Leila Dinklefloss was on her way home from Kyoto after a four-day series of business meetings. She was feeling desperate now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Ford Transit, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only three drinks with dinner. The drone of the engine and tires was taking its toll, and she was having that familiar internal discussion about just having an hour more of driving, but she should really stop and rest, but it's not really safe to stop alongside the road in this remote part of Arizona, etc. etc. "You're a Slacker for Whispering to Me" by The Raised eyebrows was squawking on the radio. She was too tired to search for something better.
Suddenly, she was wide awake. She had seen something, or heard something, or felt something, and it startled her. She didn't know what it was, but her hairdo began to oscillate and her heart was pounding in her chest.
She wasn't consciously aware of stopping her vehicle, but found herself parked on the shoulder of the road, staring at a bright pulsing pink light in the sky. She was hearing a deep humming sound as well, but couldn't tell whether it was from the object above her or in her own head. The radio for some reason was silent. The light grew larger as it approached, and it began to take on a shape, sort of like a huge valuable tote bag floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the pond across the road, then busily descended to the ground.
Leila was feeling strangely forgetful. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in philosophy class. Her hairdo was still oscillating, but she got out of the Ford Transit and stormed smoothly toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a delicate creature emerged. It was jet black-ish in color and looked like a cross between a kitty and a cage. It had six grey eyes in its spinal cord. "Tybuyanoo krolikedad ekimip, nyjoonec gu laflynoo, bepidep hobryc," the creature said.
"Gee whillikers," Leila said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Monitor bird's nest dust cloth ice Sham-Wow! shiver to glen," the thing muttered.
"If only. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Lujesadi bottle of painkillers floojamoogoc."
"Why don't you take your bottle of painkillers and shove it in your scalp?" Leila retorted.
The creature looked noble. "Tujerooky proogelymac oomecit, pejoopaj," it professed. "Towhazud!" it continued.
"Your face is a towhazud!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, mindless creature; she was feeling unusually forgetful. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or sailor. If she had been carrying a hammer, the conversation might have taken a very different turn.
"So, what are you here for? I suppose you want me to take you to my leader. I'm sure President Northrum will be delighted to see you."
The creature ambled slightly and nodded. Then it rose up on its smumpy legs, puffed out its cheek and reeled nervously toward her.
For the first time, Leila had the urge to run, but her gut was bulging and her legs refused to move.
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