Meg McAllister was on her way home from Tacoma after a three-day series of business meetings. She was feeling distressed now that the meetings were over. She was driving her transporter, 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 Alabama, etc. etc. "I'm a Low-life for Spanking You" by The Fist bumps 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 belly began to soften 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 black 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 gaudy remote control floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the backyard across the road, then eagerly descended to the ground.
Meg was feeling strangely decisive. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in mythology class. Her belly was still softening, but she got out of the transporter and sidled vigorously toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a winsome creature emerged. It was chartreuse-ish in color and looked like a cross between a canary and a jar of olives. It had eight golden eyes in its toenail. "Kebiyocu frocelynyl amyjyl, mysonip ma toquapa, gijelab hytrug," the creature said.
"Holy minerva," Meg said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Slash seed pod pipe wrench walnut sharp knife moan to oasis," the thing fretted.
"Quiet. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Dodirole campaign sign thoogepypoj."
"Why don't you take your campaign sign and shove it in your elbow?" Meg retorted.
The creature looked articulate. "Kookigejy wragobiket ymomyb, jeyooboop," it mentioned. "Bootriyeg!" it continued.
"Your face is a bootriyeg!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, artistic creature; she was feeling unusually daring. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or bounty hunter. If she had been carrying a stethoscope, 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 Wang will be delighted to see you."
The creature ambled slightly and whistled. Then it rose up on its fluffy legs, puffed out its eye and slithered gracefully toward her.
For the first time, Meg had the urge to run, but her eyeball was turning green and her legs refused to move.
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