Membership Drive

A lone interstellar explorer named Keeter drifts thirty million miles from home, watching Earth’s broadcasts before deciding to step out of his ship. He lands quietly on the tarmac beside the Jefferson Memorial, suited in a helmet and military‑styled uniform that blend a cowboy’s swagger with alien practicality. The unexpected descent triggers a rapid, secretive response from the capital’s military and political leaders, who scramble to meet the visitor.

Keeter’s calm, matter‑of‑fact manner—complete with a midwestern twang—both confounds and amuses the assembly of senators, generals and diplomats gathered around a massive conference table. He downplays the significance of his arrival, insisting that humanity is just another primitive race among countless others, and refuses to play the classic ‘mysterious alien’ role. The tension between his blunt pragmatism and the officials’ awe creates a witty, high‑stakes negotiation that hints at larger cultural clashes without giving away what comes next.