The Great Wall of China, an extraordinary piece of construction. Pegman’s prompt this week.
Here is my story.
Visitors
‘Beam-down of Starship-Synth complete, Ynot, we’re on target. Only human structure visible from space. Contact ceased for now’.
‘Is this it Yar ? Crumbly structure, no grid system evident. Why here ?’
‘Just need it for landing co-ordinates. So Ahens, here’s our mission : algorithm analysis tells us this Species has capacity for an unknown activity called ‘imagination’. On SynthStar, we can’t get data on what this ‘imagination’ is. Our brief is to find out and report back.’
‘OK Yar. I am weary, let’s sit on this ledge here for a while. How do we find out ? We’ve nothing to report back.’
‘See those little square constructions down there, wonder what they’re for ?’
‘This wall does seems very bendy and long. You can’t see where the wall ends, its mysterious, covered in soft white mist.’
‘I am tranquil when I look at the soft white mist.’
April 30, 2018 at 8:40 pm
Good one!
May 1, 2018 at 4:05 pm
Thank you Jelli.
April 30, 2018 at 8:32 pm
A placid moment, seeing man’s endeavours from afar. Nicely done
May 1, 2018 at 4:06 pm
Appreciate your feedback Lynne.
April 30, 2018 at 5:33 pm
I think your aliens are becoming quite imaginative just sitting there in the mist. Nicely done.
May 1, 2018 at 4:08 pm
Thank you Alicia. The Great Wall is an inspiring place to sit, I guess.
April 30, 2018 at 1:53 pm
Dear Francine,
While these ET’s might not possess imagination, the author of the story most certainly does. 😉 Fun read.
Shalom,
Rochelle
April 30, 2018 at 4:17 pm
Thank you Rochelle, for your appreciation.
April 30, 2018 at 1:23 pm
I looked it up and mentioned it on another blog, but as JHC said, the wall isn’t visible to the unaided human eye from low Earth orbit. Of course, these are aliens.
April 30, 2018 at 4:20 pm
Perhaps these aliens have Lasar-Vision ? Or the phoney fact about the Wall’s visibility from space suited the story line !
April 30, 2018 at 5:57 pm
There’s actually something about the limitations of the human eye that makes it impossible or almost so for anyone to see the wall from low orbit, but you’re right. Alien eyes might be able to see more.
April 30, 2018 at 3:34 am
This was a fun take. Let them rest and enjoy the mist… Maybe their imagination will boot to life.
April 30, 2018 at 1:00 pm
Thanks Dale. Yes, hope the space people will chill out when sitting on the Great Wall !
April 29, 2018 at 4:43 pm
I like this take. I recently read that the idea the Great Wall being visible from space was an urban legend, but I like it anyway.
April 30, 2018 at 1:03 pm
Thanks Josh – glad you like the story and for updating me on the Wall’s visibility – think I learnt that by word of mouth. I do think its an extraordinary structure, don’t you ?
April 29, 2018 at 2:53 pm
You’ve made a very creditable attempt to imagine the alien way in which aliens may think. They’re obviously not a warlike race. They seem rather to be philosophers and aesthetes.
April 30, 2018 at 1:06 pm
Thanks for your feedback Penny. I didn’t want to assume they were hostile invaders- lots written about that kind.
April 29, 2018 at 2:07 pm
Imaginative take on the prompt. Will they find the elusive ‘imagination’ in the mist?
April 30, 2018 at 1:07 pm
Thanks Karen. Let’s hope the magnificence of the Wall will inspire them !