Chapter 02
3 pm Thursday

"Okay." Dave said as they felt the plane rise into the heavens, "Aliens."

By common agreement they had set aside all discussion about the President's announcement until they had solved the case and were on the way home. Agree with his politics or not the man was a master orator who had managed to dispel any panic. He had explained that they were humanoid and intelligent and here to open diplomatic relations, not to conquer or cause any damage or disruption; that there was a small diplomatic team working with the US and that the US, working with the UN had sent a small team off with them to open relations at that end and that, right now, everything was very contained and entirely in control. In the end there had been a few, small demonstrations, mostly welcoming, some wanting them to get out, and much internet chatter, but most people had gone about their business, at most a little disappointed that none of the movies and Hollywood legends were coming true.

None of that, however, applied to the group inside the plane. This was one of the rare occasions when that group included Garcia, who had gone all aflutter the moment Dave opened his mouth. "Oh my god, I know. Is this amazing or what?"

"It is." Dave agreed. "Now I, for one, want the inside scoop."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean the thing some of us did a year ago. Protocol 3372," he said. "This fits what we know of it."

Spencer and Morgan looked over at Blake. She was the senior member of their work group after all. Back when it first happened the decision had been made to not read the rest of the team in; just in case, but now that it was at least partially public knowledge… she sighed. "Okay, this information does not leave this plane, agreed."

"Of course," Hotch said. "And that includes over the internet." He gave Garcia a Significant Look.

"Of course, of course," she said.

Blake took a deep breath, "Yes, we were on the first contact team." The rest of the team relaxed into it, now that they knew. "Spencer and I worked on the contingency protocols, oh, back before he joined the BAU, as linguists."

"You were trying to talk to them?" JJ asked.

"We were applying the concept of mathematical linguistics to the problem." Spencer replied. "Mathematical concepts are universal constants. We thought that if they were alien enough to make normal communication difficult we might be able to use that to circumvent the language barrier."

"And did you?"

"It, um, turned out that we didn't need to. They're more Vulcan than little green men. Morgan actually had an easier time of it at first once Emily called him in."

"Morgan?" JJ looked skeptical.

"Charades," he said. "Hey, it worked. Thankfully they picked up English real quick."

"So they are here." Dave said. "You've met them. What are they like?"

"Really nice people," Blake said. "This is one delegation from one planet. As they've proven to us they're a member of a larger political body, something like our UN. Seven planets make up what you might call the Security Council, but there are hundreds of others. They're one of the seven, and the one most like us."

"Are they like us?" Garcia asked. "I mean, like bodies and everything?"

Spencer said. "When I said Vulcans I meant it, or maybe like the Doctor. If Mr. Spock hid his ears or you didn't know that the Doctor had two hearts you couldn't tell that they were from another planet. Externally they are completely humanoid in every way."

"Jeepers."

"Externally?" Hotch asked.

"Their planet has a slightly heavier gravity, so they have increased bone and muscle mass and some extra internal structures for stability. It also has a slightly thinner atmosphere, so they have a larger lung capacity. But most of the differences are on the metabolic level, they react differently to medications, have to avoid certain foods, that sort of thing."

"Interesting, do you know why they are here?"

"Originally?" Blake said. "It was due to the Kuipler belt. Apparently our solar system has a natural protective barrier that doesn't allow large ships through. Nothing larger than a six passenger scout, something about half the size of the space shuttle, can get through at all. Their planet was a constitutional monarchy, similar to the UK here on Earth. When their explorers discovered Earth a hundred years ago they kept it a secret in case their royal family ever needed a safe haven."

"Does this mean they have?" Hotch asked.

Blake nodded, "About thirty-five years ago now. The League of Allied Planets was attacked by an outside force. Unfortunately their planet was the first attacked. At that time the King sent the Crown Prince off into hiding with the Royal Physician, here on Earth. Sometime later the King himself was executed along with their military leaders. The planet itself was completely sterilized and their people taken in to slavery."

"Ouch." JJ said.

"Their allies were able to rescue the people, and resettle them into refugee camps on other world, but it's been a nightmare for them."

"I can imagine."

"So the Crown Prince lived here?" Garcia asked.

"Yep. Two aliens, hiding in LA for decades until a ship came for them. We intercepted it this time, that's when we made first contact."

"What do they want from us now?" Dave asked. "You don't initiate diplomatic relations just for fun."

Blake smiled. "Okay, simple, skate around the still classified stuff version. The one thing they were able to retrieve from their planet is what they're calling 'seed stock'. As you might guess it's absolutely precious to them, almost to the point of religious significance. As they explained it there are two kinds. For lack of a better term we'll call one weaponized, one not. The last remnants of their leaders, the ones who survived the purge long enough to be rescued, arranged for safe storage of the weaponized seed stock with a trusted ally. But after they were gone another ally talked the new leaders into storing their non-weaponized seed stock with them while at the same time giving them ships and hard weapons so they could fight back. Unfortunately in the past year it's come to light that that 'ally' has been experimenting on their seed stock in an attempt to create a weaponized stock that they could control. This has resulted in the destruction of some of the stock."

"The only thing they have left." JJ shook her head. "That can't be good."

"They are furious. If they weren't fighting an external threat the entire League would be turning on the planet that did it. But right now they need to maintain internal cohesion in the face of this external threat so instead of a major confrontation they are quietly removing their seed stock and hiding it somewhere else."

"Here," Dave concluded.

Blake nodded. "They trust us to not want to start a war by messing with their stocks. Besides, they were able to identify a similar seed stock here, native to our planet, which they agreed to help us develop in tandem with their own."

"Develop?" Garcia asked.

"We're not talking guns you can just unpack and use. It takes anywhere from fifteen to twenty years to turn a seed into a weapon. But they are entirely self contained and pose no danger to our ecosystem while they're working with them, we are completely compatible."

"And what do we get in exchange for how much storage space and development assistance?" Dave asked.

"For now we've built an underground facility out in Nevada." Blake said. "Yes, aliens are coming and going from Area 51 now. It's about the size of an airplane hangar and entirely self contained. When the time comes they'll be setting up a colony and work area out at Ft. Detrick, maybe a hundred individuals, no more. In exchange we're getting a massive technology infusion, fusion reactors and transport ideas that will get us off fossil fuels inside a decade, techniques for dealing with global warming, and plans for ships and engines that can get us to Mars inside a few hours."

"Damn. This stuff must be pretty valuable to them to exchange a little space for all that."

"It's the most precious thing there is."

"So you guys know these diplomats?" Garcia asked.

"Yes, we do." Blake replied. "We're helping them acclimate to our culture."

"Meaning you're working three jobs right now?" JJ said, "BAU, teaching at Georgetown and working for State?" This earned a pained smile from Blake.

"Can we meet them?" Garcia asked.

"They want to keep their identity quiet." Morgan told her, "Too many freaks out there."

"Oh. Yeah, I can see that." Garcia sighed. "Aliens. Jinkies. You can't tell us anything about them at all? I mean, as people?"

"We can tell you they love it here." Spencer said. "They had to live in space for years on end. Now they're thrilled to be on a planet again, sunlight, fresh air, real food…."

"Real food?" JJ asked.

"They lived on a diet similar to MRE's for years." Spencer said.

"Yeah, you want to see an alien? Don't go to Area 51." Morgan said. "Hang out at the Farmer's Market at Dupont Circle."

"Morgan!" Blake looked at him sternly.

"Which I will not do," Garcia said. "As tempted as I am."

Hotch cleared his throat. "Maybe we should change the subject."

They did. For now.