An Ally Called Preponderance

by Myriad Kay

January 10, 2016. 11:10 PM

Where to begin, where to begin?

I guess of foremost importance is the anchor: that thought or feeling that I will forever be able to look at, reeling this moment up from memory should I ever wish to elaborate on the events that occurred. That feeling right now: excitement! With, perhaps, a pang of guilt. Here I am, an old woman who has never stayed awake through an entire Star Wars episode, living the sci-fi geek's dream and being part of not one, but two first-contact scenarios.

After the earlier contact from Preponderance's phone, I purchased provisions—an extension cable for my phone charger, some pillows, and this blank journal. I built a pillow nest between some bench rows with scenic view of the snowfall outside and nestled in, ready to pen my thoughts as I waited for the mysterious locator of Preponderance's phone to call me back. Less than an hour after I put the finishing touches on the previous pages, my wishes were answered: my phone rang again.

The creature on the other end of the dark video line was most definitely not of the same race, or likely even species, as Preponderance. While I would still classify its facial structure as fundamentally canine, it lacked Preponderance's second pair of eyes and sported a single horn protruding from the upper center of its head. Its voice was high, but close to that of a human. I yearned for this to be another alien scientist who could finally quell the numerous questions Preponderance had left me with, though its first question to me was unexpected: "What are you?"

The question took me off-guard. To a human—or even Preponderance, who had specifically sought me out—I would have responded that I was a professor of biology. To a new species that, for all I knew, may have never met a human before, I was not sure if the answer would be what they were looking for. Frozen with indecision, I ultimately blurted out the worst answer possible. "First I would like to know what you are."

The creature's head withdrew off the bottom of the view and I heard frantic whispering. I inferred, from the movement, that this creature had Preponderance's iPhone lying on the floor, pointed upward toward a dark ceiling. The whispers continued, too quiet to make out on the weak microphone, until a new face finally pushed its way into the camera's view—this one colored differently and lacking the former's horn (perhaps a younger individual, or different sex?). "I'm Applebloom," it said. "My friends over yonder are Sweetiebell and Scootaloo. We're mighty far from home, and are looking to get back as soon as possible. The book said you could help, and that we oughta use this thing to talk to you."

I didn't know where to start. So many questions! I started with the easiest. "What book?" I asked, wondering if this creature had sought me out via an academic index like Preponderance. My curiosity only grew as I realized this wouldn't explain why they had called me from Preponderance's phone.

The aforementioned third member of their party entered the camera's view, carrying a thick spiral notebook in its mouth. It displayed the unlabeled notebook sideways as if I should recognize it. When I expressed that I did not, the creature that identified itself as Applebloom continued. "I reckon we probably should've read more of it before summoning you, but the sun was going down so we skipped ahead. This one page says you know stuff about traveling between worlds."

I was about to tell the creature that I was a biologist and the book was mistaken, but I hesitated. Was it truly mistaken? When Preponderance contacted me, I was able to answer its cryptic questions with ease. From the book's claims, it seemed likely both it and the phone had been left by Preponderance itself, though this raised as many questions as it answered. "Where did you get this book?" I asked. Realizing I had done nothing but demand information while providing none, I quickly added: "I am Dr. Natalie Sydney, by the way. I am a biologist from the planet Earth."

Applebloom's ears, which I had previously not seen were folded behind its head, perked immediately. "Earth! So we ain't on a different world after all!"

I sat confused, before realizing the creature's misunderstanding. While I was no linguist, I knew the word "earth" referred to the ground below us long before the concept of space travel was even imagined. It was likely that both of us, speaking the same language, would call our homeworld "Earth". I told the creature as much: that we may simply come from separate planets, both with the same name.

A new voice entered the conversation, I assumed coming from the creature that had been holding the notebook. "Why would people name two different planets 'Earth'? That's stupid and confusing".

As I opened my mouth to explain the linguistic development that would lead to this occurring, a thought struck me: these creatures didn't even know where they were, and had likely never traveled even to another planet before. I imagined myself in their position: lost, confused, and reduced to contacting alien strangers for information. "You're right, it is stupid. But I need you to tell me where you received that book."

Applebloom, who I had come to assume was the leader of their group, obliged. "A while after we got here, we started looking for a river. When we got to one, we found this black saddlebag floating in it. The bag itself was a wet mess, but there were these smaller bags inside keeping some stuff dry. That's where we found the book, this crystal, and..." it trailed off, mumbling the final item inaudibly. I inwardly chuckled at the idea of calling the iPhone a "crystal", but my curiosity kept me from derailing. I inquired about the last item again.

"A really ugly severed claw!" the third voice cut in, butting into the camera's view and holding a plastic ZipLock in its teeth. Though the bag clearly bulged and hung off-center as though it contained a heavy and irregularly-shaped object, I couldn't make its contents out in the darkness. I turned up my screen's brightness, but all I could make out were the creature's lower jaw and throat behind the bag.

"I don't see anything inside," I said.

The creature cocked one eyebrow at me in what I presumed was an expression of confusion shared between our species. "You don't see the big, creepy-as-butts silver claw?" it asked.

I shook my head, quickly adding "no" when I realized the gesture might not be as universal as English apparently was. As much as I wanted to delve straight in and ask them every question in my mind, I realized I needed to know more about this book before I could provide any help—not to mention I had no idea how much battery or service was remaining in the phone Preponderance had somehow left them. "Listen," I said, "you made the right choice in contacting me, and I will do everything I can to help you, but I need more information. Please find a way to read the book and tell me what it says, and exactly what information you need from me." It felt like a dismissal—as though I was pushing away an opportunity to meet members of an unencountered sapient species—but this was useless flailing until I knew what Preponderance had written. I explained this as best I could, adding directions on how to check the phone's battery and minutes. Preponderance, we discovered, had both overloaded the phone with time and provided an external battery for it, which the trio had figured out how to use on their own. With the basics covered, my mind wandered back to Preponderance's fearful demeanor. I had one last question to ask.

"Are you safe?"

"Safe from what?" I heard the first voice—the horned one—ask from off-camera. There was a note of malaise in its voice.
I wasn't sure what to answer. "Safe in general. This planet is large and varied. Are you in a place where you're not likely to get hurt?"

"We have food and water," the one called Applebloom answered for its friend. "It's cold outside, which is a mite weird given it's summer back home, but we have shelter. Sometimes a big monster with glowing eyes runs past on the road up the hill from here, but I don't think they can see us."

Transportation, I realized, must differ between our worlds. The revelation that they were near a road and, assumedly, civilization, was somewhat comforting. "That's not a monster, it's a vehicle. You should be safe from them as long as you aren't standing in their way. Please contact me again when you can tell me what the book says."

Applebloom nodded—another gesture I could mark as being shared between our species. "We'll do that. Thanks again, Doctor Sydney." The creature peered at the screen for a moment before tapping the call closed. I was returned to the silence of the airport.

With the above transcription complete to the best of my memory, I am back to waiting. A first contact scenario, for both of us! Without Preponderance's paranoid tendencies, this could be an opportunity to finally meet another sapient species in-person. I wish I could be there myself, but the snow outside shows no signs of letting up. Assuming they are near what I traced to be the likely location of Preponderance, I have a nearby colleague who will no doubt be thrilled to meet them.

Comments

[AppleTank]

Verrry nice
Glad to have been linked this

[Twilightsparklefairy]

...canine? Shouldn't that be, um... "equine" I believe the word is? Or do they look different, or does Dr. Natalie not recognize that they're like ponies, and what in Equestria is this Preponderance, and... I think I'll just keep reading and find out instead of sitting here typing out all of the questions that are probably going to be answered pretty soon XD