Not a story really, just something I wrote for fun. Let me know what you think.
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“This world is under quarantine,” said Mother. “Contact with native sentient life forms is strictly prohibited. The penalty is 25 to life, no possibility of parole.”
“I know,” said the Captain. “That’s what makes it fun.”
“I am cloaking,” she said, reaching for a switch on the console.
“No, I want them to see us,” said the Captain, “let’s see how they react.”
“They have already reacted. Two armed craft approaching at Mach 2. They are threatening to destroy us.”
“Ok, fine,” said the Captain, irritation in his voice, “go ahead and cloak.”
“Cloaking,” Mother said with a smug look on her face. “We’ve been life-mates for 18 zentari rotations. When are you going to figure out I’m always right?”
“Daddy,” said the young one, “What’s a UFO?”
“Uh, that’s us,” said the Captain. “That’s what the people on this world call us because they don’t know us.”
“Why are we here?” the hatchling persisted.
“We’re on vacation, we…”
“Daddy isn’t having fun unless he’s breaking the law and putting us all at risk of getting shot out of the sky,” said Mother.
“Oh, please,” said the Captain. “The weapons on this world are primitive. They couldn’t possibly –“
The spacecraft lurched sharply to starboard. Mother checked the console monitors.
“A primitive weapon has just taken out our gravitational lift engine,” she said. “I’m going to have to take her down.”
Mother landed in an open field. “We’re still cloaked, so we can’t be seen by sensors. But we’re plain as day to the naked eye. And I hate to be the one to break the news, but we’ve been seen.”
The Captain looked out the forward viewport. A local was sitting up on one of their agricultural mechanisms.
“Can you get us out of here?” said the Captain.
“The only way we’re leaving this field is to get out and walk,” said Mother.
The local got off his machine (a tractor?) and approached the ship, a big grin on his face. He seemed friendly enough.
“Might as well say ‘hello’”, said the Captain.
“Might as well,” said Mother, rolling her eyes. “I’ll be on the trans-comm, calling our lawyer. If we plea bargain, maybe you’ll only get 5 to 10.”
“Daddy,” said the young one. “What’s an alien?”
“Uh, that’s us,” said the Captain, “until they get to know us better.”
The Captain went to the hatch and opened it. The local was standing at the hatch to greet him. He wore a blue baseball cap and overalls. He was grinning from ear to ear.
“I’m Henry,” said the local, “welcome to Earth.”
The Captain put up his hand and made a gesture. He had watched local broadcasts and knew what to say to gain the friendship of the locals.
“Live long and prosper!”
