1997 - Leonard Nimoy's PRIMORTALS

Target Earth
By Steve Perry

Warner Books Edition
BIG Entertainment

It was to become short science fiction stories, but the idea took shape as comic books by BIG Entertainment. This led to Steve Perry and this book.

Quote from Steve Perry:
" ... and who [referring to Leonard Nimoy] is one of the nicest people I've met in a long time."

Foreword by Leonard Nimoy
During his work on Star Trek IV he visited a SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) listening post.
The idea came up to follow the imaginative situation: What if a signal is received indeed? And – a step further – what if the originators of the signal were on their way to Earth?
What always interested Leonard Nimoy in science fiction stories was how ordinary people's lives are affected if there would be contact with life forms from another planet: Business, Communications, Politics a. o.

The message in the book says: "Let's be prepared and look forward to a positive, expanded, intelligent future."

***

Being shot at by oncoming aliens Steward Davies, computer student, works on the development of his PC game. He works for SETI, too. As Steward just has sent a note to professor Karagigian telling him about a signal he has picked up, Jess Rossini comes in bringing him a pizza. Both know that a signal received might be an error or the origin might be revealed as a common source as it had been the times before. But Steward sends the information to professor Karagigian first, though he knows that the money giving organizations also want to know about it as soon as possible.

Jake Holcroft is a twelve year old computer freak. Living with his father, a leading right–winger, he'd rather stay with his mother who's hiding from her reckless husband. It is hardly a challenge for him to check into professor Karagigian's mail and break Steward's codes. Jake is quite amazed about what he is reading there...

Steward cannot believe it: The same signal comes in again. This had never happened before. But his second mail does not only reach professor Karagigian, it is read by the army – and they are busy tracking down a hacker who's obviously pursuing the SETI student's mails concerning an incoming signal.

The army informs Four Star General Lawrence Hightower, 62, as well, and they really take the message seriously. Laurie Sherman, the president's chief of staff, takes his call on a secured line at 4 a. m. She knows Larry always wanted to be sure of other intelligence in the universe, he always had hoped for a proof or even an encounter. Whenever Larry thinks of her, he admires her for her cleverness and her gorgeous looks. Both are together since he was alone. It is enough if the president learns about this, Larry suggests after he has talked to her about the signal he wishes to be real. Towards any other institution he plans to care that as little information gets out as possible, but he enjoys talking to her every moment.

At SETI Professor Karagigian visits Steward early in the morning. He tells Steward the signal is most probably a hoax. Obviously – since he has received a phone call from government investigators early in the morning ...

The book ends with the arrival of Zeerus and does not go further into eventualities which might happen then. It is concentrating on the basic idea: "How would a signal from outer space affect our lives?"