Deep within the bowels of Earth, the Galaxy Noxiam spun in its relentless tiny orbit. Older than the civilization topside by billions of years, its inhabitants were nonetheless aware of what was happening on the surface.
The alien race of the Voltons had been living within Earth since their spacecraft had crashed into the planet shortly after it’s creation. Their tiny self sufficient galaxy had found itself inserted deep within the hollow middle of the newly created planet. The velocity that pushed them through the molten outer crust could not be replicated within the close confines of inner space, and therefore, they were forever trapped.
But they carried on, year after year, monitoring the habitat topside while finding ways to thrive on their own little galaxy. In the last few decades, there had been little to monitor on the surface. The nuclear holocaust instigated by the humans had nearly wiped out the entire population of topside dwellers. There were a few pockets of ragtag survivors, descendants of those in power who had the luxury of nuclear fall-out shelters when the war began.
The Voltons had many long discussions about the possibility of making contact with the remaining humans and perhaps offering them a place in Noxiam. Elders argued that the races were far too divergent to ever cohabitate. And they pointed out that the warlike tendencies of the humans had almost made them extinct. Did the Voltons need such an influence in their peaceful world? On the opposite side of the fence, the youthful debaters were in favor of bringing in the humans. They felt the Voltons could use something new and exciting added to their lives.
Aurg was one of the young council members in favor of bringing in at least a few humans on an experimental basis. He grew weary of the constant debate and the tireless circling of the same opinions always ending in a stalemate. They had been studying these humans for years. It would be a simple matter to create a translator for communication and a fabricator to feed them. He decided to take matters into his own hands. And thus it began.
“Janus, once you have the translators ready, let me know. I have a group of 5 humans spotted living in the cave system above Delta Checkpoint Four. The two of us can bribe old Yeta with some of his precious merg and as soon as he’s lost in nirvana we can borrow one of the Pod Carriers. We’ll have our humans back here and hidden away in our creche before he even wakes up.”
“Are you sure about this, Aurg? You know the council is against us. I don’t want to spend the next several years of our lives put in stasis for punishment.”
“I’m not worried about it. Remember that human saying we picked up - it’s easier to ask forgiveness than permission. Just get the communicator ready.”
Three days later Aurg and Janus were easing a Pod carrier away from the docking station as old Yeta was lost in his dreams. They slipped silently through the inner void toward Delta Checkpoint Four. The lifescan showed that the five humans were in residence in the cave system.
The Pod hovered directly beneath the cave system and Aurg sent out the microprobe that drilled through the crust and into the cave. Once the probe was inside the cave it gave off a shrill whistle that woke the humans and had them scrambling from their pallets on the cave floor.
Aurg enabled the communications program and began speaking to the humans.
“Attention, humans. We are Aurg and Janus, from the Galaxy Noxiam, located in the center of your planet. We have lived here since before human existence and watched your species evolve and then come to the point of destroying yourselves and your habitat. We have decided to come to your aid. We are offering you sanctuary from your pitiful existence and a new life on Noxiam. The choice is yours to come with us or to remain here to face certain destruction.”
The two men and three women of the cave-dwelling were struck speechless. The microprobe was tiny and could not be seen with their unaided vision. The voice seemed to come from thin air and it was unlike anything they had ever heard, though they had no trouble understanding the words. Fear and awe mingled as the meaning of this communication sank in. There was an alien race living within the Earth!
