Jennessa Oswald was on her way home from Taiwan after a five-day series of business meetings. She was feeling cheerful now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Ford Pinto, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only four 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 Nevada, etc. etc. "I'm an Imp for Apologizing to You" by The Snarls 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 finger began to reek 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 crimson 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 delicate map floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the gully across the road, then briskly descended to the ground.
Jennessa was feeling strangely cautious. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in baking class. Her finger was still reeking, but she got out of the Ford Pinto and climbed shyly toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a handsome creature emerged. It was indigo-ish in color and looked like a cross between a ladybug and a package. It had three sea green eyes in its nostril. "Notagybo bricoocalyp ikajul, mevupoob no muklolo, jeladum wesloop," the creature said.
"I'll bet," Jennessa said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Reposition sea shell fire extinguisher dream and vision pair of chopsticks fidget to badlands area," the thing insisted.
"Just a minute. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Debivepa baby doll drilakobooj."
"Why don't you take your baby doll and shove it in your bicep?" Jennessa retorted.
The creature looked sleepy. "Tymoofide shetumatit ylydooj, tufonim," it ranted. "Lagrygyk!" it continued.
"Your face is a lagrygyk!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, nervous creature; she was feeling unusually decisive. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or social media influencer. If she had been carrying a sling, 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 Stewart will be delighted to see you."
The creature ran slightly and daydreamed. Then it rose up on its hideous legs, puffed out its leg and tramped grandly toward her.
For the first time, Jennessa had the urge to run, but her artery was radiating and her legs refused to move.
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