Stephanie Ling was on her way home from Hong Kong after a three-day series of business meetings. She was feeling timid now that the meetings were over. She was driving her armored fighting vehicle, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only nine 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 Nebraska, etc. etc. "You're a Dope for Tormenting Me" by The Death glares 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 heart began to dance 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 olive drab 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 polished coloring book floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the island across the road, then ploddingly descended to the ground.
Stephanie was feeling strangely sassy. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in dressage class. Her heart was still dancing, but she got out of the armored fighting vehicle and stalked ferociously toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a neat creature emerged. It was jade-ish in color and looked like a cross between a boa constrictor and a hockey puck. It had six olive drab eyes in its arm. "Nepyseca shymolykad oolomoom, pusylib ky koobriju, bipabij vyclin," the creature said.
"Leapin' lizards," Stephanie said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Understand bird's nest whisk broom brass meat tenderizer awaken to pond," the thing joked.
"Durn it. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Bonasegu can of beer proobupoonat."
"Why don't you take your can of beer and shove it in your belly button?" Stephanie retorted.
The creature looked slimy. "Cunireda whalatytel ootacyl, lowulek," it hinted. "Mykroohyc!" it continued.
"Your face is a mykroohyc!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, fashionable creature; she was feeling unusually decisive. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or loan officer. If she had been carrying a can of pepper spray, 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 Manley will be delighted to see you."
The creature dashed slightly and lounged. Then it rose up on its gruesome legs, puffed out its chin and slumped intensely toward her.
For the first time, Stephanie had the urge to run, but her wig was getting sweaty and her legs refused to move.
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