clearing Martha is exploring. Motion is very rapid at first, slowing suddenly
near the ground. A ramp lowers from one side, and a small beige Zeta bounds
out, not bothering to walk down the ramp as much as touching the ramp only at
a couple points. Another floats out, touching down on the grass. Martha has
her mouth slightly open, is blinking a bit too much, and is stepping further
behind the tree roots.
A small beige colored Zeta, no larger than Martha, comes around the root base,
leaning forward head first as though to establish eye contact first, to not
startle Martha. He walks up to Martha, takes her hand, and turns to lead her
back into the grassy area at the edge of the pond. Martha displays no fear.
Two other little Zetas are outside the ship on the grass, one bent over and
reaching a hand out to the racoon who is also not fearful and standing on rear
legs, as though the two of them were having a conversation, silent and
telepathic.
_______________________________
5
Now in the current day, the fallen tree has rotted, is sinking into the
ground, and more brush has grown up where the grass used to be. Billy wades
along the edge of a pond, his jeans rolled up to just below his knees and his
shoes tossed on the edge of the pond. The water is cool against his bare legs,
taking his mind off the hot sun. A large fallen tree that has thrown its
branches into the pond when it fell has rotten so that most of the branches
are broken off and sinking into mud. The trunk of the tree is falling apart,
covered now with moss in places, and brush has grown up along the sides of the
tree. The rain has reduced to a steady drizzle and drip, the fallen tree
looking wet and Billy’s flannel shirt looking damp and clingy.
Billy freezes and moves slowly, his hands out in front of him as though to
grab something as he lowers his body slowly toward the side of a tall grass
clump at the edge of the swamp. He grabs a frog.
Gotcha!
The frog is struggling, long legs hanging down and kicking. Billy lets it go,
the frog leaping out of his hands into the pond. He’s good hearted, while
being all boy. He leans back against the fallen tree trunk, digging a cookie
out of his pocket and takes a bite. Billy looks around the swamp edge,
scanning the water. All is silent, no chorus of frogs. A puzzled look comes
over his face. He blinks.
_______________________________
Red is in the tool room in the barn, hiding out again. Retirement does not
suit him, and where he has no cause to regret living with his daughter on the
farm, being a perpetual guest is also a difficult role for the guff old man to
maintain. Here, among the tools, he is in his realm, unchallenged as the
authority, and feels he is adding something solid, something real, to the
family's well being. Going by the nickname Red, more for his tendency to get
behind issues quickly and passionately than the touch of red in his shock of
graying hair, the old man finds these moments when he is alone and
unchallenged restful. His kingdom may be a dusty room full of rusting tools,
but increasingly, this is where he spends his day. Billy comes up to his
Gramps, uneasy and wanting to share with the old man, who always has an ear
and a keen interest in his grandson's exploits and discoveries. Billy is
upset.
Gramps . . all the frogs are gone!
The old man says,
. . What you say Billy?
Billy is distressed.
There’s no frogs . . there's no noise, no jumping
around. Did someone else catch them all?
Red considers for a moment.
6
. . I just heard something about that on the radio,
that all the frogs were disappearing and no one knew
why, for sure.
Red turns, muttering to himself.
Maybe it’s got something to do with those circles we
found in the field.
Pondering mysteries comes to an abrupt halt for higher priorities when they
hear Martha, Billy's mom, giving a dinner call from the house.
Dinner, don’t be late!
An unnecessary warning. On a farm, the men folks are seldom late for dinner,
and then not by choice. Red puts down his tools and starts walking towards the
farmhouse.
Come on Billy.
Billy runs ahead towards the farmhouse.
_______________________________
A white-haired man, balding on top and with unkempt white hair springing out
from his head in all directions, is bending over the viewing eye-piece of a
telescope.
He’s a bit wild-eye’d, clearly in his 80’s. This is an older observatory,
small, and thus one that has escaped the cover-up blanket as it is not seeking
government grants. The Astronomer is retired, no longer under any employment
restrictions, another arm of the cover-up. He looks up with glee in his voice,
speaking to his middle-aged daughter at the side of the room.
Pourrait être une comète. Est sur un des bras d'Orion.
7
The daughter has her bland face toward her father, taking this in. She smiles
and turns to a laptop she has on a table in front of her, typing.
From my father’s observatory, his first comments. Could be a comet near
the arm of Orion. It emits waves. Father is excited!
_______________________________
A young man with short sandy hair is approaching a modern day observatory,
high in the hills in an arid region supporting only pine trees in the rocky
soil. He opens the door and strides in.
The young man, an amateur astronomer, is greeted by the attending assistant
astronomer. The attendant is wearing a lab coat over his sweater. The evening
is cool. The amateur keeps his leather jacket on. He says,
Hi. I’m Joe. I rented this scope for this hour. I’ve
got my coordinates here . .
The amateur is pulling out a piece of paper and hands it to the assistant. The
attendant frowns on seeing the coordinates, gesturing toward some scaffolding
placed to the side of the scope.
Can’t look in that direction. I’d move this equipment
but I’m not authorized. .. Huh . .
The attendant is puzzled, as there is no rational reason for the scaffolding,
especially since the scope had been rented. He is muttering to himself, under
his voice.
Why is that there?
The attendant’s face brightens. He begins walking sideways toward a side door.
We can use another. Come this way.
_______________________________
8
Both are now huddled over another telescope, having pulled stools up to the