Beyond our control

"Beyond Our Control" by Randall Garrett is a science fiction story about what happens when technology goes wrong on a global scale. When Satellite Number Four, which manages all communication around the world, breaks down after hitting something unknown, it’s a race against time for James Fitzpatrick MacIlheny and his team to fix it. They soon find out that the satellite's orbit is changed and that an alien ship caused the problem. In a surprising turn, the story takes a hopeful approach as humans and aliens try to understand each other, leading to a peaceful exchange rather than a war, showing that first contact doesn't have to mean conflict.