/HMoFA/ Collab Story #3

edit code: Anaheim (case sensitive)

Prompt: A signal of alien origin is finally detected: a forlorn cry for help from an alien who’s the last of her species.

Davis let out a loud yawn as he drove into the parking lot of his work in the early morning. He spent all night reviewing a particular radio burst data that one of his colleagues sent to him. It was on short notice, but it was a remarkable find. Being nothing like anything he's seen in his life, it intrigued him, and was the first time in a very long time that he was actually excited to work on something.

A short flurry of cold wind rushed into his face as he exited his car and ran into the building, making sure not to forget his briefcase this time. The significantly warmer research building felt like heaven compared to his car, or worse, the outside. When he turned the corner of the hallway, he saw his colleagues huddled around something, muttering excitedly to each other.

"Dave! You want a donut?" one of them said as they all turned to him.

Davis hadn't thought about food; he hadn't had the time. The idea was about the best he'd ever heard. Donuts especially.

"Wat'da'ya got?

Keith emerged from somewhere behind the huddle, offering up a pink cardboard tray. Keith was a good guy. Cut his hair like Albert Einstein because it made him "look the part" and swore up and down the local bar flies dug it. The truth was they were indulging him, but you'd never had the heart to say so. Despite that, the dude was a genius, probably the brightest person working there.

"I saved you your favorite. It's even got sprinkles," he said as he took out a pink donut, which like he said, had sprinkles. He made like he was going to throw it, but thought better and passed it with a handshake instead.

"Remember, Dave, it's nothing. Nothing ever happens. But if we're going to be in at this hour I figure we'll make the most of it."

Davis bit into the donut and set down his suitcase, "Yeah, about that. This data Jordan sent me last night is pretty weird, and I haven't really been able to decipher it. I'm gonna need another set of eyes on it."

While still munching on the donut, Davis opened the suitcase and brought took out a folder containing his research, "It's kind of a mess, but there should be enough for you to understand."

"Yeah, sure. I'll take a look, maybe it's a message from a fleet of dog people," Keith said with a laugh as he took the folder and walked off. Davis laughed along with the absurd idea, but like he said earlier, it was probably nothing. At best, it's some new never-before-seen anomaly that'll get him and the others a Nobel Peace Prize. Although knowing Keith, he would probably take all the credit.

It didn't take long for Keith to call Davis over.

"I'll come to you." Davis said aloud.

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Pub: 01 Jul 2021 18:22 UTC
Edit: 20 Sep 2023 03:36 UTC
Views: 1575