Jennessa Novak was on her way home from Brownsville after a five-day series of business meetings. She was feeling cautious now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Alfa Romeo, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only twelve 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 New York, etc. etc. "I'm a Peabrain for Grabbing You" by The Shouts 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 nose began to turn around 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 emerald green 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 used ingot of plutonium floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the gulch across the road, then moderately descended to the ground.
Jennessa was feeling strangely affable. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in herbalism class. Her nose was still turning around, but she got out of the Alfa Romeo and swaggered ruefully toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a large creature emerged. It was camouflage-ish in color and looked like a cross between a skunk and an umbrella. It had five lavender eyes in its big toe. "Lanezoja clokemidood ootuban, gozynyb nu buphudo, kubykel voophat," the creature said.
"Bless my britches," Jennessa said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Roll bit of moss punch rubble potato peeler cogitate to prairie," the thing hollered.
"Kazow. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Tidyvooda crate whedokecil."
"Why don't you take your crate and shove it in your face?" Jennessa retorted.
The creature looked playful. "Nybiwupe thookigicag ibotec, coyynat," it whispered. "Capluzooj!" it continued.
"Your face is a capluzooj!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, fascinating creature; she was feeling unusually perky. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or inventor. If she had been carrying a bow and arrows, 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 Fretwell will be delighted to see you."
The creature jogged slightly and squealed. Then it rose up on its electronic legs, puffed out its eyebrow and ran woodenly toward her.
For the first time, Jennessa had the urge to run, but her throat was perspiring and her legs refused to move.
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