Projects > Story-of-the-Day > meteorite

I picked up the oblong silver item and ran my fingers across some inscriptions. I looked over at the Brigadier general, "So this was found in a meteorite?"

"That's right."

I rubbed my fingers across the inscriptions on the item. I pushed down on one that was raised above the others. It moved down like a button. I suddenly heard a mechanical sounding voice, --We are coming to your planet. lt qFWfyk sCw cLrby qHA dXu hyVC Rf agf Ev qwlsS--

I looked at the general, "So it's in English?"

"Yes, the farmer who found it said he thought it was a prank. We've done metallurgical analysis and this is definitely not something you just pick up at Home Depot."

"So what's with the garbled text?"

The general looked at me. "There is a large object coming in on the same trajectory with an ETA of two weeks. It's gone through three scientific teams and nobody has been able to figure this out. We need to know garbled text so we know the intentions of whoever is coming."

I look at the item in my hand again, "Hmm, I'm your fourth choice. So did your metallurgy guys try this?" I gave the item a good whack on the solid table. The general's pupils dilated. "Look, I assume your scientists tried more delicate methods already."

I pushed the raised inscription again --We are coming to your planet. We insist you leave Tnh EBO gxqU rN Foe dk ebfcs--

The general looked shocked. He patted me on my shoulder. "Thanks! That's exactly what we needed to know." He turned and walked out the room saying, "Now I've got some important arrangements to make."

I'll never understand people who are content with just one more piece of a puzzle. There's still garbled text and I love puzzles.

So how do I hook up to this? There's obviously no USB ports so I spend a few hours monitoring the radio waves this thing is emitting. It's emitted a pretty standard pattern of radio. I try sending it back but it's not really responding. Or at least it doesn't light up or anything. I'm sure the other three teams before me have tried all this. Maybe we should go back to what works.

Thwack.

--We are coming to your planet. We insist you leave all EBO gxqU rN Foe dk ebfcs--

Huh, that actually worked. The content is getting worse though.

Thwack. Thwack. Thwack!

The general walks back in and points to the device. "Oh, don't worry about that thing. We've just got confirmation that our missles destroyed the incoming ship. That thing is just for historians now."

I push the raised inscription.

--We are coming to your planet. We insist you leave all the work to us. To peace!--