First Contact

We are not alone!!!

- New York Times headline (2017)

When the dust had settled, the numbed crowds converged on the building that had plummeted from the skies and taken out two city blocks.

The building was massive.

It was massive in the way that, though very shiny – big parts of it seemed to have been constructed out of glass - it was impressively unnoticeable. This was even more massively impressive as in itself it massively lacked the intention to please the eye.

The air smelled of ancient cabbage.

Camera crews from all major networks were immediately present, excited to get the scoop on this enormous event.

“Yes, this is huuuuge!”, babbled a reporter, making sure to be kept in view as the camera man filmed the Sin T’zin, “and I am here, Gerald River, making sure YOU see it all!!!”

“For the first time in history we have encountered extra-terrestrials. Nobody knows what this spaceship will bring us, new knowledge, death, war??? But I, Gerald River, will risk my life and show YOU everything!!!!”. The reporter dragged a crying man in front of the camera, “Hello there, I can see you are in the moment! Tell us, what are your feelings???”

“My wife, my kids… everything gone…”, stammered the man, pointing  at the monstrous building.

Quickly the reporter pushed him out of sight and babbled on. “Yes, you can see! Everybody is excited to see them come! If only my wife and kids could see this!!! But wait, something is happening…”

 Slowly, two big doors swung open and the smell of old cabbage intensified. The reporter hopped up and down in excitement as a tall figure appeared, followed by a very short one and another one holding what appeared to be a black notebook. “Ooooh wow!!! They are humanoid! This is great! This is Gerald River reporting, we have encountered intelligent life like us!!! The tall one is obviously the leader, leading out his people!”, Gerard continued is mindless banter, the crowd started applauding and cheering the newcomers, when suddenly the short figure pushed the big one to the side, fidgeted with a small device on his wrist and spoke…

“Insan hierdie planetin Liewe! Da Heiwa bizə, biz yaxşı şeyi gel! İndi sodat julle naminə bizim ofisi ilə biz nə edə oop edir!”

The VP smiled uneasily at the lack of response, frowned and adjusted some settings on his Goggl Translat, then spoke again…

“Dear people of this planet! We Da Heiwa, and we come with good things! We opened our office now so things you can do to us!”

He smiled broadly and expectantly at the crowd which responded with some hesitant cheers, gradually growing louder until it became a storm of approval, even though not all was clear.

“Who are you guys?”, shouted a voice from the crowd.

“We Da Heiwa”, the VP shouted back and the crowd instantly picked this up. “Da Heiwa, da Heiwa, the Hive! These guys are the Hive!!!”

“Well, there you have it folks!”, Gerard River beamed into the camera, “we’ve met the Hive! And they seem to be friendly enough! This is Gerard River, back to the studio!”

In the background festivities broke out, and the Hive people disappeared back into their building.

It must be noted that three weeks after the arrival of the Hive yet another spaceship made its way to earth containing twenty-six beings of a similar race. When these stumbled out of their office ship, they were greeted by a herd of cows.

The Hive however wanted nothing to do whatsoever with these newcomers, stating publicly that these beings were traitors and should not be trusted.

On earth therefore the newcomers became immediately known as ‘the other hive’, and quickly went about their business of repairing their office and setting up shop to do business with planet earth…