The Capsule

The object drifted casually into the atmosphere just before dawn that morning and within seconds gravity had clutched it in its unyielding hands, pulling it violently to the ground. After thoroughly inspecting the nature of its composition, our greatest minds concluded, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that the object was indeed of alien origin. The world was stunned. Here was the answer to a question we had been pondering throughout the ages. A battered, bruised capsule, no larger in size than a small boulder, silently shouting a truth that was no longer deniable - we are not alone.

Many would examine the capsule’s contents in the coming days, but first it would have to be opened in a sterile environment and its contents categorized. This would be my sole responsibility and my report would be the first of its kind - the first true contact with another intelligent civilization. Since my youth, I had marveled at the wonders of modern science - the unique ability we had to harness the raw power of our planet and use it to drive our many innovations…and how many there were! It now seemed that not a day went by without a new advancement in technology, constantly reducing the physical and mental burdens once so prevalent in our society. Even the shape of our world didn't feel constant anymore, but rather like a piece of clay, which we had molded to our needs, and the winds of change seemed to be carrying us ever higher into the heavens with alarming, but also exhilarating, speed. The capsule would surely accelerate that change even faster, for the very fact that it had arrived on our galactic shores meant that we truly had much to learn from this distant neighbor.

The capsule itself was made of a sleek, seemingly impenetrable metal, conical on one end and cylindrical on the other. There were strange markings scattered around the exterior, some now partially obscured by burn marks and dirt. The design was unlike anything we could have imagined, but I tried to set my awe aside and inspect the object from a scientific perspective - looking for commonalities between their technology and our own. Upon closer inspection of the cylindrical side of the capsule, I noticed that there didn't seem to be a fuel source or engine, leading me to believe that this was in fact part of a larger spacecraft, possibly with a crew on board, which never intended to enter our orbit. This capsule then, without the ability to return to its sender, appeared to be more of a message - but of what nature? An offering? A warning? Although it lacked any apparent propulsion system on the rear of the craft, there did seem to be at least eight vents through which perhaps air could be expelled. Around the circumference of the rear vent, there was a small gap, almost as if the vent mechanism could be removed entirely. There was also an inconspicuous red lever, which when pulled allowed the vent piece to rotate along this circular opening. When I managed to align the red lever with a slot on the bottom of the capsule, I was immediately startled to hear a loud hiss, as if the air itself had been freed from the interior. Regaining my composure, I was surprised to find that the vent piece of the capsule was now protruding slightly out of the back. Perhaps I could remove it?! Supporting the heavy metal part from the bottom, I slowly and carefully slid it out of its chamber and set it on a nearby table.

It was then, for the first real time since I had encountered this marvelous piece of machinery, that my excitement and curiosity gave way to the more primal instinct of fear. Staring into the darkness of this foreign object, my mind raced to anticipate what would come next. The capsule certainly would not have been large enough for any of our species to fit inside, but who knows if it could accommodate the anatomy of theirs? If I reached into this abyss…would the abyss reach back?

I shined a light into the opening, but it did nothing to illuminate the inside of the capsule, or dim my fear. As a seeker of truth, I would have to set my fears aside and seek the unknown that lurked within the darkness. Sweat trickling down my forehead, hairs standing on end, I slowly placed my hand inside the inner chamber of the capsule…and that’s when I felt it - another long cylindrical piece of metal the size of a small box. This was the heart of the capsule. This was the reason for the voyage. This was the message we were meant to find.

The smaller container had a similar lock mechanism as the removable vent, and following the same process of aligning the red lever with an empty slot along the circumference, I was met with a familiar hissing sound. Removing the cap, I carefully began emptying the contents of the container onto my workstation.

It was less, and yet so much more, than what I had expected. Inside were a series of photographs, not entirely unlike our own, but so much more vivid in their appearance…all the conceivable colors in the universe reaching out to the eye from the modest rectangular frames. Each photo showed a very different environment from this strange planet. There were vast valleys and intricate canyons, impossibly tall mountains and waterfalls reaching to the sky - flora and fauna unlike anything we’d ever known! But there were also artificial creations - masterful stone and metal structures piercing the clouds in an endless array of towers and shimmering ingenuity. This truly was an advanced civilization, one far superior to our own, and it was clear now that they wanted us to be aware of that fact. And yet, the question remained...why?

Underneath the photographs was a large pile of nearly two hundred notes. They were of comparable size, but strangely unique to one another - each adorned with alien text and imagery, some of which seemed to almost come to life when viewed from various angles. My eyes widened as they met the lifeless gaze of this strange race, depicted on what I could only guess was a form of currency from their many native lands. The faces were peculiar in appearance, with recognizable features to our own, but unfamiliar in their placement and alignment. Like on our own planet, the different climates and terrains may have resulted in slight variations between their physical evolutions, but I could still tell that they were truly one people. Perhaps that’s why they included this small fortune in the capsule…not as a reward or gift, for this currency would hold no real value in our society, but rather as a representation of their varied cultures. I still couldn’t help but feel rich holding it in my hands, though, not because of the value once assigned to it, but because of the profound meaning of the gift itself. The treasure was not what could be received by parting with the money, but rather the traditions that were embedded in it.

Finally, at the bottom of the small container lay a little book with a simple black cover. Within the book there were hundreds of pictures...small images reminiscent of those that were left for us to discover by our earliest ancestors in their primitive dwellings. Surely this advanced race had a more nuanced way of expressing themselves to one another - in fact their currency was proof of that - but it was wise of them to convey their message in a manner that any civilization could understand.

The first picture was of a globe, which I gathered represented their home planet, with foreign characters underneath - perhaps the name they had given it? In the distance was another circle with lines jutting out from all sides… their host star. The pictures were simple, but beautiful, and the planet had been colored blue and green on the surface, much like our own, with layers of brown and red toward the center. Underneath the globe were various depictions of flowers and trees, stunning in their variety and complexity. As the pictures progressed, more structures began to form on top of the planet, showing a growth in civilization and technology. At first, everything seemed in balance, as if there existed a natural harmony between the planet and its inhabitants. Slowly, however, the pictures began to change…more of the green spots began turning to brown as the planet seemed to grow and become weighed down with the artificial masses on top. Instead of pictures of plants, there were now many more drawings of machines, with fire fueling their massive wheels. Lines reached from the surface of the planet deep into the core and the red center seemed to spread upward in rage. The water, which was once blue, started to turn yellow and swallow up the land. The planet and its star, having once lived in harmony, now seemed separated by a boundary, almost as if the giant globe itself were in a bubble. Towards the end of the scroll, there was nothing but sorrowful images of a neglected planet, a muddled mass of red and gray.

Perplexed, I wondered what the meaning of this story could be. Suddenly, my heart dropped in my chest. Could it be possible that this highly intelligent civilization was actually on the brink of destruction? But how? Look at the marvels they created - marvels of technology capable of mastering not just their own planet, but the universe itself! And was this not the same path we were on, albeit not as far into the journey...was this not our story too?

I closed the small black book and placed it neatly next to the beautiful photos of this strange, distant planet. Picking up the many notes of currency, I thumbed through them pensively, wondering if this money was not just telling the story of a people’s success...but of their failures as well. Perhaps the money was the only remnant of an environment they took for granted, a piecemeal collection of the plants that once protected them. Would the same thing happen to us? I remembered my own excitement at the prospect of industrialization and advancement, even earlier that same day...but would that process spell the true beginning of our society, or the beginning of the end?

I neatly packed the contents of the capsule back into the small container, closed the lid and recorded my findings in a somber haze. Finishing my notes, I walked out of the stone room that served as my laboratory. Gas-lit lamps around the fortress had already begun to flicker out, plunging our world quickly back into the darkness that had until so recently commanded our nights. Pausing in the middle of a cold and damp corridor, I took a moment to gaze up at the stars and allowed myself to wonder which one governed our mysterious messengers...and in which shadowy corner of the universe lay our ill-fated friends. Looking down at my own lantern, I said a quiet prayer for the inhabitants of that far away land and extinguished the light. Tomorrow I would relay the silent warning given to us by the people of this strange place - the world they once loved, the home they called Earth.

The End