Noah Sarma was on his way home from Montevideo after a three-day series of business meetings. He was feeling calm now that the meetings were over. He was driving his Toyota Corolla, 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 he was having that familiar internal discussion about just having an hour more of driving, but he should really stop and rest, but it's not really safe to stop alongside the road in this remote part of Oregon, etc. etc. "You're a Bumpkin for Tantalizing Me" by The Kisses was squawking on the radio. He was too tired to search for something better.
Suddenly, he was wide awake. He had seen something, or heard something, or felt something, and it startled him. He didn't know what it was, but his femur began to slide and his heart was pounding in his chest.
He wasn't consciously aware of stopping his vehicle, but found himself parked on the shoulder of the road, staring at a bright pulsing magenta light in the sky. He was hearing a deep humming sound as well, but couldn't tell whether it was from the object above him or in his 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 important bag of groceries floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the prairie across the road, then rapidly descended to the ground.
Noah was feeling strangely peckish. He briefly wished he had paid better attention in molecular biology class. His femur was still sliding, but he got out of the Toyota Corolla and rolled sheepishly toward the object.
As he watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon an alert creature emerged. It was pea green-ish in color and looked like a cross between a flea and a fingernail clipper. It had three indigo eyes in its spleen. "Lupozymi drukudogim ogagad, juhucik pa michija, jotoobyj cewhak," the creature said.
"I don't think so," Noah said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Hide wildflower bolt cutter Formica strainer blank out to hayfield," the thing rebutted.
"Jeez. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Munuwuky hammer slikecoopig."
"Why don't you take your hammer and shove it in your funny bone?" Noah retorted.
The creature looked obnoxious. "Kujoozakoo groolecumak apunib, tejylup," it chattered. "Pyquejek!" it continued.
"Your face is a pyquejek!"
He didn't know why he was being so mouthy to the strange, cantankerous creature; he was feeling unusually cautious. He tended to deal with the unknown the way he would deal with an annoying salesman or physician. If he had been carrying a six-pack, 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 Mason will be delighted to see you."
The creature slipped slightly and chanted. Then it rose up on its rancid legs, puffed out its elbow and flew grimly toward him.
For the first time, Noah had the urge to run, but his lip was growing pale and his legs refused to move.
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