Unidentified

by Douglas E. Richards

Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, or UAP,

Not fantasy. Hard science fiction. Mind-blowing, breathtaking, hard science fiction.

I wish

In the quantum realm at least, it’s becoming increasingly likely that future events can affect the present.”

while I did believe intelligent life existed elsewhere in the universe, interstellar distances were incomprehensibly vast, and the speed of light, which could not be exceeded, was relatively plodding. Yes, light traveled a distance of more than one hundred eighty-six thousand miles in a single second, but it would still take light four years to reach the nearest star.

traveling at the speed of a 747 jet, a trip to our nearest stellar neighbor would take over five million years.

Would extraordinarily advanced alien beings really traverse this unimaginable gulf just to blast patterns in our cornfields, mutilate our cows, and probe our anuses? Surely they’d have better things to do.

I’d believe squirrels were alien spies before I’d believe that every government on Earth was able to keep a secret of this monumental import.

It's birds, not squirrels.

What I didn’t understand was why the entire world wasn’t stopping in its tracks, all eight billion of us, demanding to know what was going on.

Given fake news and fake video, people are conditioned to disbelieve anything they don’t see or hear with their own eyes and ears. And it’s hard to blame them.

Cave drawings have been discovered in various locations around the world, dating back as far as twelve thousand years, depicting what look like humanoid aliens.

“What’s astonishing to me,” he said, “is that something this epic, this convincing, has been made public, and yet so many are unaware of it—even now. Or are aware but refuse to believe it could be true.”

Humanity has never been faced with so many distractions.

Google its official USPTA number, which is US10144532B2

Wow

The popularity of reality television was difficult to explain. How the government could get away with spending many billions of dollars it didn’t have each year was difficult to explain. But this was technology that broke every law of physics known to mankind—something I would call impossible to explain.

Looks were nice in the beginning, but intelligence, stimulating conversation, empathy, loyalty, humility, and chemistry were the key for a relationship to go to the next level.

with a twinkle in my eye.

Ugh. is he Santa?

I was paying careful attention to your recent mission, since you’re both so damn important, but I took my eye off the ball.

So damn important. Ugh

did you really just say that Tessa and I are so damn important? Why is that?”

Benevolent Association of Sentient Species.

BASS

with a twinkle in his eye.

“The Wright brothers made the first successful flight of a propeller-driven, heavier-than-air plane in 1903. A flight that lasted all of twelve seconds. But only sixty-six years later, we landed a man on the moon. Sixty-six years later.

social media,” replied Brad. “It’s the most divisive technology the world has ever seen. It’s polarizing and promotes our worst tendencies. Mistrust, tribalism, zealotry. And it fosters and aids in the mobilization of those intent on violence.

“Social media isn’t just polarizing, it’s designed and tested to be addictive. It riles us all up on purpose to keep us glued to our screens.

It’s been quite the tour de force.

Ugh again

This could take a while.”

ugh. Cue 100 page info dump.

“Go on,” I said.

Yes ...never stop the info dump!

I had opted for boxer shorts, loose-fitting khaki pants, a polo shirt—which happened to be light blue—and tennis shoes.

Oddly specific

“Humanity is used to fake news that looks perfect. We’re also great at ignoring information we don’t want to believe, no matter how compelling.