army airfield, which
boasted the world’s longest runway. Traffic
controllers directed the approach of the massive
extraterrestrial airship. When it finally came to
a stop, the visitors were directed to turn around
and move their craft toward the main hangar where
the vast number of dignitaries awaited.
The Kotosphostusians did not respond
to the request, and traffic controllers could
hear what sounded like a clamor of voice-like
sounds in their headsets. After what seemed like
a standoff, the spaceship took off and
disappeared into the sky. Shortly thereafter, the
aliens communicated with Earth.
“We did not understand what you
asked.”
“We wanted you to come to where
our leaders were waiting to officially welcome
you.”
“That is what we wished as well.
But we could not determine what it was you asked
us to do after landing. We did not understand
that directive.”
“Directive? No, no. We
weren’t ordering you to do anything.
We were just giving you directions to the place
where we were waiting to greet you.”
“Sorry, we cannot meet.”
“But why? It is very important
to us that we make contact. We have so much to
learn from your advanced knowledge.”
“Perhaps we are more advanced
than you. But you asked us something that we
cannot grasp. Something beyond our accumulated
knowledge. Something we could not process. Indeed,
an action unknown to our species.”
“Would you tell us what it was
we asked that you could not comprehend?”
“What is . . . turn around?”
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