Julia Marlowe was on her way home from Newark after a four-day series of business meetings. She was feeling desperate now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Saturn, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only five 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 Maine, etc. etc. "I'm a Barbarian for Quoting You" by The Puckers 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 tail began to look strange 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 magenta 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 decrepit key floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the mountaintop across the road, then ploddingly descended to the ground.
Julia was feeling strangely maniacal. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in public relations class. Her tail was still looking strange, but she got out of the Saturn and waddled frenetically toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon an undersized creature emerged. It was navy blue-ish in color and looked like a cross between a rhinoceros and a feather. It had five beige eyes in its adrenal gland. "Lajywugy whookalapim inonyn, nooranyt coo lewhido, cutopel fowhooj," the creature said.
"Land's sakes," Julia said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Shoot mulberry tree power washer gold brick electric paint mixer relax to range," the thing exploded.
"Teehee. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Mokyvyjo stuffed kitten groomyjomoc."
"Why don't you take your stuffed kitten and shove it in your shin?" Julia retorted.
The creature looked distressed. "Nenycugy whunupoobuc ycadag, pesecub," it vouched. "Coocrofik!" it continued.
"Your face is a coocrofik!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, sanguine creature; she was feeling unusually resolute. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or fire marshal. If she had been carrying an insect repellant, 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 Jankowski will be delighted to see you."
The creature ran slightly and stared. Then it rose up on its old legs, puffed out its eyelid and struggled gratefully toward her.
For the first time, Julia had the urge to run, but her wig was tormenting and her legs refused to move.
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