First Contact

Chapter 939: The Setting Sun

Why did you choose such a gruesome subject for your media presentations as Terran 'slasher', 'horror', and 'suspense'?

One thing I learned during the Big C3 was that our people's emotions had been stunted for thousands of generations. That we had no lows but no highs either. Terran media presentations, better known as movies, allows those species capable of empathy and sympathy to be able to put themselves in the situation of those they witness while having the very real and very important safety of not actually being involved in those events or circumstances. While we experienced great highs of emotions as the war came to an end, I also realized there was a place for fear, anxiety, and the other emotions that so many species seek to rid themselves of.

It was my viewing of Sunset of the Living Dead at Log Base Manchester toward the end of the Big C3 that made me understand one simple thing: It's fun to be scared.

That seems wrong somehow. Why would someone want to be scared.

Because the fright is temporary. You know that you are safe. You get the thrill of living vicariously through the people you view, even with full immersion eVR.

Did the Shade Night and the loss of high fidelity images hurt your works?

Although the parent media conglomerates were convinced that the horror of Shade Night and the lowering of fidelity for "Green Rage" would harm it, it saw record sales, making over 13.5 trillion credits across two thousand worlds, opening night.

In many ways, the lowering of fidelity has made the movies more frightening. The viewer's own mind fills in details we could never accomplish, making each frightening movie more terrifying than we could manage in the special effects studio. It also made it so our practical effects, which I feel are far superior to computer generated effects, were far more effective and enjoyable to the audience.

Well, thank you for your time. - Interview with Ska'arimo'o, Writer, Director, Producer

[VOICE OVER - ADULT MALE - DEEP AUTHORITARIAN VOICE]

A simple vacation resort lake cabin.

[insert wide angle pastoral shot of wooded lake during summer day]

An innocent teenage girl

[insert LEAD FEAME actress opening the front door to THE CABIN - 2 sec]

her beloved siblings

[insert shot of male and female child actors entering front doorway of THE CABIN - 1 sec]

and a barely weened infant

[insert shot of amber eyed infant holding tight to LEAD ACTRESS - 1.5 sec].

A secluded and pastoral hideaway for the well to do.

[shot of family tending a garden behind house]

The Second Invasion of Hesstla is underway

[80+ decibel scream of YOU BELONG TO US]

with an unknown force attacking across the planet

[Use footage from initial invasion of Atrekna - 2 seconds].

The Terran military is fighting all out to save who they can

[Stock footage of planetary battles - 5 seconds]

But the four refugees, hiding in a simple cabin, can only rely on themselves.

[10 second scene with voice of dinner being made in cabin, low PoV looking upward toward teenage female. Zoom in on window showing overgrown woods]

[1 second move through window, sound of kitchen scene slowly fades]

[move through the bushes slowly and into the forest, sound of kitchen fades, replace with forest sounds]

Except...

[2 sec pause, dim ambient light to dark]

A threat is growing at the lake that will bring terror to everyone!

[insert LEAD FEMALE actress screaming and crawling backwards on all fours - 2 sec]

[insert shot of male and female child actors holding each other and screaming - 1 sec]

[insert shot of amber eyed infant biting forearm hard enough to draw blood - 1.5 sec].

A terror that exists only to kill and survive no matter what.

[show 3 Hesstlan running through brush, obviously panting and frightened. Zoom in one male face. 4-sec. Make sure red powder on ears is subdued but visible]

Can anyone survive...

[show male's face turn from panic to pain]

[pan down male's body to show heavy brush blade, dripping with blood (catch light to make blood and edge gleam) pushed out from stomach]

[pull back to show male in center of shot, others turn and look]

[show others scream and run in different directions]

[female falls to the ground limp, showing behind actor]

[ensure SHAPE is in view]

[SHAPE takes on step forward]

[Zoom in to show grav-ski mask with red lit eyes on second step. Ensure grav-mask is from later in feature, dinged and cut, slightly dingy, well worn. Ensure red glow is deep in eyes. Show clear blue of FEMALE LEAD eyes]

HIS LAKE?

[Show text across bottom of mask]

[Fadeout from mask]

In theaters this summer: His Lake - Depths of Survival, from Skre'amo'o Multimedia Productions. Rated A for Advisory.

[End Commercial]

The theater was one of the largest on the planet. Luxurious, a huge screen, the most expensive sound system credits could by. It was marble and granite. Built to look imposing and impressive. It was in the center of what the residents of Hesstla had come to call Glitter-City, where most of the Hesstla film industry worked.

The front was brightly lit by spotlights. 480p holograms showed a pastoral lake scene on multiple sections of the building. There was a long flight of stairs out front, with columns at the top. Down the steps was a thick red velvet carpet, edged with solid light holograms barriers. On either side of the carpet were reporters with cameras and tri-vee recorders, fans, and those who came to see the spectacle.

Limo after limo pulled up, wheeled ground effect vehicles, all black or all white, the obvious luxury evident in the smooth lines and highly polished body. The windows were all tinted dark enough that nobody could tell who was inside the limo until uniformed concierge open the door.

Famous actors got out, smiling and waving. Producers. Directors. Financiers. All moved up, some pausing for a moment to speak to highly ranked press agents.

Everyone was there for the premiere of the newest 'suspense/horror' movie from Skre'amo'o Studios.

One limo pulled up, a big one that some observant spectators recognized as being from the Terran embassy. Those watching online eagerly made bets in the chat rooms as to who from the Terran Embassy had arrived for the grand showing.

The door opened and a large female Hesstlan got out. She looked young, in her early 20's, but wore the dress uniform of a retired member of the Terran Armed Services. Medals glittered on her chest, she had multiple colored cords around her shoulder.

Despite her apparent youth she looked cold and deadly as she surveyed the crowd. Her hand moved to her waist and her fingers curled, but then her hand opened and she rubbed her hip.

The chat-rooms went wild as she was identified.

A three time Confederate Cluster of Gallantry winner. The most highly decorated Hesstlan.

The Warsteel Lady.

Those viewing online and at home watched as small picture-in-picture popped up, showing her, looking much older, running across a battlefield full of wreckage, staggering even though she wore a loading frame, carrying a Tukna'rn in her arms.

The crowd stayed silent.

The next one out gasps were heard.

While the first on had been tall and broad, the second female to exit was massive. Three meters from her polished boots to the top of her head, her ears a meter long, deeply rounded, and wide. She had several notches missing from her ears. She was veiled, her head was covered, her neck was covered, and she wore elbow length gloves that vanished into the sleeves of her dress.

Two dark red burning lights could be seen through the veil.

Out next were two large males. Both of them coming up to the shoulder of the biggest female, as tall as the first female. Dressed in suits, they moved with athletic grace and restrained power. Out next were more females, but the press and viewers only had eyes for the two males and two females. Each of the males held out their arms, elbows bent, and the females took their arms, steadying the two males.

The press, which normally pushed and shoved at one another to get closer, drew back as the two pair moved up the carpet. Raw, barely restrained malevolence rolled off the largest female, so thick and real that even the viewers at home could feel it.

Some of the chat-rooms rewound and replayed the part where the large red-eyed female turned to look at the camera and for two frames a grav-ski mask replaced the veil. Arguments over whether or not it had been special effects raged to the point of muting and temp-banning chatters.

The limo pulled away and another pulled up. The door to the limo stayed closed until the large Hesstlan entered the building.

-----

Outside the car, on the dirt road between waving fields of grain, a Terran with his legs twisted and the armor on his legs broken, was firing his rifle at two stilters that were trying grab him with tentacles. He fired the grenade launcher and one collapsed as the camera swung to show the battered and beat up car, the windows all shattered, a rip in the roof.

The teenage girl turned around, kneeling on the seat, looking at her three siblings.

"I love you," she told her brother.

Visible through the hole where the back window had been, the Terran blocked the second strike but another tentacle yanked the rifle away even as two other tentacles lunged forward. He slapped one away but the second grabbed an arm.

"I want momma," her brother said.

The teenage girl, so far in the movie unnamed, swallowed thickly. "Do you two want to see her again?" she asked.

The Terran smacked away the second tentacle but a third grabbed his other arm.

The two young Hesstlan children nodded.

"Close your eyes," she said softly, her eyes looking between them, out the missing back window, watching as the Terran was lifted up. She looked at one and then the other of her siblings who were on either side of the Terran being lifted into the air by his outstretched arms.

They both closed their eyes as the tentacle came down on the Terran's head.

She lifted the pistol, putting it next to her brother's temple.

The crowd grasped.

"I love you," the teenage Hesstlan girl said softly.

Some in the crowd burst into tears.

-----

The teenage Hesstlan female, her left thigh and right forearm bandaged, hurriedly stuffed supplies from the shelf to the backpack, looking around with wild eyes. Every bit of her posture and body language showed she was terrified. The music was tense, slow moving, but still tense. She shoved a book, the title CAMPING 4 NOOBZ plainly visible, into the pack and then moved to the next shelf.

She stopped as lights from outside swept across the windows.

The music shifted slowly, raising the hackles of those watching.

The female hurried to the bar, dropping the backpack behind the bar, and poured herself a beer, this time not getting an overflow of foam. She put several glasses upside down on the towel on the counter behind and slightly lower then the bar and waited.

The door opened and two male Hesstlan entered, looking around.

"Mighty nice place, little miss," one said, moving up to lean on the bar.

He wore a utility lineman repair uniform, sunglasses, and had a neural pistol in his hand that he set on the bar as the other one walked through slowly, looking down the aisles.

"My daddy's," the Hesstlan female said. She started pouring a beer. The man was looking between her and the beer, licking his lips. "Slorpies got him."

The man nodded as the Hesstlan girl slid the beer to him. He caught it and took a long drink. The other moved over and sat down next to the first, setting down a LawSec pistol.

"You seen our friend, pretty little miss?" the second one asked.

"LawSec uniform?" the girl asked, pouring another beer.

"That's him," the second said.

"You're a cutie," the first said, setting down the almost empty beer mug. The girl ducked her head, her ears flushing, as she poured a second one. "He say anything to you?"

She skidded the beer down the polished bar. "Just that he wanted me to be nice to him," the girl blushed.

Both nodded, smiling, their eyes unreadable behind their sunglasses.

The music was slow, almost inaudible, a low menacing procession.

She pointed at the mugs in front of them in the dimness. "Another?"

"Yeah, pour us a couple more, little girl," the first one laughed.

"Sure thing," The girl said, reaching down and grabbing a mug. She set it down under the tap and reached back down, leaning forward against the low counter behind the bar.

"You see which way he went, cutey pie?" the skinnier one asked, taking a drink off his beer at the end.

Dambree pointed with the hand that had been holding onto the tap, pointing out the window. "That way."

They both turned to look, the view zooming in on the door, the two male's heads framing the shot.

The music stopped.

The two turned around.

The viewpoint swung around to show a closeup of the muzzle and grooved barrel of a heavy Terran magac pistol.

The crowd gasped.

The huge female Hesstlan in the crowd, reached out and grabbed the hand of the slightly smaller female, holding tightly as the scene played out.

The music was menacing as the girl stopped at the grav-ski masks, reached out, and took one.

The viewpoint changed to outside, where another Hesstlan was waiting.

The door crashed open.

The girl no longer looked skinny and afraid. She was made large by the bulky clothing.

Her face was hidden by the blank malevolence of the grav-ski mask.

Her intent was obvious by the heavy brush blade in one hand and the Terran magac pistol in the other.

Melinvae held tight to Dambree's hand as the scene played out on the huge screen.

Once in a while Dambree or her siblings would give out a choked sob, or their bodies would tense up. The two young females with Dambree's younger brother kept rubbing his back, his arms, his legs, his chest, to keep him calm.

Melinvae just let Dambree hold tight to her hand, rubbing the larger girl's forearm. Her longevity treatments made it so she no longer had to worry about her bones breaking easily.

She had to admit, Dambree was just as strong as they were showing on the screen.

Finally, the movie drew to a close.

"How long do we have to stay here?" the frightened little boy asked. The rain was loud on the roof. The oldest girl was laying on the couch, her arm bandaged.

There was a white flash that leaked through the curtain, brightening up the room slightly for second. After a moment there was the low rumble of a far off atomic detonation.

"Till we don't hear that any more," the teenager girl answered.

The screen faded to black. Credits started appearing.

Suddenly, images appeared between the credit stills. Scenes of the Terrans fighting the Atrekna. Credits still card, black letters on white background. Flash of The Lake. Credit still. A Red-Tip running and a spear hitting him between the shoulder blades. Credit still. Tanks fighting PAWM. Credits started rolling. Six Red-Tips gathered around a male that they were cutting up next to a fire flashed onscreen for a second.

Finally the images went black. The credits scrolled by, the music dark and somber.

It was dark.

The music ended.

A hush grew in the theater, tension and anxiety raised.

"The Red Tips are in the woods again," the little girl's voice said in the darkness. "They're looking for us."

The white grav mask slowly faded into view, almost transparent, the edges lost in the darkness, the whole thing barely visible.

The eyes glowed red.

"I know."

The lights came up and the audience got to their feet, applauding wildly. The director, the producers, and the main actors came out on stage, bowing and shaking their hands over their heads. More cheering and applause.

The director spoke a bit about what a challenge it was to show the history of what had happened while still retaining beliability. How the real story was even more amazing, more unbelievable, more heart wrenching.

How the movie was a testament to the Hesstlan people's will to survive everything the malevolent universe could throw at them.

Melinvae noted that the director didn't mention that Dambree and her family were sitting in a dark section of the balcony seats.

After a while the director waved and clopped off the stage.

People got up and milled around, most leaving.

Dambree stayed where she was, closing her eyes.

She heard the director approaching. Felt him sitting down across from her in the luxury balcony box.

"Are you all right, Miss Limberton?" the Lanaktallan asked.

"Yes," Dambree said softly.

"I hope you realize I went to great lengths to ensure you were sympathetic and not shown as some kind of deranged mass murdering cannibal," the Lanaktallan said.

"I know," Dambree said, knowing and cursing that her voice was flat and dead.

The Lanaktallan chuckled. "Those two simple words. I went through six lead actresses because they couldn't say it right. I was almost tempted to have you do voice over," he paused for a moment. "What do you two gentlemen and you two ladies think of how I showed you to the world?"

There was silence for a moment. "Well, I did eat a lot of bugs," Pulngee said.

That broke the tension and even Dambree laughed.

"I hope you approve of it all, Miss Limberton," the Lanaktallan said.

Dambree nodded. "There were some things you skipped, some stuff a little out of order, but you never added anything that didn't happen and I feel like it was respectful."

"I'm glad you feel that way," the Lanaktallan said. He stood up. "I'll have the car brought around back so you don't have to deal with the crowds."

"Thank you," Dambree said.

-----

The windows were cracked in the luxury sedan, cold air slipping through the crack. The occupants of the back were quiet, looking at the city lights as they swept by.

"You're shaking, Vay," Dambree said, reaching out and taking Melinvae's hand.

"Just... I haven't been to a city in a while. Not an intact one," Melinvae said. She wiped her mouth with her forearm as she stared at the city. "Daxin's balls, I want a drink."

"One day at a time," Dambree said softly.

"How are you? You just saw the worst parts of your life on screen, larger than life and twice as loud," Melinvae said. "I keep waiting for you to melt down."

"I know," Dambree said softly. She lifted up her other hand, showing braided hair around expended brass. "I just keep rubbing this and saying the prayer for strength and serenity."

Melinvae nodded.

"I'm glad you went," Elu said. Both of the girls with him, one on either side, nodded slowly, their ears lowered in a display of submission. "Weirdly enough, seeing it the way we did, it doesn't hurt so much to think about."

"Same here," Tru said. She watched as the hotel moved up.

"I just watched myself eat bugs and bite everyone," Punee smiled.

The sedan moved around to the underground garage as the occupants went silent. Once it parked, they moved to the elevator, taking it to the penthouse that the movie company was paying for. There they talked for a little bit before separating to their different rooms.

Dambree stayed awake, staring out the bay windows.

It had started raining, the rain still clearing out some residual contaminates from the long war.

She got up, taking off her veil and whimple. She slowly stroked her ears by wrapping her hand around the base and slowly pulling upward. She closed her eyes and whispered mantras and prayers she had learned in the convent.

The tension slowly left her neck and shoulders.

She got up, moving to the sliding smartglass doors and opened them, stepping out onto the balcony and moving to the railing. She put her hands on the railing and tilted her face up, letting the rain fall on her face.

The sounds of the city, twenty stories below, drifted up to her.

After a long moment she opened her eyes and looked down at all the lights. Even though it was nearly one in the morning, Glitter-City never slept. Limos and expensive cars moved around, people walked down the brightly lit streets, and neon holograms glittered and gleamed.

Moving over to the chairs she sat down and brought up the drink menu.

For a long moment her fingers hovered over the Liquid Hate icons, but she shifted it to a fruit juice smoothie and watched as it slowly appeared. She leaned back, sipping at the drink.

When the writer/producer/director had approached her about optioning her story, she'd been apprehensive. When she was told she wouldn't have to do anything but read and approve of the script in places, and she would still get paid, she'd agreed.

To be honest, she had expected a completely fabricated tale with just "Based On True Events" tacked onto it as an afterthought.

Not the grim, suspenseful, well paced dramamentary she had watched. True, the movie had shown her getting hurt more than she actually remembered being hurt on the drive, but the audience had seemed to like it.

She stared up at the cloudy sky, watching the lightning.

It was a sudden realization.

That seeing the movie, in some strange way, had helped her, and her siblings, put it all behind them. That seeing it happen outside of themselves had helped them all get over those terrible years.

She felt better than she had in years.

Smiling, she finished her drink and went to bed.