ZVONIMIR FURTINGER
	A MESSAGE OF FRIENDSHIP
	The American space-capsule "Pioneer-F" was launched in the
spring of 1972. It was supposed to cross our galaxy and to cover
in 100 million years a distance of 3 000 light years. It was
probable that in about 80 000 years it would reach a planet with
conditions suitable for life. Possibly - intelligent life.
	For this very probability Pioneer-F had on board a message
to inform the would-be receiver of the fact that the third planet
orbiting the Sun is inhabited by bipeds of male and female sex
and that these creatures were peaceful (God help their enemies!);
that there is water on Earth; that the average female earthling
is 168 cm tall, and of many other details we are not going to
list now. All this had been inscribed on an aluminum disc,
covered with a film of gold so that it could last for millions of
years. The message was encoded in symbolic pictures - images,
drawings, geometrical symbols and a binary system.
	Though the probability that someone would discover the
capsule in open space was very slim, many scientists cherished
the hope of contacting an alien intelligence even though humanity
might no longer exist. The general public was impressed by the
rumors that the drawings had been inscribed on gold, but, when it
became clear that the disc had only been gilded, their interest
died away immediately. Not a single layman cared any longer if
the message would be read after 985 000 years. Even if it was -
what difference did it make?
	Two months later Pioneer-F crossed the orbit of Venus and
after another month passed round the Sun, right on  schedule. A
year later it crossed the orbit of Neptune, and, in its turn, the
gravity of the planet changed its course. No one had taken this
factor into consideration, but it no longer mattered as it had
been known from the very beginning that the capsule would wander
about the Universe. The only thing everybody hoped for was that
it would not be destroyed by a meteor during the first 100 000
years. However, the unforeseen turn led to fateful consequences.
	Some 50 000 km away from Pioneer-F a strange body was flying
- round and encrusted with something that closely resembled huge
umbrellas. Some of them rotated round their axes, others swayed
in an even rhythm in different directions. This was obviously not
a natural phenomenon, it was rather something created by
intelligence.
	Suddenly, one of the antennae turned in the direction of the
capsule and an alarm rang out through the spheroid.
	"A large object is approaching us." Announced the skinny
Operator, his eyes on the control panel.
	Actually, we shouldn't stress the fact that the Operator was
skinny. All those in the spheroid would be as twins to us. They
looked like humans up to a point, though the upper part of their
bodies was longer, their legs were shorter and their ears were
round and flat. In principle, all their organs corresponded to
ours.
	Having made this short digression, we continue with the
events in the spheroid, or, more precisely, the space-craft.
	"Where is it coming from?" Asked the Captain.
	The Operator pressed a couple of buttons and pulled a lever:
lights flickered on the panel.
	"The computations say it could have come from anywhere. The
big planet on the left has deflected it."
	The Captain felt alarmed. He didn't like what he had heard
at all. The outlines of the mysterious object could already be
seen on the screen. Clearly, it was not a meteor, but an
artifact. Besides that, the analyses showed that whatever was in
it, it was hardly what one would expect to find in a meteor.
	The Captain thought of his mission. Surprise was the vital
element for its success. He had hoped to approach the third
planet unnoticed - the data received from the automatic devices
showed that it was inhabited. Where was that object from? It did
not look like a projectile. The only logical answer was that it
was from the third planet. The information they had was that
there wasn't any civilization on it. At best, they would find a
bunch of savages there... And yet...
	"A very, very dubious affair!" The Captain thought aloud. "I
can't believe it... Everything is possible, though. What if it's
a bomb. Alarm! Red alert!"
	After these words he relaxed but not for long. The devices
went on analyzing the mysterious object. It was immediately
confirmed that there was not even a trace of explosives, blasters
or disintegrating weapons in it. In the end the Captain realized
that this was simply a plain cannon-ball, launched against the
space-craft. "Isn't this funny," he thought. "These savages
cannot see any further than their noses, or whatever smelling
organ they have. They couldn't have done anything more naive.
What an idea - to destroy us by a direct hit, without
explosives.... No matter how precise their aiming is, the
slightest deviation is enough to miss us by dozens of
kilometers."
	"Savages!" The Captain mumbled under his nose. "It will be
easy to destroy them."
	He suddenly shuddered. What kind of savages were these if
they knew what was in store for them? This takes much more
intelligence than the firing of a cannon-ball. A moment before he
had regretted the red alert. Now he was glad he had announced it.
	For truth's sake we have to point out that the Captain was
not particularly bloodthirsty. He was just fulfilling the task
set by the Supreme Authority of his planet. And this task was of
supreme importance. Their natural resources were almost
exhausted. Despite economizing and the rational processing of
waste, the time was coming near when they would have to restrict
the production of even the most essential goods. Luxury-goods had
been out of production for centuries. Their space-reconnaissance
capsules had discovered a star-system with a sun like theirs and
had established that the third planet had abundant natural
resources and suitable gravity and atmosphere. What could be
simpler than the idea to annihilate every living thing on that
planet and then make use of the minerals and other natural
resources undisturbed? They could even think of settling down on
it. In that case the natives would be in the way, because it was
obvious that they had already reached a certain level of
civilization - the registered electronic signals were proof of
that. It was semi-civilized creatures like those that were
usually the most dangerous. At first they try to learn something
from the aliens, then they drive them away. This wouldn't do!
	The plan for the destruction of the third planet was simple
and secure. The space-craft had only to fly through the
atmosphere and activate the ionization process. All the rest
would follow automatically. The oxygen in the atmosphere would
start combining with the carbon compounds. In less than an hour
not a single atom of oxygen would remain free and every living
thing would perish. Then the reverse reaction would be provoked
and everything would be fine.
	The threat was now so imminent that it could be seen with
through the telescope. The function of the shell could not be
judged by its appearance.
	"They are not that primitive." Uttered the Operator loudly,
so that the Captain could hear him. "How could they have known of
our arrival?"
	The Captain was aware of the Operator's tactful hint to be
careful. He remained silent for a while and then said:
	"Isn't it amazing! They know of our coming and, yet, they
launch a cannon-ball against us that could hardly cause any
damage even if it hit us. Have you discovered anything new with
the detectors?"
	"Nothing. It is uncontrolled. That's what I find most
amazing."  Answered the Operator.
	"It could well be a bluff." The space-craft chemist
ventured.
	"What kind of bluff?" Said the Captain curtly as he did not
like educated smart guys. "The shell is flying uncontrolled and
is not emitting any signals".
	"May I suggest something?" Uttered the Chemist humbly.
	"Speak out".
	"Why don't we catch the thing and have a closer look at it?"
	"Do you think it's dangerous?" Objected the Observer. "There
could be something in it."
	The Captain hesitated. The Observer was right, but he felt
there was something logical in what the Chemist had said. Finally
he came to a decision:
	"That's right. We could attract it by a magnetic field and
open it up not far from the ship. I think two mechanics will
do... and if anything happens...well..we could spare them."
	He gave out the necessary orders and added:
	"You are a clever guy for a chemist. Now, numbers 23 and 81
out in space. The Second-in-Command to the energy block to
control the magnetic field. I remain in control of the ship."
	The Captain watched what was happening on the screen while
the  Chemist silently regretted that he had not chosen to become
a mechanic.
	Finally a bright spot appeared on the screen. The Captain
corrected the course and centered it. It was growing quickly and
soon everybody could see what it was like. It looked like a dish
with a rectangular box fixed on it.
	"Well," thought the Captain, "it could be anything or
nothing. We have to find out what's in it at any cost."
	Mechanics 23 and 81 approached the mysterious object. They
went round it, then one of them - the Captain assumed it was No
81 - carefully pressed the detector to its surface.
	"No explosives in it." They heard his voice.
	"Go on investigating." Replied the Captain and thought:
"What a cunning savage can do, a hundred civilized creatures will
never understand".
	"We cannot go on this way." Said No 81. "We have to open
it."
	"What do you think I've sent you there for?" The Captain
growled back.
	"I wonder if we could take it on board. Then we could take
it to pieces easier."
	"Are you mad?" Shouted the Captain, but his voice
immediately turned paternal. "The savages could have crammed it
with viruses and bacteria. It will be safer out in space."
	It could clearly be seen on the screen that they were both
manipulating the alien apparatus with the utmost reluctance, but
an order has to be obeyed. They settled down on the job and one
by one the dismantled parts were transferred into the container
they had with them.
	"Anything suspicious?" The Captain enquired.
	"Nothing so far. We have found only some primitive control
devices. The initial start was given by a rocket."
	"What else could be expected from savages?" The Captain
replied. "Go on!"
	The mechanics went on dismantling the object. When the box
was open No 23 was quick to report:
	"A disc. It looks like an attempt at art."
	"A Space Exhibition of Primitive Art!" The Captain jibed at
him. "Go on!"
	Nothing else of substance was discovered. The bomb which the
Captain feared was not there.
	The whole inventory of parts from the mysterious apparatus
finally found its place on his desk. The members of the crew
crowded around it.
	"Obviously all this has been manufactured by a developing
culture." Noted the Chemist.
	"That's what I think, too." Nodded the Captain. "We must
have been the same a hundred thousand generations ago."
	"If I only knew why they have launched it into space." The
Second-in-Command voiced his thoughts.
	The Captain stared at the disc. Then he took it in his
hands. At first the drawings made no sense to him. In the upper
right corner two savages were drawn. They were naked and that
fact corresponded completely with his idea of life on Earth.
Behind them was a drawing of the flying object. To the left a dot
was scribbled with beams coming out of it. There were two circles
above it joined with a line. Neither the Captain, nor the crew
could make any sense out of it. There was, however, something
further down - one big and nine small circles of different
dimensions. The sixth one was crossed. The Captain knew that this
was the planetary system.
	And another thing, a curved line began from the third planet
with a drawing of the apparatus at its other end.
	"Does anybody understand anything?" Asked the Captain,
looking in turn at everybody around the desk.
	"I would say something with your permission." Started the
Chief Engineer. "These savages are naked. The man has his hand
raised. This certainly means - we are poor savages, we have got
nothing, stop on our planet and bring us presents; we send this
apparatus to call you here."
	The Captain kept silent, his eyes on the members of the
crew. No one spoke out his thoughts, realizing it was better to
hear the chief's opinion first. When the silence became too
intense the Captain declared:
	"It could be interpreted this way. However, I would like to
know how these poor under-educated savages have learnt of our
approach. This shows that they are not that primitive and have at
their disposal means which we must take into account. I'm afraid
that this is not a plea for mercy, it's something else entirely."
	Everybody felt uneasy. The Chief Engineer regretted his
somewhat premature statement and wondered how to please the
Captain.
	"The lower line is completely clear. It shows that the
apparatus has been sent against us from the third planet. The
message says: all of us - men and women together - will rise in
defence of our planet. That's what the raised hand means. We are
naked because we have given everything we have for the
construction of ships to destroy you..."
	"Excuse me," the Chemist interrupted him quietly. "What
makes you think they have any intention of destroying us?"
	"The drawing up to the left. The dot with the beams coming
out of it. And those two joined circles above it. It can't be far
from the truth to say that by that explosion they threaten to
split us into two.
	"In that case we'll have to undertake something at once!"
The Chief Engineer put forward.
	"I'm afraid that a detail has escaped your attention." The
Captain made an effort to speak calmly because the Chief Engineer
was getting on his nerves. "They have a military base on the
fifth planet. As you can well see there is a line coming out of
it to the explosion. That means that with an attack against the
main target we'll gain noting. The military base will remain
intact."
	Everybody's heart sank. All their beautiful hopes were
ruined. They were slowly realizing that they weren't talking
about savages any more, but rather about a well developed culture
possessing unbelievable technical resources.
	"Well." It slowly dawned to the Chemist. "Then how will you
explain the primitive construction of the apparatus?"
	"With their extreme rationalism. The simplest device could
serve their purpose. Besides that, those creatures are very
cunning. They simulate primitivism to lure us into an attack.
They obviously have a perfectly organized intelligence service if
they have found us out."
	"Impossible!" Exclaimed the Chief Engineer.
	"Shut up!" The Captain cut him short. "How do I know you are
not on their pay-roll. Mind you, that's not very likely, as I'm
sure they could easily find cleverer agents. Cut that talk out!
Get to work!
	"Every man to his battle station!" The Second-in-Command
yelled.
	"Who has authorized you to take over my command?" The
Captain yelled back at him fiercely "About turn! We are going
back. With our weapons we could gain nothing against this
civilization. We'd just be wiped  out."
	---------------------
	It was at exactly this moment that the book by Professor
Arthur Melville "A Message Of Friendship" appeared in book-shops
all over the world. Before a month had passed the author became a
honored member of many scientific societies.
	As for the Captain, who did not fulfil the task of
destroying the Earth - well, he was convinced that he had saved
the ship and crew only through his own foresight.