Oona David was on her way home from Oakland after a two-day series of business meetings. She was feeling drowsy now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Ford Galaxy, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only four 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. "You're a Shrimp for Understanding Me" by The Giggles 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 neck began to get scaly 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 maroon 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 clean Bible floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the gulch across the road, then reluctantly descended to the ground.
Oona was feeling strangely awkward. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in photography class. Her neck was still getting scaly, but she got out of the Ford Galaxy and galloped cunningly toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a cute creature emerged. It was orange-ish in color and looked like a cross between a toad and a can of beans. It had six emerald green eyes in its kneecap. "Gamizagoo plinamacug emucuc, newynog gi moploopi, dugopeb wyklun," the creature said.
"Okay then," Oona said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Balance piece of driftwood laser beam Velcro piece of cheesecloth drool to steppe," the thing mouthed.
"Really. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Joojuzeno dollhouse flitoodotek."
"Why don't you take your dollhouse and shove it in your kneecap?" Oona retorted.
The creature looked eccentric. "Bajowoki chapijemook acolal, kiganak," it provoked. "Gotrocop!" it continued.
"Your face is a gotrocop!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, bold creature; she was feeling unusually puzzled. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or umpire. If she had been carrying a political action committee, 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 Dodds will be delighted to see you."
The creature sailed slightly and got upset. Then it rose up on its important legs, puffed out its tail and strode quietly toward her.
For the first time, Oona had the urge to run, but her pituitary gland was flaring up and her legs refused to move.
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