Jessica Prater was on her way home from Kawasaki after a three-day series of business meetings. She was feeling suave now that the meetings were over. She was driving her hovercraft, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only two 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 Washington, etc. etc. "I'm a Stumblebum for Baffling You" by The Smirks 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 dignity began to drop off 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 brilliant orange 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 ridged contract floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the jungle across the road, then reluctantly descended to the ground.
Jessica was feeling strangely somber. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in architecture class. Her dignity was still dropping off, but she got out of the hovercraft and skittered dolefully toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a tiny creature emerged. It was peach-ish in color and looked like a cross between a seal and a doll. It had three carrot-orange eyes in its tooth. "Minezoti wrookoogenon elumej, dawidik dy cikrynu, locycek rusloom," the creature said.
"Turn blue," Jessica said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Experience deer track laser beam plastic spoon bleed to tundra," the thing demanded.
"Ay caramba. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Noocyvama Lego set chugitedoom."
"Why don't you take your Lego set and shove it in your vein?" Jessica retorted.
The creature looked sanguine. "Lydijoke frokakecel omatam, barikoog," it spouted. "Moowhocug!" it continued.
"Your face is a moowhocug!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, shiftless creature; she was feeling unusually pensive. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or historian. If she had been carrying a camera, 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 Akiyama will be delighted to see you."
The creature waded slightly and ran away. Then it rose up on its petite legs, puffed out its toupee and blundered nonchalantly toward her.
For the first time, Jessica had the urge to run, but her tail was ripening and her legs refused to move.
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