Alien
Copyright© 2025 by Harry Carton
Chapter 13
Mid April. Selvin and Alister 5 reporting.
The Mississippi unfurled beneath Aloo’s hovering torpedo like a poisoned ribbon. It glided silently above the river, its bioluminescence muted to a soft emerald halo.
On the ground, people watched in awe as the emerald streak lit the night sky, and ‘extra-terrestrial visitor wingnuts’ from Pittsburgh to Omaha rejoiced. Through Nightwing’s enhanced sensors, Craynet watched the alien craft pause over St. Louis, where the Missouri and Mississippi converged in a murky embrace. Spectral analysis flared crimson on her display – nitrogen overload from upstream farms and mercury leaching from forgotten industrial sites. Aloo didn’t deploy microbes. Instead, crystalline filaments extended, sampling air and water with surgical precision.
“Cataloging,” Elliot murmured, eyes glued to the data stream. “He’s mapping toxin sources at the molecular level. Petrochemical plants in Memphis ... pesticide runoff near Cairo...” The torpedo banked sharply, darting toward a colossal coal-fired power plant belching sulfurous plumes over the Illinois floodplain. It hovered, motionless, for three minutes. “Thermal imaging shows him scanning every smokestack, every outflow pipe,” Elliot added. “He’s not just seeing the pollution. He’s studying the architecture of waste.”
Craynet’s console chimed with an urgent alert from Selvin. “Chicago water intake sensors detect unprecedented microbial activity in Lake Michigan. Non-terrestrial origin.” The display zoomed in: Aloo’s torpedo had bypassed the city’s skyline, descending silently onto the lake’s choppy surface. Bioluminescent tendrils unfurled like roots, probing deep into intake tunnels near Navy Pier. “He’s testing water purification systems,” Craynet realized. “Sampling how humans filter what they’ve contaminated.”
On Air Force One, President Ho’s hologram flickered back to life, her voice strained. “Chicago’s mayor reports ‘glowing seaweed’ clogging filtration plants. Panic is spreading. Commander, can you intervene?” Behind her, Harkness studied real-time feeds, his expression grim. “Aloo’s not attacking infrastructure – he’s auditing it. But if he shuts down a major plant...”
C’Droit signaled Selvin. “Patch me through to Aloo—direct channel.” The alien’s response was immediate, a cascade of clicks and whistles. “Aloo, your investigation is causing disruption. Humans require functional systems while solutions are negotiated.
Then, interrupted with an incoming message from Aloo. Selvin translated: “Observation is necessary. These designs are ... inefficient.” On the lake, the bioluminescent tendrils retracted. The torpedo ascended, leaving Chicago’s water intakes untouched. “I withdraw. But note: this machinery multiplies toxins. It must cease.”
Ho’s hologram tightened. “Commander, tell him we know. But millions depend on that power plant, those farms. We need time—”
A plan was forming in Ho’s mind. “Tell the press we’ll have a major announcement in... 30 minutes. TV, media streaming services, newspapers, everything.”
She outlined a statement with the help of her advisors:
“People of the United States and the world. We are being visited by two alien ships. One is from the Confederation of Planets, and the other from an inter-galactic visitor. You will be shocked by the news they bring us.
“The lights you’ve seen over the Mississippi are caused by an alien visitor who has come from another galaxy. In the past twelve hours, the leaders of our planet have learned of his visit. He has visited us eons ago and is seeing what we have done with the earth. We have been tracking his ship’s approach to earth, and are just now learning what he has seen. He was appalled at the toxic waste and pollution we have emitted. He has audited the conditions on earth.
“This is a message from Aloo, the alien visitor – his direct words: ’It never occurred to me that this toxic runoff was managed and created by sentient beings. Do you mean to tell me that all this -- all around the world in so many places -- is done intentionally?’ The voice, of course, is translated by a computer. He does not speak English.
“He has already visited AND CORRECTED the pollution caused when the nuclear reactors at Fukushima, Japan, almost melted down two hundred years ago. Nuclear waste our best scientists projected would last for centuries. Now he is auditing the situation along the Mississippi River and environs.
“Do not be alarmed. Aloo has promised that [a computer voice clip plays] ’Understanding precedes action.’ He is gathering information, and understands that we – the people of the planet – did not fully understand what he is showing us.
“To the industries of our planet: We must and we will change what we have been doing. The leaders of the industrial countries are negotiating with the alien visitor. We will be in close contact with you as we discuss the future of the planet.
“In another major, but related, event, we have been contacted by the Confederation of Planets [here a still photograph of Commander C’Droit is shown] – a group of nearby, in galactic terms, planets. This contact was mere hours before we detected Aloo’s entry in our solar system. A more detailed announcement will be forthcoming in the next day.
“To sum up: the entire planet is being audited by an extra-terrestrial force. Do not be frightened. The planet’s leaders are in contact with them and we will have further announcements as things develop.”
In the sky above Lake Michigan, Aloo’s torpedo accelerated northward, streaking toward Lake Superior. “He’s not waiting,” C’Droit said quietly. Below, the pristine expanse of the world’s largest freshwater lake glimmered under moonlight. Aloo dove, vanishing beneath the waves near Isle Royale. Selvin’s sensors detected a deep pulse—sonar mapping the lakebed. “He’s searching for something,” Elliot whispered. Data scrolled: thermoclines, mineral deposits, then—”Biological signature. Massive. Near Thunder Bay.”
Craynet leaned in. “What is it?”
“Unknown. Size comparable to a blue whale, but ... crystalline.” Aloo’s torpedo resurfaced, trailing tendrils that glowed violet. They plunged into the water, targeting a very deep, cold ‘sink’ in the lake bottom. “Harvesting psychroiphiles,” Craynet realized. “Psychrophiles that consume heavy metals. He’s stockpiling for the next phase.”
On Air Force One, Harkness pointed at a satellite overlay. “He’s bypassing population centers now. Heading toward Canada’s mining belt.”
President Ho nodded, her race showing relief. “Good. Buys us time to --”
An alert cut her off. Selvin projected a live feed: Aloo’s craft had veered west, hovering over the Alberta oil sands. Infrared scans showed oil covered tailing ponds steaming under alien scrutiny. “He’s quantifying the damage,” Elliot said. “Petroleum density, soil toxicity ... it’s a forensic snapshot.”