Predator Heaven

In the shadows of the world's gaze, an inconspicuous tale unfolds. A cadre of Soviet space experts, their very existence largely concealed from the global populace, received a rare summons. They embarked on a journey to the inner sanctum of the American Space Agency, NASA, their destination being the hallowed halls of the rocket launch control room. Here, they joined hands with their American counterparts in a clandestine collaboration to propel a vessel towards the cosmos.

This revelation, shrouded in muted tones, stemmed from the heart of the United States, a bastion of freedom where secrecy cannot veil the truth from the inquisitive public eye. Yet, the nature of these endeavors mandated a level of discretion that left many questions unanswered. Had this intrigue unfolded within the confines of the Soviet Union, the masses might have remained blissfully ignorant.

Curiously, not long before, an assembly of American space aficionados had ventured deep into the heart of the Soviet realm, to the Central Asian Space Exploration Center. There, they partook in a grand spectacle, launching a colossal rocket into the great expanse.

Such events were anything but ordinary. While the geopolitical tensions between East and West thawed, the prospect of such extraordinary cooperation remained beyond reach. The cosmos had always harbored secrets, most often entangled with the web of military ambitions. So how had it come to pass that experts from opposing worlds found themselves working in tandem, their objectives veiled in obscurity?

Undoubtedly, these two rockets harbored a shared purpose—a purpose concealed beneath layers of intrigue. Perplexingly, both sides offered vague explanations for their missions, alluding to further research concerning the dispersion of meteorites beyond the protective shroud of Earth's atmosphere. Meteorites continually encroached upon our home, yet Earth's atmosphere stood as a steadfast guardian.

As these celestial wanderers descended, they coursed through the atmosphere, the friction igniting a fiery descent that reduced them to a mere fraction of their initial might. What reached the Earth's surface posed little threat. To date, the largest meteorite discovered weighed no more than ten thousand kilograms.

However, beyond the protective veil of the atmosphere, meteorites wreaked havoc upon airborne vessels, prompting humanity to ponder methods of averting such cataclysmic encounters. Thus, the given reasons for this collaboration could well be viewed as noble.

But do you believe it?

From the opening salvo to the rhetorical query, these words were uttered by a man of middle age, his pate graced with the creeping fingers of baldness, his countenance ruddy with vitality. A seasoned orator, his speech resonated with a cadence that held his audience spellbound. Approximately ten listeners hung on his every word, and as the question hung in the air, a silence fell, stretching for half a minute.

Counted among the assembly, there were eleven souls in all. Most wore the mantle of middle age, but two stood as beacons of youth. Exclusively male, their countenances bore the indelible mark of accomplishment, etched by the success they had achieved in their respective pursuits. The innate attractiveness of some may have been modest, yet their achievements exuded a charisma that needed no embellishment.

These individuals were the elite of their fields, spanning the domains of world-renowned medicine, theoretical physics, and multinational corporate leadership. Each bore the weighty distinction of multiple doctoral degrees.

This gathering, an exclusive enclave, drew its members from the far corners of the globe. Their meetings occurred with an irregular cadence and a casualness that defied convention. The club's headquarters occupied the sixty-second floor of a New York skyscraper, graciously lent by a multinational business conglomerate. The rationale lay in New York's status as the world's nexus of aviation.

Branch clubs existed across the world, offering members the freedom to congregate at their leisure.

Membership, a prized privilege, bore no stringent constraints save for a curious dictum—unanimous acceptance. If even a single member dissented, the inclusion of a newcomer was denied. This seemingly innocuous rule, however, posed a challenge to those who aspired to join this enigmatic assemblage.

The gatherings lacked a fixed agenda, their topics a tapestry of diverse and arcane subjects. One session might delve into the ramifications of steroids on human muscle development, the next could unravel the mysteries of Yuan Dynasty blue and white porcelain. Then, on another occasion, the discourse could revolve around the latest American rocket's ascent and its enigmatic mission.

Much like the present moment.

In the most comfortable of lounges, adorned with ancient, oversized leather sofas, one could indulge in fine wines. Those who enjoyed smoking did so in a corner equipped with powerful exhaust systems, creating a swirling haze. As for the lovers of liquor, they naturally congregated before the liquor cabinet.

Every person there had seemingly appeared without any prior arrangement.

This establishment, known as the "Cosmos Club," was highly sought after by many for membership. While most members knew each other, those who wished to delve deeper or pursue specific interests had to introduce themselves.

The ruddy-faced middle-aged man with thinning hair began his self-introduction before uttering a word related to astrobioilogy: "Dr. Du Liang, astrobiologist, heading a research institute sponsored by a foundation. Engaged in general research, but immensely curious about all things extraordinary."

After such an introduction, everyone expected him to discuss topics related to astrobiology, the study of potential life forms within the countless stars of the universe. However, to everyone's surprise, he started talking about the collaboration between the United States and the Soviet Union on rocket launches, posing a question to the gathering.

The audience was somewhat taken aback, perhaps contributing to the half-minute silence that ensued.

The first to break the silence was a tall, slender individual who spoke discontentedly, "Dr. Du, your previous comments fall within the purview of intelligence officers. It doesn't seem to have much relevance to your research."

Dr. Du Lang appeared slightly embarrassed but not angry. Instead, he replied with a question, "Do you all not find this matter worthy of attention? Don't you think it should pique your interest?"

Another ten seconds of silence followed. It seemed that the group was not particularly interested in this "US-Soviet cooperation" event. This was not surprising, as the people here had diverse backgrounds, and even the experts among them could not participate in such high-level decision-making. The lack of interest primarily stemmed from the fact that no one, regardless of their curiosity, could fathom the truth of the matter.

Seeing the gazes of those present fixed on him as they awaited their responses, Dr. Du Lang continued, seemingly frustrated, "I thought there would be some interest in this matter, but it seems not. I thought everything was interconnected, but apparently, it's not important right now. Sooner or later, it will become relevant."

He invoked a phrase from the Christian Bible to explain his words, sounding somewhat out of place, yet no one contested him further. He blushed and seemed somewhat at a loss, struggling to step down from the stage.

At this moment, a tall and handsome oriental man, holding a wine glass, stood up and declared, "Dr. Du, I'm quite interested in your words. Is your niece's name Miss Du Ni, by any chance?"

Dr. Du Liang exclaimed, "Ah, you're aware of this news?"

The tall and handsome oriental man, evidently a young person, elicited attention from several people when he spoke. However, a thin and tall individual coldly remarked, "I've read that news as well. Miss Du Ni supposedly told a sheriff she encountered that she was abducted by unidentified beings over the past three days, who were likely extraterrestrial."

The man paused briefly, then chuckled, "These kinds of 'encounters with extraterrestrial abductions' happen hundreds of times worldwide each year."

As he spoke, he stood up and shrugged, wearing a disdainful expression. He was tall and slender, with a peculiar demeanor. Dr. Du Liang's face reddened further, and it appeared he wanted to argue, but the tall, thin man deliberately turned away and didn't even look at him.

Most of the others who had initially shown interest in the young man's words now joined in laughter.

Indeed, reports of "encounters with extraterrestrial abductions" occurred worldwide every year, and their authenticity was often questionable. Some claimed they were taken aboard extraterrestrial spaceships, others asserted they underwent experiments, and some even alleged they were sexually assaulted by extraterrestrial beings. The descriptions of these extraterrestrials ranged from little green men to creatures with large heads and pointed ears, often resembling the popular depictions found in movies and novels.