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- [00:01]
A
Hello. Welcome to Stories Podcast. I'm your host, Amanda Weldon. Today's story is called Pictures Don't Lie, an adaptation of the classic sci fi story by Katherine maclean written for you by Daniel Hines. We have Stories Podcast merch, available@storiespodcast.com shop. We're also on Cameo for all of your personalized video message needs. And don't forget to follow us on Instagram oriespodcast. If you send us a drawing of your favorite scene or character, we'll share it on our feed. Now, here's a word from our sponsors Experience the beloved Harry Potter series like you've never heard them before on Audible Harry Potter the full cast audio editions present the iconic series as a truly spellbinding listening event for the whole family. The adventure will surround you. You'll hear footsteps echoing off the walls of Hogwarts and the whoosh of a golden snitch as it darts past your ear. And the production also features a rousing new musical score that heightens every magical moment. Listen as a list Stars like Hugh Laurie as Albus Dumbledore and Keira Knightley as Professor Umbridge create a spellbinding experience for not only longtime Harry Potter fans, but also those brand new to the magical world of witchcraft and wizardry. The first story, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, is available now, with new audiobooks releasing every month. Moving forward, it's Harry Potter like you've never heard it before. Listen on audible. Go to audible.com HP1 and start listening today. As parents, we know how quickly family time can turn into scrolling time. With everyone defaulting to their own devices after a long day, wouldn't it be great to have an active option the whole family can enjoy? Something fun for those cozy fall nights when no one wants to leave the house, We've found the answer. Nex Playground, an active game system where your body powers the play. It's 100% motion driven gaming. No controllers or wearables needed. Just move naturally to play. The game library is packed with family favorites. Join Bluey in a game of keepy Uppy. Go on adventures with how to Train youn Dragon, Dance with Barbie, Pop Bubbles in Gabby's Dollhouse, or master some moves with Kung Fu Panda. Even better, Playground is kid safe with no ads in app purchases or mature content. It's the perfect way to turn screen time into active family time this fall. Want to learn more? Visit nextplayground.com that's nextplayground.com to explore active family gaming today. Thanks. Enjoy the episode pictures don't lie Once upon a time, there was an astronaut named Marie floating in deep space. In one hand she had an adjustable auto wrench. In the other she held on to a piece of the satellite antenna she was fixing, keeping herself from floating away. I've got the antenna almost fixed, she said. The radio inside her suit picked up her voice and transmitted it inside the ship. Good, came the drawl of Captain Joseph Nathan, who everyone just called Jo.
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B
Keep focused and don't float off into space.
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A
I'll keep that in mind, marie said, smiling. Inside her helmet she had a safety tether stretching from her suit to their ship, so even if she let go, he could reel her back in. Their ship was officially named US Mech 2, but everyone just called it the Fix It. Joe and Marie's job was to fly through high orbit and repair whatever satellites and little space stations needed fixing. Marie did the repairs, Jo did the piloting, and they generally stayed up in space for a month at a time. It wasn't a bad job, and it if you liked floating in space like Marie, it was the best job coming around the planet, jo said over the radio.
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B
Take a look, Marie.
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A
She tightened the final bolts on the antenna and reconnected the wiring. Job done. She leaned back and took in the view. Wow, it still gets you, she said. Around her, space stretched endlessly in a twinkling tapestry of stars. Below, they were wrapping around to the nighttime side of the planet. They were over Asia, and the lights were dazzling from space, outlining the countries in stunning glimmers. Okay, jo said over the radio.
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B
Get back aboard the ship and we'll fire up the satellite and see if it's working.
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A
Are you questioning my repairs? Marie joked.
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B
No, said Jo.
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A
I just don't want to make the month flight back out here because you forgot to plug something in. Har har, marie said, and she pulled on her tether, floating back to the airlock of their spaceship. She cycled the airlock and then popped off her helmet as cool, breathable air flooded the room. A second later, the other door opened into the ship, where she could see Jo sitting at the pilot's controls.
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B
Nice trip?
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He asked. Worth it for the view. Marie settled into her own chair and strapped in. Jo flew them a little bit away from the satellite so they wouldn't interfere, and then turned to Marie.
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B
Wanna do the honors?
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A
He said. Gladly, she said, and then she reached out and flipped two switches and pressed a blue button in space. Behind them, the satellite hummed to life and the long damaged antenna started receiving for the first time in A year. What was this dish for anyway? Jo asked, nodding at the satellite floating in front of them as they gently floated away. That's the deep space receiver, said Marie. If any aliens came calling, this is the satellite that we'd hear them on.
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B
So it's not normal for it to receive a signal?
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A
No, said Marie. It's never received anything. But maybe one day. Wouldn't that be cool? Anyway, what's next? The orbits are right for us to stop at the new International Space Station and resupply Marie. Or we could burn the engines a bit and get to that big media satellite in higher orbit. Marie. What? She snapped at Jo, surprised at him, cutting her off. The satellite.
- [06:50]
B
It's receiving a signal.
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A
What? Marie asked. Can we decode it? Computer is working on it now, said Jo. Don't get too excited. It's probably just an old Disney movie that bounced off the wrong satellite and.
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B
We'Re picking it up now.
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A
Maybe, but it's exciting, said Marie.
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B
Computer is almost done, said Jo.
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A
It's.
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B
It's a video.
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A
The computer is descrambling now. Okay, on screen, Marie said, turning on a little monitor in the center of the ship. It started with a static fuzz, then snapped into view.
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C
Oh.
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A
Said Jo.
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C
Oh.
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A
Shouted Marie. On screen was an alien. A group of aliens, three of them, sitting in a strange room. They looked vaguely human, with heads and arms and legs, but the proportions were different and their hair was an electric blue. The arms were long and had three fingered hands. The legs were short and bent almost like a frog's, and the noses were round with three holes, but otherwise they seemed friendly. What are they saying? Marie asked, but of course they couldn't tell. And why is it in fast motion? The little figures did seem to be moving fast, flipping around the screen with high pitched chipmunk voices. Probably a signal issue, said Jo. I'll have the computer try to slow.
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B
It down and compensate.
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They were both trying to stay steady, being well trained, steely astronauts and all that. But this was it. This was proof of aliens, and they seemed friendly. Jo hit the command and the video slowed down. Now the aliens were moving normally and their voices were deep and smooth and speaking English.
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B
We have watched all your signal, the aliens were saying. We've seen your news and your entertainment and music, and have learned your language. We see you as a species, much like us, trying to do their best in a hard galaxy. Perhaps we could be friends. What do we do now?
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Asked Joe. I think we better tell NASA and the rest of the world what's happening. Good idea, said Jo, and behind them on the screen, the aliens kept talking about meeting up if they could manage to find each other in the vast plains of space. They made the call to Earth, and it went about as well as you'd expect. Every government on Earth wanted to talk about the aliens, but the signal was scrambled by Earth's atmosphere, so you had to be in space. After a lot of arguing about flying people up and training new astronauts, they decided the easiest and best thing to do was let Marie and Jo handle the communication, since they were already at the satellite and it would be the fastest way. That doesn't mean that Marie and Joe got to say whatever they wanted. No, the governments of Earth prepared statements and tapes proposing a peace meeting.
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B
Think this will work?
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Joe asked as they loaded the file into the computer for transmission. They seem friendly enough, said Marie. Let's hope for the best. They sent the video and waited for the aliens to respond. They weren't sure if it would be days, weeks or months for a reply, so they settled in for a boring wait aboard their ship. Now for a quick ad break. We'll be back with the rest of the story after this. If you'd like Stories Podcast and other favorite kid podcasts Ad Free. Subscribe to Wondery Kids on Apple Podcasts as the air turns crisp and the holidays draw near, comfort becomes the best gift of all. Quince delivers layers that last Sweaters, outerwear and everyday essentials that feel luxurious, look timeless and make holiday dressing and gifting effortless. Quince has it all. $50 Mongolian cashmere sweaters made for everyday wear. Denim that never goes out of style. Silk tops and skirts that add polish and down outerwear built to take on the season. Perfect for gifting or upgrading your own wardrobe. By working directly with ethical top tier factories, Quince skips the middlemen and offers prices 50% less than similar brands. I got a featherless quilted long puffer coat from Quince and it has become my go to fall layer. It's just the right amount of warm as the days get cooler and the verdant pine color is absolutely perfect. I love wearing it and knowing that Quince works only with factories that pay workers fairly and use sustainable materials makes me love it even more. Step into the holiday season with layers made to feel good, look polished and last. From Quince. Perfect for gifting or keeping for yourself. Go to quince.com stories for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.com stories to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com stories this is an ad for.
- [12:20]
C
Nanimals Hi Stories fans. Pets are great, but have you ever tried putting a parakeet in your pocket or a cat in your backpack? Spoiler alert. It won't go well, but Nanimals are the perfect pals to play with on the go. Nanimals are mini animal figures with heart meters that fill up the more you pet, feed and move them. They interact with you by making over 70 sounds and silly reactions. And if you have more than one, Nanimals will interact with each other too. You can connect them and swap their textured outfits to create different styles. Nanimals are tactile and tiny, making them a great toy to fidget with on the go. And since they come with a handy backpack clip, it's easy to take them anywhere. Nanimals collect and connect.
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A
The reply came back the next day.
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B
We were hoping you wanted to meet. We are in a ship parked just beyond Jupiter. We could arrive at Earth in three weeks time.
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A
Marie and Jo just looked at each other in awe.
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B
What do we do now?
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A
Jo asked. We set up the meeting, marie said, smiling. Following instructions from the people on Earth, Marie and Jo sent more and more video messages back and forth between them and the aliens. The main alien communicating, one with a stripe of white in his electric blue hair and bright purple eyes, became their main contact. He said his name was Huxabluxel, but to make it easy on the earthlings, they could just call him Hux.
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B
We are getting close to your planet.
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A
Hux said in a video message.
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B
We can't wait to meet you all. I hope you will be at the arrival site.
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A
Yes, Marie sent back. Since we've been the ones talking to you, the government's decided we should be there when you land. I can't wait to meet you too. We have so much to learn from each other.
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B
See you soon, friend, said Hux.
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A
They talked a little more, but the nature of sending videos across space made them short and to the point. There just wasn't enough signal strength to send anything complicated. But that didn't matter. They would meet in person, or person to alien soon enough. Joe piloted their ship back to Earth and made a smooth landing through the atmosphere onto the Runway in Texas. From there it was a whirlwind of helicopter rides and military Humvee trips until he and Marie arrived at the secret site of the alien meeting. It was a secret base in the middle of nowhere they hadn't been able to figure out if the aliens needed a Runway or a helipad or just a big stretch of grass, so they picked an area with all three. Generals and presidents and all kinds of important people were milling around, but the aliens seemed to like Joe and Marie best, so they got to be the ones on the radio. Are you receiving us? Marie asked as Joe fiddled with the knobs.
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B
We receive you, said Hucks.
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A
They were doing audio only for the landing, since it was quicker and easier.
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B
We are approaching Earth now.
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Nothing on the sensors, said Jo, looking confused.
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B
Anyone see em? No sign, said one of the generals. But we haven't been able to detect them at all for the past week. We think they have some kind of advanced stealth that is just beyond our technology to see.
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A
We can't see you, but we're ready and waiting, marie said.
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B
Coming in for the landing, the aliens said.
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A
Everyone looked up at the clear blue sky. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and there wasn't a ship to be seen. Uh, we don't see you, Hux, said Marie. Verify you were on course. She sent him the GPS coordinates again, showing exactly where they were. Hucks sent his coordinates back, showing they were right on target.
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B
We are landing now, came the call over the radio.
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A
In the field. Marie and Joe and the presidents and generals and all the rest looked all over, but there was nothing but the.
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B
Clear blue sky and we've landed.
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A
We don't see you, said Marie. Where are you? What do you see?
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B
I followed your coordinates, said Hux. But something's wrong. I don't see any of you. I'm in some kind of strange forest. I'm surrounded by plants taller than your skyscrapers. Tall green towers and what's that? There's a monster here. It's attacking. Get back in the ship.
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A
The general started scrambling, and someone else on the radar looked up, confused. I'm. I'm receiving their signal. They're. They're here.
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C
Where?
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Shouted Jo. They should be right there in the field, the radar operator said. Marie grabbed the radio. Hux, are you okay?
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B
Is this a trap?
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A
Hux shouted over the radio.
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B
There is a monster here. Are you trying to feed us to it, Hux?
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A
No. We want peace. Something is wrong.
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B
I'll say.
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A
Hux shouted, and then there was a terrible screeching metal sound over the radio.
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B
The beast is trying to get inside our ship.
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A
Suddenly Marie was struck by a realization. Hux, tell me quick. What does the monster look like?
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B
It's bigger than the ship, Hux shouted.
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A
While Chaos sounded in the background.
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B
It's got six legs and it's covered in black armor. Its mouth is a wicked set of pincers. Oh no. More are coming. What is he talking about?
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Said Jo.
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B
We don't have anything like that here.
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Yes we do, Marie said, fully sure of her realization now, thank Hard Joe. We have a million of those monsters everywhere around us.
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B
Small black armor, six legs, pincher mouth.
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A
Joe froze, and then his mouth fell open. They're talking about ants. They're tiny. Marie shouted so everyone could hear. Their ship is small, maybe an inch across if they're being chased by an ant. They landed in the field and they're lost in the grass.
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B
This is your grass.
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A
Shouted Hux over the radio.
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B
Are you giants?
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A
No, we're normal and you're small. Wait, I guess to you we're big and you're normal. I yes, we are giants, I guess, but we're friendly. We are trying to find you, but you're lost in the grass. Can you send up some kind of flare or something? Hux came back on the radio. In the background there were sounds of battle.
- [19:22]
B
The monster is in the ship. I'm going to detonate the emergency escape pod. It should launch off the top of the ship and straight into the air. Are you watching?
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A
Marie looked at the gathered crowd and they all nodded, looking hard at the field of grass without walking on it in case they accidentally stepped on the ship. Suddenly, with a tiny little pop sound, a metal dome the size of a bottle cap launched about three feet into the air, and then a tiny little parachute popped out. There it is, said Marie. The ship is under there. Be careful now. Joe was closest and he carefully crawled through the grass. He pushed aside some weeds and saw a tiny silver ship with a big black ant nipping at the side. He pinched the ant between two fingers and flicked it into the grass. Then, gently, he lifted the ship flat onto his palm and brought it over to Marie at her table. Are they okay? We're okay, came Hux's voice over the radio.
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B
I'm looking out through the hole in the ship at a mountain at hey.
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A
There, said Marie, peering into the hole in the ship to the tiny little astronauts inside. Nice to finally meet you.
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B
You too, said Hux. But say, can you move away a little bit? Your voices are too loud in person.
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A
They laughed and started moving the ship to a more secure location. The aliens were friendly, as they claimed, but communication was going to need a little more than they thought. Like, for starters, a magnifying glass. The end. Today's story Pictures Don't Lie was an adaptation of the classic sci fi story by Katherine Maclean written for you by Daniel Hines. It was edited and produced for you by Ellie Hines and performed for you by me, Amanda Weldon. If you would like to support Stories Podcast, you can leave us a five star review on itunes. Check out all of our merch available@storiespodcast.com shop or commission a special video on Cameo. Follow us on Instagram Stories Podcast or simply tell your friends about us. Thanks for listening. Hey parents. We make Stories podcast for your child and you. And that means we'd like to know more about what your child listener thinks about our podcast. And we'd like to know a little bit more about you, the parent. So we're asking you to fill out a short survey with your child. As a thank you, we'll send you a Chance to win one of three $100Amazon gift cards Fair deal. Check out the survey@starglowsurvey.com that's starglowsurvey.com.