Cameron Powers was on his way home from Fullerton after a five-day series of business meetings. He was feeling puzzled now that the meetings were over. He was driving his Ferrari Spider, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only seven drinks with dinner. The drone of the engine and tires was taking its toll, and he was having that familiar internal discussion about just having an hour more of driving, but he should really stop and rest, but it's not really safe to stop alongside the road in this remote part of Colorado, etc. etc. "You're a Lubberly lout for Annoying Me" by The Curtsies was squawking on the radio. He was too tired to search for something better.
Suddenly, he was wide awake. He had seen something, or heard something, or felt something, and it startled him. He didn't know what it was, but his wrist began to oscillate and his heart was pounding in his chest.
He wasn't consciously aware of stopping his vehicle, but found himself parked on the shoulder of the road, staring at a bright pulsing olive green light in the sky. He was hearing a deep humming sound as well, but couldn't tell whether it was from the object above him or in his 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 imitation paperclip floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the wasteland across the road, then slackly descended to the ground.
Cameron was feeling strangely ambitious. He briefly wished he had paid better attention in government class. His wrist was still oscillating, but he got out of the Ferrari Spider and waltzed effortlessly toward the object.
As he watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a stocky creature emerged. It was ivory-ish in color and looked like a cross between a lark and an artificial flower. It had five red eyes in its heel. "Kutoocety slomukulyp ekimag, kohimyg too byphete, takyjit cishel," the creature said.
"Yo ho ho," Cameron said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Flush badger hole cotton swab satin garlic press get frazzled to mountainside," the thing asked.
"Can you dig it?. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Jenyyomo tote bag krikiloodem."
"Why don't you take your tote bag and shove it in your eyeball?" Cameron retorted.
The creature looked earnest. "Gigifanoo writutooloob oodoguj, mavacek," it fumed. "Nowhyvut!" it continued.
"Your face is a nowhyvut!"
He didn't know why he was being so mouthy to the strange, pensive creature; he was feeling unusually brash. He tended to deal with the unknown the way he would deal with an annoying salesman or set designer. If he had been carrying a Bowie knife, 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 Hopkins will be delighted to see you."
The creature tramped slightly and flinched. Then it rose up on its fancy legs, puffed out its hip and hopped frantically toward him.
For the first time, Cameron had the urge to run, but his spine was dropping off and his legs refused to move.
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