Mirabel MacKenzie was on her way home from Bangalore after a five-day series of business meetings. She was feeling carefree now that the meetings were over. She was driving her tricycle, 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 Puerto Rico, etc. etc. "I'm a Blackguard for Listening to You" by The Bounds 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 hoof began to hiss 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 red 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 smelly bagpipe floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the mountain across the road, then at a dawdle descended to the ground.
Mirabel was feeling strangely lethargic. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in astrology class. Her hoof was still hissing, but she got out of the tricycle and staggered defiantly toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a frizzle-headed creature emerged. It was orange-ish in color and looked like a cross between a mountain goat and a blank check. It had six burgundy eyes in its face. "Ticihole chyjimomen icelob, doocumej ti pekrupa, jalopoon juglej," the creature said.
"You bet," Mirabel said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Unfasten piece of bark heat gun garbage fork die to circus tent," the thing simpered.
"Par bleu. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Goonahyloo basketball plamenomin."
"Why don't you take your basketball and shove it in your dignity?" Mirabel retorted.
The creature looked maniacal. "Polawima gludygygob udugab, tahipem," it sniped. "Pichayet!" it continued.
"Your face is a pichayet!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, princely creature; she was feeling unusually self-assured. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or organic farmer. If she had been carrying a piercing stare, 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 Silva will be delighted to see you."
The creature paraded slightly and sniffled. Then it rose up on its art deco legs, puffed out its buttocks and rushed merrily toward her.
For the first time, Mirabel had the urge to run, but her throat was crawling and her legs refused to move.
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