Title: The Journey Home

Chapter 5: Communication

Rated: R

***

{3 hours after ET sighting}

"That's it? That's the best idea we've got?" the President asked, standing in agitation.
"Just send a message with a bunch of math and science symbols and hope they don't attack!"

"Math and science are universal languages, Mr. President. They wouldn't be able to reach here
without them," said Dr. Peter Stone, head of NASA.

"Why haven't they tried to contact us?" he asked beginning to pace. No one answered. "You
don't know." He stopped pacing. "We could be having a real-life 'Independence Day!'"

"They haven't tried to attack us," Dr. Umi Kanzaki, head of IASA, said. "They are orbiting beside
the Space Station and can easily destroy it, but they haven't. If they were hostile, they would
have taken it out first."

The President stared at her a moment before sighing, acknowledging the truth of her statement. "So your
scientists are coming up with something to send to them?"

"Yes, Mr. President. I've brought one of our leading scientists with me. This is Dr. David
Kirkland," she said introducing the young man she had brought with her.

"So, Dr. Kirkland, what is this message we are going to send?"

"We decided to begin with prime numbers, it's simple and would be hard to misinterpret..."

***

"We are receiving a transmission from the planet," Pilot informed them. "I would not have noticed
it, if you hadn't told me what to look for, John," he acknowledged. "It appears to be prime
numbers." His image glanced up at the two Humans.

"It's probably not meant as a message," John replied.

"They are trying to establish communication by sharing concepts since they figure we won't be able to
understand each other's languages," Cassandra explained when she saw the blank looks on the faces of
their friends.

John glanced at Cassandra and grinned. "Kind of sounds like something DK would think of." He looked
up at the clamshell. "Can you trace where the transmission came from?" John asked Pilot.

"Yes."

"Link into the channel, I want to know if they are saying anything over an open mike," John said.

"Alright," Pilot replied, not really understanding the 'open mike' comment.

"Let's hear it."

~~~

"...you don't really think this will work do you?" a woman asked.

"How am I suppose to know?" a male replied.

"This was your damn idea," another male accused.

"Then if it works, I expect you all to buy me drinks..."

~~~

John looked at Cassandra. She stared back at him, and he mouthed 'DK.' She nodded.

~~~

"...are we getting anything back?" another woman asked.

"Shit, Boss, we don't even know if they are receiving it," a male exclaimed.

"They probably got some advanced form of communication and aren't even picking this up," the first
woman said morosely.

"We aren't getting anything back," DK said, "yet."

"How much longer should we continue to loop this before we try something else," the second woman
asked.

"Honestly, I don't know," DK replied.

~~~

Cassandra looked at John and nodded her head. John glanced at his friends before speaking.

"I believe I can answer that."

~~~

"...who said that?" the second woman asked.

"It wasn't anyone in this room," the first woman replied nervously.

"I said that," the male voice replied. All was silent, no one spoke. "I'm surprised one of you
hasn't spoken," the voice said some-what impatiently.

"What the hell does that mean?" the second woman asked.

"No way in hell," DK said.

"Ah, he speaks!" the voice said laughing.

"DK, what the hell is going on?" the second woman asked.

"I don't know, Umi, but that voice sounds an awful lot like John Crichton's."

"John Crichton is dead," the first woman said.

"No he's not," a female voice spoke.

"Shit," DK breathed.

"Remind me to punch you when I see you. That was a nasty comment to make about me... dork."

"Cassandra Crichton?" Umi asked softly.

"Ha, check that out! *My* voice is recognized faster than yours."

"I've been gone longer."

"That's a technicality."

"God, it really is you two," DK said wonderingly.

"That's you two orbiting us?" Umi asked.

"Well, yeah, sort of," Cassandra replied.

"Sort of?" DK asked.

"We're on Moya, Talyn came along for the ride," John explained.

"You realize we have no idea what you're talking about," DK said grinning.

~~~

D'Argo glanced at Aeryn and grinned. "Even Humans don't understand what he says."

"Yeah, real funny, Big Guy," John said grinning at him.

~~~

The Humans on the ground had heard a guttural voice speaking but it wasn't in English... or
any language from Earth. It sounded pissed. Then they had heard John's comment. There was silence,
then: "...what was that?" DK asked.

"Right, I forgot," John said softly.

"So did I," Cassandra added.

"Look," John said becoming serious. "Our friends came with us, and before you ask, no, they
won't be coming down. Matter-of-fact, *we* won't be coming down... at least not yet."

"What do you mean?" DK asked interrupting him.

"Just what I said. Look at the moment Earth isn't a big target, but pretty soon it will
be," John began.

"A target?!" Umi gasped.

"Yes, a target," Cassandra confirmed.

"There is a huge war going on up here, and things are going to get worse very soon," John explained.

~~~

Silence met this statement. Cassandra wrung her hands. "We came for two reasons. One: to let you
all know that we haven't kicked the bucket yet. Two: to warn you all and prepare you for what's
going to happen... if you want our help."

"It would probably be best for you to tell... whoever... that you've established contact, and who
it is up here. Then we can set up a conference call or something so we can tell you what's been
happening," John said sighing softly. "We'll call you back on this channel in two arns." John
looked up at the clamshell. "Pilot, cut the transmission."

~~~

"Wait! John!" Static. "Shit!" DK looked around the room, "Anyone know how long an arn is?"

"We'd better inform the President," Umi said and left the room to make the call.

DK sat there in silence a moment before suddenly springing to life. "I got a call to make!" was his
only explanation as he rushed from the room. 'I wish I could tell him in person,' DK thought
grinning as he dialed the number of Colonel Jack Crichton.

***

"Is there any way to know if they are the true Commander Crichtons?" the President asked.

"At the moment, no. If we can get them on the ground, we can run some tests on them... but they
say they won't be coming down," said Dr. Steven Mayfield, scientist SETI.

"We'd still have to capture them," the Defense Secretary added.

"Don't you think we could give them the benefit of the doubt?" DK asked incredulous.

"At least we should hear what they have to say before you decide if they should be
autopsied," Umi exclaimed.

"They said there is a war going on up there, and *we* are a target," DK reminded them.

"They didn't say why..." the Defense Secretary began.

"That is what the conference call is for!" DK exploded.

"I think we should listen to them, but I also think we should find out if they are Commander
John Crichton and Commander Cassandra Crichton," the President said, stopping the fight that
was about to erupt.

"Who do you want to be at the conference call?" the Defense Secretary asked.

"Everyone in this room."

DK glanced around the room. 'Shit,' he thought. Almost everyone wanted to capture John and
Cassandra, and find out if they were aliens or Humans. 'I hope you guys know what you're
doing...' he thought glancing up.

***

TBC

WELL... what do ya think? Please review or send me an e-mail!

I have no clue what DK's real name is so I gave him one... uhh... I don't own 'Independance Day,'
hmmm... I think that's it for this chapter.

~Artemis Luna Diana~