Month: June 2024

By James Gonda

(i)

Dr. Elaine Thomas spends weeks in the Tibetan forest studying orchids known as Ward’s Lady’s Slipper. These white and purple flowers have always stoked her curiosity; she notices what looks like pollen dusts their slipper-shaped lips. But Elaine knows it’s pseudo-pollen, designed to attract and deceive pollinators. By mimicking real pollen, the orchids increase their pollination success without expending energy to produce the real thing.

Elaine has an exceptional way of “seeing”.  She can parlay mundane observations into unique insights and has a knack for identifying patterns. She’s in her early 50s. Her short hair frames a kind face, and her pleasing shape betrays an active lifestyle.

One evening a glow emanates from the orchids. How odd, Elaine thinks. Bioluminescence is not a known behavior of these plants. She hypothesizes they might be prone to disturbances in electromagnetic fields (EMFs). EMFs are omnipresent and invisible to the human eye. Solar flares cause EMF disturbances, and they can impact biological systems.

Elaine decides to test her theory. She engineers an experiment to monitor the orchids’ reactions to EMF disturbances. She tracks growth patterns, flowering times, and production of pseudo-pollen. As suspected, there is a heightened sensitivity to the disruptions. But the data also suggests that known scientific processes cannot explain the orchids’ reactions. What’s going on here? So, Elaine begins to entertain a more radical hypothesis: the orchids have a symbiotic relationship with an otherworldly entity. If this notion is confirmed, then the orchids are not merely exotic flora but emissaries of an extraterrestrial presence.

Yet Elaine grapples with disbelief. It has never been proven that extraterrestrial symbiosis is possible. As a scientist, though, she cannot deny her findings: The Ward’s Lady’s Slipper orchids are connected to something beyond planet Earth.

(ii)

Elaine reaches for her phone to contact Dr. Ahmad Seraj, a botanist known for his work on plant genetics. Their relationship is professional but was once more intricate. Years ago, during a project in the rainforests of Borneo, their passion for plant life sprouted a romance. Late nights cataloging rare species and early mornings discussing ecological conservation cultivated a bond that superseded academic pursuits. But individual ambitions and commitments siphoned time from their fling. The romance withered and died. As she scrolls for his number, angst fills her chest. What if he dismisses my findings as fantasy? she thinks. What if he ridicules me for postulating such an absurd idea?

“Elaine?” Dr. Seraj’s voice crackles. 

“Ahmad, I’ve found something extraordinary.” She details the bioluminescence, the EMF disturbances, her findings, and her hypothesis of extraterrestrial symbiosis.

There is a long silence . . . .

“Elaine, are you sure about this?” He sounds incredulous. 

“Yes, the data is solid, but the conclusion—it defies everything we know.”

“Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence,” he reminds her. “You’ll need to verify this. I trust your judgment, but you must be thorough. As you said, this would change everything.”

Ahmad’s support is reassuring, but Elaine knows the scientific community will scrutinize, dissect, and contest her discovery. She needs to navigate these hazards with care. So, she reaches out to a select group of colleagues for their open-mindedness and discretion. Together, they establish a network of clandestine research stations in locales where the orchids thrive. And to avoid distractions, she excludes Dr. Seraj.   

(iii)

One late evening in her station, Elaine receives an unusual transmission: a burst of electromagnetic radiation encoded with a series of mathematical equations. Electromagnetic radiation is a form of energy that travels through space at the speed of light. It’s used to send data across vast distances, using electromagnetic waves to traverse the void of space.

At first, Elaine figures the transmission is a glitch. Then she unpacks it further and realizes it’s a message from the stars. Oh dear! Her heart skips a beat or two. She works almost nonstop for three days decoding it. She finds a schematic for a device to communicate with an extraterrestrial civilization. I’m on top of the world! The team’s research is no longer about orchids—it’s about contacting another intelligent species that has been trying to connect with us. There is a lot to do. I must be meticulous.

(iv)

Elaine and her cohorts begin constructing the communication device. Wires of various colors snake across workbenches, connecting circuit boards to glowing displays. Screwdrivers, wire strippers, pliers, and other hand tools litter the tables.

A few weeks pass as they assemble the machine. Elaine christens their creation “Gabriel” for the divine messenger. Gabriel stands tall, a latticework of metal and plastic with an array of blinking lights. The central processor, a sleek black box, hums. Its surface is warm to the touch. Atop Gabriel sits a polished, dome-shaped antenna.

As Gabriel comes to life, its screen flickers with a soft blue light. The first test message scrolls across its display. It feels like a miracle, a testament to their hard work. The team agrees that Gabriel is ready to bridge the gap between humanity and the unknown.

They gather in the Tibetan forest to transmit their first message. Elaine activates the device with a sense of reverence, and Gabriel hums to life. Then they wait, uncertain of what response, if any, they will receive.

On a humid night several days later, a faint signal emerges from Gabriel. The device crackles; its screen flickers. Elaine and her team gather around. The transmission becomes clearer: more mathematical equations, including odd symbols. They go to work to decode the message; it takes almost a month to make sense of it. Its content exceeds their wildest dreams: a map of a distant star system and instructions for building a portal-like transporter. “Mary mother of God,” Elaine says other her breath. They’ve contacted an extraterrestrial civilization and received the means to travel there.

Elaine’s excitement turns to unease. The instructions for the portal include sequences that look familiar. She scans the data again and again until it hits her. The portal’s architecture matches that of the Ward’s Lady’s Slipper orchids. This recognition crashes over her. The orchids might be more than emissaries—they could be gatekeepers. Elaine steps back from Gabriel, her mind reeling. Does the pseudo-pollen in some way interface with the portal? she wonders. If they’re gatekeepers, are they guarding against misuse of the portal? Or something else? As the team debates the next steps, an unexpected visitor arrives: Dr. Ahmad Seraj. Elaine is stunned. I never shared our location with him.

“Elaine, we need to talk,” he says. His voice is grave. “There are things about these orchids you don’t know.”

“How did you find us?” she wants to know.  

“I tracked EMF anomalies to this station.” He scans the setup around Gabriel. “These orchids, Elaine, are not what they seem. You need to understand what you’re dealing with.”

Elaine and her team exchange glances. “What are you saying?”

“Years ago, during my research in the Amazon, I encountered orchids almost identical to Ward’s Lady’s Slipper. They too exhibited bioluminescence and reacted to EMF disturbances. But we discontinued our work—it became too risky.”

“Risky? How?”

“We learned the orchids are part of a network, a surveillance system. They monitor and report back to their creators. Pseudo-pollen isn’t only a lure for pollinators; it’s a data collection tool. They communicate via the EMF disturbances.”  

Elaine gets a chill. “Communicate what?”

“Everything,” Ahmad says. “Environmental changes, biological interactions, the presence of humans, etcetera. These orchids are scouts, gathering intelligence for an extraterrestrial species.”

Elaine’s team murmurs in disbelief, but the pieces fit together: the bioluminescence, the transmission from the stars, the portal instructions—it all aligns.

Elaine glares at Ahmad. “Why didn’t you warn me sooner?” 

“When you called, I thought the orchids were a coincidence,” he says. “Then I analyzed recent EMF disturbances and realized you’re encountering the same phenomenon.”  

If the orchids are monitoring agents, Elaine thinks, then the portal is not the breakthrough we thought. It could be a trap. Or a way for extraterrestrials to establish a link to Earth.

“We need to disable Gabriel,” Elaine announces. “We can’t risk activating a portal.”

Her team hesitates but ultimately agrees. They power down Gabriel and dismantle its key components.

Ahmad places his hand on Elaine’s shoulder. “If you elect to study these orchids further, then you must be super cautious.”

(v)

Elaine and her team continue to gather more data on the orchids, their pseudo-pollen, the electromagnetic patterns, and their communication methods. The goal is to understand the full scope of the orchids’ role without tipping off the extraterrestrials.

Weeks go by and their research unveils startling revelations. The orchids’ pseudo-pollen contains microscopic nanostructures, capable of storing vast amounts of data. They aren’t just scouts; they’re repositories of knowledge, waiting to transmit their collected information.

One night as Elaine reviews the latest data, she receives another transmission, this time in English: we have been watching the choice is yours collaborate or be observed. 

Elaine gasps. Busted.  

If we collaborate, she thinks, then that means working with these beings, gaining knowledge and technology, assuming they’re benevolent. If we choose not to collaborate, then the beings will observe us without sharing what they know. What a pity! Is this a warning? Or a trick? Or a Pandora’s box?  

Elaine goes outside and gazes at the night sky: a constellation of twinkling stars. They’re out there, watching. She ponders the message for a long time; she knows it requires a team meeting. Her hunger for knowledge is insatiable. Does she have the willpower to say no?