A Voice from Space 1

AP: What sort of trouble?

ET: I think mankind makes very silly, foolish mistakes. It does not look at elementary methods and forgets important principles: always looks at unimportant things and thinks unimportant things are important. And because of this there will be much trouble.

AP: How can mankind avoid this disaster?

ET: No, I cannot say because you will not listen.

AP: I am listening to you now.

ET: I know, it has happened before. Also men on Earth say men, other men, do not listen; they do not wish to listen. They wish to hear other things and they turn away. For a time on Earth the trouble must come and no words, it seems, can escape this.

AP: Where are you now?

ET: I am now approximately, Earth distance, 200,000 miles over 'x' in the centre of 'y'. [Marylebone High Street, Greater London.]

AP: What are you doing there?

ET: I am speaking at the moment to you by computer thought-transference system.

AP: Why don't you speak to me face to face?

ET: I have no face, I am very sorry.

AP: Do you exist in the way a normal human being does?

ET: It is possible to assume a human appearance, yes.

AP: How long do you do this for? And when do you do it?

ET: Oh, it is for maybe five minutes, ten minutes, at one time; but not for very long.

AP: Why do you do it?

ET: Amusement.

AP: You find us amusing on Earth?

ET: Yes. There is always great temptation to interfere, but to interfere is not scientific. It is not. It is to destroy that which is natural among men.

AP: You are obviously of superior intelligence. Why aren't you helping us?

ET: Because the first rule of life is that every creature must help himself and use his own intelligence. It is possible sometimes to guide the way, but very often guidance is ignored.

AP: Are you going to try and guide us?

ET: Yes. There are men among you now who would guide you, but you would also ignore that.

AP: What sort of men are they? Who are they?

ET: I shall not say.

AP: Why not?

ET: Because they would be attacked.

AP: Do you really believe that?