different. My family was killed in a plane crash over the Atlantic Ocean, and I was the only survivor. One of the vimanas saw a five-year-old girl floating on a life raft and picked me up. They tried to send me back, but the problem was I had no family other than the one I lost. In the months I was here, they got attached to me, and being a kid, my mind was open enough to take in who they were. So I grew up around them, they educated me, and when I was older, they offered me a chance to go back. By then, this was home.'
Aaditya was looking at her in wonder.
'So, you never wanted to go back?'
Tanya smiled.
'This was the only life I really remembered, and over time, I made myself useful, serving as the contact for anyone like you who happened to stumble upon them.'
'Tanya, who are these guys? Their names...their aircraft...they certainly are not the CIA, nor do they look like any other government organization.'
'That only they can tell you. Aadi, can I say something?'
'Yeah, of course.'
Tanya was holding both his hands.
'I would be happy if you stayed. I have nobody I can relate to, nobody else here who will grow old like me. One day I will be an old woman and they will still be what they are. But do think hard about your decision, it will not just change your life, it will become your life.'
Aaditya had no idea what she was talking about. But he was sure he could not just walk away after learning what had happened to his father.
'Tanya, believe me, I wish I had nothing to do with all this. I wish I could just get on with my life. But for better or for worse, I am here, and now I cannot walk away. I'll stay, whatever that means, and try and do something. I threw away the dreams my father had for me, but now I will not let him down.'
As he spoke, he banged his fist against his right leg. Tanya caught his hand and looked him in the eye. 'Aadi, you're a better man than you give yourself credit for. Now, if you really want to stay, I imagine Brahma will want to talk to you soon.'
An hour later, Aaditya was back in the conference room, except this time there was nobody else other than him and Brahma. The old man asked him to sit down on one of the chairs and sat down next to him.
'We are forced to keep our existence a closely guarded secret. But if someone chances upon us, we believe in giving nothing but the full truth. Do you know why?'
Aaditya shook his head.
'Because the day is coming when we may have to reveal ourselves. And the last thing I want is for your people to mistake our secrecy for hostile intent. Are you really ready to hear the truth? I ask you one last time, because once they hear it, many people wish they had not.'
'I'm ready.'
Brahma motioned towards the centre of the room, where a holographic display materialized. It showed the Earth as viewed from space. It filled the screen rapidly, growing from a distant blue dot to a blue and green sphere ringed by clouds, where Aaditya could begin to make out features of the continents.
'What a beautiful sight. Aadi, do you know what that is?' Brahma asked.
'The Earth of course.'
'Yes, of course it is. But this is more than just a video of the Earth from space. It is a recording that I cherish dearly.'
Aaditya saw the wistful look in the old man's eyes and wondered where he was going with this.
'This, Aadi, is a recording of the first time I saw your planet.'
Aaditya's head swiveled towards Brahma in shock.
What did he mean?
'Yes, Aaditya. This was when I and my crew first came to your planet.'
A million questions were racing through Aaditya's mind, and not knowing where to start, he blurted out, 'So you're aliens?'
Brahma smiled.
'So many people say that. What a curious word: Alien . Considering how long we've been here, one would have hoped for more hospitality.'
He laughed at his own joke, and Aaditya stared at him, wondering if the old man was crazy or trying to tell him a tall tale. Oblivious to Aaditya's incredulity, Brahma
Aaditya was looking at her in wonder.
'So, you never wanted to go back?'
Tanya smiled.
'This was the only life I really remembered, and over time, I made myself useful, serving as the contact for anyone like you who happened to stumble upon them.'
'Tanya, who are these guys? Their names...their aircraft...they certainly are not the CIA, nor do they look like any other government organization.'
'That only they can tell you. Aadi, can I say something?'
'Yeah, of course.'
Tanya was holding both his hands.
'I would be happy if you stayed. I have nobody I can relate to, nobody else here who will grow old like me. One day I will be an old woman and they will still be what they are. But do think hard about your decision, it will not just change your life, it will become your life.'
Aaditya had no idea what she was talking about. But he was sure he could not just walk away after learning what had happened to his father.
'Tanya, believe me, I wish I had nothing to do with all this. I wish I could just get on with my life. But for better or for worse, I am here, and now I cannot walk away. I'll stay, whatever that means, and try and do something. I threw away the dreams my father had for me, but now I will not let him down.'
As he spoke, he banged his fist against his right leg. Tanya caught his hand and looked him in the eye. 'Aadi, you're a better man than you give yourself credit for. Now, if you really want to stay, I imagine Brahma will want to talk to you soon.'
An hour later, Aaditya was back in the conference room, except this time there was nobody else other than him and Brahma. The old man asked him to sit down on one of the chairs and sat down next to him.
'We are forced to keep our existence a closely guarded secret. But if someone chances upon us, we believe in giving nothing but the full truth. Do you know why?'
Aaditya shook his head.
'Because the day is coming when we may have to reveal ourselves. And the last thing I want is for your people to mistake our secrecy for hostile intent. Are you really ready to hear the truth? I ask you one last time, because once they hear it, many people wish they had not.'
'I'm ready.'
Brahma motioned towards the centre of the room, where a holographic display materialized. It showed the Earth as viewed from space. It filled the screen rapidly, growing from a distant blue dot to a blue and green sphere ringed by clouds, where Aaditya could begin to make out features of the continents.
'What a beautiful sight. Aadi, do you know what that is?' Brahma asked.
'The Earth of course.'
'Yes, of course it is. But this is more than just a video of the Earth from space. It is a recording that I cherish dearly.'
Aaditya saw the wistful look in the old man's eyes and wondered where he was going with this.
'This, Aadi, is a recording of the first time I saw your planet.'
Aaditya's head swiveled towards Brahma in shock.
What did he mean?
'Yes, Aaditya. This was when I and my crew first came to your planet.'
A million questions were racing through Aaditya's mind, and not knowing where to start, he blurted out, 'So you're aliens?'
Brahma smiled.
'So many people say that. What a curious word: Alien . Considering how long we've been here, one would have hoped for more hospitality.'
He laughed at his own joke, and Aaditya stared at him, wondering if the old man was crazy or trying to tell him a tall tale. Oblivious to Aaditya's incredulity, Brahma
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