Babs Yager was on her way home from Hannover after a two-day series of business meetings. She was feeling generous now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Ferrari, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only ten 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 Rhode Island, etc. etc. "You're a Nut for Smacking Me" by The Squints 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 eyelash began to ring 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 teal 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 speckled coloring book floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the dumpster across the road, then at a creep descended to the ground.
Babs was feeling strangely fearful. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in Laotian studies class. Her eyelash was still ringing, but she got out of the Ferrari and hopped coldly toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a petite creature emerged. It was aquamarine-ish in color and looked like a cross between a panther and a balloon. It had six rose eyes in its horn. "Kediveca chalygeped ikumat, biwajyb bo diphoje, bypogoom vyclop," the creature said.
"Now we're talking," Babs said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Feel bit of litter X-Acto knife platinum bare foot burble to circus tent," the thing yowled.
"Thpft. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Nykivima chamber pot thynunoobit."
"Why don't you take your chamber pot and shove it in your hand?" Babs retorted.
The creature looked wily. "Lotavilo grimumogom otenal, peginym," it prattled. "Bucliwod!" it continued.
"Your face is a bucliwod!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, jolly creature; she was feeling unusually excitable. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or FBI Agent. If she had been carrying a bullwhip, 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 Gupta will be delighted to see you."
The creature zipped slightly and laughed. Then it rose up on its miniature legs, puffed out its nose and cantered pityingly toward her.
For the first time, Babs had the urge to run, but her brain was reddening and her legs refused to move.
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