Cary Neeper--Writings© 2002-2012 Carolyn A. Neeper

Since A Place Beyond Man was published, we have seen the rapid growth of understanding in the complex nature of all natural systems, including the relationships of sentient beings, like humans. Our sense of self is being impacted by knowledge of the unpredictability of complex systems and by ongoing discoveries in everything from the discovery of Earth-like planets and cosmology to animal consciousness. An exciting time to be alive!! This new version of my first novel reflects some of this new awareness. Enjoy.



Chapter 1. An Unexpected First Contact

“They know now. It’s no surprise. Humans share their sun with ellls and varoks. They always have. They just didn’t have the technology to find us until now. We’re neighbors. Always have been. It’s time they treated us to some morning coffee.”
The elll shut down the radio link to Elll-Varok Science on Earth’s moon and stood up. His feet hurt. His head ached with arguing. EV Science was too cautious about making contact beyond the remote educational transmissions that humans decided were nothing more than an annoying prank by some hacker.
“Conn, get your mossy green hide out of there. Now! You’re between the sow and her cubs.”
The language was Ellasonian. It came through tense and precise to the elll. He dove for the shallow water of the nearby creek then sat up to face the huge red fur ball rising out of the willow brush.
"Go suck eefl eggs, Killah. It's only a bear. Not much taller than me.”
“Back off! Let her know you’re harmless.”
Conn purred soft deep lll sounds through his helmet. “She’s gorgeous. A warm bright shade, probably orange to human eyes. They’re rarely seen in these mountains now, you know.”
The giant cinnamon bear snorted and swung her head back and forth in warning, as two cubs scampered across the creek to join her.
“I know a universal language when I see it.” The shorter helmeted biped called Killah held a branch of ripe huckleberries. “When I drop these berries, we retreat downstream--fast,” he said.
“And miss a chance like this? You’re about to witness the miracle of cross-alien communication, Killah. Watch.”
The elllonian tones Conn spoke rolled off his long tongue like the soothing notes of a silken bell. “Have a berry, dearie.” Slowly he eased back out of the creek
The bear stopped harrumphing and looked up, more curious than fearful. Unhindered by bad history, the cubs ran for the berries.
Killah tossed the berry branch to them and ran downstream, the thick softness of his boots protecting the thin webs of his befinned feet.
The bear snorted and stood tall, then led her cubs upstream.
“Okay, mama,” Conn said. “We’ll let you be." When he found his elllonian companion crouched low beneath a bush in a quiet eddy of the stream, he lowered his voice. "We're being watched, you know, and not by bears."
"What? Where?"
"In the bushes. Don't look over there, you idiot. Where's your cool?"
"What?"
"Let's go."
As the ellls moved downstream they realized that the human who had been watching them followed with a heavy step, as if he didn't care to stay hidden. They moved on through the Canadian wilderness, following the stream. The trees grew thick here--a bit of treasured old-growth forest. A deep carpet of spruce needles muffled their steps. At the top of a steep hill the human came into view across the small clearing where the aliens had stopped. They pretended to be too busy to notice his appearance.
“I can’t stand to hold it any longer,” Conn said in Ellasonian. “Get out your can of Lysol.”
“My what?”
“Your sterilizing juice, Kill, old friend. I’ve got to get out of this isolation suit for a minute.” Conn ripped the rear access from his isolation suit. “You really should watch more TV, you know. How do you expect to converse with the natives?”
“Not this way!” Killah growled. "You don't have to do this."
"What better way to prove we're harmless--with more in common with humans than big feet."
“You really shouldn’t be doing this, you know. It’s against all protocol--”
“And so is this visit. And all the other visits Elll-Varok Science hasn’t officially approved. Now dissolve my output, will you?”
Killah produced a heavy canister from his suit, and aimed its spray at Conn’s scat.
An acrid smell filled the air.
Conn spoke loudly in English. "Maybe that will reassure our follower that we aliens are responsible about contamination. We are very careful not to seed the Earth with our microbes. Right?"
Unfortunately the powerful decontaminate made the human cough--or was that a laugh?