Aiden had received a communique letting Anna take Frank on a tour for the rest of the ship. He sat down in his office firing up his screen projecting a 3-D image of, Sasha, a member of the Terran High Council.
"Any good news?" Sasha asked.
"We made contact and it has gone well so far."
"Good news," she replied. "I was honestly worried about the mission."
"I met with some of their officials and explained our dilemma," Aiden said. "Any more on the timeline?"
Sasha looked down at one of her data pads pulling up an report on the state of Terra's ecosystem.
"At this rate two more years but after that everything starts really breaking down."
"That doesn't give us much time especially with our population size."
"We have been working for several months already getting transport ships up and running," Sasha said. "It is vital that the migration is successful."
"I understand."
"Good luck on the rest of your mission, Aiden."
"Thanks Sasha."
The 3-D projector blinked out of existence leaving Aiden alone again in his room resting his back against his chair hoping inside that his explanation to Frank was convincing enough. As a member of the Terran Council everyone voted where he became the one to make the journey but he still had severe doubts apprehensive that Earth wasn't ready for such an advance and enlightened people. However, it looked like whatever fears he had were proven wrong once he met Frank.
**************
The one customer from the mini mart made his way reaching a whole group of cars and vans parked together. The officer slowed his car looking out his dusty windshield at the whole group congregating together. From his driver's side window he saw in the distance the landing area where the scout ship had landed.
From one of the big pick up trucks he could see a whole slew of weapons all laid out smiling seeing it as the perfect opportunity except now it was just a matter of getting them to trust him.
He stepped out of the car seeing Ford on one of the big pickups.
"Hey, who are you?!" said a man defensively walking up to him.
"Hello, I'm Matt Ford. U.F.O. enthusiasts," he said smiling, shaking his hand. "My scanners were going off like crazy hours ago."
"Yeah," the man said, looking quizzically.
"Quite a setup you have here," Matt said, looking around.
"We have to be prepared for anything."
Peter was in the middle of talking in a group with others in their make shift stake out as Matt and the other lookout came walking up. Peter looked towards them looking curiously.
"Adam, who's this?" Peter asked.
"This is Matt Ford," he said, motioning to him. "He picked up the same signals from your U.F.O."
"Huh? I thought I knew everyone in the community."
"I am more of an amateur really," Matt said smirking.
"Well about a couple hours ago right over there," he said pointing. "a spaceship landed and suspect it will come back in the same spot."
"And the weapons?"
"Our group wasn't born yesterday. We know the government has been hiding stuff for years. This time we will catch them in the act. The public has a right to know."
Matt was kind of amused at himself having looked at what Earth sees aliens as which was very similar to the xenophobic attitudes of some people.
***********
Frank, having been given the whole tour of the Terran ship, sat back aboard the small transport ship ready to return back to Earth.
"Your ship is extraordinary, Captain," he said, sitting beside Aiden strapping himself back in.
"Thank you," Aiden replied. "Took many hours of manpower to build a ship that size."
"Now that I am a better understanding of your world I feel more people will be sympathetic to your mission. It has reminded me of the various climate crises we have on Earth."
"Our planets have always been very similar in nature. I theorize that some of our experiments could help reverse the damages done to your world."
"That would be of a great help."
The roar of the engines started up and lifted up flying outside back down to where the ship first landed.
**************
From far off into the distance Peter's tracker device went off again creating a consistent beeping.
"It's coming back!" he exclaimed, "Everyone be ready."
Everyone from the group grabbed weapons from the back of the truck loading and locking creating a long perimeter and aiming.
"Look at the size of that thing," Peter whispered, handing the binoculars to Matt.
Matt looked through them seeing the standard issue Terran scout ship break through the clouds firing it's retro rockets making a soft landing. The landing platform slowly lowered as Matt looked around seeing everyone impatiently waiting with their trigger fingers ready. From off to the side he could see two Army jeeps rolling up to meet the ship.
"I see some people coming out," he said.
Peter picked up aiming his long range rifle looking thru his scope's cross hairs. He stared seeing Frank walking side by side with Aiden down the ramp.
"I recognize him, that's Frank Anderson," Peter said. "He's an astrophysicist but who is that with him."
"He's one of them," Matt said, gently putting a hand on Peter's shoulder. "You need to protect Frank."
"I need to protect Frank," Peter said calmly, lining up his gun.
***********
"I think the next logical step is for you to meet our President," Frank said, walking side by side to the jeep.
Suddenly, the noise of a bullet firing rang out which made everyone quickly turn their heads.
"NO!!" he exclaimed, holding his arms up.
In a split second Frank stood in front of Aiden where the bullet quickly flew hitting him in the stomach falling to the ground.
"Spread out!" an army officer bellowed. "Find the shooter!"
The other officers in the back jumped out guns at the ready fanning out to do a complete search of the surrounding area.
Aiden immediately knelt at Frank's side trying as best he could to get him to sit up.
"Not exactly the welcoming you were hoping for?" Frank said smiling, coughing.
"Rest easy," he replied. "You saved my life. That took courage."
***********
Matt under his breath cursed looking at what just happened.
"What did I do?" Peter said, shaking his head.
"You were trying to shoot the alien but you missed."
"I did?" he said quizzically.
He held up his hand to avoid the glare of the sun looking off seeing Frank slumped over the ground with the Army officers appearing to run towards them.
"Everyone, time to leave!"
"You don't have to tell me twice," one of the others said. "I'm outta here."
Matt could see everyone hurriedly pack up and drive away sitting back in his stolen car hitting the steering wheel with his fist. It was a perfect plan but so poorly executed. He started his car up careening down away not knowing what direction he was going to go but kept driving anyway.
************
"We have to get him to a medic fast," an army private said. "He's losing a lot of blood."
"I think I can at least help remove the bullet."
He laid Frank back on the ground holding a hand over him that made the private cock his gun.
"Let him try," Frank said, raising his hand slowly. "It's alright."
Aiden guided his hand over Frank's abdomen until he stopped and flexed his hands gently that made Frank wince in pain but subsided soon enough. He flipped open his hand to reveal the bullet throwing it off to the side on the ground. He stood up raising both hands off the ground levitating Frank slowly and laying him in the back of one of the jeeps. The private just stood dumbfounded.
As the jeep sped across the desert towards the base, Aiden sat beside Frank wondering now what had just happened.